by David Bauerle
Are you getting bored with doing your endurance training on the same old routes? Sometimes, as adventurous, driven athletes, we need to shake things up a bit! You may want to consider the incredible experience that is a 'destination training' trip.
The new adventure doesn't need to be far from home or an expensive endeavor. You may just want to get up earlier and drive 30 minutes to a new swim, bike, and/or run location.
If you feel really adventurous and want to get away and really shake things up, plan a weekend trip for some quality endurance training time. Look online for prime training grounds that are within driving distance. Identify a place where you can spend the entire weekend focused on training and recovering.
When you are immersed in your training away from home, you can train then rest really well. No yard work on Saturday afternoon on exhausted legs; no laundry to take care of, and no honey do's! Just a nice power nap each afternoon after a fantastic day of workouts!
Most areas will have a local bike shop to contact to see if they host group rides you can join. Check for running shoe/gear stores to see if they host group runs or can share some great routes for you to explore. Many cities now have aquatic centers where they hold Master swim workouts where you can really challenge yourself. The local triathlon club could be an invaluable resource for destination training! Contact any one of these fantastic resources to find out when and where training takes place for the locals.
You can also look at websites like Strava and use heat maps to plan a long bike ride. Look for options that have different terrain than where you usually train. For example, choose a very hilly course that is in contrast to your typical flat route. If it's hot and humid where you live, go north. Even a couple of degrees cooler and lower humidity can help you feel refreshed and help you get in a good solid ride and run.
Destination Training trips are always more fun with friends (not to mention safer). While planning your adventure, why not put together a group training weekend? Here's a great example: while training for my last 140.6, I organized a trip to the Oklahoma Arbuckle Mountains (yes, Oklahoma has mountains). A few of my coached athletes, friends, and family made the 2-hour drive from Texas to head North, and it was well worth it!
We were able to swim in a new (to us) lake, ride some serious climbs similar to what we would tackle in our upcoming event, and get in some strong bricks/runs on some picturesque country roads. We knew we needed something new and challenging to get us ready for the hilly course we would face in our upcoming 140.6 event. After making the trek once it was unanimous, we would go back a few more times.
It is well known that training for endurance events is physically challenging. It is, for some, even more of a mental and emotional challenge. A change of scenery for your workouts can be just what you need to restore your motivation, improve your attitude, and refresh your spirit. The end result may be taller grass, a garage that still needs to be organized, and a honey-do list that hasn't gotten any shorter…. But your physical, mental, and emotional health will benefit greatly.
As a coach and triathlete, I truly believe you will see an overall improvement in your training when you set a course for "Destination Training"!
Coach David Bauerle is a Dallas Texas area based Coach with USA Triathlon Level 1 Endurance, IRONMAN U, and USA Cycling Level 3 Coaching Certifications. Coach David enjoys working with Endurance Athletes of all levels to help them reach their goals.
Coach David can be reached at david@teammpi.com.