Short Slow Distance (S.S.D.)
Most of my professional triathlete colleagues train in San Diego, Arizona, the south of France or Down Under for the winter. When anyone asks me, “Jeff, where do you go to train for the winter?” My answer is “down in my basement.” If I feel like treating myself to some really warm weather I’ll turn on the space heater and forego the fan. Before I go anywhere to train, I spend some quality time off. Any athlete who wishes to maintain their health, both physical and mental, takes time off from training. In the past, I have taken two weeks to two months off during the winter. I know, I know you are thinking you would like to take two months off from your job, too. Those two months are typically spent begging and groveling for sponsorships for the next season. You do not want that job. Trust me on this.
Whether I’ve taken two weeks or two months off, I have usually been “mentally” ready to start training again. Physically, however, I am never ready to start at the level that my head and my peers are telling me too. For example, I have a friend whom every year tries to talk me into participating in a 4-5 hour mountain bike ride on Super Bowl Sunday. It sounds like great fun and always tempts me. My wife knows better and will not let me go! She knows that my body is not ready for a 4-5 hour ride, no matter how hard or easy the pace is or how much fun I think I might have. The first few weeks of training always require a great deal of patience. By necessity, my workouts are both short and slow. I must remind myself that I will get in shape although I am doing what I like to call SSD (Short Slow Distance) training for those first few weeks. I know that many athletes can and will just jump into the same training routine they were following during the summer. You know these athletes. They are always in really good shape but they never seem to get any faster. Their days are numbered. When I was young and stupid and never got sore and never got tired I was one of them. Now, I am older. I train intelligently. If I am not careful, I do get sore and I do get tired. Trying to keep up with our toddler may contribute to my fatigue. It’s hard to believe that once we all had as much energy. The point is, the triathlon season is long and you do not need to reach your “peak” fitness in February. By building your health and fitness gradually and systematically from the start you will be more consistent with your training and racing throughout the year.
