If you've been involved in Multisport even a year and you train with other people you may have heard this phrase. The question is what type of workout is on the schedule for that day. How many miles, at what pace or wattage and/or heart rate is the discipline to be performed? The information is specific to the sport, and time of year and the individual. It may have come from the athletes coach (maybe me) or a book.
            Why have training plans? The plan ensures you are working at the correct paces for your goals event and time. It also ensures your getting enough volume for the race you care most about and not too much so you burn out. It ensures your easy is easy enough to recover and ensure your hard is hard enough to force an adaptation, resulting in improvement. It takes into consideration your schedule, past injuries, and current levels of fitness. Finally it will, if designed correctly include recovery weeks every 3-4 weeks where fitness is absorbed as volume and intensity are reduced.
            A training plan, designed for you by a coach includes elements that you love to do and those you're not wild about doing. Those you dislike; your coach knows you need to do them to improve. If you don't have a coach be real with yourself and ask, what areas do I need to improve on? Maybe you can ride all day at 17 mph but when you need to hold 20 mph in a shorter race you get blown away. If so you need to include anaerobic endurance, force and speed into your training, even if riding easy and long are most comfortable.
            When should you vary from the plan you have settled on? Only when sick or injured. The plan is designed to include hard days followed by easy, running followed by swimming and long rides followed by long runs- all of which are specific to multisport training. If you miss a workout- avoid smashing it in sometime later in the week. The plan doesn't include it there for a reason and you may end up taking another unscheduled recovery day to catch up.
            In conclusion- have a plan that works for you- follow your plan and keep it fun. See you at the races. Check our website at www.fastandyou.com for Multisport clinics and classes. Knowledge is speed.
            Coach Dwight