Phases of Training
PReparation
This Phase is where mileage will begin to increase in all disciplines. Intensity will remain fairly low to moderate as the focus is on volume. As the name suggests, PRs are cultivated from the groundwork grind. Attention to form and technique is critical in this Phase as both become habitual at this stage of training.
The Inferno
Things start heating up in this Phase as long endurance workouts are paired with threshold and tempo work. The focus of this Phase is developing stamina both on the muscular and aerobic front.
The X-Factor
It is no secret that an endurance race is typically not won in the first minutes of the race. However, a PR or goal time can certainly be lost in the waning minutes without the “x” factor. This Phase focuses on speed development, especially the speed and strength of your body at a race’s end. Longer threshold workouts are paired with short speed, interval-based workouts in this Phase.
Champ Camp
This is where the magic comes together… and you become a champion in your own right. The focus of this Phase is having your body feeling fresh and ready to compete. Two words: taper time. For athletes competing in multiple races, there may be more than one taper. Intervals are performed at race pace efforts in this Phase to have you dialed in for pacing.