How to Set Benchmarks for the Aspiring Runner
If you are new to jogging, you are probably curious to know what you are capable of. But if the only goal you know is an uninterrupted three-mile run — the famous “ couch for 5 km” —you might be wondering: is this all there is?
Fortunately not! There are tons of different ways to progress and pursue new goals. This isn’t just for newbies: if you’ve been working on one thing, feel free to shift gears and aim for a different target. Here are five to keep you busy for a while:
Distance (or time)
Let’s start simple: give yourself a finish line and run (or run / walk) towards it. After you have run your first 5 km (five kilometers or 3.1 miles), you can continue driving. Here are some popular racing distances to aim for:
- one mile
- 5 km, or 3.1 miles
- 10 km, or 6.2 miles
- 10 miles
- half marathon, or 13.1 miles
- full marathon, or 26.2 miles
Instead of measuring distance, you can measure the duration of your runs in minutes. Continue for half an hour, a full hour, and so on. Once your mileage starts to climb, remember that a sensible training plan only includes one long run per week , backed up by a few shorter runs.
By the way, walking isn’t cheating: if taking a break from walking helps you keep pace and finish the distance, it’s a real training tool , and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Sequence
Not thrilled with the increased distance? Try to make your workouts more consistent. If you only run two or three days a week, try adding another day. After a couple of weeks, if you feel good, add more. (I would stop at six, a little rest is very important.)
This goal is partly related to fitness – working so that your body can handle the training load. But it’s also dedication. Can you plan ahead so that you don’t miss any appointments with yourself?
Speed
There is nothing wrong with being slow , so don’t feel like you have to pick up a certain pace to be considered a “real” runner. However, the urge to write faster and faster is one of the most enjoyable things about training.
Decide how much distance you want to cover faster. After all, you would train differently to improve your marathon time than to improve your 5K time. Find a workout program that suits your goals.
If you are looking for a beginner’s version of this goal, I would suggest driving one mile on a flat road (or four laps on a school track). Write down your time, and then forget about it for a month or two while you exercise as best you can. There is a saying in running that goes something like this: “The more you run, the faster you run. You run more, run slower. ” Don’t think of your daily run as a race, but check yourself regularly to gauge your progress.
Mileage
This is not the same as distance, because we are not talking about a disposable target. Instead, count the number of miles (or total time, if you prefer) that you run each week.
Then try increasing this number gradually. During the summer, 9 miles (three 3-mile runs) can increase to 11, then 12, then 15; then you can go back to 10 to give yourself a break and then go back to adolescence.
A rule of thumb is to only increase your overall running 10% each week – although if you’re feeling good, you can do larger jumps than that.
Study of
Not every goal needs to be ever-increasing. One of my favorite summer running projects is the year I decided I wanted to do as many trails as possible in the county parks. Each time I went out, I chose a different path. My greatest achievement was to find all the necessary connections to go in a circle around the park.
Exploration is just as relevant as any time or distance target, and if you are running trails, the effort required can vary greatly anyway. (Is a two-mile path full of steep hills less of an achievement than five miles of flat land? Who can say?) Whatever you choose, make a plan and lace up your shoes. You can go further or faster than you ever imagined, or just have a great time.