Goal template
Race goal template: plan your first race backward
Write the race as already run. Then work back through the training to one run you can do this week.
The template
Race goal template
Done statement
I crossed the finish line of my first race.
If-then plan
If a busy week leaves no time to run, then I run for 10 minutes before breakfast and count it.
Backward milestones
- Finish lineI crossed the finish line of my first race.
- Before thatRace week: easy runs, kit laid out, route to the start planned.
- Before thatFinished my longest training run.
- Before thatKept a steady weekly running rhythm for a month.
- Before thatSigned up for the race and put the date in my calendar.
- This weekPicked a race and a simple beginner plan.
Fills the form in the app. Edit any line before you save. Free, no account needed.
How to use this template
- Open it in the app. The button fills the new goal screen with the done statement, the if-then plan and the milestones above. Nothing is saved until you save it.
- Make the finish line yours. Swap in your race, its distance and its date. Keep it in the past tense, as if it already happened.
- Check the obstacle. Keep it if it fits. If something else is more likely to stop you, write that instead, with what you will do when it shows up.
- Start at the bottom. The last milestone is this week's step. Give it one 45 minute sprint, or a 10 minute start if the day is full, and log what you did tonight.
Questions
I have never run before. Is this template for me?
It is written for a first race, so the early milestones are about picking a race and a beginner plan. Pick a distance that feels possible, not impressive. If you have a health condition, check with a doctor before you start training.
Can I change the template?
Yes. The template only fills the form in the app. You can edit the done statement, the obstacle, the if-then plan and every milestone before you save, and any time after.
Does picking a template send my goal anywhere?
No. The template words are built into the app and fill the form on your device. Your journal stays on your device unless you choose to share it. Share only what you choose: invite a friend as your witness for accountability, and they can invite you back.
Why write the goal as already done?
A finish line written in the past tense gives you a fixed point to plan back from. Each milestone has to fit before it, so the plan ends at a step small enough to start this week.
Will this template make my goal happen?
No template or app can promise that. Start From Done is a reverse planning and journaling tool: it helps you see the next step, take it, and keep a record of what you did. The doing is yours.