How do you define success for yourself as a runner?
Whatever success looks like for you, there are plenty of obstacles that are likely to get in your way at various points along your path.
Injury. Time management. Life in general.
But the biggest obstacle you’re likely to encounter along the way?
Is you. Read more
Don’t look now, but we are rapidly running out of 2023.
It’s officially the 4th quarter of the year, and for some of us, this can be a tricky 90 days.
How so?
Well, seeing as 2023 rolls right into 2024 without any break, that means trying to balance finishing this year strong while also laying the foundation to get off to a great start for next year.
In my experience? That doesn’t exactly work.
If I try to really finish the year strong? I stumble a bit coming out of the gate in the new year.
And if I put all of my focus into setting myself up for a strong start next year? Then I end the year with more of a whimper than a bang.
This year, I’m trying to do things a bit differently these last few months of the year.
My plan is still evolving, I suppose, but here are a few of the changes I’m making to try and simultaneously finish this year strong while also making sure I’m ready to go in 2024.
If any of my ideas sound like they might be useful, feel free to take them and make them your own!
I think this is a pretty big deal.
Instead of waiting for mid/late December to start thinking about next year when the looming deadline of 31 December is staring me in the face, I’m making plans and strategic moves now.
I’m not going “all in” right now, but I’m bumping my running mileage up a few ticks this month.
Nothing dramatic, but it’ll help take any pressure off toward the end of the year in making sure I log my 2,023 miles for the year.
The plan here is to almost eliminate the need to finish strong in the last week or two of the year by having everything buttoned up by the time Santa loads his sleigh.
I’m also starting to think about what I want to do next year and trying to lay the foundation for success now instead of waiting for the new year to get here.
While I won’t start making progress on my 2024 goals until 2024, I can absolutely start working on my goals before the New Year gets here.
Meaning, as my goals start to come into focus I can take them for a bit of a test drive.
Maybe you’re thinking about a bigger mileage goal next year. If so, can you try bumping your mileage up a little bit now so that when the ball drops you’re already feeling like the extra running is no big deal?
You don’t even necessarily need to go “all the way” before the new year.
Just moving the needle a little bit can make it a whole lot easier to hit the ground running on the new goals.
Perhaps the biggest key to success when winding down one year while gearing up for the next is being willing to tweak and adjust as you go.
Nothing about finishing this year strong, or getting off to a good start next year, is set in stone.
So tweak. Adjust. Adapt. Refine.
And when you feel like you’ve got things right, get after it!
Finishing the year strong, while setting yourself up for a good start to the new year, can be quite the 4th Quarter conundrum. #runchat Click To Tweet
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“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
As a distance runner, I’m supposed to love that saying right?
I feel like this statement is thrown around rather often in almost every part of my life OUTSIDE of running.
Stay patient is the message. You’ll get there, it’s just going to take some time.
If a running metaphor is one of the most common metaphors I hear in my life outside of running but rarely within my various running circles, that must mean that runners are good at being patient, right?
I don’t know about you, but I’m excited for 2023!
I’ve got big goals and I’m already getting to work on making this year the best year ever in just about every area of my life. Read more
In case you’re not paying attention, the end of the year is fast approaching.
Indeed.
So how do you go about finishing off the year strategically, from a running perspective?
The short answer is, it depends…