Coach Patrick here, checking in with a big message as we roll into May: race season is officially ON. Whether you’re deep into your build for a summer Ironman or just toeing the line for the first time this year, the shift is real. You can feel it. Workouts are getting longer. The sun’s out. And race kits are making their seasonal debut on social media feeds across the country.
This isn’t just a change in weather — it’s a call to action.
Across the team, I’m seeing massive peak workouts being logged. Athletes in Michigan, California, and beyond are getting after it. I even heard about a derailleur catastrophe (Julia, we need that story), which is a sure sign the racing gods are back at it. But in the middle of all this excitement, there’s one thing we can’t lose sight of:
Fitness is the foundation, but execution is the key.
Here’s what I mean.
Stop Guessing—Start Scaling
There’s a simple equation I like to use with athletes when assessing race readiness. If your goal race is a 10-hour day, then:
- You should be able to do 10 hours in a week.
- Or 10 hours in 4 days.
- Or 2.5 hours four times in one week.
This reverse-engineered view of race day gives you a realistic check-in point. If you’re not consistently hitting those numbers, it’s a clear signal that something needs to shift — now. Use this final window of high-quality weather and training space to bridge that gap.
Race Execution Begins With Preparation
Your race day plan doesn’t start at the taper. It starts right now. Take stock of where you are, revisit your goals, and identify where you’re off track. The next four weeks are golden. A well-structured training block now — with emphasis on durability and discipline — can make or break your season.
And don’t overcomplicate it. Even if weather or logistics don’t allow you to do full race simulations, time on feet or time in the saddle still counts. Make it work. Get in the volume where you can, and focus on specificity later.
Reboot Your Nutrition Strategy
Let’s talk about the elephant on the course: nutrition. If it’s been a few years since your last long course race, know this — the fueling game has changed. There’s been a boom in both high-carb and low-carb fueling philosophies, each with their own evangelists.
Ignore the hype. Focus on fundamentals:
- Hydration first, calories second.
- Don’t think of calories as fuel unless you’re actually absorbing them.
- Know your sweat rate. Use it to plan your bike and run fluid strategy.
- Pee checks are still valid data points.
Inside Endurance Nation, we’ve created resources like the sweat test protocol and a complete race fueling calculator to help athletes build smart, sustainable plans. Don’t wing this. The difference between a solid and a miserable day often comes down to a bottle or two.
Midseason Mindset Reset
Finally, here’s a reminder we all need: take a pause and recalibrate.
We laid out your season roadmap months ago. But life happens. Training shifts. Bodies adapt. This is your opportunity to realign your training goals with your current status. Whether it’s scheduling key workouts, shifting a block, or just getting honest about what’s possible in the next six weeks — now is the time.
Don’t wait to make changes at the finish line.
Final Thought
This month is all about closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Small, intentional changes made now will create compounding effects as you move toward your goal event. Whether it’s Unbound, Ironman Lake Placid, or your first Olympic-distance tri — your best chance at success comes from planning, not luck.
I’ll be out there doing the work too. Let’s keep showing up and executing like the seasoned pros we are — or at least like athletes who put on sunscreen before a six-hour ride.
See you at office hours or the next race course.
— Coach Patrick
