The importance of playing the long game and finding the successes in races which may appear a ‘failure’ as an age grouper

Triathlon Coaching Success: Rob Payne

Outlaw Nottingham

Rob competed at Outlaw Nottingham (3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run) last weekend. At first glance, a DNF (Did Not Finish) might seem like a failure. However, having worked with Rob for multiple years, I see the bigger picture. The race data reveals multiple successes, and thankfully, Rob shares this positive outlook. In this blog, we’ll explore the successes from both preparation and performance perspectives. It’s crucial for age group athletes to recognize these successes, even when results may appear disappointing.

The Importance of Long-Term Thinking

In triathlon, consistency in training year after year has a compounding effect. To reach your potential, you must think long-term. You won’t peak in just 6 to 12 months. Rob and I have been collaborating for three years now. In my experience, longer-term coach/athlete relationships yield the best results. You learn how athletes respond to training, what works, what doesn’t, and their true motivations. You become more attuned to their daily lives and how every aspect influences training. Most importantly, you build trust.

These longer-term relationships allow athletes to set long-term goals, not just for the current season but for the next 1-2 years. This approach fosters consistency and progression, forming an overall goal rather than merely chasing short-term wins.

Long-Term Progression > Short-Term Wins

Rob is what I’d call a ‘time-crunched’ athlete. With young kids and a demanding job, he has only about 8-10 hours per week to train for upcoming events. Recognizing this, we identified the first successes in his race build-up.

1. Consistency: Rob didn’t miss a single session leading up to Outlaw. Whether it was an easy run focused on time or a hard threshold bike session, he completed every workout (minus a few swims). In training, it’s not just the intense sessions that matter; the easy, monotonous aerobic workouts deserve equal attention. Completing a build like this is something to celebrate.

   
   

Embrace the Process

1. Getting Dialled In: While we (Henry - Proven Performance Coaching) manage the training and racing aspects, nutrition also needed attention. As a coach, I recognize my limitations. I referred Rob to local nutritionist Jenny from PDT Coaching (PDT Coaching). Together, they worked on weight management, daily nutrition, and race nutrition. Personally, I find training to be the easier part. Managing nutrition is additional work that many overlook, but it’s vital. The benefits of Rob and Jenny’s efforts have been significant. They’ve improved his energy management, allowing him to excel in every session, and created a diet plan that has led to sustainable weight loss.

   
   

Nutrition: The Fourth Discipline

1. Trusting the Process: In a previous training program, Rob had been doing long sessions on weekday evenings, often leading to late nights. I advised him to minimize this, as you only reap the benefits from the training you can recover from. With time constraints on weekends, he couldn’t complete a 3+ hour long ride. We had to employ different strategies on midweek rides to achieve similar benefits. The previous plan revolved around occasional big days with minimal training. We flattened this volume distribution, spreading the load more evenly to promote consistent stimulus. It can be challenging to fully commit to new methods, but Rob embraced the changes and nailed his sessions. Don’t worry; classic weekend long rides still made an appearance in the final 12 weeks. I wouldn’t recommend attempting an Ironman without them.

   
   

Commit to the Training

Next, let’s discuss long-term progression. It’s easy to fixate on your most recent result, but zooming out to see the bigger picture is vital. Over the past three years, we’ve steadily improved Rob’s running. He is running faster than ever this year, and it’s no coincidence. Below are his mileage stats, showcasing year-on-year progression:

• 2023: 29km

• 2024: 34km

• 2025: 40km

  
  

When we first began in 2021, Rob completed a 5km time trial in 23:48 (4:43/km). His 70.3 race pace is now around 4:30/km. That’s four times the distance, after a challenging 90km ride, yet he’s running 15 seconds per km faster. His target marathon pace for Outlaw was 5:00/km, and he was on track until dehydration issues arose.

As previously mentioned, we approached the bike with a more balanced volume distribution, utilizing focused sessions that led to significant gains. Rob is now riding at higher speeds with lower heart rates, maintaining the same power despite weight loss. While he doesn’t use power on his bike, speed serves as a useful metric. He completed the bike leg at Outlaw at over 32km/h, whereas his previous speeds for a 70.3 were around 30km/h. There are still substantial equipment gains to be made, so finishing the bike in 3rd position in his age group on a road bike with a standard helmet is incredibly impressive.

After the race, I spoke with Rob about these successes. We affirmed that the progress made has been tremendous. For many, a DNF could dampen motivation, leading them to believe their efforts were wasted. In Rob’s case, it had the opposite effect. This performance clearly illustrates an upward trajectory, and we’ve set exciting goals for next year! Ultimately, for age group athletes, triathlon should not be the be-all and end-all. Training should be enjoyable and sustainable, and working towards your goals should be rewarding.

I hope this blog highlights the importance of finding successes in what may seem like a ‘failure’ and emphasizes that playing the long game in triathlon is the best approach.