Hello ,,
The gap between a training plan and reality is where most athletes struggle. The secret isn't crafting the perfect plan - it's building one that bends rather than breaks when life gets complicated.
3 Insights About Framework Adaptation
I.
The best adjustments often start with simplification, not addition. When athletes successfully adapt their training, they typically begin by identifying what's actually driving their progress and strip away the non-essential elements. This clarity leads to more sustainable development because you're focusing on what works rather than what you think should work.
II.
Protect what's working before optimizing what could work better. Your consistent training patterns - the sessions you can reliably complete even during challenging times - are your foundation for progress. Before making changes, identify these cornerstone sessions and build your adjustments around preserving them, even if it means temporarily reducing your training ceiling.
III.
Look for patterns before making changes. Many athletes adjust their training based on how they feel day-to-day, leading to constant tweaking without clear progress. Take time to review your training log and look for objective patterns - which sessions consistently lead to progress? Which ones leave you feeling refreshed versus drained? These patterns provide a solid foundation for making meaningful adjustments.
2 Questions For Your Next Session
I.
Which sessions in your current training consistently happen regardless of life stress or fatigue? These are your true foundation sessions - how could you protect them while adapting other aspects of your training?
II.
Looking at your last month of training, what patterns emerge in the days before your best sessions? What about before the sessions you struggled with or missed? Understanding these patterns helps you recognize when adjustments might be needed.
1 Real-World Example
We work with a lot of busy medical professionals and for one women in particular we were able to get her to a successful 100K ultra run by relying on this consistent yet adaptable training approach. Despite an erratic work schedule involving frequent travel, on-call shifts, and long hours, the athlete maintained a solid endurance base by prioritizing her weekend long runs.
On days when work demands left time-crunched, she opted for efficient treadmill runs rather than skipping the workout entirely. While the treadmill often left her feeling a bit flat compared to running outdoors, it allowed her to still get in a quality session. We also paid close attention to her heart rate variability (HRV) and resting heart rate to gauge recovery, dialing back the effort on high-stress days. This ensured she stayed injury-free and energized for her next key workout.
Into this structure we placed key weekend blocks involving some longer aerobic threshold climbs on Saturday followed by long endurance Sunday runs. As there did not happen every week, we were able to plan them into the busy schedule and move them as needed to other weekends.
By building her training around this weekend long run structure, we steadily increased her endurance from 2 to 6 hour long runs and her overall weekend volume to 8 hours. During the week, we slotted in runs when we could, focusing more strength to protect her from injury and running frequency to keep the legs turning.
This flexible yet consistent approach allowed her to reach the start line of her 100K feeling strong, injury-free and confident. On race day, her robust endurance base carried her through the highs and lows to a successful finish; whilst her strength training protected her running form over the long distance.
This ultra journey illustrates the power of a sustainable, adaptable training framework - one that bends but doesn't break.
