Adding Single Sport Challenges To Your Year

We drive forward into 2022 as a united Tri Squad, but that doesn’t mean that every Squaddie is obviously anchored around triathlons as their only challenge.  This week I would like to highlight the integration of single-sport challenges and events into your Roadmap of triathlon training and racing.

Over the last few years a highly positive tread has emerged in endurance sports, at least by my reckoning. There seems to have been an unshackling of – what we might label - strict sports identification. For too long athletes were drawn into feeling like they should only participate and compete in one endeavor. We labeled ourselves ‘a runner’, a ‘triathlete’, and even a few did this weird thing called ‘ultras’. There were unwritten rules, and myths emerged leading many to believe that any deviation outside the confines of your sport would lead to some bodily exposition.  We have evolved, and it is a good thing.  I love athletes to take on this mindset:

• My sporting journey amplifies health, life and work performance
• My sporting journey provides direction, challenge and accomplishment
• Under the banner of sport I want to achieve xyz, but am free to explore outside goals

In other words, embrace some big lofty goals, but don’t think a broader mindset of activities and challenges are a distraction. Integrated with a smart mindset they can benefit athletically and emotionally, and extend the love affair with the journey.  Examples are trail running races, cross country ski races in the winter, bike tours, gravel events and even marathons. In many ways, I see these fun events and a chance to mix it up, test yourself, challenge the body in different ways. It fits squarely under the driving purpose for so many Purple Patch athletes, namely, to excel in triathlons but also perform for life.  Sport, health, life performance and work performance.

So, if you are choosing to integrate single sport events into the plan, how should you approach?  Without drama is the first response. The vast majority of these events do not require shifting Squad programs, or even deviating from baseline. Nearly every one, outside of a specific marathon build, should be integrated into the bigger picture and off a backbone of normal training. You might want or need to add a little bolster to event-specific challenges, but very few require really specific or obsessive builds. The reason for this is that these events all support the purpose and direction of the program, they are not the specific lightning rod on their own. They may be challenging and exciting, but success doesn’t demand a huge race build.  Speaking honestly, if you plan to integrate single sport challenges into the year, you will likely benefit from some coaching wisdom and insight.  Considerations such as timing, event choice, how to manage and evolve the training can all be covered. With this in mind, if you need support, this is a huge reason we integrated the affordable coaching consults.

I would love to hear your goals and additional events for the season.  Feel free to post on the athlete forum, perhaps we can line up and connect athletes heading to similar events.

Cheers,

Matt