Goals are free, so set several. On a big day--like a marathon--it's useful to set three goals:

1. Your ultimate goal that you will have to work very hard for

2. An intermediate goal that takes some effort—if the day is not perfect, it will still take some work to achieve

3. An "I'll be satisfied with this" goal

Generally speaking, there are two types of goals. Process goals (also known as practice goals) involve activities that focus on mastering a task or improving a skill.  This can include closely following a training schedule, improving your nutrition, or getting more sleep to be as rested as possible. Outcome goals (or competition goals) relate to a specific outcome. Examples include breaking 4:00 for a marathon, running a personal record in your next five miler, or breaking 8 minute pace in a four miler. It is useful to have at least one of each goal as they often go hand in hand. The best example of this (in my unbiased opinion, of course), is: I will listen to Koach Kelsey's advice all year (process goal) and I will run a sub-3:00 ING NYC Marathon (outcome goal)! :o)

Be SMART when choosing goals. They should be
Specific—I will set a pr in a 5 miler vs. I will run more
Measureable—I will do more speed workouts vs. I will be happier with my running
Achievable—I will run all of the half marathons in the Grand Prix series this year vs. I will run 200 miles every week this year
Realistic—I will break my marathon pr by 10 minutes vs. I will break the marathon world record
Time-bound—I will run a marathon vs. I will run my first marathon before my 45th birthday.

A well written goal for someone who just ran a 2:30 marathon is: I will break 1:55 at the 2009 Queens Half Marathon. It is SMART.

It's less frustrating if you set goals that you control. When you are in charge you control your effort, your focus, whether you workout or not, how many quality workouts or long runs you complete each week, and, most importantly, your attitude. Many people want to beat another runner or to place in the top three catergory in their age group. These goals are hard to control as the outcome is not uniquely dependent on what you do. It's OK to set these as goals, but they shouldn't be your only goals.

If you're having trouble setting a running goal, consider the following:

• Think about timing. What can you commit to given everything else that is going on? Are you starting a new job? Beginning school? In a new and exciting relationship? Or all of the above?
• Get some information—ask a more experienced runner for advice. Find out what his/her first running goals were.
• Think about what you enjoy doing. Do you like running in the cold? If not, then don't set a goal of completing a winter marathon.
• Think about something that is important to you. If competition is not important to you, and you don't like to do speed workouts, then maybe a sub 17 minute 5k is not right for you. Consider setting a goal of finishing a certain number of races.
• Make sure you think about how much time you need to invest. For example, marathon training is very time consuming.
• Think about the long-term training. Two weeks is not enough time to break a half marathon pr if you are just recovering from an injury.

The single most important reason why people don't achieve their goals is that they don't set them in the first place. Therefore, they don't really commit. Skip the part where you set the goal of setting goals, and write them down. Then talk about it with others. This will force you to commit to them. Just do it!

Koach Kelsey

PS-Now that you have set your goals, remember the old adage, IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN. Yes, not reaching your goal can be upsetting, but give yourself a day to lament your disappointment then analyze what you could have done differently and come up with another game plan. DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!

Shorten your stride and keep your feet lower to the ground. You will run more efficiently and reduce the risk of slipping, falling or straining muscles. You should avoid running on snow or ice when you can. When you can't, try to run on fresh snow rather than ice or packed snow. You will get better traction and reduce the chance for slipping.

Despite the cold weather, you'll still heat up and lose fluids through sweat. Cold air also has a drying effect, which can increase the risk of dehydration. Make sure to hydrate before, during and after your run to avoid dehydration, especially during long runs. Also, you're less likely to feel thirsty, so don't use thirst as a gauge.

Pay attention to temperature and wind chill the same way you would factor humidity on a hot day. Strong wind can penetrate your clothing and remove the insulating warm air in between layers. Your movement also creates wind chill because it increases air movement past your body and can make it feel much colder.

What to Wear:
As much as 30% of your body heat is lost through your head. Wearing a hat will help prevent heat loss, so your circulatory system will have more heat to distribute to the rest of the body.

Most people experience the worst cold in their hands so you should wear running gloves that wick away moisture. Mittens are a good choice because your fingers will share their body heat. On really cold days, consider using hand warmers.

Don't forget to dress in layers. The layer closest to your body should be made from a synthetic wicking material, such as DryFit, Thinsulate, Thermax, CoolMax, polypropolene, or even silk. This will wick the sweat away from your body, keeping you dry and warm. It's very important to make sure you don't wear cotton for this layer because once it gets wet, it stays wet.

You should also have an breathable wind- and water-proof outer layer. This layer should protect you against wind and precipitation, but at the same time allow  heat and moisture to escape to prevent both overheating and chilling. Some good fabrics  for outer layers include: ClimaFit, Gore-Tex, Microsuplex, nylon, and Windstopper.

On very cold days, be sure to wear an insulating middle layer like Akwatek, Dryline, Polartec, polyester fleece, Microfleece, Thermafleece and Thermax. It should have the perfect balance of trapping some air to keep your warm, yet releasing enough vapor or heat to avoid overheating.

Your legs generate a lot of heat so you don't need as many layers on your lower body. You can usually wear a pair of tights or running pants made of synthetic material such as Thinsulate, Thermax, Coolmax, polypropolene, nylon, or silk. You may want to consider two layers on your lower body: a wicking layer (tights) and a wind-proof layer like track pants for extremely cold days (factoring wind chill.)

Try to avoid puddles, slush, and snow when running in the winter. This will leave your feet wet and cold. Look for a running shoe with as little mesh as possible, to avoid wind and water getting to your feet. For socks, don't wear cotton  (this goes for warm weather, too) when running because they won't wick away moisture, leaving your feet wet and prone to blisters. Instead, choose a good pair of wicking socks made of acrylic, CoolMax, or DryFit. If it's really cold, you might want to wear two pairs of socks--one thinner  pair closest to your feet and a thicker pair over them. This may affect how your shoe fits.

Don't forget that you will warm up once you start running, so it's OK to feel a little bit chilly when you start your run. A good rule of thumb is to dress as if it's 15 degrees warmer outside than it really is.

On very cold days, make sure you monitor your fingers, toes, ears, and nose. They may feel numb at first, but they should warm up a few minutes into your run. If you notice a patch of hard, pale, cold skin, you may have frostbite. Get out of the cold immediately and slowly warm the affected area. If numbness continues, seek emergency care. Also note that cold air is thinner and can trigger asthma attacks in some people.

If you follow these simple rules you can run outside all winter!

Since you lose more water while running in warmer weather, you will need to be able to replace your fluid levels during runs.  Please note that you shouldn’t wait until you are feeling thirsty to drink. When you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.   Try running with a water bottle, using a hydration pack, or bringing a few dollars with you to purchase something to drink—note that Gatorade is $3 at the hot dog stands in Central Park.  You can also splash yourself with water to cool down. 

You also lose a great deal of salt and electrolytes through sweat and should consider using sports replacement drinks instead of water to replace these essential minerals. This can help to prevent hyponitremia which can develop when you drink too much water and the blood becomes diluted. After a run, you can weigh yourself and drink 16 ounces of water or replacement drink for each pound lost during the run, or you can be less precise, and just drink a lot.  Your urine should be clear--the darker the urine, the more dehydrated you are.

Don't forget the importance of sunscreen! There are several brands that are designed specifically for athletes and are less likely to drip into your eyes and cause stinging or burning.  Consider running with sunglasses that filter out UVA and UVB rays to protect your eyes. (It can also look cool!) 

When possible, choose a shady course or a place where you have access to water.  Try to run in the morning or in the evening, when the sun isn’t the strongest.  However, if you need to run in the middle of the day, consider a treadmill or another form of exercise.  Aqua jogging is a good alternative. As a rule of thumb, avoid running outside if the heat is above 90 degrees and the humidity is above 80%.  When you run your body temperature is regulated by sweat evaporating off your skin.  If the humidity in the air is so high that it prevents this process from happening, you can quickly overheat.  Familiarize yourself with the signs of heat-related problems. Indications that you are running while dehydrated include a persistent, elevated pulse after finishing your run and dark, yellow urine. Again, thirst is not an adequate indicator of dehydration.  Signs of heat exhaustion are dizziness, nausea, chills, and ceased sweating.  If these symptoms occur when you are running, STOP, find shade, and drink water or a fluid replacement drink such as Gatorade. If you do not feel better, seek medical attention. Heatstroke occurs when the body fails to regulate its own temperature, and the body temperature continues to rise. Symptoms include mental changes (such as confusion, delirium, or unconsciousness) and skin that is red, hot, and dry, even under the armpits. 

Most importantly, know your body and do not get TOO hung up on training schedules.  Use your judgment and be sensible!