Do it again soon.
Maybe work up to a short race.
But if you like running, youll need a road map that takes you farther into the future.
Heres how to figure out what that goal isand then get there.
Its more like a series of goals over time.
Still, take a moment to think about what you really want to work towards.
Choose a Focus
Your goalcanbe a marathon, but doesnthave tobe a marathon.
Or you’ve got the option to venture to run every day, dont break the chain style.
Once youve picked a goal, you need a plan to get you there.
If youre going for consistency, we have plenty of advice on building habits.
For those other goals, a running-focused training plan is what you need.
Choose a Training Plan
There are tons of training plans out there for common race distances.
Some running apps, likeC25K,RunKeeper and Endomondo, have their own training plans.
you could also find a coach or a training group to run with.
They may follow a published plan, or have their own.
(The best way to find a coach or group?
Ask at your local running store.)
Take a look at the first week of the plan: does itcomfortablyfit into your current schedule?
Or, give yourself a few extra weeks to ramp up your mileage before starting.
(The rest of the runs are all fairly short.)
Schedule your runs, or at least the key ones, and protect them like your most important appointments.
Missed runs are a bigger deal when youre following a plan than when youre just running as a routine.
At the start of your training plan, work out where each week will fall on a calendar.
That way youll be sure to make up the missed runs without having to skip something later on.
Those directions exist for a reason.
As you finish up your training, make a plan for what happens after the race.
Or think about your big-picture road map: What would you like to work up to, eventually?
Whats the next intermediate goal that will take you down that road?
Illustration by Tara Jacoby.
