Last week we spoke about the Preparatory (General Base Preparation) Phase of a Training Program. If you missed it, you can read more here.
This week we expand on the key fundamentals we focus on during this block.
These principles underpin everything we do at this time of year. They are not just “boxes to tick” — they are the foundation that supports long-term performance, durability, and consistency. Our focus is simple: building strong, resilient, and well-rounded athletes.
Key fundamentals we focus on during this Phase
1. Resilience
This phase is intentionally designed to be lower stress and more controlled.
Sessions should be approached with patience and discipline — not chasing numbers or performance metrics every day. The ego needs to take a back seat here.
We have time on our side, so this is about:
- Building consistency
- Improving recovery capacity
- Allowing the body to adapt positively to load
Learn to absorb training now, so you can express fitness later.
2. Strength
Strength is a critical pillar for endurance athletes.
We aim to focus on:
- Tendon and muscle resilience
- Joint stability and mobility
- Range of motion and movement quality
- Injury prevention and durability
We’ve already begun laying the foundation in this area, and we will continue to progressively build on it into next month and beyond.
3. Metabolic Efficiency
This refers to the body’s ability to utilise fat as a fuel source during aerobic work.
This aligns closely with our low-stress endurance training.
For some athletes, this may include:
- Completing selected aerobic sessions in a fasted state
- Minimising fuelling during longer low-intensity sessions
However, it is equally important to:
- Refuel properly post-session
- Maintain overall energy availability across the day
If you’re unsure how this applies to you, please reach out for guidance.
4. Aerobic Capacity
This is about building the size and ceiling of your engine through controlled high-intensity work.
Typically, this includes:
- Short intervals (generally under 3 minutes)
- High-intensity efforts with full commitment
- Sessions designed to challenge oxygen uptake (VO₂ max development)
This work sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to our aerobic endurance sessions.
Note: this type of training is only introduced when a solid endurance base is in place. Some athletes will not yet see this in their program, and that is intentional.
5. Strength Endurance
This is the bridge between pure strength and endurance.
It focuses on producing force under fatigue and includes:
- Low cadence, high resistance bike work
- Hill reps and strength-based running
- High torque efforts where muscular demand is prioritised over cardiovascular pace
Everyone will see some form of this work in their program, as it plays a key role in durability and performance.
Putting it all together
If you consistently:
- Complete hard sessions hard
- Complete easy sessions easy
- Respect the purpose of each session
- Trust the structure of the program
Then you will progress.
More importantly, you will arrive at your race preparation phase fit, strong, resilient, and ready to perform.
This is where seasons are truly built — not in the final 8–10 weeks before a race, but right now.
Stay consistent, trust the process, and keep building the base that everything else depends on.
