What can you expect when TRAINING WITH LEAPFROG???
The following email was sent last week to the 9 athletes we currently have preparing for The Beach2Battleship Full and 1/2 Iron Distance Triathlon.
Being coach is more than just writing a plan…it’s checking in, keeping athletes accountable…understanding that life gets in the way sometimes…it’s about dealing with travel, aches and pains, family, social lives… There is so much more to coaching than feeding an athlete a workout.
We wish everyone success! Train Smart. Run With Purpose. Prepare Yourself.
IRONMAN THOUGHTS (& Gut Check)
Hello Everyone!
Hope this finds you all doing well and preparing both mentally and physically for the upcoming event at Beach2Battleship!
I have a few thoughts and concerns that I would like to share…keep in mind these are general thoughts and are said from my “Coach Matt” state of mind:)
First off…This is TOUGH!! It’s an “IRON EVENT” This isn’t easy, it’s not supposed to be easy. Iron is found deep in the earth…under a lot of pressure!! Realize this…Life/Work/Family/Friends/Social/Sleep…all these things add pressure…all these things are WHY the Iron Distance Races are Difficult.
For each of us…Our Training WILL NOT BE PERFECT. Such is our lives!! With this said, I’ve noticed over the past few weeks that some pressures are consistently appearing and “excusing” us from training (Myself Included…)
So…Now is the time to Re-Visit YOUR GOALS…and Re-Commit to your training where you need…
These are the areas I’ve seen and that need worked on…
EATING RIGHT. This means No Skipping Meals. We MUST Fuel our Bodies to Perform & Prevent Injury
HYDRATING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. Do Not Get Behind…it’s over 100 degrees with the heat index… Be Aware.
SLEEPING RIGHT. This one is tricky…It’s not just resisting the urge to stay out late, to overindulge in alcohol BUT IT’S ALSO ABOUT NOT SKIPPING WORKOUTS DO TO A POOR NIGHTS SLEEP. We’ve all been there…tossing and turning all night…then skipping a workout because we’re tired. In reality…I’m not even concerned about the time on the bike missed or the mileage running that is missed…I’m concerned about the MENTAL PROCESS of giving up on a commitment to yourself. REALITY: WE ARE GOING TO HAVE BAD/TIRED MOMENTS IN OUR RACES…I WANT US ALL MENTALLY STRONG. So, be tough mentally. If you plan a morning run/ride/swim…DO IT. Once you start, if you need to modify, I’m totally understanding of that (I trust you know your body) BUT DON’T SKIP SHOWING UP… Build the Mental Toughness that you will need on race day.
COMPLETING THE FULL DISTANCE OF THE WORKOUT. I’ve been guilty of this myself… There is a difference between a 65 Mile Ride and a 40 Mile Ride…DON’T SELL YOURSELF SHORT. If the plan says 75…then make it a point to DO 75…not 55. Yes, it’s a detail and yes there are time constraints…I know this, I understand this, and on occasion I have fell short myself. Please make falling short the exception, not the rule (NOTE: Kim and Christie you have an outline that is geared for much higher mileage than you need, so this one doesn’t apply:)
TRAINING WITH TRAVEL. We have an active bunch doing the Iron Races! With all of the travel for business and pleasure it is important to get SOMETHING in every day. We can’t all have our bikes or a pool with us when we travel…but we can all take our shoes. These is HUGE VALUE in just putting in some time. To make an hour will reap HUGE REWARDS!! You can always run for an hour and use that time to MENTALLY PREP YOUR SWIM/BIKE. Mental Preparation IS HUGE>Your Mind Will Overcome a Ton!! No need to kill it on time or intensity, big need to consistently move though. (If your hotel has a pool then even better and most gyms have spin classes that we can always use…once again, not intensity, just activity:)
NUTRITION ON THE BIKE. Just a continued follow up that this HAS TO BE A PRIORITY!! We need to be “over eating” now so that on race day we have a HABIT. I promise that miles will go bye on the bike that we will each likely “forget” to eat/hydrate. It’s also likely to be cool…so we won’t have the heat pushing us to drink…SO WE MUST HAVE THE HABIT.
LASTLY…Have the “Come to Jesus” moment on what your true expectation is and what your level of training is. Make sure they are consistent. I have no issue as long as your training is in line with your goals. Just Be True To Yourself. I want nothing but for each of us to HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE!! That Is Victory!!
I’m PROUD of each of us for CHOOSING to become IRONMEN!! Let’s Rise To The Pressure Of Our Life. Let’s Support One Another and Lets Train Smart:)
See You All Soon!
Matt Reedy
PRIVATE COACH w/LEAPFROG
TRAINING PLANS w/LEAPFROG
THIS WEEK @LEAPFROG
