Why have an Annual Training Plan?
Written by Jim Levesque, Head Coach at Grit Endurance. Learn more about Jim’s background here!
Do you know of any successful business that goes into a new year without a business plan? Most likely you don’t, because most are going to have a solid plan for how they will execute in the upcoming year. The business plan is the 30K foot view that keeps the business on track to its goals and inititiaves, even though most time is spent by the employees on the day to day operations.
In a similar fashion, the Annual Training Plan (ATP) is the “business plan” for your training and racing year. The ATP generally starts at the beginning of the offseason, which we call the “General Preparation Phase”, and culminates at the end of the racing season. Therefore, it doesn’t have to be aligned to the calendar year, in fact most ATPs are built from the fall or early winter through the following fall or early winter. A well executed ATP does not need to be complicated, and it can actually be quite simple, but it should always include the following:
Build backwards from the key race or event: A good plan starts with the end in mind and works backwards to the beginning of the plan. For example, if running a PR in the Chicago Marathon is the goal, what should you be doing from now until then to maximize your chances of that happening?
Block periodization: Utilize a periodized approach that splits the year into different training cycles with different goals and stimuli in mind for each. This can vary substantially across different athletes.
Progression: The plan should progress incrementally over time in order to ensure impovement takes place.
Review and adjust: Check-in and adjust the plan regularly to ensure you never get too far off track.
A well executed ATP can be a very beneficial tool for ensuring you don’t lose sight of the bigger picture throughout the year, and as we approach 2025, now is the perfect time to get started. If you are interested in learning more about how a Grit Endurance coach can help you build your Annual Training Plan, reach out today!