Running News Daily

While some folks might navigate life with less of a plan, athletes, particularly runners with competitive ambition, need structure to their goals. Goal setting is as natural to you as accidentally clicking "Sign Up" on Ultrasignup; before you know it, your goals are on paper!

However, even for goal-oriented individuals like yourself, there's always room to refine your goal-setting approach to maximize your potential. And that starts with a proper perspective. A mentor once phrased it as follows: "It's not solely about achieving the goal,l but rather about the person you must become to attain it."

This perspective emphasizes the growth process, with the goal as a guiding target. It liberates us from negative thinking and self-blame if we miss our target. Many successes remain if we do the work and grow in our attempts. The only true failure occurs when we fail to put in the effort or set the wrong initial goal. Effective goal setting can help you avoid both.

As we immerse into the new year, lottery selections, and the process of finalizing race schedules and objectives for 2024, I aim to share my guide on effective goal setting that I apply myself, teach our coaches at CTS, and work with many of my athletes through. As a coach, imparting the skill of effective goal setting to my athletes is among the most invaluable contributions I can make. It is the foundation for a year or a lifelong pursuit, marked by personal growth and self-discovery.

Setting the Stage: Your Trail Running Vision

A good starting place for any goal is to reflect on your long-term vision as a person and athlete. What are your ultimate aspirations in the sport? This could include completing specific races, achieving certain performance milestones, or simply experiencing personal growth through running. Consider what truly motivates you. Is it the joy of running on scenic trails, the desire to push your physical and psychological limits, the thrill of competition, the sense of belonging in a community, the means of coping with life's pressures, or the person you're becoming in the process? Understanding the answers to these questions will help you set meaningful goals.

After gaining clarity, put your vision into writing and make it a habit to revisit it frequently. Keep this vision statement in front of you by putting it in places you will see on a regular basis, such as your bathroom mirror, phone screen saver, or calendar reminders that alert you throughout the day or week. Remember that your vision may evolve as you continue to grow and develop. Having a well-articulated statement of purpose is a powerful tool that can assist you in refocusing when necessary. We've all faced challenging seasons, and reconnecting with the motivations behind our involvement in the demands of trail and ultrarunning can help us maintain a positive outlook and a strong sense of direction. In fact, it's not uncommon for my athletes to revisit these purpose statements even during the midst of a challenging ultra event.

Types of Goals

Before we get to the how-to's, let's define some terms and build a good framework. There are various types of goals that trail and ultrarunners commonly pursue. One prevalent category of goals is outcome goals, which involve specific race-related achievements such as finishing a race within a designated time or securing a particular placement. Outcome goals provide a clear target and can be highly motivating, often presenting a binary pass-or-fail outcome. For instance, an outcome goal might be, "I want to complete a 100-mile race in under 24 hours."

Another common type of goal relevant to all endurance athletes is performance goals.  These goals revolve around quantifiable metrics that assess speed, skills, or endurance. Performance goals are frequently integrated into training programs aimed at achieving outcome goals. An example of a performance goal is, "I want to maintain a sub-10-minute mile pace during my endurance runs on my local trail."

Process goals, on the other hand, concentrate on the specific actions and steps required for success. A process goal should accompany every outcome or performance goal. For instance, if the outcome goal is to complete a 100-mile race in under 24 hours, a suitable process goal might be to maintain consistent daily training for a six-month period. While this process goal may lack detailed specifics, it is arguably an athlete's most crucial goal. It demands hard work, discipline, and a smart training approach to sustain consistency. Even if the athlete falls short of their target, the process can be a success if it has made them a better athlete and individual throughout the journey. Ultimately, progress and growth matter more than the final result. The result is typically a celebration of the process.

Intertwining Motivations

In addition to outcome, performance, and process goals, intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are intertwined. Intrinsic motivations are internal and revolve around the sheer joy and satisfaction derived from running. Many trail and ultrarunners find intrinsic motivation in "exploring new trails in the natural surroundings," reflecting their love for trail running.

External motivations are driven by outward factors like race medals, winning, Ultrasignup rankings, and recognition from others. While these external factors can motivate in the short term, they may lack long-term commitment. Balancing extrinsic and intrinsic motivations for a sustainable and fulfilling running experience is crucial.

Understanding the motivations behind our goals plays a critical role in enhancing and complementing our pursuit of these goals.

SMART Goal Framework

The SMART goal framework is a widely recognized and effective approach to goal setting that provides a structured and systematic way to define and achieve objectives. This framework is particularly valuable for trail and ultrarunners looking to set clear and attainable goals in their training and racing endeavors. Let's break down what SMART stands for and how it can be applied to running goals:

S - Specific: The first step in setting a SMART goal is to make it specific. A specific goal is well-defined and leaves no room for ambiguity. For trail and ultrarunners, specificity might involve clarifying the race distance, terrain type (e.g., mountainous trails), and location. Instead of a vague goal like "I want to run a trail race," a specific goal would be "I will complete the Silver Rush 50 Mile race in the Rocky Mountains."

M - Measurable: Goals should be measurable, allowing you to track your progress and determine when you've achieved them. In trail running, measurability can be related to time, distance, pace, or elevation gain. For example, "I plan to finish a 100K trail race in under 12 hours" is a measurable goal because it provides a clear benchmark for success.

A - Achievable: An achievable goal is realistic and attainable within your capabilities and resources. While aiming high is admirable, setting unrealistic goals can lead to frustration and inconsistent efforts in your pursuit. Assess your fitness level, available training time, support network, and other commitments to ensure your goal is achievable. For instance, "I will complete a 100-mile ultramarathon within one year, given my current training routine and available time" is achievable if it aligns with your abilities.

R - Relevant: Your goal should reflect your broader objectives and aspirations. It should align with your values, interests, and long-term plans. In trail running, a relevant goal might involve selecting races that match your passion for rugged terrain or adventure. For instance, "I want to compete in challenging mountain trail races because I'm passionate about conquering steep ascents and descents" is a relevant goal for a mountain-loving trail runner.

T - Time-Bound: Lastly, every goal should have a timeframe for completion. A time-bound goal creates urgency and helps you focus on your training and racing schedule. For example, "I intend to run a marathon-distance trail race within six months" sets a clear timeframe for your goal.

Trail and ultrarunners can transform vague aspirations into well-defined and achievable objectives by applying the SMART goal framework. This structured approach enhances motivation and improves the likelihood of success in training and racing pursuits. Whether you aim to complete a big race, achieve a personal best, or explore new trails, SMART goals can guide your process.

Define Your Goals

Now that you have a framework and clarity around your vision and motivation, you can outline your long-term goals. These should be ambitious and inspiring, representing your ultimate objectives in trail running, ultimately defining your future self. Long-term goals typically span several years. However, life moves fast, and so do your growth and interests! So, even if you take your long-term goals year by year, that's fine. The important thing is that you zoom out and look somewhat into the future, defining who you want to become.

Ensure your long-term goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, "Complete a 100-mile ultramarathon within the next three years" is a SMART long-term goal. While the goal should be achievable, it should also stretch you. The purpose of a goal is to direct and facilitate growth. Therefore, a long-term goal should be achievable in the future but out of reach today. This goal requires something of you. This goal requires work and growth.

Breaking It Down: Short-Term Goals

To work toward your long-term goals, break them down into short-term goals. This is the how-to process for making progress. Short-term goals should be achievable within weeks or months and contribute to your long-term vision.

Focus on areas that need improvement or skills you want to develop. For instance, if your long-term goal is to complete a 100-mile race, short-term goals might be to hire a coach and start building your support network while simultaneously building your running frequency and volume.

Short-term goals keep you focused and on the correct path toward your long-term goals. Remember the SMART goal approach as you set these short-term goals, being specific and measurable. Avoid vague goals here, such as "run more," as I did in the above paragraph. Instead, specify the skill, duration, or frequency required.

Remember that it's about achieving the goals and the person you become along the way. Your pursuit of goals is a testament to your growth and perseverance. The process of growth itself is the real destination.

Always keep your long-term vision in mind. Understand your intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, and find the perfect balance between the two. The SMART goal framework provides you a structured path to success.

Set your goals with ambition and precision, both in the long term and in the short term. Break them into manageable steps, ensuring each goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. These goals will be the stepping stones to achieving your ultimate aspirations. 

Happy trails to a SMART 2024 and beyond!

Jakob Ingebrigtsen brought his remarkable 2026 season to a fitting close on home soil, winning the men’s street 1500m at the inaugural Runfest Norway in Sandnes on Friday.

Competing in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd, the Olympic and world champion took control of the race from the early stages and maintained his authority through the finish, stopping the clock at 3:40.7.

Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen followed in second in 3:43.3, while Sigurd Tveit completed the podium in 3:47.8.

The unusual street race added another dimension to the occasion, with 273 runners taking part on the same road and sharing the course with one of Norway’s most accomplished distance runners. For the recreational participants, it offered a rare opportunity to compete alongside Ingebrigtsen in an event that brought elite athletics and mass participation together.

The victory also provided a fitting final chapter to a season that began with significant uncertainty for Ingebrigtsen. After undergoing major Achilles surgery in February, the Norwegian was forced to miss a substantial portion of the summer campaign as he worked his way back to full fitness.

His return, however, quickly developed into another championship-winning chapter. In Birmingham, Ingebrigtsen captured European 5,000m gold before adding another major title at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where he won the 5,000m.

Those performances transformed what could have been a disrupted season into another year defined by championship success and a determined return to the highest level.

Now, with the Sandnes victory added to his 2026 record, Ingebrigtsen closes the year exactly where it began in spirit — overcoming adversity, rebuilding his form and once again competing at the front.

From Achilles surgery in February to major championship victories and finally a 1500m win before his hometown crowd, the Norwegian has given his 2026 season a memorable final scene.

Olympic 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell has announced her engagement to longtime partner Robert “Robbie” Springfield, adding a major personal milestone to the remarkable journey of one of America’s leading track and field stars.

Russell shared the news with her followers, revealing that Springfield had proposed and that she had accepted. Reflecting on their relationship, the Olympic champion described him as her best friend and expressed her excitement about spending the rest of her life with him.

The couple’s relationship dates back to their college years at the University of Kentucky, where both were student-athletes and competed in track and field. Russell established herself as a standout hurdler, while Springfield competed in the long jump, giving them a shared understanding of the demands, sacrifices and pressures that come with pursuing success in athletics.

Springfield has since transitioned from competition into coaching. A former collegiate long jumper, he is now part of the coaching staff at Morehead State University, where he works with the programme’s sprinters and jumpers.

Their relationship has developed alongside Russell’s rise to the top of the sport. The defining moment of her career came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she captured gold in the women’s 100m hurdles, securing her place among the sport’s Olympic champions.

Away from competition, Springfield has remained a familiar part of Russell’s journey, sharing in the demanding periods of training and competition that accompanied her pursuit of Olympic success. Their connection has consequently grown from a college athletics relationship into a long-term partnership.

The engagement now marks another significant chapter for Russell, this time away from the track. After reaching the pinnacle of her sporting career in Paris, the 100m hurdles champion is beginning a new phase of her personal life alongside a partner who has been part of her journey since their university days.

From competing on the same collegiate stage to building a future together, Russell and Springfield’s story has evolved alongside two careers shaped by track and field. The Olympic champion will now balance this new personal chapter with her continuing ambitions in athletics

The women’s race at the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in recent years, with a deep international field set to take on the fast Dutch course on Sunday, October 18.

At the centre of the contest will be four Ethiopian athletes who have already broken the 2:20 barrier, creating the prospect of a fascinating battle for victory and a possible assault on the course record of 2:16:52.

Defending champion Aynalem Desta will return to Amsterdam looking to retain her title after producing the biggest performance of her career at last year’s 50th edition. Desta won in a personal best of 2:17:37, establishing herself among the leading marathoners in the field and setting the benchmark for this year’s contenders.

Standing in her way will be fellow Ethiopian Meseret Belete Tola, a former Amsterdam champion who knows exactly what it takes to succeed on the course. Belete Tola captured the 2023 edition in 2:18:21, and her return adds another layer of experience and proven quality to an already formidable lineup.

The field also includes Mestawut Fikir Truneh, who arrives with an impressive marathon pedigree. Truneh finished runner-up at the 2024 Berlin Marathon in 2:18:48, demonstrating her ability to compete at the highest level on one of the world's major marathon stages.

Completing the quartet of sub-2:20 Ethiopians is Buze Diriba, whose personal best of 2:19:34 places her firmly among the leading contenders. With four athletes possessing credentials below 2:20, the race is likely to develop into a tightly contested battle from the opening kilometres.

The depth extends well beyond the leading quartet. Desi Jisa Mokonin, representing Bahrain, Yeshi Kalayu Chekole of Ethiopia and Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet of Eritrea have all established themselves as serious marathon competitors with performances approaching the 2:20 mark.

Another major name to watch is Abeba Aregawi, the former 1500m world champion representing Sweden. Aregawi has successfully transferred her talents to the marathon and made headlines earlier this year by setting a Swedish national record of 2:23:12 on her debut. Her presence adds another intriguing dimension to an already high-quality field.

Amsterdam’s marathon course has consistently provided an opportunity for elite athletes to produce fast times, and this year’s women’s lineup has the depth to turn the race into a genuine test of both championship racing and outright speed.

With four athletes already inside 2:20, two former Amsterdam champions returning to the start line and several other accomplished marathoners ready to challenge them, the battle is expected to remain open deep into the race.

The ultimate target will be the Amsterdam women’s course record of 2:16:52. Whether the leading contenders can threaten that mark remains to be seen, but the quality assembled for October 18 ensures that the record will be firmly in the spotlight when the race reaches its spectacular finish inside the Olympic Stadium.

The 2026 Valencia Half Marathon is shaping up to be a thrilling contest of speed, endurance and tactical brilliance, with some of the world’s finest road runners set to converge in Spain on October 25.

Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Alex Matata will be among the leading contenders, facing a formidable Ethiopian challenge spearheaded by Jemal Yimer and Tadese Worku. The field also features Rodrigue Kwizera, who boasts the fastest personal best among the leading entrants at 58:16.

Ebenyo arrives with a personal best of 59:04, placing him firmly among the athletes capable of sustaining a demanding pace over the 21.1-kilometre distance. Matata, who owns a 59:11 best, adds further Kenyan strength, while Andrea Kiptoo brings another sub-60-minute credential to the race.

Yimer has already established himself as one of the fastest athletes in the field with a 58:33 personal best, while Worku has clocked 58:35. Kenya’s Owen Korir, with a best of 58:58, further underlines the remarkable depth of the men's lineup.

Valencia Half Marathon 2026 Entries

1. Rodrigue Kwizera (Spain) — 58:16

2. Jemal Yimer (Ethiopia) — 58:33

3. Tadese Worku (Ethiopia) — 58:35

4. Owen Korir (Kenya) — 58:58

5. Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) — 59:04

6. Alex Matata (Kenya) — 59:11

7. Andrea Kiptoo (Kenya) — 59:11

8. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spain) — 59:42

9. Said Mechaal (Spain) — 1:00:24

10. Adel Mechaal (Spain) — 1:02:30

Kwizera, who finished second in Valencia last year, leads the field on paper and will be seeking another standout performance on the famously fast Valencia course. With several athletes carrying sub-60-minute credentials, the race has the ingredients for an aggressive battle from the opening kilometres.

Beyond the headline names, the men’s field is deep and highly competitive, bringing together a strong collection of experienced international athletes with proven ability over the half-marathon distance. With so much quality packed into the lineup, the race promises an intriguing battle in which tactics, endurance, positioning and finishing speed could all play a crucial role in determining the eventual champion.

Yet personal bests will count for little once the gun goes off. The title could ultimately be decided by patience, positioning and the ability to respond when the pace begins to rise in the closing stages. Every surge, every tactical move and every second saved could prove decisive on the road to the finish.

With Kenya, Ethiopia and Spain represented by athletes of exceptional quality, Valencia promises a high-octane men's showdown in which the leaders are likely to be separated by only a handful of seconds. The final kilometres could provide the defining moments of a race packed with speed, ambition and anticipation.

On October 25, the question will be simple: who has the strength to command the streets of Valencia and claim the coveted half-marathon crown?

 

April 19, 1982. The Boston Marathon unfolded under unusually warm, sunny conditions, and by the closing stages, the race had become a private battle between two very different American runners: Alberto Salazar, already one of the biggest names in distance running, and Dick Beardsley, the Minnesota runner who had emerged as a serious marathon contender.

For roughly nine miles, from the Newton Hills toward the finish, Beardsley did much of the leading, with Salazar tucked close behind. Neither man could shake the other. They ran deep into Boston locked together, trading surges and refusing to surrender an inch as the crowds along the course grew louder.

Salazar finally made his decisive move with less than a mile remaining. He opened a small gap, but Beardsley refused to disappear. The Minnesota runner chased him through the final streets, closing again as they approached the finish.

Then came the final sprint.

Salazar held his form and reached the finish first in 2:08:52, with Beardsley only two seconds behind in 2:08:54. It was an extraordinary result: both men broke 2:09 in the same Boston Marathon, and both shattered the previous course record.

The race became known as the “Duel in the Sun,” and it remains one of the most celebrated head-to-head battles in Boston Marathon history. Beardsley had not won, but his performance established him as one of America's elite marathoners.

For Salazar, however, victory came at an enormous physical cost. Immediately after crossing the finish line, he collapsed and required emergency treatment, including several litres of intravenous saline. The combination of heat, dehydration and an all-out effort had pushed his body to the limit.

Salazar's marathon career would never again produce quite the same kind of performance. His celebrated 1981 New York City Marathon victory had produced what was initially considered a world record, although the course was later found to be short. His Boston triumph therefore became one of the defining victories of his career.

Beardsley's story would take an even more difficult turn. Injuries disrupted his career, and after returning to the highest level, he suffered a devastating farm accident in 1989. Further accidents, surgeries and severe physical pain followed, eventually leading to a long battle with painkiller addiction.

He eventually overcame that struggle and transformed the darkest chapters of his life into a story of recovery, resilience and redemption.

That is what makes the 1982 Boston Marathon more than a two-second victory.

For one extraordinary afternoon, Salazar and Beardsley produced a marathon duel in which neither man was willing to give way. One crossed the finish line first. The other finished only two seconds behind him.

Two seconds separated them at Boston. Decades later, their legendary duel remains one of the greatest chapters in marathon history.