We’ve got a little less than seven months to go before we gather in Cape Town, and many of us are starting the lengthy journey toward January with the beginnings of a training build. Last month, I encouraged consistency and sustainability as pillars of a successful training plan. As you start to take some (or many) furtive steps towards prepping for the challenge of a lifetime, it is also helpful to make sure you have a clear cut list of non-negotiables and some help to keep those priorities in order.
I often encounter athletes ready for a new challenge or excited to “shake things up” with a new stage of training and / or racing in their lives. This enthusiasm is essential, but can be fleeting if not underpinned with a strong foundation of wise decision-making. Many times, enthusiasm and independent decisions can lead to exciting times, but often a little too exciting. Perhaps you’ve been there. I know I have!
As you begin the ascent toward this significant undertaking, make sure you have a source of trusted advice and someone you can reach out to when you need to talk things out. It could be a coach, a training partner, a friend, or a family member, but ideally someone who knows you (and ideally at least a little about what this is all about). You might face some choices on whether to push or to rest, to risk, or to keep your powder dry for the long-term. When you need to have a little “meeting” with yourself about a tough training decision, it is very helpful to have someone who can give some unbiased observations, provide some accountability, and help you keep things in context. Be proactive about identifying these key individuals. Let them know they are going to be crucial to your journey, and thank them in advance for their support.
But what are you trying to keep in context? I’ve already discussed the importance of getting to the start line healthy as absolutely the first goal of any endurance challenge. Along the way, however, each of us will need to determine how we can create space physically and mentally to achieve that goal. For some of us, that means sticking to a regular bed time so you have enough rest and recovery to rise as early as you need to get the miles in. For others, it might mean scheduling PT as pre-hab or body work proactively to ensure everything stays in working order despite the new stresses. For still others, it might mean prioritizing nutrition, or scheduling runs with others so you can maintain a social component of what is fundamentally an extremely individual pursuit. If any of this was easy, everyone would be doing it (as the saying goes). These priorities might be crucial, but they might also be difficult to stick with when the initial enthusiasm wears off. You will need encouragement to hang in there for the pay off you are seeking in seven short months. A trusted ally can make all the difference.
Each of us has a couple of key things that if in place, make the rest of it all come together. As we start up this mountain, identify your non-negotiables and identify that person or two to help you stick to your guns and keep first things first. We are all committed to this project or we wouldn’t have signed up, but there will be a time when it will seem pretty difficult and perhaps overwhelming. Plan now to minimize the disruption of those bumps in the road with the scaffolding of a clear priority list of what makes your training motor hum smoothly, as well as who can serve as a mechanic when the check engine light inevitably turns on along the way.