General Discussion Triathlon Talk » When vacation interrupts your training Rss Feed  
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2018-03-27 1:00 PM


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Subject: When vacation interrupts your training
Hi all,

I am looking for input/suggestions to help me make a decision about signing up for a specific olympic triathlon.

I was planning on competing in the Flagstaff Mountainman Olympic Tri on August 19th. Normally, I would be training 7-12 hours a week for an olympic distance. However, I am going to be out of the country on vacation for 2.5 weeks in late June through July 11th. Being away from training opportunities for more than two weeks seems like a prohibitive event, especially when there are only 5 weeks between my return from vacation and the triathlon. While on vacation, I would be able to fit in some early morning runs here and there, but nothing like a normal training routine.

Have any of you been in a similar schedule situation and raced anyway? I am curious to hear your thoughts.

Thanks!

Martin


2018-03-27 1:50 PM
in reply to: martinstiles

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Master
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Subject: RE: When vacation interrupts your training
I'd just make sure I was in tip-top shape at the time the vacation starts. You won't lose that much fitness in 2.5 weeks, especially for an olympic. Will you be at your best for the race, probably not.

I would definitely try and get some runs in during that time. If some kind of cycling (spin bikes etc.) and swimming is available I'd try for some of that. Might have to get up before everyone else so as to not take away from their time.

Having 5 weeks to get back up and running will still keep you "in the game".

Just maybe keep an eye on the diet, it's easy to go overboard while on vacation. Coming back less than optimum fitness wise is one thing, coming back less than optimum fitness wise AND 10lbs overweight is quite another.....
2018-03-27 3:15 PM
in reply to: reecealan


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Subject: RE: When vacation interrupts your training
Thanks, Reece. It's helpful to start thinking about diet planning for that time off!
2018-03-27 6:36 PM
in reply to: martinstiles

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Subject: RE: When vacation interrupts your training

What are your goals for the race?

How flexible are you with those goals?

You can take one of these 5 approaches:
1)  Embrace the vacation, accept that your race may be slower than you could do without taking 2 weeks off training.  
2)  Embrace the race, skip (or reschedule) the vacation and put your single focus on making the race your absolute best effort.  
3)  Pretend race performance is somehow more important than it is and spend the 2 weeks on vacation obsessing over how much worse your race will be since you're not training properly.  
4)  Enjoy vacation and pretend it won't have an impact on your race and be disappointed when it does.  
5)  Decide a "respectable" race performance is more important than doing the race at a vacation-influenced level and skip the race after enjoying the vacation.  

IMO, life is too short to spend time feeling guilty while doing something you otherwise enjoy.  

2018-03-29 7:15 AM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: When vacation interrupts your training
Yes, many times. I have usually raced well off of a situation like that, even with fairly minimal training, for sprint and Olympic distances. Really no need to do workouts much in excess of an hour for those, once you've built up a good fitness base. Plus five weeks is more than enough time to get back into regular training. I have done decent sprint and Olympic races after being on vacation for 3-4 weeks and then having maybe five DAYS to get back to regular training!

The key is to go into vacation as fit as possible, and then just try to do a minimum of SOMETHING in each sport each week, rather than stress about following a set program or structured workouts. Be proactive and opportunistic about getting in workouts. If you have a choice in where you stay, try to choose places with usable fitness centers, nearby places to run and/or pools, lakes, etc. When we used to do bike tours in Europe, I would bring a shortie wetsuit and jump in for a 20-30 minute swim whenever we happened upon a nice lake. If you happen to be staying in a hotel with a decent fitness center, then get up early and put in some time on the spin bike. If it's somewhere with a good running route, get up early and run. And any swimming is better than nothing--even some laps of a hotel pool will help you keep your "feel" for the water.

Edited by Hot Runner 2018-03-29 7:24 AM
2018-03-29 11:01 AM
in reply to: martinstiles

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Subject: RE: When vacation interrupts your training
Couple things you could do to make up for lack of bike and swims.

Strength specific workouts that stimulate the same muscles used for cycling and swimming. They won't 100% replace the effect of the workouts, but they can get you by for 2.5 weeks.

You can keep your aerobic fitness for the most part with running. Utilize varying intensities and intervals + longer slow work and you should be fine.


2018-03-29 7:28 PM
in reply to: TriJayhawkRyan

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Subject: RE: When vacation interrupts your training
If you can get your hands on some swim cords, those can also be useful for maintaining upper-body strength and muscle patterns in the absence of actual water to swim in. They're very portable--much more so than most pool toys or a wetsuit. If I am traveling and know I can swim in a hotel pool, I usually just bring goggles, cap, and paddles. Other pool toys like fins, buoy, and kick board just take up too much space.
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