Goals

I am a big proponent of setting goals. I think having something to shoot for at the end of your journey is important. It helps you get out of bed before the sun comes up to go for a long run, it helps you do one more interval, it helps you suffer for 30 more seconds in the ice bath. Enjoying the training and enjoying the journey is important, but the end-goal is a crucial part of the whole experience.

You all should want to improve your racing throughout this process, but I want to throw out some numbers that you all should be aiming for. You might not achieve these times this year, but I truly think all of you have the capability to achieve them in the future if you dedicate yourselves to it.

Below are the times of the 18th fastest person in 5A Track and Field for 2009 and 2010. Why 18th? The top 18 athletes in each event go on to the State Meet in May. And running at the State Meet is the truly ultimate experience in Colorado Track & Field.

Gender/Event/2009 Time/2010 Time

Women/400 m/60.34/58.39
Women/800 m/ 2:23.45/2:22.05
Women/1600 m/5:20.63/5:18.71
Women/3200 m/11:40.77/11:36.45

Men/400 m/50.32/50.06
Men/800 m/1:58.37/1:58.11
Men/1600 m/4:29.31/4:27.77
Men/9:54.56/9:47.67

Some fast times, for sure, but some attainable times. Print these times out, hang them on your bathroom mirror, or staple them to your notebook. Visualize yourself running those times. The journey to achieve these times starts now. It starts with getting out there and doing the running. It starts with stretching and with good nutrition. You all have a headstart on your competitors due to your participation in winter track, so take advantage of it. What's the silly cliche, "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard" or something like that. It's a cliche, but it's true. Put in the hard work now, and you will be reaping the benefits later on in the season.

SEP