The 2023 season is winding down. In the Ironman world, Kona and Nice mark the end of the year. The Internet is all abuzz with tips on how to train through the winter. Layering. Heated vests. Heated gloves. Heated socks. Those of us living in Hawaii can be grateful for not needing any of that. Not even a wetsuit. At most a rash guard for a morning swim, or a light weight jacket on a long bike ride.
Something else we hear a lot about at this time of year is goal setting. Setting goals sounds like a good idea, but more often than not they go the way of New Year's resolutions. The process ends up one and done, soon forgotten as we slide back into our same old routine.
The fact is, goal setting - and review - should be an on-going exercise. There are many different methods for setting goals. Coach Simone Ward covers the subject nicely in one of his Bite Sized podcasts, Setting SMART goals for triathletes: The road to success. I suggest you give it a listen. Before you do, listen to his earlier podcast, End of season review, the idea being that a proper season review provides the foundation upon which to set goals.
The SMART goal making framework is nothing new. This is what the letters that make up the name stand for:
S - specific
M - measurable
A - achievable
R - relevant
T - time bound
The more specific a goal is, the easier it will be to stay on course. There needs to be a way to measure your progress, so that you know when you have achieved the goal, and so that you can monitor your progress. A goal should present a challenge, but it should not be crazy hard, like winning a medal at the next Olympics. Since we are focused here on triathlon, the goals you set should relate to success in triathlon. As for time bound, a goal without a deadline is just a dream.
You may find it useful to develop short range goals and long range goals. If you are just getting started in triathlon, you might set a goal for next year of finishing your first sprint triathlon, and have a goal to finish your first long course triathlon in three years. Another useful approach will be to set milestones in order to measure progress toward your main goal. Examples could be swimming 500 yards without stopping, or running a 5k at a 10:00/mile pace. These exact numbers are not what matters. Setting specific, measurable progressive mini-goals is the point.
Weight loss is a popular subject for New Year’s resolutions. Let’s leave that aside for now, but you may want to set some goals to improve the quality of food you eat. Think about your daily protein consumption. Eat fewer simple carbs like white bread and white rice, and more complex carbs such as oats, whole wheat bread, and vegetables. Chicken is a great source of protein, but you will do better with a variety of sources, including beef, pork, lamb, and fish. A simple, achievable goal would be to avoid fast food of all types and replace it with healthy, home cooked meals. Make it measurable by setting the maximum number of fast food meals you can eat per week.
You will probably begin this exercise by thinking about it, but to be truly effective your goals must be written down. Simon recommends posting them where you will see them regularly. I think it helps to share them with someone you trust. That might be your life partner, a best friend, or maybe a co-worker.
The entire process of goal setting should be well supported by a personal coach. Over time your coach gets to know you well, particularly as an athlete. They ought to be in an ideal position to help you determine what is achievable and relevant. If you have been with a coach for a year or more and you feel like they cannot help you set goals, maybe it's time for a new coach.
If you would like to discuss goal setting further, please feel free to contact me by email at [email protected] or post a question in our Coaching Q&A forum. (Posting in a forum requires an account on this website, available at no cost or obligation.)