To set yourself up for success, you need to set the right goals.  

A few times a year, I receive a call from a demographic I like to refer to as the “Monster Energy YouTube Bro.”  These prospective athletes, it seems, chug a Monster Energy drink and watch a series of David Goggins motivational videos immediately before our call (Side note: I love Goggins and am not disparaging him).  These prospects usually have no background in either swimming, biking, or running, yet get hyped up on the idea of achieving a VERY ambitious goal.  I don’t mean that these athletes “just” want to finish an Ironman or qualify for Kona. No.  These athletes want to start winning triathlons within weeks and beat Gustav Iden next year. 

Now, as a coach, it is my obligation to help guide athletes to capitalize on their ambitions. It is admirable to dream big. However, fixating on a big goal while misunderstanding or trivializing the process it takes to achieve it is not productive.  The guiding thread between those who are most successful in triathlon—with success defined as those who achieve consistent progress and approach their absolute potential given their life circumstance—is the ability to set appropriate goals. This can be done by applying the SMART rubric to triathlon goal-setting.

Popular in business and personal development, the SMART tool offers criteria to help guide your goal setting.  The first use of the term was by George T. Doran in his paper There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives, which was published in the November 1981 issue of Management Review.  In it, Doran described how goals needed to be specific, measurable, assignable, realistic and time-bound.  

Since that paper was published, the concept of SMART goals has been adapted a bit, so there is some variation in usage.  For triathlon goals specifically, I like to apply the following criteria: 

Specific:  A goal needs to be targeted and clear.  A vague “do my best” or “get faster” is not sufficiently specific. 

Measurable: The goal itself needs to be measurable, as does the progress towards it.

Achievable:  The task needs to be physically possible and achievable in the context of your life responsibilities and resources.

Relevant: You must find relevance in your goal and have a strong answer to the question of why you are pursuing the goal.

Time-Bound:  You need a deadline. 

Let’s break these concepts down one by one and apply them to triathlon racing:

SPECIFIC

Triathlon goals should be specific (not vague).  This could mean hitting a specific time, achieving a certain level of measurable fitness, or finishing a challenging race.   

Why does a goal need to be specific?  Because you need something tangible/identifiable to work towards. When you target a specific goal, you can more directly map out the process to achieve it. In triathlon, this could mean hiring a coach, joining a training group or committing to a certain training regimen, all with the purpose of achieving your specific goal.  The ambitiousness of the goal will determine the process.

Note: Although I think “enjoyment” is an admirable aim and is a valid reason to do triathlon, I do not consider it a SMART goal (though it can be part of one).  For a goal to be SMART, it needs to be more specific and measurable.  

MEASURABLE

Triathlon goals need to be measurable on two fronts: 

1.     Achievement of the goal needs to be measurable and identifiable

2.     Progress needs to be tracked during training

In triathlon, the measurability of goals is often straightforward.  Breaking a time barrier in a race, for example, is an admirable goal.  So too is completing a certain race. In these cases, achievement of the goal is obvious. You either hit the time or finish the race or you do not. However, fast times do not just happen. Identifying fitness metrics/benchmarks necessary for achieving your goal is essential.  Fortunately, triathlon training is a data-intensive undertaking and measuring progress is a straightforward endeavor.  Tracking metrics (heart rate, functional threshold power, threshold pace, etc.) offers a real-time snapshot of fitness.  Measuring how your fitness evolves over time offers concrete evidence as to whether your process is working, or if you need to adjust. 

Example: If your goal is time-based or performance-based, you shouldn’t need to guess what level of fitness is required on race day.  Having the goal of “qualifying for Kona” is admirable, though it is better to go deeper and break that goal down into smaller, more measurable components.  For example, a middle-aged male looking to KQ should focus on achieving certain benchmarks, such as achieving an FTP > 4 watts/Kg, a run threshold ~6:20 min/mile, and a swim T-pace around 1:20/100 (or thereabouts).  If a dimension of fitness is lacking, then he needs to deliberately attack it. The more precise and measurable the targets, the better.  

ACHIEVABLE

Triathlon goals need to be physically possible within the constraints of your life schedule and resources.  

The concept of “no limits” has a nice ring to it, but people will be limited by certain unchangeable factors (age, background, other life responsibilities).  Becoming truly great at anything requires time commitment and sacrifice, and it is important to find the sweet spot between your triathlon ambitions and what you’re willing to sacrifice. 

The most obvious limiter to achieving lofty triathlon goals is the time investment.  If someone is married with four children, works 80 hours a week, and wants to spend time with her family, it may not be reasonable to train 20 hours per week in pursuit of a pro license.  Unless she is willing to dramatically restructure her life, targeting a more achievable SMART goal is prudent.

In addition to time, athletes will be limited by other factors, such as age, injury (or potential thereof) and resources.  SMART goals need to take all these factors into account.   

RELEVANT

Big goals need to be relevant to the individual chasing them. In the context of triathlon, you need to answer the question of why you want to achieve your goal.  Why do you want to reach your physical potential?  Why do you want to complete an Ironman?  Why do you want to spend 8-20 hours per week swimming, biking, and running?   If you don’t have a clear why, you are not going to be consistent.

One concept to which I refer often, and which informs many of the principles supporting Working Triathlete, is the idea that identity capital begets identity capital.  What I mean is that, by setting an ambitious (though achievable) triathlon goal and doing the WORK every day to achieve it, you identify as someone who does the work.  You become an achiever.  You respect yourself more.  You set better boundaries.  Your identify as a productive individual capable of persevering through adversity, exercising self-discipline, and overcoming obstacles.  This identity breeds a sense of confidence and capability that carries over into all aspects of your life. 

TIME-BOUND

Lastly, a triathlon goal requires a deadline. Triathletes with no races on the calendar often lack purpose.  If you have a series of races you’re training for, it becomes easier to get started each day as the consequences for missing a workout or straying from the process is more immediate. It’s also worth noting that certain goals simply require more time to achieve. An experienced coach can offer insight into a feasible performance trajectory and support you in teasing out the appropriate time boundaries for your goals.

If you’re a Working Triathlete, talk to your coach about setting SMART goals this year. To reach out to a coach or learn more about coaching, click here.

Conrad Goeringer is an Ironman Certified Coach based out of Nashville, TN. He is the founder of Working Triathlete and author of the book The Working Triathlete. His passion is helping athletes of all levels and with all schedules achieve their endurance goals. Reach out to learn more about coaching packages and for a free consultation.