No matter what level of runner or of anything that it is that you do, you have to have goals.  I have always had goals with my life and with running.  I feel that goals help keep us on track.  I remember writing my first goal sheet back in Jr. High, which I still have, I also got a Snickers bar for filling it out 😉  But they were all end game goals.

We all say “I want to be X or do X”  but what we always fail to do is look at the ladder i.e. how many steps are there to get to my goal.  In my former life as a financial planner I always had people say they want to retire at 55…never once thought about how much money they would need at age 25, 35, 45 to make sure they reached their goals by 55.

So if I am to have a goal of claiming an American record in the steeplechase, which is a pretty lofty goal, and I fail at attaining that goal but I hit several of the steps on the way to it, I would then still have a pretty successful career as a chaser.

So here is my ladder, the top USA times in the Steeplechase of all time.

Information gathered from www.Alltime-Athletics.com