1. Pick a goal that is just outside of your physical abilities, but within your life abilities.

• Reasonable physical challenge, but not unreasonable life challenge
• What is your available time?

 

2. Honestly assess your priorities – work, sleep, family, friends, free time, training.

 

• CAN NOT simply add & add & add  
• What is training is worth?  

 

3. Training decreases mental stress, but increases physical stress.

 

• Training breaks body down
• Puts you at risk for fatigue & illness
• Counter stress with increased (and better) rest & recovery

 

 

 

4. Training for your goal should decrease your life stress, not increase it.

 

• Training should be fun!
• We’re not pro’s

 

5. Embrace the idea that “less is more”.

 

• Eliminate junk
• More is not always better & is often worse

 

6. Quality training is more than “more training time”.

 

• Quality training = solid rest, positive thoughts, excellent nutrition, perfect hydration, & smart  planning
• Choose a smaller goal to ensure high quality training

 

7. Enjoy your new “friends”, but don’t imitate them.

 

• Don’t try to “keep up with the Joneses
• Your life & your training are unique to you!

 

8. Maintain “balance” in your sense of self.

• Watch for “all-in” syndrome
• You were “you” before you became a “triathlete”, “marathoner”
• How you would function if that part of your life was taken away?  

 

9. Accept that training is an inherently selfish practice.

 

• It’s all about you!
• Look outward & focus on bigger picture
• Remember that not everyone is as interested in your thing as you are!

 

10. Be careful about how you define “success”.

 

• Challenge is great…but extremes are problematic
• Is getting a PR worth risking your marriage
• Balance = success! 

 

Cheers,

Coach Michelle