Organizing and planning your sports season

Assess your current level

The first step is to take stock of your current level.

• Where do I stand in relation to my previous goals? Example: I’d like to finish a 40 km trail with 2000m D+ in less than 6 hours. Today, my maximum distance is 30 km in 4h30 with 1500 m D+. I’m still lacking endurance and uphill work to reach the 40 km 2000m D+ objective.
• What are my strengths and weaknesses? Examples of strengths: regular training, good downhill technique, good mental attitude… Examples of weaknesses: weakness on climbs, food management…
• What skills or abilities do I need to improve in order to achieve my goals (e.g. side work, nutrition, etc.)?

Defining objectives

Secondly, you can plan your objectives. These can be as varied as improving performance (time, distance, strength, etc.), working on a particular aspect (technique, endurance, recovery, etc.), taking part in specific competitions or maintaining good physical condition throughout the year.

Goals must be measurable and achievable to stay motivated! For example, set yourself the goal of completing a 25 km trail with 1000m of D+ in 3-4 months. This seems realistic, as you’re currently capable of running 15 km with 600 m D+ in good physical condition. It’s an achievable goal that gives you time to integrate a progressive training plan.

It’s essential to find a balance between training, family life and professional constraints. As an amateur sportswoman, you don’t have to compromise your personal and professional life. It’s what you do that fits in with everything else.

Planning the season

Start by placing important dates and competitions on a calendar. Preparation, recovery and regeneration times will appear visually on the calendar. These times are incompressible and choices may have to be made.

A sports season is generally divided into several periods :

• Pre-season, before competitions: this is the general preparation phase, where we work on physical fitness, technique and fine-tuning skills. It will consist of a general preparation phase, then as competitions approach, preparation will become specific to the objective set.
• The active season, during competitions: efforts are concentrated on the competition, maintaining form and fine-tuning race strategy.
• The post-season, after competitions: a period of recuperation and analysis of the season that has just passed.

Building a training program

Each test is preceded by two important phases: a sharpening phase, followed by a regeneration phase.

Between competitions, training is organized into targeted blocks aimed at developing specific physical qualities. These blocks may focus on endurance, speed, strength, explosiveness, technique and so on. Each training period is therefore structured around a precise objective, with planning adapted to the development of the desired quality.

Your training program is created according to your objectives and your level. It must be personalized and structured:

• General preparation: for several months in pre-season, we focus on developing endurance, technique and fundamental physical skills.
• Specific preparation: takes place over several weeks (6 to 10 or more). It will depend on the distance / altitude difference and the athlete’s level. We work on specific aspects linked to the goal and the race, such as speed, strength, gradients, descents… It’s important to prepare the race strategy and its management, and to test equipment, nutrition and hydration during training.
• Preparatory competitions: preparatory competitions before the main objective are worth setting up a few weeks before the main objective (3 for the most seasoned riders up to 6-10 weeks before), to test and take stock of the work done and adjust if necessary. It’s also a way of testing equipment, nutrition and hydration.
• Recovery and rest sessions: these are essential and integrated into the program to avoid overtraining and injury.
• Load reduction/sharpening period: from 7 to 21 days, depending on distance, before the main goal of the season. After a period of specific preparation, it is important to incorporate a reduction in training load to reach peak form on the day of the competition.
• Regeneration period: incompressible rest/recovery period following a competition, ranging from a few days (4 days) to several weeks (up to 4 weeks), depending on the objective.

Tracking progress

Throughout the season, you can regularly monitor your progress. Keep track of your performance during training sessions and competitions. To do this, you can usetraining tracking tools that retrieve data from your connected watch. You can then compare your results with your planned targets to see if you’re on the right track.

Nutrition and hydration

Not to be overlooked! Before a race, it’s important to replenish your energy by consuming sufficient carbohydrates in the days leading up to the race. It’s not the previous day’s meal that’s going to allow you to build up your energy reserves, so remember to think ahead!

During your training sessions, hydrate yourself and test the snacks you plan to eat on race day. This will help your body to get used to it and to check what suits you best. Afterwards, eat something that combines carbohydrates and protein to help your muscles recover.

Evaluate and adjust

It’s also important to be flexible. If a period doesn’t go as planned (injury, drop in motivation, etc.), you need to adapt and adjust the program.

At the end of the season or at the end of an important competition, take the time to assess your situation:

• What were my strengths and weaknesses?
• Are my goals being met?
• What improvements can we make for next season?

In short, planning a sports season means defining a clear objective, determining the means to achieve it, and knowing how to adapt along the way to stay in shape and optimize performance throughout the year. Above all, enjoy what you do!