Often I will have athletes approach me with the question of how to complete two events in a relatively short space of time. This question is usually posed to me over the summer months when the racing calendar is particularly full.
For example, François (not the athletes real name) is entered into a 28 kilometre mountain run late January and then has their sights set on a road marathon late March. What should I as a coach tell him? Go for it? Or hold back? The answer is dependant on many factors.
I would suggest that François first reflects on what he wants to achieve. Does he want see his development and progression as life-long and have his desired races on a schedule that reflects this? Or does François have a shopping list of events that they wish to burn through in as shorter time as practical? In addition, it is important for François to consider his physical and psychological state post the first event, i.e. has he recovered adequately or has he picked up an injury going forward? Scheduling with family, leave from his job and the financial commitment for the athlete are all things that may require consideration also.
For example, François (not the athletes real name) is entered into a 28 kilometre mountain run late January and then has their sights set on a road marathon late March. What should I as a coach tell him? Go for it? Or hold back? The answer is dependant on many factors.
I would suggest that François first reflects on what he wants to achieve. Does he want see his development and progression as life-long and have his desired races on a schedule that reflects this? Or does François have a shopping list of events that they wish to burn through in as shorter time as practical? In addition, it is important for François to consider his physical and psychological state post the first event, i.e. has he recovered adequately or has he picked up an injury going forward? Scheduling with family, leave from his job and the financial commitment for the athlete are all things that may require consideration also.