It's training when you have a schedule. The first year I did triathlons, I knew it would be a good idea to practice each of the 3 sports a couple times a week. So if the weather was nice I might ride my bike or go for a run. No periodization, just go out and do it until it stopped being fun or I ran out of time.

Now I have a coach and I follow his plan to the minute. That's training.

If you agree with this quote, which is on my refrigerator, you're training: Suffering is mandatory, misery is optional. The point being that in order to improve, you have to push your boundaries. But you don't have to hate it.

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I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'

I agree with your sentiments 100%. As given by my user name I gave up rowing when it stopped being fun and became only training.

Don,

Great post! I, too, like to train and do it for enjoyment. You should change your user name to Sensei. If everyone adopted your philosophy, I think it would be less moody around this forum.

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"Why do they keep inventing new ways to celebrate mediocrity" -

My personal favorite Jack Handy Deep Thought:

One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh, no," I said. "Disneyland burned down." He cried and cried, but I think that deep down, he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late.

;^)

Amen brother. You should start a club.

I too enjoy training more than racing. I use races for motivation, but when race day actually arrives I pretty much feel like the race served its purpose. There are definitely moments, though, when training feels like training. When I get up at 5:30 a.m. for a workout, I'm training. When I have to get into the cold pool, I'm training. When I'm pushing hard on a long ride and nausea sets in and I tell myself that I just have to get through it, I'm training. More often, though, you're right: it's play. I hop on my bike, even bleary-eyed at 6:00 a.m., and it's play. Raining? A little miserable, but still play. Up-tempo run to establish my LT threshold. Play play play.

I think the common reference to "training" may also be cultural. Our culture values efficient use of time, achieving goals etc. and "training" fits into that. Referring to your training more as play, such as "I'm going for a bike ride" sounds sort of frivolous. But if you're going out for a "long training ride," well then you're building yourself into a tri superhero, a disciplined achiever, a person who people can respect for his discpline and tenacity. Maybe the fact that it's really just fun is our little secret. And maybe we forget that it's really just fun, which is, of course, the point of your post.

Play on playah.

Don you're a GOD! And long live this thread. But without plenty of pics of scantily clad women to sustain it (ala the Hottie Thread), I fear it will die an ignominious death.

Gotta go train now...

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Don, what I did to make it less training-like was chuck the HR monitor and take off the computer on my bike. Now I actually enjoy going out for a run without worrying about what zone I am in. If I feel good, I run fast; if not, I take it slow. No pressure. Same thing with the bike. That computer was the bane of my bike rides-how fast am I going, how fast am I pedalling, how far did I go, what's my avg. speed. It got to be too much like "work." So, it's low-tech all the way for me. As with the equipment, everything is way over-engineered-hr zones, wattages, LT threshholds, spreadsheets blah blah blah

Nike actually had it right- "Just do it"

it looks like Maggie Backstedt has taken my advice. From Velonews interview-

"I moved to Wales (to be with wife), worked hard in the off-season and lived in Belgium in the season and ditched all these training programs and got back to what I did when I started racing. I went back to basics and did that sort of training again. That's when things started to turn around. Big, long miles, lots of hours on the bike - that's what works best for me. At Crédit Agricole, I started using the SRMs, doing all kinds of controlled training, hitting thresholds, intervals, all that. Instead, I went back to what my body told me, not an SRM or some monitor. I took every single piece of equipment off my bike and I just went back to what my body told me."

Training is my play - my play is training.

On a tanget -- with kids and/or others around -- certain "play" that was done naked together came to be known as "Cross-Training" - due to the cardio workout involved.

Therefore -- "Cross-Training" is the best kind of play.

Great post Don.

I agree with you. As recreational triathletes (it's a hobby, right?), we should never "train", we should just "play". The Slowtwitch site (as a whole) has advocated this in the Lifestyle section, and Slowman himself has written a couple of articles about this; but this is a topic that doesn't get discussed enough among triathletes (my opinion) and isn't stressed enough on this site (my opinion).

For me, I agree with Patrick. My heart rate monitor killed the fun for me. It was ok at first, but then everything became too clinical. About 5 years ago I pitched the HRM and now I'm having fun again. And besides, I can pretty much tell what "zone" I'm in w/o a HRM. As far as pain and pushing past your limits... that's part of the fun.

Right now, only about 5% of my motivation for swim/bike/run is due to "training" for races. In fact, I don't think my active lifestyle would change much at all if all triathlon races were permanently cancelled.

It's more about quality of life - I just feel better when I'm out there doing stuff. And I'm also paranoid of becoming an overweight, feeble, old guy. I want to be spry and energetic when I'm 90. So I'm in it for the long haul.

I think part of this is semantics. The move into adulthood changes the definition of "fun" and "play", but nonetheless is doing the same thing internally. When we are kids we get that "fun" feeling by solving puzzles, running for the sheer enjoyment of feeling a healthy body move under our command, and the joy of experiencing the outside world.

Those are the exact reasons I do what I do, I just stick a different label on it now to make myself sound grown up.

Actually I think it became "training" in a hurry when Dave Scott came to Oahu in 1980 and CRUSHED everybody by huge margins. Guys came back home horrified and put in monster sessions to try to beat him.

Tryin' to put some blame on The Man. :-)

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Funny, I'm writing an article on this right now for somebody's website that hasn't quite yet launched. As well, I mentioned the fact it does seem like semantics at first blush, but sometimes we have to pretend before we are fully open for an epiphany to strike us down/lift us up.

In short, my point was that basework is most productive when it's playing, i.e. when we allow ourselves to be a vessel that transmits the current around us without any perceived effort. When we find ourselves trying, being the source of energy, then we are training and the outcome of the base is not as powerful. On the other hand, when we are sharpening for a specific race after the base has been put in, then training becomes more efficient than playing. It's the feminine/masculine balance.

Rock on Don.

It only takes a calf injury that has kept me from running much over the last two months to appreciate how much I love training. It actually makes me pissed when I see others out enjoying a run when I can't.

The best groove for me is when you are pushing, but not to the point of puking, maybe about 75% of max, and things feel effortless and that you can go on forever.

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

Great topic for a thread. Too often, we get caught up in the latest, greatest gadget. No HRM for me recently.

One of the most fun things I did last summer was take the bike computer off the bike, stash the HRM in the bag, take off my watch, throw the Garmin into the bag and go riding for 2 days with a group. WE rode to San Diego, stayed the night and then road back the next day. I didn't really know what time is was; I didn't know my speed; I didn't know how far we had to go; I didn't know how far we'd come. I didn't want to know and I didn't care.

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Relax2dmax

"Just remember there is only 2 letters difference between STUD and STUPID." Heard on the course of the 1998 Lost Boys Ultramarathon

I think this is really about loosing perspective.

If you are a second tier pro then I believe there has to be somewhat of a regimented training schedule to bring you to the next level. Sometimes the workout might not be your favourite - but it is nevertheless crucial and a big part of exceling is being able to train your mind to pick out the parts of the workouts that you enjoy (i.e. enjoying the sensation of the air blowing through your hair while you a jogging during the rest intervals) and relish them. I'll use myself as an example...I am weak when it comes to running track intervals. I could easily fall into the trap of dreading the days workout of repeat 800's, but instead I remind myself that there are some beautiful trees next to the track that are blooming right now. The smell is incredible and I know that I get to enjoy concentrating on that smell during the recovery periods. Now I am looking forward to the track workout.

The majority of triathletes do not have the desire (nor ability) to reach the top and could very well be better off de-structurizing their training so that they run when they want, cycle when they want, swim when they want. They will likely still do well, according to their ability, in the races they enter.

I might be one of the only ones on here that is not a big believer in the HRM. Yes, it does indicate how hard you are working - which is critical to know for zone training. But I also think it inhibits the user from learning to sense the intensity innately. I have a HRM that I rarely use. When I put it on I test myself on the course of the run by guessing my HR and then looking at the watch. I am always within 3 beats of my guess. I bring this up because in some cases I think tools can inhibit a user and reduce the enjoyment. Every once in a while run without a watch or put masking tape over your bike computer screen. You may be amazeed how enjoyable the session was. And, if the session was a lot more enjoyable, you may need to assess the way you are using the tools. I am not saying HRM are all bad; I believe HRM's are great for certain purposes (i.e. testing).

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Adrian in Vancouver