Mach3Multisport.com

It’s the beginning of your season.  This can be an overwhelming time to sit in front of the computer and look at all the races out there, planning which ones to do and which to skip.  Race directors don’t help with late entry fee rate increases and races that fill up.  There are a lot of factors one should consider before plopping down that check for every race in which you want to compete.

First, get out a calendar and look up every race that you want to do and those you’ve dreamed of doing (assuming you can train properly for that distance).  Write them down on the calendar so that you can have a visual depiction of when they are, which conflict with the others, and how they tend to “clump up” together.  Don’t cross any off yet, just write them all down. Next, prioritize the list given your work schedule, your weekends free to race or travel, your family obligations, and your racing desires.  Be sure to be sensitive to the desires of your family and your other commitments—it’s easy to overextend with travel and racing.  Also, be realistic about your training—if all you’ve done is a sprint triathlon, signing up for an Ironman in a month may not be the best thing for you.   

Next, use the principles talked about in my Periodization article and assign periods to your season plan.  It is important to be sure you have a base phase to build overall Aerobic fitness and strength prior to doing any speed work to avoid injury.  If you’re new to Endurance sports, most of your season will be base work.  It’s also important, if you live in an area like Arizona where racing can last most of the year, to assign a rest or recovery period in the middle of your season.  I begin racing in February and don’t stop until October, so I take a 3-week rest break in July after a June Peak season.        

Lastly, don’t be a slave to your schedule.  If there is a possibility of a business trip coming up, don’t sign up too early for a race in that time in the hopes of saving the $10 late fee.  Similarly, put off signing up for some of the later season races right away.  It would be worse to overextend your schedule or come into injury or illness and miss the race and lose the $95 fee altogether.  If you’re beginning to get tired or getting a few nagging injuries, take a break—take a few weeks off, then get back into it slowly with more Base Training before jumping right back in.  

Set our season right, be smart about it, and you’ll have a great season with many successes! 

Brian 

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