Running News Daily

If you want to improve in anything, you have to have an idea of where you’re going. Hence, the importance of setting goals. This is especially true with running. Without goals, it can be easy to avoid workouts, miles, and progress. Set a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, and you’re much more likely to get there.

In this article, we’ll cover everything that you need to know about goal setting as it relates to running, including why you should set goals, how to do it, and ways to achieve your running goals.

WHY YOU SHOULD SET RUNNING GOALS

What do you want out of running? For some, just getting out and running is enough. And that’s a 100% acceptable approach to running. For others, though, progress is a key motivator. If you are clear with yourself about what you want from running, it will be easier to stay on that path. Undertaking running mindlessly, without intention, is a recipe for finding yourself in a motivation-killing rut. This is why you should make goals.

First, goals give you something to achieve. Goals don’t have to be outlandish or newspaper-worthy. Set small, achievable goals. It could be as simple as you want to get outside and run at least a mile every day. It could be that you want to run three times a week. These are not ambitious, long-term goals like running a sub-3-hour marathon. But they still express why you run.

Second, goals will guide your training. If you want to run a mile every day, that’s a pretty clear training plan. However, you’ll have a completely different training plan if you want to run a sub-3-hour marathon.

Finally, goals can help motivate you to get out of your comfort zone. If you want to do something big, you have to change things up. Goals can help you do that because you now have an end in mind, and you just have to figure out the means to do it.

TYPES OF RUNNING GOALS

The most typical running goal is a race. So many people have decided that they want to get off the couch and run a 5k. Or they decide to hunt bigger game and commit to something that seems impossible at the time, like a marathon. 

Sometimes it happens that people set a goal, sign up for a race, and then don’t follow through. But if you have support from friends and family, you’ll end up running the race like you planned.

The problem with this type of goal, though, is what about after the race is done? Now that you’ve run a marathon, are you going to keep running? That is something that you have to figure out for yourself.

I set a goal of running a half marathon. And I was successful! Afterwards, one of my friends encouraged me to not stop running there. He guided me to set new running goals as a new part of my lifestyle. His advice was sound.

If you don’t want to build goals around completing races, focus on something else that makes sense to your fitness journey. Set an ambitious pace goal. Try running for a longer distance, improving your running form, getting stronger running up hills. Goals can be as diverse as runner are. Even just being an overall more healthy person is an admirable goal to set.

Many experts suggest that process goals are better than outcome goals. In other words, running at least a mile every day is better than trying to run a 5:00 mile, for example. 

The reason why is that you subconsciously tell yourself that you won’t be happy until you reach your outcome. Process goals are easy to reach as a matter of habit. Pretty much anyone can run a mile every day for a month, so success is very likely. Running a 5:00 mile on the other hand, while admirable, is very difficult to achieve. You might get all your workouts in, run everyday, and create a new habit in the process, while never actually reaching that performance mark.

But try running a mile every day and within several weeks, you’ll likely drop your mile time significantly. Plus, you’ll be putting less pressure on yourself to perform, and it will be more enjoyable. Win-win.

HOW TO MAKE SUCCESSFUL GOALS

If you want to be successful with your goals, you need to set SMART goals—SMART meaning specific, measurable, achievable, realistic/relevant, and time-bound. Many companies use this paradigm, and it works for running too.

SPECIFIC

Numbers are always a good way to be specific. For example, you could aim for running a 5k in under 30 minutes or running 10 miles in four weeks. If you want to do a process goal, you could say that you’ll run outside three times a week for at least 20 minutes each time.

You don’t have to use numbers, but you do want to make sure that you know when you have achieved your goal. For example, saying that you’ll run up a steep hill without walking is specific because you know when you have achieved it.

MEASURABLE

Just like being specific, a measurable goal helps you understand your goal, how to get there, and when you’ve achieved it. This means your goal should be linked to something tangible you can measure: a race, a distance, a time, a pace, a certain number of days, etc. Less effective are goals like “Get faster” or “Get healthier.” It’s hard to say when these goals have been achieved.

You should also come up with metrics to evaluate your goal because you need to be able to track your progress. If you want to run three days a week, are you running three days a week?

If you want to reach a certain pace, are you getting faster during your runs? It doesn’t have to be huge differences, but you need to know that you’re making progress. If you want to reach a certain distance, are you able to run farther?

ACHIEVABLE

This is probably the hardest aspect of goal-setting for runners. Make sure that you can reach your goal. It can be a stretch goal, but you don’t want to set the bar too high. If it’s too hard, you won’t achieve it. You might get frustrated and quit. If you can only run one mile right now, setting a goal to run 20 miles is likely to be frustrating. If you are running 12:00 miles, setting a goal to run a 5:00 mile is not the best next step. You may very well get to these points down the road. But you need some easier signposts along the way. Start with goals for running three miles, or a 10:00 mile, and then go from there.

This is the idea of breaking a longer-term goal down into smaller, less intimidating steps. If you’re a new runner and eventually want to run a marathon, start with other benchmarks that will set you on your way to the larger goal. For example:

Two-month goal: I want to run a sub-30 minute 5k. Four month goal: I want to run a sub-one hour 10k. Six month goal: I want to be able to run 10 miles. Eight month goal: I want to run a sub-2:30 half marathon. In ten months, I want to be able to run 20 miles. And in one year, I will run a marathon!

REALISTIC/RELEVANT

Your running goals need to be specific to you. Make sure that they match where you honestly are or could get. Aiming to join the U.S. Olympic team to run the marathon when your fastest pace is a 10:00-minute-mile is likely not realistic for you.

On the other hand, you don’t want to make it something too easy either. If you’ve already run a sub-2 hour half marathon, set a different goal this time like beating your previous record by PRing or feeling stronger at the end of the race.

It’s so easy to see race results, or statistics on social media and Strava that make you believe your goals should be set by other people’s performances. But ignore the noise. Run your own race, set your own goals, achieve your own results.

TIME-BOUND

You need to set a deadline. You could say that you want to run a 5k in less than 30 minutes, which you plan to achieve in two months. This gives you an end date—eight weeks—to know if you’ve met your goal.

Without a time frame, you may get distracted, lose motivation, or set new records for procrastination. Definitely give yourself the time you need to achieve your goals, especially reach ones, but don’t drag it out too long either.

HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

While having clear goals is extremely helpful in knowing the way forward, you do also have to take the next step. You won’t be able to reach your goals without work. Make sure that you’re willing to put in the work for your goal.

If you don’t really want to, then maybe consider setting a different goal that is better-suited to you. Just because other people want to run a marathon doesn’t mean that has to be your goal.

STAY CONSISTENT

The best thing you can do to meet your goals is to stay consistent. Write your runs into your calendar and keep them like you would a business meeting. They are important! Taking the time to write down what you’re going to do does make people more likely to achieve their goals.

Getting better at running is about doing it on a regular basis. This is why training plans are good. They lay out exactly what to do and when. 

If you don’t have a training plan now, take the time to come up with one. Easier yet, find one. Garmin, Stava, MapMyRun, and other services all offer basic training plans for athletes of all levels. There’s a wide range of books on training out there as well. A plan will save you from doing it on the fly and being more likely to skip.

FOCUS ON THE PROCESS, NOT THE GOAL

Although this sounds counter-intuitive, it works like we hinted at above. If you focus on the steps to achieve your goal, meaning how you get to your goal, instead of the goal itself, you are more likely to reach it.

It’s about enjoying the journey and being grateful that you get to run and meet whatever goal you ultimately set for yourself. Whenever you do well at a race, it’s the race itself and the training leading up to it that makes crossing the finish line so exciting!

HOW TO DEAL WITH INJURIES

While it’s important not to slack off in working toward your goals, injuries are a different story. You need to be in tune with your body and pay attention to its needs. Cut back on training if you feel too fatigued or are experiencing unusual body pains—anything that may lead to injury.

It’s always a bummer to take a day or two off to rest, but you’re much better off doing it now as opposed to overexerting yourself and making the injury even worse, requiring you to take a week or more off of your training. 

DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL

Finally, it’s important to get started. Even partially completing a big goal is doing more than just sitting on the couch. While setting a realistic goal is key, it’s also okay to set a goal that will be hard to achieve and come up slightly shy of meeting it.

If you fail, you can always try again. But at least you hit the ground running. Failure is how you can get better, because you can learn from your mistakes. Many new runners start off too quickly in the first mile of their races until they learn not to.

There’s a lot to be said for trying and failing. At least you were brave enough to try. You might want to set two goals. One that is your reach goal and one that is your still-hard-to-achieve-but-possible goal.

That’s what I did for running my first half marathon. I wanted a super-fast time for a beginner, but I gave myself a range of 15 minutes for a finish time. I got closer to the slower time than the faster time, but by pushing myself to the faster time, I was faster than I would have been otherwise.

CONCLUSION

Running is an amazing sport, and when you combine it with goal-setting, you can truly change your life. By setting realistic, but big goals, you’ll be able to give yourself a sense of accomplishment when you meet these goals and even exceed them!

I’d encourage you to get a pen and paper and write down some running goals as well as a training plan of how to get there, and then start. As they say, there is no better day than today! Good luck!

The prospect of seeing one of athletics' biggest stars back on the track is growing stronger, with Jakob Ingebrigtsen reportedly targeting a return to competition later this summer following his recovery from Achilles tendon surgery.

According to comments made by his agent, Daniel Wessfeldt, in an interview with Norwegian media, the double Olympic champion could make his long-awaited comeback at one of three major European meetings in July. The leading options under consideration are the Monaco Diamond League on July 10, the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix on July 14, and the London Diamond League on July 18.

For athletics fans, the possibility of Ingebrigtsen lining up in London would add another layer of excitement to an already highly anticipated Diamond League meeting. The Norwegian middle-distance sensation has become one of the sport's most dominant figures in recent years, collecting Olympic, world and European titles while consistently rewriting record books.

His 2026 campaign was put on hold after he underwent surgery on his Achilles tendon earlier this year, forcing him to focus on rehabilitation rather than competition. Since then, questions have surrounded when the 24-year-old would be ready to return to racing.

The latest update suggests that decision will largely depend on how his training progresses over the coming weeks. If recovery continues according to plan, July could mark the beginning of his return to elite competition ahead of the latter stages of the season.

A comeback at either Monaco, Budapest or London would immediately place Ingebrigtsen back among the sport's biggest storylines. Each meeting is renowned for producing world-class performances, and any appearance by the Norwegian would attract significant attention from fans eager to see how quickly he can regain top form after his injury setback.

While no final decision has been confirmed, the signs are increasingly positive. After months away from competition, Jakob Ingebrigtsen appears to be edging closer to a return, with London's Diamond League meeting emerging as one of the most intriguing possibilities on his road back to the track.

Should his recovery continue smoothly, athletics could soon welcome back one of its brightest and most influential stars.

What should have been the defining moment of Emad Bashir-Mohammed's young running career instead turned into one of the most talked-about controversies in American road racing this year.

The 23-year-old crossed the finish line first in the men's citizen's race at the prestigious Bolder Boulder 10K on Memorial Day in Colorado, stopping the clock at an impressive 29:50. His performance was not only a commanding victory but also one of the fastest winning times ever recorded in the event's long and celebrated history. Bashir-Mohammed finished eight seconds clear of his nearest challenger and appeared to have secured a breakthrough triumph.

For nearly two hours, he was the undisputed winner.

Then everything changed.

Race officials announced that Bashir-Mohammed had been disqualified after determining that he had started in the wrong wave. According to Bolder Boulder regulations, he had been assigned to the AA wave but lined up with the faster A wave, which began earlier. Event rules allow runners to move backward into a slower wave, but prohibit athletes from advancing into a faster one.

As a result, Bashir-Mohammed's victory was erased from the record books.

The citizen's title was subsequently awarded to Nickolas Scudder, who crossed the line second in 29:58. The promotion handed Scudder back-to-back citizen's race victories, while Bashir-Mohammed was left to grapple with the disappointment of losing a win he believed he had earned on the road.

The disqualification has since ignited widespread debate across the running community.

Bashir-Mohammed maintains that he did not intentionally violate the rules. He claims that after collecting his AA bib, he spoke with race personnel and was permitted to start with the A wave after presenting evidence of his recent performances. In a statement shared after the race, he expressed frustration over the decision, arguing that his goal was simply to compete against the strongest field available and produce the fastest time possible.

Race organizers, however, stood firmly behind their ruling. Officials stated that wave-assignment regulations are clearly communicated in pre-race information and reiterated during packet collection. They also noted that hundreds of participants are disqualified each year for moving into faster start groups, emphasizing that consistent enforcement is necessary to maintain fairness for all competitors.

The incident has divided opinion among runners and fans alike. Some believe the rules must be applied equally regardless of an athlete's finishing position, arguing that wave assignments are a fundamental part of race organization. Others feel the punishment is harsh, particularly if Bashir-Mohammed genuinely received approval to move up before the start.

What remains undisputed is the quality of his performance. On the roads of Boulder, Bashir-Mohammed demonstrated the fitness and speed required to outrun the field by a significant margin. Yet in road racing, crossing the finish line first is only part of the equation. Compliance with race regulations carries equal weight.

For Bashir-Mohammed, the day will be remembered as a painful lesson in the fine margins that can define elite competition. A remarkable run delivered a memorable victory, but a dispute over wave placement ultimately overshadowed the achievement, leaving behind a controversy that continues to fuel discussion throughout the running world.

A fast race, a costly administrative error, and a debate that may linger long after the finish-line tape has been packed away.

The men's 100 metres at the 2026 Rome Diamond League is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated sprint races of the season, with an exceptional field featuring some of the fastest men in the world.

Scheduled for Thursday, June 4, at the iconic Stadio Olimpico in Rome, the race will bring together reigning stars, established champions and emerging talents in a contest that promises fireworks from the moment the gun goes off.

Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala headlines a world-class lineup that includes American sprint sensation Noah Lyles, Botswana's Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, Jamaica's explosive Ackeem Blake, South Africa's ever-consistent Akani Simbine and Italy's hometown hero Lamont Marcell Jacobs. With personal bests ranging from 9.77 to 9.97 seconds, the field is packed with athletes capable of producing something special on the Diamond League stage.

Omanyala, the African record holder with a blistering personal best of 9.77 seconds, arrives in Rome eager to continue his strong early-season form and prove he can challenge the very best on the global circuit. The Kenyan star has built a reputation as one of the fastest starters in world sprinting and will be looking to make a statement against an elite field.

Standing in his way is world champion Noah Lyles, whose personal best of 9.79 seconds places him among the fastest athletes in history. The American remains one of the sport's biggest attractions and will be determined to add another Diamond League victory to his impressive résumé.

The race also marks a major test for Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo. The Botswanan star has rapidly become one of athletics' most exciting talents, while Ackeem Blake continues to establish himself as a serious contender on the international sprint scene.

Adding further intrigue is the presence of Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs. Competing on home soil, the Tokyo Olympic champion will enjoy passionate local support as he seeks to deliver a memorable performance in front of the Roman crowd.

South Africa's Akani Simbine, Cameroon's Emmanuel Eseme, Great Britain's Jeremiah Azu and rising American talent Jordan Anthony complete a field that boasts remarkable depth and quality.

Men's 100m Entry List – Rome Diamond League 2026

Ferdinand Omanyala (Kenya) – PB: 9.77

Noah Lyles (USA) – PB: 9.79

Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy) – PB: 9.80

Akani Simbine (South Africa) – PB: 9.82

Letsile Tebogo (Botswana) – PB: 9.86

Ackeem Blake (Jamaica) – PB: 9.88

Jordan Anthony (USA) – PB: 9.91

Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon) – PB: 9.96

Jeremiah Azu (Great Britain) – PB: 9.97

With multiple national record holders, global champions and Olympic medal contenders sharing the same start line, the Rome Diamond League men's 100m could deliver one of the fastest races of the year. For sprint fans around the world, all eyes will be on Rome as a stellar cast battles for supremacy over athletics' blue-riband distance.

Audrey Werro announced her arrival as one of the early stars of the 2026 outdoor season with a commanding victory in the women’s 800 metres at the Rabat Diamond League, producing a performance that exceeded even her own expectations.

The Swiss middle-distance talent surged to victory in a brilliant 1:56.56, breaking the meeting record and delivering one of the fastest times recorded worldwide this season. In a race packed with quality, Werro displayed exceptional composure, confidence, and finishing strength to separate herself from the field and stamp her authority on the event.

What made the performance even more remarkable was the athlete's surprise at the level she had already reached so early in the campaign.

"I was not expecting such a strong start to the season," Werro admitted after the race.

The race unfolded at a relentless pace, but Werro remained perfectly positioned throughout. As the athletes approached the bell lap, she glanced at the clock and immediately sensed something special was within reach.

"When I saw the time at the bell, I felt really confident," she said. "I'm really happy with the Meeting Record and looking forward to the rest of the season."

Her confidence proved justified. Maintaining her rhythm over the final 400 metres, Werro powered down the home straight to secure the victory and rewrite the Rabat meeting record books in the process.

The performance sends an early warning to her rivals ahead of a season that promises major championships and high-profile Diamond League battles. Beyond the record-breaking time, Werro's display highlighted her growing maturity as a racer, combining tactical awareness with impressive speed and endurance.

With the outdoor season only beginning, the 1:56.56 clocking suggests that even faster times could be on the horizon. If Rabat is any indication, Audrey Werro may be poised for the biggest season of her career.

Her emphatic victory in Morocco was more than just another Diamond League win—it was a statement of intent from an athlete determined to challenge the world's best throughout 2026.

The city of Boston is set to welcome back one of its most celebrated champions as Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi headlines a world-class field for the 2026 B.A.A. 10K presented by Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute on June 21.

Fresh from another remarkable victory at the Boston Marathon in April, Lokedi returns to the streets of Boston and Cambridge carrying both momentum and confidence as she aims to defend the title she captured in dominant fashion last year.

The two-time Boston Marathon champion has developed a special connection with the historic race city. In 2025, she produced a course-record performance of 2:17:22 to win the Boston Marathon before returning this year to claim another victory in 2:18:51, the second-fastest winning time in the event’s storied history. Her success has cemented her status as one of the premier road runners in the world.

Lokedi will be making her first competitive appearance since her marathon triumph and arrives as the reigning B.A.A. 10K champion after clocking 31:39 over the challenging 6.2-mile course in 2025.

“Boston has become a very special place for me,” Lokedi said ahead of the race. “The atmosphere created by the fans and the community is unlike anywhere else. I’m excited to return and give everything I have to defend my title.”

The women’s race promises to be highly competitive. American Olympian Rachel Smith, who finished second at the Boston 5K in April, leads the domestic challenge. Kenya’s strong contingent includes African 10,000m champion Gladys Kwamboka, former B.A.A. 10K runner-up Stacy Ndiwa, and experienced road racer Viola Cheptoo. British Olympian Jessica Warner-Judd adds further international depth to a field packed with proven performers.

The men’s race is equally impressive, featuring elite athletes from 13 nations.

Ethiopia’s Dawit Seare enters as one of the leading contenders after capturing the 2025 Boston 5K title and bringing the fastest 10K personal best in the field at 27:21. Kenya will be represented by an accomplished group led by Alexander Mutiso, winner of the 2024 London Marathon and runner-up at last year’s New York City Marathon.

Patrick Kiprop also arrives in outstanding form after securing victory at the prestigious BolderBoulder 10K on Memorial Day, while Alex Masai returns looking to continue his strong record in Boston. Masai recently finished ninth at the Boston Marathon and has earned three top-ten finishes at the B.A.A. 10K.

Among the international stars making their mark is South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt, who makes his race debut after an impressive season highlighted by victory at the NYC Half Marathon in 59:30. Ethiopia’s Olympic bronze medallist Hagos Gebrhiwet adds further quality to the field, bringing a wealth of championship experience and previous success in Boston.

Canadian national 10K champion Andrew Alexander, two-time U.S. Olympian Hillary Bor, marathon standout Ryan Ford, and reigning USA 25K champion Andrew Colley complete a field stacked with talent and depth.

With defending champions, Olympic finalists, national champions and rising stars all converging on Boston, the 2026 B.A.A. 10K is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in recent memory. For Sharon Lokedi, however, the mission is simple: return to the city where she has repeatedly excelled and add another memorable chapter to her growing Boston legacy.