Review: The key for a successful next year
What an exciting time of year! As I sit on my couch writing this, we are wrapping up 2023, and starting to look forward to 2024. Before we get started on focusing on what we want next year, this is a great time to reflect, review and celebrate what we did this year. Let’s not jump forward until we review our struggles and our successes, and even more importantly, celebrate our success that came from struggles.
3P2R is the secret for success in endurance sports. We can accomplish just anything if we Plan, Prepare, Perform, Recover and Review.
Review: Good planning and preparing often comes from learning from reviewing. We can do mini reviews after individual events or training blocks. In these reviews we look back on the specific event. What went well, what didn’t go to plan, and what did we learn? The end of the year review is similar, but it looking at the bigger picture.
A good review will include an honest assessment of both the positive and negative, the wins and the losses. We may look at what was out of our control (such as family stressors), but focus on what was in our control (did we plan too many races knowing we had a lot of family obligations?)
Questions to ask: Using some very broad open ended questions let’s look back on 2023.
Overall, how was your year?
What went well? How do you know it went well? What helped it go well?
What didn’t go well? How do you know it didn’t go well? What factors led to it not going well?
What would you change?
What did you learn in 2023?
What brought your joy or inspired you this year?
How are you going to bring these lessons into next year?
When asking yourself these questions consider how various aspects of your life impacted racing and training. How did work help or hinder training? How did racing and training impact your family life and your social life?
Starting point for planning for next year: Our review gives us the beginning of a plan for next year. It will help us lay out what skills, tools or supports we may need for our goals for next year, and it will help us identify our goals.
Using my 2023 as an example to answer the questions:
Overall how was my year?
Overall pretty good. Everybody in my family is healthy. We faced no major set backs or challenges. Athletically I had some challenges, but I came out of the year with no injuries or illness. I was able to start several races around the country. I build a new network of friends and other like minded women.
What went well? And what helped it go well?
Athletically, several things went well. I started a number of races. I saw parts of the country I haven't seen before. I learned some new bike mechanic skills. I made tough decisions in races that although I am not happy I had to make, I am content with my decisions. I placed my health and safety before a coveted finisher’s medal. The support of my wife made some of the hard decisions in the race easier. The support of the new people I have met throughout the year encouraged me to try hard things, and to know that they were not judging me based on finishing a race or not.
What didn’t go well?
I was a DNF (did not finish) in 2 events and a DNS (did not start) in one. I did not finish the same amount of races that I did finish this year. I finished 2 in the spring, and then started 2 in the late summer/early fall but didn’t finish them, and did not start one I was registered for in September. For the 2 DNFs I believed I could finish the race, until circumstances changed and I no longer could (one was a heat reaction and the other a severe unrelenting cramp that left me unable to pedal).
What led to not doing well?
I simply did not put in the training. It wasn’t due to lack of desire, it was due to poor planning and my priority was building a new business. When faced with the decision of training or doing something to help my new business, I often chose the business.
What would I change?
I would focus more on training. I would have an actual training plan that I could follow and build on. I would be more selective with what work opportunities I take.
What did I learn in 2023?
Athletically I learned that I need a bit more focus on training to get me through what were previously “easy” events. The previous version of me could roll up to an event with some baseline fitness and do just fine. I may not win, but I would finish. Oh boy has that changed! I now know that I need to put in the work to do these events. Riding 70 miles is not as easy as it once was!
What brought me joy or inspiration this year?
So many different things, events, people brought me joy and inspiration. For me, joy often comes in small moments. It is seeing the leaves turn colors in the fall in the northeast US where I live. Joy comes from seeing a turtle basking in the sun when I am riding alone the Delaware Raritan Canal Tow Path. It comes from spending time with my niece and nephews. I have a long list of what sparks joy.
What inspired me this year was the powerful group of women I met last year at a conference. I have connected with and learned from them. I have new friends spread across the US and Canada who everyday inspire me with their determination to make sports a more welcoming place for women of all ages.
How am I going to take those lessons into 2024?
I started by hiring a coach. The decisions of how to train and when to train are now delegated to somebody else. I am going to be a bit more selective in what work opportunities I say “yes” to. I am going to continue to build my network of friends and other supporters. I am also looking at my workflow in my two businesses. I am evaluating what is actually necessary, and what do I actually need to do versus what can be done better and quicker by somebody else, or can be automated with the right software.
Let me know, how did your year go? What did you learn? What are you going to change about next year?
