Goals keep you motivated and they give you a direction. That way you're not just aimlessly training and doing too much of one thing and not enough of another.
Triathlon is a very friendly sport. You can make friends quite easily. You don't have to be the most talented person. I was never outstanding at any one of the disciplines, but if you're dedicated and you're willing to put the time in, you can really achieve some good results.
You have to control the nerves. I used to get so nervous that I couldn't eat, which wasn't really productive. Having goals and a plan is a good way of lessening the nerves.
I write a little plan for the day. I write down what time I need to get up to go to the race, just so I'm organised in my mind. That way all I have to focus on during the day is the race, not how I'm going to get there. When you're training it's good to know what you're doing every day. You need to have a plan.
