The New Year is just around the corner, which means your next race season will be here before you know it. So bring on the new goals with the New Year!
This will require more careful planning and organization of your race events. Start by prioritizing races into A, B and C events.
- A events are those important events and ones that you will focus most of your training on. They should all be similar types of events. These events are your main goals for the season. Depending on the distance, you should plan on spending a minimum of 12 weeks to train for these A events. Schedule these races at least 10-12 weeks apart. As you approach the event, ramp up the intensity of your training; and after the event plan on taking at least a week of rest and recovery before the next.
- B events are not goal races, but consider them to be training events – warm-ups for the A races. You’ll still want to give 100 percent, but they don’t have to be the same type of format at the A race. An example of a B event would be a 10K race prior to an Olympic-distance triathlon.
- C events are your fun races. You don’t have to push yourself physically or have any goals for these races. These races build up your enthusiasm and keep you interested and active in training for the A and B events. Put these on your calendar every 4 to 12 weeks.
Other tips to help you plan your race schedule:
Set Your Goals for the Season
Physically write your goals down on paper and keep them in a spot where you can see them every day – your bathroom mirror, your desk or your refrigerator. Be sure they are realistic goals – do they fit into the other commitments in your life? Writing them down will help you stay motivated to meet your goals.
Whatever they are, establish them early in the year so you can stay focused. Social media can sometimes be harmful when others are posting about a race not on your radar. Be patient and persistent – those races will be there next year.
Plot Out Your Calendar
You’ll need to get yourself organized to complete all these events. Start with a 12-month calendar; put you’re a races on first, then add your B and C events. The only thing you should be careful of is not to schedule your fun C events close to your A events. This time should be used for specific training for that race.
Be sure to consider social events such as vacations, work commitments and personal commitments such as weddings.
Leave Room for Life
It is important to not let racing consume you. Be sure to leave room for “mental recovery”. This could be a trip, consistent nights out with friends, or movie nights at home. Something to break away from the “race life” and let your mind and body recover. This is just as important as training your body for a race.
Think of the year as a funnel. The funnel is wide at the beginning of the year – allowing more latitude in your workouts. As you get closer to key races (your A or B events), the funnel becomes smaller so training can focus on the specifics of the race.
If you’re new to triathlon or trying to progress to the next level, contact me today so that I can help you build a training program to help you structure your calendar for next year.
Train Right, Tri Right
Coach MJ
