The end of my Running Motivation Challenge - did I retain my title?
Well, my Challenge has come to an end. I have successfully completed the four weeks of my SMART Goal.
Week Three saw me bathing in the glory of coming top of the club Strava Leaderboard. But that was never going to last!
Week Four saw me out only three times, but that was part of the goal, so that was fine. I completed 12.4 miles in total but that was way down on last week. As a result, I was beaten by 2.6 miles by Steve, who has decided to enter the melee.
I am taking nothing away from Steve's victory but put it this way.....the gloves are off.
...joking, of course!
Was my SMART Goal a success?
I would say yes, it has made me realise that it was only me holding me back from returning to running.
By having established the goal, it gave me something to aim for.
I hadn't specified how long those runs were to be or how fast, just that I had to get out there three times a week. And I did.
It doesn't seem such a struggle now to get the lycra on and move my arse out of the door. Once out it feels like it used to (just a lot slower)!!!
What next?
Oh, I'm on that already.
On 1st December I signed up for Tinathon 2022.
This fine lady is Tina Jury, finishing her 100th marathon.
It was late August 2017 at the East Farm Frolic and just days before she started her first round of chemo. Apparently, this picture sums Tina up. She wasn't going to let a stupid thing like cancer steal her away from enjoying her 100th marathon!
Unfortunately, cancer took Tina in 2019.
In the past three years, this amazing group has raised a staggering £30,000 for their charities all in the name of their late local hero, Tina Jury.
Tina supported and encouraged so many people to challenge themselves, so this challenge is done annually to honour her memory and keep her legacy going.
To take part you pay an entry fee to the charities and you must commit to 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise, such as running, power walking, a gym session, Park Run, swimming etc., every day in December - even Christmas Day.
You must exercise each and every day. Miss a day and you must donate a £5 fine. Everything raised will go to Winchester Hospice or Wessex Cancer Trust.
So I signed up and will now HAVE to get out there, not three times a week but every day - even for a power walk. And it's all on Strava so no cheating.
Bottom Line
If you want to achieve something but need direction, do yourself a SMART goal.
Remember it has to be:
S - Specific = ie: run 3 times a week for a month
M - Measurable = ie: 3 times a week
A - Attainable = ie: 3 times isn't too many and Thursday Plodders counts as one.
R - Relevant = ie: I want to get back to running so this is a start
T - Time-based = ie: One month
That's it for this post, subscribe to find out how I get on.
Keep safe, keep warm!
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