You don’t need a watch!

For years I have been coaching triathlon.  I have competed at Age Group Worlds.  I have won local races.   I have coached athletes to umpteen individual performances.  I am a firm believer that you don't NEED a watch to race Triathlon.

I was absorbed in the men's Ironman 70.3 World Championships this weekend.  The race was a true test of endurance, the men running a rediculously fast half marathon (1:06) off a tough bike and Lucy Charles knocking out a 23min 1.8km swim... oh and I believe the top 3 men went sub 32 minutes for the first 10k of the run!

Oh, I also noticed that the first three men didn't have a watch on for the run - oh and neither did Daniella Ryf!  There will be no Strava segment posted by messers Frodeno, Brownlee and Gomez for the run.

Watching Frodeno going down this hill here, I can guarantee you he was not thinking keep my heart rate in zone 3... he was thinking... if I am going to beat this two time olympic champion, or the reigning 70.3 world champion chasing me... I need to go now!

Athletes are constantly hung up on data... what should I ride at, what should I run at, what should my heart rate be... I am a firm believer that GPS, watts, Heart Rate etc are all just a guide for your training.  One of many.  Yes they can be brilliant training aids.

However, the best guide, the best training aid, is your own body.  Remove of all the other distractions.  There will be times when you are running and the heart rate monitor says run faster... when you physically can't.  There will also be plenty of occasions when the power meter on the bike screams... you are not pushing hard enough... and you know you are on the red line.

You have to learn to listen to your body!  You have to protect it, fuel it, allow it to recover, and learn how far you can push it.  If you cannot learn to swim / bike / run on how you feel... you may not achieve your goals.

So next time you think about racing with a watch on... just consider that the best in the world don't as they know their bodies.  They know what 1:06 marathon pace feels like.  They also know that giving it full gas hurts.  You don't need a watch to tell you that.

I am so looking forward to watching Kona this year.  Should be an awesome race.

That said, this race was exactly what it should be.  A World Championship battle of the best in the sport, pushing each other to new limits, inspiring the rest of the sporting world in the process.

If you are looking for a coach to empower you, bring the best out of you and your training, then have a look at what Coach Paul from F4L Triathlon Coaching offers.

This is what you'll get...

1. Personalised Training Plan: At F4L Triathlon & Multisport Coaching we believe every athlete is different. Your training program is created around your lifestyle and goals. Not the other way around.
2. Specific goals: Train with a goal in mind. We will help you target the right goal for you.
3. Twice weekly review of your training plan and power and/or heart rate files.

You’re just weeks away from your best triathlon season ever:

Coach Paul is a Professional Endurance Coach. Passionate about the sport of Triathlon. Paul empowers athletic achievements with quality individualised bespoke coaching.  Coach Paul is a British Triathlon Federation Level 3 Coach and a Triathlon Australia Performance Coach Candidate.

He is also an IRONMAN Certified Coach and a Level 2 Training Peaks Coach.  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 training support and the reliability triathletes and multisport athletes require.  Each athlete is an individual, every athlete has different needs.

Or CALL NOW:   +61 415 679 232

By Paul Jones