Dreaming or Believing

As the 2016 race season comes to an end and the winter starts to close in, it is time to reflect on how your season went, could it have been better? what is the plan for 2017? Are you Dreaming or Believing?

Now is the time to think about the new season. Plan that big race or series of races, identify areas that need improvement and start the plan for 2017. Is this what you have done or plan to do? If not you should be!

How much thought have you put into the off season’s training? Have you made a plan to get you through the winter coming out of the off season stronger, fitter and faster? If the answer is no to the above you are laying the foundation for an average season next year. This is the time of year I personally look forward to myself. This is the time to work on any weakness and address any problems; work on run efficiency, build power on the bike, and work on cardio fitness.

Strength and Conditioning

How much difference would it really make to be a few kg’s lighter? You would be surprised!

I would say that every athlete should identify what their racing weight and body fat should be, and set this as a marker to be achieved before their big event. It is best that this is done slowly, over time, looking at diet while also including a strength program to help achieve this goal.

Too many endurance athletes don’t train smart for the big race they have chosen, neglecting strength and mobility training in the early period of the training plan, ending up with an injury issue in the last few weeks leading up to the big event. A time you need to be building confidence and hitting those important numbers.

Most endurance athletes train in a repetitive pattern for most of the year. Swimming freestyle, cycling for hours on end (especially in a TT position on a time trial bike), and running long distances; resulting in postural imbalances. A long season can result in limited range of motion;tightness in rotator cuff, IT band, tight hip flexor’s and quads. All of this will be compounded if your job involves sitting at a desk all day.

A strength program is needed and should be structured to suit you the individual. Weakness should be identified and strengthened for the year ahead.

There is no magic going to happen on race day if it is running pace or power on the bike that needs attention. You can’t run that fantastic time off the bike unless you can run some good, stand alone races, at any distance. It is not possible to race all year round and expect to hit PB’s.

Athletes tend to ignore activities that don’t involve zones, FTP figures, breathing hard, feeling a burn and sweating a lot.

It is also time to get out the winter cycling gear, get in the foundation group bike rides, get on the turbo and work on some good efforts mid week. Power meters are getting a lot more affordable and you will have nowhere to hide with cycling efforts, maybe an early Christmas present might be in order!

Now is the time to do the work.

So before you make that plan for the new year have a think about the following and ask yourself a few questions;