Published: October 2017
By: Amy Begley, Atlanta Track Club Elite Coach
We’ve all made excuses as to why we aren’t hitting our goals. Work is too busy. Family life has gotten too crazy. It’s too hot/cold/rainy outside to get your workouts in… every day.
Casey Nicodemus became a runner back in 2014. He crossed the finish line of 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons over the next couple of years, but he wasn’t really seeing any improvement in his race times. When Casey really thought about it, he realized he wasn’t putting in the work when it came to training – and that lack of preparation would show on race day.
In 2016, Casey decided to really dedicate himself to improving his fitness. He joined Atlanta Track Club’s In-Training programs to hold himself accountable as he prepared for upcoming events. It worked. Now he shows up for every Saturday morning long run, even when he works late the night before as an Uber driver. On top of Casey’s consistent training, he also got into the habit of meal prepping. Since he is always “on the go,” Casey knew he had to make it easier on himself to be able to grab healthy meals.
Casey has now dropped more than 30 pounds and is continually setting new goals. He even completed his first marathon in March, the Publix Georgia Marathon. He has also become a volunteer run lead in the same training programs that just last year motivated him to keep his commitment to a healthier version of himself.
Everyone can hit a plateau every now and then. While it is important to get your rest, you also need to know when to push yourself a little harder to get outside of your comfort zone. Once you start seeing the changes, you’ll be encouraged to keep setting those goals.