Ultra Running Magazine
  • Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Renew
    • Gift Subscription
  • Magazine
    • All Issues
    • Purchase Back Issues
    • Find a Retailer
    • Become a Retailer
  • Articles
    • Reviews
    • Training & Racing
    • Health & Nutrition
    • Race Reports
    • News and Notes
    • Ultra Running 101
    • Podcast
    • Weekly Newsletter
    • UltraRunners of the Year
  • Training Plans
  • Race Calendar
    • Upcoming Races
    • By State
    • Map View
    • Stats
      • Finishes
      • Top Performances
      • Biggest Races
    • Race Director
      • Register
      • Login
  • Results
    • Latest Results
    • Runner Search
    • All Time List
  • Shop
    • Back Issues
    • Digital Back Issues
    • Hats
    • Stickers
    • Odds and Ends
    • Cart
  • About
    • About UR
    • Columnists
    • Staff
    • Statement on Racism
    • Change of Address
    • Editorial Submissions
    • Contact
      • Advertise
    • Ambassadors
  • 0
Subscribe
The author commemorates her goal achievement with a tattoo. Photo: Megan Plenge

Setting Goals

Amy Clark 03/01/2017
Amy Clark 03/01/2017

A phone call was all it took. I had big dreams of becoming an architect at the age of 10 after my grandfather suggested as much while I sat in the middle of the Abiqua Creek in Silverton, Oregon, constructing a dam of rocks. The call was to tell my mom I was done with architecture school after just a year and a half. My grandfather had just passed away the summer before, and I felt like a complete failure – I was letting him down, and giving up on my dream. While my mom reassured me I was not, I couldn’t help but think, “What now?”

Goals are funny like that. They’re hard to let go of, whether you succeed or fail. A Harvard study suggests, “The sense of competence resulting from successful goal achievement encourages students to set more challenging goals and eventually adopt goal directed mindsets.” Sound familiar? As a runner, my natural inclination was to follow in my father’s footsteps and run a marathon. Once that goal had been checked off, my sights were set on qualifying for, and finishing Boston (like most marathoners).  But once I had accomplished that goal, I felt lost. Feelings from my success waned and I wanted to find a new goal. What now? There’s that question again.

Just like my dream of becoming an architect, I had devoted years to training and qualifying for the Boston Marathon. And it had worked. But I didn’t anticipate the uncertain feeling that come after the elation of success has diminished. My search for a new goal was imminent. So I ran another marathon. And another. And then I thought, I’ll try and qualify for Boston again. But with a new family to take care of, the energy and motivation came second hand and the spark was gone. I needed something new.

With the chaos of work and life, it took time. But eventually, I got that familiar feeling I recognized from before. It had surrounded me all along, I was just too busy building my confidence as a marathoner to recognize it. Ultrarunning quietly crept its way into my veins, and soon I was singing a different tune with a new goal on the horizon.

Harvard Business School found that, “There are many ways in which goals go wild: they can narrow focus, motivate risk-taking, lure people into unethical behavior, inhibit learning, increase competition, and decrease intrinsic motivation. At the same time, goals can inspire and improve performance.” As ultrarunners, we are always looking ahead, whether it’s a step up in distance or a new race to challenge us.

Some of us have long-term goals, while others achieve success without them. I had been running trails in college, but never truly gained a love for ultrarunning until after my first goals had been conquered. I’m often jealous of those who found the sport early in life, but realize now that I wasn’t ready. Finding and going after a goal takes time, mixed with some trial and error. And succeed or fail, each experience is what makes us who we are. And that time and effort is exactly why setting and accomplishing a goal can change us forever.

.

FacebookTwitterEmail
Amy Clark

Amy Clark is the Editor of UltraRunning Magazine. She began her career at a small advertising agency in Bend, Oregon, where she enjoyed the fast pace and creative environment. For over 15 years, lunch hour runs were a ritual. Amy also joined the board of the local running club, became a race director and finished her first ultra. She has completed over 35 marathons and ultras combined, and continues to run long distances while encouraging both kids and adults to ignite their own passion for running.

You may also like

Ultra Weekend Recap — February 5

02/05/2023

Review: Suunto 9 Peak Pro

02/03/2023

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — February...

02/01/2023

Becoming in India: Yoga, Life and Running

01/31/2023

Ultra Shorts: Cold Weather Running w/ Dr. Jason...

01/31/2023

Ultra Weekend Recap — January 29

01/29/2023

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — January...

01/26/2023

Review: Winter Glove Roundup

01/25/2023

Ultra Weekend Recap — January 22

01/22/2023

Rebecca Joyner

01/20/2023

1 comment

M @readeatwriterun 03/02/2017 - 12:04 pm

YES!

Comments are closed.

Weekly Newsletter

A roundup of the week's content and race results. Sent every Thursday.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Podcast

  • Ultra Shorts: Cold Weather Running w/ Dr. Jason Wagner

  • Rebecca Joyner

  • Carilyn Johnson

  • Ultra Shorts: What’s the Issue w/ Editor Amy Clark

  • Craig Thornley

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Spotify

Back To Top
Ultra Running Magazine
  • Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Renew
    • Gift Subscription
  • Magazine
    • All Issues
    • Purchase Back Issues
    • Find a Retailer
    • Become a Retailer
  • Articles
    • Reviews
    • Training & Racing
    • Health & Nutrition
    • Race Reports
    • News and Notes
    • Ultra Running 101
    • Podcast
    • Weekly Newsletter
    • UltraRunners of the Year
  • Training Plans
  • Race Calendar
    • Upcoming Races
    • By State
    • Map View
    • Stats
      • Finishes
      • Top Performances
      • Biggest Races
    • Race Director
      • Register
      • Login
  • Results
    • Latest Results
    • Runner Search
    • All Time List
  • Shop
    • Back Issues
    • Digital Back Issues
    • Hats
    • Stickers
    • Odds and Ends
    • Cart
  • About
    • About UR
    • Columnists
    • Staff
    • Statement on Racism
    • Change of Address
    • Editorial Submissions
    • Contact
      • Advertise
    • Ambassadors

Shopping Cart

Close

No products in the cart.

Close