Ten Strategic Questions for Evaluating Your Racing Season

One of the keys to improving is careful, honest evaluation. For most multi-sport athletes, the season is over or almost over. I’d encourage you to sit down and take a careful look at how things went. The following ten questions will be a help as you strategically evaluate. I’ve used these questions to help a number of triathletes understand how, based on their current, or recently concluded season, they can improve.

Answer them objectively. Be tough on yourself. Think about this Fall and early winter. Then think about say, January – March. What needs to happen between now and March of ’22 for you to be at another level heading to race season?  Ok, go for it and have fun! 

1. What would you say was the highlight of your recent season?
   1. Why would you say that?
   2. What were the components that effected such an outcome?
2. What was your greatest disappointment of your season?
   1. Why would you say that?
   2. What were the components that effected that outcome?
3. In what area did you grow/improve the most this season?
   1. Why did that growth/improvement take place?
   2. How much potential do you feel you have in that area to continue to improve?
4. Where did you struggle the most this season in your training and/or racing?
   1. Why would say that?
   2. To what degree did the struggle set you back in your races?
5. What are you feelings about your next season or two?
   1. Why?
   2. Are you more of a big-picture thinker or week to week thinker? 
6. What are your highest possible expectations (best-case scenario) for next season?
   1. What barriers do you foresee possibly getting the way of achieving those goals?
7. How would describe your level of motivation right now?
8. What one aspect of triathlon, if improved, would cause you to race better?
9. How long (years?) do you plan on participating in multi-sport events?
10. What are the biggest challenges you currently face regarding living a healthy lifestyle? Might be regular workouts/training/nutrition/motivation/time/family/work/etc.