How to set goals when you first run?

Lisa Bentley, a Canadian triathlete, said that when she first started running, setting realistic goals was the key to success. That is also the secret to helping her win Ironman 11 times and become one of the best in the world at this content. According to Lisa, to successfully build goals, beginners need to focus on the following factors.

The most important thing for new runners is to set achievable goals. "You can start with 30 minutes of walking and running, alternating between jogging for 30 seconds and walking for a minute and a half," says Lisa Bentley.

This helps develop very good skills when gradually increasing the running time and decreasing the walking time. With persistent practice, at one point, you can run from 15 minutes continuously, then increase to 20 minutes and can complete a 5km race.

The biggest mistake new runners can make is choosing an unrealistic goal. "Many people say they want to be Ironman or win the world championship, but they don't anticipate how hard it is to practice. This goal is not impossible to achieve but requires a lot of sacrifice. Make sure that the expectations set for yourself are achievable and always ready to meet ", emphasized Lisa.

The Ironman champion said the first question for the athletes she coaches is what is the ultimate goal they want to achieve. "I look at their lifestyle and training level and develop an appropriate plan. For example, if I have an injured athlete, I will reduce the activities that cause injury and increase the other exercises." , she said.

If the goal is to compete in Ironman, they need six months of training, of which the first three months are just to improve their health and training readiness. Therefore, runners should identify the goal that most needs to be accomplished and stick with it.

When starting out, each person needs to be responsible and persistent in practice. Non-professional athletes with little time should maintain practice in the early morning.

Lisa Bentley often revisits each stage during her training and competition journey. Beginners should do the same. In addition to perseverance and trying their best, they need to use tools to track their practice. Indicators like speed or heart rate help them gauge if they're running fast enough or making progress.

It is recommended to chart the progress for certain exercises by speed. Ideally, indicators should be evaluated every 10 days. If speed doesn't improve from exercise to exercise, modify your goal.

"When I first started my career, my goal was to be the best athlete in all of swimming, cycling and running," said Lisa Bentley. To do that, female athletes set goals in each training session. Although she always wants to win, she still puts health, fitness and personal performance first.

"As I got older, I shortened the distance, reduced the training sessions and focused on finishing healthy. Now that I am retired, my goal is to stay fit and healthy, rather than win. a race," emphasized the Ironman champion.