健康指南:如何選定你的跑步目標
Now that the Christmas madness is over and I can't leave my house because there's 18 inches of snow on the ground, I've had some time to think about my running goals and target races for 2011. Setting running goals is a great way to stay motivated to run, and the start of a new year is the perfect time to think about what you want to accomplish. Here are some tips for setting attainable goals:
自從聖誕節狂歡結束之後，我就沒法外出了，這都是因爲外面18英寸的積雪。不過，這倒是使我有時間可以考慮自己的2011年跑步目標。制訂跑步目標是一個很好的保持跑步動力的方法，而新年伊始也是考慮你想要完成的計劃的絕佳時間。我這兒就有一些制訂合理目標的建議：
Choose realistic goals. Don't set yourself up for chances of achieving your goals are much better if they're realistic. Of course, it's always fun and inspiring to dream, but try breaking your ultimate goal up into more manageable, realistic goals that could lead you to it. For example, you're not going to run a sub-25:00 5K if your current personal record is 35:00, but you can start taking steps toward getting faster.
一、選定可行的目標：別設定你完成不了的目標。如果目標現實可行，那麼你能完成的可能性會高得多。當然了，夢想總是有趣且激動人心的，不過還是嘗試去打破那些更容易指引你做到的、可行的終極目標吧。比如說，如果你目前跑5000米的個人紀錄是35分鐘，那麼就不要作在25分鐘之內跑完的打算，但你可以開始朝更快的目標努力。
Don't take on too much. If you have too many goals, you'll burn yourself out and may not accomplish any of them, leaving you feeling disappointed and defeated. Instead, focus on a few key goals and the steps you need to take to reach them.
二、不要貪多。如果你的目標太多，那麼只會精疲力盡，而且恐怕哪一個目標也完成不了，這樣的結果就是感到失望和挫敗。反之，你應該關注少數的幾個關鍵目標，並且按照你的需要逐步達到。
Set small, attainable goals. If you have an ambitious goal, such as running your first marathon, make sure that you have smaller, attainable goals with measurable results along the way. They'll help you track your progress and prevent you from getting bored or discouraged. If your goal is to complete a half-marathon, first try to run a 10K or shoot for a personal record in the 5K. An added benefit of setting smaller, attainable goals is that even if you don't meet your ultimate goal, you'll still have achieved other accomplishments along the way.
三、制訂幾個能夠做到的小目標。如果你有一個雄心勃勃的計劃，比如要參加你人生中的第一場馬拉松，那麼就需要設立一些能夠做到的、在整個過程中可以衡量成績的小目標。這些目標可以幫助你追蹤自己的進步，並防止你在中途感到煩悶氣餒。比如，若你的目標是完成馬拉松的一半距離，那麼首先試試跑10000米或衝擊5000米的個人紀錄。而設定能夠做到的小目標的另一個好處是，即使無法達到終極目標，你也在這個過程中取得了其中的一些成績。
Pick some fun goals, too. Not all your running goals have to be performance-related. Come up with some creative goals, such as running a race on a holiday, running a race for charity, or reading a book about running. Non-performance-related goals can keep you from getting totally discouraged if you get off track from your other goals.
四、還要制訂一些有趣的目標。不是所有的跑步目標都必須與你的成績相關。想一些有創意的目標吧，比如在假日舉辦賽跑，或搞慈善賽跑，或者閱讀一本關於跑步的書籍。如果你放棄了其它目標，這些與成績無關的目標也能防止你感到完全的挫敗。
