Success beyond the finish line

Introduction

Imagine crossing the finish line of a grueling triathlon, your body spent, you didn’t hit your goal time. Were you successful? You trained, you showed up, you faced whatever difficulties came your way.  As endurance athletes, success isn't solely defined by the outcome; it's about the journey, the growth, and the lessons learned along the way.

The Purpose of Goals

Often, we set specific goals in endurance sports, such as finishing a race within a certain time or placing in a competition. While these goals provide motivation, they shouldn't be the only measure of success. What truly matters is the purpose behind the goal.

For example, if your goal is to finish a marathon in under four hours, ask yourself: What does that time represent to you? Is it a personal challenge, a way to give back to a cause, or a celebration of your hard work? When you focus on the purpose, you can find success even if you don't meet your specific goal.

The Importance of Process

Endurance athletes have countless opportunities for success throughout their training and races. These "process goals" include maintaining a positive mindset, sticking to a nutrition plan, following a race plan and working through unforeseen challenges as they come up.

Personal Success Story

Would you consider my recent experience at Rebecca’s Private Idaho a success? I recently participated in the queen stage race, a three-day event. We faced challenges like canceled stages due to poor air quality from local wildfires and difficult terrain. I didn't complete the full distance, on day 2 I struggled, day 3 I chose to drop down to a shorter distance. Instead of 102 miles, I rode 56. The 56 mile route was still no joke! The first 14 miles were uphill, and on our way back we climbed 10 miles while contending with a consistent headwind (the last 14 miles were downhill and an absolute blast!) I pushed myself to my limits, enjoyed the stunning scenery, connected with riders around me and maintained a positive attitude throughout the experience. Was that a success? 

Conclusion

Success in endurance sports is about more than just achieving specific goals. It's about the journey, the growth, and the lessons learned along the way. By focusing on the purpose behind our goals and celebrating our process successes, we can find fulfillment and satisfaction in our athletic endeavors, regardless of the outcome.