Working with athletes relatively new to endurance sports, admittedly,
can be less challenging coaching them to improved performance compared to very experienced or elite athletes. After reviewing functional strength, mobility,
weekly training volume, intensity, frequency, duration or recovery, coaches can
make adjustments to a training plan based on experience and knowledge of how
the athlete’s body responds best. There
are clearly differences among individuals regarding hormone profile, physical build
and mental toughness that also play a role in optimizing a plan for
individuals and this insight requires time and constant feedback between the athlete and
coach. However, working with very experienced
or elite athletes that are close to reaching their athletic potential often require
much more focus and attention to the many variables affecting their race performance. If a training plan is carefully designed,
recovery is adequate, stress levels are managed and a healthy weight is
maintained, the athlete should expect gains in performance. Careful assessments now become more prevalent and
testing of the athlete in all areas of performance expands to search out
potential limiters.
Some assessment examples; If I have an athlete perform a short circuit of
body weight squats, lunges, pushups, and planks and the next day, the athlete is
completely sore throughout, it alerts me to their need to focus on functional strength
movements. Next perhaps, I look at race
performances or time-trials, selecting what they/we consider their top performances
during the year or recent time period. For example, runner X ran a 30 minutes
flat for 5 mile race on a fast course, a 1:26:00 half-marathon (again flat) and
a 3:10 marathon. These times correlate to VDOT values (taken from Jack Daniel’s
running formula http://www.runbayou.com/jackd.htm,)
of 55, 53 and 50, respectively. We can clearly
see a declining VDOT value as race distance increases and we can then go and
address this issue in our training plan.
Another scenario would be when an athlete’s three selected VDOT values
are ascending for example; 48, 49 and 51. In this
instance, I would suspect the runner lacks power, speed or muscular endurance
in their training plan and a period of specific
development would be a focus before moving on to target race-pace workouts. If the VDOT values are even throughout in all
distances, we can go on and increase one or two variables of volume, intensity,
duration or frequency or move our focus to power to weight ratio (reduce weight while maintaining power), perhaps equipment, or
possibly more effective pacing strategies, etc.
These assessments and limiter discoveries are often the most
exciting moments for both the athlete and coach. To break through race
performance plateaus; regularly perform assessments with your coach in all
areas of your swim, bike, run, strength, mobility or equipment selection to
determine potential limiters and then carefully work together to focus on
improving these areas throughout the season to prepare for race day and hopefully,
you will break through to new levels of performance.
Thanks for reading.
