TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Friday, December 5, 2008

The Glory of Goal-Setting

Posted September 24th, 2007 at 2:50 PM by Alexandra Haller

Section: Running & Training, Motivation, Health & Fitness, Exercise

In the middle of last week I had one of my most glorious running experiences. I ran six miles (a personal best) on the trails of Island Lake Recreation Area. This is a gorgeous, bucolic 4,000 acre park in southeast Michigan—a true gem amidst so many highways and much urban sprawl. Upon entering the park, I can immediately sense a palpable difference in the air. People have turned down their car radios. I notice the lack of loud stressing noises like jarring car horns and squealing brakes. It’s a truly wonderful place to get away for a swim, walk, bike ride or, in my case, a run.

I have always thought about running those trails but never made it a priority. I was either caught up in a lack of time and didn’t want to make the drive or I wimped out due to bad weather and stayed indoors with the treadmill. I think I was also intimidated. Perhaps I wasn’t burly enough to be a trail runner. Maybe I was a road running rat and didn’t think I could hang with the Teva-wearing, mud-splattered adventurous set. The trouble is I wanted to be that adventurous type. Therefore, I made a plan to make it happen. Instead of musing and dreaming, I’d put myself into the picture.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

Comment on this post | Permalink