Coach Tip Tuesday: Willingness to Wait

Posted On:
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Updated On:
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Stream On:
Apple PodcastsSpotifyBuzzsproutiHeart RadioiHeart RadioPocketCasts
A photo from the film Forrest Gump.  Forrest is waiting on a bench to see Jenny - a great example of patience. :)

Hip, hip, hooray!  It’s Coach Tip Tuesday!

As we approach the end of the year, we are firmly in the midst of “Dreaming Season” - that time of the year when we are brainstorming goals for the coming year(s).  As you reflect on 2021 and look forward to 2022, I offer this week’s tip as something to consider as you decide which goals seem exciting for you to take on next:

Your willingness to wait reveals the value you place on the object you’re waiting for.

Endurance sports are so named because one must endure to be successful in these sports.  The word “endure” literally means “to continue to exist in the same condition,” “to experience (pain or suffering) for a long time,” and “to deal with to accept (something unpleasant).”  Basically, “endure” means to exercise patience - to understand that a desired result will take a longer time to come about.

The most rewarding things in life are not easy.  They don’t happen quickly or overnight.  This is also true of endurance sports goals; the goals that are the most fulfilling are the ones that are the result of a longer period of time and a larger body of work.

Bear this in mind as you consider goals for 2022.  Is there a longer-term “unicorn goal” that you would like to achieve someday?  Even if it’s not probable that you can/will attain it in 2022, are there “stepping stone goals” that you can set in 2022 to help you along the way?

A “unicorn goal” - a term for goals that are currently off in Fantasyland - is not an “impossible for forever” goal.  It just means it’s not possible right now...which means that you’ll need to exercise patience if you want to ultimately see it through.  If you accept this and are willing to take the small steps along the way to lead you closer to achieving a unicorn goal, then the goal is likely one that is valuable to you, resonates with you, and is worth targeting over time.

Some common unicorn goals for age group athletes:

  • Finishing a marathon
  • Finishing an IRONMAN
  • Qualifying for the Boston Marathon
  • Breaking two hours in a half marathon
  • Breaking 25 minutes in a 5K
  • Breaking three hours on the bike course of a 70.3-distance triathlon

Even if you think that you are willing to be patient to see your big goals through, it’s important to establish “check-in” points along the way.  This helps you to continue to be willing to exercise patience and it keeps you motivated along the way.  Consider setting intermediate goals that will give you a true sense of exactly where you are relative to where you want to go.

Some examples of intermediate goals for age group athletes (using the unicorn goal example list from above):

  • Shorter distance races of the same type (i.e. a 10K or a half marathon when targeting a marathon)
  • A few races of the same distance and type when going for a performance-based result (such as qualifying for the Boston Marathon or breaking a certain time for a given distance)

In the context of 2022: Consider planning out your season with some shorter-term goals that you can achieve (or at least have a higher probability of achieving) in 2022 and also include some stepping stones to BIG goals that take a longer time to accomplish.

As I’ve talked about in the past, time is life’s most valuable currency because life is a zero-based budget.  Being willing to be patient - which is a fancy way of saying “being willing to spend a lot of time waiting” - is the equivalent of assessing a high monetary price/value to a tangible object.  If you are willing to be patient as you pursue a particular goal, then that indicates you value it.  If you aren’t willing to be patient, then perhaps a different endurance sports goal might resonate better with you now.

Bearing all of this in mind as you chart your 2022 season can help you embark on a joyful, engaged season where you enjoy what you’re doing and the process it will take to get where you want to go.  And isn’t that what we’re all actually ultimately after?

Previous post

There is no previous post
Back to all posts

Next post

There is no next post
Back to all posts

What to Ask Instead of “Can I Accomplish This Goal?” - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Waterman’s Triathlon & The Bear Chase

Required "current" page

How Do Long Runs & Long Rides Work & Benefit Endurance Athletes? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Masters Endurance Athletes Show Us How We Can All Thrive in Endurance Sports and in Life - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel & IRONMAN 70.3 Washington Tri-Cities

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: USA Triathlon Olympic Distance National Championship

Required "current" page

Being Hard on Yourself?  Try This Instead. - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Littlefoot Triathlon & Erie Marathon

Required "current" page

How Doing Something New Can Help You Achieve Your Endurance Sports Goals - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why It’s Important to Look for Lessons Even When Race Day Goes Well - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Disappointment on Race Day Leads to Greater Success - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coeur Outdoor Divas Sprint Triathlon & Peasantman Steel Distance Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Max Performance Sharon Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Half Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K

Required "current" page

Athelte Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Maine & Donner Lake Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Tri Boulder, IRONMAN Lake Placid, & IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio

Required "current" page

Are You on Track to Reach Your Goals?  The Value of a Mid-Season Athletic Performance Review

Required "current" page

Why You Shouldn't Wear a Wetsuit in Triathlons and Open Water Swimming

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Way to Avoid Injury

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Freedom 4th Eagle Firecracker Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: A Longer Goal Isn't a Better Goal

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Relay for Life of Southeastern Connecticut, Loveland Lake to Lake Triathlon, & Cohasset Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Why Race Execution Matters

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Thing for Beginner Endurance Athletes to Do

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Western Massachusetts & IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Train and Perform Well in the Heat

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Bass Lake Yosemite Triathlon, Silver Serpent Multisport Festival, & Rock Hall Triathlons

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Three Best Things Endurance Athletes Can Do for Training and Performance

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Using All of Your Senses in Workouts

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Are Morning or Evening Workouts Better?‍

Required "current" page

How to Train for a Sprint Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: You Don’t Always Need to Do The Hardest or The Most

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Greenland Trail Race & Upstate Orthopedics Mountain Goat Run‍

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Handle The Transition From Indoor to Outdoor Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: XTERRA New Jersey

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What if You Fly?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Carson Canyons Super-K Trail Runs & Delaware Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Case for Walking

Required "current" page

How to Handle Training When You Get Sick

Required "current" page

The Dangers of Social Media for Endurance Athletes

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coastal Delaware Running Festival 9K & Zoo Run Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Seek Out Awe & Enchantment

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Smithfield Sprint Triathlon & Run as One 4M

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Negative Splits are Positive Things

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Multisport Transitions Explained

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Alpha Win Ocala

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don't Pull Up on Your Bicycle Pedals

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Pace & Effort are NOT the Same Thing

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Demystifying Foam Rolling

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Stretching Actually Is

Required "current" page

Cycling Cadence Matters

Required "current" page

How to Properly Conduct a Functional Threshold Power (FTP) Test - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lake Effect Quarter Marathon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Face the Discomfort Dragon

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Love Can Be Cold

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Live to Climb Another Day

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Is AI Coaching & Sports Training Software Actually Intelligent?

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Strength Training as a Backbone

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Town of Celebration Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Resolute Runner 5K

Required "current" page

My Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How Do You Answer “What’s Next?”

Required "current" page

My Top 8 Fiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Next Big Thing

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What is Preventing You from Reaching Your Goals?

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Does It Mean to Set a Goal?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: It’s A Wonderful Run & Run with Rudolph

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 2023 Thanksgiving Day Races

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: EOD Warrior Dash

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Exercise is Not a Punishment for What You Ate

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Include Buffers in Your Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lights on the Lake 5K

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Pause Before Assessing

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Cold Turkey Run & The Burn Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Set Authentic Goals

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Can Be Measured Isn’t What is Most Important

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don’t Complain About the Wind.  Embrace It.

Required "current" page

Avoid Doubling Up to Make Up

Required "current" page

What to Consider When Purchasing a New Bicycle - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Foxy’s Fall Century, Spooktacular Stroll 5K, & Eastwood 5-Mile Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Plan a Season

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lake Placid Classic & Army Ten-Miler

Required "current" page

What Are Training Phases? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Last Call Triathlon, Waterman’s Triathlon, & Wineglass Marathon

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Bear Chase 10K & IRONMAN Chattanooga

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: When is it Time to Say Goodbye to Gear?

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Get Into a Different Headspace

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: It’s Okay if You Don’t Do That Race You Signed Up For

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Philadelphia Distance Run

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K, Littlefoot Triathlon, Finger Lakes Triathlon, & IRONMAN Wisconsin

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Alpha Win Lake George

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Way to Plan Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, Granite Bay Triathlon, & Tri Grace

Required "current" page

About

Coach Laura Henry

Laura Henry is a Syracuse, NY-based coach who is a USA Triathlon Level II Long Course and Level II Paratriathlon Certified Coach, USA Cycling Level 2 Certified Coach, VFS Certified Bike Fitter, and has successfully completed NASM's Certified Personal Trainer course. Coach Laura is passionate about helping athletes of all ability levels reach their goals and has coached many athletes to success.

She can be reached at [email protected].

Read Biography

Check out our other
recent Blog Posts

Start Your

Coaching Today

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Start Your

Coaching Today

Have a question or ready to get your TRAINING started?

Fill out our Contact Form to the right and we will get back to you shortly!

Check - Elements Webflow Library - BRIX Templates

Thank you

Thanks for reaching out. We will get back to you soon.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.