A few days ago, I was chatting with friends about goals in endurance sports. They mentioned wanting to join an event next year to have something to aim for. I totally get it — having a goal keeps you motivated. You picture yourself crossing the finish line, and just imagining it gives you a boost. And, of course, the closer the event is, the more urgency you feel to start training.
My Long-Term Goal in Endurance Sports
But my goal is… different. It’s not next year—it’s 15 years away. Sounds crazy, right? But I’m fired up. My plan is simple: slowly work my way back to my peak fitness while staying healthy and injury-free.
A Look Back at My Journey
Endurance sports have been a big part of my life for the past 22 years. I’ve loved the emotions, the battles during races, and the endorphin rush—especially after a good session. I started as a rower, switched to triathlons for a few years, and now I mainly run.
The amount of training I’ve done over the years has been all over the place. To get a clearer picture, I made a graph showing my average weekly training hours.
It’s wild how much it’s changed. I always thought I was still pretty consistent, but compared to my peak 10 years ago, it looks like I’ve barely trained recently.
Here’s a quick timeline:
- 2003: Started training for rowing competitions
- 2008: Transitioned to triathlons
- 2013: Completed a long-distance triathlon
- 2016: Entered the full-time workforce
- 2017–2021: Became a happy parent of three kids
- 2022: Began training more consistently again
Looking at this graph, I know I want to change the trajectory of that line for the years ahead.
The Challenge: Staying Injury-Free
Injuries have been my biggest roadblock. Most of them happened because I ramped up my training too quickly. My knees, in particular, don’t like it when I overdo things — I end up with a Baker’s cyst, which sidelines me for months.
So, my top priority now is avoiding injuries. That means finding the right balance: slowly increasing my training volume while not pushing too hard.
The 10% Rule
I once read a book about professional endurance training, and one piece of advice stuck with me: don’t increase your training volume by more than 10% per year. At first, I thought, “That’s barely anything! How will I ever get back to where I was?”
Let’s do the math. Right now, I’m training about 3 hours a week. Adding 10% means next year, I’d train 3 hours and 20 minutes per week. Doesn’t sound like much, right? But over time, those small increases add up.
Check out this projection:
If I stick to the 10% rule, I’ll be training close to 2 hours a day by 2040 — almost the same amount I did back in 2013. I loved that lifestyle back then, and it’s exciting to think I could get there again.
For now, though, I can’t train that much. Time is a big constraint, and my body isn’t ready for it yet. But as my kids grow older and more independent, I’ll have more time. And if I follow this plan, my body will gradually adapt to handle the higher training load. At least, that’s what I’m counting on.
My Goal
So, when it comes to goals, mine isn’t about a specific event or race. It’s about following this slow and steady trajectory. My hope is that this approach will keep me injury-free and lead me back to the lifestyle I loved—a life where endurance training is a big, joyful part of my day.