Coach Tip Tuesday: Don't spend $50,000 on a car you can buy for $30,000

This week's Coach Tip Tuesday is in honor of a great mentor and a great friend: Coach Brendan Jackson. He always had a knack for explaining things in a way that didn't make me feel dumb for not knowing them before.

Would you spend $50,000 on a car that you could buy for $30,000? I bet you wouldn't.

The same idea can be applied to training for a goal event. Would you spend 15 hours a week training when you could train for 8 hours a week and get the same result?

Be mindful of how you use your training hours. Aim for QUALITY sessions, not a QUANTITY of sessions (in overall volume or in number). Make sure you understand the purpose of each training session, even if the purpose is as simple as "encouraging active recovery" or "building aerobic endurance." Understanding your plan will help you have faith and confidence in it. You have a right to know what your plan is and what the purposes of each of your workouts are. Once you understand the purpose, you can mindfully execute your plan and make your sessions high quality.

This is especially important for athletes who are balancing the everyday demands of life in addition to their training. Those extra hours can be better utilized on recovery, family time, or recreation time. It's possible to be a great athlete without having a workout scheduled every day, and it's possible to get a ton of bang for your buck out of modalities that encourage good cardio fitness without a higher risk of injury. For instance, it's possible for an athlete to train for a marathon without running 20+ miles in a long run and without running 30+ miles in a week. Incorporating other cardio modalities such as cycling and swimming into a plan can build an incredibly solid aerobic base without imposing the high demand that running does on the body.

So, my friends. Don't be the person who pays $50,000 for the car that you could have had for $30,000. Spend $30,000 and have fun with the savings. :)

"Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into The Force." -Yoda

Coach, you were a real-life Jedi Knight and I know you've transformed into The Force. I love you and I already miss you very much. Your race is run. So now, run easy, my friend. 💜