There’s a lot to do between now and the end of the year. But it’s not all about holiday shopping and avoiding sugary foods. If you approach December correctly, you’ll be able to set yourself up for success for the first quarter of the year. 

This is where we build critical momentum. This month will help put you on track for hitting your goals, no matter how ambitious they are. 

You ready!?

Perform an Equipment Review

Endurance athletes are constantly seeking ways to improve their performance. Many times, this means making changes to their training regimen. But sometimes, the changes that need to be made are to their equipment.

In order to make sure that your endurance house is in order, it’s important to periodically review your equipment to see if it’s still meeting your needs.

Key Areas: 

• Running shoes and winter wear (gloves anyone!?). 
• Cycling equipment you deferred to later in the year. How can we make this happen? 
• General equipment for strength, body composition, and flexibility. What are your needs here? 

Scan Your Training Set Up

When was the last time you took a good, hard look at your training set up? If it’s been awhile, it might be time for an overhaul. Take a few minutes to scan your training set up and see if there are any areas that could use improvement.

Key Areas: 

• Could weights reduce your need for a gym membership? 
• Would direct WIFI improve your digital training experience? 
• Is adding audio to your cycling time on Discord worth it?
• How can you organize your nutrition for better fueling and workout outcomes? 

Define One Degree Better 

Beyond organization, another way to ensure that your endurance house is in order is to always be striving for improvement. But what does that mean, exactly?

In order to set yourself up for success, it’s important to define what “one degree better” looks like for you. Once you have a clear idea of what you’re aiming for, you can start making small changes that will help you reach your goal.

Examples to consider: 

• Sleep 1 more hour a night.
• Lose that first 5 lbs.
• Stretch 10 minutes, 3x a week.
• Bump step goal from 10,000/day to 12,000 per day. 
• Prepare for every morning workout the night before. 

Specify One Change Per Month for Six Months

Making even small changes to your training can have a big impact on your performance. But if you’re not used to making changes, it can be tough to know where to start. 

A good way to ease into it is to specify one change that you’ll make each month for the next six months. This could be anything from adding a new workout to your routine to changing the way you fuel during long runs. 

Taking things one step at a time will help you to make big progress without feeling overwhelmed. It will also allow you to direct all of your energy to this single change. It’s the focus! 

Examples that could work for you: 

• Set a baseline swim, bike or run distance target. 
• Tackle Zwift racing with four weeks of suffering.
• Conquer the local 5k scene with four weekends of racing ordinary people.
• Add durability to the training menu with a few consecutive weekends of longer hikes. 

Best of luck with your training decisions. Remember we are here to help. You can join the Team (www.endurancenation.us/join) or check out our Blog and Podcast channels for free resources.