I have had the last nine months completely open for training and have made a number of realizations. I'd like to share one with you.

I have noticed that the less I "try" the faster I seem to get. Let me explain -- when I started in the sport, I used to try very, very hard. I would force myself to get out of bed, force myself to get into Zn X, force myself to run 120:00 minutes, etc...

Now that I have adopted a more flexible approach to my training, recovery and racing -- I seem to be doing everything a lot better. I rarely manage a week exactly as planned, but I manage to make a little progress each week.

Here are some mistakes that I have made in the past (some of you might recognize them):

• Trying to save time so I delay stopping for a bathroom break -- my next step is forgetting to drink because I have to pee -- you can probably guess what happens next.
• Trying to save time so I decide to eat/drink after the "next" climb/aid station/mile marker -- next stop -- bonkville.
• Trying to stay with friends so I red-line early in a long ride and explode later in the workout -- know YOUR goals.

Two points that I would like you to remember:

• We can't force our bodies to do anything; and
• Remember your key goals for each week -- show extreme flexibility around these goals.

If you want more on this then you can grab a copy of, "How to Succeed in Work and Sports", By Dan Millman.

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Heat Stress

I mentioned hydration last month.

Please remember that heat stress is no different than any other form of stress. A number of us have "hot" races coming up, and I know that you think you should prepare yourself to face the heat. While I agree that this is a good idea, you should also maintain perspective on your goals for each session (are you noticing a pattern yet?).

Let me illustrate with a few examples (I have made these mistakes myself!):

• A tempo run done in the hottest part of the day -- My run was slow, I felt like crap, I wondered why! TIP - When your goal is to go fast in a session, choose the conditions most likely to enable your body to go fast. In the summer, this means avoiding the hottest part of the day. You will get plenty of heat conditioning from your endurance sessions.
• A long run done in the hottest part of the day -- I start out okay, but fade about 2/3rds of the way through. Dehydrated, dizzy, exhausted, I am reduced to a walk at the end of the session. Again, the heat crushed me -- an earlier start, better hydration/nutrition would have enabled me to successfully complete the session.

TIP -- If you are preparing for a hot race, then it is very useful to increase your hydration before, during and after all sessions to train your body to absorb fluids. You should do this regardless of the outside temperature. You will pee more, but you will appreciate it on race day.

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Masters

A few quick reminders on Masters:

• Long course has been one of the most important factors in my continued improvement. Swim all your non-technique sessions in a 50m pool. This makes a huge difference for the second half of your IM swim.
• You are an endurance athlete. Deep anaerobic sets do NOTHING for your IM swim time. Indeed, they are highly likely to leave you tired for your more important bike and run sessions. In my opinion, the time to add the hard swimming is the 2-5 weeks before your race (and even then, it is mostly threshold and sub-threshold work). Don't leave your best workouts in the pool!
• You are a triathlete. If you are like me, there will be a lot of swimmers at your sessions. These swimmers do not have a long run tomorrow, they did not do a race last weekend. Bear this in mind when your coach puts up a 1,200m kick set! You do NOT have to do everything the coach says. I quite often drop down a lane (or to the back of a lane) and swim slower than instructed (TIP - six kick catch-up is very close to the speed that others go when kicking with zoomers). Be aware of YOUR goals before you enter the pool.
• Forget about your 25/50/100 meter times. It is a lot of fun to bust out fast 50s or 100s. However, you should remember that you are an IM athlete. A far better indication of your long distance fitness is your 400/500/1000m results. Even better is a test set of a series of 400s or 500s. Those are the most important areas for improvement.
• Always think technique. Once you lose your form, it is time to get out of the pool. As far as I am concerned, there are no exceptions. Swimming is all about technique -- never, ever reinforce weak form.

Final Thought

What is the greatest limiter for most Ironman athletes?
Recovery -- You have a limited amount of recovery. Spend it wisely!