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New Season, New Opportunities

author : alicefoeller

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Changing weather is a chance to assess, adjust

In most parts of the world for our BeginnerTriathlete members (begging your pardon, Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand), the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting cooler. Many triathletes are taking their regular workouts and regular workout schedules in door, or preparing to do so. Or dreading doing so.

There is another way to view the change of seasons, and that is, as an opportunity to work on something new.

If you know you should do speedwork but you never do, now is your chance to experiment with those interesting-looking programs on the treadmill.

If you are really committed to building strength as a foundation for your 2017 training, it's time to look at our strength workouts here at BeginnerTriathlete, or get a new book on strength training, or sign up for a strength class or time with a personal trainer at your gym.

There is great new research on how incorporating strength and intensity into your training can get you better results in less time, with a healthier body. It's always hard to take that risk when you have your races set and you are worried about making your distances each week. But for most of us, November means the pressure is off. Go ahead and try it for a month or two. Sign up for a 5K or half marathon, or conduct your own time trial on January 1st. If the experiment isn't working, there's still plenty of time to get back to traditional training if you want to.

Here's a quick list of inspiring ways to make the change of seasons a net-positive for your training:

Try a plyometrics class. If you hurt yourself, there's plenty of time to get better!

Dial back your overall distance and double your speed workouts. Use the hill workout on the treadmill. Work the hard gears on your bike.

Take a spin class. It's not exactly the same, and it's not your bike, but what the heck! It's fall! Maybe it will be fun!

Join a Master Swim Team. You'll improve your swimming by consulting with teammates on how to improve your stroke, and you'll likely incorporate way more intensity than you would on your own.