Spring Cleaning: Tips for Tidying Up Your Training

As winter loosens its grip on most of the country, the spring induces a feeling of fresh starts and big plans. It's not all rain showers and allergies, this time can be a catalyst to checking on your goals, habits, and potential for improvement. Here are my top tips for some worthwhile spring cleaning.

Self-Evaluation: How is Your Training Going?

Reflect on your current fitness and/or training regimen. Are you consistently meeting your weekly goals, hitting targets on training sessions, and finding some rhythm in the process? Do you find yourself struggling to stay on track, not hitting the numbers, or just not having a whole lot of fun? Take stock of your progress, personal challenges, and overall satisfaction with your training routine.

This is a good chance to check in and get a feel for where you are. After a few months of work, we can see where we have succeeded or fallen short. This awareness is the first step to progress.

Identify What's Working and What's Not:

Evaluate the effectiveness of different aspects of your training. Identify specific workouts that seem to always evade you…or get you excited. Check for days in your schedule that are reliable to get the work done vs. those that never fit. What habits are yielding positive results and which are those that hinder your progress? This assessment will help you refine your approach.

If something is just not working, take it out of the equation. Fill that gap with something that does work, you enjoy, or maybe you just need (like rest). You can incorporate more strength training, fun mountain bike skill days, or more of what you need.

Establishing mechanisms for accountability can create consistency and commitment to your goals – a great next move if you need it. This could involve partnering with a workout buddy, joining a riding/running community, or utilizing tools and apps to monitor your progress. By holding yourself accountable, you'll have more reason to stick to the plan.

Setting and Reevaluating Goals:

Okay, we know what is working and what isn’t…so where do we go from here?

Revisit your general goals for the past months or and those to come. Whether it's general goals (increasing strength in the gym, improving endurance, or mastering a new skill) or it be specific event goals (finish Leadville 100, place top 10 in your age group at X event, PB a marathon), you should establish your intentions with those goals. It may be time to crack the whip…or it may be time to adjust them, based on your current priorities and reality.

Prioritize Fueling:

Identifying where you have some “holes” in your fueling routine may give you an indication of how to easily and substantially improve your training, recovery, and general relationship with the process. “Fuel the work” is a saying I often use to help athletes understand the context of eating adequately to support their training.

You need to have gas in the tank to push hard. Skimping on fuel in your workout only negates the opportunity to get more work **out of your workout, reduces the hole you dig, and props up the next day’s training to be more productive.

If you need to revamp your fueling habits, there are plenty of sampler packs that can give you a taste of what may work best for you. For sampling, you can test out a variety of hydration options, chews, gels, and bars. All of these Try Out packs make testing a breeze.

Context does matter. So, you should be focusing on simple and purpose-driven calories on the bike/run/event. Then, if your training nutrition is up to snuff, how are your daily meal and nutrition habits? You should have the right amount of nutrient-dense, whole food, and calories throughout the day to support both general health and also the added demands of training.

Invest In Yourself:

Prioritize your well-being by dedicating time and resources to recovery practices and health beyond performance. This includes adequate rest, proper nutrition, hydration, and alternative activities such as stretching, foam rolling, and massage therapy. Things that “fill your cup”. By investing in your recovery and general needs, you'll be more prepared to repair and rebuild and ultimately perform when you need to.

This goes beyond a single day’s performance. These practices keep you balanced and fulfilled throughout your weeks, months…and years. Investments in personalized supplements like Feed Formulas can provide deeper support. Tools like Normatec Boots, Theragun, and foam rollers can be a one-time purchase that pays dividends for your recovery habits.

Spring cleaning isn't just for your home—it's also a valuable practice for tidying up your training routine. By conducting a thorough evaluation, setting (or resetting) clear goals, and prioritizing your plan, you can refresh your approach to fitness and set yourself up for success in the season ahead. Embrace the opportunity for growth and renewal – spring has sprung!