As the New Year begins, it’s time to start thinking about goals for the upcoming year. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just starting out, setting goals is an important part of staying motivated and achieving success in endurance sports. If you’re looking to take your running or triathlon training to the next level, here are a few tips for setting goals that will help you stay on track and achieve your dreams.

1. Be specific: The more specific your goals, the easier it will be to create a plan to achieve them. For example, instead of setting a goal to “run a marathon,” set a goal to “complete a marathon 5 minutes better than my PR.” The same applies to triathlon, setting a goal of “finishing Ironman Wisconsin” is less specific than “completing Ironman Wisconsin in under 12 hours”.
2. Make them measurable: Set goals that can be measured so you can track your progress and stay motivated. For example, instead of setting a goal to “improve my running time,” set a goal to “improve my marathon time by 10 minutes.” Then construction a training plan to reach that goal becomes more tangible.
3. Set realistic but challenging goals: Your goals should be challenging enough to push you out of your comfort zone, but realistic enough that you can achieve them with hard work and determination. For example, if you’re a new runner, it may be unrealistic to set a goal to run a 100-mile ultra. It’s better to set a goal for a 1/2 or full marathon and then progress to more challenging races over time.
4. Break it down into smaller goals: Large endurance events can be overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the sport. Break your big goal into smaller, more manageable goals that will help you stay on track and motivated. For example, if your goal is to run a 100-mile ultra, set smaller goals for completing training runs at certain distances and times, increasing your weekly mileage, and completing other endurance events in the months leading up to the ultra.
5. Get an accountabilibuddy: Having someone to share your goals with, who can provide support and encouragement, will help you stay motivated and on track. This can be a friend or family member, or a running or triathlon group that you join.
6. Track your progress: Keep a journal or log of your training, and track your progress as you work towards your goals. This will help you stay motivated and see how far you’ve come, and also help you identify areas where you need to improve. Automated tools like Strava, Garmin Connect or TrainingPeaks work wonderfully well at this.
7. Celebrate small wins: When you hit a milestone, celebrate it! Whether it’s your first 5k or your first 50 mile ultra, be sure to celebrate and reward yourself for your hard work and dedication.

Finally – Publicly stating your goals is a huge motivator. If you go out on Facebook (as I did here) and proclaim what you mean to achieve, there will always be a small part in the back of your mind pushing you to complete your goals. Making your success or failure public is super scary, but that fear will keep you on track. And by the time you do get to race day, success or failure in the event itself, won’t matter nearly as much as you might think it would. The most important part is the journey and pushing yourself to get there and being honest about the process, then, those who have seen your public declaration, will see the hard work you put in along the way.

Rob’s 2023 Goals:

• Arktos – 20 hour trail run – Feb 25th
  • 70 miles
• Kettle Moraine 100 mile trail run – June 10th
  • Sub 24 hours
• Ironman Wisconsin – Sept 10th – PR in all three sports –
  • Swim 2.4 miles < 1:20
  • Bike 112 miles < 6:20
  • Run 26.2 miles < 3:40

In conclusion, setting goals for the upcoming year in endurance sport, be it a 5k run or Ironman Wisconsin, is a great way to stay motivated and achieve success. By being specific, measurable, realistic, and breaking them down into smaller goals, getting an accountabilibuddy and tracking your progress, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your dreams. And don’t forget to celebrate the small wins along the way. Happy training and good luck!