In a recent article by a world-class triathlete, it was recommended that you should begin to increase intensity when you are in season. This is needed to “mimic race levels.” Is this, however, a wise recommendation?
The answer is yes, if you consider the first few competitions as part of your training. In other words, you are seeking to peak near the end of the season because your body is not ready for race level work when you first begin the season. However, if you expect to do well in all of your competitions, preparing yourself for race level performances should begin before the season starts. There are several reasons for this.
First and foremost is that in-season, you should spend most of your training time fixing deficiencies in your performance and fine tuning each of your skills. Understand that as you increase your performance training levels, technique also changes. Thus, you must be making constant adjustments not only in the technique of each event but to the increased intensity of the workout.
Strength training is typically not recommended during the season unless you notice a decrease in your strength levels. Whenever there is a decrease, it can affect your technique and overall performance. Thus, strength levels must be maintained so that you can maintain the same or higher power output and endurance needed for the triathlon. This means maintaining or improving your speed, strength-endurance and cardiovascular endurance. Trying to increase your endurance will not produce any significant results.
In season, especially at the very beginning of the season, you should determine any deficiencies that you may have. For example, in the marathon and especially in the triathlon, most runners typically have significantly different running technique near the end of the race in comparison to the beginning of the race.
This usually indicates a lack of strength endurance, especially of the hip flexors. Because of this, instead of truly running, most athletes find they cannot keep driving and raising the thigh in front of the body, and as a result appear more like shufflers (almost straight-leg runners). In this case, you should incorporate specific strength exercises such as the knee drive to strengthen and increase muscular endurance of the affected muscles to enable you to run longer and further at a faster pace.
If you wait until you are in season before you increase the intensity to race level, any adjustments made to improve performance will not be timely since there will be insufficient time to develop the abilities needed to run an effective race. But if you made adjustments prior to the season, then when you begin the season any adjustments needed should be minor. This plan will allow you to do better than you did the previous year, not simply work up to your previous level which seems to be the focus of too many triathletes.
For more details on specific aspects of training, see Build a Better Athlete and Explosive Running .