Measure repeatability not impressiveness

Triathlon is a sport that rewards a big aerobic base, built over multiple years (if not decades) of training. But even though we all know this, it’s often hard in practice to prioritise this kind of long-term aerobic development, and we make tradeoffs that might lead to short-term gains, but might not help us achieve our full potential in the long-term. Coach Carson Christen joins me today to discuss this topic in detail. By the end of this episode you should have a better idea of what you can do today, this month, and this year, to maximise your long-term development as a triathlete.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: 

• How many lifetime training hours do you need to get close to (90% of the way there) your full triathlon potential? 
• How age-group triathletes should adopt a more long-term focused mindset to their training with this in mind
• What is the role of intensity when it comes to long-term aerobic development? 
• Do swimming, cycling and running require different approaches to maximise long-term development? 
• Common mistakes age-group triathletes and triathlon coaches make that might lead to short-term gains while limiting long-term potential
• Practical tips and takeaways

DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: 

• We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. 
• The shownotes for today's episode can be found at https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts694/

LINKS AND RESOURCES: 

• Carson and Torden Multisport on Instagram
• Carson’s previous appearance on That Triathlon Show: The Trisutto Way of Triathlon Training with Carson Christen | EP#140

WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?

If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following related episodes:

• World Champions keep things simple: training masterclass with Joel Filliol | EP#172 - similar sentiments, but applied to a world class context (where 90% is not enough)
• Aerobic training and testing with Scott Johnston | EP#326 - a great episode specifically on developing the aerobic engine

You can find our full episode archives here, where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.

You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes, TTS Thursday episodes, and Beginner Tips episodes. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON: 

• The Scientific Triathlon website is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do
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SPONSORS: 

• Precision Fuel & Hydration produce our favourite gels, sports drinks, and electrolyte and carbohydrate products here at That Triathlon Show and Scientific Triathlon. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event, and get 15% off your first 2026 order by using the code TTS2026 at checkout.
   
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