New Year, New Me? Or the same story retold in every chapter of every unfinished runner book?

Every January 1st, goals and motivation show up wearing their brightest, most enthusiastic outfits. But as the year unfolds, those same goals start collecting baggage: complacency, distractions, and the quiet delusion that we can “make it up later.”

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So how do we actually stick to those lofty New Year resolutions?

Here are five simple practices that keep your running goals alive long after the confetti is gone.

First, make it laughably small, and then stack days.

Instead of saying, “I’m going to run 30 miles a week,” start with something like, “I’m going to run for 10 minutes, three days a week.” Consistency beats ambition when motivation gets unpredictable.

Right now, my personal focus is getting my feet underneath me by running two miles a day. And for some of you, that might sound too small. I get it. There was a time when I would have laughed at the idea of “only” running two miles, especially when I was knocking out ten-mile runs before sunrise.

But the journey is different for every runner, and every season of life changes the way we approach progress. If your goal is to stay consistent all year, you have to set yourself up early with measured, achievable milestones you can actually repeat.

Second, put it on the calendar like a meeting.

Pick your run days and your time slots. Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 a.m. Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Whatever works. Because if it’s not scheduled, it’s not a plan, it’s a wish.

If you’re a parent, a working professional, a dog mom, or you just have a chaotic schedule and an even more chaotic mind, it matters that you carve out a realistic 30 to 60 minute window where fitness has a place in your life.

And here’s the truth: thirty minutes of movement is a whole lot better than zero minutes of movement.

Putting it on your calendar is how you meet your future expectations halfway. And remember this: if you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re one curveball away from being late. And if you’re late, you’re probably lost.

Third, live by the “never miss twice” rule.

Missing a run is human. Life happens. Weather happens. Work happens. Kids happen. The only rule is this: don’t let one miss become a streak.

Your next planned run becomes non-negotiable.

Because let’s be honest, life has a funny way of convincing you that everything else is more urgent than your goals. Sometimes that’s true. But if you want a better version of yourself, you build it with habits, and habits are built through consistency, not perfection.

Fourth, create accountability that’s hard to dodge.

This part is simple. There are over 100 local run clubs in the Upstate alone. Join a group run. Text a running buddy your plan the night before. Sign up for a spring race.

A start line is a persuasive life coach.

Most of us don’t struggle because we don’t know what to do. We struggle because we get in our own heads. We talk ourselves out of it. We predict failure before we even start. Accountability doesn’t guarantee you won’t fail, but it closes the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Sometimes all it takes is one person expecting you to show up.

And fifth, track the process, not just the outcome.