Strategize for 2025

Episode #464 Strategize for 2025

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Announcements:

It's official - Coach April Spilde is the new co-host of the 303Endurance Podcast - April brings her years of experience as an athlete and coach, her passion for helping others and her amazing podcast voice. If you are just tuning in, April also has her own podcast called Grit2Greatness Endurance.

Transition Season Webinar - Join us next Tuesday 6-7p MT for an informational discussion and deep dive on how to think about the time between your 2024 and 2025 race season. We will be talking about the importance of taking a break for a reset, including the why, when and how to spend that time. What inputs to consider in your strategy for next season, how to take that strategy and turn it into a plan, and how to create habits that allow you to execute that plan in 2025.

Join 303Triathlon for an informative webinar on taking time to reflect, recharge and RESET.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84235253123...

Meeting ID: 842 3525 3123
Passcode: 508467

Upcoming Podcasts in November - Stay with us throughout the month of November as we unpack the Transition Season. Last week we kicked things off with the why, when, what and how of taking an end of season reset. This week we are discussing how to strategize for next season. Next week we discuss how to create your 2025 season plan and we'll wrap up the month with how to develop the habits that lead to goal achievement. We also have 6X IM World Champion Coach Mark Allen joining us later this month to share his insights on this very important time of the year.

 

Ask A Coach:

#463 - Recap of the RESET discussion last week

Why It's Important to Take a Short Break?

Continuous training without a break can lead to burnout, overuse injuries, and diminished performance. Your body needs time to repair the micro-damage caused by intense workouts, while your mind requires a chance to rejuvenate. This period of rest not only prevents chronic fatigue but also sets the stage for future gains.

When to Take It?

The best time for a break is right after your last race of the season. Your performance has peaked, and pushing further can result in diminishing returns. Listen to your body and give yourself permission to step back.

How Long to Take It?

A break of 2-4 weeks is ideal. This length of time allows for sufficient physical and mental recovery without compromising fitness. It strikes a balance between rest and staying active enough to avoid becoming sedentary.

What to Do / Not Do During this break?

Engage in low-intensity activities like yoga, walking, or leisurely swimming. Avoid high-intensity workouts that can stress your body. Focus on hobbies, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy the simple pleasure of movement without the pressure of performance.

Reflection - What went well? What could be improved? Envision your goals for the next season. This process of reflection helps in setting more informed and achievable targets.

April - I’ll add here too that getting a list of good reflection questions makes all the difference. Sometimes the difference between good and GREAT results and making meaning is asking a powerful question, so here’s a list of thought-provoking questions I recommend adding to your repertoire:

1. What is my "why"?

   • Why am I dedicating a significant portion of time, money, and energy  to this training?

   • What is the deeper motivation driving my training? Is it personal growth, the challenge, the community, or something else? Understanding your "why" can help you stay focused and consistent, especially during tough training sessions and months of training and racing.

2. What are my biggest weaknesses in each discipline?

   • While it's important to focus on strengths, identifying weaknesses can help you target specific areas for improvement. Are you a strong swimmer but a weak cyclist? Or perhaps your running form needs more technical work?

3. How can I manage training with other life priorities?

   • When do you need to prioritize training and when can you counterbalance the other areas of your life: family, work, business, vacation time, and rest. 

4. What is my ideal race day experience?

   • Envisioning your ideal race day can help you set specific goals and develop a race strategy. What does it look like to feel confident, strong, and energized on race day?

5. How can I use my past experiences to inform my future training and racing?

   • Reflect on your past races and training seasons. What worked well? What didn't? By learning from your experiences, you can make informed decisions about your future training and racing.

By pondering these questions, you can gain valuable insights into your motivations, goals, and training strategies.

Update or Create Values Inventory or Personal Mission Statement

Revisit your core values and personal mission statement. This is a powerful exercise in aligning your training and life goals with your personal values.

#464 - STRATEGIZE

Personal SWOT - Take 30 minutes to make a list of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your training and racing goals. This will give you a foundation for creating a blueprint for next year. Your SWOT will be unique to you, which means what it reveals in terms of your

April - I’ll share my personal SWOT experience here and what I learned.

Priorities and Commitments - Life is a balancing act and we all have commitments and priorities that need to be taken into account. What are those big rock priorities for you? What commitments are already in place or pending for next year? Go back to your SWOT and look at the Risks and Threats, you may find there are priorities and commitments.

Inspirations and Risks - Listen to your heart. I recently heard an athlete say, I’m considering Boulder 70.3 and Galveston 70.3. I'd really love to race in Boulder but the altitude scares me and I'm not sure I can prepare for it. If you have a race that inspires you, it will fuel your drive. By carefully strategizing, planning for the challenge and putting in place the habits to execute your training - you'll be ready!

You Support Team - Who's in your corner? Who's support do you need? Share your goals with your spouse or partner, your parents or kids, your boss. Let them know and let them know how you plan to balance your commitments and what you need from them. Invite them to be on your journey, follow you on social media, invite them to your races. You communicating with them will build your support and help you identify any hidden risks or undiscovered commitments.

Budget

Talk to your accountant and your spouse now. Let them know what races you want to do, what equipment you need to do those races, what nutrition and other expenditures like travel, etc. To have longevity in the sport and marriage, don't commit to anything you can't afford.

Next week in episode #465 we will give you a blueprint for how to put together your 2025 Race Plan.

303Triathlon News and Updates:

T100 Triathlon Pro & Age-Group Triathlon Events | T100 Triathlon

Dubai T100 Pro Series Championship November 16th

Watch free on PTO+ App

Leaderboard T100 Triathlon World Tour Pro Racing | T100 Triathlon

Local races are open for registration:

Without Limits has opened their calendar and some of those races like Xterra Lory will sell out fast. 

Without Limits Productions | Triathlon

 

BBSC has also announced their schedule

BBSC Endurance - Destination Triathlons and Races

 

IRONMAN Boulder 70.3 June 14

IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder - Anything Is Possible

 

Closing:

Thanks again for listening this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303triathlon and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it!

Stay tuned, train informed and enjoy the endurance journey!

Train With Coach Rich:

Coach Rich Soares

[email protected]

Rich Soares Coaching

TriDot Signup - https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares

RunDot Signup - https://app.rundot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares

 

Train with Coach April:

Coach April Spilde

[email protected]

Grit2Greatness Endurance Podcast Podcast Series - Apple Podcasts

TriDot Signup - https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/aprilspilde