Three Types of Goals for Successful Training and Racing: Outcome, Performance, Process
The winter months are typically when athletes start to put together their racing calendar for the year and dream about the goals they want to achieve at those events.
I personally love setting goals and find them very useful for guiding training and providing direction, focus, and motivation. I think it’s best to have 3 different kinds of goals: Outcome, Performance, and Process.
Outcome goals - The particular result that you want to achieve (a time, placement, or just to finish an event). These are not always in your control. For example, your placement in a race can be affected by other people’s performances, the weather, mechanical/gear issues, etc.
Performance goals - The key performance standards in training and racing linked to your outcome goal. These are more in your area of control. Achieving these goals will help you have the best possible outcome given the circumstances you find yourself in on race day.
Process goals - The tasks to perform on a daily and weekly basis. These are most in your control. Consistently completing your process goals puts you in the best possible place to achieve your performance and outcome goals.
Here’s what this looks like for me with my first “A” event of the year, the Pavement Ends Gravel Race in April:
Outcome goal (Desired results) - Get top 3 in Pavement Ends Gravel Race.
Performance goals (Standards) - In race - Focus on staying in the top ⅓ of the pack at all time, and follow any attack in the last 5 miles. Stick to race fueling/hydration strategy. In training - Increase 5 and 20 min power by 5% and 10%. Develop mental toughness skills of riding hard when tired. Complete a “B” race and two other long rides (2-3 hours) on race specific terrain in the 6 weeks leading up to the race.
Process goals (Behaviors) - In 16-week lead up to race, consistently ride 4-5x a week (2x quality workouts), strength train 2x a week, average of 7 hours of sleep each night, 3 servings of protein a day, practice fueling strategy and consume ~60 grams of carbs per hour during hard interval workouts/long rides.
I hope you found this helpful! Let me know if you have any questions or want help putting a plan together to achieve your goals in 2025.