Goodbye 2023, hello 2024.

This year we’ve published 52 newsletters & this community has grown every single week. Thank you for reading, engaging with & bringing your friends to Threshold. A goal of mine was to grow the readership every week, and thanks to you we’ve done that.

Recapping 5 of the top newsletters from this year:

• The Power Of Intermittent Fasting

• Ketones Are Your Secret Weapon

• The Secrets Of Winter Training

• Training Whilst Travelling

• Hydration Isn’t just Water

With regards to fitness goals, I had a half marathon target of 1:30 which I hit it in March & continued to put health-first throughout the year. Next year’s goals are still being decided, but I know the strategy I’ll be using to hit them, it’s below…

So how can you reach your goals in 2024?

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The Main Feature

Leg one: Crafting Your Masterplan with Precision

Imagine you're setting out to conquer a sub-3-hour marathon. It's like being both an architect and a strategist. You start by setting this crystal-clear goal, but it's more than just saying, "I want to run fast." It's about using the SMART framework and OKRs to set ambitious, yet achievable milestones. I used this method for my half marathon target (I needed to get comfortable at high heart rate running).

Think of doing a SWOT analysis on your running capabilities, just like a business would. You're assessing your strengths, like maybe your endurance base, and weaknesses, perhaps your speed work (ability to run at Z4/5 heart rate). Then, you're setting up leading and lagging indicators for your training. Leading indicators are like your weekly mileage or pace consistency, giving you a glimpse into the future of your training, while lagging indicators are your race times or recovery rates, offering a hindsight view of your performance.

Framework:

• SMART and OKRs Integration: Set a specific goal of completing a marathon in under 3 hours. Key Results could include incremental targets like achieving a certain pace in half-marathon distances or completing specific speed workouts.

• SWOT Analysis: Assess strengths (e.g., previous marathon experience), weaknesses (e.g., limited hill training), opportunities (e.g., access to a running coach), and threats (e.g., potential for injury).

• Leading and Lagging Indicators: Leading indicators might include weekly mileage increase and consistency in training pace, while lagging indicators could be the times achieved in preparatory races or time trials.

T-1: Mental Preparation

Leg 2: The Science-Backed Training Regime

Now, let's dive into the training itself. It's not just about putting in the miles; it's about syncing your mind and body using principles from behavioral science and neuroplasticity. Imagine using cognitive restructuring to tackle negative thoughts during tough runs, just like a therapist would help a patient. You're rewiring your brain to embrace the discomfort. Your daily training routine is your code – each run, each rest day, each meal is a line of code that programs your body for marathon success. And your environment? It's like designing a user interface, optimized to keep you focused and efficient, minimizing distractions and maximizing your training effectiveness.

However what I’ve found most impactful to my training is Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). By programming your mind you can cast aside all negativity which leads to enhanced performance.

When applying Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to your 2024 goals, focusing on the most impactful techniques can be beneficial. Here are the top three NLP strategies that can be particularly effective:

1. Goal Setting and Visualization: This is a powerful tool in NLP and extremely relevant for marathon training. Set clear, specific goals for your marathon (like achieving a certain time or completing the race without injury). Then, use visualization techniques to mentally rehearse achieving these goals. Imagine yourself training effectively, overcoming challenges during the race, crossing the finish line, and experiencing the emotions of accomplishing your goal. This mental rehearsal can enhance motivation, increase confidence, and prepare you psychologically for the race.

2. Positive Self-Talk and Affirmations: The language we use internally (self-talk) significantly influences our beliefs and behaviors. In marathon training, maintaining a positive and encouraging internal dialogue is crucial. Transform negative thoughts into positive affirmations. For example, change “I’m not a good hill runner” to “Every hill I run makes me stronger.” These affirmations can help build a resilient and optimistic mindset, essential for enduring the physical and mental challenges of marathon training.

3. Anchoring: This technique involves creating a trigger (an anchor) that elicits a specific emotional or physical state. For marathon training, you can establish anchors that evoke feelings of strength, endurance, or calmness. This could be a specific piece of music, a motivational phrase, or a physical gesture (like clenching your fist). Use this anchor during training, especially in challenging moments, to instantly access the positive state associated with it. On race day, these anchors can be invaluable for maintaining motivation and focus.

Example: Building Mental and Physical Foundations for a Sub-3-Hour Marathon

• Cognitive Restructuring: Use NLP techniques to overcome mental barriers, such as negative thoughts about long runs or speed workouts.

• Neuroplasticity and Habit Formation: Establish a daily routine of running, cross-training, and recovery. Utilize neuroplasticity principles to make these routines habitual, reinforcing them through regular practice.

• Environmental Optimization: Create a training environment that minimizes distractions and maximizes efficiency, like setting up a dedicated space for stretching and post-run recovery.

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Leg 3: Agile Adaptation and Celebrating Milestones

As race day approaches, think of yourself as a data analyst (consider getting a Whoop or Garmin to track your personal health data). You're constantly reviewing your training data – pace, heart rate, recovery times – and adjusting your plan like an agile project manager. It's a flexible, responsive approach.

If a certain type of workout isn't yielding results, you pivot, just like a tech team would adjust their strategy when developing a new app.

Celebrating milestones is crucial. Each long run completed, each pace target hit is like a mini victory, a testament to your hard work. It's about learning from each phase of your training, conducting a retrospective analysis to refine and improve, just like a team would after completing a project phase.

In this approach, training for a goal such as a sub-3-hour marathon becomes a blend of strategic planning, scientific training, and agile adaptation, all wrapped up in a journey that's as much about mental strength and adaptability as it is about physical endurance.

Framework: Analyzing and Adapting Training for a Sub-3-Hour Marathon

• Data-Driven Review: Regularly analyze training data, such as pace, heart rate, and recovery times, using running apps or wearables. Compare these against your performance benchmarks.

• Agile Adaptation: Be prepared to adjust your training plan based on feedback from your body and performance data. For instance, if you're struggling with certain types of workouts, you might pivot to alternative training methods or focus more on recovery.

• Systematic Recognition and Learning: Celebrate milestones like completing a particularly challenging long run or achieving a new personal best in a half-marathon. Conduct a retrospective analysis after each significant training phase or race to identify what worked well and what could be improved for future training cycles.

By constantly reviewing your data, you stay on track. Always trace your data to your goal, if you know you need to improve your base running yet your heart rate is always too high, that will tell you how to adjust your training. Likewise if you can’t sustain running at Z4/5 for more than 100m, you’ll know you need to dedicate more time to sprint training. This is only possible by reading the data & being agile enough to respond positively.

Remember NLP for positivity - trust me it’s your secret to progress in 2024.

So that’s how you can set goals in 2024 and reach them.

Coaches Corner

WOTW: Workout of the week

3-hour Zone 2 base fitness ride for Zwift. This type of workout is fantastic for building endurance and aerobic capacity. Zone 2 training is typically done at a low to moderate intensity, where you can hold a conversation without much difficulty. It’s about steady, consistent effort rather than high intensity.

3-Hour Zwift Cycling Workout with Zone 2 Base and High-Intensity Intervals

Total Duration: 180 minutes (3 hours)

1. Warm-Up (15 minutes)

   • Start with a gentle warm-up, gradually building up your intensity.

   • Aim to reach the lower end of Zone 2 by the end of the warm-up, preparing your body for sustained effort.

2. Main Set (150 minutes)

   • Steady Zone 2 Riding (60 minutes)

     • Maintain a consistent effort in Zone 2, around 60-70% of your FTP, focusing on a smooth pedal stroke and steady breathing.

   • First High-Intensity Interval (10 minutes)

     • Ramp up the intensity to high Zone 3 or low Zone 4, about 80-90% of your FTP, challenging but sustainable.

   • Zone 2 Recovery (30 minutes)

     • Drop back to Zone 2, using this time to recover, hydrate, and refuel.

   • Second High-Intensity Interval (10 minutes)

     • Push again into the higher intensity, maintaining the same level as the first interval.

   • Zone 2 Recovery (30 minutes)

     • Return to Zone 2, maintaining a steady, comfortable pace.

   • Third High-Intensity Interval (10 minutes)

     • Your final push, aiming to match the intensity of your previous high-effort intervals.

   • Zone 2 Cool-Down (30 minutes)

     • Wind down with a prolonged Zone 2 pace, allowing your heart rate and breathing to gradually return to near-resting levels.

3. Cool Down (15 minutes)

   • Finish with a cool-down, gradually reducing your effort, focusing on relaxing your muscles.

   • Take this time to reflect on your performance and the effort you've put in.

Tips for the Workout:

• Hydration and Nutrition: Keep up with your fluids and take in carbohydrates, especially before and after the high-intensity intervals.

• Pacing: It's important to pace yourself, especially during the high-intensity intervals. They should be hard, but avoid going all-out to ensure you can complete all three intervals effectively.

• Recovery: Pay attention to your body during the Zone 2 segments. These are your opportunities to recover, both physically and mentally, for the next hard effort.

• Enjoy the Ride: Explore different routes in Zwift to keep the ride engaging. Use the scenic virtual environments to stay motivated throughout your workout.

This structured approach should offer a balanced challenge, combining the endurance-building benefits of Zone 2 riding with the intensity needed to mimic real-world cycling scenarios. Enjoy your training!