A lot can be accomplished in 90 days, through proper training, an athlete can reach peak fitness in this amount of time if proper base work has been completed and the training principles have been adhered to. Periodization is key. After all, Tony Horton, the founder of “PX 90” has made millions on this physiological concept, “We will transform your body in 90 days”… So says the infomercial!
Here in New England our seasons run about 90 day cycles (except for this winter, it seems to be never ending), Spring will arrive March to May, and Summer will start in June and end in August. I typically race the late Spring and Summer seasons like many other Triathletes, that’s when the local races are in abundance, this year however, I kicked it up a notch. I entered an early season Ironman (Utah in May) in order to jump start my season.
St. George Utah is tough! New to the Ironman venue it’s now considered one of the most challenging courses in the country. The 2.4 mile swim is held in a lake of winter snow melt, water temperatures will be high 50’s low 60’s at best.The 112 mile bike starts at about 2000 ft. above sea level and climbs to over 6500 feet, twice. By comparison, this would be like climbing Mt. Washington then turning around and doing it again. The 26.2 mile run to follow is even less forgiving, this run course sends you wright back to the mountains. The Boston Marathon is a canal walk compared to this course, I will be doing “Heart Break Hill” eight times at a much steeper gradient before ever reaching mile 20. The wide open course is notorious for high winds, there are no trees to speak of in the desert flats or the red rock mountains, I plan on no reprieve from head winds, fortunately, for every up there's a down, and every head wind has a tail.
I now have 90 days to complete my first goal of this new year, simply stated, my goal for Ironman Utah will be to finish. On a deeper level I have a few things internally that need to be rectified. I use a simple method while laying out schedules for personal achievements, whether it be endurance events or job seeking, the “Smart Goals” acronym has served me well.
SMART goals.
Those familiar with personal development will no doubt be familiar with the SMART acronym, i.e. that goals should be:
- Specific
- Measureable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
The closer I get to race day, the more anxiety builds. 90 days is still a lot of time to build on, it’s like training all summer long! Fortunately for me, I have huge support at home… With that said, What could go wrong?
