With the racing season winding down many Triathletes already have their sights set on next year with bigger and higher goals. I got my first call 3 days after one of my athletes completed IM Boulder with her first ever podium finish at the 140.6 mile distance. “Hey, so… I wana do X next year” Yes, she is a driven one.
Whether it took 4 days or 4 months, planning next year’s big event can be difficult, there are many factors to consider. If you live anywhere that has what we call winter, doing an early season Ironman can be a tough call. The training and preparation required takes time. Time in single training session and time in terms of weeks and months of consistency.
Here are a few things to consider when preparing for a big, early season A race.
Don’t worry about what you cannot control:
Many athletes turn hills into mountains. You have to train in winter. Yup. Get over it. Don’t over react to your situation. Get over the fact that you are not going to be the racer you were last year. You might be better. How? Focus on one thing.
Be at your best, for this race, this year. Not last year, or when you were in college or some obligatory mark or key workout at some pace. Forget about who ran what pace last year. The time of the winner or last AG qualifier and focus on you. I tell my athletes all the time, “The only way you have any chance of achieving your goals is by having YOUR best race” period.
Your periodization doesn’t change:
Your time frame does change but the process should be similar. Look big picture. A year long look. It’s November as you read this most likely. You are racing at… say Texas in April or maybe a race in May like St George 70.3. Work backwards from your race day.
You’ll find y
ou need to cut a phase or two short or, if your coach is real innovative, you’ll throw out the standard periodization, or some fancy “reverse” method and come back to you, the unique athlete. Yes, again you’ll simply focus on yourself. What do yo
u need to do to get back to your best. Strengths, weaknesses, specific prep, equipment, mental prep, nutrition, etc.
How can you be better than last year?
One’s preparation for a race does not just encompass the 6 month lead up to that race. What did you do last year? The year before that? What have you don’t in the last 5 years? Does that all disappear as soon as you cross the finish line? No. Did you take 6 months totally, completely off and gain 15 lbs. well. Some of it may be gone. Even in this case your fitness can come back quickly with the proper approach. You need time off. You need to recover physically and mentally but you also need to build upon last year. How much is right for you? Tough to say, everyone will be very different.
Here is a start. If you had a long cycling season or just destroyed yourself at Ironman, start with 1 week totally off. Passive recovery. Massage etc. Then 2-3 more weeks easing back into things with recovery efforts on the bike, in the pool and some VERY short runs. 3 times a week and avoid 2 days in a row of any workouts. Sounds light I know. That’s 4 weeks. This should get you back to feeling normal. After I did Lake Placid in 2011 it took me 6 weeks just to feel normal. Every race is different, so be cautious here.
Remember:
- Rest and recover FULLY from your last A race.
- Take stock in where you are at. Do a field test, reset your threshold watts, run pace, etc.
- Start building back into training from where you are at NOW. Not last year, or when you were in college, etc.
Complete article on EK Endurance Coaching here
Eric Kenney, founder EK Endurance Coaching
When Eric works with an athlete, he designs a training program with years of experience and knowledge in a vast array of sports. He works with beginners but also experienced athlete’s looking to take their training to the next level. Whether you want a three month plan for a sprint triathlon or three-year plan for an Ironman, Eric can help you reach your goal.
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