It’s no secret people can become addicted to endurance events such as marathons, century rides and Ironman triathlons. The physical and emotional payoff they derive after crossing the finishing line is a powerful drug. There’s a reason you see people cry after they complete one of these things – it’s that big a buzz.
But like any drug, the high quickly fades and these people want more. They want it so much more that many of the athletes I coach will call me within days of wrapping up their goal to see how quickly they can get back into shape to do it again.
The answer depends on a variety of factors: how well trained a person is; how quickly they recover from their event and their athletic ambitions. Still, there are some rough guidelines that the majority of recreational athletes can follow. I put together a chart to help average weekend warriors map out annual plans of attack for their sport of choice. By following these rough guidelines, a person will have enough time to recover from each event and then train for the next one so that he or she arrives at each start line ready to go the distance.
Ryan Kohler is a coach at Carmichael Training Systems in Colorado Springs. For more information on the latest in training, fitness and nutrition, go to www.trainright.com/newsletter.
