So it’s been a while since I last posted anything but that
doesn’t mean that it’s been a quiet time in the New Forest - in fact it’s been
the opposite and I’ve been making some exciting new plans for 2016 which I’ll
be putting in my next post in a few days…
But back to the here and now.
After a short break I thought it was about time to get back
training and start working towards 2016. After reviewing 2015, I decided that
it would be a good idea to look for a coach; someone to push me on as an
athlete and hold me back when I’m about to do something stupid (which as it
happens seem to be a more common occurrence than I would care to admit…).
After a few conversations one possibility stood out to me. One
thing which has always held me back from getting a coach was finding the right
fit. I personally didn’t want a coach that would just send over session plans;
in my opinion that’s not coach and it’s
not something I couldn’t do myself. I wanted someone who could help me look at
the whole picture and who could understand me as both a person and as an
athlete because I think that that is what will really bring out the best in me.
Here is where Garry
Palmer and Sportstest come into
the picture. Garry is an experienced athlete in his own right, with a wealth of
knowledge on exercise physiology - if there’s something he doesn’t know in that
field then it’s not worth knowing. We
met during the summer through ‘triathlon circles’ and have stayed in touch
since.
After some initially conversation we decided that it would
be a good fit and we both wanted to see what we could achieve together, great
news!
A few days later I found myself up at the crack of dawn
driving up to Stafford for a day in the Sportstest
lab to perform an array of bike and run tests which would be the basis of my
plan from here on.
This was to be the start of my winter training and my road
to next season.
The day was an eye opener to say the least! The results
showed some clear areas that needed work and we had some great discussions that
will no doubt help Garry (and me!) to understand what exactly we need to do to
reach my goals.
I’m into my second week of my winter training with Sportstest - it’s all going well and I’m
seeing the benefits already of wasting no time, working in the precise zones and
getting the most from every session – which includes something which I haven’t
focused enough on: rest!
