New perk! Get after it with local recommendations just for you. Discover nearby events, routes out your door, and hidden gems when you sign up for the Local Running Drop.
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.