This is a funny time of year for an IRONMAN Coach. I am planning sessions, calendars, test sets and try to bring additional value to every session I deliver.
This is the time of year when the coach has to balance a whole load of athletes' goals and ambitions with what is realistic. A good, experienced Triathlon coach plans the season ahead, and beyond, sometimes 3 to 4 years. The coach will break that down into cycles and then plan sessions accordingly.
I often get asked by athletes, "What do I need to do to achieve (insert their target here)?" Every athlete is different. Every athlete has different goals. Every athlete has different work commitments. Every athlete has different family commitments. The answer is there is not a straight answer.
The athletes on the other hand... they want their results now!
So, what examples of things can athletes do to improve their performance in 2023 now?
- Commit to whatever goal you have set yourself.
- Hurry slowly! Be patient. Endurance takes time. Performance takes time.
- Aim for excellence... perfection is unobtainable.
- Allow yourself a bad session... one session is not a season.
- Be organised and be on time to training sessions
- Arrive at every session with the right work ethic and mindset
- Eat well, drink plenty of water
- Remember it is 'just Triathlon' not actually life and death!
Your coach cannot just give you more and more training. If they do... you will likely end up sick, or fatigued, or injured, or falling asleep at work, or falling asleep in front of your partner! Everything is about balancing what you need to achieve your goals, with the lifestyle you have and making all of that sustainable.
Athletes racing in the 2023 season have already targeted events, be it IRONMAN races, 70.3 World Championships, ITU World Age Groups, Challenge Events for 2022, not to mention all the local events. All different events... all different athletes. This is what makes a coach's job so much fun.
As I mentioned in Bringing Balance in a previous blog:
"This time of year is the when the next season is built. One of the hardest things to do at this time is find a nice balance. It is no good flying in January... we don't win anything for being king of the club run... training needs to be sustainable, consistent training to develop performance."
Hard work trumps talent, when talent doesn't work hard!
Paul is a Professional Triathlon Coach. Passionate about the sport of Triathlon. Paul empowers athletic achievements with quality individualised bespoke triathlon coaching.
Coach Paul is a British Triathlon Federation Level 3 Coach and a Triathlon Australia Performance Coach.
Paul is also an IRONMAN Certified Coach and a Level 2 Training Peaks Coach and a mentor. F4L Triathlon Coaching offers triathletes and other endurance athletes a full coaching and training service that caters to all levels of triathletes. F4L offers professional triathlon and endurance coaching with the reliability and support triathletes and endurance athletes require. Each athlete is an individual, every athlete has different needs.
2023 Triathlon Training Camp:
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