My $.02 - following ANY plan "to the letter" is kinda pointless. No two athletes are the same, perform the same, recover the same, etc.

IMO, you need to be able to deduce the overall training philosophy while being able to adjust it to your schedule and capabilities.

Example - I have an extremely busy travel schedule. There is no way I could follow any training plan "to the letter." But I can take the tenets of a given plan (currently reading Friel's book) and adjust it to work for me while still adhering the basic tenets of what he is preaching.

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

absolutely agree. there are no "universal training plans" for every athlete. different jobs, different abilities, different lifestyles, and most importantly different priorities. each of us tailors our training to our goals and realistic time available. for myself, i chose my goal and tailor my training to the time i have to prepare for that particular race. we are all fortunate to be part of the triathlete community-one that respects health and happiness foremost.

I also agree with what your saying. I stated that it would be personalized to meet my goals and lifestyle. I will however use the workouts and guidelines to complete my objectives.