Performing Well in Back-to-Back Races
Racing a triathlon within 1-3 weeks of another seems impossible for many. Well, good news, it’s not just possible, but you can execute both races well. We have the prescription you need to perform well in back-to-back races, including our 10-point checklist and a free example plan. We also cover common pitfalls and mistakes athletes make in back-to-back race situations.
The Breakdown:
Don’t Worry - You Can Do It
As someone training for races, you understand the value of having a clear goal in mind, be it completion, improving your performance, or garnering a spot on the podium. This is necessary for every race. A clear plan for your events gives you clarity and the ability to create a roadmap, including that cluster of races or events within a shorter time frame.
Unfortunately, few off-the-shelf training plans give you that roadmap or plan for back-to-back racing scenarios. But, this is not the case at Purple Patch. We have deep experience with athletes successfully executing back-to-back triathlons from sprints to full IRONMANS.
We are happy to share what we know. Let’s jump into the 10-point checklist for successful preparation for and recovery from back-to-back races.
10-Point Checklist:
Avoid arriving at your first race fatigued
If you have a cluster of races or back-to-back races, your recovery rate from the initial effort is impacted by the depth of effort and the race environment. Cold conditions tend to detriment your recovery rate the most. Most importantly, how much fatigue you bring into the race matters. We have long talked about the importance of arriving fit and fresh to races. This becomes even more critical in back-to-back triathlon situations. You’re not recovering, for example, from just an IRONMAN race. You recover from the race and all the layered training you did to prepare. If you come in tired, you depart even more tired. The point is that consistent training into race one without carrying excess fatigue is critical and ensures you arrive at race two feeling vibrant and fresh.
Don’t forget your supporting habits
One of the elements that will carry you through preparation and recovery for back-to-back races is doubling down on the central tenet of the Purple Patch approach: The Purple Patch Pillars of Performance. Our pillars encompass Endurance, Strength, Nutrition, and Recovery, with recovery as the #1 key to arriving fit, fresh, and healthy. We know that recovering post-race is essential, but doing less isn’t necessarily the optimal strategy. Instead, optimizing training effectiveness with a smart program that integrates into life while being supported with great habits ensures complete downtime isn’t required. Appropriate daily eating, making a habit of post-workout fueling, and sustaining great hydration status are all critical. Have the courage not to obsess and give yourself space to step away. Avoid hyper-analysis and expending emotional energy elsewhere. When you hit the start line, the intent is that you have the capacity and willpower in the tank. The Purple Patch Pillars of Performance produce champions.
Use your fitness from race one for the next race
Preparing for back-to-back triathlon races doesn’t mean you must have a series of race builds. That should be obvious if your races are just a week apart, but what if you choose to do two IRONMAN races in five weeks or =two marathons in six weeks? There isn’t enough time to complete two full builds, and you shouldn’t need to. Instead, train and prepare thoroughly for your initial race. Following this event, you then ‘live’ off this fitness. The event itself acts as a stimulus, and your mission is to maintain fitness and sharpen before the next event. After having the courage to go through this approach, it is not uncommon that race number two is where the kinks are rolled out, and performance is even better.
Cement a mantra in your mind
Recover -- Maintain -- Sharpen. This mantra is your guiding light on approaching training and recovery in the gap between events. The importance of these are in order, so no mixing and matching:
Recover: You must have the confidence to clean out mentally and physically following the initial event. You cannot turn off and enjoy a week at the pub, but you should prioritize properly recovering before charging toward the following event. Unfortunately, many athletes lack the courage or appreciation for the need for a full recovery.
Maintain: This doesn’t take much, but the gap between races is when we don’t want to de-train. There must be enough training to retain all your cardiovascular conditioning, muscular resilience, and emotional familiarity with hard work. It’s a balance between recovery and fitness maintenance to ensure you don’t decondition.
Sharpen: With the first two nailed, you can inject intensity in the build between races by integrating short but higher intensity intervals. A little endurance work is valuable, but the higher intensity will boost performance readiness.
Nail immediate recovery
Similar to point four, there is some specific direction on post-race recovery. When we optimize for back-to-backs, we want to ensure we move the body in the days following the event. Activity is essential to facilitate recovery and maintain a sense of rhythm. Good, bad, or indifferent performance in the initial race, your mind needs space to recover while doing all you can for your brain. I would give yourself at least 3-5 days before the first real pressure from training, set up as endurance or building intervals of effort. Move the body, don’t train the body. We also need to rebuild the system. Great hydration in the days following, plenty of protein, and highly nutritious foods. Not just immediately post-race but in the days following. Get all these right and plenty of sleep and rest, and you will emerge stronger.
Ditch the performance metrics
Metrics have their place between races, as they can provide insight into the state of recovery and fatigue levels. However, you shouldn’t seek season-best training performance metrics or even expect to see full recovery with metrics between races. The body is navigating a high-stress environment with the impact of the initial race. High stress, recovery from that race, returning to training. The body won’t find rhythm in the sessions following your first race, and your training sessions will not yield big numbers. This data is not significant. You don’t need to train great between races. Remember, recover, maintain fitness, and sharpen. Do what’s required, but have courage. When you call on the body in round two, it will respond if you leave emotion on the sidelines. Don’t chase it, don’t harbor high emotion, just recover and maintain, then sharpen. Feeling has little to do with second-time-round performance. Set the stage and let it rip.
Maintain strength, seriously
Strength is essential for tissue health, mobility, core stability, neurological coordination, and connection. Maintaining the gains made in the strength program is critical to your success. Your strength sessions should not be particularly challenging, but they are essential. After two or three short sessions, you will facilitate further recovery, improve the feeling of being ‘held together,’ and even enhance the hand-eye coordination of movement.
The big bang trick
If there is more than two weeks between your races, hitting a high octane session about eight days out provides an excellent stimulus. Below are some examples of sessions. Let’s use a half IRONMAN, for instance. I would have a session about 7-9 days out of race two, in which there is a short warm-up, then a series of 6-10 sec max efforts all in. If I were a youth soccer coach in England, I would say, “Go on son, put yer foot frew the ball.” Yes, that kind of max. Some spinning, then a series of hard efforts over race pace. 5 x 4 min hard with 4 min recovery, followed by perhaps 15 mins at race pace. I would then run off 30 min with a pyramid of intervals that brings you closer to 5k or 10k pace, rather than a race-specific effort. This provides a shock to your body or a ‘big bang.’ Follow that by an endurance day of training, then a day or two of easy midweek intensity, and you’re good to go.
Commit to your performance
Have a great day on race one? Carry the lessons and confidence. Struggle in race one? Learn and apply, but don’t carry baggage. The first race doesn’t predict the second if you are racing back-to-back triathlon races. A great first race can grant a rotten second through complacency. A tough first race can ruin a second due to the confidence eroding baggage and pressure the athlete stacks around their shoulders. Begin the journey with a commitment to a blank slate. Each race is new and must be treated as such. For an equally impressive second race, you must nail the basics, retain hunger, and be ready to fight again. On the other hand, if race one was a challenge, you face adversity, step up, shake it off, learn your lessons, and double down on the basics. Race and enjoy the second chance to improve on your performance.
If in doubt, do less
It is much better to lean on the side of caution and recovery than to get pulled back into hard training. This concept can be challenging for those with poor performing first races as they quickly want a road to redemption. If your body doesn’t feel ready, simply do less.
You can confidently register for those back-to-back IRONMAN races now; you have your preparation and recovery checklist. Don’t be afraid; you’ve got this, do something epic.
Example Preparation And Recovery Plan For Back To Back Races:
To take this checklist a step further, we have a free example plan you can follow to help you prepare and recover for your next back-to-back triathlon races.