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Do You Really Need a Goal?

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Paging Through magazines at the hairdressers, I came across a statement by Ina Garten, best-selling author and the host of Barefoot Contessa, attributing her success to not setting specific goals. In a world driven by data and metrics, this was a little unsettling! After all, you don´t start a road trip without a map and a destination! As Thomas Carlyle claims, “ a man without a goal is like a ship with no rudder.”

arrows leading to a goal with prize in the middle

A half dozen magazines later, I found an article that set the statement in perspective. This time, the recommendation was to put your beauty habits upside down – conditioner before shampoo; sunscreen before moisturizer! As you see, Ina’s approach is not to go through life without ever setting a goal. You often need goals to direct your energy towards priorities. As the beauty suggestions imply, sometimes changing your approach leads to amazing results.

Here are some points about looking at your roadmap from a different angle.

Watch your blindspot! Sometimes being too focused on a goal causes you to lose track of risks you are taking. What are you sacrificing to reach that specific target? After months of planning to climb Mont Blanc, the highest peak of the Alps at 4,810m above sea level, solo in a single day and starting in the valley, Marcel Hoeche, a German running champion, thought he had the perfect day. He set out at 3 a.m. and shortly after sunrise, was caught in heavy snow -at 2,000m, hip high. Losing the planned track cost him too much time that he couldn’t make up later in the ascent. So he decided to head for the refuge that was the start of many mountaineers’ climbs on their second or even third day. His decision to return protected him from an unfortunate outcome.

Seek all the opportunities that come your way; you never know what they lead you to! In my Yoga practice, I decided to focus on my arm balances, mainly handstands. I consciously ruled out work on a headstand, first because balancing on my head was too uncomfortable; and second, I felt I had to prioritize. Then in a class with a guru, I just gave it a shot. I was surprised that I was able to do a modified version. It gave me new confidence in my ability and actually led to improvements of my other arm balances. Seeking opportunities that are not necessarily “right” or “perfect” for your long-term goals may help gain something now that will be useful later.

Don’t let goals disappoint you. A few years ago, a teen soccer player I knew suffered a knee injury and couldn’t continue on his path to a professional career. He decided to take up golf and not surprisingly became very good at it. He made the school’s team for the season.

Two years ago, I set an ambitious running goal for myself and was training for a spring half marathon. A few weeks into the year, some foot issues made me stay away from impact exercises to avoid further injury. My focus shifted to strength and recovery work. I was able to get back to training last year to complete a half-marathon with ease.

Certainly goal setting helps you keep your focus sharp and priorities straight. Yet, your goals are only elements of a bigger picture. Adjusting plans to focus on big objectives rather than the bumps in the road are sometimes necessary. Your achievements don´t always reflect a prescribed road map. The journey sometimes takes you on detours that reveal new wisdom. Keep an open mind and embrace new opportunities. Remember it’s a journey!

Do you need help with your fitness goals? Contact me for guidance on your fitness journey: roshi@fitpaths.com.

What I Learned After Running a Half Marathon

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Some goals I’ve had in my life were pretty simple: get recruited to play college basketball, be the first person on my mother’s side of the family to earn a college degree, and always stay in shape and live a healthy lifestyle after I’m done with college sports. Little did I know it wouldn’t be as easy then when you have an elder adult screaming at you to run faster and lift heavier. How would being healthy look for me moving forward.  

I have always been interested in health and wellness and always knew about the new trends. I also was very good at watching hours of Netflix and experimenting every wing night in town. It’s called balance, right? One thing I always knew was I HATED running.  Couldn’t understand how people could run for miles on end and enjoy it. I envisioned running to Hell every time I would step on a treadmill. This would all soon change.

The life changing moment happened after my mother passed away from cancer. I was obsessed over eating cancer fighting foods and increasing my cardiovascular routines for heart health. It became a crutch for me to focus on while grieving.

In September I decided to channel this energy into training for my first half marathon. I would run it as a fundraiser for my mother and have donations go to The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. I posted it on social media so I couldn’t back out. I immediately received so much positive feedback and immediate donations. Training would start September 1, 2019.  

I chose a Nike Training Club running plan and swore to stick to it. I would run two recovery runs per week, a speed run, and then a longer run at the end of the week. I would increase mileage progressively as the 14-week plan went along. I incorporated some strength training that I would do in college and a lot of stretching. I also changed my diet to include more carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables for energy. Water and electrolytes would play a key ingredient in hydration as well. I would complete the Philadelphia Half Marathon in 2:17 on November 23, 2019.

All smiles after 13.1

It seems pretty simple, right? Follow a plan and see results. However, we are led to believe that one plan fits all. If you follow this plan a Boston marathoner did, you will run a half in under 1:30. Finishing this race was a huge mountain for me. I thought once I completed it, I would become this intense runner who would catch the running fever and never stop. It is not that simple and I can confidently say I will not be running a long run race this year. And here is why.  

I was lucky enough to have a good job to support the resources I needed such as food, a gym membership, and outdoor running clothes I needed to brave the colder temperatures. Like I said before, there is no one fit all approach or program to running your best half marathon because it is different for everyone. I can say I did not miss a scheduled workout. Even when I would get hurt, I would lower the pace, incorporate some non-impact cardio, and ice to get back quicker.  I seemed to make healthier choices throughout the process with this race in the back of my mind. I had to have my focus on energy and production over looking good in my jeans. Being consistent with my training and diet, I quickly started to see changes in my body. I developed leg muscles the size of Saquon Barkley (not really, but close.)  But with the new leg muscles came new problems. For the last 5 years, I was more concerned about achieving a certain aesthetic. I ate and exercised to look good in my clothes and to feel good mentally. When I started training for the race, I started to feel anxious, like I was back in college playing basketball again. I would panic if I didn’t finish my run in a certain time. I felt if I skipped a workout, I was letting people down who were supporting me and my mom. Some days I wanted to take a bike ride to help me feel better, but I couldn’t because I had to get in my 3-mile run. This was very difficult for me.  

Even post-race, people assume I’m a runner now. They think because I ran 13.1 miles, that I run all the time now or that I already signed up for another race and this is not the case. This can get uncomfortable at times since all I want to do is go to a soul cycle class or, God forbid, not go to the gym for a day and have an evening out with friends. There is still a lingering expectation of me to be a runner.  

Any sort of mental or body anxiety, I feel, hits ten times harder for women in this social media, influential world we live in today. It was very hard for me to battle these insecurities for 2 months. Body image is the very forefront in our society, positive and negative. I always was body positive, because it was always the same. When I started to notice changes, my anxiety went through the roof. I knew I could finish the race, I was a college athlete before, but I was not prepared for the mental toll it took on me.

I will say the aftermath is not all bad (besides not being able to walk for two days after the race.) I have never felt more accomplished in all of my life than when I ran across that finish line. I have also felt a want to run more. I haven’t run more than 4 miles since the race but now I routinely run 2-3 miles a few times a week. Before training, I would run 1 mile once a week. Running is a great exercise you can do anywhere for free. There’s no excuse not to get a short workout in when you don’t have time to make it to the gym for a full workout or are out of town on a trip. It is something I have grown to enjoy in small dosages.

All the health and wellness advice out there teach you how to physically achieve your goals. It doesn’t always necessarily teach you how to handle the changes, the societal pressures, and how to handle life after the goal is reached. It is not always positive. We experience highs and lows throughout any journey.

If you take anything away from this article, focus on being healthy, whatever that means for you. I challenge you to educate yourself and experiment with different health ideas to see what you can incorporate and what works best for you and your health routine. The biggest value is your mental wellness. You have to enjoy the process of a healthy lifestyle. Yes, you need to push yourself in those workouts and do some you may not be up for that day as planned but not every day in the cost of your sanity. For me, my 2020 goals are to worry less and focus more on living good. I’m worried less about how I look in a pair of my favorite jeans and more about trying that new, fun HIIT class in the city. I don’t want any major medical concerns in the future and I want to live a long and happy life with my family and friends. I am setting my own standards and will follow through with them happily.