7 Habits of Highly Effective (Tri)Athletes
Now that the race season is over and the holiday season is approaching, our training can really take a back seat. Here is a recap of article I came across a few years ago that identified 7 common similarities among successful pro and age group athletes. Yes, it's good to take a mental as well as a physical break from a truly focused training season but you don't necessarily want to dig yourself a too big a hole to dig yourself out of. So, here is a list of 7 habits that are key to effective training. Over the holidays, give yourself a break and a pat on the back if you hit 5 out of 7, the jump back into the training game in January won't be too painful.
#1 -Effective Training #2 - Consistent Training
On these two points,the article stressed the need to train your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Another aspect of effective training to consider is to focus on proper form and technique and to train at an appropriate level of intensity. So, over the holidays, if the swim is your weakness, at least try to get in for a few short swims to keep the frequency of your workouts up and to keep the feel for the water. Do some drills that work on your stroke weaknesses. The same goes for the bike and run: don't skip them entirely. If you have time for only a short workout, make it count: work on form or do some intensity work so you don't lose the sense of what it takes to work hard and go fast. And if you don't fit in as many training days as usually do, just set a goal that works with your social calendar. Even try to make some of your social activities a training day. Meet a friend for a swim, bike or run.
3. Adequate Recovery
This one should be easy to do this time of year! As well as physical recovery, the mental break is important. Also, take the time now to connect with friends and family you don't get to see as much when you're in full on race training mode. You got this one!!
4. Setting Goals
As you're drifting off to sleep, watching old race videos or showing all your friends your latest race photos, take some time to identify your training and racing goals for next year. Do you have a goal race or do you have some performance goals? Take some time and map out a plan for next year's race season.
5. Coaching
I guess you could argue that self-coaching qualifies as coaching so this could apply to any of us whether we have a third party coach. Coaching implies some objective determination of the steps it will take to get you from where you are today to where you want to go. If you have a coach, plan to sit down and assess the goals and the training objectives. If you are self coached, think about putting together a written plan that will help you build safely and surely to your goals. If you are planning on working with a coach next season, start doing some research, ask a friend, think about goals, budgets and schedules.
6. Nutrition
There are lots of temptations this time of year and we can all afford to indulge a little bit but try to let all the goodies and beverages take too much of a toll on your body or put you in a bigger hole than you need to be after the holidays. There are tons of tips and tricks on how to be careful about diet when you're faced with so many temptations this time of year. Find one that works for you. I'm a black coffee kind of person so it works for me to focus on getting a great cup of coffee. Coffee does go really, really well with chocolate & cookies, though so I don't go entirely without little treats.
7. Positive Mental Attitude
That's what the holidays and spending time with friends and family is all about. Take some mental time off from training and enjoy the company of family and friends. Also, take some time to look back at your race season and reflect on your successes, see the positives in how you were able to overcome hurdles and obstacles along the way.
What to you think? Can you make 7 out of 7 or even 5 or 6?
Contact me directly here if you want a copy of my Holiday Triathlon Plan including gym sessions;
Contact me directly here if you want a copy of my Holiday Triathlon Plan including gym sessions;
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