EZ is HARD ... but it works

As we encroach on Ironman Santa Rosa, the next key race on a lot of our (and other) athletes schedules, I find myself making sure training prescriptions are correct and we are adapting that training load to necessary levels. Mostly this comes down to making sure athletes are dosing effort where and when it's needed ... especially, easy!

Over the years it has always been a challenge to get athletes to understand what "easy" is in the context of training AND why it is important. In the day and age of devices that record power/ pace / HR etc, one would think that it would be easier to define "easy' ... but I hear just as many excuses as ever as to why a session was not easy OR I hear that those sessions vaporized because of a "garmin fail" or disappeared into some alternate data universe. The latest distraction to the data universe is Strava! If you have "Strava Anxiety" and care that much what people think about your easy
workouts, and it distracts you from executing workouts correctly? Then it may be time to change your perspective or take a break from the Strava relationship. I have huge admiration for those who can do 11min per mile easy runs, post them to Strava, yet turn around and race at 8min per mile.

THE VALUE?
Our group of athletes at TTE who understand the context of EASY, benefit in the following ways:
- Recover better for key sessions that have more purpose or demand higher output
- Avoid deep fatigue or burnout which in turn allows for more training load (fitness) over the long term
- Have better emotional and pace control early in races, or in segments of races, when it's crucial t keep effort dialed back. (If you can't do it in training you'll never do it in a race when emotions and adrenaline are though the roof)

That is the short, but KEY, list of reasons why athletes who understand the value of easy, and don't make excuses why they could not do it, end up succeeding in the long run.

Even of you have key races (regardless of distance) in the next 6-8 weeks it's not too late to change your perspective and definition of what easy is and prescribe it appropriately in your training to make sure you get the most value in the short and long term process! Going easy is hard, mentally, but it is VERY effective when done appropriately.

Best of Luck,