Key Principles of the TriLife Eternal Training System

The TriLife Eternal Training System (TLETS) isn't unique only for its systematic approach to triathlon training and racing. It also has four overarching principles that are embedded throughout the system.

TLETS Principle #1: Go Eternal!

Throughout the sports world, from prize fighting to football, there's no more valued athletic attribute than to finish the fight, go the distance, and never give up. Whether you're Rocky or Rudy, the number one priority is to finish what you start.

With triathlon and other endurance sports, this attribute is even more clearly in prominent, because the very nature of the sport is to endure. For the elite athlete, it's about crossing the finish line first. For the age-groupers, it's about just crossing the finish line...or crossing it faster than you did in the past. And nothing seems to be more highly esteemed than going long...Ironman long.

In the TLETS, there is something much more highly esteemed that just "going long." It's going eternal. Eternity is the ultimate distance and the distance that we were created for.

"Going eternal" is expressed and applied in many ways throughout TLETS. Primarily it means the following:

• Race for an eternal purpose.
  Use your temporary participation in triathlon to learn eternal truths about yourself and God, mature in your eternal relationship with Him (apply what you learn), and make an eternal difference through your relationships with others.
• Keep an eternal perspective.
  Knowing your purpose for competing in triathlons and keeping things in perspective is critical. Is triathlon the highest priority in your life? I hope not. So, ensure that your allocation of time, money, focus, and effort don't indicate otherwise. If you're like most triathletes, triathlon is a passion and a very important part of your life style, but not the most important part. Keep it in its place. (Matthew 6:19-20)

Go eternal with your purpose and perspective. Invest in things that will last. Recognize the eternal significance in the temporal, without it, the temporal is meaningless.

The TLETS and the Tri4Him community are committed to helping you go eternal!

TLETS Principle #2: It's the Transformation, not the T-Shirt

One of the most rewarding moments so far in my triathlon experience was hearing the race announcer shout, "You are an Ironman!" as I crossed the finish line of my first Ironman in Coeur d'Alene. In the same vein, after my first sprint tri, I proudly wore my race t-shirt frequently for the next few months even though I had halted my training to "take a break"...for six months. Indeed, in the same vain.

Celebrating our successes and accomplishments is wonderful. Where we get into trouble is when we let the symbol of the success overshadow its significance and substance.

At first, you may experiment with triathlon to see if it's for you. But if (when) you get the tri bug and really get serious about it, you realize that being successful in triathlon is a lifestyle. It's not something that you can just do on the weekends.

When you're serious about triathlon, the goal isn't to merely complete, rather to compete. It's not about just finishing; it's about finishing well. It's no longer about being called an Ironman or triathlete; it's about becoming one. It's about the transformation not the t-shirt.

If you are willing and committed, the TLETS methodology and resources will help you accelerate your transformation and support you in your quest to not only finish but finish well.

TriLife Perspective This same principle holds true for being a Christian, no matter what flavor. If we're serious about Him being the Lord of our life, we should be more interested in becoming Christ-like than just being called a Christian. Our faith is more than just a weekend exercise. It's an ongoing transformation, not a t-shirt or pendant or ring or bumper sticker. (Romans 12:1) Our life isn't just about finishing our race. He secured our finish through His work on the cross. Our life is about honoring Him and finishing well. (Matthew 6:14-30)

TLE Principle #3: Function > Form > Fitness.

There's an architectural saying "form follows function" that emphasizes a critical principle that the form of a structure should be determined based on the function, rather than allowing the form to dictate and/or limit the function.

This is also true with triathlon performance. There is nothing more important to triathlon success than form (proper technique and efficiency of movement). This can't be achieved without an adequate understanding of function (energy sources, physiological adaptations, biomechanical movement patterns, etc.). You don't have to have a degree in physiology or kinesiology to do this. But your understanding has to be sufficient to effectively adapt your form to align with each sport-specific function and to maintain your form over time.

Building on this saying, the TLETS adds a second phrase to address conditioning: "form follows function, and fitness follows form."

Only after you've mastered your form should you change your training focus from form to fitness. The TLETS shows you how and when to make this switch. Even though your initial training focus is form, significant increases in fitness and performance do occur during the form stage as an unavoidable byproduct.

Most people when they are introduced to triathlon want to jump right in and start swimming, biking, and running as far, fast, and frequently as they can. This "focus on fitness first" approach has two highly likely disastrous consequences.

• Poor performance - due to inefficient movement producing reduced propulsion and consuming excess energy, lack of adaptation by key energy systems, excess fatigue, improper race pacing, and so forth
• Injury - due to too aggressively increasing intensity and volume, lack of sufficient or effective recovery, unnecessary stress on muscles and joints due to poor form, and so forth

Most people overestimate what they can accomplish in the near term and underestimate what they can accomplish in the long term. Their pursuit of near-term goals sabotages their long-term potential.

The TLETS "Function > Form > Fitness" approach uses key performance indicators, progression charts, and personalized training plans, among other things to speed your increase your understanding of function, improve your form, and build a firm foundation upon which to build your fitness.

TLETS Principle #4: Run the Race Marked Out for YOU.

If you've been around sports long at all, you've heard a coach say "run your own race" or "we've got to stick to our game plan" or "we've got to set the pace and not let our opponent do it for us." Unfortunately, many triathlete's don't do this. Instead, they fall into one of the following temptations:

• Train randomly—do whatever you feel like doing, whenever they feel like doing it.
• Implement the training/race plan of a successful triathlete thinking that "If they were successful with it, then I will be too."
• Copy the training/race plan of a training buddy with seemingly similar abilities.
• Create a piecemeal training plan gleaned from a multitude of sources (internet, anecdotes, magazines).

The reason that these are rarely effective and often result in injuries is that each individual has a different fitness history, age, body composition, performance level in each discipline, available time and resources, ability to recover, short-term and long-term goals, and on and on. Unless two people are identical, their training plans should not be identical.

An effective training plan should take into account as many of these factors as possible. The effectiveness of a training plan is directly related to the degree to which it is personalized to meet your individual needs. Even a quality plan designed by an industry expert isn't worth very much if it isn't designed to meet your specific needs and doesn't consider your unique profile. A generic training plan is little better than random training. And random training produces random results...not only random positive results.

Of course, the optimal solution is to have an experienced coach work with you personally to conduct ongoing performance analysis, develop and maintain focused training plans, and provide ongoing consultations and guidance for training and racing. Some people can afford this. For everyone else, the TLETS becomes an invaluable method for realizing many of the benefits of personalized coaching.

The TLETS provides you with personalized training plans, just-in-time education and training guidance, and tools to develop race-day execution plans based on data from some of your key training sessions. It is designed to be effective for the coached or self-coached athlete. It helps you quickly assess key performance indicators, identify limiters, set realistic goals, develop training and race plans, and achieve performance success.

TriLife Perspective As Christians, we have the benefit of this level of personal guidance and purpose. And the cost has been paid in full. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race marked out for us. —Hebrews 12:1 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. —Ephesians 2:10 Our race has been marked out for us in advance by our Creator, Coach, Counselor, and Creator who knows us intimately.