“If you don’t know where you are going,

you might wind up somewhere else.”

-Yogi Berra

Summary: If you don’t want to read all the detail, here are the basics in four bullets…

  • Pick some goals for yourself (I gave you some ideas).
  • Make the goals specific, measurable, challenging yet achievable this summer.
  • Write them down!
  • Go for it and don’t hesitate to reach out for help and encouragement!

Introduction

School is ending, and summer running for Monta Vista Cross Country is about to begin. Between graduation and the start of official practice, you have ten weeks. That can feel like forever—until it suddenly doesn’t. It’s easy to think, “I’ll worry about running later,” and then boom—you’ve got just nine weeks left.

Why Set Goals?

Setting goals gives structure to your training and keeps your focus on what you want to achieve. Without clear goals, it is easy to drift: showing up to run only when you feel like it, putting in the minimum effort, and getting little enjoyment. Running becomes a chore. Progress is minimal.

On the other hand, having clear goals can help you stay motivated, build inner drive, and make your training more purposeful. You know where you’re going—and how to get there.

These Are Your Goals!

I’ve suggested some possible goals, but ultimately, they need to be yours. There’s a reason for that.

A lot of athletes ask me how to “get more motivated.” But motivation isn’t something I can simply give you*—it comes from within. However, research by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan** has shown that humans are naturally curious and motivated, especially when we feel like we’re in control. That motivation can be crushed when goals are forced on us by others with a system of rewards and punishments***. Our default state can be “motivated” when we pick goals that interest and matter to us.

That’s why I want you to set your own goals. I want you to feel connected to your goals, I want you to own your goals. Use what I wrote to you as a starting point: keep what speaks to you, ignore what doesn’t, and add your own ideas.

Make Your Goals Specific and Measurable****

Studies have shown that vague promises like “I’ll try to run more,” or “Be a good teammate” don’t stick. Specific goals are much more motivating.

  • Instead of “run more,” try: “Run 350 miles between June 9 and August 10 (35 miles/week).”
  • Instead of “be a good teammate,” try: “Come to summer running at least 4 days/week, except during my family trip.”
  • Instead of “be reliable,” try: “Be on time for summer running at least 5 out of 6 days per week.”
  • Instead of “help team bonding,” try: “Plan at least one team event,” or “Bring snacks for after a morning run.”
  • Instead of “help with recruiting,” try: “Message at least one incoming freshman at least once each week,” or “Run Up-and-Over with a freshman and show them the route,” or “include freshmen in a Saturday night game night.”

Choose Goals You Can Control

Goals are more effective when they depend on your actions. Process goals are more controllable than outcome goals.

“Win SCVAL” might sound great—until Lynbrook suddenly has 20 Kenyan distance running phenoms as exchange students. Now what? Instead, think about what you can control:

  • “Increase summer mileage from 35 to 40 miles/week.”
  • “Try to run at least one run per week with Amy or Sammy, and tell them not to slow down for me, even though they were faster than me last season; see if I can run their easy pace by the end of the summer.”
  • “Keep track of my time to climb Horse and see if it gets faster over the summer.”
  • “Run a timed mile at my conversational pace once a week after practice, and see if 8 minutes per mile feels easy at the end of the summer.”
  • “Ask Coach Tyler for exercises to build a stronger core so I can handle more mileage.”
  • “Do 3 core sessions per week for 10 minutes.”

You can still aim for performance goals like a PR or a sub-20 at Crystal, but break those down into controllable, actionable summer steps: increase mileage, get faster, build strength, run consistently. You can’t guarantee the outcome of your work, but you can follow a process that makes the desired result more likely, and will result in progress towards a particular result*****.

Challenging Yet Achievable

The best goals push you—but still feel possible.

  • “Run 10 miles this summer” won’t challenge you.
  • “Run 10,000 miles” won’t happen.
  • “Run 350 miles” mightpush you, and you will feel proud if you make that goal, and it will help improve your running and be a step towards next season’s personal records—and that’s the right spot! Find the right level of challenge and you will be engaged in the process.

Commitment Matters

Commitment makes a big difference. Write your goals down. Share them with teammates, coaches, or family. The more you talk about them, the more real—and inspiring—they become.

Set up your environment to help you succeed:

  • Tell your friends about your goals and ask for their help in chasing those goals.
  • Talk to your parents about what you are doing and why.
  • Put a sticky note on your mirror.
  • Schedule a self-reminder text or email.
  • Want to be on time? Put your alarm across the room and keep a note on your mirror reminding you pack your gear bag the night before.

Rewards!

The best reward will be how strong and proud you feel at the end of summer. Achieving your goals—ones you set and followed through on—will make the whole experience more meaningful and motivating. The journey itself and your friends and companions on the journey will be memorable.

Here We Go!

Have a great summer. Your coaches are here to help you set strong goals—and stick to them. Ask for help if you are confused. Let’s make this a summer to remember!

*Oh, gosh, I would if I could! 

** if you want to dig into the science someday, there are a couple of classic papers by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan on this subject; for example Facilitating optimal motivation and psychological well-being across life’s domains, 2008.

***The terms are intrinsic motivation, which involves doing something because it is personally interesting and deeply satisfying to us, and extrinsic motivation, which is engaging in an activity because we will get rewarded or we will avoid punishment. Studies have consistently shown that intrinsic motivation leads to better results: more persistence, happier people, more achievement.

****If you ever heard of SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound—I’m echoing a lot of that in this blog post.

***** “We will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.” ― Vince Lombardi