Train the MPI Way
A coach presentation from FFT Coaching recently got me thinking about the principles behind how we train. They shared their own short list, and it hit home enough that I took their concept and reworked it to better match where my philosophy is today. The result is now hosted on the Team MPI website (in a few places, so it's hard to miss!).
This list isn't just for the athletes chasing podiums, it applies to every one of us, from the first-time 5K runner to the elite on a World Championship start line.
It starts with the line that sets the tone for everything else:
"People will remember how we made them feel, not how many races we've won."
KNOW - who we are
Strive for absolutely accurate self-awareness
Be honest: it's the most powerful trait in endurance sports
This is where it all begins. Whether we're logging our very first RPE or reading HRV trends, knowing where we really are (not where we wish we were!) is what lets us (and our coach) make good decisions. And honesty goes hand in hand: with our coach, with our training log, and most of all with ourselves.
BUILD - how we train
Be consistent, but not unyielding
Continually create good habits: it's the secret sauce to success
Train with specificity, but don't lose the big picture of time
Respect the power of recovery: it's when we get faster and stronger
Consistency beats any single great workout, but consistent doesn't mean rigid. Life happens, and the plan should bend instead of break! Good habits (sleep, fueling, just showing up) are what make consistency possible. Specificity matters more as race day gets closer, but we're building over seasons and years, not just weeks. And recovery? It isn't time off from training, it's when the training actually pays off.
GROW - how we improve
1st, never give up our strengths; then never stop improving our weaknesses
Have the courage to make change, in a session, a training block or a race
Strive for perfection, but know when to give ourselves credit
Most of us love working on what we're already good at (that's human!). Keep those strengths sharp, then keep chipping away at the weak spots. Making a change takes courage too: cutting a session short, adjusting a block, or changing the plan mid-race when the day calls for it. And yes, chase perfection, but celebrate along the way. A beginner finishing their first sprint and an elite nailing a new PR both deserve credit!
WHY - what carries us
Find gratitude in all that we do: it's the PED for the mind
This is the one that carries all the others. Gratitude for being able to train at all, for the people supporting us, even for the 5 a.m. alarms (yes, even those!). It's the one performance enhancer that's 100% legal ;)
Whatever our level, beginner or elite, the list doesn't change. Let's train the MPI Way!
Gratefully,
Mark
Team MPI
