How Do You Eat An Elephant: A Guide To Setting Realistic Goals In Endurance Training

Nov 12, 2024By Alex Caroom
Alex Caroom

When people think of endurance sports, they often see them as extreme and unattainable. I hear things like:

“I could never do that.”
“That is crazy.”
“I don’t have time to train for something like that.”
“How did you even get started?”

The old saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” This is true in endurance sports as well. The best athletes know how to break the challenge into manageable pieces. Looking at the whole picture of an Ironman—140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running—can be overwhelming. But can you swim 100 meters? Or run a single mile? The journey starts there.

Endurance sports are as much about mental strength as physical ability. This is why, in coaching, I don’t only focus on nutrition strategies, training plans, and sport-specific skills. I also emphasize the mindset that sustains an endurance athlete.

One of the biggest mental shifts I’ve learned is the ability to stay present. This means focusing on swimming to the next buoy or running to the next aid station—breaking it down to small milestones instead of the entire course. This allows me to focus and execute where I am without getting caught up in the immensity of the challenge. Great endurance athletes focus on the mile they ares in, trusting the process as they tick off mile after mile until they cross the finish line. This is true on race day, but cultivating that mentality starts in training.

Getting Started with Realistic Goals

Many who are drawn to marathons or triathlons are ambitious people. They want to set big goals and achieve them. But this “all-in mindset,” while powerful, can lead to burnout if not managed carefully in the early stages.

When you’re just starting, it’s crucial to set realistic goals, train within your limits, and commit to building gradually. A fellow endurance coach has a philosophy, “Lower the bar, raise the execution.” This may sound counterintuitive, but it means making each training session manageable and then executing them at a high level. This approach builds confidence and momentum, while laying a strong foundation to then be able to launch from.

Early on, it’s essential to create a consistent exercise routine and build systems that allow endurance training to fit within your life. As a husband, father, full-time sales professional, and part-time coach/athlete, I understand the challenges of fitting endurance training into a busy life. Here are 4 strategies that have worked for me and can help you get started or even reenergize your training.

1. Have a weekly training plan that you can refer to and adjust as needed.

I don’t wing my training sessions. They are meticulously planned out in advance through TriDot, the best training platform I have found. My entire training schedule is planned through TriDot and it is the platform I coach my athletes through. Having a clear training plan will allow you to schedule your workouts around your other responsibilities.

2. Recognize your other responsibilities and plan training around them.

Whenever my wife and I are traveling, we always schedule what time we need to leave the house by working backwards. For example, if the flight is at 10:00am, and we want to be an hour early, then we need to be there at 9:00am. But the airport is 30 minutes away, so we need to leave the house by 8:30am. If we need to drop the dogs off at boarding, then we need to leave the house by 8:00am. The same method can be applied to scheduling my training. My son wakes up at 7:00am so if I want to be done with my workout before he wakes up, then I work backwards from there, set the alarm and get after it.

3. Prepare your nutrition and gear in advance.

Another beneficial strategy is prepping the night before, not the morning of. Laying out your gear, nutrition, and making sure electronics are charged will ensure that there are no logistical issues that will throw off your plan. Your spouse will also appreciate you not rummaging through the cabinets and waking everyone up at 5:00 in the morning.

4. Write down your priorities and let them dictate your decisions.

With this kind of training, sacrifice is required. This looks different for everyone, but having a clear hierarchy of priorities will help guide your decision making. I prioritize what I call the “3 F’s” (Faith, Family, and Fitness) to guide all of my decisions. This might mean saying no to some invitations or 1 less drink on Friday nights. Regardless there will be things you sacrifice to be successful in your goals, but that’s ok – you will be better for it!

Give yourself grace to build these habits. Start small and within your limits, commit to the process, develop systems for success, and focus on executing each session. Small steps lead to big achievements.

As always, if you want coaching, accountability, or a community that will support you on your journey, reach out to us at Kingdom Endurance!

If you want to try out the TriDot platform, here is a link to 2 weeks free: TriDot Link