One of the most freeing shifts you can make as a runner is redefining what a PR actually means. We’re taught to think of personal records as time-based — faster 5K, faster 10K, faster half, faster marathon.
But if you’ve been running long enough, you know that performance comes in many forms that never show up on a finish clock.
Sometimes a PR is running a new distance.
Sometimes it’s running more consistently than you ever have before.
Sometimes it’s holding your effort steady on a day when your body felt unpredictable.
Sometimes it’s running a race without walking.
Sometimes it's showing up despite torrential rain, freezing wind, or the kind of weather that makes every runner question their life choices.
And for Masters and menopausal athletes, PRs often look like something entirely different:
Running with less pain.
Recovering faster.
Feeling strong on hills again.
Staying calm when conditions go sideways.
Fueling well enough to avoid the late-race crash.
Trusting your training more than the watch.
Building confidence instead of urgency.
Those wins are just as real — and honestly, far more meaningful — than shaving 30 seconds off a pace.
The truth is, time-based PRs come from layers of progress you can’t see: better fueling, better form, smarter training cycles, stronger recovery, calmer mind, more patience, and a willingness to evolve as an athlete instead of forcing yourself into old expectations.
Letting go of an arbitrary time goal doesn’t mean lowering your standards. It means removing pressure long enough to actually perform.
It means showing up for the runner you are today, not the one you think you “should” be.
And if you allow yourself to see progress beyond the stopwatch, you’ll notice you’re hitting PRs far more often than you realize.
If redefining your PRs feels like the shift you’ve been needing, there are a few places you can take this work deeper.
The Central Governor Guide
If your brain tends to clamp down under pressure, pace expectations, or tough weather conditions, this guide will help you understand why it happens and how to train the mental side of performance with intention.
Mindset Challenges
If you want daily prompts and practical tools to help you reframe progress, build confidence, and train without the weight of perfectionism, these challenges will keep you grounded and consistent.
Fuel Like You Mean It
If your “why does my pace drop when I’ve trained so hard?” questions keep popping up, this guide walks you through fueling in a way that supports real performance, not just the number on the clock.
And if you’re ready to build a training plan that actually fits your physiology, your life, and your goals — that’s where coaching comes in. I can help you train smarter, stay consistent, and build the kind of progress you can feel, not just measure.
Your PRs are already happening.
Let’s make sure you see them.