by Rich Strauss and Patrick McCrann, Endurance Nation
 We’d like to share with you our double top secret squirrel race day hill climbing technique. We’ve learned this method through having training and raced with power for years, and having guided thousands of athletes through successful half and full Iron-distance races.

In my 20 years of experience as athlete and coach, I've been through all the tri trends, different training methods and lastly hooked to all the fancy gadgets used as tools for training. Not until a few years ago did I learn about the different ways of training, based on developing perception and body awareness, called "The Method"

Welcome to our training plans section. Below you'll find both basic starter plans for your free use, as well as more detailed and specific training plans, all provided by partner coaches. Please contact the contributing coach for personalized plans and/or consultation.

Having been to quite a few triathlon training "camps" in my day, I've picked up several benefits of attending a good triathlon camp. If you're deliberating about whether to attend an off-season training camp, then keep reading - this could make your decision much easier.

Not only do heart rate monitors now clean your house, do your dishes, flush the toilet and make your bed, but they can apparently tell you how many calories you've burnt. Many people simply accept this as a mysterious magical power created by companies like Polar and Suunto.

XTERRA world champion Melanie McQuaid offers her top 10 tips for XTERRA success.

Couer D' Alene Ironman commenced this past week. As a triathlon coach, I have a myriad of athletes competing in the race. Some did well. Others struggled. But with each athlete, a few days after the race (before post-race amnesia sits in) I sit down with a notepad, via phone, text, or face-to-face, and discuss the highs and lows of their long day.

Fast forward to Tuesday or Wednesday after your Ironman. It's very likely that you're sitting on the couch, with your shattered legs on the coffee table, scratching your sunburned head as you try to remember your dog's name--which you've forgotten--because all you've thought about for the past 6-9 months is Ironman.

The average Ironman triathlete has a problem: too much talk about training, not enough talk about how to actually race. With at least 364 days to focus on the big day, most triathletes fall into the trap of managing their day-to-day training and lose sight of the big picture keys that will ultimately determine their race day results.

Training volume is a component of three things; frequency, duration, and intensity. The right mix of the big three at the right time is the key to athletic success. It is a rare athlete that can absorb massive amounts of volume.