Let’s Talk About the Love of Training (Yes, Really)
Valentine’s Day week has people thinking about relationships—so let’s apply that to the one relationship that can make (or break) your season:
You + your training plan.
Because here’s the truth: most athletes don’t quit because they’re weak. They quit because training becomes one more thing they “should” do. It starts feeling like pressure, guilt, and a checklist.
And training can be hard… but it shouldn’t feel like punishment.
If you want to show up consistently, you don’t need more “discipline.”
You need a plan you can stick with—and a relationship with training that you actually enjoy.
So this week, we’re going to date your training.
Not in a cheesy way. In a practical way.
Because February is where momentum gets built—and consistency is what creates confidence.
The Goal: Fall in Love With the Process (Not Just Race Day)
Training isn’t just “the thing you do to earn race day.”
It’s the thing that shapes you in the quiet weeks when nobody’s clapping.
And the athletes who have the best seasons aren’t always the most talented.
They’re the ones who learn how to show up—even when motivation is not invited.
So here are 7 ways to make your training feel like something you want to do, not something you dread.
1) Put Your Training on the Calendar Like It Matters (Because It Does)
If it’s not scheduled, it’s optional.
Treat training like an appointment you’re keeping.
Not with your coach. Not with your watch. With your future self.
Action tip:
- Pick your training time for the week every Sunday
- Plan around reality (work, kids, travel, weather)
- Give yourself permission to keep sessions short when needed
Consistency beats the perfect schedule you never follow.
2) Create a “Getting Started” Ritual (So You Don’t Have to Think)
Most people don’t skip workouts because they can’t do them.
They skip because starting feels like friction.
A ritual removes friction.
Examples:
- Put your shoes/kit out the night before
- Pre-load the workout on your watch/trainer
- Have one “go-to” warm-up playlist
- Make coffee, put on gear, press start—no negotiating
You’re not waiting for motivation.
You’re building a pattern.
3) Choose a “Minimum Standard” for Busy Days
This is one of the biggest mindset shifts I teach athletes.
A lot of people think consistency means “doing it all.”
Nope.
Consistency means keeping the chain alive.
Your minimum standard might be:
- 20 minutes Zone 2
- 10 minutes mobility
- A short swim technique session
- A walk + strides
- 30 minutes easy spin
The point isn’t perfection.
The point is: you’re still the kind of person who trains.
4) Make Easy Days Feel Like a Win (Not a Waste)
This is where triathletes get… particular.
Because Garmin gives you an execution score.
TriDot gives you a TrainX score.
TrainingPeaks turns green.
And suddenly athletes think nailing a workout means hitting the number perfectly.
But coaches care about something different:
Did you hit the spirit of the workout?
Easy days are not “lesser” days.
They’re the days that let you absorb the work.
If every session becomes moderately hard, you don’t get fitter.
You get tired.
Action tip: On easy days, make a new win condition:
- controlled breathing
- relaxed form
- finishing feeling like you could do 15 more minutes
- consistent Zone 2, not “Zone 2-ish”
That’s what builds the engine.
5) Add One “Fun Variable” Per Week (On Purpose)
Not every session has to be fun. But if none of them are fun, you won’t last.
Pick one fun element per week:
- a new route
- a friend for part of the session
- a podcast you ONLY allow on long rides
- a treadmill “movie run”
- a sunrise swim
- a new playlist
The goal is to give your brain something to look forward to without changing the training purpose.
You can be social and still train smart.
6) Stop Comparing Your Plan to Someone Else’s
This is the part nobody wants to hear:
Your plan is not supposed to look like your friend’s plan.
Different background. Different stress. Different history. Different goals. Different strengths.
And “doing extra” because someone else is doing extra is one of the fastest ways to:
- sabotage recovery
- miss key workouts later
- stall progress
- show up to race day flat
If your group ride goes longer than your plan?
Join for part of it. Peel off when your plan ends.
That’s not weakness. That’s maturity.
Your job isn’t to win a random Saturday ride.
Your job is to build toward race day.
7) Make Your Plan Feel Personal (Because It Should Be)
The more your training connects to who you are and what you want, the more you’ll show up.
Here’s a quick way to do that:
Use the 3 Goals method for training—not just racing.
- Rockstar Goal: The best-case version of the session (when conditions and energy align)
- Super Happy Goal: A strong, realistic execution
- Happy Goal: The minimum standard that keeps you consistent and proud
This is how you build a relationship with training that doesn’t collapse when life gets messy.
And yes—this is also how you teach your brain to celebrate progress instead of constantly moving the goalposts.
Want a Plan That Matches Your Life (and Builds Real Momentum)?
Right now my 1:1 coaching roster is full — but when coaching spots open up, I offer them to athletes who are already training with TriDot through Team 3G first. Think of it like a priority “wait list” that also gets you results immediately: start with a 2-month free trial in TriDot, build consistency and momentum with a smart plan, and then when a coaching spot opens you can decide what fits best — keep rolling with the subscription, or add my coaching as another tool in your toolbox.
Get started with a two month free trial:
Then this Valentine’s week, don’t just “love race day.”
Date your training. Build the relationship. Trust the process.
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