It’s mid-January, and for many, new year’s resolutions have already gone the way of the Christmas tree needles. Made in a fit of optimism, these commitments often struggle to survive the transition from holiday enthusiasm to the reality of daily life.
This is a bit of a shame, because new year’s resolutions reflect our aspirations for a better version of ourselves and the belief, warranted or not, that we can turn over a new leaf and become that better self.
The most common resolutions are to start saving, exercise regularly, eat healthier, and learn a new skill; all laudable, relatable improvements that could be accomplished within a year. Yet, by the second week of January, studies suggest many resolutions have already faltered.
Research by psychologist John Norcross indicates that while nearly 77 per cent of people stick to their resolutions for the first week, the number drops to 64 per cent by the end of the month, and only 46 per cent maintain their resolutions after six months.
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Maintaining a resolution requires strategic reinforcement. A meta-analysis in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who had specific plans, tracked their progress and celebrated milestones were more likely to succeed. According to behavioural scientist Phillippa Lally, it takes an average of 66 days for a behaviour to become automatic. Resolutions often fail because they are vague (“exercise more”) or overly ambitious (“lose 20kg in two months”).
To build a habit, goals must be specific, realistic, and fit within our lifestyles. Rather than resolving to get fit, setting a measurable target such as running for 20 minutes three times a week can establish a routine.
Flexibility is similarly important; setbacks are inevitable, but viewing them as part of the process rather than failures can sustain motivation. By embedding new behaviours into daily routines and adapting to challenges, we can translate that initial January enthusiasm into lasting change.
Among resolutions, running holds a special appeal. It’s accessible, requires minimal equipment, and benefits both physical and mental health. Some particularly ambitious folks even set their sights on a marathon. According to legend, the first marathon was run by Pheidippides, who ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 BCE.
Pheidippides delivered his message (“Nenikēkamen” or “We have won”) before collapsing and dying from exhaustion. It’s a dramatic story, but even modern amateurs with questionable training often feel like they’re going to die before making it round a marathon course more or less intact. Pheidippides was a hemerodromos, professional couriers who traversed the mountainous Greek interior more efficiently than horseback messengers. Before the battle, he had even made a 500 kilometre round trip to seek Spartan aid. The 40 or so kilometres from Marathon to Athens was a gentle trot by comparison.
Ironically, the ancient Olympics didn’t feature a run anywhere close to marathon distance, with the longest just under five kilometres. When the modern games were revived at Athens in 1896, rerunning the marathon seemed an apt historical gesture. Twenty-five runners lined up in Marathon and 17 managed to cross the line 40km later at Panathenaic Stadium, led by a local, Spyros Louis. Louis’s winning time of 2:58:50 was modest by contemporary standards (it wouldn’t qualify for the Boston Marathon) but he managed it without the benefits of professional training, athletic footwear and even managed to stop for some wine en route.
You might wonder why the marathon was only 40km rather than 42.2km run today. At the 1908 London Olympics, the marathon’s start and finish were moved to align with Windsor Castle and the royal box at White City Stadium, and the additional distance was made official in 1921. If you ever find yourself dragging an exhausted body up Merrion Road thinking “this should really be over by now”, you know who to blame.
Marathon training requires a structured plan, gradual progression and commitment to consistency: principles that, evidence suggests, apply to any resolution. Just as runners build endurance through incremental increases in mileage, we all benefit from setting small, achievable goals that pave the way for larger successes.
Setbacks, whether missed runs, injuries or motivational dips, parallel the challenges faced by anyone who made a resolution. You don’t need to run a marathon to be that best version of yourself, but the lessons from training give you a great chance of getting there.
Stuart Mathieson is research manager with InterTradeIreland
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