Hitting a PB isn’t simply a case of training harder.
Whether you’re competing in triathlon, or a single sport event, there’s a lot more to PB-ing your next race than just giving it more gas.
If it was that simple, we’d all be hitting new PBs every week.
The reality is, the more advanced you get, the more difficult it is to hit new personal bests.
And you need to go beyond just having a better training plan.
But what do you actually do?
Well, today, I thought I’d share a few top Brownlee Fitness tips with you.
First up, is setting clear and realistic goals.
I know this might sound obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people don’t do this.
Maybe they have a 3:30 marathon PB, and so set their sights on sub 3-hours next.
Sorry, but that’s (probably) not going to happen.
You’d be much better off shooting for 3:20.
Then, if you hit that, aim for 3:10 at your next marathon.
And then, if you get that, you can aim for that magical sub-3 mark.
But don’t try to run before you can walk.
(Pun intended 🙂)
Next up, make sure you’re doing both long, steady work, and interval/ tempo workouts.
So many athletes think that for longer events, they just need zone 2 training…
…or that for short, sharp sprints, they should solely focus on higher intensity stuff.
But both forms of training have their place, regardless of your race distance.
Obviously the amount of each will vary, depending on what you’re doing.
But you definitely don’t want to drop one entirely.
Finally, don’t neglect the mental aspect.
Visualisation might sound a bit ‘woo-woo’...
But it really is powerful.
There’s a reason why the best athletes in the world use positive mental imagery, and frequently consult with sports psychologists, and that’s because this can make a huge difference.
I’m not saying you need to meditate every day, or take hours out of your week to visualise your next race.
But use your training time to work on your mindset, as well as your leg power, your VO2 max, and your breathing.
Of course, the other BIG factor in smashing a new PB is having a structured training plan designed specifically for you.
And if that’s something you want, definitely check out Plans+.
But regardless, whatever your event, whatever your distance, and whatever your training experience…
Don’t just rely on harder training to hit your next PB.
You need to train smartly, and that involves peeling back the hood, and looking at things that don’t involve just beating yourself into the ground every workout.
Pete,
Brownlee Fitness
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