. . . to move forward
One of my goals for 2018 was to train for and try to PR a 5k. Kind of a tall order, considering I don’t run a lot of 5ks and am usually training for longer distances.
I am joining Fairytales & Fitness for Fridays with Fairytales & Fitness, a link up for healthy liftestyle bloggers, and sharing how that goal worked for me.
Fairytales and Fitness
5k Goal for the Spring
I had a long time between halfs: October 2017 until July 2018. It seemed the perfect time to take a shot at a 5k PR attempt.
Alas, I got sick and the 5k specific training never happened. Neither did any 5ks, not until June and Freihofers (read about it here). I knew a PR was unlikely, and while I did pretty good in the race, no, it wasn’t a PR.
Let’s try again in the Fall?
Usually I really enjoy racing October/November. There are a number of races I enjoy doing, and usually I’m seeing the payoff from all my hard work.
I decided to do a half marathon, almost on a whim (read about it here), when one of my favorite 5ks is run. I tend to do well at that race, but there’s a small portion on a trail, and it invariably slows me down. So no 5k there.
Then there was another 5k I usually enjoy — which I believe is my 5k PR — only they changed the location this year. Not as convenient. And I just ran Stockadeathon (read abotu it here), a 15k, and my body let me know that it just does not want to push too hard right now. Not to mention they’re predicting 5-8″ of snow Friday. Yes, you read that right. So no 5k there, either.
There’s a different race (not a 5k) the next day, though. And like I said, my body needs a little more TLC. The other race is actually a loop non-technical trail run. Do I want to do a potentially snowy, muddy trail race? Whether I do it or not, there will be no 5k this weekend.
It really doesn’t matter what I decide, race, don’t race, I know that it’s time to let go of that 5k PR goal for 2018.
Goals are always worth it . . .
. . . even if you don’t achieve them. Training is never wasted; or at least, good training is never wasted. You don’t necessarily reap immediate rewards from training (although sometimes you do), but they have a cumulative effect: keep at it, and somewhere down the road you’ll get your reward — it may not even be what you envisioned, but one day you’ll realize that all that hard work paid off in some way.
Moving forward
There are no more big goal races on my calendar for 2018. It’s time to simply maintain my base and allow myself some much needed recovery time.
Goals keep us motivated, but it’s wise to know when to fold up, so to speak. Sometimes letting go (not giving up!) is the path to meeting your goals. It’s a wise person who knows when to let go and move on. — Chocolaterunsjudy
Have you entered my giveaway of Couch to Active here? Time really is running out! Read my review here— this will make a great holiday gift for someone!
Have you met all your 2018 goals?
Did you have to let a goal go for this year?
When has letting go of a goal paid off for
Chocolaterunsjudy 
Yep. I had a goal to sub-2 a race this year. My body has other ideas and running that fast isn’t in my wheelhouse anymore. I spent the first half of the year fighting with my body to push it to do something it can’t do. It was hard to let it go but now that I have, I’m enjoying my runs much more. I’m focusing on finishing instead of time. After all these years of relatively fast finishes, now I’m just grateful that I’m still running.
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Except when the sun has been beating down on me for hours, I am almost always grateful for a run & say thanks on the run. It is truly a gift.
This wasn’t really painful to let go, but if I hadn’t let go, it probably would have been painful. 🙂
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Training for a 5K PR is a whole different ball game then training for longer distances, which you rocked this year. Now you have a goal for 2019 — or not. “-)
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Yup, training for a 5k is totally different. The universe was just not on my side for that goal, and such is life.
The race I wanted to do this weekend (the trail) race was canceled, for obvious reasons.
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Maybe 2019 is the year for you to PR a 5k? My PR days are long behind me. I should start thinking about another goal. It’s hard to come up with one, due to my injury. Maybe my goal should just be to get better, but that isn’t a very “sexy” goal!
We got your snowstorm yesterday. Ugh! 6 inches of snow, which began and ended as freezing rain and sleet. That’s the biggest snowstorm we got all of last year, and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet!
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Just think of this year as a “work year”. Meaning you are working toward your goal and perhaps because of all your hard work this year you will achieve your goal next year! That’s what I’m going with!
Have a good weekend Judy and thanks for linking up!
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I have had many work years. 🙂
I know it may seem that I’m hung up on PRs, but I’m really not. I just enjoy working towards a goal.
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Great attitude and goals are always important weather you reach them or not.
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Agreed!
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I agree training is never wasted even if you don’t achieve a set goal. You always gain something from training either mentally or physically. I expected to be in a much better place leading up to Philly half tomorrow but that’s ok. Just keep moving forward
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Oh, good luck at Philly. Does not seem like a great weekend for it but I hope you have a fantastic time!
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It took a few years for me to reach my 5K goal of under 30 minutes, but I never did reach my under 9 minute mile goal. 9.07 was as close as I got. Like you, I let it go. I had to. It’s the only goal I set that I did not reach but though disappointing, it’s okay.
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I don’t have lofty goals for the 5k. Not even a real time goal; I’d just like to get below where I’m currently at, and if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t. C’est la vie.
9:07 is damn close and seriously if I ever ran a mile that fast (just one!) I’d probably keel over. 🙂
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Yep, it makes sense to let goals go at times if circumstances have changed! I had a mileage goal for the year and I’m definitely not going to hit it since I had no running at all for a month in the Spring.
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Training for a 5k is so hard. I was kind of hoping to be up to 3 miles after my mini break, for tomorrow. I got to 2.25 and I’ll be treating tomorrow as a training run. The point was to have fun after all, and I need to curtail my competitive streak.
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Goals are great for some esp if you don’t obsess about them. And as you say, if you don’t reach them, you let them go.
My only goal is to stay healthy which I think is the most important goal. There are too many variables on whether or not one can PR. I know that I can run faster but I am ok with my times esp if I feel good when I’m done. Remember I’m 9 years older than you. I have realized that I run my best with lots of rest days and my PRs have come when I don’t run a few days in a row before a race. You would think that I would remember this… I don’t . I rest because I don’t have time to run.
Good luck with next year’s goals!!
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It’s hard to let go of a goal like that. I had to do something similar for my fall marathon goal It usually releases a lot of stress to allow ourselves to let go of that goal. There is always 2019
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Hm, let’s see – goal to run the Manchester marathon and PB – DNS. However, I did run my DIY marathon.
Goal to qualify as an endurance official – yes, got level 1 and on my way to level 2
Goal to qualify as a track and field official – course next weekend, might get my level 1 this season
Goal to run 1,000 miles in the year – on track, I’ve just passed my end-of-November mini goal
Goal to get stronger and more resilient – working on it.
You sound like you’ve had a great running year and that 5k would not have fitted in it. Well done you, anyway!
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I guess my main goal was to get back to the marathon distance, which I did (albeit on a TOUGH course). I also had hoped to get another sub-2 half marathon, but with all the distance training for the marathon, that sub-2 was loftier than I’d originally envisioned. I did get closer with each race, so I’m all good with everything. Like you said, there’s always something to be thankful for and that’s the main thing I focus on these days
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I agree.
I’ve finally let go of my 700 miles goal but it was one hell of a journey.
I had a vague goal to break 30 for a 5K but didn’t end up training for it. Debating whether I’m going to run the Frozen Penguin in 2019 as it moved months, but if I do the goal will be to PR on that between half marathons. Uh yeah. Maybe not.
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*IF* I get to do the races I want in 2019, there probably won’t be time for 5k specific training. I did PR several distances this year, so I’m definitely still happy. And would be even if there weren’t any PRs!
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