in a specific event (such as winning your age category in a race).Performance goals relate to a certain level of achievement (for example, a sub-40:00 10K).Setting different targets means you're more likely to focus on the positive outcomes of your

motivated by choosing a race as a goal, but use whatever target works for you, whether that’s building up to your first 10-mile run, running five times a week, or logging 100 miles in a month. “A good goal keeps you excited,” says Hadfield.Go Off

training plan, diet and race-day strategy. "Every race is a puzzle," says coach Jeff Horowitz, author of My First 100 Marathons (£15.99, Skyhorse Publishing). "Look for clues to solve it." Did you rest enough during your taper? Did you go out too fast? Did

statement below:1. I'm disappointed after a race if a rival beats me, even if I set a PB. [+1]2. I never set any training or racing goals for myself. [-1]3. I like to set myself goals and watch my performances improve. [0]4. On group runs, I find myself

, with 700 runners in November. The race has raised £20,000 for charity in the last four years. The club also helped organise two Stevenage Race For Life 5Ks last July, and helps out at the London Marathon each year. Chris Leigh says the club is proud

me on my long runs. We ran our 20-milers only 30 to 40 seconds slower per mile than our marathon goal pace. These runs weren’t easy, but I made sure I ran easy a few days before and after the runs. That year I finished the New York City Marathon in 2

was that unfit. I kept at it though, and soon I could run for 10 minutes with only a couple of stops, then 15..." more"Mark had trained so hard for this sub-4-hour goal but he looked ill. Skinny and washed out... we just put it down to all the training. But we

research and discovered there were a few very good British marathon runners, but none were even close to being in the same league as the Kenyan or Ethiopian runners. In 1985, 105 British men had run under 2:20 for the London Marathon, but only a handful had

UAN:193 Article type:-->David Hays lives in the South-West, an area of the country that for much of the winter is very grey and wet. Three times a week he meets his running partners at the ridiculously early time of 5.15 am – although he lies

guy who did his first half-marathon aged 27 in about 2:15, and now 10 years on is doing 1:13! – Stevie GMore haste, less speed As everybody else has said, of course you can, but I urge you to be patient and set realistic goals. I started running again