Mental Challenges of Training for an IronMan As a Mom

Mental Challenges of Training for an IronMan As a Mom

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Last week was the hardest week of training for me. But probably not how you are thinking. The mental challenge of training for an IronMan is the most significant part for me and doing it as a new mom has been wild.

Physically I was fine. I mean sure i was tired. But last week I had one question on my mind.

What in the literal fuck am I doing?

This wave of emotion came over me. It wasn’t doubt, it wasn’t fear … it was time.

All this precious time I was spending training. Spending away from Freddy and Mike. And, well, maybe it was a bit of jealousy.

MANAGING THE MENTAL CHALLENGES OF TRAINING FOR AN IRONMAN

Jealousy is just ugly. It happens to us all, but it is still ugly. I can be the most competitive person in the room and stand out for being obnoxious, head strong, stubborn … but every time I realize my emotions are being driven by jealousy I shiver.

A chill actually goes up my spine.

Simply put, jealousy is a quality that I can’t stand. And when I feel jealousy creeping it’s ugly head into my life I try my best to turn it into respect and inspiration. The key here is to realize that your emotions are being drive by jealousy.

Unfortunately for me it took ALL week to put my finger on it.

I battled through shitty workouts and crappy feelings. Ignoring my desire to quit. And trying my best to remember why I signed up for this race.

MOMMA RAISED NO QUITTER.

While I embrace this mantra, I hate it. Because knowing when to stop and quitting get lumped together. I have worked really hard my whole life to learn when it is the right time to stop. I have gotten it wrong too many times to even begin to count.

With my stubborn personality battling these sneaky feelings of jealousy I tried to find solid mental ground to stand on.

I rode my bike inside instead of outside because that was easier. I demanded the bare minimum from myself. The house got messy. I asked for more help from my family. And I had numerous sassy and exploitive filled conversations with myself.

In the end, I gave myself grace.

Not because I’m some magical human that always ends on their feet like cats. But because I realized I was destroying my own goals. Complete and utter self-sabotage when I was less than 7 weeks out from my goal.

Believe me when I say this… I did not make this realization of self-sabotage and instantly become reinvigorated. I first had to be annoyed with myself. My jealousy turned into a bit of anger towards myself, which turned into energy I poured into my workouts.

After a few workouts I felt the stress, jealousy, anger lift.

My mental feet were back on the ground.

GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY

My story isn’t new. Jealousy has been knocking hardworking people down for centuries. But there is a broader message here that I live by. Sometimes the hardest thing we must do is get out of our own way.

Self-sabotage. Fear of failure. Excuses. There are a lot of ways we hold ourselves back. But with time spent in reflection or even simply with our own thoughts we can get out of own way and find balance and even the success we work for.

One of the biggest challenges I have faced is getting in all my workouts. And I know that I am not alone in that. It is a common theme for every person trying to train for an IronMan and have a job, family, hobby or any interest in life.

If you are really going to “get out of your own way” leaving the excuse of scheduling behind is necessary. I have shared a few of my training strategies in past blogs. If you feel overwhelmed by run training or just don’t like running long distances read my post How to Use Interval Training for A Successful IronMan Run.

And if you are struggling with getting into the pool to train for the swim read IronMan Strength Training for the Swim

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MASTERING THE MENTAL CHALLENGES OF TRAINING FOR AN IRONMAN

Frankly, you don’t do an IronMan alone. You may think you train and race alone, but really you are surrounded by people who want you to succeed. They want you to cross that finish line.

I have found it very helpful to use the enneagram personality assessment to better understand myself, the motivation behind my decisions and goals and my approach to training. You can read more about it in this post Enneagram Types and Exercise: Finding What Your Type Means for Your Workout

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LEAN ON YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK.

I spent Sunday planning every workout and every task this week. Getting my support network involved everywhere I could. To help me succeed.

Yes, I do have to give up some time with Freddy. But that means he gets more time with Mike and our family/friends. That is never a bad thing.

Parent guilt is a real thing I’m finding out. But IronMan helps me keep an identity I had before having Freddy. It helps me remember that having a child doesn’t mean giving up your goals or passions. And most importantly it helps me remember that life is hard.

NONE OF IT WILL BE EASY.

I’ve never had an easy workout. But I have had ones that felt incredible. That built me up. And isn’t that what life is?

Opportunities exist every day that won’t be easy. Some will make you feel incredible, and others will just be hard. But both will mold you. Both will help build your character, your you-ness.

If you have a bad week at training/work/school, maybe, just maybe, you need to get out of your own way.

Cheers to 7 more brutal weeks and 1 absolutely magical and unforgiving day!

 

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

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IronMan Strength Training for the Swim

IronMan Strength Training for the Swim

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When I signed up for this IronMan race, I knew things would be different. I had just had a baby, we own a business and my husband’s favorite activity is golf. All of those equal time. That means I had to get creative with my training, especially with the swim.

Plain and simple between access and schedule getting into a pool has been very difficult. Thankfully. I have found 1 day a week to get out for an open water swim.

And that was a huge challenge. I needed someone to swim with – buddy system and our week-by-week schedules had to work. Which wasn’t easy when my training partner has 4 kids and a business herself.  Luckily, I have a few other friends that love to swim.

I knew that swimming once a week wasn’t going to be enough. I wouldn’t be able to be confident and comfortable during the race or with my results. I knew I would be left with the feeling of what if I had swum more?

So, I got creative.

I focused on strength training in high reps and focusing on the main muscles in swimming. I combined those with running intervals. And I crushed as many rounds as I could within an hour.

Then because I wasn’t loving my feeling in the water, I did more. I started to add more strength training and this time combined it with biking.

Let me break this down more.

MY IRONMAN STRENGTH TRAINING FOR THE SWIM

2 workouts a week I focus on sprint intervals for either the bike or run. And instead of just walking/resting between intervals I strength train specifically swimming.

How long are your workouts?

1 hour.

Babies, family, and a marriage take time. Running, growing, and supporting a business takes time. Training for an IronMan and playing golf take time.

When I could be at the gym for an undefined amount of time I would have to guess my workouts were never shorter than 2 hours. And looking back on that, it was a mistake.

In retrospect, could call much of that wasted time, or over training. Or just busy work that didn’t mean anything.

What movements do I use?

I follow the same progression for all of my training – range of motion first, stability second, and strength third. Depending where I am in terms of physical shape and in my training cycle I am focusing on one or all three of those steps.

Since I am nearing the end of a training cycle I am starting to feel the build up of all my workouts. I start to really value my mobility work as a way to protect the progress I have made.

Muscularly, I work to maintain stability at my shoulders and core. I heavily target back and triceps and do as much single sided movements as possible. Either within a workout or alternating workouts I would vary the muscle contraction.

There isn’t a strength workout that I do that doesn’t include core. For swimming specifically, I love exercises that focus on stability with limb movement in a variety of body positions and planes of movement.

A few of my most used swim strength training exercises:
  • Side Plank Variations: rotations, forward presses, leg raises, etc.
  • Deadbug variations: varying loads and angles.
  • Rollout Variations: ab wheel, single arm TRX, plank walk outs.

WHY IS STRENGTH TRAINING IMPORTANT FOR THE IRONMAN SWIM

In my opinion, when you are training for an endurance event like an IronMan your strength program should prioritize offsetting the impact of sport-based training.

In the simplest way, that means doing the opposite of what you do most.

Swimming is a huge frontal load on the body. Training my back and entire posterior chain is what helps keep my body balanced. I follow the same approach as I strength train to offset the miles of biking and running.

Thankfully, an argument can be made that training the entire posterior chain should be the number one priority for triathletes. From the perspective of maintaining balance in the body and improving performance.

You can read more about Injury Prevention While Training For An IronMan In 2021 in my recent blog. I chatted with my friend, training partner and physical therapist about the balance between training and health.

CAN STRENGTH TRAINING REPLACE SWIMMING?

Absolutely not. If I could get into the pool 1-2 days a week I would. But my life, right now, doesn’t allow it.

In my workouts I am looking to challenge my lactate threshold. You can read more about that in this article How to Use Interval Training for A Successful IronMan Run.

The biggest thing I am missing is the breathing. I’m serious. Running, biking, lifting I can breathe whenever I want. The air is always accessible. Swimming is different.

Swimming demands that you work to condition your body to become as efficient as possible on a specific amount of air. I may be getting stronger and improving my fitness, but that does not mean I will be conditioned my best for swimming.

I know my results would be best if these strength workouts were combined with increased swimming. But I can feel things starting to fall into place.

MY IRONMAN SWIM STRENGTH WORKOUT

Here is my most recent strength workout:

  • Seated Cable Row 15
  • Hand on top of Hand Pull Down 10/10
  • Side Plank Rotations 15/15
  • ½ mile up tempo run

Repeat 6-8 times

It might look redundant, but what is endurance racing if not redundant?

If you are struggling with your swim training I hope this helps. And remember to take time and recover. I reviewed my 5 Best Exercise Recovery Tools in this blog. Take look at Easy Green Smoothie With Protein To Keep You Full for my go to smoothie recipe. I drink this any time of the day!

Cheers to another week closer to IronMan Indiana!

 

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Standing out in the market is important. And offering a competitive service and price are effective at capturing customer’s attention. But taking that attention and turning it into repeat clients with brand loyalty is critical to your long-term success. So let's...

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Whether you work at a gym or you’re an owner reflecting and evaluating your performance as a personal trainer is a necessary component to growth and long-term success. Here are 3 ways to gauge your business success as a personal trainer: Client Retention Client...

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How To Do A Half IronMan Distance On Your Own: What I learned

How To Do A Half IronMan Distance On Your Own: What I learned

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As part of my training, I always include a Half IronMan distance race. With limited race availability and the new mom schedule I decided to hit the distances on my own. Well with my training partner, but not as part of an event or a sanctioned IM event.

It was a bit unconventional. We would have preferred to have all the events in the same day, but logistically it had proved to be difficult.

First, we needed to find a place to swim in a good location. Second, we needed to be able to swim early enough to get out on the roads early and bike. We both hate biking when traffic starts to pick-up. Especially with this being a holiday weekend our concerns were higher. (Happy Fourth of July!)

Ultimately, we decided to swim late on Friday. Bike at 5:15 am on Saturday and run immediately after. We took time to plan our routes and ask friends and family to put out water/Gatorade/snacks to help us stay hydrated and fueled.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN DOING A HALF IRONMAN DISTANCE ON YOUR OWN

You have no built in race support doing a half IM distance on your own. My three main take aways are:

  • Over plan your support.
  • Keep routes close to said support.
  • And don’t be a hero.

Read on for more details.

If you are looking for some more information on training workouts take a look at How To Use Interval Training for A Successful IronMan Run and IronMan Strength Training for the Swim.

HOW TO DO A HALF IRONMAN DISTANCE ON YOUR OWN

The swim went off without a hitch. Calm waters. Easy swimming and no distractions. Which is 100% the opposite of a real race. Generally, you get kicked, slapped, and swam into a few times.

It was a weird feeling to drive home from the swim and think that we have done 1/3 of the events. But welcome at the same time. Very good vibes going to bed as the largest portion still waited ahead.

Saturday’s start was filled with hope. We were concerned about high temps and having access to water when we needed it. But we spent so much time planning we felt confident.

Both of our waters were gone at the first water refill, and we thought – that’s perfect. With confidence we carried on with the rest of the bike.

Slowly I started to feel the fatigue. The heat was playing a factor and my stomach was starting to react. I could feel my intestines doing back flips as we biked.

This was when I made the decision to ignore it. I told myself it was nothing. That it was just my dinner last night and things were going to be fine. And then the truth slapped me in the face.

Every time I tried to eat or drink I was overwhelmed with nausea. All I could think was HOW COULD THIS BE HAPPENING AGAIN? Flashbacks to my last full IM were starting to run through my head. Cue me vomiting on myself at miles 65 and 80.

I tried to focus on finishing the bike. Envision success, not failure.

It took 30 minutes longer than anticipated with bathroom breaks and water stops. That was a hit mentally.

WHERE IT ALL WENT WRONG

I changed my shoes and set out on the pre-planned route for running. It was a route that was new to me, but I had hoped it would help the miles pass quickly.

I decided to add a few miles on to the front end of the route since Kaite would be running from her house to mine. To me this was the best way to ensure I would be able to stay on the right route. Let Kaite run ahead of me and catch up to her.

I was almost 2 miles into my run when I saw her two blocks up at the water stop at my house. I went to finish the last ¼ mile out and back before I grabbed water and ran her down.

That was the beginning of the end. I never saw her again.

I made so many wrong turns I could never find her. I ran 7 miles in the blistering heat without water. Whatever positivity didn’t die on the bike died right there on the run.

Those 7 miles were full of frustration, body chills, exhaustion, nausea, and pure anger. As I approached the water station at my house all I could think about was holy shit there are 4 miles left to run.

The mental debate began. How bad are my symptoms and how necessary are these last 4 miles?

If you are squeamish, I would scroll down to the end.

DECISION TIME

As I came to a stop at the water station, I got my answer. I peed myself. And it wasn’t something I could stop. Yes, I recognized this was bad, but what I couldn’t decide is how bad is it really.

Thinking to myself, that’s not a good sign, I laid down in the shade and continued the mental debate. I started to feel better. 4 miles didn’t seem impossible.

I would give 1 mile a chance. Run ½ mile down and back. Those first few steps I was renewed with energy. ½ mile later my body chills were renewed too 

I got back laid in the shade. Then felt better and what do you know? The same exact thing happened. I threw in the towel.

11 miles done.

BIGGEST TAKE AWAYS FROM DOING A HALF IRONMAN DISTANCE ON YOUR OWN

So should I call that a failure? Were those two miles going to be the difference maker in my performance in October?

Nope. No. Absolutely not.

I know I made the right call. Mike also gave me some affirmation when I was inside talking about going back out. He “subtly” told me that it would be stupid to go back with those symptoms.

A killer headache and a few too many trips to the bathroom also told me I had made the right choice.

So, doing a half IM distance race on your own is hard. I mean it is hard to begin with and then to try and plan all the support you need and the best route just makes it more complicated.

I like to think that I could do this a million times better now. But I would still prefer to sign-up for a race next time.

If you feel the need to do your own half IM distance race/event, then consider these factors –

  • Drive all routes beforehand. Don’t leave any second guessing to the event day.
  • Plan your support as close to the same interval distances as a normal race.
  • Keep your phone with you.

 

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Standing out in the market is important. And offering a competitive service and price are effective at capturing customer’s attention. But taking that attention and turning it into repeat clients with brand loyalty is critical to your long-term success. So let's...

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30 Minute Workout Program

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I have a great workout program for you. You can scroll down if you aren't interested in why I made this program. But it you are let's have a quick chat. Why is it easier to skip a workout than to actually do the workout? In my opinion it has a lot to do with how you...

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Whether you work at a gym or you’re an owner reflecting and evaluating your performance as a personal trainer is a necessary component to growth and long-term success. Here are 3 ways to gauge your business success as a personal trainer: Client Retention Client...

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How To Have Discipline for an IronMan Race

How To Have Discipline for an IronMan Race

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Discipline is the most important quality you can have when preparing for an IronMan and it can vary day by day. But the most disciplined will always have the best results.

That’s why I think it’s important to surround yourself with a good support network when you’re training for an IronMan. It isn’t that they are going to get you across the finish line. But that they will help you help yourself across the finish line.

I shared more about my personal Mental Challenges in training for an IronMan As a Mom in this blog post. Every day is a little different and working with the good and bad is an essential part of the process.

IRONMAN SUPPORT NETWORK AND DISCIPLINE

Your support network should help you stay focused throughout training.

Let me give you an example. This past Sunday I was supposed to bike 2 1/2 hours and then run 5 miles. Because of our family schedule I knew I was going to have to split those up and do them a few hours apart of each other.

I got the ride done first thing in the morning and then after a day full of family and activities it was a looming feeling of I still have to run 5 miles. Mike and I finally got Freddy to bed, and I watched is Mike ready to himself to sit down and relax for the evening.

I was filled with a lot of negative thoughts. So, I asked Mike… “I know you’re not big on pep talks but I could really use a pep talk right now”. He looked at me grinned ear to ear and said, “you are the one that signed up for the IRONMAN”.

Frozen. I was frozen. For half a second.

Then I was fired up.

Finally, I was out the door in under a minute.

Now depending on your personality that might sound supportive or mocking or combative even. But it did exactly what I needed it to do for me. It dug under my skin.

The combination of the smirk and the fact that he was right. I quickly changed my clothes, laced up my shoes and I was out the door. No more conversation.

I spent the first few miles running fast and hard fueled by the thought that I can’t believe I was considering skipping this work out when my biggest goal is to run the entire portion of the Iron Man.

I spent the next couple miles thinking to myself, “why did I try to run so fast the first couple of miles?”.

AND I spent the last mile thinking holy crap my legs feel like lead weights. It’s a dam good thing I’m out here on this run.

I shared full details on How To Use Interval Training For A Successful IronMan Run in this blog post. Time is precious for me and most people. Making the most of my workouts is absolutely necessary. That’s why I use interval training. 

WHAT HELPS YOU BE DISCIPLINED ENOUGH FOR AN IRONMAN?

Everyone likes to be supported in different ways. But ultimately, it’s going to come down to your discipline if you cross that finish line or not.

Mike’s words were enough to get me out the door, but I could’ve quit running at any point in time. I appreciate his support (in his own twisted way) and reminding me that I am the one that signed up for this race. And I’m the only one that can put in the hours for the training.

Your support network will be unique to you. But I’m thankful to have Mike. I’m thankful to have a training partner in Kaite. And I’m thankful to have supports who put water out for me on hot days, who will swim with me and who, in general, think I am crazy but whole heartedly believe in me.

Of course, your support network will likely include people outside of friends and family. You should consider your coach, nutritionist, physical therapist, massage therapist and more as part of your support network. If anyone in that network doesn’t have your back replace them.

And, if you haven’t heard of the Enneagram personality assessment then you need to read this article and find out your type – Enneagram Types and Exercise: Finding What Your Type Means for Your Workout. Better understanding of your personality will help you build your discipline and improve your performance.

Don’t waste your time trying to convince someone you are going to do an IronMan. You’ll be convincing yourself plenty 🙃

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR DISCIPLINE TO FINISH AN IRONMAN

This is where I preach about mental training. I whole heartedly think that finishing an IronMan comes down to mental strength. You stayed strong during training. You put in the time to get to start line. Crossing the finish line is really about your ability to convince yourself you will.

I spend every training session fueling my self belief.

Trust the process – I say that to myself on the good days and the bad days.

I accept the crazy weather, the time, the discomfort, the exhaustion and so much more. Every minute, every step in training builds me up. Because allowing the opposite to happen would be self destruction.

But believe me when I say I have some exceptionally shitty training days. The ones that leave me hating myself to signing up. The ones that make starting the next workout the hardest choice. But I always end up at acceptance. It is all part of the process. I will cross the finish line, this time as a mom 🤍

Thanks for following along this crazy journey with me. Cheers to another week of training!

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Standing out in the market is important. And offering a competitive service and price are effective at capturing customer’s attention. But taking that attention and turning it into repeat clients with brand loyalty is critical to your long-term success. So let's...

read more
30 Minute Workout Program

30 Minute Workout Program

I have a great workout program for you. You can scroll down if you aren't interested in why I made this program. But it you are let's have a quick chat. Why is it easier to skip a workout than to actually do the workout? In my opinion it has a lot to do with how you...

read more
3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

Whether you work at a gym or you’re an owner reflecting and evaluating your performance as a personal trainer is a necessary component to growth and long-term success. Here are 3 ways to gauge your business success as a personal trainer: Client Retention Client...

read more
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IronMan Injury Prevention

IronMan Injury Prevention

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Today guys, we were talking IronMan injury prevention. I would say that one of the most asked questions I get while training for an IronMan is..

“How do you take care of yourself?”

Or perhaps put in a less eloquent way…

“Doesn’t that just trash your body?”

Usually when someone asks me that question I jump into a long-winded explanation. I blab on about how it could and to some extent will take a toll on your body. But with proper training and recovery you should be just fine.

And as a rule, in general I’m trying to no longer be long-winded. If there’s one thing that Mike and his type eight personality has taught me, it is that being long-winded is not always appreciated. Check out more about the Enneagram personalities.

What I want to provide you with today is a synopsis of how to prevent injury while training for an IronMan. For this conversation I’ve brought along with me my training partner friend and physical therapist Kaite Van Laanen.

She is going to give us the expert medical side of injury prevention from a physical therapist point of view. And I’m going give you my perspective as a trainer.

Whether you’ve always wondered how it’s possible for the human body to perform an activity like an IronMan or if you’re training for one yourself what you’re about to read will give you a great understanding of how to successfully train for an IronMan and remain healthy.

Now let me take a step in another direction.

HOW YOUR GEAR CAN PROVIDE INJURY PREVENTION WHILE TRAINING FOR AN IRONMAN

My first endurance event was with MS Run the US in 2015. And boy did I have a huge learning curve. I had never ever ran a marathon before and I was setting out to run six marathons in six days for the charity.

By day three I learned that I should have checked by ego at the door. And that your running shoes are essential to success. I had brought with me one single pair of running shoes.

There should be dramatic background music playing. Like right when a detective figures out who the murderer is. Because the one pair of running shoes was murder on my feet and ankles. Take a look at the picture of my ankle at the end.

I was running in the same pair of shoes day after day for six days straight. If you haven’t done the math yet that is over 150 miles. And I had been training in these shoes prior to the event!

If this doesn’t seem like a big deal, let me tell you two things. One, the average mileage of a shoe is 300-500 miles. Two, shoes need time to recover. The cushioning/support gets worn down through the pounding of running. 48 hours is recommended between wears.

All of this is to say, if you are doing an endurance event find the best gear for you. I swear it will make a difference.

Please don’t get that confused with “you need all the bells and whistles”.

What you need is equipment that is fit to your body, that will allow you to perform your best during training and racing. If you are a mom, check out my stroller running essentials.

Now let’s talk about how to train to prevent an injury.

INJURY PREVENTION WHILE TRAINING FOR AN IRONMAN FROM A PHYSICAL THERAPIST

If you have been reading my other articles, Training for An IronMan As a New Mom with less time in 2021 and How To Use Interval Training For A Successful IronMan Run,  then you know I am giving a HUGE amount of focus on running for my upcoming IronMan race. And training for any running endurance event comes with unique challenges from an injury prevention perspective.

As a personal trainer I most commonly I see chronic knee pain, plantar fasciitis and shin splint style pain in my clients. Frequently these pains are associated to bad footwear, over training/ bad programming or poor recovery.

If I can’t help a client with adjusting their programming, targeting their recovery or changing their footwear I always refer to a physical therapist. As my friend Kaite said to me, “nothing will compare to the hands of a good PT”.

COMMON RUNNING INJURIES SEEN IN ENDURANCE ATHLETES

  • Posterior tibial tendonitis
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Hamstring strain/pain
  • Piriformis pain
  • Chronic knee pain

The trick here is to prevent a running related injury before it starts. Kaite recommends a four tier approach.

4 STEPS TO PREVENT A RUNNING RELATED INJURY BEFORE IT STARTS

First, use a dynamic warm-up before starting any run. You want to simulate what you are going to do at a slower speed and intensity. The more specific you can be to the movements you are going to perform, the better the warm-up. And the intention is to increase blood flow to muscles and activate the supporting musculature to prevent pain and injury during a workout.

Second, stretch AFTER you run and make sure you are doing it correctly.

According to Kaite, a runner should address the following as part of cool down stretching.

  • Hip flexors/quads
  • Hamstrings
  • IT band
  • Piriformis
  • Calves

Third, consistently strength train, with a focus on balance, for the smaller supporting muscles of the lower extremities. And of course, don’t forget core strengthening.

I have more details on this below. Keep reading!

Fourth, use a PT to find areas of the body that have the potential to contribute to mechanical dysfunction and cause pain.

Kaite’s advice for IronMan athletes, “With this intensity and length of a training program, athletes are bound to have things pop up.  Deal with pain as soon as it arises. Don’t try to just train through it”.

She also encourages athletes to use a PT even before pain occurs to prevent injury. Having assessments on strength and flexibility to be proactive about your entire training program.

INJURY PREVENTION WHILE TRAINING FOR AN IRONMAN FROM A PERSONAL TRAINER

I have two words for you. Strength. Training.

For a while there was some debate on how strength training should fit into an endurance athlete’s program. The good news is that we know it is needed. But that doesn’t mean it is given the time it needs.

Strength training should be used throughout the entire training cycle. Deloading as you come near race day to hit your performance peak.

TOP AREAS TO STRENGTHEN FOR RUNNERS

A properly developed program should focus on both restoring balance from the volume of training (opposing muscles) and strengthening/building endurance in the necessary muscles.

I would argue that posterior chain is extraordinarily important for runners. I pay special attention to glutes, hamstrings and back/posterior shoulder muscles to improve muscular balance.

The initial focus is on full range of motion, followed by stability. Only then can we truly load an athlete for performance.

And you can never underestimate the necessity of core strengthening in your program. Your core is your foundation for movement. The better your foundation the better your movement will be. That be injury prevention, running faster, or simply feeling better.

Additionally, would encourage athletes to focus on training their lactate threshold for improving their overall performance. Read this blog for more information on how to train your lactate threshold for running.

The better periodized your program is, the better results you will get and you will be able to avoid training related injuries with ease.

MANAGING PAIN WHILE TRAINING FOR AN IRONMAN

If you are currently dealing with an injury or chronic pain/discomfort I am sure you feel torn on what to do. It is easy to get caught in limbo. Thinking, how can I race if I don’t train – and – how can I train if I am always in pain.

I can’t give you a clear answer. Simply because I don’t know you. What I can do is be the good angel sitting on your shoulder. Sometimes rest will save you time.

I often see athletes who could take 1-2 weeks of rest and recover without and impact to their end goal. However, they elect not to rest and carry a nagging injury with them to race day. That is the kiss of death.

I will leave you with this one last thought.

Your mind is your most powerful tool.

In training and in racing.

Before you show up on race day you have determined your fate to finish or to not. Your mind decided how disciplined you would be during training. And you have already decided to seek the best help possible to ensure your success.

Respect your mind and use its power.

I shared more about How To Have Discipline For An IronMan Race and Mental Challenges of Training for An IronMan As A Mom in these blogs. They are worth a read if you are struggling or wondering if you should take the leap and sign-up!

Cheers to IronMan training!

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