As coaches, our goal is to support our athletes to become the best they can be. Personal success is different for all and must take into account the reality of the Age Grouper’s life, which includes demands from work, family and their community.
Unless one is a professional athlete, life does not revolve 100% around training for a sport; rather sport is a part of daily life. Even with the clearest understanding of how important exercise is to our mental, emotional and physical health it can be a struggle to fit it in with the rest of life’s demands.
The secrets to achieving long term improvements in health and performance are consistency and commitment. Developing positive personal success habits and having patience and persistence is a key part of your long-term development.
Athletes who work with their coach to develop a realistic training program that they can commit to, report high levels of success.
Below are some tips to help maintain consistency and commitment to training:
· Schedule each workout in an appointment book, Outlook, iCal, Google calendar or whatever you use to plan your week, and make that daily training as important as any other appointment you have that day. Be consistent about showing up and commit your best efforts to that time.
· Plan in advance what you need before each workout, not when you are ready start. Lay your gear out the night before, wake up early and complete your workout before the family begins to stir. Commit to having good habits and consistently follow them.
· Let your coach know how much time you have during the workday. A 40-50 minute structured run at lunch is a fantastic work break and an opportunity to add frequency without a lot of volume. Train during lunch and eat at your desk afterwards. Commit to being proactive about planning your time.
· For those having children with regular practices, many facilities have programs running concurrently for parents. While the kids are in the pool, join a spin class or yoga session. Apart from being great planning, you are being a great role model for physical activity. Consistently be active while your kids are active and commit to your personal health.
· When preparing to travel, scout out the location’s resources and plan what, when and where you will make workouts happen before you leave home. Running through a new location is a great way to get a real sense of the community and on top of that, it can be fun.
Remember that commitment to consistent training is the key to improvement and finding balance and incorporating sport into your daily life is the smart way to ensure it happens each day.
Have fun and enjoy your success!
Sisu Racing Triathlon Coach