EN - Endurance Nation shares these training tips for Women (or anyone).
Almost 40% of Team EN membership are women.
1. Nutrition is key. Plan, pack and prepare your foods in advance.
On your grocery days, set aside some time to wash, chop and bag fruits, veggies and prepare basic meals for the week. Chopped up veggies can become salad fixings, a healthy on the go snack or be incorporated with meat for a quick healthy meal. Marinate, grill and keep chicken ready to add to salad or pair with veggies or pasta for a quick fix dinner.
Outsource daily tasks such as cleaning, meal preparation or laundry when you encounter those high volume training weeks. No price can be put on your peace of mind. The only person who thinks YOU have to do it all is…you.
3. Get your zzzz’s.
Important repair work goes on at the cellular level which only happens during REM sleep. Don’t underestimate the role that adequate rest plays in your success in training. Naps are good!
4. Recovery weeks and easy workout days are there for a purpose.
Too often we “A” types can tend to go too hard, too long, too often, much to the detriment of our overall training. Give your body the rest it requires to perform. The upside is that you’ll be better off at all aspects of your life.
5. Create your own race team.
It takes a nation to get you to race day. Family, friends, training partners, coaches and health care professionals all play valuable roles in delivering you to the starting line healthy, happy and ready. Be sure to recognize and thank those who support and sacrifice for you throughout the season.
6. Schedule as far ahead as possible.
Look at your personal calendar and schedule and take as long as it takes, even up to two weeks! Time spent mulling and pondering where the open windows of time are for you to train is time well spent.
7. Ignore most advice to buy the latest-and-greatest gear.
Only buy something if 1) you truly, truly understand how it can help you be a better/faster/healthier triathlete, and 2) you feel that your training and performance is being harmed by not owning this thing.
8. Don’t be afraid to go to the group rides that might be out of your league.
Go, ride as hard as you can for as long as you can, and you will get so fit. Once you get dropped, you continue to push yourself and just meet up at the next meeting point in the ride. You’ll gain fitness, skills, confidence…a huge win across the board!
9. Be ready to workout at all times.
Sometimes life gets in the way, so be ready with workout gear in your car / at your office to take advantage of any openings. If the family is driving somewhere can you ride to it and then get a ride home with bike in the vehicle? Running a 5k? Bike to it and ride afterwards. Running a half marathon? Warm up beforehand and then run a few miles afterwards for an “easy” mental long run! Why wait for your car to be serviced for one hour? Go out for a run or ride! Kid at the orthodontist? You guessed it, go running!
10. It’s about Camaraderie, not Ability.
Find like minded women and men to train with who are not trying to win the workout but who want to just work hard and build each other up through encouragement and praise.
Bonus Tip - The EN women asked to add this to the list!
You don’t “need” women-specific training tips! The tri-world tends to speak to you slowly, write in crayon, and get you to wear pink stuff! The truth is you don’t need to train and race all that differently from the boys. What you need is to surround yourself with a group of women and men who get it, get you, won’t talk down to you, and will support you regardless of your race goals or knowledge level.
Interested in learning more? Join Endurance Nation for a women-only Open House March 16-19, 2010
Go here to learn more and to request an invitation.
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