“The workout was great except I started too fast and was barely holding on at the end.”
I have heard a version of this from many athletes as of late. Training sessions with intensity are as much of an exercise in arousal control as they are in pushing yourself.
There are many directions a workout can go based on how the first rep is performed.
Featured here is a framework for deciding how to proceed based on a few common scenarios.
The framework is designed for running but could be extrapolated to bike power, swim pace, or another activity such as rowing.
Felt easy/On pace
1Let’s get the ideal case out of the way first. You nailed your pace time and it felt pretty easy. No need to pick it up. Keep the course!
Felt hard/On pace
An athlete with a deep base can often find the first rep or two of a workout tough before coming right. Do not panic if this is the case, especially if you are hitting the numbers. If the feeling persists:
Modify the rest interval length
Modify the interval length
Modify the interval intensity
Heart rate response can also be helpful. In my experience, a lagging heart rate and a sense of feeling heavy is usually a sign of being under recovered. You may be best off pushing the session to another day entirely.
Felt easy/Too slow
I often recommend to athletes that they start the first rep at or slightly above the desired range. This gives you a chance to build into the workout and avoid going too deep too early. There is always room for more if this scenario arises.
Felt hard/Too slow
Here is another scenario where monitoring heart rate response can be useful. Struggling to get heart rate into the desired range can indicate fatigue. A higher than normal heart rate for an effort can also be indicative of fatigue or illness.
In short, if the subjective data and objective data point to something being not right, you may be best pushing the session to a day where readiness is higher. You can also modify the workout per the aforementioned guidelines.
Felt easy/Too fast
This is a scenario where you have to be careful. If you are going above the prescribed range, it is likely your internal metrics (ie heart rate) are also higher. Revving the engine on the first rep is a fast track to suffering unnecessarily toward the end of the workout.
Great numbers are exciting, but numbers that are too good to be true can damage a session soon after it starts.
Back off the effort, stick to your prescription, and enjoy that you are likely having a great workout.
You will get more for your dollar by finishing well than you will running on fumes for the final reps.
Felt Hard/Too Fast
I’ll admit that I have been in this situation a few times. Finishing the first rep only to say “damn that was hard….” then glancing at the data and seeing that I went out hot. This scenario often presents when I have had a break from intensity in my training program.
A simple fix is on order for this. Back it down and carry on. Chop wood, carry water. It’s training after all. Save the big push for race day.
Now you know either what not to do in your workout or what to do if things go awry in the session. Modifying and adapting to the situation at hand is a valuable skill that can keep your program rolling consistent.
We are all prone to errors. The winners of the game are simply making fewer errors. Be a winner.
Graphics courtesy of Sedera Zbranak