Reviewing Your Year Like a Pro: How Triathletes Can Use 2025 to Build a Smarter 2026
As another year of training and racing wraps up, most triathletes fall into one of two camps:
They’re relieved it’s over and ready to move on.
They’re already thinking about next year’s races.
Both reactions are understandable—but before you set new goals or start chasing shiny race calendars for 2026, there’s one step I see too many athletes skip: a proper, honest review of the year you just completed.
As a coach, I can tell you this with confidence: the athletes who improve year after year aren’t necessarily the most talented or the most motivated. They’re the ones who review their past season objectively and use that information to guide smarter decisions going forward.
Here’s how I recommend triathletes review their previous year—and how to turn that insight into a clear, realistic plan for 2026.
Step 1: Zoom Out Before You Zoom In
Before you analyze pace charts or training stress scores, take a step back and look at the year as a whole.
Ask yourself:
Did this season feel sustainable?
Were you generally healthy, or constantly managing niggles?
Did triathlon add to your life, or did it become a source of stress?
These questions matter. A “successful” season on paper that leaves you burned out, injured, or mentally drained is not a model you want to repeat. Long term success in triathlon comes from consistency, not heroic seasons followed by long layoffs.
Write these reflections down. Don’t trust your memory—capture how the year felt while it’s still fresh.
Step 2: Review Your Race Performances (Without Emotion)
Now it’s time to look at your races—but do it like a coach, not like a critic.
For each key race, note:
What went well?
What didn’t go to plan?
Was the outcome limited by fitness, execution, equipment, or decision-making?
Common patterns I see:
Strong swim, bike fades late and the run is a struggle → bike fueling, pacing issue or lack of durability
Solid training but poor race results → race-day nerves or lack of rehearsal
Great early-season races, weak finish → peaked too soon or didn’t recover well
Avoid labeling races as “good” or “bad.” Instead, think in terms of information. Every race tells you something useful—if you’re willing to listen.
Step 3: Analyze Training Consistency, Not Just Volume
Most athletes obsess over total hours or mileage. I care far more about consistency.
Look at:
How many weeks you trained as planned
How often illness, injury, or life disrupted training
How long it took you to regain fitness after interruptions
Ten months of steady training beats twelve months of on-and-off hero weeks every time.
If your year included multiple restarts, that’s not a failure—it’s a clue. Your 2026 plan needs to be more resilient, with better recovery, smarter load progression, or more realistic expectations.
Step 4: Identify Your True Limiters
This is where honest coaching really matters.
Ask yourself:
What single factor limited my performance the most this year?
For many triathletes, it’s not VO₂ max or FTP. It’s:
Poor fueling
Weak run durability
Inconsistent swim technique
Lack of strength training
Inadequate sleep or stress management
Pick one or two priorities, not five. Trying to “fix everything” is the fastest way to fix nothing.
Step 5: Separate Goals From Ego
When planning for 2026, goals should be grounded in evidence—not wishful thinking.
Instead of:
“I want to qualify / podium / PR by 20 minutes”
Try:
“I want to improve my run durability so I can run the second half of races within 5% of my target pace.”
Outcome goals are motivating, but process goals are what actually move the needle.
Base your 2026 goals on:
What improved this year
What stalled
What your lifestyle realistically allows
A slightly less ambitious goal that you can fully commit to will outperform an aggressive goal you can only half-execute.
Step 6: Build 2026 Around Your Life, Not the Other Way Around
This is the biggest mistake I see every January. Athletes plan training first and then try to force it into work, family, and travel. That approach almost always collapses by mid-season.
Instead:
Identify predictable stress points (busy work periods, holidays, family commitments)
Choose races that fit your calendar
Plan recovery as intentionally as training blocks
Your best season will come from alignment, not sacrifice.
Step 7: Define What “Success” Will Mean Next Year
Before 2026 even starts, be clear on how you’ll judge it.
Success might mean:
Staying injury-free all year
Executing race fueling perfectly
Showing up to races confident instead of anxious
Finishing strong instead of surviving
When success is defined only by finish times or podiums, you miss the real progress happening underneath.
Final Thoughts
The end of the year isn’t just a pause—it’s a powerful opportunity.
Triathletes who review their season thoughtfully gain something more valuable than motivation: clarity. Clarity about what works, what doesn’t, and where effort will matter most.
If you take the time now to reflect honestly and plan intentionally, 2026 won’t just be another season. It will be a step forward built on experience, not guesswork.
And that’s how real progress happens in this sport—one smart season at a time.
