All Inclusive
Life has been pretty busy lately. This lately has been extending for quite some time. Being busy isn't such a bad thing. Reflecting back throughout my life, I have achieved some pretty high goals and had enormous satisfaction and enjoyment during my busiest periods. I am one of those people that works better when I have constraints and deadlines, as opposed to plenty of free time. That said, managing the competing demands and slotting in the ability to relax are very important to the process.
The basics haven't changed for me over the years. The key difference now is some of the demands are more likely to change at the last minute than they used to. I used to be able to timetable everything well ahead of time. Having a family means this timetable may need to be thrown out the window at any moment. This is where I have come a bit lost. In an attempt to handle this unpredictability I have devised some so-called flexable training plans. With some hindsight, most the plans with the exception of last year's marathon campaign, have been too flexable. This has led to having the feeling the as though the training is being achieved, is consistent when in reality I wasn't quite hitting the mark. Looking back through my training diary tells a different story. There are too many blank sections.
Rigidity
My next training campaign will run on a more rigid schedule. Some of the flexibility will be removed. A more concrete plan spells out very clearly what I need to achieve. Will give a better framework to guage improvement and allow for more accurate manipulation of training parameters. Of course the unexpected can and will force changes at times. These changes will be from necessity and not because I just haven't got my act together this week. The required flexibility will come from other means, and from understanding ensuring the training fits well into my lifestyle, rather than being an adjunct.
It's Not About Training
In a blog about training, the above line may seem out of place. There are many other elements that take priority. As a result, a training plan is useless unless I address the other priorites first. Then everything can fit together. Everything suffers if there are competing interests.
In a brief overview this year will incorporate moving house again (we have just bought a place so will be moving out of the rental), a second little tacker to bring into the world, the required work on the new house, some increased work commitments and hitting the books for study again. I am looking forward to these big four events. Of course this list doesn't include the rest of day to day requirements.
From this platform I can now start considering my athletic goals.
New Goals
At the moment this is a work in progress. I am putting aside my immediate goal of getting 10km down into the 35 minute territory. The original plan of running faster at Melbourne Marathon this year needs to be ditched. The timing doesn't work with a newborn a month or so before.
Now with a clean slate to work from I am going to go with where most of my thoughts have been leading. Where I keep getting my current sporting inspiration. My new goals involve heading back to triathlon.
Long plans work for me. So I am giving myself over a year to get myself up to scratch for some long course (70.3, half-ironman) racing. My working plan is to be capable of hitting hitting a personal best half ironman race in the 2011/12 season. The timeline is reasonable. Plus it provides a good vehicle for developing a well rounded, all-inclusive fitness base over the next year from which I can launch any new campaign from.
In the past, my best short course racing results have always been achieved on the way to a bigger goal. I look forward to developing this plan further.
The basics haven't changed for me over the years. The key difference now is some of the demands are more likely to change at the last minute than they used to. I used to be able to timetable everything well ahead of time. Having a family means this timetable may need to be thrown out the window at any moment. This is where I have come a bit lost. In an attempt to handle this unpredictability I have devised some so-called flexable training plans. With some hindsight, most the plans with the exception of last year's marathon campaign, have been too flexable. This has led to having the feeling the as though the training is being achieved, is consistent when in reality I wasn't quite hitting the mark. Looking back through my training diary tells a different story. There are too many blank sections.
Rigidity
My next training campaign will run on a more rigid schedule. Some of the flexibility will be removed. A more concrete plan spells out very clearly what I need to achieve. Will give a better framework to guage improvement and allow for more accurate manipulation of training parameters. Of course the unexpected can and will force changes at times. These changes will be from necessity and not because I just haven't got my act together this week. The required flexibility will come from other means, and from understanding ensuring the training fits well into my lifestyle, rather than being an adjunct.
It's Not About Training
In a blog about training, the above line may seem out of place. There are many other elements that take priority. As a result, a training plan is useless unless I address the other priorites first. Then everything can fit together. Everything suffers if there are competing interests.
In a brief overview this year will incorporate moving house again (we have just bought a place so will be moving out of the rental), a second little tacker to bring into the world, the required work on the new house, some increased work commitments and hitting the books for study again. I am looking forward to these big four events. Of course this list doesn't include the rest of day to day requirements.
From this platform I can now start considering my athletic goals.
New Goals
At the moment this is a work in progress. I am putting aside my immediate goal of getting 10km down into the 35 minute territory. The original plan of running faster at Melbourne Marathon this year needs to be ditched. The timing doesn't work with a newborn a month or so before.
Now with a clean slate to work from I am going to go with where most of my thoughts have been leading. Where I keep getting my current sporting inspiration. My new goals involve heading back to triathlon.
Long plans work for me. So I am giving myself over a year to get myself up to scratch for some long course (70.3, half-ironman) racing. My working plan is to be capable of hitting hitting a personal best half ironman race in the 2011/12 season. The timeline is reasonable. Plus it provides a good vehicle for developing a well rounded, all-inclusive fitness base over the next year from which I can launch any new campaign from.
In the past, my best short course racing results have always been achieved on the way to a bigger goal. I look forward to developing this plan further.
You're going to pack more into one year than many people do into a decade. I love it!! PB
ReplyDeleteYou have a super busy year ahead! I'm not sure how training for a HIM can be easier than a 10k, but agree the endurance/aerobic base will help the short races.
ReplyDeleteThe flexible plan with not too many blank pages sounds good. Remember Lucho's first two rules of training...
1. Family comes first.
2. Did you read rule 1? If not, read again!