Crushing Iron Podcast #376 – Fitness over Speed
Topics:
- Podcasting future – We talk a little about Joe Rogan’s Spotify deal and what it may mean for the landscape.
- Losers on Netflix – Coach Robbie suggests this series for those who have overcome failures.
- The Heat is on . . . did you just get slower? – Don’t put too much stock in running or biking slow as the Spring turns to Summer.
- Judging fitness in a vacuum – There are so many variables in a training plan and we need to look at fitness from a wide perspective.
- General fitness vs. Performance Fitness – How to we differentiate between being in shape and ready to lay it down in a race?
- It’s how your body handles stress – Training boils down to putting stress on your body and recovering. How well are you handling that load?
- Do you recover well after intervals? – Can you bounce back during recovery segments between intervals?
- Can you replicate intervals? – On the above topic… can you replicate the interval you just did or do you drop off? Needs for adjustments.
- You can’t always chase a speed or a number – The variables are immense. Different routes, temperatures, wind, etc. Chase deep fitness.
- We become our own reality of who we think we are – It’s important to understand that training stacks on top of each other and one workout does not define us, nor should we let it.
- Your fastest days could be more about conditions – Many course records are set on perfect condition days. Flat course, no wind, perfect for the athlete’s strengths.
- Creating fitness for Wisconsin or Florida? – Are you training for your specific race? We always recommend hill training, but a course like Wisconsin gives you many more body blows than something like Florida. It’s a different kind of resilience.
- You hit it in training but not the race – Why are you not hitting your goals when the chips are down on race day?
- Fitness is about ability to bounce back – Have you built reserves? Know how to tap into them?
- Time running vs. distance – Running for an hour in perfect conditions could take you up to a mile further vs. running under a hot sun. We advocate running for time so you don’t force yourself into a deep fatigue.
- Stress score points – Are you building enough stress over the course of a week to make the amount of stress you’ll lay out in a race seem manageable?
- Tired legs and accumulated fatigue – Respect the fact that training mostly has you workout out on tired legs. Adjust your hopes and dreams accordingly.
- Fatigue masks fitness – This should always be remembered. The idea of training is to work on tired legs and build strength and endurance. The taper is meant to recover on a deep level so you are ready to race. Don’t expect to hit race paces while deep in training.
- What are you trying to build? – Are you trying to build a strong and resilient athlete? Or do you want to set a bunch of daily PRs?
- What are you trying to become? – Is this a long-term process or are you always looking for a quick fix?
- When you’re too tired to show off your engine – We talk a lot about building your chassis so it can handle the power of a strong engine. If your body and frame can’t handle the engine, you’ll likely wear down or get injured.
- Expressing current fitness vs. Durability – Get away from the idea that you want to be totally rested and fresh so you can “crush” individual workouts. Think of long course training as a work in progress where you’re slowly building the durability you need for success.
- Today is not the race, so what are you doing? A lot of us want to go out and “show our fitness” today so we can post a screen grab, but today is likely not race day. Use today as a way to get better down the road. Work on weaknesses and build long-term strength.