After a few years of being a runner, cyclist, or triathlete you begin to think about going faster or going longer or both. Sustainability is also important. Most of us really do want to train and race for years or decades to come. How do we avoid physical and mental burnout?
Perhaps the best way is to continue to grow as an athlete and a person. Fully embrace the lessons of endurance sports and don’t be afraid to spend some of your training time learning skills, gaining strength, and embracing physical and mental flexibility.
Rehearse Before You Race
1. If you haven’t done it lately, practice it. It’s entirely possible to have done 20 triathlons and not be able to find the lap button on your Garmin in the first race of the season.
Before Someone Asks Why Your Car Smells Like A Locker Room
2. The smell of success is not sweet, especially in the summertime, get some Febreze car vent clip air fresheners, and clean out the car every month. Those stinky bike shorts are in there somewhere. Come up with an organization scheme (bags, bins, boxes) and swap that stuff out every week.
Febreze Car Vent Clip Air Freshener
It Takes A Village
3. The more you train with other athletes the better you will perform on race day. Right now that may mean virtual or socially distanced workouts. Once we get back to a safe new normal, you should really look into workouts with a buddy or a group. Even if you are slow like me you can swim laps at the pool next to a friend, take a spin class with your buds or meet for a track workout. Hey, they can’t be more than 400 meters ahead of you. If you are doing most or all of your training solo. That’s a red flag.
Increase Your EQ: Improve Your Racing
4. Emotions play a key role on race day. The longer you go, the more you need to be able to monitor and modify your emotional state. In a half-iron triathlon or a marathon, there will be times that you feel like you are killing it and times when you think it is killing you. Every endurance athlete should read Triathlete EQ: A Guide For Emotional Endurance. Shout out to Coach Katie Malone for recommending it to me.
Set Multiple Goals
5. Set yourself up for success. Race your race. Define clearly what you consider victory and always set multiple goals. Setting multiple goals forces you to think about more than just your finishing time.
Here are the goals I set for one of my best races ever at Medoc Trail Races. I was running the 10 miler that year.
a. Make it to the start line.
b. Don’t get airlifted out.
c. Enjoy the incredibly positive atmosphere, beautiful scenery, and smile at my fellow Medoc maniacs.
d. Finish.
e. Try to break 2:00:00.
My finishing time: 2:00:38. No, I wasn’t disappointed. Four out of five ain’t bad. Really more like 4.9 out of five.
Embrace the Adventure of the Offseason
6. There is so an offseason. You have to take some rest. Change up your workouts to keep from getting in a rut. Do something different. I like mountain biking and trail running. And please do some strength training.
The Physical Benefits of the Off-Season (Triathlete)
Technical Skills = Smoother, Faster Races
7. Skill counts. It’s not just volume and intensity. You need to work on form, mechanics, cadence, bike handling. Master the disciplines that make up your sport. There is always something new to learn and someone you can learn it from.
Listen to Your Body
8. Injuries will happen. It comes with the territory. But most times hindsight will show that you ignored significant signs something was amiss so you could keep training. You will be happier and race more if you fix issues while they are still small rather than wait to see how big they get.
Learn How To Listen To Your Body In Training (RealBuzz)
Be Able to Race by Feel
9. Sooner or later technology will fail on you. This is usually not a big deal unless it’s race day. For the sake of your sanity, occasionally train without looking at your Garmin. When you get home, write down your best guess for pace, time, cadence, etc. Then compare with the data. Being able to race by feel can be huge if your Garmin’s battery dies during a race.
What Do Deadlifts, Downward Dog and Glute Bridges Have in Common?
10. To truly improve at your sport you have to do more than your sport. It might mean strength training or yoga or core work. If you want to keep improving you will have to find new ways to sharpen the saw.
The Standard Core Routine with Video Demonstration (Strength Running)
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Thank you for sharing, Alfred. Excellent points. The Canadian winter is definitely my off season. Though I will do my odd very gentle run, I love to hike and snowshoe in the forests.
I love your point #9. I much prefer to run without wearable technology. Because I am in a yearlong virtual this year, I am wearing my Garmin each day!
Thanks, Carl! I probably should have titled the post “Mistakes I have made more than once.” As I age up I’m finding strength training to be more and more important. Keep striding toward your goals and many new adventures.
I’m doing some strength, Alfred. I know I definitely need to do more!