Whenever I onboard a new client, I send them a document that helps them list out their goals for the season. In it I break down SMART goals. Their job is not just to come up with goals for their A race(s), but also goals throughout the training season. We break it down by Base Phase Goals, Build Phase Goals, Peak Phase Goals, and Season Goals. The roadmap becomes much more clear when we add checkpoints along the path to our main event. Were the goals hit in Base Phase? If so, then it’s pretty likely we can continue on and Build Phase goals are realistic. And so on. This also gives a chance to pivot throughout the season and hone in goals. Didn’t hit those Base Phase Goals? Okay, so what kind of detour do we need to take to get back on track? Are Build Phase goals still realistic? What about the season or A race goal?

Music blaring. Crowds roaring. The announcer’s voice booming over the microphone. The countdown was on. It would be just seconds before I dove into the cold waters of the Mediterranean Sea with over 200 other women in the 40-44 year old age group at the 70.3 Half Ironman World Champs in Marbella, Spain. As the final beep sounded, I ran into the sea to begin my journey of swim, bike, run.

Summer is in fully swing. Temps are soaring, humidity is excessive, and training blocks are at an all time high. Am I right?! Training in these less than ideal conditions is tough stuff. It requires a bit more planning and the willingness to throw pace out the window. For a lot of us, that’s hard. But, I have a few tips to help you get through the dog days of summer.

Setting goals. As the off season wears on, now is the time to start defining what you want to achieve in the upcoming racing season. One of the biggest limiters an athlete can have is not setting clearly defined goals to help with accountability throughout a season.

When setting up goals, the best way to go about defining them is by using the SMART method. SMART stands for:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

Let’s dive into each of these in a bit more detail.