Whether you’re preparing for your first triathlon or someone who has competed before and simply wants to improve for your next race, setting race goals can help take your training to the next level by keeping you motivated to reach your next goal. While you can certainly “just think” of where you want to be next year in your triathlon goals, taking the extra steps to stay on track will better help you achieve your short-term and long-term triathlon race goals.
Take a look at the top 6 rules for triathlon goal setting:
1. Set Short Term and Long Term Goals
When you sit down to establish your race goals, think of your journey as hiking a mountain. Ultimately, you want to reach the top but you need to establish smaller goals as you make your journey there. When it comes to setting triathlon goals, break up your goals into both short-term and long-term goals. As you continue to move forward in your journey, you’ll check off your short-term goals while you are on your way to your long-term goals.
2. Log Your Progress
Write down your goals. Writing down both your short-term and long-term goals will allow you to keep track of your progress and give you something visually to check off and work towards as you make your way through your training. Logging your progress will also allow for feedback on where you’re at if you’re working alongside a race coach. Feedback will help determine if you’re on the right track for short-term goals as you’re making your way to your long-term race goals.
3. Set Difficult But Realistic Goals
The goal you’re setting for yourself should be challenging but also realistic. If your goal is too easy, then shoot higher. Make your goals so that they keep you motivated and push you to the next level in your training and race performance. If you don’t hit a specific goal, don’t let it deter your training. Keep moving forward and working and you’ll eventually hit your marks.
4. Make Goals for Training and Race Day
While your long-term goal will likely refer to race day, it’s important to also have goals that pertain to training. Create specific benchmark goals as you move through your training and those will push you towards your race day goals.
5. Be Specific In Your Goals
As you’re writing down your training and race day goals, be specific as possible. Instead of vaguely stating “I want to improve my triathlon time”, write down specific time goals. Write down what times and what distances you want to be at within your training and race and how you’re going to get there.
6. Find a Support System
Other than writing down your goals and following your training plan, a support system can be a complete game-changer when trying to improve your training and race day goals. There’s nothing like the support of a coach, and whether your coach is physically or virtually there as you train, your coach will be with you in spirit and cheering every step of the way as you race towards your triathlon finish line.
With the new year approaching, now is the perfect time to set your short term and long term triathlon goals. Think of where you want to be a year from now in both your training and race day goals. If you put your goals on paper, plan and train accordingly, a year from now you will be crushing your triathlon goals.
Looking for more tips to help you achieve your 2021 triathlon goals? Contact me today!
Train Right, Tri Right!
Coach MJ
