So you’re ready to level up and finally chase down that PR. What’s next? At this point it’s important to set some clear goals and come up with a plan. Just because you run all the time doesn’t mean that you can just show up at the next race and expect to run faster. The following three steps will help you determine if you’re ready to move forward and how to get there.

Step 1: Is the goal realistic and attainable in your current season of life?

Be really honest with yourself. Your goal may be well within your physical capabilities, but the current demands of your personal or professional life may not allow you to train at the level needed to reach them.

Maybe you want to run a 4 hour marathon, qualify for Boston, or run an ultra marathon. Maybe several of your running friends have similar goals and are planning a girls trip around those goals. Before you commit, evaluate if you can afford to put in the extra time training over the next 4-5 months.

How will it effect you personally? Do you have the support at home to spend the extra time training? Will it pull you away from any of your kids’ activities or other social functions and if so, are you okay with that?

What about professionally? How will the extra time spent training affect your work? Are you going to be able to get the rest you need at night in order to fully be present at your job? Do you have any work related projects coming up or trips that might interfere with training?

Remember, more goes into training than just running. You need to make time to get adequate rest, to stretch and do strength exercises, and to eat nutrient rich meals that support your level of training.

Step 2: Get really clear on the desired outcome

Often times we runners get caught up in running multiple races because…well because we can! While there is nothing wrong with running a variety of race distances throughout the year, it’s important that you get really clear on your goal because it will affect how you train. Clarity also helps you set realistic expectations for your performance in other races.

When you get really clear on your desired outcome, you may need to eliminate cross training or races because they don’t move you closer to your goal. Spin or HIIT classes are a fun effective form of cross training during the off season, but they don’t compliment race specific training. They prevent you from getting the full benefit of your running workouts and increase your risk for injury.

If your training for a marathon, you shouldn’t race a 5K every weekend. If you do run in shorter races while marathon training, you need to adjust your expectations. The training is different and it’s not realistic to expect a 5K PR when all your training has been geared specifically toward the marathon. If you run a half marathon while marathon training, it may make sense to practice marathon goal pace in a race setting rather than to chase a half marathon PR.

Step 3: Reverse engineer your goals

Once you get clarity around your goals and determine that they’re realistic for this season life, it’s time to get planning! Start with the end in mind, grab your calendar and count back the weeks from the race to the present. Knowing how much time you have helps you design a plan that provides an adequate build up, race specific speed workouts, and time to taper.

Sometimes PR goals can be a long term effort. While you have a specific race in mind, you may want to run a series of races to practice running the distance, building both physical and mental strength. Again, start with the end in mind and build your training and racing schedule around your ultimate goal.

Reverse engineering your goals helps build confidence and eliminates overwhelm. You are breaking down the training into small bite size chunks that starts with your current ability and develops your strength and speed over time. This is really helpful when you have a stretch goal. You learn to trust the process and and focus on nailing the present workouts. This also trains your mental muscle, reinforcing your belief in your ability to reach the goal!

What’s your next big running goal? Leave a comment below and let me know how these three steps will help you reach your goals!