Now that the Christmas madness is over and I can't leave my house because there's 18 inches of snow on the ground, I've had some time to think about my running goals and target races for 2011. Setting running goals is a great way to stay motivated to run, and the start of a new year is the perfect time to think about what you want to accomplish. Here are some tips for setting attainable goals:

自从圣诞节狂欢结束之后，我就没法外出了，这都是因为外面18英寸的积雪。不过，这倒是使我有时间可以考虑自己的2011年跑步目标。制订跑步目标是一个很好的保持跑步动力的方法，而新年伊始也是考虑你想要完成的计划的绝佳时间。我这儿就有一些制订合理目标的建议：

Choose realistic goals. Don't set yourself up for failure.Your chances of achieving your goals are much better if they're realistic. Of course, it's always fun and inspiring to dream, but try breaking your ultimate goal up into more manageable, realistic goals that could lead you to it. For example, you're not going to run a sub-25:00 5K if your current personal record is 35:00, but you can start taking steps toward getting faster.

一、选定可行的目标：别设定你完成不了的目标。如果目标现实可行，那么你能完成的可能性会高得多。当然了，梦想总是有趣且激动人心的，不过还是尝试去打破那些更容易指引你做到的、可行的终极目标吧。比如说，如果你目前跑5000米的个人纪录是35分钟，那么就不要作在25分钟之内跑完的打算，但你可以开始朝更快的目标努力。

Don't take on too much. If you have too many goals, you'll burn yourself out and may not accomplish any of them, leaving you feeling disappointed and defeated. Instead, focus on a few key goals and the steps you need to take to reach them.

二、不要贪多。如果你的目标太多，那么只会精疲力尽，而且恐怕哪一个目标也完成不了，这样的结果就是感到失望和挫败。反之，你应该关注少数的几个关键目标，并且按照你的需要逐步达到。

Set small, attainable goals. If you have an ambitious goal, such as running your first marathon, make sure that you have smaller, attainable goals with measurable results along the way. They'll help you track your progress and prevent you from getting bored or discouraged. If your goal is to complete a half-marathon, first try to run a 10K or shoot for a personal record in the 5K. An added benefit of setting smaller, attainable goals is that even if you don't meet your ultimate goal, you'll still have achieved other accomplishments along the way.

三、制订几个能够做到的小目标。如果你有一个雄心勃勃的计划，比如要参加你人生中的第一场马拉松，那么就需要设立一些能够做到的、在整个过程中可以衡量成绩的小目标。这些目标可以帮助你追踪自己的进步，并防止你在中途感到烦闷气馁。比如，若你的目标是完成马拉松的一半距离，那么首先试试跑10000米或冲击5000米的个人纪录。而设定能够做到的小目标的另一个好处是，即使无法达到终极目标，你也在这个过程中取得了其中的一些成绩。

Pick some fun goals, too. Not all your running goals have to be performance-related. Come up with some creative goals, such as running a race on a holiday, running a race for charity, or reading a book about running. Non-performance-related goals can keep you from getting totally discouraged if you get off track from your other goals.

四、还要制订一些有趣的目标。不是所有的跑步目标都必须与你的成绩相关。想一些有创意的目标吧，比如在假日举办赛跑，或搞慈善赛跑，或者阅读一本关于跑步的书籍。如果你放弃了其它目标，这些与成绩无关的目标也能防止你感到完全的挫败。