Adding Structure
I spent the last three years running aimlessly without much rhyme or reason. Generally, I would set forth a weekly volume goal that I planned to accomplish, but outside of that, no specific direction or purpose for my training runs or weeks. I would go based on feel.
For the first two years, that was what I needed, and it was enjoyable. But by year three, I started to notice some red flags.
my energy and mood were all over the place
my susceptibility to injuries was increasing
my progress was being stunted by my stubbornness
These issues were wearing me down until finally, I decided to make a change.
After hitting my arbitrary annual mileage goal of 2020 miles in 2020, I took the final week of the year off to rest, recover, and get organized. I committed to adding structure to my running at the start of 2021.
I’ve avoided structure, in running, writing, or anything I’ve dictated as a hobby because I told myself I didn’t want to rob these activities of the joy I initially was experiencing. But, when you spend so much time dedicated to certain activities, they can become more than just hobbies, especially if you treat them that way.
They become priorities.
Running is not a hobby for me. Running is a practice and a priority for me.
And I want to get better.
Adding structure to something requires some time and effort upfront, especially in the initial planning stages. But after you have things mapped out, it will save you time and lead to progress in the long term. In my example, I now know what my training weeks and months look like, and they all play into specific training goals or phases. I can practically approach my weeks on autopilot now because I know what I need to do and when I need to do it.
Structure also gives purpose and meaning to your actions. If you’re creating structure around a larger goal, one that requires commitment and consistency, there’s a good chance your motivation will fluctuate often. Having a plan in place for the days when motivation is low can help remedy a potentially missed obligation or a weak effort. For me, some days, I would feel like skipping a run altogether or cutting a run short because I was tired or had some other excuse. Now, with purpose and meaning, I can approach each workout with a reason for why I’m doing it, and I know what needs to be accomplished.
Learning to build structure into your life is a transferrable skill that can be applied elsewhere. Once you take the initiative to prioritize a plan for one area of your life or a specific goal, you can take those learnings and use them to recreate success somewhere else in your life. Think about what you could do or where you could go in your career, personal life, or with your finances if you had a clearly defined objective with some structure built around it.
