If you want change, you have to change
In endurance sports, once we add a pinch of ambition, we head towards a path of chasing improvement. Heart rate monitors, power meters, endless metrics and online tools. But what do we actually need to get better? Let’s dive into this.


Second, we need to look at our current compilation of these factors. Let’s say you are used to shorter distances, are just starting to get settled in, but are drawn to the magical challenge of a long distance triathlon. Awesome and congrats! You are on your way to being addicted to this.
Adjusting to Longer Distances
Challenges Along the Way
A big thing that sidetracks people at this point: their ego. If you can’t truly accept where you are right now – the true status quo of your current physical & mental state, then it’s going to be difficult to take the necessary steps. Acceptance is the key here. Sounds logical, but I barely see athletes taking that mindset once they start training. Many let the training plan dictate their training as though the future is written in stone. Your training plan is just a tool to stress your body and to push you towards the right adaptation. Blindly doing hard sessions when your body is not ready, going too hard on easy days, not fueling enough, not getting enough sleep etc. inhibits your adaptation process. This means that you can have the best training plan in the world, but if you are not focusing on adaptation of your body to the training stress then the plan is absolutely worthless and could actually push you into injury.
To conclude: To achieve anything you need to make sure to make progress. The best way to make progress in sports is to drive adaptation forward. The better you support your body and mind on adapting to the stressors, the faster you will succeed. Easy and yet so unachievable for many. Cut out the noise and it will be easier. More on that in another post.
At Home Goals
- Set specific goals and identify the parameters needed to achieve them
- Assess your current levels of those parameters
- Incorporate performance tests to track progress
- Prioritize the basics: proper nutrition, adequate sleep, training in the correct zones, and maintaining a balance between training and rest
- Control stressors in your life
- Focus on adaptation and let your training plan be a tool for stressing your body in a controlled manner
- Avoid overtraining and under-recovering
- Avoid falling into the trap of relying on trendy recovery tools before mastering the basics
- Keep in mind that progress takes time and patience, and stay committed to the process.

Something for you to try...
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