Setting Goals for the New Training Year

Two weeks ago, in our A Training Year in Review entry we talked about the importance of looking back on last season in order to prepare for this one. Since we are just one week away from the start of a new training year this is a great time to organize and fine tune these goals. Having clear goals for the future can help keep us motivated and focused throughout the summer, but more importantly these goals should guide our training on a daily basis. Knowing exactly how the training we are doing TODAY is helping us get closer to our winter racing goals is invaluable.

In the last entry I recommended writing down the following: 

-       A racing goal for the 2020 – 2021 season 

-       An hourly training goal for the entire year 

-       A strength goal for the year (area for improvement)

-       A technique goal for the year (area for improvement)

-       A nutrition or health goal for the year 

Ski racing for most people is a performance-based sport so it’s natural and worthwhile for athletes to think of grand outcome goals for their season. I think this is great as long as athletes are clear on the steps needed to reach their performance-based goals. Something we have covered in pervious posts is the difference between outcome and process goals. 

Outcome goals (Result based ski racing goals such as qualifying for a team, championships, or finishing on the podium.) 

Process goals (specific benchmarks and specific improvements you can make in your training to help you reach your outcome goals) 

For example, it would be common for a junior skier to have the following rationale: 

“My outcome goal for the season is to qualify for Junior Nationals. My process goals to get there are to improve my skate technique, increase my strength, and stay healthy during the season” 

This is a great place to start but, in my opinion, these don’t quite qualify as process goals. In order for an athlete to know exactly what they can do TODAY to get better we need to break things down even further and identify several more layers of goal setting. 

In the example below I have taken a performance outcome goal and identified the main process goals I would need to get there. Underneath each one of these process goals I recommend identifying some monthly and weekly benchmarks needed in order to achieve these process goals. 

Identifying 3-5 ways to execute your process goals is important for several reasons. First, it gives the athlete or coach some guidance while planning weekly training. I can easily look at the benchmarks above and pencil in specific days where I can execute these tasks. 

Secondly, there is a huge mental benefit to creating goals this way. In order for athletes to succeed they need to build their confidence along with their fitness. Ski training is a long term investment and without weekly and monthly benchmarks it can be easy for athletes to feel lost and overwhelmed by their grand outcome goals. 

More importantly this process teaches athletes to focus on the things they can control versus the outcome itself, which will work wonders for their mental stability when the competition season is here. When I became nervous for big events I would always remind myself to think back on the work I had done to get there as a way to stay focused and calm. Athletes will be more confident having ticked off these tasks throughout the year and know that if they continue to focus on their process the results will fall into place.