“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. – Aristotle”

As a triathlon coach, I have the privilege of working with and observing many great athletes from all different walks of life. Sure, some athletes have good genetics but there are also other pieces and external factors that we can control to help with long-term triathlon success.

The number one success factor that I have observed the most is consistency. It’s what athletes do repeatedly daily, over and over again that allows them to have long-term success in the sport of triathlon. A well-designed training plan followed consistently will maximize results. A well-designed plan has the proper mix of stress and recovery and ensures the right type of training occurs at the right time.

If you struggle with staying consistent with triathlon training the good news is that you can control it! It’s not a skill or talent, you have control over being consistent with your training sessions. The goal is to always follow the training plan as best you can. But the reality is, life happens, kids get sick, work meetings run late and that’s okay. We’re human! When life happens a good target is to get in 85% of your planned training sessions any given week. Always make a note of what your key workouts are and focus on getting those in. 

Always remember that if you’re short on time, simply shorten your workout. This may seem like a given, but we often think “I don’t have time to get in my long run this week,” so it gets skipped altogether. But the question is, do you have time for a quick 30-minute run? The answer is most likely, yes! Rather than feeling discouraged about missing a workout. Think about how much better you will feel both physically and mentally about having done a shorter run rather than nothing at all! 

One of the key elements to triathlon success is putting in the work overtime. Staying consistent over time leads to fitness gains and reduces the risk of injury so you can reach your full potential and have long-term success!

-Coach Carly

P.S. Having a tough time fitting it all in? Check out The Triathletes Google Calendar to help with your triathlon training consistency and long-term success!