Today’s highlights include Lisa Tamati 2200km run across the length of New Zealand and an endurance psychology article focusing on “coping with pain”.

1. Ultramarathon running legend Dean Karnazes offers a fantastic list of tips and techniques for training and running ultra distance events.
2. Lisa Tamati New Zealand’s elite ultra marathon runner, is running the length of New Zealand. Covering approximately 2,200km in 33 days or the equivalent of 52 marathons she’s due to finish on 2 December 2009
3. Chris Tokarz was the female winner of the 2009 Rockledge Rumble 50 km trail run and is interviewed about her training and ultra marathon race strategy
4. Steph has completed 22 marathons so far in her quest to be the youngest female to run a full marathon in all 50 states.
5. Quotes from Ultra marathon runner It’s a long list but some real gems in here
6. Endurance Psychology An excellent article about managing and coping with pain in endurance racing including detailed training strategies.
7. Fantastic list of 50 Endurance Blogs including sections on training and analyses, endurance, speed, nutrition and strength training.
8. 6 great lessons from the running trail Jon Berghoff uses a running analogy in this excellent article on business strategy
9. Top female endurance athlete Jen Segger describes the fine line between triumph and addiction as she bares all in this honest and thought provoking interview.
10. Inspirational running story Len Ruth weighed close to 222 lbs before taking up running. He lost 80lbs and ended up running ultra distance marathons and even took part in a 24 hour race.

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3. An ultra marathon running world record on the GR20 mountain trail
4. Part 4 Volunteering in an orphanage in Nepal gave me an amazing new start in life
5. 50 Cent can teach you everything you need to know about raising expedition sponsorship dollars

Last week I wrote a post on this blog 10 ultra marathon endurance events I want to complete before I die. This got me thinking. OK so I have written the list. But what was I really doing about turning them into reality. This list was nothing new for me, since it’s contents have been bouncing around inside my head for the last few years.

This time I decided to tackle it slightly differently and would like to illustrate my actions in the hope that it may help you in your own quest to achievable a big goal or target.

I going to illustrate the points with reference to one of my big goals “running the marathon des Sables”. This event is way outside my comfort zone and experience. Some background first, I don’t like running, nor too have I ever done much running. I have never run a marathon or been to the Sahara dessert.

So I think it justifiably counts as a BIG GOAL !!

The attraction for me in this event is the fear factor and the level of the challenge involved. But the question is “How to move beyond those and turn it into reality?”

Define your big goal

The first thing I did was to write it down. Nothing new there but I think it is so important that i will restate it. If you want to achieve a big goal, it is much more likely to happen if you make a personal commitment by writing it down. If possible include as much detail about the big goal and what it looks like.

In my case – Complete Marathon des Sables in 2012

What need to happen to make big goal possible

By thinking through what needs to happen to make the big goal possible I’m forcing myself to consider the possibilities and the factors that influence my projects successful outcome. So I list out these things to help me get started. At this stage not too much detail I concentrating on an overall framework.

When can I get a place? How will I pay for my entry? How fit do I need to be? What other race experience do I need? What other survival / dessert experience do I need? Who can I talk too that has completed the event? What books can I read about running the race? etc etc

Set a short term Mini Goal

I think this is the single most important thing to do. I suffer very badly from a short term attention span. My family and friends joke that the longest I last on one activity is 13 weeks. I get bored very quickly. When this happens my enthusiasm get side tracked and I leap off in a new and exciting direction. This is lots of fun BUT NOT VERY USEFUL FOR ACHIEVING BIG GOAL.

So one solution is to set a mini goal that is an exciting goal in itself and that can be completed within 2-6 weeks. This means that I can focus all my attention and enthusiasm on this small project without becoming to distracted / overwhelmed by the big goal.

By setting it at 2-6 weeks I give myself some margin for error in terms of my personal attention span. So that even if it takes longer than I expect, maybe even double the time to achieve say for example 12 weeks I’m, still inside my personal 13 week window.

So in my personal case. I have set a mini goal of running a marathon before Christmas. I haven’t set a speed or anything else simply that I will run 26 miles and that will be my first milestone in my BIG GOAL of running Marathon des Sables.

Concentrate on the mini goals

Concentrating and achieving the mini goals is the key to successfully completing the BIG GOAL’s. It’s a cliche but so true,”you climb Everest one step at a time!” The big goal is only possible and achievable by completing 10’s and maybe 100’s of mini goals.

Within these mini goals lies the “journey”. the “experience” that we will always remember. They give us the skills, knowledge and ability to achieve the big goal but most importantly they shape our everyday lives so that we live in the moment. Here and now rather than hoping that we will find fulfillment through achieving the one BIG GOAL.

My journey towards running th Marathon des Sables has begun. I started training today for my first marathon which I will run before the end of 2009. (I’m looking for a marathon to run. Do you know of one in late December 2009 ??)

Join the Conversation

Has your journey begun ? Have you got a BIG GOAL, what about some mini goals? Have you started? Are you already on the path? Share your experiences and join the conversation.

Related posts:

1. Daily News round up covering ultra marathon and trail running – FRI 27 Nov
2. Do you think you are to old to begin training for an ultra marathon running event? Think again!
3. 10 Ultra Marathon endurance events I want to complete before I die
4. Getting Started – A Rough Guide to Riding the Tour de France Route
5. Are you struggling to achieve a Big Goal? This solution might help you..

1. Race RAAM Solo

   Arguably the world’s toughest endurance race. RAAM is 3000 mile bike race across America. Solo riders cycle up to 22 hours per day and must complete the route in under 12.5 days. For more information www.raceacrossamerica.org

2. Row the Atlantic Ocean Race

   Covering a distance over 3000 nautical miles this event tests body and mind. Taking around 50 days competitors face a constant battle of sleep depravation, salt sores and the physical extremes. For more information www.woodvale-challenge.com

3. Run Marathon des Sables

   Considered the world’s toughest footrace, it is a six-day, 156 mile ultra marathon through the Sahara dessert. Equivalent to 5.5 regular marathons in 6 days, carrying a load with temperatures of up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. For more information www.darbaroud.com

4. Climb the 7 Summits

   The holy grail for the average mountaineer. The 7 summits includes the highest mountain peak on each of the planets 7 continents. For more information www.7summits.com

5. Bike Iditarod Trail Invitational

   The world’s longest winter ultra marathon race across Alaska. Competitors battle 1100 miles of snow and ice with temperatures reaching -40C. For more information www.alaskaultrasport.com

6. Cycle Around the World

   An average round the world cyclists completes 18,000+ miles and takes anything from 6 months to 20 years to complete. For me this would be a slow journey of discovery rather than a record attempt. For more information www.cyclingaroundtheworld.nl

7. Walk to the North or South Pole

   To follow in the footsteps of the world’s greatest explorers has always fired my imagination. The poles have been a magnet for adventurers for the last century or so and continue to test the planet’s finest explorers to this day. For more information www.thepoles.com

8. Sea Kayak Around the UK

   The 3000 mile British coastline with it’s harsh and dangerous waters have always inspired and scared me in almost equal measures. For more information www.seapaddler.co.uk

9. Boulder Font 8A in Fontainebleau

   This is not strictly an endurance event but since I have been working on this for the past 2 years and hope to achieve it before the London Olympics in 2012 I feel 5 years of effort make it qualify! For more information www.bleau.info

10. Set up the CrazyJourneys Foundation

    10% of all profits that CrazyJourneys.com makes will be directed into a charitable foundation with the objective of funding and helping young and disabled explorers and adventurers to reach their goals. It will provide expedition funding, help with marketing and sponsorship negotiations, planning and mentoring particularly with regard to generating media coverage.

Can you help me?
What are your top 10 must do goals before you die?

Please support CrazyJourneys.com by taking a moment to comment on my top 10 list of ultra marathon endurance events and also tweet or share it.