You might be thinking, Oh RFC, what on Earth are those, What are you getting us into now 😀.
Personal Markers are just that, an action or an exercise that helps you to see how you are doing.
To help explain here are mine
Personal Marker 1
To put my socks on standing up without holding on to anything without a wobble
(A short term goal for me, I am not that far off just now)
Personal Marker 2
To be able to touch my toes with my hands flat on the floor
(I am a long way off this, I have very tight glutes and hamstrings, there will need to be a lot of work to achieve this around 3-6 months of dedicated work)
Personal Marker 3
To have my shoulders and core strong enough to do 20 unassisted pull ups.
(A long term goal, this is going to take me years, I have already been building up for a year and am nowhere near, in the past both my shoulders have been frozen so are very week)
So the thought is to have one goal short term, maybe one that you can achieve in 1-2 months, then a longer term one 3-6 months then the big one, one that is out of your reach but if you can do 1 & 2 you will be closer to working up to 3.
As with the everything on the forum we work on an honour system, you tell me you have achieved your goal then you get your badge.
The Badges will named
Goal1
Goal2
WoohooGoal3
These little grey badges will sit next to your name and they will be something you can be immensely proud of because they will mean a lot to you.
It doesn’t matter what level of fitness you start with because you will be making your own goals and working towards something that will mean something to you and you alone.
Saying that, one of the things these forums are great for is motivation, support and encouragement, so share your journey and help others on theirs.
Have a long think before you post what you want to do. This post will be pinned so we can always just come a double check what you agreed to do and if for some reason you might of bitten off more than you can chew and it is making you feel bad, just quietly edit your post and make it a bit more manageable. Always remember the three most important rules to getting fit.
Fun (yes, it is really😂)
Safe, it is not out of your personal reach. Not many of us can do 4 min miles.😂
Give yourself proper time to do it otherwise you will feel like a failure and that is so detrimental.
After we start in April there will be a post every month where you can ask for the badge you have just earned, but also don’t forget to share with forum your great achievements too.
I am really looking forward to seeing what you are going to work towards.
Rfc x
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That sounds great RFC. I have found my way here 😀 as I can’t run for a while (surgeon said no - and will see me in 3 months. To be honest the spirit is willing but bones and body shout no loud and clear) 🙁. It’s been 5 months since part of my hip decided it was tired of being joined to my thigh bone 😮 (during a marathon!). Whilst I’ve been having physio and doing exercises most of that time, it’s now time to be less random and more disciplined in what I do.
I can relate to putting on socks without wobbling - it’s quite an art!
Goal 1 is to set up a daily plan I can and will stick with
edit: and to walk without a wobble/limp
Goal 2 is to get my upper body strength a core strong(er) again
Goal 3 is to run again, hopefully before the end of the year but if it’s longer, so be it.
Great to hear that you’re on the road to recovery. It’s also great that you’re doing this, the stronger you are when you get back to running the better.
Great goals, take it steady and build up within your limits for now, that way when they give you the go ahead you will have some Stregnth to get you back on plan. Good luck. Rfc x
I think it will be my longest term goal of them all... I can get my shoulders up but then there’s no way they’re going to my knees... then I start laughing and the attempt is over!
Any exercise that involves laughing at yourself is good in my book, I often find myself doing something that makes me giggle and I like that childish feeling the ability to laugh at myself brings 😂. It also means you can carry on without it upsetting you therefore you are more likely to persevere.
I agree... when I started my running journey my lack of sit up ability annoyed me... now I’m just grateful that I can do so many other things... I’m even playing with dumbbells which I never thought would happen. Anything I can’t do is a challenge, and when it’s an impossible challenge it makes me laugh, I think because I don’t need to be able to do everything, I’m fitter and healthier, nothing depends on a sit up, if I still can’t do them by the end of the year I’ll just set a new goal and forget about them.
This sounds really good Rfc and just what I need! 😊 I like the idea of having short, medium and long term targets. I noticed that your goals are very specific and include numbers. I think that is a good idea, rather than a more general goal like 'improve upper body strength'. I will post again when I have had a good think about it. Thanks for suggesting this idea - it will really help me get back into a routine.
Pm1 - a copy of your pm2 sorry. So touch my toes with hands flat on floor. This will get me doing Pilate roll downs which will help mobilise my spine and stop the upper back pain 🙏. Current level mid shin (just had to get out of bed to test this 🤣) but previously could do this with fingers flat on floor but not whole hand.
Pm2 - plank for 2 mins. Currently 0. Numerous hernia operations so stomach muscles not the best of shape.
Pm3 - the stretch where you sit on the floor, legs wide and reach forward. I would like to get my body flat to the floor. Currently body is barely off the vertical 😬
Hehe, I have had friends that can hardly walk properly because of bad backs but after a few wines are great on the dance floor. 😂😂😂. I often wonder how they feel the next morning, and whether it helps or hinders.
Goal 1 : 150 minutes of exercise a week, be it running, walking, s&f, badminton, gardening whatever.
Goal 2 : build up my stamina to run 5k, I’ve done it twice but that was 12 months ago. I usually run 1 1/2 miles.
I want to take part in parkrun, Hyde. I know you don’t need to run 5k to take part, you can walk, skip,somersault ,gallop etc. etc. But I want to have the stamina to run it.
(by June 21st my daughter’s 35th birthday)
Goal 3 : reduce my midriff. Easier said than done, I’m slim, don’t need to lose any weight but could do with reducing my middle.
Great goals. I have that parkrun on my hit list as it’s where I grew up. Hopefully I’ll see you there one day. Enjoy the challenges on the journey to completing these.
Very interesting reading everyone's goals - best of luck to you all 😊👍
I am still pondering......but want to focus on core and upper body strength. So I am thinking of aiming for daily press ups, starting with standing, then bent leg with a goal of achieving a standard straight legged pressup. I can't even do 1 at the moment! To support this goal I will also do planks aiming for holding one for 1minute.
Sorry, I am thinking as I write!!
SO, Goal 1. Daily press ups during April and May. By end of May achieve 10 bent legged press ups and plank for 10/15 secs x 3 or more if feeling good.
Goal 2. By July - 2 straight legged press ups and plank for 15/20 secs x 3 or 4. In addition run 5k Race for Life.
Goal 3. By September/October - 5 press ups 😬 and plank for 30 secs x5 possibly 40! Also running 3x week with at least one 5k each week.
NB edited targets after some further thought and now printed out and stuck up in kitchen! (30/3)
Sounds great, it took me ages to do a plank, I have just recently got to 30 seconds, I thought I was doing great but this lovely personal trainer in my gym came up to me and said lift your bum up a bit otherwise you can hurt your back, it actually made things it a bit easier. Good luck. Rfc x
Hi Rfc, I really like those new videos you posted they are my kind of thing...
So..
Goal No.1 to do one of these exercise videos twice a week on my non running days. I have started with the beginners aerobics already.
Edit*added these to my Strava activities to help momentum. By September should be a habit.
Goal No. 2 to become leaner and fitter, by hopefully losing some weight from around my middle. Goal one should help, but I have started to look carefully at my portion sizes. Over the next two to three months.
Goal No. 3 To take part in a Parkrun or 10k event. I'm a lone runner, the closest Parkruns to me are not very appealing but the Windsor 10k might be...one day 😆
Those sound great goals. I am glad you liked the videos. 😀. I start my midriff reduction every June. I don’t like to diet while training for a HM but as soon as I recover from that I go on a very gentle weight watchers diet from June to November, I have lost 22lb that way over a couple of years. . The 10 k. Sounds fun. Good luck with your goals.
What a fantastic idea. Took me a while to think about this.
Goal 1- it's not a big marker but there is a 2mile fun run coming up in May and I would love to do it as a family. The 4 of us. The wife has started c25k so hopefully fingers crossed
Goal 2 - to loose some more belly fat and tone for our 1st family holiday in June.
Goal 3 - to do Dublin triathlon next August. Was planning this year but found doing 3 sports in 1 week very hard. Plus that will be 2 full years since I started c25k. Nice marker
I like your goals, there were a few families doing 5km in relay yesterday, it was so nice to see the kids and parents doing something together. 😀. I would like to do your number 2 too 😀. Good luck.
Number 2 was what set. Me off doing c25k. I didn't want. I was embarrassed of the size I had for to. So decided to diet then found c25k and it has just snow balled.
I love the linked videos...and am having a look at those.. but I may stick with the exercise regime I use at the moment as the exercises suit me and I find some more gentle on certain parts of my body! ( Body fit with Amy )
But...
Goal 1. To maintain my rest day exercises... with a sensible organised plan.
Goal 2. To find and incorporate some supplementary exercise to improve my ankle strength... I intend doing a lot more trail and field running. ( Any help on that will be gratefully received. )
Goal 3. Improve my stamina to help my favourite distance of 10, become second nature.
Hopefully the last goal will be reached if I manage to achieve the first 2 !
Great goals, my ankles are weak too so I will share if I find anything, so far the only thing I use is an electric wobble board, we got it years ago but it is supposed to help. We are starting the April challenge tomorrow to help us kick start our three goals 😀.
How odd that I feel a bit despairing at the idea of achieving strength and flex goals. I can set a goal to run a race no problem but I don't know if I can achieve these kinds of goals. So I'll go gently :
Goal 1 : Go to my Pilates class every week (unless it's cancelled or i'm away). This one isn't too difficult as I love the class.
Goal 2 : To go to at least one Core strength class per week. This is tougher as my knees suffer afterwards (too many squats and lunges). Also my upper body is not strong at all. Looking forward to getting advice on that
Goal 3: Do my balance exercises regularly - let's say 3 times per week. This will help with my peroneal tendon pain.
I know what you mean, I think I need a medal to work for, offer me some bling and I’m committed, do it for myself, I am terrible 😂😂😂, your goals sound great and we will all help each other keep going . Rfc x
I have been giving a lot of thought to my personal markers and am part way there:
Personal Marker 1
To do 1 full press up.
Now I know this will sound ridiculous to most of you but I can’t and have never been able to do a full press up. Even more shocking is that I can’t do even one press up on my knees. So yesterday I started my 30 day press up challenge. This is a modified version of some plans I found online. So on 30th April I hope to do a proper press up for the first time.
Personal Marker 2
Not very original but I want to run 5k in 30 minutes. My current PB is 35 minutes. My weakness so far has been not sticking to my interval runs. So that needs to change.
Personal Marker 3
This is the tricky one to define. My long term goal is ‘to be a fit person’. Trouble is I know a fit person when I see one but I can’t put my finger on what it is that makes them fit in my eyes. So this one needs further thought and I will update it in time.
It feels scary putting these goals out there for all to see 😳
I can’t do a full push up either, you are not On Your own with that one. They are hard. Intervals should help with your pace, Being fit now that is a hard one. I am happy to say I am the fittest I have ever been but not sure how I match up to being fit. 😀. Good luck. Rfc x
Likewise I have been giving these goals a lot of thought! There's too much choice really!
Goal 1: I would like to build yoga for runners into my regular routine, ideally 2 or 3 sessions every week. I will (have) start(ed) this month
Goal 2: My left leg is significantly weaker than my right (as a result of years of undiagnosed cartilage tear followed by surgery to successfully fix it); I have occasionally started routines to try to strengthen it but these always fall by the wayside. Once my races are done this month, I will start the exercises again and aim to continue until I have some results.
Goal 3: Although not particularly overweight (of course there's always half a stone I would be better without!), I definitely have a middle aged spread, so my final, and long term goal is to reduce my waist measurement to below 31.5 inches, as recommended by the NHS (I'm thinking 31.49 should be enough).
Yoga is a good one to add in. After my stomach surgery I was told to make sure I didn’t train the good side more than the weak one as it is easy to build in an unbalance, so I would say make sure you build up evenly 😀. I’m with you I am a couple inches off to get to that 31.5. I keep getting told I don’t need to lose anymore weight but I don’t think I will be happy until I get under that. That is a good one. 😀.
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