Learning to Endure
As endurance athletes, one of our key traits is the ability to endure. A long run, a long ride, a long swim—sometimes not all that exciting, maybe in poor conditions, maybe with the fatigue of past workouts in your body. Yet, we still hear stories about athletes dropping out of the swim because of unexpected tough conditions, struggling to race due to anxiety, or failing to push through those inevitable rough patches, even when their training was going well.
So, what’s missing? You’ve followed the plan you bought or your coach laid out for you. You’re in peak fitness, crushed some tough workouts, and physically, you’re ready. Why, then, does it feel impossible to push through when the mind matters more than the body?
Many athletes are good at tolerating suffering—the burning muscles of a sprint or the grind of a hill climb. But enduring the mental fatigue and sheer boredom of long-distance events? That’s a different challenge altogether. Especially when race day doesn’t unfold as you imagined, with unexpected internal struggles or external obstacles derailing your plans.
When you look closely at how most people train, three main issues emerge:
- Workouts lack focus on muscular endurance and fatigue resistance
- Workouts are too easy
- Workouts are done in groups
Workouts Lack Focus on Muscular Endurance and Fatigue Resistance
Muscular endurance and fatigue resistance are the backbone of any endurance athlete’s success, particularly over long distances. At Sense Endurance, our plans emphasise these aspects, but we often encounter athletes who have come from other programmes that overlooked them.
Take swimming as an example. You might have an athlete smashing 40x25 metres in the pool, with fresh arms, plenty of rest, and hitting great times. They leave the pool feeling on top of the world, but no matter how many times they do it, it does little to prepare them for the muscular endurance needed to complete a 1.9k or 3.8k swim in a half or full-distance triathlon. A simple adjustment to this session would be to finish with 3x400 metres using a pull buoy and paddles at their best aerobic pace. This shifts the focus from speed to muscular endurance and fatigue resistance—the real building blocks for long-distance success.
The same principle applies to cycling and running. While speed training is important, building strength through hill work or controlled treadmill sessions is far more critical for long races. The popular 80/20 principle, where 80% of training is easy and 20% hard, has its merits, but we believe it doesn’t fully develop the muscular endurance and fatigue resistance that athletes need for longer events.
Workouts Are Too Easy
This leads us to another common issue: many athletes are simply training too easily. While there’s a place for easy days, if you feel good, don’t hesitate to push yourself. This means going harder on your long run or long ride, pushing at your best aerobic pace instead of holding back. It also means using external factors to your advantage—grind into the wind, power up hills, and try to keep pace with the swimmer in the next lane. These efforts build not only physical resilience but also mental toughness, teaching you about your body’s limits and perceived effort levels.
Likewise, don’t shy away from long sessions on the bike trainer. Yes, it can feel mind-numbingly boring, especially if you’re doing a long, steady ride without much structure. But the benefits are huge. Without the speed boost you’d get from the momentum of outdoor riding, you’re forced to work harder. Plus, you’ll train your mind to endure the monotony—a crucial skill for long-distance events when the mental game becomes as tough as the physical.
Workouts Are Done in Groups
Finally, let’s talk about group training. There’s nothing wrong with group workouts, but a group ride is nothing compared to a solo one. When you ride solo, you don’t benefit from the draft that comes from riding with others, and mentally, you lose the distraction of chatting or following someone else’s pace. While training with friends or fellow athletes can push you and be motivating, it’s essential to schedule regular solo rides or runs. These solitary efforts are where you build the mental toughness and focus needed to thrive on race day when it’s just you against the clock.
It’s in these solo efforts that you learn to trust your instincts, manage your own pace, and develop the resilience to handle the isolation and mental fatigue that come with endurance events. Long-distance races are won in the mind as much as they are in the body, and training alone helps forge that mental grit.
At the end of the day, endurance is not just about fitness. It’s about building the mental and muscular resilience to handle the long, tough stretches when your mind starts to wander, and your body wants to quit. With the right focus on muscular endurance, the courage to push harder on the days you feel good, and time spent training alone, you’ll be better equipped to handle the demands of race day—not just physically, but mentally too.