Ultra running goals for 2013

In 1979, interviewers asked new graduates from the Harvard’s MBA Program and found that :

• 84% had no specific goals at all
• 13% had goals but they were not committed to paper
• 3% had clear, written goals and plans to accomplish them

In 1989, the interviewers again interviewed the graduates of that class. You can guess the results:

• The 13% of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all.
• Even more staggering – the three percent who had clear, written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together.

I honestly don't know how valid this study was, but here is a chance for anybody who so wishes, to outline some of their key running goals for the coming year. 

Personaly, I have a grudge match with the Viking Way Ultra in March, then I hope to be in UTMB via the lottery.  If the lottery dosn't turn up trumps, then I will look for a suitable replacement. 

I am a written goal person, in work primarily and just applying it to my running, yes it works, although I've found that achievements come easier if you make them your secondary goal.

For 2013? for my secondary goal I have 14 Marathons in mind or planning stages, 6 marathons booked with accomodation already (includes 3 Ultras) however when I ran my long run in June 2012, I came away injured for three months, so my primary goal for 2013 is to achieve the level of fitness I need to complete all of my planned runs up to end of June and to still be running in July of next year, instead of lounging around with my feet up putting an extra stone on. Then from July onwards I might consider times.

A few for me:

Lose weight, crept back up to 13 and a half stone need to be at 12 or under.

Get back to averaging 50 miles per week, of the right quality.

Complete the West Highland Way Race and the British Ultrafest 48HR (I have a target time and distance written down but am not sharing yet).

The hardest goal of all is to manage the above whilst striking a fair family / work / running balance.

I have my goals (TT50, SDW50, NDW50, Lakeland50, Ladybower50) written down - but now I'm first looking to get this posterior tibial tendon sorted. My mileage has been much too low the last four weeks (including zero, the first week) - I've only done one half-way long run (17.5 miles a week ago) in the last month.

So: revised goals:

- get posterior tibial tendon sorted (finally found an online resource yesterday with some usefulsuggestions shich seem to be working already - will try a run today).

- get back to running five days a week and getting some long runs in, to return to 50 mpw +/- 10 mpw

- Run Winter Tanners 30 (as a training run) and TT50

- Start additional hill work, do Lakeland 50 recces and recce SDW50 route

- Do some speed technique sessions with the club to improve my running form

- run my planned 50-mile races

Agree with Mr F on the Pilates, many a running injury/niggle cured by my once weekly session. Debra its great for ITB

Already booked C2C, Winter tanners, Moonlight challange, TP100, GUCR and fingers crossed UTMB..

Main aim though is to stay injury free all year.

Oh and lose a few pounds.

EKGO: I go to a Pilates class once a week, plus I do a short session each morning. I have no ITB problems - never have had, thankfully. Ironically I think excess ankle work in Pilates was one of the things leading to my injury...

*Dill*: I've just downloaded a very useful booklet "Building Your Body Maintenance Routine" which takes you through looking at (a) the problems you've had/ (b) problems common with your sport/ (c) aspects common with sitting/standing all day (delete as applicable for c) then helps you work out which areas to work on regularly (to be carried out twice weekly, between a hard session and a recovery session). From a site called Athletes Treating Athletes. The site has loads of useful info including self-massage, kinesio taping etc. - with "how to" videos, diagrames of where the different muscles and tendons are - evrything really. I'm using some of their recommendations now to try to get this posterior tibial sorted and I WILL be going on to their mainentance program.

So: Additional goal: do regular maintenance masaage & stretching, particularly for lower legs, with the aim of keeping injury free and running all year.

Mr F yes I go to a regular class, a little embarassing being the only guy at first but now I couldn't really care, and I found if one guy starts off others will soon follow.

Ah Debra I see, I misread you regarding the ITB. 

Run a decent 100 miler, have loads of fun on some trails and eat a fair bit. Keeping it simple.

Run a decent 100 miler?

For my own part, I have to say that my times over that distance have not been as good as my times over 50, 60, 70 miles would suggest. 

It is a serious challenge to carry your speed up to 100 miles!

Main goal is to stay injury free after a horrid 2012. If that is achieved then my next goal will be a sub 7 Comrades.

Finish the SDW in under 24hrs......

(Only previous ultra was 42 miles)

Run my first ultra, the Ladybower 50.