HOW TOM MORRIS WON EUROPEAN AGE GROUP SPRINT TRIATHLON GOLD WITH BLIZARD S SUPPORT

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Ethelbert McKinney
5 years ago
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HOW TOM MORRIS WON EUROPEAN AGE GROUP SPRINT TRIATHLON GOLD WITH BLIZARD S SUPPORT What does a typical training week look like for a European Triathlon champion?

The Jono Frary-coached triathlete won his 25-29 age group sprint race in an incredible time of 63:23, covering the swim in 11:21, the bike section in 33:23 and the

1 HOW TOM MORRIS WON EUROPEAN AGE GROUP SPRINT TRIATHLON GOLD WITH BLIZARD S SUPPORT What does a typical training week look like for a European Triathlon champion? In May 2016, Team Blizard elite athlete Tom Morris reached the pinnacle of success by winning the European age group Triathlon Championships in Portugal. The Jono Frary-coached triathlete won his age group sprint race in an incredible time of 63:23, covering the swim in 11:21, the bike section in 33:23 and the final 5k run in a stunning 17:31! Tom also clinched the gold medal at the English Sprint age group Triathlon Championships in 2016, marking a superb year for the busy teacher.

a result, succeeded at the very top of the sport.

2 How did he achieve this phenomenal feat? Supported by our coaches, sports testing services, physiotherapy, functional movement classes and massage therapy here at Blizard Physiotherapy, he trained smart within his heart rate zones, and, as a result, succeeded at the very top of the sport. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< TYPICAL WINTER S TRAINING WEEK FOR TOM MORRIS Tom s current training is helping him prepare for the forthcoming 2017 triathlon season, and takes between hours each week. Mon AM: Threshold bike session - varying length lactate threshold zone repeats. Mon PM: Strength swim set - warm up, kick drills, paddle work. Tues AM: Similar bike session to Monday. Tues PM: Team Blizard running session, such as 8x1k off 60s recovery. Wed AM: Swim set - 10min warm up, kick drills, technique drills, then threshold work eg 6 x 100m. Wed PM: Bike session - zone 5 (lactate tolerance zone) reps, these are hard but tolerable efforts! Thurs AM: 1 hour threshold run - 1m warm up, then 50min lactate threshold work eg 6 x 7min lactate threshold efforts. Thurs PM: work commitments mean this session is done on Wednesday (see above). Fri AM: Threshold swim (see Wednesday AM) Fri PM: Blizard's Functional Movement class (strength and conditioning session for endurance athletes) Sat AM: Blizard's threshold running session. Longer lactate threshold repeats. Sun AM: Long threshold bike on the road, aim for 2 hours, to be increased over time. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Tom has a huge amount of support from his BTF Level 3 coach - Blizard s Jono Frary (also a top GB age group triathlete) - who maps out his training in cycles, aiming to peak for the major events, such as the European Triathlon championships.

Jono puts him through lactate threshold tests on the bike and treadmill every 4-6 months to ensure his heart rate zones are 100% accurate for every session, along with regular coach-athlete meetings.

explains. Jono s coaching means every session has a purpose, and I'm no longer chucking in junk miles for the sake of it. Oddly it seems to have given me more free time, but has made me quicker!

3 Jono puts him through lactate threshold tests on the bike and treadmill every 4-6 months to ensure his heart rate zones are 100% accurate for every session, along with regular coach-athlete meetings. Tom knows Jono s support has given him the confidence he needed to reach the top of his sport: The support has been unbelievable, and has allowed me to unlock my ability to keep doing better, he explains. Jono s coaching means every session has a purpose, and I'm no longer chucking in junk miles for the sake of it. Oddly it seems to have given me more free time, but has made me quicker! My weeks also change more than they did before. I used to have a set structure which I did throughout the year, whereas now the training cycles allow us to target key races to peak for, instead of trying to be as fit as possible all the time, which left me drained. Tom is also aware of the benefits he s reaped from attending the regular Blizard running training sessions on Tuesday nights on the roads near Robin Hood airport, and Saturday mornings from the clinic. I ve been lucky to be immersed in the expertise available at every Blizard training session, and that, combined with the lactate testing, regular massages, Pilates with Celine Blizard and weekly functional movement classes have all been vital at keeping me injury free as my training demands grew, keeping my form throughout a race, and fulfilling my potential.

4 Indeed, Tom did fulfil his 2016 potential by winning gold in Europe s most prestigious age group competition. However, 2017 is a whole new adventure - what next for our talented elite Blizard triathlete? Coach Frary is full of praise for Tom, and clear in his mind as to how he has managed to apply himself to such a heavy training load alongside an incredibly busy working life. Jono explains: He is a very hardworking, committed athlete with a great ability to learn. Crucially, on race day, you ll not see many athletes so willing to commit to the job in hand. These qualities are essential. He goes onto how their coach-athlete relationship has been so successful: The ability to learn is something I refer to as athlete intelligence, and it s where my role as a coach is most important. It s about helping an athlete understand themselves, the reasoning behind certain sessions, and how they fit together in the long term. Blizard coaches spend a long time understanding all new athletes. Essentially, we always avoid any one size fits all approach to training. I also have a strict limit on the number of athletes I work with directly, to ensure they get the attention required. Returning to Tom s future goals and his current balancing act of juggling a full time teaching job alongside 14 hours of training a week, as well as his work with the Blizard Swim Workshop, and, of course, a social life, Jono is practical about how his protégé can achieve his future targets. Everything he does in training adds value, as every session is helping him achieve his goals, he explains. For example, he is doing a lot of work at the lactate threshold area at the moment - this is a narrowly defined point where Tom is able to sustain efforts without overtraining. This is essential as he rebuilds his fitness from some casual winter training and recovery. Regular lactate testing keeps Tom within the correct zone and maximises his return on training investment. It s all too easy to over or undercook by guessing where your training should happen.

Jono finishes by emphasising the importance of continuous two-way communication between coach and athlete: Regular reviews help us support Tom, and, as his experience grows, we re able to have some

5 Jono finishes by emphasising the importance of continuous two-way communication between coach and athlete: Regular reviews help us support Tom, and, as his experience grows, we re able to have some exciting conversations in the racing season about race tactics and potential outcomes! I m really looking forward to 2017, working with all of my multi-sport athletes! To find out more about our lactate threshold testing and coaching services, our Modern Pilates classes, yoga, massage, physiotherapy, workshops and our regular Team Blizard training sessions and 5k time trials, visit our website at Our forthcoming free Athlete Planning and Zone Training Workshop is fully booked, but check out what it will involve here and keep your eyes peeled for our next one to help you plan your road to success, just like Tom has!

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