Winter has taken hold as triathletes across the country are beginning their base training programs in preparation for next season. At this time of year, I am regularly asked, “What’s the ONE thing I can do to improve my performance on race day?”
The One Thing
Without question, the most important factor in achieving athletic excellence and continued forward progress is consistent training. No other single factor will have as profound an impact upon results as consistent, intelligent training. Even a poorly designed training plan will produce results if consistently followed and training is done regularly. However, an intelligent, well-designed training plan will maximize results.
If Only it Were That Easy
Of course it’s one thing for me to say to be more consistent in your training. It’s another thing entirely to actually put the notion of consistent training into practice. Between family, work, and the complications of life, consistent training can be nearly impossible.
Nearly impossible isn’t an absolute however, meaning that consistent training is indeed possible.
How to Become a More Consistent Triathlete
On their own, none of these suggestions are likely going to be the answer to improving your consistency. But by combining a few (or all) of them, I have no doubt in my mind that you WILL become a more consistent triathlete.
- Schedule Your Training: If your plan is to train when you have time, you will RARELY have time. Put your workouts on your calendar and treat them like any other appointment that you have, e.g., don’t cancel unless it’s a true emergency, set a notification on you phone.
- Get Up Earlier: If you don’t enjoy seeing the sunrise, this probably isn’t what you wanted to hear. The simple reality is, life very rarely gets in the way of a 5 am workout. Try to do a workout in the evening and life often has a way of providing multiple excuses for not getting the workout done. Get your training done early and then deal with whatever happens the rest of the day.
- Re-Invent Time: This is an absolute goldmine of time. How much time do you waste per week waiting for the next thing on your schedule? What do you do when you take the kids to dance class or soccer practice? Sit and scroll Facebook on your phone? What if you went and ran for that hour instead? I’m also a huge fan of the cycling commute (cycling to/from work), taking a swunch (swimming on your lunch break). How about turning that swim into a swim/run brick – two workouts for the price of one! There is quite a lot of time available when you step back and look at the big picture of your schedule. Just because your schedule says one thing doesn’t mean you can’t re-invent that time and turn it into a training opportunity.
- Hire a Coach: Full disclosure, in case you don’t know, I am a multisport coach so this may sound a bit self-serving. But there’s something about putting your money where your mouth is that helps people follow through with their intentions. If you want to train more consistently, paying a coach to write a plan that works with your schedule may make all the difference. There’s also something to be said for the accountability having a coach introduces – when you know that your coach is looking at your completed trainings, you want them to see that you did the workout you paid for, right?
Find What Works for You
These are four suggestions that I’ve seen help my athletes train more consistently.
Do I still see athletes miss a workout or two on occasion? Of course! You will too. Life happens!
That’s ok!
The one thing that is key to making progress toward your training goals isn’t perfect compliance with a plan, but training consistently over time.
Happy training!
