In the last article, I wrote about the traits of great athletes I covered sacrifice. I wrote about how great athletes don’t see that what they are doing as a sacrifice, but part of what needs to be done. Prior to this, I wrote about grit and how great athletes use grit to overcome odds.

I think that some would argue with me that these 2 very different traits are somewhat subjective and that it might actually be difficult to apply a measure to these traits. However, there is a trait that is feel is the foundation of all traits of great athletes.

Consistency

It is often said that great athletes are born. I will disagree. I have seen athletes that on paper should probably never even bother to race but who am I to deny someone’s dream and say “You Can’t your data shows you can’t.” These very same athletes I have been honest with and stated the following numbers need to come up and if you can get them to a particular point your chances of meeting your goals will increase dramatically.

I have also seen athletes on paper that have amazing numbers that just can’t seem to make it onto the podium no matter how hard they try.

The exciting thing is I have found out that there are 2 amazing secrets to the success of all athletes. Training smarter and training consistently.

Consistency is critical in all sports and I am not just talking about the performance itself but the real effort that goes into being a winning athlete. There are several important items that all athletes need to concern themselves with.

• Planning and Preparation
• Training
• Rest
• Recovery
• Nutrition

If the above items are completed consistently then the day when your big event or race comes up it becomes almost a formality. Do not get me wrong I do not mean to make your goal sound like a paint by numbers project. There will be lots of little things that come up the day of a race that cannot be accounted for but if you put in the time:

• Planning and Preparing
• Training
• Resting
• Recovering
• Eating the right foods at the right times

Your chances of meeting and exceeding your goals will be that much closer to being guaranteed.

Chore or Habit the Choice is yours

I spoke with an athlete recently that was surprised by how much time amateurs train to be competitive in endurance sports. I explained to this new athlete that the given sport becomes a lifestyle. Once an athlete commits to a lifestyle then all the training becomes a habit and not chore. I know it can look daunting when you first see a structured training plan but with some help from a coach and some determination, goals will be met quickly.

Doing The Work

I was reading an interview this week with professional cyclists and he was asked about what was the difference between this season and last season and he said he had missed fewer training days then he had the year before. When asked how many days he had missed he said 5-6 days! Just think about what all of us amateurs could accomplish if we didn’t miss a workout!

Can’t See The Trees For The Forest

As I stated earlier when a self-coached athlete looks at creating their first annual training plan it can seem like daunting task. Especially for those new to their given sport. I had recently congratulated one of my athletes for having a very consistent winter of training and stated that he would be putting the hurt on me this spring in group rides. He wrote back and said that he felt that with all of my years of training and racing surely it would cover some of my own inconsistencies. In a way he is right. Much of the performances we have in and out of competition are not due to yesterday’s or last week’s workout but the culmination of workouts, nutrition, and other healthy lifestyle decisions. However, that performance will ALL WAYS be better when you train smart and consistently.

Getting On The Right Path

I hope you can train and compete consistently in your new-found endurance lifestyle. If you are having a problem being consistent with training and your performance I would like to hear from you. We can help!

Until Next Time,

Train Smarter Not Harder

Coach Rob