How you EXECUTE your training plan is a MASSIVE factor in your success or failure as an athlete.    EXECUTING YOUR PLAN means making smart decisions when things don’t go as expected.    “Getting through” the plan and doing every workout is NOT the goal.   The goal is to maximize our RESULTS– to get the maximum adaptation  from your plan.  And that often requires making smart decisions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Sometimes you need to change your plan.  Vacation, injury, fatigue or just the chance to have some fun.  Know how to do it right!

 

 

 

 

3 Key Concepts For Executing Your  Triathlon Training Plan

Zones Are a "General Area" Not an Exact Level!

Never kill yourself to hit a certain target or worry about being perfect (except to not go too hard in easy days).   We train in a general area to get certain adaptations (positive effects) while trying to avoid negative effects (fatigue, injury).   It doesn’t have to be complex.   Zones “meld” into one another-- being 2% below the planned zone because you are tired is fine.   

The Importance of Low Stress Workout Days (heart rate caps on easy days)

Training below your aerobic threshold (roughly 30 beats below your ANaerobic threshold) at an intensity that feels relatively easy is a "low stress" training day.   Going just a bit harder to Ironman effort will cause the body to have a stress response-- don't go there!   These low stress workouts give our bodies and systems a well needed rest so we don't become chronically overstressed (which means our bodies won't adapt and improve).  But don't be fooled-- these low heart rate endurance workouts have big benefits.  

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A Little Too Easy is Much Better Than a Little Too Hard

Going too hard can lead to injury, sickness and deep fatigue (or stagnation).  Going a little too easy... probably won't affect your performance at all in the long run.    Stay healthy and strong: (1) keep those "low stress" workouts easy;  (2) rarely exceed your intensity limits in hard workouts (especially for the run) and (3) if you are showing signs of being overstressed (signs of tissue overload, being run down, excessively fatigued)-- back off and go easier.   In other words, we we much more about staying below the top of the zone as oppposed to staying above the bottom of the zone.

Why do I need to change up my plan? Shouldn't I just try my best to get everything done no matter what?

No!   Your plan gives you a training load that you can absorb when you are healthy, feeling reasonably good and when you have appropriate fatigue levels.   If you are unhealthy, run down or overly fatigued, then your plan needs to be adjusted.   

You’ll also need to be smart about how you handle scheduling conflicts and whether / how to reschedule workouts.   Your plan spaces out your workouts in a very deliberate way (with harder workouts spaced out).   And we  carefully balance the harder workouts with “low stress” workouts.   If you miss a hard workout you can’t just reschedule it haphazardly or you risk throwing off the entire balance of your training.    

What if i’m Tired, Run down, STRESSED or sick

What if I feel VERY run down and tired? (stressed, sleep deprived, grumpy, jet lagged, etc)

If you are VERY run down and tired don’t do a long or hard workout.   When I feel that way (completely run down and exhausted) I’ll personally just take the day off from training and hit the couch and go to bed early.  Usually one lazy day can set me right.   But if you prefer to move, you can do a “no stress” recovery workout just for blood flow (walking or jogging so slowly it’s almost a walk, ridiculously easy bike ride (good for errands or family rides), or hitting the pool for some drills or easy 25s.     Don’t test yourself — just keep it easy.   If you start to feel good once you get moving you can up it from a “no stress” to a “low stress” workout if you want (low heart rate endurance – NEVER exceeding 30 beats below anaerobic threshold).  But keep it nice and relaxed.

What do I do if I feel tired and unmotivated on a single day?

This is normal.  Start your workouts and give yourself plenty of time to warm up.  If it’s a relaxed or easy day keep it nice and easy.  If you have a harder workout planned then go ahead and start the workout as planned (build into any harder sections).   If you feel good once you get going, then do the workout as planned.  If the planned workout is just “not happening” then just do a relaxed ride (at least 30 beats below your threshold HR) and if that feels tiring in a bad way then just quit.

What if I feel like I might be coming down with an illness or fighting something off?

Don’t “power through” if you feel like you are getting sick.   Much better to take a day off or an easy day sometimes if you feel you are getting sick if it can prevent a week or more of being sick and compromised.   A good night of sleep here might just help your body fight it off and prevent a lost week of training. Probably at least a couple of days / year I feel like I’m coming down with something and just sit on the couch like a blob starting late afternoon then go to bed early.

What should I do if I am sick?
WHAT DO I DO IF I GET SICK? (4 phases of feeling sick 🤒🤢🤧🤮
First off, prevention is key. (1) sleep as much as you can (since I started prioritizing sleep I basically never get sick- knock on wood; (2) get your flu shot; (3) using purell after being in “germy” situations like the subway can’t hurt either; (4) send your kids to boarding school
Here’s what to do if you get sick:
**PHASE 1: “feel like you might be coming down with something” ** If you are in this category, you might just be able to fight things off if you take care of yourself. IT IS OK TO SKIP A WORKOUT SO YOU CAN GET MORE SLEEP HERE. A good night of sleep here might just help your body fight it off and prevent a lost week of training. Probably at least a couple of days / year I feel like I’m coming down with something and just sit on the couch like a blob starting late afternoon then go to bed early.
**PHASE 2: SICK. **If you are actually sick, THEN JUST REST. Sleep as much as you possibly can and avoid stress. Don’t train when you are feeling full blown sick, especially if you are feverish!   DO NOT MAKE UP FOR WORKOUTS YOU MISSED WHEN YOU WERE SICK! 
**PHASE 3: SICKNESS “HANGOVER” **maybe you are no longer full blown sick but you have a lingering cough or just feel a bit “off.” This is a tough one and I’m not a doctor. Training with a “below the neck” sickness can cause major problems. Consult with your doctor, but NOT MATTER WHAT, DO NOT EXCEED “RELAXED” intensity for awhile. That’s 30 beats below threshold HR or more and it should feel easy. That level will prevent a “stress response” from your body, so it will let your immune system continue to work well without piling on additional stress
**PHASE 4: FEELING BETTER. **If you go straight from phase 2 to phase 4 (rare), always do at least 2 days of “relaxed” workouts before going harder. NEVER TRY TO MAKE UP FOR MISSED SESSIONS– just get back into the plan. When you get back into the plan, go by feel. DO NOT TRY TO HIT CERTAIN NUMBERS. It’s OK / expected for power or pace to be slower for a week or more as you transition back in. Don’t rush it.
How do I return to training after sickness?
DO NOT MAKE UP FOR WORKOUTS YOU MISSED WHEN YOU WERE SICK! 
**PHASE 3 of sickness: SICKNESS “HANGOVER” **maybe you are no longer full blown sick but you have a lingering cough or just feel a bit “off.” This is a tough one and I’m not a doctor. Training with a “below the neck” sickness can cause major problems. Consult with your doctor, but NOT MATTER WHAT, DO NOT EXCEED “RELAXED” intensity for awhile. That’s 30 beats below threshold HR or more and it should feel easy. That level will prevent a “stress response” from your body, so it will let your immune system continue to work well without piling on additional stress
**PHASE 4: FEELING BETTER. **If you go straight from phase 2 to phase 4 (rare), always do at least 2 days of “relaxed” workouts before going harder. NEVER TRY TO MAKE UP FOR MISSED SESSIONS– just get back into the plan. When you get back into the plan, go by feel. DO NOT TRY TO HIT CERTAIN NUMBERS. It’s OK / expected for power or pace to be slower for a week or more as you transition back in. Don’t rush it.

What if my performance is poor?

What if my workout performance has been poor for several days? (10% or more worse than usual)

One “bad day” isn’t unusual.   But a series of bad days where your performance is 10% or more worse than usual is a sign you are deeply fatigued in that sport.    (e.g. you can usually sustain 200 watts comfortably for your Ironman effort reps but you struggle to hold 180 for the same effort.  then later in the week you failed to stay in the correct zone for your intervals and maybe even your easy rides are at a much lower power vs. effort).  If this happens it’s time for a REAL “recovery week.”  That means nothing but “no stress” super easy recovery training in that sport for 5 straight days or so  (Something like 50+ beats below threshold– more like the equivalent of a walk).    DO NOT TEST!   If you try to test yourself too early you might just prolong your fatigue, especially if you are not the most robust triathlete.   

FINAL NOTE:  you might be tempted to worry you are out of shape when your performance drops.  If you have been training fairly normally, you are not out of shape.  You’re fatigued– trust me!

 

What if my workout performance vs. effort is poor today (10%+ worse than usual)

10% worse than usual (not compared to your “best” performance, but your “usual”) is around where we draw the ling between “normal fatigue” and “excessive fatigue”.  (e.g. If you can usually push 300 watts for your 1 minute intervals and you can’t hit 270 today).   If that’s the case, just pull the plug on the workout.  If you REALLY want to keep going you can just finish at an easy / relaxed effort (at least 30 beats below your threshold HR, but if that feels rough, then just quit).  The big priority is to make sure you bounce back for your next key workout.    For any upcoming “relaxed” / low stress workouts, keep them EXTRA easy.

What if I have been feeling somewhat tired and my performance has been "meh" (maybe 5% worse then normal) for a several weeks?

When we train hard or with high volume (e.g. in the thick of our Ironman build), it’s normal for performance to drop due to increased fatigue, even as we get fitter.   That’s fine.   However, we don’t want to stagnate forever (or if we don’t have to).   If your performance is stagnating, be sure to keep your relaxed / easier days EXTRA easy and not to go harder than planned on your harder days.

What if my workout performance was "meh" today? I was able to be "in the zone" but I was slower than usual.

One “meh” / mediocre day is normal.  Just do what you can on the day.  That’s fine– we don’t expect great performances every workout.   If it’s a relaxed or easier workout then keep it extra easy. 

What if my performance has been AWFUL for several days?

When your performance is repeatedly awful it means it’s time to do nothing but very easy (under 50% effort) for 4-5 straight days.   Your body is beaten down and needs REST.   E.g. let’s say I was feeling strong doing reps at 225 watts for a 5 hour ride as I got close to my Ironman.  Then for a few workouts in a row I struggle and feel tired if I try to push 200 wats.  I’m not getting out of shape– I’m deeply fatigued and need several easy days (no testing!)

what if i’m feeling signs of injury?

What if I start to tighten up in a bad way during a workout or it feels an old injury might be coming back?

JUST QUIT!   If you get “gimpy” at all– then just stop (especially for the run)!   Being injured is MISERABLE.  Never “power through” if you are gimpy at all.   It’s not worth it and the negative consequences can be catastrophic (weeks or months of dealing with an injury).

What if I am injured?
Do what you can without risking prolonging your recovery.    If you are injured there’s a good chance there’s still SOMETHING you can do that won’t aggravate your injury. (obviously, don’t do anything to prolong your recovery). Doing *something *in each sport is HUGE versus doing nothing. Get on it ASAP- if you delay 2 weeks you lose 1/3 of your fitness.
Some common modifications depending on the injury
    • swim with snorkel + PB
    • swim with no flip turns
    • swim cords or vasa instead of swim
    • run in chest high water
    • run with a floatation belt
    • Walk uphill on the treadmi
    • run VERY slowl
    • hike (maybe with a weighted pack)
    • bike on a spin bike (very upright posture
    • bike on road bike instead of tri bike
    • keep rides, runs, swims short
    • keep workouts VERY easy
Some of these things feel lame but they are HUGE for maintaining fitness. And most of them are very effective if if they don’t seem like they would be
For example, I’m recovering from hernia surgery. A week post surgery I can:
  1. do vasa with a “donut” around my incision area.
  2. walk uphill on the treadmill (4 mph @ 15% gets me to 145 beats per minute– a run heart rate!)
  3. and I could bike sitting up on Caroline’s peloton bike.
Those 3 things will maintain 3 sport fitness pretty well.

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what if I’m busy, short on time or travelling?

What do I do if I'm on vacation or business travel?
What if I am super busy and don't have time to do my plan?

If you are super busy, then prioritize.  First, plan to skip all of your “low priority” or “optional” workouts in your plan.  If what’s left over is still not manageable stick to the guideline of aiming for 3 workouts / sport / week (even if some of them are quite short).   Even short, easy workouts are VERY impactful vs. doing nothing.    Short runs off the bike are a very time efficient way to get in runs.    

What if I have extra time and want to train more?

Add extra easy or relax swims or bike volume.   You can also add extra short easy to relaxed runs.  We are typically already close to our max when it comes to “quality” training sessions.  But we have plenty of time to add more easier training, which is MASSIVELY impactful.   The difference between many professional and amateur plans isn’t the quality workouts, the the huge volume of easier training that many professionals do. 

What if I feel good but I missed a workout just due to a one off time issue?

If it’s a low priority workout that you missed, then probably just move on with your schedule.  If you missed a more important workout, you can reschedule it, but PROTECT YOUR KEY WORKOUTS OF THE WEEK and avoid back to back hard workouts in the same sport.   If in doubt, reschedule it as a “relaxed” low heart rate workout– that will let you get an endurance workout without worrying about stacking hard days too close together.   Be especially careful not to reschedule a hard workout for the day before you key long workouts when you are in your race build.

Went too hard? Missed workouts?  No pool?

What if I feel good but I missed a workout just due to a one off time issue?

If it’s a low priority workout that you missed, then probably just move on with your schedule.  If you missed a more important workout, you can reschedule it, but PROTECT YOUR KEY WORKOUTS OF THE WEEK and avoid back to back hard workouts in the same sport.   If in doubt, reschedule it as a “relaxed” low heart rate workout– that will let you get an endurance workout without worrying about stacking hard days too close together.   Be especially careful not to reschedule a hard workout for the day before you key long workouts when you are in your race build.

What if I missed several workouts?

In general, if you miss a bunch of workouts, just move on with the plan.  Maybe you can add a couple short easy or relaxed workouts in a sport to try to get close to the basic target of 3 workouts per sport per week.   (e.g. maybe add some short easy runs off the bike to hit 3 runs).   But really, the best option is usually just to get back on the plan and start fresh instead of playing an impossible game of makeup.

What if I had an easy workout scheduled but I went hard anyway? (maybe I got carried away riding with friends)

if you went too hard on a day that was supposed to be a low stress day then you should probably use it to take the place of a different hard workout (do a “relaxed” workout that day instead).  This goes especially for less robust triathletes.

What if I don't have access to a pool?
If you can’t swim– use swim cords!  Cords are a practical swim alternative.
I like these (yellow).    I don’t have much experience with these (but I’d go with lighter tubing– white, so you can do more reps with better form: 
EXERCISES:

Do several sets of pulls like this. For more on the catch and pull read shiela’s book “swim speed secrets” and look at the Chloe Sutton catch video in the swim learning units on the team FB page.

If you want to hit some of your swim muscles in addition to the pulls, here are some other exercises.

Time, energy or motivation to do more

What if have extra time and want to train more?

Add extra “relaxed” swim, bike or run sessions (keep extra runs short).   We are probably already close to maxed out on the amount of “quality” / “harder” training we can do (that training isn’t scalable), but we have plenty of room to increase our easier volume which can result in big aerobic stimulus with limited fatigue.  The biggest difference between amateur training plans and many pro training plans isn’t that the pros do that much more quality work vs. the amateur.  It’s the large volume of easier volume that many pros do.