6 tips for breaking out of a triathlon training slump
Feel like you're in a rut? Here's how to get back into the swing of things
This time of year can be tough for triathletes. Racing season is still far away, it’s dark and cold outside, and many days, the last thing you want to do is leave your house to train. Because of this, you might find yourself in an early-season training slump. Not to worry, there are a few easy ways to break out of this. Follow these tips to climb out of that rut and rediscover your motivation.
Get a carrot to chase
If you don’t have a race in your schedule yet, that could be a reason you’re feeling a lack of motivation. It can be tough to find motivation to train when you do have a race you’re working toward, so it’s even harder when you’re training with no concrete goal on the horizon. Sign up for a race ASAP and you’ll likely see the end of your slump.
Race now
You don’t have to wait for spring to get back to racing. You can enter a swimming race, a running race, an indoor triathlon—really any kind of competition will be a great way for you to find that drive you’re missing at the moment.
Mix things up
Maybe you’re getting bored with the same old training plan. If that’s the case, it’s time to mix things up a bit. Toss some cross training into your weekly schedule. Go for a cross-country ski or a snowshoe run. Sign up for fitness classes at the gym. Find a new sport that interests you but that you haven’t gotten around to trying. You don’t need to swim, bike, or run every day. Trying something new might be the key to breaking you out of that slump.
Ditch the watch
You might be in a slump and feeling down if you’re not performing as well as you would like to be. If that’s the case, then don’t change your training, just ditch your watch and any training stats. Swim the same workouts you always do, but don’t pay attention to the time. Bike as regularly planned, but ignore your power output. When you run, just go based on feel, not pace. This way, you’re going to get your training in, but without any potentially upsetting statistics. Then, when you’re back to your old self, you can get back to focusing on numbers and working to get faster.
Take time off
Stop training to get out of a training slump? Isn’t that the opposite of what you should do in this case? No. Maybe you’re worn out. Taking a week or two off from training might be exactly what you need to find the desire, drive, and motivation to train once more.
Make your own competition
Whether you race yourself (trying to be better than you were last workout), decide to chase CRs on Strava, or do any other form of competition in training, this could be a great way to re-energize yourself. You’re a competitive person, so why not make your daily training reflect that?