Adaptation refers to the body’s ability to adjust to increased or decreased physical demands. It is also one way we learn to coordinate muscle movement and develop sports-specific skills, which for me at this stage includes going 50km/h downhill through rock gardens, pedalling on a flat road in tt position at 50km/h and running faster and faster on my long runs. Repeatedly practicing a skill or activity makes it second-nature and easier to perform. Adaptation explains why beginning exercisers are often sore after starting a new routine, but after doing the same exercise for weeks and months they have little, if any, muscle soreness.

Additionally, it makes an athlete very efficient and allows him to expend less energy doing the same movements. This reinforces the need to vary a workout routine if you want to see continued improvement.

For me, adaptation leads to economy, which is something I am also hugely passionate about. To reach economy, we need to go through the adaptation phase, but we also need to do an overload phase as part of that. I am talking about this today, as we (all guys going through to IMSA) are all going into an overload phase right about now.

The exercise science principle of overload states that a greater than normal stress or load on the body is required for training adaptation to take place. What this means is that in order to improve our fitness, strength or endurance, we need to increase the workload accordingly.

In order for a muscle (including the heart) to increase strength, it must be gradually stressed by working against a load greater than it is used to. To increase endurance, muscles must work for a longer period of time than they are used to or at a higher intensity.

For some, this will involve a training camp. For me, I am racing Cape Epic as a top priority, but it also doubles up as the most amazing training camp ever. Its 50/50 though in how I am going to recover in time for a proper IMSA, as Cape Epic is at the same level of importance to me.

The guys I coach are all going to get emails this week relating to their adaptation environments for the next 6 weeks. They are going to go through some seriously tired moments, hence the video above. I have seen that exact thing at training camps, where guys are totally blown, at breakfast, but still pile in a 6 hour ride at pace that day.

The human body is amazing.

Hope you learnt something in that today, and that you will find a place to apply overload to your body in the next few weeks. It really does make an amazing difference in the long run. Make sure its 6 weeks prior to your A-race, and do not be scared to fall apart somewhere in the middle. That is the point.

There is always this period when I get back into training that I can feel the muscles are now starting to respond after being off for a bit (injury, Ironman
, motivation are all reasons for time off). There is a difference in the power of the contractions, a little more spring in my daily step as I trot off to the shops around lunchtime to find something carnivorous to devour.

This last Ironman took it out of me. The fact of having raced on sugar instead of good calories certainly took its time. A few extra beers (and the odd tequila) at the after party certainly didn’t help either, but alas, when Rutger Beke
is buying, I’m drinking.

Instead of 4 weeks I needed a good 6 weeks easy and it wasn’t until after Double Century
a few weekends ago that I felt ready to train again. A bit of purpose was added with a plan for the first 4 months of next year, racing wise, and suddenly not only did my attention span at work increase, but my willingness to hurt myself came back.

This morning was supposed to be Ultimate Intervals as opposed to Thursday, as its Jailbreak
this weekend and I need a few days rest. The prospect of the 25km run in 36-40 degree heat is quite like the joy of root canal, so I’m taking no chances in being a little tired leading into the race.

Marilu was doing an alternate work-out, and her first new harder indoor trainer work-out. As she moaned through her first interval (totally different style of interval might I add) I powered through mine and felt amazingly good. As she eased off the pedals a bit and shifted a gear, her hand-me-down wind trainer gave a loud screech and I knew I had to give her my new, zooty one. As much as I wanted to do the work-out, I knew hers was more important this morning and I headed out the door for a run.

The story will get there now.

I felt much better running today again, with that slight feeling of effortlessness again. As I headed into the strides section of my work-out I got faster and faster with every stride and my recovery seemed to speed up as I went : THAT SPELLS ADAPTATION!! It was so exciting I had to stop and have a pee.

I felt truly satisfied with my workout for the first time in ages this morning and tonight, its Ultimate Intervals time. The only choice left is whether to count the 1 interval I did this morning, or start all over?

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The image for today comes from the new Inside Triathlon Magazine. Often we only see these images of the winners in Kona looking fantastic the whole way. That’s Crowie in the pic, yes, Craig Alexander looking like he is KAKKING off. He won the race. Its not always graceful. Its not always pretty. But its always rewarding.