Sustainable Training Diaries: Installment 1 - The Plan
My Experience with Sustainable Training
By Courtney Kelly
Overview
Total Read Time: 8- 11 minute Read
Introduction: What the Sustainable Training Diaries is and why I’m releasing it (1 - 1.5 minute read)
A Thought That Became an Intention: Why I decided to train for a half ironman (1.5 - 2 minute read)
An Intention That Became a Plan: How Zach (Strength Ratio coach who’s also my husband) helped me create a realistic, effective, and sustainable training plan (4 - 5 minute read)
The Big Picture: What the beginning of my story illustrates about sustainable training (1.5 - 2 minute read)
I: Introduction
As the head marketing honcho at Strength Ratio, I do a lot of writing about sustainable training. I talk about what it is, I describe how it works, I explain why it will work for you-- but something pretty profound dawned on me recently: This WHOLE TIME, I've been breaking the cardinal rule of creative writing. I've been telling you all about Strength Ratio's methodology, but never once have I shown you sustainable training in practice.
It's high time that I give you a concrete, detailed, and real life example of what it's like to train sustainably. We work with over 200 athletes around the world, so it goes without saying that there are hosts of sustainable training stories out there, stories that, while they may have different plots, all share the same themes:
Programs made in alignment with the latest exercise and sport science research
Programs also made in conjunction with the realities and contexts of athletes' lives
Coaching that's collaborative, professional, and emerges from honest communication
Future goals that are prioritized alongside present ones
Follow any of our athletes' experiences, and those themes will shine through clear as day. Therefore, I've decided to begin this foray into "show don't tell, sustainable training edition," with the story that's most readily available to me: Mine.
What follows is the first of many installments documenting my experience using sustainable training methodology to prepare for a half ironman— in real time, too! What follows is what I'm going to call, "The Sustainable Training Diaries."
II: A Thought That Became an Intention
On November 15th, 2020, barring any pandemics, natural disasters, meteorites, or other biblical plagues, I'll be competing in the Miami Man Half Ironman. This will be the second half ironman I've ever completed. The first was held exactly one decade ago, when I was 20.
Here's why I signed up: After a few weeks of quarantine, I was starting to feel a little -- okay, a LOT-- cooped up. Most of my customary outlets were off the table, including:
Downtown exploration
Gathering with friends
Hikes (state, national, and city parks all closed down)
Fortunately, I could still train with Zach at Strength Ratio HQ. And while I absolutely do not take that luxury for granted, I have to be honest: Both Zach and I found training at the gym to be kinda... sad. Lights off, music low, and, most deflating of all, none of our community members around. Working out, in general, was a welcome release, but working out there also underscored the fact that our gym is closed (not something that particularly needed to be underscored).
So we both started exploring alternative ways to train. We began running more often and I started cycling—for fun! It had been a while since I'd taken the bike out for such a spin; I'd been bike commuting consistently for just under half a year, but in all that time, I'd yet to just explore.
And this turned out to be much more fun than I bargained for: The sun on my face, the occasional bug in my mouth, the scenery cavorting by just slow enough that I could actually take it all in— it smacked of pre-COVID freedom and offered a whole lot of space and time for me to think.
And during one of these cycling-facilitated thinks, I thought, "Hey! I love cycling-for-fun! I should keep doing it!" And then I thought, "What if I formally integrate this into my training program?" Which then prompted me to decide, "I should compete in another half ironman!" because, "I could totally beat the time I got a decade ago!" And that's the truth. I’m a much more well-rounded athlete than I used to be. The last time I completed such a race, I couldn't do a push up, I rarely did anything except for low intensity aerobic exercise, and I had no idea how to hold a barbell.
Now, I've got 9 years of weight training under my belt, I've competed recreationally in olympic lifting, I've followed powerlifting-specific programming, and I'm overall bigger, stronger, more injury resistant, and faster. The way I saw it on that fateful bike ride, "Why the hell not?"
III: An Intention That Became a Plan
So I pedaled home and told Zach (my husband and Strength Ratio founder) the news. Zach, because he's a natural born coach, immediately responded,
"HECK yeah!"
Also because he's a natural born coach, he immediately followed up with, "Let's start planning out your program!" And that, my friends, is where sustainable training starts: With a plan.
But not just any old plan. One that's realistic, strategic, scientifically-informed, flexible, and engaging. In other words: something I'll be able to do, something that will allow me to accomplish my present goals without putting my future goals at risk, and something that I'll actually enjoy. So Zach, as he was chopping vegetables for dinner (I know what you're thinking: Husband? Coach? Chef? How does he do it? Beats me!), started asking some key planning questions:
Zach’s Question: What's your "why" for this event?
My Answer: To have fun, to engage in training that makes me happy during quarantine, and to reconnect with a sport I love.
Q: Do you have a specific goal for the race?
A: Outside of having fun, I would like to beat the time I got a decade ago. That is: I would like to finish the race in less than 6 hours and 31 minutes. If that doesn't happen for some reason, though, I won't get bent out of shape about it.
Q: How much time do you have to work out during the week?
A: Monday through Friday, I have no more than 90 minutes to train each day. My job's demanding (as you know), and spending time with friends, family, and YOU means a lot to me. I can do longer runs and rides on weekends if I need to.
Q: How often were you training before you decided to sign up for this race?
A: Hmmmm 4 - 5 training sessions per week, I think. That's the amount that I ended up being able to squeeze in with work and such.
Q: What are some secondary fitness goals you have during this time?
A: I'd like to stay as strong and jacked as possible, please and thank you! Also, this is very specific, but I want to continue doing push ups, dips, and pull ups (I worked damn hard to be able to do those). Also, is there a way we can wiggle some Olympic Weightlifting into the plan?
After hearing out all my responses, Zach gave me a good, healthy dose of realness. He explained, basically:
1. Look, this is a loooooonnnnnnggggg distance event you've signed yourself up for, and that means focusing too much on hypertrophy will distract from your goal of completing the race in less than 6.5 hours. We'll have to de-emphasize the goal of getting jacked over the next 29 weeks.
2. A resounding "YES" to the strength request-- it's important to keep you strong as you build your endurance. A concurrent training model will not only reduce your risk of injury, but it will also enable you to return to strength sports if that's something you want to do after the race. (I do!) This is another reason we're going to keep the volume down during your training and prioritize shorter rep ranges.
3. Speed! Okay-- based on your goal of beating your previous time, we should integrate tempo work into your week for swimming, biking AND running.
4. We shouldn't just drop-of-a-hat increase your weekly training volume. Let's shoot for 5 training sessions per week to start.
5. And that means: While the pools are closed (now) and you can't swim, you can get some weightlifting in. However, you should probably only complete around 2 sessions per week, and the focus should be strictly on technique. Don't try to increase your maxes in these lifts. Also, remember: You only have 90 minutes to train during weekdays, and you need to have two built-in rest days. So you may have to sacrifice some accessory strength work in order to fit olympic lifting in.
6. Re: Rest days: It's important to have built-in rest days during the week. Not just to allow your body to recover, but also to allow you the time to do things that make you happy outside of training and work. And so! At least until your long runs get to be over 90 minutes, I say, let's make sure to plan a rest day on Sunday. That way, you can still have your get-dressed-up Saturday nights.
7. I’m not an endurance training specialist, so I’ll plan out your strength work, but we should consult with someone who really knows triathlons about your running, biking and swimming workouts.
My first thought after all of this was: What a perk to being your wife, Zach! Thank you for all of this thoughtful feedback! My second thought was: Minor bummer about the not getting more jacked bit, but whatever. Fun is always my number two goal for exercise (health is number one), so I accept setting aside aesthetic goals in favor of workouts that make me happy. Third thought: I suppose if I'm choosing between technique work in olympic weightlifting and having more time to build overall strength, I choose the latter. And fourth: Brilliant, sir! You know me so well! I would definitely still like to have the option of a Saturday night out (even though my tolerance for staying up late has significantly dwindled), so a Sunday rest day sounds perfect.
Having laid out my "why," goals, preferences, schedule constraints, and training background, my initial weekly training plan began to materialize. Below is, broadly, what it looks like. (NOTE! I am not actually including my workouts or workout progressions here, just the overarching structure of my workouts throughout the week. Future installments in this series will explain exactly what exercises my workouts consist of and why.)
IV: The Big Picture
The idea with this initial weekly structure is to gradually expose me to endurance training, to start improving my speed, and to continue building my strength. Since no pools are open right now, I can't swim, so I'll have to wait to integrate swimming workouts. Regardless, I'm stoked! Having direction, a realistic weekly program, and activities I LOVE on the docket feels really good. Especially in today’s world. It’s a tiny glimmer of sunlight in the middle of a great big tornado of gloom.
And thus, awesome reader, a sustainable training plan is born! While I didn't include the exact details of my workouts, and I haven't yet explained how my training phases will evolve between now and race day, the point of this article is to demonstrate what Strength Ratio’s planning process consists of and why it's a key part of our approach to programming and coaching.
Sustainable training isn't about trying to force people into a rigid structure or uniform exercise practice. It's not a particular series of movements, it's not an emphasis of particular body parts, it’s not the use of particular pieces of equipment and it's not a particular series of workout intensities. It's scientifically informed programming and collaborative coaching built according to people’s interests, goals, priorities, and lives.
Next: My training phases, workouts, adjustments, and how sustainable training FEELS.