1%er Number 8 - Alone Time

Time for tip number 8 and this one relates to training. This tip is one that not everyone will necessarily agree with, but it is something that is close to my heart.

The tip is that I believe that a good proportion of a person's training for long course triathlon should be done solo.

My reasoning behind this belief is pretty straight forward, long course triathlon is a solo sport, and so as such, people should spend time getting used to doing it alone.

What do I mean by this?

Well, really it is as simple as doing some key sessions a week by yourself. In particular I think it is important to do some of your long rides and some of your long runs alone.

Why?

I have a couple of reasons for feeling this way. Firstly, there is no drafting in Long Course Triathlon and so it is important that people get used to pushing their own wind. If you do all your long rides as part of a big group, then you are not properly preparing yourself for the bike leg. To prepare for the bike you need to be ready to have no draft for 90 or 180km. There is nowhere to hide in a Triathlon. To properly understand your pacing and how your body will react to the rigours of the distance, it is important that you experience a bit of it during training, that means doing it without assistance.

The second reason I think it is important to spend some time training alone is to help build up the mental strength necessary to keep on pushing when you hit those dark moments that come during a race. If you are always pulling your energy from other people in your squad, then you may find yourself struggling on race day when the headwind picks up and the pain kicks in and the going gets tough. In a long triathlon you need to be able to have the internal drive to keep pushing when there is nobody else around. One of the ways I think people can do that is to spend some time pushing themselves in training when there is nobody around to do the pushing for them. In a long triathlon you spend a lot of time in your own head and so it is important that you get comfortable there.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am also a strong believer in the benefits of training in a squad. Having others around can also be really beneficial. Training in a squad can push you to new levels, help keep you motivated, get you going when you really jut want to head home. Training in a group can be a very important ingredient to pushing improvement.

My point though is that squad sessions shouldn't be all a person does. Sometimes a person needs to get out and get themselves through 6 hours on the bike, or 3 hours of running, or perhaps even an open water swim. These sessions will all present a person with challenges and mental hurdles, just like a race will. Just like in a race, a person needs to find the strength to get themselves over these challenges and through to the other side.