Lucca 1/2 Marathon

I really wanted this beautiful medal!!!


Yesterday I ran the half marathon in Lucca, Tuscany. I didn’t win…….I wasn’t the first woman home……but I achieved my goal. I had set my eyes on the medal and I have it!!
I’m not an elite athlete so never expected to win. Being relatively fit, I knew that embarking on the 21.1km course was well within my abilities and my desire to be near the front of my age category was realistic albeit a stretch. I am happy that I completed the course in a respectable time and placed 7th in my age category but would’ve been content without that given my primary goal was the medal. That said, the rest was a definite bonus and maybe next time I’ll aim for the top 3 in my age category.
I love working with people to help them achieve more than they think possible. Stretch goals are motivational, especially as we get closer, meet them or even exceed them. Unrealistic goals can be demotivational, particularly when we fail to meet them time and again. Being realistic when setting goals and doing the work required to achieve them puts us on the path to success and provides the springboard for the next goal.
Even after having run more than a dozen half marathons (plus marathons, 10kms and other races), I tried a new approach this time. I chose to chunk the race into 5km segments, a method that ended up working really well. As I completed each 5km stretch, I could tick off what I’d term a sub-goal and celebrate a milestone. I found that as I passed the 5km mark, I wasn’t worried about how I may feel at 15km as I only had to think about completing the following 5km as quickly as possible. Eventually, the individual sections added up to complete the entire length of the race.
Sometimes the ultimate goal is or appears to be too big. We cannot see the path to get there. Sometimes it is just going to take a long time. Sometimes we need to take steps towards the goals that we’re wanting. In order to keep motivated, having milestones along the way, and achievements we can celebrate will help us keep motivated.
If there’s a big goal that you’re wanting to achieve, PLAN how you’re going to do it by biting it into small chunks and taking the first step. Find ways to keep going, to PERSEVERE. Remember to PARTY, and find the little things to celebrate along the way.