Matt Fitzgerald, prolific endurance author and frequent contributor to Ironman and Training Peaks, discusses his book 'How Bad Do You Want It - Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle'. He explores the power of the mind in endurance sports, highlighting the achievements of physically disadvantaged athletes and the importance of positive thinking. The chapter also discusses tapering in training for endurance races and creating an engaging event village.
Tapering is crucial for optimizing performance and involves a progressive reduction in training load leading up to the event.
During tapering, it's important to keep the body moving to maintain momentum and avoid feeling flat.
Preparation for competing in hot conditions is crucial, including training specifically for the event and acclimating to the heat.
Deep dives
The Importance of Tapering for Race Preparation
Tapering is a crucial step in race preparation as it allows athletes to reduce physical and psychological stress and optimize performance. It involves a progressive reduction in training load leading up to the event, typically involving a 20% reduction in volume per week. The taper period should also include some structured intensity to maintain biomechanical requirements and intensity of effort. The type of taper and its duration can vary depending on the athlete's training load and the length of the event. Linear, step, or exponential tapers are common approaches. It's important for athletes to find a taper strategy that works best for their individual needs. Maintaining specific intervals that reinforce race pace and incorporating short rest sessions are recommended during the taper period. The goal is to arrive at the start line feeling fresh and ideally without any fatigue. It's also important for athletes to listen to their bodies and adjust their tapering approach accordingly.
Insight from Meredith Kessler on Tapering
Meredith Kessler suggests that during tapering, it's important to keep the blood flowing and the engine open. She recommends engaging in light activities such as easy swimming, cycling a portion of the race course, or running along the lake to maintain momentum and avoid feeling flat. While it's crucial to decrease training volume, it's also important to keep the body moving to prevent lethargy. The goal is to find a balance that allows for rest and recovery while still priming the body for race day.
Advice from Torenzo on Tapering
Torenzo advises tapering athletes to continue with some activity every day during the final week leading up to the race, while reducing the duration to around 1.5 to 2 hours per session and avoiding excessive exertion. He suggests maintaining at least two disciplines each day to keep the body engaged and prepared for race day. As the race approaches, he recommends incorporating race pace activation exercises to ensure the body is primed and ready. On race day, Torenzo emphasizes the importance of pacing and sticking to your race plan, rather than getting distracted by competitors or going out too hard too soon. A well-paced race ensures a more enjoyable and successful experience.
Preparing for the Heat
Preparation for competing in hot conditions is crucial. The podcast episode emphasizes the importance of training specifically for the event and acclimating to the heat. The speaker mentions that training in hot environments or using heat chambers can help in acclimating the body to perform better in high temperatures. Additionally, using ice slushies and cold fluids during the event can provide internal cooling, improving performance. It is also important to drink to thirst and not overhydrate, as well as practice in the heat to get accustomed to the conditions.
Creating a Multi-Sport Festival
The episode also discusses the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman race and its transformation into a multi-sport festival. The event organizers aim to create a vibrant event village and offer various activities that cater to different interests and abilities. They emphasize the importance of involving the whole family in the festival and provide opportunities for everyone to participate, from fun runs to paddleboarding events. The episode highlights the unique spectator experience at the event, where the audience can easily follow the race course and support the athletes. The organizers have a vision to make the event as successful as the well-known Noosa Triathlon Festival in Australia with a local touch and aim for long-term growth.
ONE STEP AHEAD: Quick and easy lunch and smoothie ideas. WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Tapering - what it means leading into an event and why we do it. We also bring back Terenzo Bozzone and Meredith Kessler to talk about Ironman Taupo 70.3 and what they do in their taper phase leading into an event. HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW - MATT FITZGERALD: Matt Fitzgerald – writer/athlete/coach - is a prolific endurance author and frequent contributor to Ironman and Training Peaks. He talks to us about his most recent book 'How Bad Do You Want It - Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle'. The greatest athletic performances spring from the mind, not the body. Elite athletes have known this for decades and now science is learning why it's true. In this fascinating new book Matt examines more than a dozen pivotal races to discover the surprising ways elite athletes strengthen their mental toughness. 5 MINUTE FOCUS: This week Bevan talks to Lauren Watson of SMC Events about the Mount Festival of Multisport incorporating the 2016 Port of Tauranga Half http://mountfestival.kiwi/ GIVEAWAY: WIN A FREE ENTRY to the Triathlon New Zealand Tag Team Championships held at the Mount Festival of Sport weekend, 8-10 January 2016. GEEK OUT: This week our geeky contributors 'The Prof and The Plews' talk to us about keeping your cool in extreme conditions and the strategies to help maximise your performance in triathlon.
