5 Goals That Don't Involve Races

GOALS AREN'T JUST ENCOURAGING AND FUN TO HAVE; RESEARCH SHOWS THEY ALSO HELP STAVE OFF BURNOUT AND ANXIETY. HERE ARE FIVE RUNNING GOALS THAT CAN BRING MORE JOY TO YOUR REGULAR RUNS

1/ Run Without Tech

Many of us run with running watches to keep track of essential stats such as pace, distance and heart rate. But running "naked", or without tech, is a different, freeing experience; it may feel a little odd at first, but you'll be grateful for it when the kms are complete.

"Every once in a while, it's good to have a tech detox," says Roberto Mandje, senior manager of training and education for New York Road Runners. "You'll find you're less tempted to chase a certain pace and, instead, are more likely to run by listening to your body's many cues."

BEST-PRACTICE TIP: Run by minutes rather than mileage. Instead of obsessing over a run that's 6.3km rather than a neat seven, Mandje recommends trying out a run based on time. "Go out for 30 minutes and don't worry about the pace," he says. "As long as you're running by feel and at a comfortable rate of perceived exertion, you'll become more in tune with relative efforts, as you'll have to rely on your body's constant feedback versus the time and distance you typically gauge from your GPS watch or app."

2/ Pick Up Your Kilometre Pace

If you're willing to put in the work and pick up the pace, racing a kilometre can be a challenging objective. Getting into tip-top shape for a fast km will improve your overall running economy, which can pay off at every distance from 5K to the marathon, says endurance coach Emilio Flores.