BIG RUNNING GOAL TIP 2: Form a team around you to help achieve your goal

There might only be one race bib allocated to you for race day, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it on your own. Forming a team around you to help get to the start line and achieve your goal is one of the most important things you could do.

And I think this is where many of us can become unstuck and fall short in achieving our goals, because we don’t recognize it early enough. Or perhaps we don’t know what kind of support we might need and where best to get it.

It will really depend on the stretch of your goal relative to where you’re at right now, but as you plan for it see if you can pre-empt a few areas you might need some support in. Being on the front foot and proactive here is key. A ‘niggle’ is far easier to work through with some regular massages and strength exercises than a sports doctor diagnosis!

Some of the most typical areas of support for runners are: A training program, coaching guidance; massage treatments; acupuncture; physiotherapy; nutrition advice; strength training; a stretching regime; mindset strengthening.

And of course a whole host of others that would serve you well to consider, but these are a good starting point.

The other really helpful area of support that warrants a separate mention is training buddies. Having people to train with. Whether it’s in a running club, a social group, or even in a virtual sense someone you can share your runs and progress with. Having this kind of comradery to help support, encourage and guide you in your training and ideally on race day itself can be incredibly valuable and make a world of difference.

As you identify the areas of support you might need, whether it’s on a regular basis or as-needed, make sure it comes from people you feel you can trust and are aligned with. We’re all different so we’ll naturally feel that level of trust and alignment with different people, irrespective of their expertise, and I think it’s really important to honor that. It’s your goal, so recruit a team that feels right for you.

And as a lasting thought on this point - don’t underestimate the ‘team’ effort involved in an individual goal.

Click here to see all 6 tips to get ready to take on your big running goal