Focus on the process, not the outcome.

Every runner with an ounce of competitiveness in their blood needs a goal. It is necessary in order to challenge personal improvement and accomplishing goals is part of what makes running great.

Achieving goals is the prize at the end of a training block and represent the reward for the effort, discipline and commitment. Achieving your goals can be your motivation to get out the door and run, the dream of personal best times or race distances completed. 

Goals are an outcome and every outcome requires a process of multiple steps to be repeated over and over to reach the goal. This process allows a runner to get themselves on the start line in the physical and mental shape to perform towards their expected goal.

Focusing purely on the outcome above the process is not a sustainable way to train. A focus on the process of completing your training plan day in day out over time is a more pragmatic approach. It allows the runner to focus each day on what is required, build consistency and manage their daily efforts and commitment. These are the simple and deliberate efforts you can control and if you take joy in the process the outcome will likely take care of itself.

Running is a simple pursuit where regular effort over time almost always produces results. There are usually no short cuts and no way to fast track improvement. Therefore you need to love the process of running and training in a way that promotes improvement. By utilising a smart training plan that builds miles over weeks and has you consistently doing runs that will build your aerobic fitness you’ll reach success and achieve your goals. 

Here, we recommend a simple philosophy of three key runs repeated to achieve success. This process is simple and certainly not using any ground breaking training methods. It’s also not flashy nor always exciting, but it’s a philosophy that repeated over time will produce results.

A focus on the process will help you enjoy running for its pureness and simplicity. If you love the process you’ll love the sheer joy of running. Running is rarely about the atmosphere at events and the joy of the finish line, personal best performance or the medal around your neck. 

Running is about the dark, cold mornings when you need to get your session done. It’s the commitment of putting in runs, sometimes when you don’t want to. When you understand and focus on the process, you do it whether you want to or not. Because you understand that each goal is achieved by repeatedly getting out of your comfort zone and getting the training done. These are the moments that make you a resilient runner that is prepared to give their best when the race gets hard. 

Runners that understand the process are patient and committed to long term improvement. They are ready to put in the work and understand the value of the training. 

If you focus on the process the outcomes will take care of themselves. You will enjoy your running, you’ll become a better runner and you’ll likely achieve the goals you set for yourself.