How To: Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Part 1
“What are you training for?”
Some see this friendly, innocent question as a window of opportunity to rattle off the most exotic and competitive events they can, in hopes of impressing your socks right off your feet. For others, it can feel like a subtle jab at their ability, ambition, and inclusion.
The truth is that we are all driven to cycling for different reasons. We all came to cycling from a different place. Yet, cycling brings us together - whether it be an event, a community, an interest, or otherwise. Do not be ashamed of your beginning or the magnitude of your aspiration. Yes, our context is the sport of cycling, but at the root, we all share a passion for going faster - regardless of skill level or experience.
At WRA, we design training programs for individual athletes. In order to design a program for an individual athlete, we need some basic information: 1. Where are we right now? And 2. Where are we trying to go?
Number 1 is fairly simple analysis. Number 2 represents a variable of infinite possibility. What is the X factor?
You are!
I challenge you to write down at least 3 ambitions you have for this year. Consider the areas you’re good at, the areas you need to improve, the things you enjoy, and the things you tend to avoid. Weigh the events you performed well, the events you didn’t enjoy too much, the events that are big opportunities, and the events that you haven’t yet done. By developing ambitions in different areas - such as power, body composition, race results, and skills - you can create a self-renewing wellspring of small wins that snowball into bigger success and real confidence.
The next step is turning those ambitions into S.M.A.R.T. goals by making them:
Specific - You want to lose weight? Great! How much?
Measurable - You want to get better at sprinting? Awesome! Will you measure progress by power, time, speed, or competition?
Attainable - A coach can provide critical insight on timeline, steps, and practicality to make sure your results will align with your expectations. Failure to reach an unattainable goal is a common contributing factor in cases of burnout. Nip that risk in the bud with an experienced coach to guide your aim!
Relevant - Only YOU can determine your destination. YOU define success! Consider- what excites you? What motivates you? Tap into that!
Time-Bound - It’s easy for races, they’re already on the calendar! For everything else, you’ll need to set your own due date. By summer, in 6 months, by the end of the year, by the start of the racing season, by the holidays, in 12 months- you get the idea. Pick a timeframe that’s realistic while also holding you accountable through strategic urgency.
When the pencil pushing is done, you should have something that looks like this:
Top 50 at Unbound (top 75 last year)
Podium at State Criterium Championships (5th last year)
Lose 10lb before Leadville
Increase 1min power to 550w by end of the year (current 495w)
Perform ATG Split Squat without assistance or regression by my birthday
Pick a water bottle up off the ground while in the saddle
Try a Cyclocross Race!
That’s it! The destination is defined. The goals are clear. Now, training can begin, and you can confidently answer “What are you training for?” The response is not a competition. It’s an opportunity to make a new friend and connect with like-minded people. And, for you, to know what you’re doing has a purpose.
Write down your dreams, your ambitions, your cycling bucket list! You won’t get where you want to go without first clearly defining your destination, and we can’t write a plan without knowing exactly what you want to accomplish. Don’t fret over how big or small your goals may be, or what other people will think. None of that matters. What matters is turning your desire to go faster and further into objective, material accomplishments. Set yourself up for success! It’s one day, one pedal stroke at a time, so make each one count! You CAN do it. If you write it down and stick to a plan - you WILL do it!