Setting Running Goals: Tips and Training Plans for Reaching Common Goals

I have had this post in my "drafts" folder for over two years now! Haha, I finally finished it and am now publishing it.)

There is something about this time of year that makes me feel motivated to set goals. This is also the time of year that people think about signing up for fun novelty races in the summer, or start training for a fall longer-distance race.

Whether goals are big or small, they are all significant. I created this list of common running goals, and included my blog posts and training plans associated with each goal. Some of the posts and/or training plans are applicable to several of the goals, and some are unique. But whatever the goal, chances are, I've written about it ;)

So, here are the goals--whether it's taking that first step out the door or running a full marathon, running a sub-30 5K or a personal record in the 10K. Hopefully these posts will be helpful in setting and reaching some running goals!

Goals:

Jump to:
To start running (and/or to run your first 5K)>
To get in the habit of running regularly
To run your first 10K
To run your first half-marathon
To run your first marathon
To run your first ultra marathon
To get faster
To run a personal record
To make running enjoyable

Goal: To start running (and/or to run your first 5K)

For: People who have the desire to become a runner, but haven't gotten started for whatever reason.

To Read:

• How to Become a Runner
• Running Lingo (running terms and what they mean)
• 50 Tips for Running
• The Importance of the Easy Run
• Running While Overweight
• My Favorite Running Things
• What to Expect at Your First 5K
• Tips for Running (and Training for!) Your First 5K

To Train:

• Training Plan: Walk to Run
• Training Plan: Run Your First Mile
• Training Plan: Run Your First 5K (there are 8 different options!)
• Training Plan: Six-Month Half Marathon Plan for Beginners
• An Off-Season Cross Country Plan for Kids (or easy plan for grown-ups!)

Goal: To get in the habit of running regularly

For: Those who have perhaps finished a 5K training plan or who have just reached the point of being able to run a few miles at a time, and would like to make running part of their lifestyle

To read:

• The Importance of the Easy Run
• Changing the Habits That Keep Us From Losing Weight (this applies to exercise)
• My Favorite Running Things
• 50 Tips for Running

To train:

• Training Plan: Base Building for Beginners
• Training Plan: Run Your First 5K
• Training Plan: Off-Season Cross Country Plan for Kids (an easy plan for grown-ups)

Goal: To run your first 10K

For: Those who have run a 5K and are now ready to take on the 10K

To read:

• The Importance of the Easy Run
• My Favorite Running Things
• 50 Tips for Running
• Tips for Running (and training for!) Your First 10K
• First 10K: A guest post by my husband

To train:

• Training Plan: First Timer's Half Marathon Training Plan (just stop the plan when you reach the 10K distance)

Goal: To run your first half-marathon

For: Those have experience with 5K's and 10K's, and are ready to step up to the half-marathon distance

To read:

• The Importance of the Easy Run
• My Favorite Running Things
• 50 Tips for Running
• All About Fueling During Runs
• Tips for Running (and training for!) Your First Half-Marathon

To train:

• Training Plan: A First Timer's Half-Marathon Training Plan
• Training Plan: A "Finish Strong" Half Marathon Training Plan (for more experienced runners who can handle running a higher mileage)

Goal: To run your first marathon

For: Experienced runners who have run regularly, and are hoping to tackle the marathon distance

To read:

• The Importance of the Easy Run
• My Favorite Running Things
• 50 Tips for Running
• All About Fueling During Runs
• Tips for Running (and training for!) Your First Marathon
• First Marathon: A guest post by my sister

To Train:

• Training Plan: Six Month Marathon Training Plan (this starts at a 5K--if you can run 5K, then you can run a marathon in six months)
• Training Plan: Hansons Marathon Method (my favorite training plan)

Goal: To run an ultramarathon

For: Crazy people

To read:

• The Importance of the Easy Run
• My Favorite Running Things
• 50 Tips for Running
• Guest post by Nathan, my brother, who ran his first ultramarathon

Goal: To get faster

For: Runners who have a solid base of easy running, and whose bodies are conditioned enough to start working harder (a good base is about 300-500 miles total)

To read:

• The Importance of the Easy Run
• My Favorite Running Things
• 50 Tips for Running
• The Best 10K Workout to PR
• An Explanation of 80/20 Running
• How I Shaved 3 Minutes From My 10K Pace and Set a PR
• How to Run Faster

To train:

• Training Plan: "Your Best 5K" (even if you're not planning to run a 5K race, the plan will help you get faster)
• Training Plan: "Your Best 10K" (again, this plan will help you get faster regardless of what race you plan to do, if any)
• Training Plan: "Finish Strong" Half-Marathon Plan

Goal: To run a personal record

For: Experienced runners who want to improve their time for a particular race distance, and are willing to put the time and energy required into reaching this goal

To read:

• The Importance of the Easy Run
• My Favorite Running Things
• 50 Tips for Running
• The Best 10K Workout to Set a PR
• An Explanation of 80/20 Running
• How I Shaved 3 Minutes From My 10K Pace and Set a PR
• How to Run Faster

To train:

• Training Plan: "Your Best 5K"
• "Training Plan: "Your Best 10K"
• Training Plan: "Finish Strong" Half Marathon Training

Goal: To make running enjoyable

For: Runners who aren't necessarily interested in racing but who want to continue to run and not get bored

To read:

• 50 Tips for Running
• Summer Running Checklist 2019
• How to Support Your Runner (suggestions for your family and friends)

Resources that I have found to be very helpful when training and/or writing my running plans:

• Hansons Marathon Method (even if you aren't running a marathon, the information in this book is invaluable)
• 80/20 Running (this is what helped me get my fastest; but even if not training for speed, it is great information to get stronger, stay injury free, and simply train properly. I highly recommend buying the paperback rather than Kindle version, because you will do a lot of flipping back and forth between pages.)
• After reading 80/20 Running, I suggest reading about The 180 Formula by Dr. Phil Maffetone. I used this formula to calculate my heart rate when doing easy runs.

In addition, here are my favorite books/movies about running that you can use for inspiration :)

Finally, I have a ton of other posts that may be helpful when setting goals, which can be found on my "Running" page, as well as several free training plans. I hope this is helpful!