For the time-starved athlete, the traditional approach to training for an Ironman or half Ironman can sometimes feel like a part-time job. Some athletes struggle to meet the demands of programs built on a foundation of accumulated weekly training hours. They often come up short when attempting to balance the demands of life and sport.

Many athletes come away feeling as though the training is consuming their life, yet their race results are not reflecting their efforts or they are left trapped in a cycle of injuries.

Today Matt highlights the flaws in the traditional approach that so many athletes and coaches take when preparing for an IRONMAN and half IRONMAN, and offers a more pragmatic approach to setting sustainable training hours and realistic goals within the context of each athlete’s life.

In today's show you will learn 3 things:

• Flaws in the system - Why the common or traditional approach doesn’t work for a time-starved triathlete.

(22:40) “For a time-starved athlete, I don't believe that weekly training hours can be a barometer of success in any way. We have to remember that life is not a spreadsheet."

(26:08) “So, we're first looking to integrate training into life. We've got to think about things in terms of the right training intensity for the athlete, and you have to ensure that success is not built around hours of accumulation. Instead, it's about specific training that you can weave consistently over several weeks."

• The Optimization Challenge - An approach to building an effective and customized training program with reduced hours.
  • [36:25] Paint a Picture of Life - Where does training fit in?
  • [41:36] The Hierarchy of Training - Knowing when to show up
  • [46:25] Training Cycles - Layered long-term training

(35:55) “There are 24 hours in a day, we are committed to work, we are committed to family, and into that we need to integrate training."

• Matt’s tips: Insights on plotting training opportunities for long rides and other training sessions for readiness.
  • [53:52]Training, Habits and Management

The purpose of today’s discussion is to try and add to the conversation of what it takes for a time-starved athlete to thrive and achieve personal success in both Ironman and half Ironman distance racing.

The hope is that you will apply these lessons to your own approach and develop a training methodology that not only maximizes your return on effort but allows you to enjoy the pursuit of your sporting goals without detracting from other aspects of your life.

Episode Timestamps

0:02-04:17 Introduction

4:25-7:53 Matt's News-ings

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