“Goal setting became the first motivating factor that has pushed me forward to this very day… Maintaining a goal-oriented mindset is critical no matter what the situation is, and, being positively critical of yourself, is even more beneficial for reaching something you desire.”

The Road to El Tour

By Conor LaPlant

As traumatic brain injury survivors, we are faced with challenges we must overcome.  Some small, some large, and a vast number of challenges the average individual most likely does not understand. I myself have experienced feelings of doubt, uncertainty, and defeat following my own brain injury.  In the beginning, I was hyper focused on getting back to my life prior to my accident.  With this attention on my past, I was unable to move forward with the person I now was and this caused some opportunities to slide.  However, something within my subconscious woke me up and became a driving force that has given me the courage to believe in myself.

I have mentioned in previous Noggin editions that I used to ride dirt bikes and enjoyed doing so tremendously.  Even though I was able to cover it up, no longer being able to ride broke me inside.  This was because I was unable to make the choice of discontinuing to ride.  Fast forward eight years post-injury, my desire to ride dirt bikes transitioned into an aspiration of riding a bicycle again. 

Goal setting became the first motivating factor that has pushed me forward to this very day.  After testing to see if I had the coordination to manage riding a bicycle, I made the promise to myself that I was going to compete in a race in August of 2014.  Goal setting for me fosters determination and commitment to what I want to accomplish. 

Maintaining a goal-oriented mindset is critical no matter what the situation is, and, being positively critical of yourself, is even more beneficial for reaching something you desire.  With these attributes, my goal of riding a bike and competing in a race turned into behavioral modifications and implementing planning skills.  The effort that is put into planning also strengthens your cerebral cortex which is where planning takes place.  This area of the brain can be affected after a head injury and can cause challenges for completing everyday life tasks.   Sometimes, I will admit, there have been moments where the positive criticism of myself shifts to negative thoughts.  This is ok.  We are all human and it happens.  It is key, however, to always remember why you started.  If you are able to remember the why, you will find what you need in order to create the how.

After completing this first race, I participated in another duathlon the following year.  Again, maintaining a steady and unwavering mindset was vital in order to successfully reach this next goal.  This second race was longer and required additional training.  With the qualities I mentioned above, keeping an elevated level of commitment allowed me to successfully complete this second race.

There was a fairly large gap between the last duathlon I competed in and my decision to train for the Tour de Tucson.  This was partially due to some health issues I was stricken with between 2015 and 2023.  Despite the setbacks that didn’t come with a known endpoint, reminding myself of how I set and achieved previous goals only reinforced my understanding that I would have to train harder and longer if I was going to take on The Tour de Tucson.

Once I was feeling as though I was in a better position with my health, I knew that the Tour was finally a realistic goal.  In late February/early March of this year, I began riding 15-20 miles per day, two times a week.  Along with these two days of riding, I also committed two days of strength training at the gym, along with one day of high intensity interval training.  Most times this was done on a rowing machine.  Starting a regimen, I became very conscious that I would have to be dedicated and hyper focused on this plan that also packed a whole lot of meaning for me, too!

The days that I rode first focused on consistency.  I made sure that riding was the first activity of my day.  Even though I was riding in the dark, sometimes for the first 45 minutes to an hour of my training, this ended up being quite beneficial in the summer, as the heat was not fun to ride in.  This meant waking up at 4-4:30 in order to tack on the miles before the heat became unbearable.  As I was able to perform this routine successively over the next few months, I started to increase the distance and intensity of my training.  Finding the willpower to accept the late nights and early mornings, as grueling as it sometimes was, became something I looked forward to.  It provided me with a sense of purpose and meaning; as if my day would not be complete without it.  This mindset produced more and more confidence within me as time went on.

As my training progressed, I found that I was able to ride distances that were longer than the actual race itself.  For a brief moment, I considered switching to the 62-mile event as opposed to the 32-mile event that I had been training for.  As much as I wanted to switch, I stuck to the original distance I had been training for.  The 32-mile event was over twice the distance of my last race and I didn’t feel that I had an appropriate amount of time to train for an even longer race.  Making the decision to stick with the distance I had been training for only solidified that I was on the right path at this time.  Being able to make this decision fed my confidence and reminded me that good things take time.

Having now finished my training for this year’s Tour de Tucson, I have learned several things about myself.  The first is that despite my brain injury, setting goals ignites a level of focus within me that I didn’t know existed.  Knowing that truly wanting to achieve a goal allowed me to find the how or way I was going to succeed.  It didn’t matter what obstacle stood in my way. 

Maintaining a consistent routine proved to me that if you stick to something long enough and practice what you preach, you will be closer to a goal as opposed to the person who only talks and thinks about something.  I’m a strong believer in being and staying active.  So, why put something off until tomorrow if you are able to do it today? 

Opportunities do come up, but at some point, these opportunities all go.  So, chase your goals now!  By the time I crossed the finish line, I found out I finish in the middle of the pack which was where I was hoping to end up.  All in all, I found that dedicating and committing time to train for this event proves that when you truly set your mind to something and invest in a goal, what was once a dream can become reality.  And with that said, it is time to train for next year!

ABOUT BRAIN INJURY ALLIANCE OF ARIZONA

The Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona (BIAAZ) is the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of adults and children with all types of brain injuries through prevention, advocacy, awareness and education. BIAAZ also houses the Arizona Brain Health Resource Center, a collection of educational information and neuro-specific resources for brain injury survivors, caregivers, family members and professionals.

What began in 1983 as a grassroots effort has grown into a strong statewide presence, providing valuable life-long resources and community support for individuals with all types of brain trauma at no charge.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona:

• Works with Congressional Brain Injury Task Force
• Houses Arizona Brain Health Resource Center
• Hosts virtual and in-person support groups for survivors and families
• Has Statewide Opioid Use Disorder & Cognitive Impairment Response team with peer support, training, and family wraparound services
• Facilitates Brain Health Advisory Council
• Manages statewide Help Line: 888-500-9165