Recognize — Adapt — Overcome
RECOGNIZE the uncontrollables of the environment and situation.
ADAPT the workout so that athletes can experience success despite these factors.
OVERCOME these obstacles and celebrate athletes and this behavior. This is extremely extraordinary behavior for athletes and needs to be celebrated. This is a life skill that will not only lead to success with sport but wherever life takes them.
When training/racing in less than ideal conditions, I utilize the Recognize — Adapt — Overcome cycle. Especially with summer training- recognizing that training must be adapted to account for the inflexible environment to set athletes up for success. The goal is always to create fast and fresh Racehorses, not fatigued Workhorses.
Recognize — Adapt — Overcome
Weather is one thing athletes have no control over; not every workout or race is going to have pristine conditions, especially winter training and summer racing. Because of this fact, athletes must be adapted to compete in less than ideal conditions. This adaptation comes from training in these non-perfect conditions. Athletes’ minds and bodies have been calloused to be able to handle the stress of this environment. Practice Habits Lead to Competition Habits Lead to Competition Results
Ultimately the goal is to build the mindset and operating system of Recognize-Adapt-Overcome. No matter the obstacle, No matter the weather, No matter what- Recognize what you can and can’t change, Adapt to this environment/situation and Overcome the obstacles. Why? Because long after their days as high school athletes, this is what success in life requires- Recognize-Adapt-Overcome.
An example from my life while on family beach vacation. While at the beach, there are lots of things I cannot change- heat, humidity, sun, soft sand, uneven footing, etc.
Because of these, I edited my workouts to be able to achieve success- safely complete the challenge. What did this look like?
- Start running early in the AM
- Runs were effort and heart based as opposed to pace based
- Runs and intervals were based on time rather than distance
- More recovery time between intervals and walk recoveries instead of jog
- Reduce the weekly mileage load and time spent at intensity
With all of the above, I had to:
- RECOGNIZE these factors.
- ADAPT my workout to account for these factors.
- I was able to OVERCOME and still get in a good (and safe) workout.
The Recognition piece of this cycle requires 2 things:
- Situational-awareness of the environment and situation
- Self-awareness: Athletes must know themselves and their strengths/weaknesses
“The worse the weather gets, the better we do. This is Granville Weather.”
This is a phrase I use quite often when coaching athletes in less than ideal weather conditions- wind, rain, snow, cold, mud, heat, etc. As long as the weather conditions are safe (not icy, no thunder/lightning, etc.) and athletes are properly prepared (clothing and fuel), I look forward to and celebrate training in less than ideal conditions. I believe that this may be the exact situation when it is most important to put on the running shoes and head out the door. When examining the best runners (and those who are successful at life), what separates them is that they were willing to do things and make sacrifices that others would not. They are willing to be comfortable with being uncomfortable- embracing Productive Discomfort. Ultimately, this is training athletes to follow through with their ambitions regardless of hurdles because life will not always be comfortable and there will always be obstacles.
Completing workouts in less than ideal conditions creates a callusing effect- a mental toughening. This not only boosts confidence in the moment but this success can be revisited when a confidence boost is needed at a future time. You have done it before, you can do it again mentality.
Chop Wood, Carry Water
“Before enlightenment, Chop Wood and Carry Water. After Enlightenment, Chop Wood and Carry Water.”
Zen Proverb
Chopping Wood and Carrying Water are those daily, necessary, executable, sometimes menial, tasks that can be completed every day no matter the weather, your mood, soreness, etc. Consistently and progressively repeating these actions over a long period are the building blocks of success.
Some days you Chop and Carry more and some days you Chop and Carry less, but there are 2 non-negotiables: it is consistently repeated and always in manageable doses. Overnight successes are created by consistently Chopping and Carrying over a long period of time. On the days that feel good and the days that don’t. Motivation will not always be there, therefore discipline must be built.
Like the United States Postal Service saying: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”
As a coach, stimulating this positive self-talk for athletes and being an example of this positive attitude is key. Mental and Physical Toughness is an expectation of athletes on this team- that is the way we do things here, no matter the weather. Praising when you see the athletes embrace this attitude and actions is essential because what gets rewarded gets repeated.
Why do we not let “bad” weather stop us from training?
The secret to success in distance running is the fact that there is no secret- just consistency of training. On the good days in good weather and the bad days in bad weather and every day in between.
“Stacking good weeks on top of good weeks- that is the name of the game. Stacking. It is no one week or one workout. It is the sum.”
- Mike Smith, Northern Arizona University Head XC/T&F Coach
Mentally and Physically not letting weather affect us during training will lead to this same habit being repeated on race day. Come race day, this preparation will shine through. Whether it is San Diego weather (sunny and 80), San Francisco weather (cloudy and 60), or Granville Weather, we are prepared. The weather is the least of our concern because we know that we are prepared for whatever it is. Again, Practice Habits lead to Competition Habits lead to Competition Results.
In a similar vein: Logistics-Stratey-Tactics
Logistics: The non-negotiable of the situation or environment. The things you cannot control or change.
Strategy: Given the Logistics, the overall end goal or vision.
Tactics: The required interconnected small steps that must be accomplished to achieve the Strategy, given the Logistics.
I first heard this decision-making framework from Coach John Coffman of New Albany Aquatics Club.
The more clarity you have with the above mentioned variables, the more likely you are to accomplish the ultimate Strategy.
Looking at this decision-making framework through the lens of E+R=O. (Event + Response = Outcome):
An Event happens in our life and our Response to it determines the Outcome. We have no control over the Event (Logistics) but what we do control is our Response (Tactics) which then influences the Outcome (Strategy). This equation continually builds on itself so that it plays out in both the microscopic and macroscopic view of our lives to ultimately determine our success and happiness. The bigger the desired Outcome (Strategy), the more difficult and longer it will take to give the required Response (Tactics).
“Circumstances don’t make or break us. They reveal us.
Arenas don’t create results. People do.
It’s not about the situation. It’s about you.”
Brian Kight
Given the uncontrollable that is weather, as a coach you have to adapt the training to allow athletes to achieve success. Modifications can be as simple as:
- Turning intervals into fartleks
- Going for time instead of distance
- Adding in hills instead of a track-based session
- Using Heart Rate and/or Perceived Exertion instead of pace
- Pushing a planned workout day to tomorrow and keeping the run as an aerobic focus
The possibilities are endless. The main things are to set athletes up for success and be a positive voice and example of this- what gets rewarded gets repeated.
Consistency is the Key… Keep the Ball Rolling!
