Workout of the Week - TempoFit: Recent Episodes
Hayden Shearman
Your weekly running workout. A dose of running inspiration, guidance, entertainment and community—sharing in the joys and challenges of running with a community of TempoFit runners from all over the world! This 15-minute weekly podcast will guide you through the what, the why and the how of each week’s running workout. It’s 15 minutes because that’s the minimum time we recommend people jog for their warm up. So listen as you run and hear about the workout you’ll be doing that week. We also recommend you do some dynamic stretches and warm up drills before diving into the workout as well—you can find ideas for those here. The fun really starts once you’ve crushed your TempoFit Workout of the Week. Jump on to Instagram, Facebook or Strava to post up photos, GPS files or aftermath from your workout and use the hashtag #tempofitwow (WOW standing for “workout of the week”) and tag us in @runtempofit and we’ll all be able to cheer you on and give you the props you deserve for getting the w
This is the finale of our ladder series of workouts and it’s JUICY one!! WHAT? Legs, Lungs & Lactate Ladder Pt.4 4x30s, 3x1min, 2x2mins 10mins (@ 1-hour race pace), 2x2mins, 3x1min, 4x30s @ mile-to-5k race pace 1min jog recoveries (2mins either side of the 10-minute tempo) Terrain: Undulating terrain for a fartlek session or flat,[...]
This week’s ladder session is a really tasty sandwich with short, fast reps as the bread and a juicy tempo run as the middle. Be sure to give this workout a go! WHAT? Legs, Lungs & Lactate Ladder Pt.3 3x30s, 3x1min, 10mins (@ 1-hour race pace), 3x1min, 3x30s @ mile-to-3k race pace 2min jog recoveries[...]
I absolutely love the balance of this workout with a good amount of faster stuff to refine technique and a big old block of grindy 10k paced work in the middle to keep the session honest. WHAT? Legs, Lungs & Lactate Ladder Pt.2 3x30s, 3x2mins, 3x3mins, 3x2mins, 3x30s @ mile & 10k race pace 1min[...]
This week is the finale of our series on broken tempo runs where this week we get through 36 minutes of solid work—all designed to make your body a fatigue-flushing machine! WHAT? Time Under Tension Pt.3 3x 12mins @ Lactate Threshold Pace (your 1-hour race pace) 3mins jog recovery Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway. A broken[...]
Continuing our series on broken tempo runs, this week we add 25% more time to the session—ramping up your opportunity to get stronger and go faster for longer. WHAT? Time Under Tension Pt.23x 10mins @ Lactate Threshold Pace (your 1-hour race pace)2-3mins jog recoveryTerrain: Flat, measurable pathway. A broken tempo run is a good way[...]
With the New Year comes a new series of workouts where we’re taking the traditional tempo run and breaking it into segments to allow for more time at threshold to develop that ability to go faster for longer. WHAT? Time Under Tension Pt.1 3x 8mins @ Lactate Threshold Pace (your 1-hour race pace) 2mins jog[...]
Happy New Year! To celebrate 2022, we’re doing a workout this week perfectly suited for the occasion with two 20-minute tempo runs and then a final 2-minute blast off: 20-20-2! WHAT? The 20-20-2 2x [20-minute tempo run @ half marathon pace, 5min jog] 2 minutes at your 3k race pace Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway or[...]
It’s the holidays and the final workout of the year, so why not do the most brutal fitness challenge from the year all over again!!?? If it’s your second time doing this session, can you beat your previous time? If it’s your first time, how close can you get to your 5k PB? WHAT? Holidays[...]
Last week we did a 4-3-2-1 fartlek; this week it’s 5-4-3-2-1 twice over. So a little more endurance and, with it, a little more fun to bring in the festive season! WHAT? Fartlek Countdown to Christmas Pt.2 2 sets of: 5-4-3-2-1 minutes @ speeds of your choosing 1 minute jog recoveries Terrain: Undulating trails or[...]
This workout is as easy as 4-3-2-1, twice over. Do it fast. Do it cruisy. You choose. The one rule for this session, though, is have FUN! WHAT? Fartlek Countdown to Christmas Pt.1 2 sets of: 4-3-2-1 minutes @ speeds of your choosing 1 minute jog recoveries Terrain: Undulating trails or flat, measurable pathway (you[...]
Up for a challenge this week? This running-meets-calisthenics will BURN!!! WHAT? What doesn’t kill you … Pt. 3 5 non-stop sets of: 20 squats, 10 press ups, 5 burpees 1k as fast as you can Terrain: Flat measurable path or running track This workout challenge is a 5k but interspersing burpees, press ups and squats[...]
We’re one week out from our calisthenics-meets-running challenge and this is the perfect workout to tune up both running legs and press up arms! WHAT? What doesn’t kill you … Pt. 2 5 sets of: [20 squats, 10 press ups, 5 burpees 3mins @ your 5k race effort] 2mins jog or active recoveries Terrain: Flat[...]
What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger … right?! Well, this series of workouts will definitely test out that theory as we work our way up to an epic running-meets-calisthenics workout challenge in three weeks’ time. WHAT? What doesn’t kill you … Pt. 1 5 sets of: [20 squats, 10 press ups, 5 burpees 2mins[...]
This workout is the ultimate homemade pizza of workouts where we give you the base and you decide the toppings. Will it be meaty? Maybe a little spicy? Or will it be a chilled out Hawaiian?! WHAT? YOU CHOOSE THE TOPPINGS 10x 400m @ between 5k and mile race pace 400m jog recoveries Terrain: Flat[...]
What better way to celebrate 111 episodes of the podcast than a workout like 11x 1 minute!? And aside from another numerically pleasing session, why would we want to do a session like this? Read on … WHAT? THE FIRESTARTER 11x 1 minute @ 5k race effort up to mile race effort 1 minute jog[...]
This is our final workout in the series of short-fast hill reps designed to give us the physical and mental tools to love running hills. On this occasion we use the hills as a stimulus to create great running technique and power before doing short bursts of tempo running. WHAT? HOW TO LOVE HILLS: PART[...]
This week we continue our focus of quality-over-quantity in hill reps, but we’re introducing some accelerations to switch over to beast mode for the close of each rep. WHAT? HOW TO LOVE HILLS: PART 3 6x 45-second uphill efforts (w/ first 30s steady, final 10s fast) 2-3mins jog recoveries Terrain: Moderate hill. Gear-changing workouts are[...]
Want to get faster? Get stronger? Run smoother? Hills are the answer to many of these questions and this week continue our series of quality-over-quantity hill reps where mastery is the goal, not exhaustion. WHAT? HOW TO LOVE HILLS: PART 2 3 sets of: 15, 30 & 45-second uphill efforts (w/ respective effort levels of[...]
For the next four weeks, come on a journey to discover a new love for running hills! We’ll be doing short, sharp hill reps with plenty of recovery to develop technique, power and overall improve our emotional relationships with going vertical! WHAT? HOW TO LOVE HILLS: PART 1 3 sets of: 2×15-second strides uphill 1×15-second[...]
It’s time to let yourself loose in the trails and hills! This fartlek workout is designed to free you up to get stronger on the verticals. WHAT? HILLY FARTLEK 6x4mins @ your 1-hour race effort w/ 2min recovery jogs Terrain: Undulating hills. Hunt some hills today. But nothing too mountainous. Ideal would be uphill and[...]
This fartlek session starts slow and long and finishes fast and short. It can be adapted whatever training cycle you’re in and is fun, free and also numerically pleasing! WHAT? PROGRESSION FARTLEK 16mins, 8, 4, 2, 1, 30s, 15s (getting faster as you go) w/ 2min recovery jogs Terrain: Undulating trails w/ somewhere flat for[...]
Ready to go long? Ready to prove to yourself that you can still run strong, fast and confident even on tired legs? This week’s workout is tough but massively rewarding and energising. WHAT? STRIDES & TEMPO #4 3x30s strides w/ 90s jogs 35mins @ lactate threshold (your 1-hour race pace) 3x30s strides w/ 90s jogs[...]
In the words of early 90s rapper Vanilla Ice, “Stop, collaborate and listen!” That’s what we’re doing with the strides thrown into break up this pretty meaty workout. WHAT? STRIDES & TEMPO #3 Two sets of: [3x30s strides w/ 90s jogs 15mins @ lactate threshold (your 1-hour race pace)] Recoveries: 3-minute jogs between sets Terrain:[...]
, Last week we introduced a new workout series that artfully combines strides with tempo runs. This week creates a sandwich situation with the short, fast bursts of quality running as the bread and a big meaty filling of a tempo run in the middle. WHAT? STRIDES & TEMPO #2 2x30s strides 25mins @ lactate[...]
This week we kick off a new workout series that builds on the craft of running fast and smooth while also building endurance long haul engines from a heavy dose of threshold training. WHAT? STRIDES & TEMPO #1 3x20s strides (100s jog recoveries) 20mins @ lactate threshold (your 1-hour race pace) Terrain: A flat and[...]
We’ve made it to Episode #100 of the Workout of the Week podcast and what better way to celebrate than with 10x 1k and 100 burpees!?!?!? Are you up for the challenge? WHAT? THE 100 10 sets of:– 10 burpees– 1k @ marathon race pace– 1-2 mins recovery jog Terrain: A flat and measurable pathway.[...]
This is Episode #99 of the Workout of the Week podcast so brace yourself for a workout with a whole heap of nines in it! WHAT? THE STEADY STATE SANDWICH 9mins @ 1-hour race pace 9x1min @ 5k race pace (1min jogs) 9mins @ 1-hour race pace 3mins jog recovery between each block Terrain: Either[...]
Inspired by the Olympics and wanting to run fast? Tired from the late nights watching athletics? This fartlek workout can be adapted to suit any end of the intensity spectrum : recovery or flat out. WHAT? RECOVERY FARTLEK 3x 3mins 3x 2mins 3x 1mins 3x 30 seconds All at a speed of your choosing 1min[...]
Feeling the Olympic vibes?!! This workout will definitely get you in the zone for the Games as you run every distance track race! WHAT? THE OLYMPIC 10k easy, 5k @ half marathon pace 1.5k & 800m @ 5k pace 400 & 200m @ 1500m pace 100m fast As much recovery as needed Terrain: Measurable pathway.[...]
We’ve got an epic Olympic-themed workout for ya next week. But this week, we do a bridging session to connect the dots between the Mona Fartleks we have been doing and the big Olympic session to come. WHAT? Mixed Fartlek Session Block 1: 2mins, 1.5mins, 1min, 30secs (60secs jog recoveries) Block 2: 20mins steady Block[...]
After two weeks of doing versions of the famous Mona Fartlek, this week we’re rounding off the series with what is probably the most famous of all its variations. Get ready for a lung and leg burner! WHAT? The Mona Fartlek w/ Floats 2x 90 seconds 4x 60 seconds 4x 30 seconds 4x 15 seconds[...]
Last week we introduced a famous fartlek workout invented by Aussie distance running legend Steve Moneghetti. This week we introduce a couple of tweaks to the Mona Fartlek that make both more endurance focused and more speed orientated. WHAT? The Modified Mona Fartlek 3x 90 seconds 4x 60 seconds 3x 30 seconds 2x 15 seconds[...]
This is a famous workout created by legendary Australian distance runner Steve Moneghetti. It combines the freedom of a fartlek session with the speed of shorter reps and the intensity of minimal recovery. It’s what lead Mona to four Olympics, 4th at World Cross in 1989 and a bronze at the World Marathon Champs in[...]
Get fast and gutsy with this fun workout that combines 200s with 1k reps. One’s great for developing technique and smooth mechanics and the other is great for bringing out that inner work-horse mentality. WHAT? 5k Pace Intervals 3x 200m @ your mile race pace 4x 1k @ your 5k race pace 3x 200m @[...]
Here we go! 1k reps and lots of them! This workout is designed to give your body plenty of time on your feet running at 5k pace, so you can get all those great adaptations to speed and intensity that come with it. WHAT? 5k Pace Intervals 6x 1k @ your 5k race pace 2[...]
There’s something special about running at 5k pace. It’s demanding on the legs, the lungs and the mind … and it’s also loads of fun! WHAT? 5k Pace Intervals 6x 3 minutes @ your 5k race pace 1-2 minutes jog recovery Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway or running track The 3-minute intervals are just approximate, so[...]
There’s something special about running at 5k pace. It’s demanding on the legs, the lungs and the mind … and it’s also loads of fun and leaves you feeling pumped for the rest of the day. This week we kick off a new series of 5k paced workouts. WHAT? 5k Pace Intervals 6x 2 minutes[...]
You wanted hills and here they are!!! This is the climax to our hill series. Give it a whirl and be sure to let us know how it goes! Tag us in on @runtempofit (FB & IG). WHAT? Hill Reps 5x 2 minutes uphill @ 5k race effort Jog back down very easily for your[...]
Here we go!!! Bring on the hills!!! This workout is equally a lung burner and a leg burner. Give it a whirl to stoke that inner fire for running fast and strong. WHAT? Hill Reps 6x 1 minute uphill @ 3k race effort Jog back down very easily for your recoveries Terrain: Mild-to-moderately steep hill[...]
This workout is one of my all-time favourites. It combines the intensity of the hills with the grind of a tempo run … twice over! WHAT? Hill Strides & Tempo Runs 2 sets of: 3x 30sec uphill strides 10mins @ your lactate threshold pace (a.k.a 1-hour race pace) 5mins recovery jog between sets Terrain: Mild-to-moderately[...]
For the next four weeks it’s all about “more hills, more thrills”! But don’t worry, we’re easing you into it with this mixed session of hill strides and 1k reps. WHAT? Hills & Reps 3 sets of: 2x 15sec uphill strides 1k @ your 5k race pace 3-4mins recovery jogs between sets Terrain: Moderately steep,[...]
Hit the trails, hit the hills and get those wheels ready to move! This fartlek workout is three sets of progressively faster, but shorter, efforts that give you the freedom to explore paces from 10k steady up to mile effort speed. WHAT? Fartlek Session 3 sets of: 3min, 2min, 1min, 30secs @ 10k to mile[...]
This workout is as simple as 1, 2, 3! Well, it’s 3x 1, 2, 3 to be precise, but it’s another fun and free-spirited fartlek session. So find your favourite trails and let’s go get those wheels moving! WHAT? Fartlek Session 3 sets of: 1min, 2min, 3min @ about your 5k-10k race effort 1min recovery[...]
This week we’re tackling one of the most popular and enjoyable fartlek workouts on the planet. Find some beautiful undulating trails, ditch the GPS, and enjoy running free! WHAT? Fartlek Session 6x 3mins @ one-hour race effort (approx.) 2min recovery jogs Terrain: Scenic, undulating trails. The beauty of fartlek training is the opportunity to let[...]
This workout is a great one to do a week or two before a marathon as it has that beautiful balance of both pace practice and intensity to get you sharpened and ready to tackle the big race. WHAT? Mile Intervals 5x 1 Mile (1st and 5th @ marathon pace, other three @ 10k race[...]
This is the big epic workout of our Marathon Maker Series. It’s not one to be taken lightly. You’ll want to treat it as both your long run and your key session of the week—so much so that you’ll even taper for a few days before the workout and have a good week of recovery[...]
This is the third of four Marathon Maker workouts and things are getting serious! This session has 15k worth of work, so when you add in recoveries and warm up and warm down jogs, you’re logging A LOT of miles! WHAT? Marathon Maker #3 5k – 4k – 3k – 2k – 1k (5k &[...]
Now in week two of our Marathon Maker series we’re introducing the first our marathon-paced blocks. Plus, we’re upping the distance and the endurance factor so give this workout a little more time. WHAT? Marathon Maker #2 4k – 3k – 2k – 1k (4k @ your marathon pace, 3k & 2k @ your half[...]
Welcome to the Marathon Maker series of workouts! Whether you’re targeting a marathon or half or just wanting to enjoy your training and stay fit, this series of workouts will make you the endurance animal you were born to be! WHAT? Marathon Maker #1 3k – 2k – 1k (3k @ your half marathon pace,[...]
Here we go! This is the big one of the Killer K-Rep series! And what level are you up for? Impressive (50 burpees total), Epic (75 burpees) or the mind-numbing Ludicrous (100 burpees)? WHAT? Killer K-Reps #4 5x 1k @ Your 10k Race Pace w/ 10, 15 or 20 burpees immediately before each rep 90[...]
Ready for another Killer K-Reps session? If you haven’t tried one of these yet you’ll want to jump in this week before things get really nutty next week! WHAT? Killer K-Reps #3 5x 1k @ Your 10k Race Pace + 10sec strides immediately after w/ 10 lunge pulses (10 each side), 10 press ups &[...]
A massive thank you to all of those who have touched-base to let us know they both loved and hated the first of our Killer K-Reps! Here comes number 2 in our series of body weight exercises meet K-reps. WHAT? Killer K-Reps #2 5x 1k @ Your 10k Race Pace w/ 10 squats, 10 squat[...]
You will hate me by the end of this workout series! Ladies and gentleman … welcome to The Killer K-Reps!! They’re K reps but not as we know them.
WHAT?
Killer K-Reps #1
5x 1k @ Your 10k Race Pace
w/ 10 press ups & 10 squats immediately before each rep
90 seconds active/jog recovery after each rep
Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway.
Feels: Killer K-Reps
Running isn’t the only way to make yourself suffer when doing a running workout—with calisthenics there’s a whole world of opportunities out there to produce some hurt even before you take one step of running.
These Killer K-Reps are designed to throw in some intensity and muscular fatigue in a way that doesn’t risk extra exposure to running injuries. Then it teaches the body to flush out the fatigue from those exercises on the run.
WHY? Body weight exercises are great for runners to build that core, hip and leg strength that comes into its own in the back half of a running race or the tough stages in a long run. They help build that general athleticism that we all need to run faster for longer.
We using the body weight exercises in the Killer K-Rep series to A) build that strength and athleticism, and B) to also teach the body to flush out fatigue on the run, without actually having to run all the fast.
HOW? 1. Relax on the run. In the first 300m of each 1k rep, you’ll feel like it’s more like 3 or 5k race pace, but this is just your body adjusting to the fatigue and intensity that you’ve created with the press ups and squats. It will pass as you relax and settle in to your steady state 10k pace rhythm. 2. Press Ups. If you can’t do 30-40 strict press ups with good form in one setting, I’d suggest you either do the press ups from your knees or while standing leaning against a wall. We’re after 10 press ups with good form and your chest touching the ground each time. 3. Squats. If you are ever to hire a personal trainer, do it in order to perfect your squat technique (and while you’re there, do your deadlift and hip thrust as well). Squating well is one of the best things you can for your running longevity (and performance), general fitness and health. And here are a couple of quick tips:
- Feet shoulder width apart (or just wider)
- Toes and knees in line
- Knees not going beyond toes
- Butt going backwards (as though you’re plonking it on a small seat) to avoid making it a quad-dominant movement
- Neutral spine position (avoid rounding out your lower back)
- Weight through your heels (not toes)
- Squeeze your glutes (particularly at the bottom and when locking out your hips at the top)
- If you have the flexibility, aim for below parallel (butt getting just lower than knees)
The finale of our progression workouts, this week combines some fun gear changing with some good ol’ fashioned grind.
WHAT?
Progression 2Ks
3x [1k @ your 1-hour race pace, 1k @ your 10k race pace]3min jog recovery
Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway.
Feels: Step It Up
If your 10k pace is actually very similar to your 1-hour race pace, we will instead aim for the final kilometre in each 2k rep to simply be 10 seconds faster than the previous one.
So, it’s kinda like running the first KM at 1-hour race pace and the second at 40-minute race pace.
WHY? We’re getting through 6k worth of work today, so there’s a good amount of tempo run-style grind in there as we hover above and below your lactate threshold (which is approx. your 1-hour race pace).
We’re also looking for three nice gear changes midway in each of the 2K reps—reinforcing that skill of closing hard when things are getting tougher.
HOW? Be sure to have your 1-hour race pace dialled in by using the Race and Pace Calculator at tempofit.org. And, if your 10k race pace is close to your 1-hour race we’ll simply go for a 10-second per km (or 16 seconds per mile) increase in speed for those second 1Ks in the each of the 2K reps.
Also here is a rough guide for those paces:
| 5k Time | Lactate | 10k | | 15:00 | 3:15 | 3:07 | | 20:00 | 4:17 | 4:09 | | 25:00 | 5:14 | 5:12 | | 30:00 | 6:13 | 6:14 |
Notice that the 25-minute and 30-minute 5k runners will need to just increase by 10 seconds per KM, rather than switch to their 10k pace
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
WHY DO YOU RUN? By Hayden Shearman
When I take on a new athlete to coach, one of the many things I want to understand is why they run. Is it for general health, times, bragging rights on Strava, a life goal, or to escape for an hour a day?
Knowing the answer to this question can give us the tools we need to get us through those tough in the sport. It can get us out the door on a cold winter’s morning and get us through the tough spot in a workout or race. So, here are three of my reasons why I’ve run these past 14 years.
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Mental Health: As a teenager, surfing was my life. Which was great but I lived in a landlocked city with no driver’s license! Every winter I found myself depressed and really down on life. Running has enabled me to exercise in nature every day, almost regardless of where I am and what the weather’s doing. It’s the best possible medicine for my mental health.
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Measurement & Goals: I always found team sports frustrating because you never truly new how well you, as an individual, performed. There just isn’t that extrinsic and objective feedback that you get with running. I love being able to see my work and commitment pay off on the stop watch and heart rate monitor. And I love setting goals and building a strategy around how to make them a reality.
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Humans Have to Move: Growing up in the 90s I had a sense that exercise was somehow selfish and was more of a luxury than a must-have. And now, while I realise that exercise and running addictions do exist, I understand that, given our otherwise sedentary lifestyles, it is vital that we intentionally move our bodies daily. The physical, mental and even spiritual benefits of daily exercise are massive. For me, that movement is most easily accessed through running as I can do it anywhere and anytime and it has a great value for the time required and it gets me into nature and can be super social.
What are the reasons you run? I’d love to hear! Email me.
Can you complete the double royal flush? Two 5Ks increasing speed every kilometre—that’s our workout for the week.
WHAT? Progression 5Ks
2x 5k increasing pace every KM
(marathon, half, 1-hour, 10k and 5k race pace)
1-2 jog recovery
Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway.
Feels: The Pacing Ninja
Keeping with our theme of progression work, this one brings more distance and endurance to the table with a cool pacing challenge of seeing whether you can make those slight adjustments in pace every KM.
Be conservative about your paces and take as much rest between 5Ks as you need.
WHY? Whenever you see 5k reps in a workout it’s a good sign the workout is focused on endurance. But this one throws in those added elements of learning to run faster when the going gets tougher and of judging slight speed changes. As such it’s a great workout for learning to listen to your body and judge your pacers to perfection.
HOW? You’ll want to have your paces dialled in before starting this workout, so be sure to input a recent or estimated race result into the Race and Pace Calculator at tempofit.org.
Also here is a rough guide for those paces:
| 5k Time | Marathon | Half | Lactate | 10k | 5k | | 15:00 | 3:28 | 3:17 | 3:15 | 3:07 | 3:00 | | 20:00 | 4:37 | 4:23 | 4:17 | 4:09 | 4:00 | | 25:00 | 5:46 | 5:29 | 5:14 | 5:12 | 5:00 | | 30:00 | 6:56 | 6:35 | 6:13 | 6:14 | 6:00 |
Notice that the 30-minute 5k runner has a 10k pace that is slightly slower than their lactate (one-hour) pace. So they should swap these two around to ensure they can still nail the royal flush 5k.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:WHAT I’VE LEARNT FROM 200 HOURS COMMENTATING ATHLETICS By Hayden Shearman
I started commentating for Athletics New Zealand events back in 2018 and I recently worked out that I’ve notched about 200 hours of live commentating the sport. This has been an amazing opportunity to be given a front seat view to see what it takes to get to the top of track and field. So, here are my top five takeaways from my first 200 hours behind the mic:
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Hard work is the one constant: Without fail you don’t meet medallists at national champs who have been lazing around and got there through natural ability alone. Everyone works. And everyone at this level works hard and is dedicated to improving their sport.
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Smart work is the separator: So, if everyone has hard work, what separates the national champ from the merely national-level athlete? I would say the number one seems to be approaching your sport in smart ways. Whether that’s dialling in your technique, analysing your taper and training, or getting your headspace right, working the top two inches very hard seems to be a constant amongst the national title holders. And it seems that those who go onto succeed at the world level have the three elements of hard work, smart work and natural ability all going for them.
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You have bad days: Here in New Zealand, we are blessed to have some of the world’s best competing locally and it’s been incredible seeing how these phenomenal athletes also have off days and hiccups. So, be assured, if you’ve just had an average race or workout, you’re in some great company!
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The key is to learn from the bad days: When those great athletes have bad days, you’ll often see them rise into a rich vein of form. That combo of smarts and hard work, with a little competitive kick up the proverbial from the less-than-ideal performance, operates as fuel for the fire for these top performing athletes.
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There are good people everywhere: I don’t know whether this sport, which requires hard work and discipline, just attracts good people to it or whether it nurtures those people to become better—or maybe a combo of the two—but, consistently, around the country you meet incredible people in the sport. They have their feet on the ground thanks to the humbling nature of doing hard workouts and races, but still have great ambitions and are brilliant at performing when the spotlight is on them. This sport seems to provide a really nice balance of grind and reward for its athletes that seems to me to attract and create great people.
Got a training question? Email me!