Whether you’re chasing a personal best, a BQ, or a successful race debut, goal setting is key for runners aiming to reach the next level. For American record-holder Abby Steiner and two-time NCAA champion Katelyn Tuohy, the practice has brought them to new heights against the best runners in the world.
In November, Tuohy met her long-term goal when she led the North Carolina State women’s cross-country program to a team title at the 2022 NCAA Cross-Country Championships. Recently, the 20-year-old junior kept the momentum going when she shattered the collegiate record in the indoor mile on January 28.
Steiner accomplished a major goal in February 2022 when the former University of Kentucky sprinter broke the American record in the indoor 200 meters. Later that season, Steiner, 23, turned pro and won two gold medals in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
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During their preparations for the Millrose Games, a highly competitive indoor track meet at The Armory in New York City on February 11, Tuohy and Steiner shared the mental tools that guide them in creating an effective goal-setting practice. Here’s what they’ve learned while chasing wins and records on the world stage:
Look to Other Runners for Inspiration
As a high schooler, Tuohy watched the 2018 NCAA Cross-Country Championships on television and experienced a major jolt of inspiration. Seeing Dani Jones win the individual title while leading the University of Colorado to a team crown in the women’s race was a pivotal moment for the three-time NXN winner. “It gave me goosebumps,” Tuohy said. “Seeing them celebrate, I just thought it was the coolest thing ever.”
The performance inspired Tuohy to set her own goal of winning individual and team NCAA cross-country titles. That aspiration was also a key motivator for Tuohy in her college search, and eventually joining N.C. State.
Tuohy knew it would be a long-term aspiration, especially because she had knee surgery the summer before her freshman year, but she never lost sight of the plan. In March 2021, she made her collegiate debut at the COVID-postponed 2020 NCAA Cross-Country Championships, where she finished 24th overall, the highest finish by a freshman at the meet. In the process, she contributed to The Wolfpack’s runner-up team medal.
Coming so close to the title only fueled Tuohy’s desire to win the following year. “I remember telling my friend, who I rode the bike next to during practice, ‘We’re doing this, the team and individual title. I don't care if it’s me. I don't care if it’s Kelsey [Chmiel] or Hannah [Steelman], one of us is going to do it,’” she said.
Set Goals the Best Way: At every level, there are plenty of inspiring figures reaching their goals in the sport. Some win NCAA titles, others use running to support their sobriety or complete marathons well into their 80s. The point is, you don’t have to look far to find inspiration within the running community. Wherever inspiration strikes, just make sure your goal has personal meaning. As Meb Keflezighi shared in his book, Meb for Mortals, nobody ever told him he had to win the 2014 Boston Marathon. He set the goal for himself. “I knew that chasing that goal would motivate me to do what was necessary to achieve it and that doing so would require me to do my best,” he said.
Build Up From the Last Season
In early fall, Steiner meets with her coach, University of Kentucky associate head coach Tim Hall, to discuss her goals for the track season. Together, they analyze the previous season, using those performances as a base to build upon for the next set of goals. “I think it’s always a good benchmark for me, to make sure I’m improving off of the runner I was last year,” Steiner said.
Heading into her senior year at Kentucky, Steiner was recovering from Achilles tendonitis, which flared up during the outdoor season in the spring of 2021. The injury kept Steiner on the sidelines while her rivals competed at the Tokyo Olympics that summer. While difficult, the setback ultimately gave her time to process what she wanted to accomplish once she was healthy.
Before getting injured, Steiner tied the collegiate record in the 200 meters during the 2021 indoor track season. On her way to winning the NCAA indoor 200-meter title, she ran 22.38, a performance that inspired her to reach even higher by targeting sub-22.33, the American record in the indoor 200 meters. “I knew once I hit that collegiate record, [the American record] was going to be within reach,” she said.
Set Goals the Best Way: As a baseline when determining goals, it’s helpful to reflect on what you’ve accomplished so far and how you can elevate that performance. Just make sure the goal is specific, challenging, but also realistic. Did you run your first 5K in the fall? Consider improving on the time this spring by making changes to boost your goal. For example, join a running group or add a few speed workouts to your training plan that you passed on the last time around.
Lean on Mentors
As the top high school recruit in the country, there was a lot of pressure for Tuohy to perform right away. But Tuohy persevered thanks to support given by upperclassmen on the team.
“They took me under their wing, they were constantly checking in on me and the other girls in my class,” she said. “If they weren’t here, it would’ve been a different story.”
Steiner’s coach, Hall is also a great mentor and accountability partner. The sprinter doesn’t like to share her goals with many people, but she feels comfortable sharing her aspirations with her coach. “It’s nice to have someone hold you accountable,” she said. “He understands the process that it takes to get to those goals.”
In training, Hall helped Steiner stay on track when she needed encouragement. For example, in the final repeat of a tough workout, he’d remind her, “22.2, this is where you get it,” Steiner said.
Hall’s encouragement also made a big difference in helping Steiner work through doubt while in recovery from Achilles tendonitis. In the fall prior to the winter indoor track season, Steiner had to modify some workouts involving hills and jumps because of her pain levels. But trusting her coach and the process helped maintain her confidence, she said.
Set Goals the Best Way: Training partners and coaches provide an immeasurable boost when it comes to testing your limits and providing support in running and beyond. Consider asking a friend to run with you, hire a coach, or look into joining a local run club to stay motivated and take a major step closer to your goals.
Put Reminders in Place
After she determines a goal, Steiner writes it down on a whiteboard she keeps in her room. She also includes affirmations alongside the goal. For the 200-meter American record pursuit, she wrote, “I am healthy. I am injury free.”
“Even if you’re not actively thinking about it, just subconsciously, [the reminder] is good to have because you’re waking up and seeing it,” she said. “Every action you take throughout the day, you have that in the back of your head.”
Set Goals the Best Way: Keep your goal top of mind with personal reminders that are consistent and significant to you. If you don’t have a whiteboard, use a journal or a mirror. Find a space that fits into your daily routine and reminds you to stay on track. You can also create your own powerful affirmations and mantras with this helpful guide.
Consistency Is Key
Staying on top of daily habits outside of training also plays a huge role in Steiner achieving her goals on the track. During her sophomore year of college, she was forced to hone a specific routine when she was diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis, a chronic, itchy skin condition caused by a reaction to gluten.
For the last few years, the sprinter has learned how to manage the condition by steering clear of gluten and learning how to fuel her body with home-cooked meals. Other daily habits—eating multivitamins, drinking plenty of water, and taking enough time to cool down from a workout, for example—also help Steiner stay on track. “Everyone works hard,” Steiner said. “But not everyone takes the time to cool down or do their abs after practice or whatever. I feel like being consistent in those little habits is what can set you up to achieve those big goals.”
Set Goals the Best Way: Reaching a running goal goes way beyond the miles. Healthy habits—cooking nutritious meals, getting plenty of sleep, and stretching, for example—also make big contributions to the overall goal.
Use Setbacks as Fuel
Almost a year after surgery, Tuohy was hoping to qualify for the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 1500 meters. But she failed to advance after finishing 18th in the NCAA Division 1 East Preliminaries. The result of missing her short-term goal was a major disappointment at the time, but after her coach, Laurie Henes, helped her reflect on the growth she experienced in her first year at N.C. State, especially post-surgery, Tuohy shifted her perspective. “It gave me the confidence and honestly the motivation I needed that summer to have an even better cross-country season,” she said.
Six months later, The Wolfpack won the program's first team title in history at the 2021 NCAA Cross-Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, where Tuohy finished 15th as the squad’s No. 2 scorer. A year later, Tuohy made the jump to No. 1 with the individual title while contributing to N.C. State’s defense of the team championship.
Over the years, Tuohy said she’s also matured in the ways she handles setbacks, another key element in the process of reaching her goals. “When I was younger, I would set a goal, set the path for it, and be like, this is how I do it, and I have to do everything right,” she said. “But it’s okay to change your trajectory and change things along the way based on your progress, setbacks, or whatever it is. The biggest advice I can give is don’t freak out if things don't go your way, stay patient.”
Set Goals the Best Way: You’d be hard-pressed to find a runner who’s experienced a perfect buildup on the way to a goal. It doesn’t exist. Knowing setbacks are an inevitable part of the process, use them to your advantage by finding ways to grow from the experience. And don’t forget to give yourself grace if you fall short. Be sure to acknowledge the big efforts you’ve made even if the end result isn’t exactly what you imagined.
Celebrate Wins Along the Way
After undergoing shockwave therapy to treat the Achilles injury in November 2021, Steiner saw a big improvement. That December, she made her season debut in the 300 meters at the Cardinal Classic, where she shattered another collegiate record. “That was a big moment that gave me a lot of confidence, when I realized I’m still the runner I used to be, if not better,” she said.
The momentum continued at the 2022 SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas, where Steiner shattered the American record with a time of 22.09. The mark is the second-fastest ever behind the 21.87 world record set by Jamaican Merlene Ottey in 1993.
Set Goals the Best Way: Whether it’s completing that long run you’ve been dreading or putting in two solid weeks of training, find ways to reward your accomplishments throughout the process on the way to your long-term goal—a massage appointment, new gear, a morning to sleep in for extra recovery.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
