 We’re back, but with somewhat limited internet access. We’re committed to keeping the daily tips going and adding some video tips as well. We appreciate your patience as we get settled down in California.
This tip is about patience and about staying present. Do you find yourself rushing through your morning swim workout, to rush to work? Rushing thru meals to get to other activities? Worrying about workout number two in the midst of workout number one? If so you are falling into the mental trap of anticipation and likely detracting from the quality of your current activity. The more you are able to focus on what you are doing – keeping your catch strong in the pool, savoring that yummy meal so important for your recovery, posture and leg turnover during your run – the more enjoyable these activities will be and the more you will benefit. Learning to stay in the present is also critical for race day success.
Continue reading Being Present
The next time you’re out riding or running, play a little game and try to guess your heart rate every 15 minutes or so. Pay attention to how your legs feel, how hard you’re breathing, and what kind of terrain you’re in. The more you do this the better [...]
Don’t plan a day off, take it when you need it.
Like we’ve mentioned in several tips, consistency is your best friend when it comes to improvement in triathlon. A great way to ensure consistent training is to avoid planning a regular day off. Let your motivation and fatigue [...]
This is probably old news, but if nothing else take it as a reminder for the next time you travel to your race. Putting all that time in for Ironman race day only to catch a silly bug druing race week happens all the time. Hard training suppresses your [...]
 As race season rolls around, getting time out training in the open water is a great way to mix it up and give yourself a break from the black line. However, it is very easy to fall into a leisurely pace that won’t benefit your race day goals. To get around this you need to keep in mind that it is still a training workout and some effort is required. It is also very easy to fall into a similar routine swim after swim.
-Two times around the big island.
-To the far beach and back.
-5th dock around the point.
We all have our own lake swim turnaround points. Be adventurous if safety allows and switch it up. You also can’t forget about the harder efforts you would normally do while in the pool:
- Practice your beach starts and exits.
- Swim flat out to the rock or big tree.
- Change draft positions with your swim partner every 5 minutes.
- Long steady is great, but not every time you go out.
Continue reading Open water swimming
This one is best done on a fixed trainer (ie. Not rollers – but if you can do it on rollers -you’re crazy awesome- or would like to see someone doing this on rollers, check the comments) and is a great way to break up an indoor ride. There’s [...]
Going back to the topic of consistency with this short tip. A good rule of thumb is to never let three days go by where you haven’t trained one of the three sports. Being consistent in training as whole is great, but being consistent across swimming, biking, and running [...]
Coaches are important and many athletes have one…sometimes even two that work together. They help take you to new levels and they help see your weaknesses from a different perspective.
Generally, a coach is not only giving you a training plan, but they’ll also be following up with how each particular [...]
What is your underlying motivation for doing well in triathlon? Material aspects of competition, such as prizes, trophies, money? More immaterial, egocentric aspects of competitive events, such as recognition and respect from peers? Or how about the desire for self-development, and to challenge yourself?
Sports psychology studies emphasize that athletes should be encouraged to improve performance using intrinsic (within yourself) rather than extrinsic (outside yourself) motivators. This is because, with extrinsic rewards, your self-confidence and overall satisfaction with training and performance are defined by external factors, which are out of your control.
For example, if you place poorly in a race, despite having performed above personal expectations, you may be very self-critical and get depressed, and this may affect future performance. If performance is evaluated by external factors, such as what other people may think of you, your objectivity goes out the window. You need this objectivity to learn from failures, and face personal challenges that may be inhibiting your further development.
Continue reading Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
This drill is from Matt Fitzgerald’s ‘Brain Training for Runners‘. A great book.
Lace the fingers of your two hands together and make a big circle with your arms at shoulder level, like you are simulating a basketball hoop for someone else to toss a ball through. Run 100m [...]
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About this site:
These triathlon and endurance sport related tips have been compiled by Heather and Trevor Wurtele over the years of their progression from working age-groupers to full time professional triathletes. Heather is now a 4 time Ironman Champion and top 10 World Championship finisher. Trevor has an Ironman PR of 8:22 and a 2:51 Ironman marathon.
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We’re back, but with somewhat limited internet access. We’re committed to keeping the daily tips going and adding some video tips as well. We appreciate your patience as we get settled down in California.
