Training with Intent: A Checklist

By Kristen Dieffenbach, PhD

  Now be honest, how often have you done this? You wake up early on a Saturday morning, pack up the car, and drive down to the nearest highway in hopes of hitting the town where the race you want to do is being held? What is the likelihood that you will end up in the right place? And what are the chances that you will get there with enough time to be properly prepared, if by chance you do find the right place? I am guessing that this is not how most of you approach a race. Typically before road tripping to an event, particularly one you have never been to before, you consult a map and create clear directions. And often, even if you have been there before, you still check the map to refresh your memory and perhaps to see if there is a better way to go since you have information from your previous trip.

  That was a pretty silly scenario and most you recognize the futility of traveling without clear directions. Yet, how many of you have a clear idea of where you are going with your training? Sometime back in the depths of winter, you (hopefully) spent some time deciding what you wanted to accomplish this year. Your coach probably prodded you to come up with a goal or two and to pick races that you wanted to focus on. But since then, how much thought have you given to your training? How do you know you are ready for the upcoming challenges? Have you checked the map lately to see if you are still going the right way? Are you sure that the goals you set so many months ago are still right for you?

  Having a coach goes a long way towards helping keep you on the path to personal achievement. However, while your coach designs workouts based on your goals and helps steer you along the way, ultimately it is you who must do the workouts and make the most of them. Thus it is crucial that you understand the road map and directions. Do you know what it will take to achieve your goals and how you measure up? Do you understand how each workout will make you stronger and take you farther?

  If you haven’t given it much thought to how your training leads to your goals or it has been awhile since you have reviewed your season goals now is an excellent time to take a moment and consider the following.

1. What do you hope to accomplish this season - what are your goals?
   You do have these written down somewhere, right? Review your goals once a month or at least once a training cycle to they are still realistic (e.g., you haven’t been derailed) and that they are still challenging. If your goals don’t meet either of these criteria, it might be necessary to re-evaluate and re –write your goals.
   
   
2. How will you measure your goal achievement and how will you define success?
   Without a way to measure your progress, how will you know when you get there? Make sure you have a clear set of criteria for evaluating not only end result progress, but your progress along the way as well. This will help you catch little weaknesses before they become big problems and will help you make necessary training plan and goal adjustments.
   
   
3. Consider the 4 components of being a good cyclist and think about what skills are needed in each area in order to accomplish your goals?
         i. Good technical skills – i.e. cornering
         ii. Good tactical skills– i.e. setting up for a field sprint
         iii. Good physical condition – i.e. good aerobic base
         iv. Good psychological skills – i.e. confidence, commitment

     Once you know what it going to take, you can better evaluate what you need to work on. Start small (one or two skills) and make sure you have a clear understanding of what you are working on each training ride. Understanding this will enhance your training focus, help you get more from your efforts, and will increase your confidence in your preparation.

  Ultimately, a better understanding of these issues will help you train with a purpose, gain more from your training, and enjoy the process throughout the season

  Kristen has her PhD in exercise and sport science and sport psychology, an elite level USA Cycling coach, and is the owner of Mountains, Marathons, and More, a sport psychology education company dedicated to helping athletes achieve personal performance excellence through an understanding of science and self (www.sportpsychonline.com). Kristen is a USAC Elite Coach and Sports Psychology Consultant for the Peaks Coaching Group. Please feel free to contact her at Kristen@peakscoachinggroup.com.