Do you remember Don Quixote? He was that guy who envisioned this daunting task in front of him. I think triathlon, especially amateur triathlon, is like that. There is no one forcing you to accept this quest. There is no one forcing you to continue this quest. However, the quest is still there and still to come. If you can master this quest in your life, it will be especially rewarding.
Some triathletes just do it once a year for a thrill. Others are there to revive a long-lost sporting hope. For others, getting to the Worlds in Kona, Hawaii is an aspiration. Still others want to try to win their local triathlon. Whatever your quest, hopefully your motivation will continue to spur you on in your quest.
How you complete your quest, or at least show progress, is the big question. Here are a few suggestions:
BUILD ENDURANCE
Every triathlete needs to build endurance. Whether it’s a sprint triathlon or an Ironman distance triathlon, endurance is required. Each year you can build more stamina. Start with some exercises and training plans that will push you to train in your Zone 2 or Zone 3 range. You have to cycle, run and swim in this area to increase your endurance. Each year you can improve your racing performance by increasing your stamina.
GET STRONGER
Many triathletes only swim, bike and run. The continued training load will make you stronger, but you can also do strength exercises at the gym to make yourself stronger. These exercises should be breed specific. You should build your shoulders and lats to be extra full while swimming. You will want to build your leg strength for cycling and running. You will also want to increase your flexibility to increase your strength. Getting 1% stronger in the off-season means minutes in the race season.
GET SMARTER
The information in triathlon is becoming more and more. There is more information about triathlon today than there was a year ago, and even more so 20 years ago. There are constant developments in training routines and training schedules. Nutrition is always in motion to get better. The information is limitless. There is so much information that you can easily become overwhelmed. I recommend listening to 1 podcast, subscribing to 1 magazine (USA Triathlon), reading 1 blog at a time, and reading 1 workout book. Doing more can get you confused and overwhelmed as everyone uses different data. Get smarter with a certain type of training and you’ll see additional benefits in your results.
HAVE FUN
Each consecutive year of triathlon should be more enjoyable and fun than the last. You’ll get stronger, you’ll have more stamina, and you’ll get smarter. Your efforts should make triathlon more fun. Always remember to have fun. When it’s not fun anymore, find something else to do.
After all, no one is forcing you to do this, Don Quixote!
Thanks to Jeff Dowdy | #stands #Quest #triathlon #training
