Comparing yourself to others?
Hi everyone, this is your reminder that everyone's training plans will be unique so try not to compare to other people's plans and don't be worried if somebody else seems to be doing so much more or less than you. They may be at a different phase of training, they could have started at a different level to you or may just be doing it another way.
Always remember though that there are some key elements to have within your training no matter what level you're at, that will help you to get to that red carpet -
• Regular fitness testing - this is so important to make sure that training plans are having the effect that they should be having on your fitness, whilst increasing training levels at the right pace for you. Ideally complete your FTP and CSS tests at least every 6 weeks.
• Easy pace / zone 2 sessions - I struggled with these at first as felt I should be doing more in a workout, but zone 2 training is essential for Ironman events as it improves our cardio systems whilst boosting endurance (win win!!). Don't be tempted to push these workouts harder or to go faster. Take it easy and this will have a huge effect.
• Regular recovery weeks - ideally every 4 weeks where the hours planned are slightly reduced. This will give your body time to rest, heal and recover and help you get ready to go again!
• Quality sessions - as well as zone 2 sessions each week, plan some quality sessions with short periods of time where you push into zone 4 heart rate. This will help increase our VO2 max / the amount of oxygen we can take in.
• Also take advantage of local races to help get you race ready. See if there's a shorter distance triathlon that can be scheduled in to help you to get comfortable with racing, practice transitions and nutrition etc. These can be counted as training sessions for that week as well as race rehearsal.
If you're unsure about training plans or anything mentioned in this article please feel free to email me - Jennifer.done@tridot.com
Keep going - you've got this!!
Jen x