Good Tips For Training

Here are some excerpts from Tri Mag that I thought was appropriate for the upcoming season. The bold italics are my interjections. click on the above link for the whole article.

Coach’s Tales with Cliff English: Sharpening early-season fitness
By Cliff English/Competitive Edge Training

Tip # 1: Racing is the best training
It really is true. You cannot beat a race for specificity. You get to practice all your skills -- physical, mental, technical and tactical -- under race stress. The more often you race the less stressful it becomes as well. Many athletes only race a couple times in the season, and with all their eggs in only a few baskets they can crumble under the pressure and underperform. Select a few events that you’ll approach not as key races but, rather, as an extension of your training. That way you’ll gain the benefits of an intense race-day effort while still adhering to a structured training plan. You just can’t find any fault or really add to that statement. I try to race at least once every two months to keep myself motivated with short term goals. String together enough short goals and the consistency will add up to completing the long goal(s). In my case- IMFL06.

Tip #2: Check your ego.
Don’t expect a PR from “training” races. You needn’t make every event an A-priority race. While you’ll still go hard, note that the purpose of these building-block events is to gain experience and sharpen fitness. In a few key training races, such as that one that is done constantly every year, you know the course and the type of people your racing with, then try to get that PR and go all out. For the rest of the races, train with the end-in-mind. My goal for IMFL06 is ten minute miles for the marathon. I already know as a stand alone event my marathon pace is 8:15 and 9:00 when I am on target, so my goal in my train up marathons leading to IMFL, is to have a serious conversation with myself to reign the ego in and stick to the plan. Will I PRthe marathon in the near future-no. Will I finish IMFL-yes.

Tip #3: Plan a mini-taper
To benefit from the work you put into a training race, you needn’t do a complete taper, but you don’t want to race following a huge week of training. Many people come in too loaded and start back into training too quickly. Immediately following the race, get in a good cool-down and then, if possible, an ice soak or ice bath for two to four minutes to really speed up recovery. A 20- to 30-minute flush massage after the race would be ideal as well. Monday would be a day off or just a light 20- to 30-minute swim. On Tuesday, schedule an aerobic swim and bike. By Wednesday you can have a solid swim and get back to an aerobic run. For Thursday, get back to some intensity with a bike and run and then continue your regular training through the weekend (or drop back down again to the Friday and Saturday pre-race routine if you are racing again). Racing tapers do not need to be long or conflict with overall training. My problem in the past with planning for a marathon event as an A-race is that there is a three week taper then a four hour race then a two-three week recovery. You may as well just X out two months of training. By putting the 26.2 in perspective to the overall goal it becomes just a long training event under race conditions and not the apex of the cycle.

Tip #4: Go by feel
Races can take more out of some people than they do for others. When it comes to recovery, it’s important to be able to go with the flow and allow your body to help dictate your activity level. I call this ‘instinctive-training’. Instead of following a set plan, I allow my body and mind (& outside influences like work or family) guide my recovery time. The problem with most athletes is that they overtrain and don’t listen to their body, setting themselves up for a bigger fall or lapse in training later in the season when it can’t be afforded.

Tip #5. Have Fun
If you can’t have fun then don’t do the race. I have paid into a race and then backed out because of a conflict and felt bad about it (should I still wear the shirt if I didn’t run the race?). I have knuckled under and raced when I shouldn’t have to run a terrible race. Wil put it so well in her marathon reflection titled 'Pudding', hugging spectators, saying Thank you to volunteers. When you are not trying to PR and just enjoying the course, you should be very thankful to all the people sacrificing for you’re your benefit. Its hard to be in a bad mood when your smiling and thankful.