One of the things I see as very important in training for the Coolangatta Gold, is setting interim goals and chasing them down. One step more than that though, I enjoy comparing myself now to where I was this time last year, or the last time I measured myself. I think this extra step is very important as we do not always achieve what we set out to do. There is the old adage:
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars
When I miss a goal, I usually have two choices. Either I can beat myself up for missing it, or I can look at where I am and congratulate myself for how far I have come. Using the latter approach I have found is much easier to get my head in the right place to continue striving for improvement. When I start beating myself up, I find I lose energy and focus, I fall in a hole. So to that end, here are some examples of goals set and improvements made since I started this journey.
Training – I have always had an issue with training. Basically, when I do too much too fast, I get injured. I have a bad disc in my neck which “clicks” and then seizes up in these situation, requiring plenty of down time while the inflammation subsides, bringing mobility back. This has created some unique goals for me in itself. One of my first goals was to gradually build up my body’s ability to train. Christmas 2008, going surfing once a week and running thrice a week caused a problem that resulted in 2 months physio with no training. I got it right (again) and started again. At this stage, I set the goal to gradually build up my training without getting an injury, so I could do something every day. At the writing of this post, I am training without injury about 12 times a week. Mission accomplished. I am a much fitter and more robust person today than this time last year.
Running – My first goal with running was to complete the 2008 10km fun run without stopping. I’d never done that before. I had a stretch target of beating an hour. As per my previous post on my benchmarks, I managed to run the 10kms without having a break, but I didn’t break the 1 hour time limit. Comparing to where I started from, where I couldn’t run 2kms without having a break, I thought this was exceptional so I did not beat myself up over missing the 60 minute mark. 2009, I did the same run. My goals were to beat my previous run by 10 minutes (1 minute per km) with a stretch target of beating 50 minutes. In the end, I came in at 53:13. Once again I met my initial target, but missed my stretch target. Comparing 2009 to 2008 though – I have plenty to be pleased about. Next goal – 2010 half marathon July 2008, 5 minutes per kilometer.I’ve never run more than 10kms to this day.
Swimming – Swimming has an easy annual benchmark, the SLS proficiency 400m swim. 2008, I did it in 8 minutes, 2009 I swum 7.30. For 2010, my target is 6:30. Swimming is a big challenge to me, I really need to get my technique sorted out. This is the main way I can improve, fitness wise I can swim miles and miles, albeit with bad technique.
Ski – My big challenges with ski are balance and technique. Regardless, I have started competing early in 2010, where I set goals to not come last and to not fall off the ski during racing. Well, in my first 2 competitions I didn’t come last. The first because one of the other competitors fell off, the second because someone went the wrong way. Call me Steve Bradbury 
Board – Still I have hardly done any board paddling. My immediate challenge is to buy a race paddle board, learn how to paddle effectively on my knees, and then get some fitness.
Clearly, I need to do some ironman events in 2010/2011 also, getting used to transitions, multiple disciplines etc. This can be a goal for next season though – oh yeah, and do NOT come last
