[Author’s Note: This article is part of an occasional series on the unique opportunities and challenges of growing older as a runner.]
This is the time of year many of us take stock of where we are and where we want to go and set goals for the year. For me, as I undertake my annual goal-setting exercise, I strive to set goals that are both ambitious and realistic. As I have grown older, I have found it more challenging to find the fine line between these two, yet recently I have concluded that there are three keys to setting goals that achieve both ends.
1. Set Both Short- and Long-Term Goals
At the beginning of the exercise, I like to divide my goals into short-term and long-term “buckets.” Having goals that can be achieved in several weeks or months alongside goals that may take a year or longer to reach gives me balance and allows me to see the forest from the trees.
For me in 2025, my two short-term running goals are to get 10% faster in my standard endurance runs, and to successfully finish the Cocodona 250 Mile in early May. My two longer-term goals, conversely, are to lose 15 pounds and increase my muscular strength by 10% over where it is now. Both of these latter goals will likely take the full year, if not longer.
The group at the 2024 Aravaipa Running’s Cocodona 250 MileTraining Run, which the author attended to scope out the route. Photo courtesy of AJW.
2. Strive for Goals That Are Intrinsically Satisfying
In my younger days, I often set goals that were extrinsically focused: win a race, run a personal best, beat so and so. As I’ve aged, however, I find myself gravitating toward goals that are more intrinsically focused, goals that matter only to me.
In 2025, my intrinsic goal is to become a more skilled trail runner. I have realized over the past several years that my trail running skills have waned, and as a result I have found myself moving away from the trails and onto the roads. Yet, the thing is, I love the trails, and I know that if I practice more, I will get better. Not as good as my younger self, that’s for sure, but better nonetheless. This goal doesn’t really matter to other people, but it’s really important to me, so we’ll see how it goes.
The author enjoying snowy trails with iRunFar’s Bryon Powell back in 2016. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
3. Establish Goals that Allow for Midcourse Correction
Through experience, I have come to realize that not all goals need to be 100% achieved in order to be successful. In fact, some goals may be better kept incomplete and be returned to at a later date. Based on this, I like to set goals that can be corrected over time in the event that things evolve, life gets in the way, and more. Establishing goals that can be corrected midcourse allows me to remain flexible, creative, and purposeful — without being arbitrarily tied to a single outcome.
In any goal setting exercise, whether running related or not, it can be valuable to realize that through life experiences gained as we age, we can refine what it means to set and achieve goals and find satisfaction in both the process and the product. At the end of the day, being mindful of both can make our lives more enriched and the day-to-day grind just a bit more meaningful.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s beer of the week comes from Payette Brewing Company in Boise, Idaho. Twelve Gauge Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is a beer made annually to celebrate the holidays. The 2024 edition is a deep, dark, rich stout, with hints of chocolate and a slightly burnt finish. Weighing in at 11% ABV, it is a full-bodied beer that is up for just about any challenge.
Call for Comments
What are your goals for 2025?
