That's where individual sports such as swimming, biking and running come into the picture. In this article I want to address two different groups of people who are battling with motivation to keep going. Group 1 consists of athletes who have over trained and are tired, Group 2 consisting of athletes who are in need of motivation in order to fulfil new goals and resolutions.
GROUP 1- NOTE TO THE OVER-TRAINED
There are some really big events coming up, these include:
Half Ironman, Full Iron man, Sani2Sea, ABSA Cape Epic, Two Oceans Marathon, Comrades Marathon, to name but a few. Maybe you have got to the point where you feel you just cannot go on with your training. You might be suffering from overtraining.There is no clear one off blood test to check whether you have been overtraining, and so you will have to work through a number of questions to see where you are.
1) Depression. How is your mental state? Are you suddenly feeling depressed for no real reason? Foster's Psychological Complaint Index suggests that you ask some of the following questions,
Do I: Feel great — Feel Ok — Feel horrible.
Am I: Fresh — Tired — Exhausted.
Google Foster's Psychological Complaint Index and print out the form. From time to time answer the questions and record where you stand psychologically. Depression can be a sign of overtraining.
2) Pain in your Joints and Muscles.
A certain amount of pain can be expected, especially after hard/long runs. However this must be seen as an indicator of overtraining. Pain after cycling should not take place as cycling is a non-weight hearing exercise. Pain is a sure sign of overtraining.
3) Loss of Appetite and a Sudden Loss of Weight.
This can indicate that you are either dehydrated or that you are not fuelling yourself properly during your training. This can point to overtraining.
4) A Rise in your Resting Heart Rate.
This is an indicator that your body is fighting off an infection and needs to rest. It is also an indicator that your body is trying to repair itself after hard periods of training. A rise in resting heart rate is a warning sign of overtraining.
5) Increase in Infections and Injuries.
Low resistance to infection can occur when overtraining, as can susceptibility to injury.
HOW DID YOU AVOID OVER-TRAINING?
1) Know yourself. Type A personalities will not just drive others hard, they can be their own worst enemies as they also train themselves too hard.
2) Keep a diary. Record what you did in training. Record your resting heart rate as you wake up in the morning, your body weight and a rating between 1 — 10 of how you feel.
3) Look at getting a coach. A wise coach will be able to advise you when it is time to slow down a bit.
4) Work off a programme that has elements of both heavy and light weeks.
5) Enjoy yourself That's why you got into this in the first place!
GROUP 2-A NOTE TO THE UNDER-TRAINED
Maybe you sat down with a note pad on the 31" of December and wrote the following New Year Resolution — "Lose weight, get fit". Excellent, now, let's translate that into some practical steps that will get you on the road or into the pool.
1) Find a group to train with. Most clubs will have a group that go off at a gentle pace. Join up.
2) Enter an event that is within your reach. That might mean entering a 5k or 10k run. Find something that will stretch you, but is within grasp. One small success will lead to bigger and better goals as you go along. You made a life changing decision at the beginning of the year. You have time. Who knows what challenges you will set your heart on in 2013?
3) Keep a list of the pros. It is always difficult to start up a brand new life project. Make a list of all the pros attached to your decision. Pros might include: weight loss, lower blood pressure, improved mental attitude, new friends, a sense of adventure, the list goes on.
4) Subscribe to TRIATHLETE SA.
5) Keep a mental picture of you crossing the line of your first half marathon, 94.7 cycle challenge or 70.3 Ironman.by: Mike Roscoe
source:Triathlete_Mar2012
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