You have scrolled through the different Half Ironman Training Plans and chosen the best one for yourself. You have spent weeks following your plan but after all the efforts, you still feel like you are falling and there isn’t the improvement that you were hoping for!
Now, that hurts! You swim, you bike, and you run and even make lifestyle changes. But if the outcome is not what was expected, there is certainly something that is missing out.
The bitter reality is that small mistakes end up gathering and becoming bigger ones. They are costing you a lot, without you even realizing.
We have put together some common mistakes or reasons that might be hindering your outcomes from the Half Ironman Training Plans.
Common Mistakes that are Hindering your Half Ironman Training Plans Outcomes
It is not important that you might be making all of these mistakes. But even if you think that you are doing 2 or 3 of them; it is best to fix them right away. They can make a huge difference.
1. You are Overtraining:
You might think that overtraining is great; you are doing more of everything. But the reality here is opposite. Discipline is the key for every triathlon. You need to learn to listen to your body and let it give in, when it cannot have more.
Yes, pushing your limits to become the best athlete is very important. But making your body a slave to training is not a progressive approach. Overtraining leads to excessive fatigue, injuries and underperformance when the real time ticks in.
When following the Half Ironman Training Plans, make sure that you talk to your trainer about rest days. There must be at least one rest day and if you think you need two, discuss it with the planner. Remember that rest is very important, for all types of training.
2. Poor Diet:
Poor diet is the key to failure for all types of Half Ironman Training Plans. Even on your regular days, a poor diet has a huge impact on your daily performance and productivity.
Now let alone, you are training. You need a perfectly healthy and well balanced diet plan which you must follow strictly. Remember, the longer the race is, the more important a healthy diet is for you. Ignoring it can lead to several issues.
The experts say that it is great if you can keep a food journal with you while training. Write down how each food type affects your body and understand what you need more to train better. Discuss your diet with a good nutritionist and follow it religiously.
3. Only Aiming for Long Term Goals:
Now, there are many times when you assume that you are not achieving the outcomes of the Half Ironman Training Plans. But in reality, you are attaining everything but you are not appreciating yourself for it.
This is why it is crucial to set short term goals and applaud yourself for achieving those little milestones. If your only aim is to win the half ironman, you might not be able to do it in the first attempt. It might take 2 or 3 years or even more.
Thus, you need to set yearly goals and see how you are improving each year or even each month. If you will only focus on the win, the first failure will push your motivation to the endline.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Ironman Coaching are crucial for training perfectly for the triathlon. But remember, if you have started the plan too late, you can never squeeze in everything on time. And don’t expect your body to train at a faster pace either as it will break down sooner than you had expected.
Give preference to a good and healthy diet, avoid overtraining and set smaller goals to feel a sense of achievement. And then see the huge difference the short basics can make in your training programs.