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Triathlon Coaching
Time - our most valuable resource and when it come to training this is no exception.
As we mentioned in our previous post on rest days and recovery life events WILL HAPPEN and and this will impact your training as some point.
So this begs the question - When life happens what should you do?
One of the most common question we receive as coaches:
When do I know I need a day off?
When is the best time to have a rest day?
Let us provide you with some strategies to help address these questions.
In the next week we will present short posts summarizing our key coaching philosophies at Endurance Journey which we feel are the essential components of performance. Our intent here is to give you some key strategies to employ which will have a profound impact on not only the quality of your training but also your results. These are the concepts we have learned and applied in over 20 years of combined racing and coaching experience.
Let's face it, the performance space is filled with a ton of informational "noise". We aim to distill it down for you into some simple to apply concepts to maximize your training time investment and ultimately help you achieve your desired results.
Concept #1 - Quality Consistency
It feels like spring here and I wanted to get this message out to you before I go for my daily walk and pick up Isabella from school.
Firstly, our Okanagan Training Camp is now full (in less than 48 hours)! If your are interested in participating, I may open up a few more spots so let me know at info@endurancejourney.com.
Now to the reason for this message.
I have been talking to many of my athletes and nutrition clients about the choice to be daring. In other words, choosing to do something outside of their comfort zone where meaningful change happens.
Some would call this risk.
An example of this is a few athletes who have recently signed up for the training camp in May have expressed nervousness about exposing themselves this challenging training environment. Essentially, they are asking this one question:
Will I be good enough to meet this challenge?
You can live your life in two ways. In the pursuit of growth/gain or to avoid loss. We have been conditioned as humans to avoid taking chances, avoid loss, and over react to perceived threats.
The challenge with this avoidance mindset is we never expose ourselves to situations where we have to adapt and grow.
When you choose to put yourself in situations that are outside your comfort zone, you ensure a certain guaranteed result.
You will learn and develop the skills to thrive in the face of a challenge. This is how you develop unshakable self-belief.
Lean into each moment embracing the challenge and expecting magic.
When you look at it this way you have nothing to lose.
You will absolutely meet the challenge.
#MakeTodayMatter.
Your Coach,
Patrick
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P.S. If you want to learn more about how we can help you email us at info@endurancejourney.com or send us a note on facebook and let's chat. Our Group Training, Nutrition and Coaching Programs provide the support and guidance you need to help you achieve your ideal health and performance.
In my previous message I talked about recommitting to the process of achieving your goal everyday.
It's essential to know why your goal is important to your health and well being as that will help you recommit everyday and take the purposeful action needed to make it happen.
Today I'm going to introduce what I believe is a game changing mindset. Whether it is your health and/or performance if you adopt this you can make significant change and progress happen.
When it comes training for health and performance what you do consistently now sets you up your results in the future. Thinking in terms of weeks and months from a goal performance is a flawed model.
One of the biggest mistakes I see athletes (athletes refers to anyone who trains) make is doing what is most comfortable repeatedly year after year and expecting a different result.
Let me provide an alternative strategy.
That simple mindset switch will have a immediate positive impact. Whether its a tough training session, a challenging work situation, changing your mindset from "I have to do this" to "I GET to do this" provides the opportunity to be immersed in the challenge rather than resenting it.
Learning to acknowledge the things you are grateful for is important. Not only for keeping perspective but also for creating self awareness. The single most impactful tool I have found that has helped me feel gratitude and develop self awareness is learning to breathe with a purpose.
The First Annual Rise and Tri Triathlon will be on August 21st, 2016. Below are the detailed information and maps for the course.
Here are the directions of the course:
Swim Course
Here is the 50y Pool were the swim will be held:
There will be 8 lanes of swimmers. With 5-7 swimmers per lane
Try a Tri participants will complete 6 lengths (300y)
Sprint will complete 15 lengths (750y)
Bike Course
Try a Tri participants will complete 2 laps (11km)
Sprint will complete 4 laps (22km)
Turn by turn directions:
1. Exit transition at Wascana pool
2. Head south on Wascana Dr.
3. Turn left on Quinn Drive
4. Turn Right on Broad Street
5. Turn Right on Lakeshore Drive
6. Follow Lakeshore Drive to Legislative Building
7. Turn Left on Legislative Drive
8. Turn Right on Albert Street (north to college avenue)
9. Turn Right on College
10. follow to Broad street
11. Turn Right on Broad Street (continue to Lakeshore Dr until last lap then complete #12-14)
12. Turn Right on To Quinn Drive.
13. Turn Right on Wascana Drive
14. Follow Through to Finish
Run Course
Try a Tri participants will complete 3 laps (3km)
Sprint will complete 5 laps (5km)
1. Leaving T1 Heading west past the entrance of Wascana pool
2. Once past the pool turn left heading south toward Wascana Lake
3. Link up with the bike/walking path once at the lake taking a right heading west towards Albert Street.
4. Take a right following the path heading northwest towards Albert Street
5. Loop back on the park path heading east toward the Wascana pool.
6. Take right on Wascana drive
7. Continue for next loop or to finish located on Wascana Drive
I put together a short video series below discussing what gear to bring and how to set up a transition with options or different set ups.
Video#1 List and Description of Gear
Video#2 Road/Mountain Bike Transition Set Up
Video#3 Tri Bike Transition Set Up
Video#4 Warm Up/Post Race Gear
P.S. Haven't registered for the Rise and Tri on August 21st? What are you waiting for?
Only 36 spots left! Register here to claim your spot before they are gone!
I coach open water swim skills (sighting, drafting, turning, pack swimming, etc) with my athletes every week. Why? Swimming along a straight black line does not prepare you for open water racing. You need to simulate these conditions weekly in race season. This builds your skills and confidences to handle the environment of races. Get some friends together and get a coach to help develop these important and necessary skills.#maketodaymatter #endurancejourneycoaching
Be Ready, Dailed In, Execute
In any situation where you are asking your mind and body to perform, you MUST prepare it to do so.
The shorter the race, the more time you need to warm up.
Watch the video below and let me explain why, show you how to manage your warm up, and be mentally prepared to race at your best.
In summary, here is a great warm up strategy:
1. Get to the race early - at least 90mins to allow for proper warm up time
2. Warm up structure (30-40mins) 1. Bike - 5-10 min easy then 3 x 60-90sec at race effort (get a little burn in the legs) with full recovery after each effort. This should be 15 to 20 mins tops. Run 5 min easy then 3 x 30-60 secs at race effort with full recovery between each effort -10-15 mins tops. Get ready for swim. Swim 3-5 mins easy swimming then 3 x 20 strokes hard 20 strokes easy (make sure you are blowing bubbles when head is in the water - no holding breath). Finish this warm up 5 mins before start. If you can't bike prior just extend the running warm up with some dynamic exercises (arm circles forward and back, out to the side and back in 10x each) before your swim.
If in only a running or cycling race just extend the easy riding/running portion of the warm up to ~20min before beginning race efforts.
3. While waiting for the start: Deep breathing (on each exhale) - Believe, You Can, You Will
From the start to the finish line:
Be your best in THIS moment. Then your end result will really matter.
Your Coach,
Patrick
P.S. I will be holding my 4th Triathlon Performance Series webinar in on Sunday, June 26th @ 7pm CST specifically on the topic of Training and Racing Recovery. The purpose of this webinar is simple, cut out the noise and give you a simple strategy to develop a training and racing recovery plan to optimize your health and performance. This webinar is done live and you can ask questions during the presentation to get the information you want. By registering for this 60 min webinar you will get access to all 4 webinars in the series (1. Race Preparation 2.Nutrition 3. Prioritizing Training, and 4. Recovery). Over 5 hours of education to help you perform your best! These are all recorded so you access to the webinars, summary handouts, and action steps forever.
Register now!
Have you ever gone into a situation with fear and doubt about your ability to achieve a good outcome?
I struggle with fear and doubt like anyone else. It can be paralyzing and really stop you from achieving your dreams. I know it kept me from beginning my coaching business for many years until I went through this "What if" exercise.
I learned that by being proactive and anticipating the challenges fear and doubt get replaced by confidence and action.
For every challenging situation that causes you to fear and doubt your ability, come up with two solutions to that situation.
Proactive instead of reactive.
Confidence followed by action instead of fear and stagnation.
Choose your outcome.
Get after it!
Patrick
P.S. If you want to learn more about becoming race ready you can still register for my June Triathlon Performance Webinar Series.
4 webinars 4 topics to help you improve your performance and become a healthier person.
Part 1: Own your Race! Strategies you can put into action today which will help you develop a plan to be race ready. Learn how to dial in your focus and mental performance to maximize training and race outcomes. (June 5th - Recording and resources available)
Part 2: Nutrition for Health and Performance - what, when, how? Cut out the noise and develop simple effective nutrition blueprint that meets your needs. (Live - June 12th)
Part 3: Prioritizing Training During Race Season - How do you fit it all in? Strategies to make sure you do the right kind of training at the right time. (Live June 19th)
Part 4: Recovery Strategies for Optimal Health - how to use your time away from training to optimize how you feel and move. (June 26th)
And MORE...
Summary Checklists Provided - learning new strategies is great but will only help you if you put them into action. These tools will give you the guidance needed to implement immediately!
All Presentations are Recorded - So don't worry if you cannot make the live webinar. You will be sent a link to the recording immediately after each is complete. Listen at you own convenience!
All this for $99.00. But hurry there is limited availability!
I'm even going to take the risk out for you. If you are not completely satisfied after the first webinar you watch I will refund your registration. No questions asked.
Now what are you waiting for?? Make the commitment to improve your performance now!
Triathlon Performance Webinar Series
$99.00
Your Ideal Performance Awaits!
Patrick
So I just arrived back home after spending the weekend with a team of 10 Endurance Journey athletes racing at Victoria 70.3.
Really proud of this group who embraced the challenges of the course and were engaged in giving their best effort every step along the journey to the finish line.
Let me tell you, standing at the finish line you could sure tell those athletes that were focused on the end result during the race rather than being immersed in the process of being their best throughout the day.
For those people who did not achieve the result they wanted it was all about justifying it. "I had a crappy swim, I was tired, I had a problem with my bike, I couldn't run the pace I wanted"...
Part of me wanted to go up to these people and ask "So how did you stay focused in that moment on what you needed to be the best you could be?"
I would bet they would not have an answer because they had checked out. Their ideal result appeared to be no longer in reach. Race over.
Putting together a great performance is about being the best you can be in this moment rather than trying to be the best.
It is a subtle statement with great meaning.
Being the best in the moment will always allow you to get the most out of every race regardless of the circumstances.
I have learned through 15 years of coaching and competing that the best results always happen when you have no expectations of a specific result, you know you have the ability to race well, so you just let it happen, and trust that you have the knowledge and experience that will allow things to work out.
This mindset takes the pressure away from trying to force a result. It not about the end outcome, its about being immersed in the present experience. The focus is on the process of being the best you can be in the moment.
This is what you can control. When you adopt this mindset rather than trying to achieve the perfect outcome (whatever "perfect" is?!) you give yourself the best chance of performing at your best.
Time and time again, I have seen poor races happen when athletes try to control the results and force good things to happen. Trying to control the results causes anxiety, stress, and tension. So let go of what you can't control (results) and focus on the little things (the present process) that will help you perform well.
So whether in sport or life, next time you are preparing for or are in a challenging situation, be your best in the moment rather than trying to be the best.
Get after it!
Your Coach,
Patrick
P.S. Big News - In the next few days I will be opening up registration for the Endurance Journey 6 week triathlon clinic and Rise and Tri Triathlon on August 21st. This is a great opportunity to prepare for and race a super sprint or spring triathlon. Stay tuned for the details...
I know this post is timely since you are probably just eating or have finished your supper.
I had a very energetic discussion with another coach today and we were discussing the important components of healthy eating to support performance.
I have always believed nutrition for health and nutrition for performance are very similar. Nutrition for performance just has to be quickly accessed and digested easily.
Unfortunately, for most, the topic of nutrition is a can of worms. This is a figure of speech of course relating to the idea that the word nutrition can be defined a hundred different ways by a 100 people.
What are the right things to eat?
How much should you eat?
When is the best time to eat?
And the list of questions goes on and on.
Now let me propose a different way of looking at understanding your own nutritional needs.
It begins with asking yourself one question:
Are you aware of how you eat?
In other words:
How fast do you eat? Are you distracted when eating?
Think about it, or do you even think about anything when you are eating?
Maybe you are busy having a conversation, reading your phone, a book, ipad, watch TV, etc
In my opinion there is one thing the leads to over eating or eating too much of something that does not support your health.
Lack of awareness when eating.
So I challenge you to take more time when you eat and remove the distraction when eating. You will soon notice:
1. You will be much more aware of whether or not you are eating what you need vs what you want.
2. After you are finished eating slowly you will pay attention to how what you ate made you feel.
Paleo, South Beach, 5:2, the list of suggestions on how you should eat goes on and on. However, these approaches fail to teach you to listen to your body.
When you become more aware of what you are eating and how it makes you feel you will be able to develop a nutrition strategy that works for your health and performance.
Tomorrow I will talk about how to simplify your nutrition for performance.
Get after it!
Your Coach,
Patrick
P.S. I will be holding my second webinar in a few days specifically on the topic of nutrition for health and performance. My purpose of these webinars is simple, cut out the noise and give you a simple strategy to develop a nutrition plan that supports your health and performance. This webinar is done live and you can ask questions during the presentation to get the information you want. This will also give you access to all 4 webinars in the series (1. Race Preparation 2.Nutrition 3. Prioritizing Training, and 4. Recovery). These are all recorded so you access to the webinars and summary handouts forever!
Click this link to register now!
http://app.webinarjam.net/register/27486/a71ef3e581
