Goals

In my October 15, 2011 blog I wrote about Things Seniors Need. Once after that I wrote about one of those things in greater detail (finding a good book). Today I will touch upon another item from that list: having goals.

Goals combine present actions with a future result. Sometimes the future result is just next week, next month or it can be next year or beyond. Goal implementation also involves many steps along the way and a plan implemented by personal effort to achieve that goal. And the realization that detours, obstacles and potential changes will occur.

After one of my early January 5K walks at the Jewish Community Center health center I came home to a waiting email. It was the announcement and registration link to the Texas Senior Games (aka Senior Olympics). I immediately registered for two events, both of which I sounded similar and familiar and events that I believed I could complete. One event was the 5K Racewalk and the other the 5K Roadrace. I completed an on-line registration form, entered my credit card information and bingo I had a goal of participating in the Texas Senior Games. Easy, or so it seemed.

My euphoria was reinforced when a Google search of past event results revealed that I had a chance of coming in 10th place in my age bracket. Not bad considering I never Racewalked or Roadraced competitively before. That euphoria was short lived when I discovered that Racewalking is an event that has rules and later learned that judges could disqualify the walker. Was I going to walk 5K and then find out my efforts might not count?

Roadracing was a different event. It was running, walking, shuffling or even crawling. Just start and get to the finish line. This was definitely an event I had done and could do again. In the back of my mind I still was intrigued by the Racewalk event. Now I had to decide if I was going to find out what Racewalking is or just forget about it. The goal of participating in the Senior Olympics had expanded beyond just the event to a search for information.

Soon after realizing that Racewalking was a unique event there was an email informing me of a Racewalking clinic scheduled for early February. Timing is everything. No need to decide now. A plan now began to develop. Needless to say I attended the clinic and learned more about the technique and perhaps more importantly I learned some of the advantages of Racewalking over running. Part of the clinic included information about a local Racewalking group that had training sessions. Normally they conduct two training sessions per week; one session is early on a Sunday morning and the second on a Wednesday evening. Both times suited my schedule and I planned to attend a few of the training sessions before the March Senior Olympics. Now the goal was expanded to include attendance at these training sessions.

The ultimate goal is not really to participate in the upcoming Senior Olympics but to maintain a healthy lifestyle and possibly include Racewalking as part of that lifestyle. As I look out my kitchen window writing this blog I realize that having a routine (another one of my things a senior needs) has crept into my life without realization. I write blogs on Saturday mornings, exercise after work regularly and now possibly add Racewalk training on Sundays and Wednesdays.

My resolve to walk Sunday and Wednesday this week is soon to be tested. Sunday’s forecast is cold and rainy, and Wednesday’s forecast is rain.

I hope to blog in late March about my successful Racewalk and Roadrace experiences. Otherwise, I’ll write about changing goals (the wimp’s way out).

KISS: Kick in Steady Stride.

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