Setting the Pace for 2025 — Reflect, Celebrate, and Plan: Your Guide to Running Success in the New Year

As 2024 winds down, it’s the perfect time to reflect on your running journey and plan for what’s ahead. Taking a thoughtful look back helps you celebrate the wins, learn from the challenges, and create a strategy to crush your goals in 2025. Let’s dive into this process together - here’s your guidebook to running goal-setting for the new year.

Step 1: Look Back Before You Look Ahead

Reflect on your past year on the run. What one word captures your 2024?

• Growth

• Change

• Adaptation

• Achievement

• Struggle

Be honest with yourself - your word doesn’t have to be positive; what matters is that it resonates. Reflecting on your past year helps you identify patterns, celebrate progress, and recognize areas for growth.

Step 2: Dive Deeper into 2024

What Powered You Forward?

Think about what gave you momentum this year — your “wind in the sails.” Ask yourself:

• What brought you joy in 2024?

• What moments excited or motivated you?

• What helped you move forward, on the run and beyond?

Maybe it was a new running routine, support from a coach, or a breakthrough race. Joy and motivation are key to keeping the fire alive.

What Held You Back?

Next, consider your “anchors”— the things that may have slowed your progress. Consider:

• What didn’t go as planned?

• What hindered your growth?

• What do you wish had gone differently?

Identifying these obstacles helps you learn from them. Whether it’s injury, burnout, or balancing running with life’s demands, recognizing what held you back allows you to adjust your approach moving forward. Take time to both celebrate the highs and learn from the lows.

Step 3: Looking Ahead to 2025

What Lights the Path Ahead?

Take a moment to dream about the year ahead. What big goals are calling you? What are you most excited about? What might you achieve when all the stars align?

Whether it’s running your first marathon, shaving time off your PR, or staying consistent with weekly runs, define the milestones you’re excited to reach. A coach or personalized training plan could be the perfect way to get the structure, accountability, expertise, and support you need.

What Challenges Might Arise?

No year comes without its hurdles. Think about potential barriers:

• What obstacles could pop up along the way?

• Where might you need extra support?

• How can your coach and community help?

Being proactive with your plan—and leaning on your support system—gives you the confidence to tackle the challenges that inevitably arise.

Step 4: Set Goals Strategically

Setting effective goals is the cornerstone of progress. Use these two powerful frameworks to create goals that you’ll stick with!

WOOP Goal Setting. WOOP combines visualization with actionable steps.

• W: Wish – In your wildest dreams, what do you hope to accomplish?

• O: Outcome – What does success look and feel like, both quantitatively and qualitatively?

• O: Obstacles – What might stand in your way?

• P: Plan – How will you navigate potential challenges?

Dream it, plan it, believe it, achieve it!

PACT Goal Setting. PACT goals focus on creating meaningful, actionable, and trackable progress.

• P: Purposeful – Set goals that align with your values, are deeply meaningful to you, and that align with your “why.”

• A: Actionable – Focus on behaviors, not outcomes - and things that are in your control.

• C: Continuous – Set goals that can evolve as you grow.

• T: Trackable – Regularly measure your progress to stay on course.

For instance, instead of saying, “I want to run faster,” set a PACT goal such, “I will complete one interval workout each week during my training block to improve my speed and help me feel stronger in the second half of my race.”

Step 5: Final Thoughts for the Road Ahead

As you set your sights on 2025, remember:

1. Chase Goals That Ignite Your Passions, connecting with your values and long-term objectives.

2. Give Yourself Grace. Life happens, setbacks happen. Adjust your goals when needed, approaching achievement with adaptability and flexibility.

3. Lean on Your Community. Share your goals with your support system. Whether it’s a coach, training partners, friends, or family, collaboration strengthens resolve.

Together, we’re stronger! Whether you’re training for a major marathon, aiming to build consistency in your running, or considering looking into structured training for the first time, your journey is uniquely yours. Celebrate the highs, embrace the lows, and let’s make 2025 your best year yet!

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Looking for support in your running journey? Whether you’re looking for a Seattle-based running coach, or if you’re located across the country or around the world, our virtual running coaching services are here to help, offering personalized coaching and a supportive team & community. Let’s run down some big goals together!

CIM 2024: A Magical Day for Running Joyfully

Team Running Joyfully at the 2024 California International Marathon

The California International Marathon (CIM) 2024 was nothing short of spectacular for our Running Joyfully team! From massive personal bests to inspiring marathon debuts, our athletes showed resilience, strength, and a whole lot of joy on race day. Our team had 17 out of 20 personal bests - safe to say it was a magical day from Folsom to Sacramento! The months of training—countless early mornings, late night treadmill runs, and weekend long runs—culminated in incredible performances that we’re thrilled to celebrate. Whether it was overcoming injuries, balancing demanding schedules, or simply chasing big goals, our runners showed what’s possible when hard work meets joyful determination.

Faster as a Master!

Abby Lorge: 3:07

Abby ran a 2 minute PR at age 48! This working mom of 2 committed big-time to the training - the workouts, the hills, the strength training - and was rewarded with a HUGE breakthrough! Abby successfully navigated an ill-timed strep throat illness and, with some antibiotics, was able to run the race of her life with a big negative split! As she said - "I am so fortunate to be healthy and able to train seriously at this age, so I went for it on Sunday, and all my athletic dreams came true!"

Julia Brownell: 3:13

Julia ran a 3 minute PR at age 42 - her fastest marathon in her 19 years of running the event! It wasn't quite the day Julia wanted - she dealt with some nausea on course - but she STILL was able to pull off a great performance and overcome many mid-race fueling challenges. Running through these hard miles and STILL coming away with a PR is a testament to her resilience and mental strength. We know there's even more greatness ahead for this mom of two (who is a TV writer in LA who has written some of Coach Kaitlin's favorite TV shows!).

Cheers to Sub 3!

Maryn Juergens: 2:56

Maryn shot her shot and ran a 10+ minute PR at 11 months postpartum! Maryn called this her most-fun marathon to date! She ran side by side with her postpartum training buddy Logan and had a REALLY great day! She brought all the joy in her training - tackling big workouts and specialized long runs that she’d never done before - and similarly brought the joy on the course. She soaked up this amazing marathon, executing her race plan perfectly and smiling every mile as she ran 6:45s for days! What a special breakthrough for this new mom - with more ahead!

MK Anselmini: 2:56

We’ve long known that MK was a sub-3 marathoner, but it just hadn't come together on race day yet - until CIM! MK ran such a smart race, starting out really controlled and coming through the half in 1:29:55. In the back half, MK got ROLLING - and she dropped a bunch of 6:20-30 miles to cement her status as a sub-3 marathoner - and then some! This public-school teacher logged many miles in the dark at 5 am in her CIM build and was rewarded with this amazing, joyful day and a 5 minute personal best!

Celebrating our Marathon Debuts!

Aleksandra Kaminski: 3:33

Aleksandra ran her first marathon at CIM after picking up running in the pandemic. After doing triathlons for the past few years, this new mom decided to tackle her first 26.2 - and she ran it like a seasoned pro! She executed her training plan so well - no easy feat with a new baby! - and she came into the race so prepared. She executed her race plan to a T and came away with a BQ - this new mom is Boston bound! We're so happy for her!

Senait Hailemariam: 5:55

Senait started training in the fall of this year with the goal of finishing her first marathon. As a full-time working professional with long days, Senait had to fit her training in around her busy schedule focusing mostly on her long runs. She had a few challenges thrown her way from work project to travel, to some knee niggles that popped up about 3 weeks out from her marathon. Each week, Senait, working alongside Coach Sarah, focused on increasing her longer runs, getting stronger, and embracing the challenge of reaching the start line. And she did it - she finished her first marathon under 6 hours, achieving her goal. Congrats Senait!

PR’s A’Plenty!

Cat Ku: 3:09

Cat decided to jump into CIM as a bonus marathon after running a strong 3:15 at NYC last month. She had a joyful NYC following a busy fall filled with travel - and a wedding! This newlywed knew she had more in the tank and decided to jump into CIM as "icing on the cake" - she decided to swing by and go for sub-3:10. She mentally committed to it and went big - running 3:09:00 in a big negative split. What a perfect day for Cat!

TerryAnn Cuozzo: 3:10

TerryAnn began the year with the goal to run a 3:10 marathon; her first attempt earlier this year at Vermont City was unfortunately derailed by unexpected heat so while the fitness was there, the day was challenging, and she wasn't able to achieve a PR. This build was flawless, and she worked really hard on the mental toughness and confidence side of the equation. We need she was ready for a special day! She ran steadily, strong, and with a lot of joy. She rounded the final turn towards the Capital, and she knew: a BIG PR (14+ minutes!) and big goal achieved!

Brooke Macomber: 3:11

Brooke joined Running Joyfully earlier this fall right as the CIM build was starting and has gobbled up the training like a champion! Working with Coach Steph, she balanced a busy work and home life with diligent CrossFit training AND a full Marathon build, working through a small Achilles flare-up in November to finish the training block confident and strong. We knew she was ready for a magical day, and she went out assertively, cruising through the Sacramento hills with confidence that she was ready for a big PR. Her goal going into race day was 3:15 and was able to surpass that effortlessly! We're excited to make MORE magic happen at the next big marathon: Boston 2025!

Laura Carey: 3:13

Laura has progressed from 3:29 at Boston '23 to 3:18 at Pittsburg '24 to 3:13 at CIM! This mom of three juggles a law career working to correct wrongful convictions, coaching youth cross country, and her own training, logging many pre-dawn miles in Boston and Cambridge. She has made amazing improvements over the last 2 years, committing to strength training and a gradual increase in volume. She swung big at CIM, looking to run 3:10-12, and while she came up just a little short of this, we're so proud of her for shooting her shot, running brave, and still coming away with a 5 min PR - smiling all the way even in the hard final miles. Go Laura!

Stephanie Miles: 3:16

As her name would indicate, Stephanie (S. Miles) was all SMILES out there :) After having a challenging day at CIM '23, she had big plans to return in 2024 with a vengeance - and she did! Stephanie put together her best training cycle to date this fall with consistent workouts, speedy long runs, and steady miles, and was rewarded with a 3 minute PR! After starting the year with an injury, this mom of three is finishing the year with a BANG with a marathon breakthrough and big plans for 2025, including Tokyo Marathon!

And so many more incredible runs…

Liz Froemming: 4:09

A 23 minute PR for Liz, and she paced it to a tee - to the point that Coach Jen was certain that Liz had latched onto the pace group as planned and let them help her the entire way. Little did Coach Jen know that Liz wasn't tall enough to see any of the pace signs (!!) so she ended up running 26.2 entirely by feel. She executed the race plan perfectly, running a negative split and clocking a massive PR. Mile 26 was her fastest and she dipped into the low 9's! Liz is “Miss Consistency” and had a wonderful training block - her race is a testament to how she operates and gets the work done. She has PR’d in the half and the 10k on the buildup to this race and ran over a minute faster per mile than her previous marathon pace. Way to go, Liz!!

Kyla Kotcherha: 3:46

Kyla had a rough few weeks leading up to the race - we weren't sure she would make it to the starting line as her hip flared up mid-training cycle. She and Coach Jen adjusted the training plan and worked hard on PT and maintenance exercises to get the hip to a place where she could run with minimal discomfort. Her PT confirmed it was ok to get to the starting line, so Kyla focused on re-setting expectations and finding a goal race pace that would allow her to run strong and negative split. She and Coach Jen worked a lot on positive self-talk and positive affirmations - lots of Ted Lasso GIF's and quotes were sent in the days leading up to the race :) On race day, Kyla really brought her "A" game, executing the adjusted race plan to perfection. She ran an 11 minute PR with her last 5 miles as her fastest!

Rachel Dumanian: 3:32

Rachel had a charmed build up and a similarly charmed race - it is the best feeling when it all comes together! Rachel and Coach Amy started working together this fall to prepare her for her first marathon as a mom at 17 months postpartum. It was clear right away that she was unlocking new speed, evidenced by a 9-minute half marathon PR in October (on a very hard course). Rachel had hoped to go sub 4 going into this training cycle, but she and Coach Amy started aiming even bolder and thinking about the 3:30s. Gradually as Rachel did more and more tempo and marathon pace work, she grew to believe she could hold a low 8-minute pace. She executed a beautiful pace plan, running even splits and accelerating at the end for a 29 minute PR! Rachel exuded joy on the course and in training. CIM was an incredible celebration of what her body can do!

Kristy Spratt: 3:39

Kristy executed an incredible race off a challenging build. Six weeks before marathon day, she was not sure if she could line up - she has always been injury-prone despite being very smart about strength training and listening to her body. She and Coach Amy knew though if they could get her discomfort under control, she could run something fantastic. A magical sports massage, tweaks to her mid-week workouts, and a few extra rest days later, they were able to put together a fantastic and strong last six weeks of training and got to resume speed work. Going into marathon week, Kristy's brain and body felt fantastic! She ran strong even as the hills caught up to her (training in the flat Midwest isn't easy for hilly courses!) and ran a phenomenal 14-minute PR for her second marathon. She dipped under 3:40 and we have full confidence that more double-digit PRs are coming her way in future builds.

Caroline DiNapoli: 3:36

Caroline has taken nearly an hour off her marathon PR since she started working with Coach Kaitlin - her transformation as a runner is nothing short of inspiring! She ran a stellar 3:36 at CIM, bettering her 3:52 from Berlin '23. Caroline put together some impressive half marathons this year, so we knew she was ready for a big day at CIM - but she got Covid in November, and we were concerned this would derail her PR plans! But Caroline handled this setback like a pro and came to CIM ready to rock her race plan - and she did! Caroline ran a 16 minute personal best - we are SO happy for her and can't wait for her next big breakthrough!

Laura Taylor: 3:18

Laura came out to CIM from Washington DC, where she works a demanding law job (which means she's often having to juggle training - but she fits it in!). After pacing the 3:25 group at the Richmond Marathon last month, Laura was ready for her own race at CIM. She took a big swing at 3:10 and while she came up short, we are super proud of her for taking a big shot - you don’t know unless you try! Laura overcame some tough middle miles to run a strong last 10k of the race and finish fast, and joyfully!

Jeni Enjaian: 3:43

Jeni ran her second-fastest marathon ever and improved upon her 3:46 from Houston '24. We took a stab at a PR and while she came up a little short, we're thrilled with this 2nd-fastest time after a tumultuous fall. This public-school teacher navigated some training hiccups while being temporarily displaced after Hurricane Helene - but she didn't let this stop her run streak nor her marathon training! Jeni smiled her way to this great run, and we are super happy for her!

We are overjoyed by how the team ran at CIM and couldn’t be happier to share in each athlete’s joyful journey from Folsom to Sacramento - congratulations everyone!

Anatomy of a Training Cycle by Coach Kaitlin

Runners love to understand the big picture and be able to see the full view of their training. As both an athlete and a coach, I find it really helpful to take a look at the anatomy of a training cycle and break it down into its component parts, so that you can know what to expect during each phase of a training cycle and understand the WHEN, WHAT, and WHY behind the training.

Here’s how I think about each phase of a training cycle:

BASE PHASE

Base Phase is where you focus on developing endurance and building aerobic fitness. This is a lower-intensity and lower-volume phase where the priority is to nail the basics:

• Easy and aerobic miles

• Strides for speed

• Strength training, and

• A solid long run.

The main goal of the Base Phase is consistency and the focus is on laying a strong foundation.

BUILDING BLOCK PHASE

The Building Block Phase is your prep phase - this is where you gradually increase both volume and intensity to prepare you for the Performance Phase. The focus is on improving endurance and getting stronger and faster through workouts like:

• Progression runs

• Pickups

• Hills, and

• Specialized long runs.

The main goal of the Building Block Phase is strength.

PERFORMANCE PHASE

The Performance Phase is your peak phase - this is an intense training period where you run more challenging workouts, in both volume + intensity, and hit your peak weekly mileage. You’ll be working hard and you’ll be tired, but this phase is a lot of fun! The main goal of the Performance Phase is quality. The focus is on dialing into goal race pace in workouts and simulating racing (often with a tuneup race).

TAPER PHASE

The Taper Phase is your pre-competition phase - this is where you get ready to race! The main goal of the Taper Phase is race prep. The focus is on reducing volume and intensity, adding in more recovery, and preparing yourself both physically and mentally to execute on race day.

RECOVERY PHASE

The Recovery Phase is the time to rest and reset after your goal race. The main goal of the Recovery Phase is rest. The focus is on recovering, both physically and mentally, and allowing the body and mind to recuperate from the intensity of the training cycle and race day. This is also a time to as move in other (non-running) ways that bring you joy, before gradually re-introducing running and gearing up for your next goal!

I hope this helps you understand the WHEN, the WHAT, and the WHY behind training as you gear up for your next big race!
Cheers,
Coach Kaitlin

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