How to Measure Progress towards a WIG by Anne Greenawalt
Chasing 4:59 Series: Part 2
As I considered writing a progress report on chasing my wildly improbably goal (WIG) of breaking five minutes in the 500-yard freestyle, I thought, “I have nothing to write about. I have made no progress.”
There you go. That’s my progress report.
But no, I don’t think that’s fair. Here’s a bit of insight on my challenges and progress so far.
PROGRESS REPORT
Speed
Challenge: It’s likely that I’m not much faster than I was when I posted my goal five months ago, although I wouldn’t know because I’m not spending much time taking splits from the pace clock.
Progress: I’ve felt more comfortable trying a few sprints, maybe just one to two 25-yard sprints per workout.
Stamina
Challenge: I’m tired and my back hurts.
Progress: One of my one-to-two swims per week is 3,000 yards. I was barely making it to 2,000 yards as of five months ago. Also, for cross-training, I run sometimes. At first, I couldn’t make 1.5 miles. But I’ve had 5-mile trail runs and 3-mile road runs.
Strength
Challenge: I’ve lost a lot of strength. I think because of breastfeeding, it’s difficult to gain strength, but I don’t have any cited research on that. I’ve lost a lot of weight…but most of that was muscle weight.
Progress: I have a smart scale that tells me I have, in fact, increased muscle. I’m not sure how well that relates to gaining strength, though.
Nutrition
Challenge: My diet remains, what I like to call, “healthy enough” but still includes few vegetables and too many barkTHINS.
Progress: I’ve started tracking my food on MyFitnessPal again (as of Monday, ha ha), which was a huge help when I started to get into serious athlete shape a few years ago. Also, I bought vegetables for my toddler, but he wouldn’t eat them, so I ate them instead. I’ll count that as a win.
Sleep
Challenge: This is the most challenging aspect to manage because most of that is out of my control. I have two small children who just love life and everything in it SO MUCH that they want to be awake ALL THE TIME.
Progress: The baby sleeps better and will only wake once per night now, usually. That gives me longer stretches of sleep, sometimes.
SMART GOALS
I put this WIG out into the world, but I didn’t create a SMART goal or any goalposts to achieving it. So, here are some better-formed goals that will help me take steps towards the ultimate goal and better help me to track my progress.
SPEED: At least once per month in Q3 (July – September), complete this set to work on speed: 10x50 @ :50 fast.
STAMINA: At least once per month in Q3 (July – September), complete a 4,000-yard workout.
STRENGTH: Increase muscle mass by three pounds by then end of September. Achieve this by doing yoga or lifting weights at least one time per week.
NUTRITION: Track my intake at least four times per week every week in Q3 (July – September) to look for patterns, deficiencies, etc.
SLEEP: Get to sleep by 10 p.m. at least three nights per week every week in Q3 (July – September).
SET A BASELINE: Race a 500 free, even if it’s not at a meet, to set a baseline time as soon as possible in July.
I’ll check back in at the end of September with another progress report and new goals.
Leave a Comment: I’d love to hear about your sport, health, and fitness goals! Have you set a WIG? Where are your challenges? What progress have you made?
Follow the Notebook at Sport Stories Press for more segments of the “Chasing 4:59” series.
