Thinking about a signing up for a race, but don’t have a structured training plan?
Getting out there to consistently train is certainly more beneficial than not training at all. But if you have a specific goal – run a 5k without stopping, finish a triathlon, break 2 hours in a half marathon – not having a structured plan isn’t the most optimal path to achievement.
So what’s so good about having a training plan?
➡️It can be tough to figure out how to set up your schedule – on which days should you train? How long and hard should your workouts be? It’s sort of like a big puzzle, one that’s solved by a training plan from a coach who understands your fitness level, background, and day-to-day schedule. You don’t have to think about it.
➡️A plan is structured around your goal race. Training won’t look the same every year, month, or week. It’s carefully crafted to build your fitness by moderating things like workout volume and intensity in a way that will lead you to perform optimally on race day. Again, it can be overwhelming to try and figure this out on your own – with your coach’s plan, you don’t have to.
“Okay, fine,” you say, “but I can follow a training plan without hiring a coach.”
What’s good about having a coach write your plan?
➡️The accountability factor. It’s much easier to skip a workout when it’s not listed on a calendar that your coach will be reviewing frequently.
➡️The support factor. A canned training plan provides workouts only; it doesn’t know anything about your fitness level and history. A coach will design a plan based on where you’re at right now to avoid overtraining, undertraining, or injury. They’ll give you feedback, they’ll know how to best modify your plan for something like illness, and they’re there to answer your questions. The plan they write is specific to YOU, and they’ll work WITH you for any adaptations along the way.
If you have an eye on a race in the upcoming months or season, now is the time to think about training PURPOSEFULLY, rather than winging it.
A good base of fitness is key, so don’t wait!
I’d love to talk about how I can help you on your path to success. Send me a message and we can chat about getting you a personalized plan to achieve your goal!
Dina Grimaldi is a triathlon & nutrition coach who helps athletes reach their goals while finding the balance they need to fit training comfortably into their lives, and who guides and supports those with nutrition or health goals to cultivate a lifestyle of sustainable habits and a healthy relationship with food.
