Defining Season Goals – Bolton Endurance

Athlete Acknowledgement of Risk, Release of Liability and Agreement:

I understand that this Acknowledgement of Risk, Release of Liability and Agreement is applicable to Bolton Endurance Sports Training, its coaches, associate coaches, employees, managers, members, affiliates, agents consultants and trainers (hereinafter the â€œReleased Partiesâ€), and I voluntarily enter this agreement. I am applying to participate in the Bolton Endurance Sports Training athletic training program and related activities (collectively referred to as â€œTrainingâ€) being fully aware that the Training involves risks. I accept all the risks of participating in the Training, even if they are created by the carelessness or negligence of a Released Party or anyone else. Risks of the Training include, without limitation, risks of bicycling, indoors or on roads and highways open to traffic, running, on roads, trails or treadmills, swimming in pools or in open water, lakes, oceans or other bodies of water, triathlon, duathlon, physical exertion, training and competing in large groups of people which may create the risk of falls, contact or other trauma, and other risks associated with intense physical activities. I understand these risks exist, that they are beyond the control of Bolton Endurance Sports Training and its employees, affiliates and/or coaches, and I voluntarily accept and assume these risks as part of the Training I will undertake. Additional risks are described on the accompanying List of Possible Hazards. I know there are other risks too that are not listed and I voluntarily accept them too. I fully release, discharge and waive any Claims I may have, now or in the future, against the Released Parties, even if such Claims are based on the carelessness or negligence of a Released Party or anyone ("Claims" as used in this document means any and all liabilities, claims, demands, legal actions, and rights of action for damages, property damage, personal injury or death) which are related to or in any way connected with my participation in the Training which I or my heirs or personal representative could make.

I AGREE NOT TO SUE THE RELEASED PARTIES FOR CLAIMS, EVEN IF THE CLAIMS ARISE FROM THE CARELESSNESS OR NEGLIGENCE OF A RELEASED PARTY OR ANYONE ELSE. I AGREE TO INDEMNIFY (REIMBURSE FOR ANY LOSS) AND HOLD HARMELSS EACH RELEASED PARTY, FROM ANY LOSS OR LIABILITY (INCLUDING ANY REASONABLE ATTORNEYS FEES THEY MAY INCUR) DEFENDING ANY CLAIM MADE BY ME OR BY ANYONE MAKING A CLAIM ON MY BEHALF, EVEN IF THE CLAIM IS ALLEGED OR DID RESULT FROM THE CARELESSNESS OR NEGLIGENCE OF A RELEASED PARTY OR ANYONE ELSE I UNDERSTAND THAT BY SIGNING BELOW, I AM GIVING UP CERTAIN LEGAL RIGHTS AND RELEASING THE RELEASED PARTIES FROM LIABILITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT. I ACKNOLEDGE THAT I AM VOLUNTARILY GIVING UP THOSE RIGHTS, AND AM VOLUNTARILY UNDERTAKING THE INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS DESCRIBED IN THIS PARAGRAPH.

I am aware that there is no obligation for any person to provide me with medical care during the Training. If medical care is rendered to me, I consent to that care if I am unable to give my consent for any reason at the time that the care is rendered. I am aware that it is advisable to consult a physician prior to participating in the Training. If I have consulted a physician, I have taken the physician's advice. I grant my permission to Bolton Endurance Sports Training and to its transferees and licensees, to utilize any photographs, motion pictures, videotapes, recordings and any other references or records of the Training which may depict, record, or refer to me for any purpose, including commercial use, by Bolton Endurance Sports Training, its sponsors, associate coaches and their licensees.I understand that the Bolton Endurance Sports Training coaches, assistant coaches, members, trainers, agents and other affiliates are NOT physicians or health care professionals, and do not have medical training, and are NOT qualified to provide medical advice or consultation. I agree to consult my own physician in connection with any pain, ailment, injury, illness, reaction or other physical or medical condition that may be associated with the Training, and I specifically release and hold harmless the Released Parties from any and all liability, costs, expenses or obligations in connection with any such physical injuries or issues.I agree to abide by the rules of Bolton Endurance Sports Training in any of its training camps. I acknowledge that, if I violate any of these rules, I may be removed from the training camp and the permission for me to participate in the Training camp may be withdrawn by representatives of Bolton Endurance Sports Training. Others may violate the rules of the camps, adding to the risks of participation. No warranties have been made to me about the Training.I intend that this document act as the broadest and most inclusive assumption of risk, waiver, release of liability, agreement not to sue and indemnity as is permitted by the laws of the State of New Mexico. If any portion of it is held to be invalid, I agree that the rest of it shall continue in full force and effect. The singular of nouns and pronouns in this document includes the plural and the plural includes the singular. I agree that this agreement was made in Santa Fe, NM and that the laws of the State of New Mexico shall govern its interpretation and enforcement.If the participant is under 18 years of age, the parent agrees to the following statements: As a parent or guardian of the participant, I authorize the child to participate. I also join in the statements and agreements made by the participant in this document. I agree that, in the event participant or anyone acting on his or her behalf should make any Claims, I will provide the indemnities described in paragraph 3. List of Possible Hazards The following is a partial list of hazards that are often associated with training for triathlon, duathlon, bike racing, running, swimming, cross country skiing, and other such endurance events: Falls resulting in broken bones, sprains, strains, contusions, and equipment damage. Collisions with other athletes or vehicles on the road or trail. Drowning during open water swimming.Saddle sores, crotch rash, neck and back pain, and hand numbness related to bicycle riding. Tendonitis and bursitis, muscle strains and/or tears, and trigger points. Upper respiratory infections associated with heavy training loads. Heart attack and other heart-related symptoms.Gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, constipations (due to dehydration issues) Blood in urine or issues trying to urinate, high ketones or protein levels. Men: penile numbness, prostatitis, swollen testicles, and impotence from bicycling. Women: nipple pain from friction, vulvar swelling, groin and chest rashes, and yeast infections. Anemia, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and exposure to pollution, weight loss, immune system issues due to improper recovery and nutritional needs.Post goal race depression following your "A" race for the season. Reactions to chlorine, possible ear infections, excessive dry skin (worse in cold climates), change in hair color, and nasal infections.Heat stroke, sunburn, hypothermia, frost bite, or other conditions related to outdoor training or extreme weather conditions.

Defining Season Goals
by
Coach Sarah Portella

With so many triathlon (or run, or cycling) events out there it can be overwhelming deciding which ones you want to participate in. Factor that in with how far in advance you need to sign up for these events, it can be a bit stressful. It also makes it easier to shrug off setting your goals because, after all, the races are so far in the future! But that is exactly why you need to take the time and set them early. Before you even begin your training cycle you will have determined your goals and come up with a plan of execution.

So, what makes a good goal? Here are some parameters I use when helping my athletes determine their goals.

Goals must be realistic. This sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at the number of athletes that set goals that are so far out of reach. By setting a goal you can’t hit you are a.) setting yourself up for failure, and b.) giving yourself a reason to lose motivation. If you are a 4+ hour marathoner, setting a goal of breaking 3 hours in the marathon is probably not the most realistic goal.
Goals must be measurable. How will you know if you have reached your goals if you have no way of tracking your progress?
Goals must be specific. The more specificity, the better because then you know exactly what you need to do, or how far you need to go to reach your goals. If your goals are vague, then you are more likely to lose sight of them, or forget about them all-together.

Now that the parameters are set, let’s discuss how this looks for the upcoming race season. The first step is looking at the races you have chosen for the season and prioritizing them. Not sure how? Follow these guidelines:

Determine your A Priority races. These are the races you want to be in the best possible shape for, usually your biggest events of the season and usually only 1-3 events. Mark an “A” beside them.
Determine your B Priority races. These are races that you kind of want to do well at (like local races where you know a lot of people!) but you won’t completely taper for. Mark a “B” beside them.
Determine your C Priority races. These are events that you train right through and will go into them most likely fatigued from a big training block. These are races you might enter last minute to use as training events. Mark a “C” next to them.

Now that your races are prioritized according to importance, it is time to define your goals for your “A” races (and then move on to B races and training goals if you want to). Here are two examples of clear goals that you can use when sitting down to determine your own goals.

Example 1: I would like to drop two seconds off of my threshold pace in the pool. I would like to go from 1:32 per 100 to 1:30 per 100 yards by the end of my twelve week winter training cycle.

This example meets all of the requirements of good goal setting. Is it realistic? Yes. Given a 12-week time-frame shaving two seconds per 100 yards is a realistic goal. Is it measurable? Yes. You know how long you have to train to get to this goal as well the threshold pace you are aiming for. Is it specific? Yes. You know exactly where you are starting (1:32/100 yards) and where you need to go (1:30/100 yards).

Example 2: I would like to break my previous personal best of 6:05 at the half ironman distance by the end of the racing season. I would like to target 5:59.

You tell me; is this realistic, measurable and specific?

Now that you have defined your goals, it is time to create a plan to help you execute them! This is one area a coach can really help. They can take the stress off of you by formulating your training specifically to help you achieve your goals. No worrying about whether or not you have come up with the right training yourself to reach your goals.

Don’t have a coach? The biggest takeaway I can give is to make sure that you really think through each of your goals and spend time coming up with a strategy to get you to the end. And then, stick to your plan!

This biggest mistake athletes make is not coming up with a plan on how to meet their goals. If you don’t have a plan, it will be that much harder to achieve your goals, and that much easier to forget about them. It doesn’t matter how big, or how small, your season goals; the important takeaway is that you have goals! This can keep you motivated to train and brings another level of purpose to your training.

If you still aren’t sure on how to go about defining your goals, or coming up with a plan to reach them, send me an email and I’d be happy to discuss it with you further! [email protected].