Goal Setting

By Coach Pete Kain

How do you stay motivated?

That is a question I get asked a lot. I have been training and racing in
multi-sport events since 1984! That’s close to 30 years of hitting the
ground running and cycling and swimming! Yes, I do occasionally get tired
and even a little burned out. BUT, that is usually short lived and the
fire to get out and do something still burns bright! My main motivation is
to stay healthy, but I also really like setting specific goals. My goals
are usually related to upcoming competition, but it doesn’t have to be
event driven. Many people enjoy training for triathlons, but not
competing. Someone like that may be driven by a weight loss goal, or a
goal to just stay as fit as possible. Whatever your goal may be, it is
important to figure it out and then get after it!

I like to set goals for myself. This is a KEY way of staying motivated. I
usually set goals that are challenging and require a lot of hard work to
achieve. My goals are related to my ability level and are well thought
out. Goals help you stay motivated and help get you out the door when you
may not exactly feel like it. Here are a few things to consider when
setting your own goals:

1) Set both Short Term and Long Term goals.

One way to stay motivated is to set both Short term and Long term goals.
You may have a goal of completing an Ironman Triathlon one day, but I
would start by completing an Olympic, or 1/2 Ironman Distance first. Your
short term goal (this year) may be completing an Olympic Distance race,
then next year complete a 1/2 Ironman distance. Then in another year you
are ready to shoot for the Ironman Distance.

2) Set Achievable goals!

Always set goals that are achievable. You can make goals that are
challenging, but be realistic. If your goal is to lose weight, shoot for
1-2 pounds a week, not 5, or more! You set yourself up for disappointment
if you set your goals too high!

3) Write your goals down!

When you decide what your main goals are for the year, write them down.
You can tell friends, family, or keep them to yourself. If you write them
down, they are REAL! Some people like to put there goals on the mirror at
home, then they see them everyday when they wake up in the morning.

4) Stay positive! Visualize!

Goals are great and should always be positive! If your goal is to podium
in a race in your age group, you should have a mental image of yourself
doing it, before you ever start the race! Go through the entire event in
your head and see yourself having a great race! When you see yourself
doing it, it is more likely to happen!

5) Dedication, Discipline and Desire!

I like to call this the 3 D’s to athletic success!! When you pick goals,
your motivation is likely to follow. Your Desire to be your best, to get
out the door and get after your goals should be there! You will need to be
Dedicated to your goals and be consistent with your training. The third D
to athletic success is Discipline! You have to be a bit more disciplined
with your training when going after specific goals!

Be sure and talk to one of the coaches if you are having a hard time
figuring out what your main goals should be. You can pick a race as a
goal, you can pick weight loss as a goal, you can pick going after some
personal PR’s as your goal! Whatever you decide your main goals will be,
use them as motivation and get after them! Goals will help you stay on
track and stay motivated!

Good Luck and Happy Training!!!
Coach Pete
www.kainperformance.com

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About your Coach: Coach Pete Kain has been active in the sport of
triathlon for 28 years!! He is the Owner and Head Coach of Kain
Performance Multi-Sport. He is a certified USA Triathlon Coach, a
Certified Swim Coach, a ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor, a TRX Trained
Instructor and has a Bachelors Degree from UCSB. He is a 4 Time ITU
Triathlon AG World Champion and a 7 Time USA Triathlon AG National
Champion. He was the USA Triathlon Overall Open Male “Triathlete of the
Year” in 2002. Coach Kain turns 50 this year and plans on competing at the
US National Triathlon Championships in August, as well as the ITU World
Triathlon Championships in September, with the goal of winning in the “Old
Guys Rule” Division!! Follow Coach Kain on Twitter at @Peterkain for
updates on many of Kain Performance workouts and happenings.

2023-11-02T21:42:53+00:00

I joined Kain Performance in 2003 and since then this team and triathlon have become a huge part of my life. Pete and Shari have created a great program lead not only by their coaching but their team concept. We train as a team, we push each other to improve, and on race day we support each other like no other group out there. In the past 7 years we’ve traveled as a team to races in Europe, Hawaii, and of course all over the US. I’ve made great friends along the way and have improved at the sport more then I ever expected. I’ve gone from a middle of the pack finisher to actually winning my age group in a triathlon this past year. I’ve competed in National Championship races and have finished 50 triathlons including 3 Ironman’s. In 2009 I was part of the Kain Iron team that went to Ironman Austria. The trip and event was a perfect example of a Kain destination race. The 20+ athletes competing combined with their supporters made for a great group of people and an incredible experience on race day that I will always remember. At Kain it’s all about the team and weather you are an age group winner or a triathlon newbie you’ll fit in. If you’ve got a triathlon goal Kain Performance will help you achieve it.

Russell

I ran into Pete at my gym in early 2010 and told him about my desire to start competing in the world of triathlons. Of course, I couldn’t swim more than a couple laps in the pool and hadn’t ridden a road bike since I delivered newspapers on a Schwinn Varsity back in the 70′s. Pete got me a great deal using the Kain Performance team discount on a new Specialized bike and all the accessories to go along with it. I began swimming, doing the Tuesday night team brick workouts, and Saturday team rides. Within two months, I completed my first sprint tri. Because I felt so prepared, it was a very positive experience. I had gained a lot of knowledge and insight from Pete, the coaches, and the other people on the team…everything from strategy, to transitions to preparation. I was hooked! Now, eight months later, I’ve completed six triathlons, including two Half-Iron events. I can’t wait to take on Ironman Austria in 2011, with the 30+ people going from Kain Performance. I enjoy the energetic and supportive nature of the folks that comprise Kain Performance. Pete and Shari have a unique way of making training fun and enjoyable and they’ve created a team environment like no other. I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to train with!

Wayne

After several seasons with Team in Training, I joined Kain Performance to step up my training. I have really noticed an improvement in my running. Pete and Shari are a great team, and you never know what to expect in terms of the workout. Pete can take a hard workout and make it one of the best workouts ever. The other team members provide a lot of energy and team spirit, and make me not want to miss a workout.

Judy

I joined Kain Performance on a Sunday during a Labor Day weekend, back in 2003; I remember that day very well because we had a great swim and run workouts finishing up the day with one of the best parties I have ever been to, just ask Jody!! I started doing triathlon back in 1993 and since then I’ve joined a few different Tri-clubs but when I came to Kain Performance, I found everything in one place; the best coaching, a great bunch of people with different backgrounds, a diverse variety of workouts year round with weekend training trips, team destination races and of course, lots and lt’s of fun. Pete keeps a good balance for his training programs; be prepared for some serious training and racing but also be prepared for some even more serious FUN. Personally, my training has improved so much that I think I’ll have a shot to qualify for worlds this year. The only problem training with Kain Performance could be that, after a while, you might not be “Street Legal” any more…

Jorge

I was bitten by the triathlon bug after a season with TNT. Since joining Kain Performance this summer, my swimming has really improved through practicing the assigned drills, listening to the technique stuff and having one-on-one sessions coached by Becky Gibbs Lavelle. The running economy workouts have helped me make significant improvements in speed, with new personal records for 400m, 800m and 1 mile. I really enjoy Pete and Shari’s coaching style and applicability.

John

Goal Setting

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