As we roll into Febuary of 2008 is was asked to write a little blurb on "post Kona" training.  Since it was my first time doing the race it would also be my first time training "post Kona".  The past two years I have gone there to watch the race and train with the hopes of racing IM New Zealand in March.  This past year was quite different for me as I ended up taking off a good chunk of time after the race.  Going into the winter months would be a whole new game because I wouldn't be in the kind of shape I am used to at that time of year.

       

Most people, if they are not too fried from the race, will be pretty pumped up after Kona.  You will give your body the so called "rest" that it needs and then suddenly your day to day will begin to bounce back.  Many start to think that they are recovered and will get the itch to start moving again.  Often times that "itch" comes form the low you may experience the weeks after an Ironman.  We are an obseesed bunch for the most part and we like our athletic high and often prefer the quick fix over the proper thing to do.

I sure know that I need my fix.  I had taken a good 3 weeks off completely.  Part of that was due to the fact that I got my shoulder broken and AC joint badly jammed a few days after the race.  NOTE:  When at Lu Lu's DRINK LESS and don't think you are a cage fighter with your buddies on the lawn across the street!  The other part was that I knew I needed some time off both physically and mentally.  I had gone to LA to visit some friends and take care of things that I didn't have the time to do throughout the year.  But then I got the itch.  Hmmmm?  I sure would like to run.

One of the things that makes post Kona recovery and training different from other Ironmans is that it comes at the end of the season.  Obviously you need to recover from your race but what most people neglect is the recovery from the ENTIRE SEASON.  How many races did you do that year?  How much training did you put in?

Becasue Hawaii is ussually the last race of the year, unless you are one of the crazys that do 70.3 too, the week after the race tends to be a bit more of a party than usual. Hence my shoulder.  The care for the body is neglected and caution is thrown to the wind.  If you did an early season race to qualify for Hawaii (or several no doubt) I'm sure you took better care of yourself post race.  But none the less your body bounces back in a few weeks and you decide that you really think a track run is a good idea.

When you train for a race like the Ironman you are so used to being able to go long that you forget that it is okay to go short.  A 30 min run is okay.  Going to the pool and doing 2K is acceptable.  And coffee shop rides that don't involve you going through multiple cities is allowed.  Just becasue you feel "good" again doesn't necessarily mean that it is a "good" idea to start going long.

Now that I have had my first "Post Kona" experience I think I can give some quality advice on the do's and don'ts.  Ultimatley everyone is going to be differnt and you need to evaluate your body on your own or with your coach.   But before you jump back on the horse you may want to take a moment and ask yourself a few questions:

1) Did I reach my goals this year? 
   -If so, why do you think that is? 
   -If not, why do you think that is?
2) Did I have any injuries this year? 
   -If so, did you go into raceday with them?
   -If so, do you still feel them now?
3) What are my goals for the next year?  (Long and short term.)
4) Have I kept up with stretching, massage, proper sleep, and eating habbits since Kona?
5) How much time have you taken off since the race? 

If you answer these questions honestly and take your goals seriously you have a better chance of not only attaining you goals this season but you can also help avoid early season injury.  (It wasn't until I started to get my foot back under control that I began a realistic approach to my training.) 

  In conclusion, I went over all my answeres and with my new coach, decided what will help me in 2008.  (My first year racing pro so I really feel I need to step up the game!) Now its time for you to raise your game and give a little extra special attention on how you will go about racing faster through intelligent training.

Best,

Brandon.

[learn more about Brandon and his Bio]