In my years of coaching and competing, I have learned that flexibility can go a long way in helping an athlete and coach!
Now, before I go to far, I must say that it is not the flexibility that you may have initial thought when you read the first sentence. I am talking about flexibility in terms of race schedules, when things happen that adversely effect training or things happen that just make dream races not quite feasible.
When I embarked on my 2015 race season training on November 3, it was with 2 intentions: training for an early season Ironman (Texas) and training using MAF. About 2-3 weeks, I came to the realization that the early season Ironman was not going to happen. I am not giving up on an Ironman distance race but it will have to wait till later in the season.
Now, I have been able to stick with the plan of training using MAF (Maxium Aerobic Function). Without the scheduled May 16th Ironman, I extended my base building by 4-5 weeks. With the addition of suspension training during this time, I came out of this 16-17 week stretch feeling aerobically stronger and muscularly leaner than I have been in years. I have even had people ask if I had lost weight but as far as I know, I have not, but I do feel leaner and stronger. As I started my Build Phase (3 weeks in now), I have found bike and run workouts above MAF have come easily and my paces at MAF continually drop. My swimming continues to get faster and for first time,since I returned to triathlons 3 years ago, I feel my swim is actually respectable!
20 Weeks Of Training @ MAF
Bike - 86 rides/ 2777 miles/ 130.20 hours/ 21.32 mph
Run - 65 runs/ 444 miles/ 60.07 hours/ 8:07 per mile
Swim - 39 swims/ 40.75 miles/ 19.40 hours
Total - 190 workouts/ 3261.75 miles/ 209.67 hours
Weekly - 9.5 workouts/ 163.09 miles/ 10.48 hours
To keep me motivated, I have signed up for my 1st race of 2015! In 10 weeks, I will be competing at Black Bear Triathlon (Sprint Race). The distances are 750 meter swim, 18 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. I am still looking to compete a couple half-ironman races during the summer and several sprint races in a lead up to a fall Ironman race.
Some other potential races:
Challenge AC or Pocono
Ironman Timberman 70.3
Lake Lenape Triathlon
Quakerman Olympic + Triathlon
Keystone Sprint Triathlon
People often ask what am I on to complete my training?
I am on my bike 7+ hours a week, in the pool 1.5-2 hours a week and on the roads running 3+ hours a week in 2015......and of course coffee, ice cream and beer for recovery!
