Question for you to consider... Are you are sprinter? a middle distance athlete or a long distance athlete? Think about this for a second because I know that many of us struggle with this question and bang our heads against the wall, trying to be something we're not, like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

I pose this question to those of you reading this who are serious endurance athletes to provoke some thought and perhaps even prevent some discouragement and frustration.

In the past decade of coaching hardcore triathletes, cyclists and runners, I have come across legions of people who try to become something they are not...people who try to morph themselves into something other than what their parent's DNA programmed them to be. I see this most often in people who strive to be competitive Ironman distance athletes.

As you learned in Anatomy and Physiology 101, each human being is composed of various percentages of slow/fast twitch muscle fibers, has varying metabolic rates, sweat mechanisms, heat adaptation capabilities, etc. etc. etc. We're all as different internally as we are externally (in the way we look) and we all have different physical gifts, strengths and weaknesses.

Some people are born with extraordinary talent in one area that is discovered and developed at a young age. The super athletes in our world like Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong and Mark Allen are such people. They were 'born' and almost 'chosen' to be great. Others never realize what their true talents are and therefore never fully develop them.

Endurance sport competition and participation is great because you can eventually 'discover' your perfect racing distance. Some people love 5K's and excel at them while other people can't stand 5K's, stink at them and prefer the marathon. And a few even go to the next step and think that a marathon is a warm up, preferring a 50 or 100 mile Ultra instead. Your 'gift' and 'perfect distance' was really all determined when your dad's sperm breached your mom's egg.

Now, this isn't to say that you can't 'cheat fate or nature' a little and become really good and proficient at a certain distance of racing...it simply means that the odds are stacked against you somewhat and you'll need to work harder than others in order to achieve similar results. It also means that you might be better off in the long run 'focusing' on your strengths...saving lots of energy and frustration trying to become something you might never be able to become.

And I see this a lot in the Ironman distance. In fact, I am a victim of this too. I was always able to perform at a higher level in shorter races than my IM distance races despite my best efforts and desire to become a top Ironman racer.

Ironman is so captivating and challenging (addictive??) it keeps many people coming back for more. It's a good thing that memories of pain fade (like childbirth I guess) because if they did not, people would never do a second Ironman and babies would never be born and we'd be extinct! I have seen many very talented and competitive triathletes try to 'figure it out' (Ironman distance) but they never can. These same people are kick-a$$ at shorter races, winning age group medals and dominating the local tri scene but when it comes to IM racing... it's a different ballgame.

Is it their fault that they can't do better at IM distance races? Is it a character flaw? a poor work ethic? Bad training program? In most cases, the answer is NO on all these counts. The truth is that these people probably are just not 'designed' to perform well (or at a level they desire) at events that last 10 hour or more! Their physiological makeup may not be perfectly suited for the distance and the demands of the distance. Period!

You see this in all sports. In cycling, you have the sprinters in the pro peleton (Robbie McEwen, Mario Cippolini, Thor Hushold), the one-day classic racers (George Hincapie, Paolo Bettini) and the Tour GC riders (Lance Armstrong, Ivan Bassa, Jan Ullrich). In running, you have the same concept...the sprinters, the middle distance running and the marathoners. And in triathlon, you see it....the ITU specialists (Olympic Distance), The Half IM specialists and then the IM distance specialists. Even in team sports you see it. An NFL Offensive Lineman will never be mistaken for a wide receiver! As with anything, there are examples where people 'cross over' and can be good in each discipline, but this is the very rare exception to the rule. A good current example of someone who is having difficulty of this is triathlete, Simon Lessing. Once the dominate force in Olympic distance racing and a World Champion, Lessing is struggling with making the step to becoming a top level Ironman racer with 2- DNF's and 'lackluster' performance of 4th Overall at IMCanada (I would have given my left leg to have one of his 'lackluster' race results!:). With his massive talent/experience and the fact that 6 time IM Hawaii winner, Dave Scott, is his coach... you'd have to think that he has the tools to be doing better, right?

So, what am I getting at here, you ask? I am simply asking you to think about what your best distance is; short, middle or long? Be honest with yourself and don't try to fit that square peg in that round hole. I believe that you need to give yourself from 3-5 years to reach your 'true' potential (given good consistent training year after year) in a particular distance and if in that timeframe, you have not reached the levels you aspire too...it might be time to 'cut bait' and refocus on your strengths. Don't become a frustrated athlete because you can't seem to 'get it right'...it's probably just that you chose the wrong parents. :)

Train safe and train smart,
Coach Troy

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