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Tri-Umphs (Triathlons & Duathlons)
Secrets of the Pros: Making the Details Count
By Margie Shapiro
September/October 2009
For the Washington Running Report
The first time someone asked me just what it meant to be a "professional triathlete," I needed more than a moment to come up with a good answer. Obviously, it's not like being a professional football or basketball player or any other high profile sport. While the rewards are tremendous, there's not always an obvious return on investment, especially in the early going. And since triathlon is not my only career, I wasn't sure what to say. Finally I responded, "Not much-simply that I race triathlon around the country and around the world almost as if it's my job!" For most professional triathletes, however, it truly is their one and only job, the career to which they dedicate themselves. Those who consistently finish at the top have begun to master both the science and the art of it, including all sorts of little details that separate the best from the rest.
Having had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with such unique folks in training camps and on multi-day trips for races, I've learned a lot of "tricks of the trade," both small and substantial. Developing some of the habits of the pros may make a big difference in your performance, now that you have become accustomed to the rigors and joys of training and racing in this unique tripartite world. Here are some of the secrets of the pros:
Work with a coach. There are very few pro triathletes who rely only on themselves for program design and implementation. Training with a coach allows the athlete to surrender control and benefit from the wisdom and experience of another set of eyes. Even designing your own plan and sharing it with someone who can give constructive feedback will add some confidence and confirmation to your program, as well as providing some accountability.
Focus on technique regularly. I have been struck by how regularly my fellow pro triathletes work on form and economy. Why should the fastest swimmer in the world of triathlon need to spend time doing catch-up or closed fist drills or Tarzan swimming to practice sighting? Well, there is a reason she is the fastest swimmer among hundreds of extremely aerobically fit athletes-her technique is superior! But she still has to hone it regularly. Make a point of including technique drills into each discipline at least a few times weekly, during the warm up before a hard workout, or even with a session dedicated solely to economy. Improving stroke rate or distance per stroke in the water, getting as much power out of every pedal stroke due to proper movement and core integration on the bike, and running with a quick, efficient stride, all will result in far greater speed gains than increasing your VO2 Max by a point or two, and with less work!
Give the entire body attention in training, not just the parts that move you forward. Most pro triathletes spend a concentrated period of the year in the weight room working to build muscular strength, and then they maintain a strength program throughout the entire year, albeit pared down during periods of race focus. Including resistance training of some sort, be it with weights, elastic bands or tubing, or simple body weight, enhances full-body fitness that will contribute to stability, mobility, and speed. Make sure to include core exercises (for the abdominals, back muscles, hips, and glutes in particular) all year long to provide strength and ward off injury. Some pros travel with a set of mini hand weights or elastic bands to use for light resistance training even during a race weekend.
Recovery IS training. I have never seen so many sleeping adults as I see during weekend race trips or training camps. Once I'd spent a few days around other pro triathletes, I realized it wasn't just on rare occasions that they sought nine to ten hours of sleep a night, as well as naps. This focus on recovery, treating it as the fourth discipline of triathlon training, sets the pros apart and has a profound impact on the amount of training they can do successfully. Remember, recovery is an integral part of any good plan! If increasing your sleep time is impossible, at least work in well-timed rest days and include active recovery habits in your training. Stretching regularly, massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, self-massage (the Stick or a foam roller both work well), and proper nutrition and hydration are just some of the ways you can enhance recovery.
Nutrition fuels the body. Pro triathletes tend to think of nutrition as fueling the body for performance, instead of considering training an excuse to eat more. Consider that what you put into your body will help you recover from the last workout or prepare for the next one-like fueling a gas tank, the higher the quality food, the cleaner it burns. Pro triathletes are picky about what they eat and understand how it affects them.
Look out for overall health. Many professional triathletes are germophobes. Especially during a heavy training cycle, the body's immune system is compromised as its resources are dedicated to rebuilding from the breakdown caused purposefully by training load. As a result, when athletes are on the edge of peak fitness, they may also be on the edge of illness. Maintaining health becomes even more complicated with the stressful impact of racing and travel. Do all the little things you can to keep yourself free of illness, including washing your hands regularly, staying away from sick people, hydrating well, making sure your diet is vitamin and antioxidant rich, and, of course, sleeping well.
Gather information regularly both through objective and subjective data. It is easy to make great use of the technology available these days. If you have access to a heart rate monitor, a GPS system, a power tap, a tempo trainer for the pool, a CompuTrainer, or any other nifty device, they will help you track your progress. However, don't be shocked if you see as many pros without such devices as with them. Data and information are good when put to good use-but athletes at this level tend to know their bodies well, even without the use of some digital measuring device. Make sure to pay attention to your personal patterns of adaptation and recovery. Take some subjective notes on a regular basis. Use a log to describe in a few words how your workout felt, what sensations stuck out, what your state of mind was. These bits of data may overrule what your heart rate monitor or speed sensor says about how your workout went. It is important to update and evaluate your training load constantly based on how your body responds to it.
Training with partners is priceless, but sometimes you need to go it alone. In multi-week training camps with other pros, I have found that mixing group and solo training is a must. While training with the U.S. National Team in Australia, I was happy to see that the head coach designed our days so that we could take advantage of the group environment while also making sure we performed certain workouts alone, within our own parameters. Doing all workouts with other people can skew perspective on progress, as well as tempting a person to over- or under-do the effort, thereby straying from the workout's intended purpose. In a positive way, though, group training can push an athlete beyond the limits he may have assumed for himself. Doing some workouts alone provides the opportunity to make sure the pacing and intensity levels are appropriate and that you are following the workouts prescribed by your coach; but too much solo training can lead to a sense of staleness or burnout. Find a good mix, and you and your training mates will all benefit!
Work on the mental aspects of training and racing. In the period leading up to the Olympic Trials last year, I had the good fortune of having access to a leading sports psychologist who works largely with runners and triathletes. As it turned out, nearly all of the competition worked with him as well, but we each gleaned different things. Working on the psychological aspects of training and racing does not indicate you have a problem, but rather that you are willing to take yourself to the next level by including this crucial aspect in your training. One of the best ways to improve mental performance is through visualization and self-talk. Most pros practice these techniques among others to gain an edge.
As the 2009 triathlon season winds down, you will have a chance to reflect on the year you had. Which of these principles did you follow, and which might you include in the off-season and into next year to make steady progress? Remember, it's all in the details.
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Margie Shapiro is co-owner of Potomac River Running Stores (with locations in Ashburn, Burke, Reston, Arlington, Cleveland Park, Falls Church, and Rockville). She coaches runners and triathletes through =PR= Training Programs and has been a U.S. National Elite Team member (2007-08) and Elite World Championships Team Member (2007).