Have you ever heard someone say they accidentally ran a marathon? What about the people who complete triathlons without training for it?

This post is broken into two parts: first, we’ll talk about goals—what they are and how to set them—and then I’ll share how I “accidentally” swam a 10K backstroke!

Part 1: Why Goals Matter (Even When You Don’t Have One)

Endurance athletes are a special breed. We have our ways of talking about things that don’t always make sense to others. We have our own vocabulary. Most people call it exercise or working out. But once you sign up for your first 5K, sprint triathlon, or half-mile swim, the language changes. All of a sudden, you are training.

Most people call it exercise, working out or getting in shape. Once you sign up for your first 5K run, sprint triathlon or half-mile swim, the language changes. All of a sudden you are training. You start talking about nutrition, hydration, recovery, and all the gear.

When Training Isn’t Training

When someone says they didn’t train for something what they really mean is they didn’t set a goal and follow a specific plan to get there. It’s possible they were training for something else and in the process developed the skills to take on a certain challenge.

You see, with a base of swimming, biking and/or running you may find you are signing up for races on a whim or have a hard time holding yourself back. It’s super exciting to achieve things you never imagined possible for yourself.

There’s a downside. Randomly pushing yourself farther and in new directions without a plan can lead to injury or burnout. This is where the importance of having a goal comes in.

The Power of the Methodical Goal

Goals are one of my favorite things to talk about because there is a craft to goal setting that most people are not aware of. There is a common narrative that encourages you to set big hairy goals that scare you, something that makes you want to throw up a little bit.

For the athlete who just completed a mile swim and now wants to cross the English Channel, or the person who doesn’t even know how to swim yet but has their sights on an IRONMAN triathlon—go for it! Break that big goal into milestones along the way and keep moving forward. Chase after your wildest dreams with all of your heart.

For many those big dreams do not exist. That was me. I had no concept of what I was capable of so I didn’t know how to dream. My achievements came from friends dragging me to road races and my family daring me to do a triathlon.

Goals Beyond Time and Distance

Hundreds of endurance races later I’m still not a big dreamer. I am a methodical goal setter. I like a series of goals that are slightly out of reach to keep me challenged without getting burned out or increasing risk of injury. In fact, certain changes that have happened throughout the menopause transition have forced me to get creative.

After completing an Ironman I was lacking inspiration for my next adventure. During the pandemic I was connected with the cold water and marathon swimming community. I don’t like working on speed so more swimming became the goal. Now with some recent breathing issues, I had to get creative and switched to backstroke.

The cool thing about goals is that there are so many options beyond popular time or distance targets. You can set goals for technique, consistency, or even joy! Or, take your goals to the gym: focus on how many different classes you can try, how much weight you can lift, or how many new connections you can make. You can even set a goal to have no goal at all.

Part 2: How I “Accidentally” Swam a 10K Backstroke

If you read about my big breakthrough you may remember that I deemed this the year of the no-goal goal. I wasn’t training for a particular goal or following a specific plan. The thing is, being an endurance athlete becomes a lifestyle, not just focusing on a specific race. So I kept swimming and turned my focus to distance backstroke.

Until I “accidentally” swam a 10K backstroke. 

Here’s How It Happened

I had a loose goal to keep increasing my backstroke distance, working toward the full ‘Nantasket Lap’ (6 miles). I’ve done the lap several times freestyle, but I thought completing it all the way to the end and back doing only backstroke would be a unique accomplishment.

I met with a few regulars from our Sunday group. Conditions were amazing, mostly calm and clear. I was coming off of two days of rest. I announced that I was planning a long swim and packed a bunch of snacks in my buoy.

I thought about my 4 mile attempt a couple of weeks prior. The plan was to go 2 miles out and back. Conditions were tough and I had to call it at 3.5 miles. This time I took a different approach, I changed my goal. I really wanted to make it to the end of the beach as I hadn’t been there all summer. I decided to go to the end of the beach (3 miles), turn around, and be prepared to walk back if needed.

There was a little push on the way out and as I started back I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t much current to fight against. The water carried me gently and the sun was shining bight to guide me. It was one of the best days I’ve ever seen at Nantasket.

The Mental Strength to Keep Going

When I hit mile 4, I decided that I would attempt the full lap. I texted Irena and asked her to meet me at mile 5 with more snacks. Seeing her gave me an extra boost of energy. My shoulders were getting tired, but knowing she was going to meet me at the end was a huge incentive to keep going.

I knew I was physically undertrained for this distance, but was confident that my mental strength would take over.

“Swim one hour, Adina. You can do that.” I focused on one landmark at a time. “Get to the hotel. Get to the yellow bath house. Half mile to go.” I did some kicking to rest my shoulders and adjusted my stroke a bit. I kept talking to myself and thanked a couple of people who were clapping for me as I went by. “Get to the bandstand. Get to Paula’s house.” It seemed so much farther than normal but the thought that I was actually going to make it overpowered my fatigue. When my watch finally hit 6 miles I stood up. I saw Irena waiting for me in the water and I put my goggles back on to swim the extra .07 to finish the lap.

My shoulders were a little mad at me but I did it…Nantasket backstroke lap complete!!!

6 miles. 4 hours 35 minutes of swimming. 5 hours 14 minutes in the water.

No official finish line. No medal. 

All. The. Feels.

My Takeaways from the Big Swim

Every big endurance event—whether a swim, run, or triathlon—comes with learning. Here are my takeaways:

1. Loose goals in the back of your mind can be effective. It’s smart to take time off from intense goals and strict training plans, but you don’t have to totally abandon ideas that excite you.
2. Take more nutrition than you think you need. I’m usually the one with extra snacks for everyone, but today for some reason I underestimated.
3. Know your own ability. When you’re on a race course or a challenging session, you are responsible for making decisions. Discuss with your coach during key training sessions how to practice this skill.
4. Follow your heart and never underestimate the power of your mind.

Whether your next challenge requires a methodical plan or simply the courage to say “yes,” the quiet fall and winter months are when the real progress happens. This is your chance to turn those loose ideas into a strong foundation.

Don’t want to do it alone? I will be working through reflections and goals personally or in a small group with all of my athletes over the next three months. We work on everything from a first 5K or mile swim all the way up to a full IRONMAN or marathon!

Joining the B*REAL Squad  will give you the community, tools, and education you need to get ready for your own breakthrough next year. Schedule a free consultation call today , and let’s figure out a goal together.