Organizing Your Race Schedule For Optimal Performance

Working on planning your schedule for the 2011 triathlon racing season? In this article, Ironman world champ Mark Allen provides advice on getting the training process started, as well as planning races for the season.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Written by: Mark Allen

Working on planning your schedule for the 2011 triathlon racing season? In this article, Ironman world champ Mark Allen provides advice on getting the training process started, as well as planning races for the season.

To get through the year and race well when it counts will take some planning. I like to start with my mid-season important race and plan backward from there to where I am at right now.

This is how it works. Find the date of your most important race that will be coming up sometime in the next 12-20 weeks. Anything closer than that and you will not be able to take full advantage of a good buildup/speed/taper program. On the flip-side of that scenario, if you are focusing your training on a race that will take place farther than 20 weeks from now, you risk getting totally burned out before that date. This is the classic “I was in great shape two weeks ago” example of peaking too early.

Do you have the date of your first key race?

To plan your schedule so that you will arrive at the start line ready to race at full-force, now do the following. Start counting back from that date and use the notes on the next page to break your preparations into three vital phases.

To read the complete article click here.

Jan Frodeno Reflects on His Final Ironman World Championship

Immediately after finishing 24th place at his final Ironman World Championships, the Olympic medalist (and three-time IMWC winner) explains what his race in Nice meant to him.

Keywords: