4 Months to Go: Dialing It In
Four months out.
This is where things shift from foundational to intentional. If the first months were about building endurance and consistency, now it’s about dialing in every detail—training, recovery, nutrition, and mindset. In my years racing across continents, I’ve seen one truth repeat itself: those who start refining now, finish strong later.
You don’t have to be perfect, but from here on out, everything matters just a little more.
Where We Should Be
By now, your fitness base should be solid. If you’ve been consistent, your body is ready to handle intensity, volume, and specificity. If you’re just jumping in now—start smart, be consistent, and prioritize recovery.
What matters most at this stage:
- Weekly structure with purpose: key sessions have specific goals
- Recovery is non-negotiable—adaptation comes after stress
- Brick sessions are consistent and challenging
- Gear, nutrition, and pacing are being tested regularly
Training Focus: From General to Specific
1. Race-pace workouts
It’s no longer just about “time on feet” or “miles in the saddle.” You should be integrating race-pace intervals—especially in brick sessions. Not all the time, but enough to develop the feel of what you’ll hold on race day.
2. Open water exposure
Get in the ocean, lake, or whatever open water you can find. Pool drills are great, but there’s no substitute for real conditions. Sighting, swimming in a pack, and managing nerves matter as much as stroke technique.
3. Transitions = free speed
Now’s the time to treat transitions as their own discipline. Practice them. Time them. Get familiar with your gear. Come race day, fluid transitions can save minutes—and build confidence.
Fueling: Train the Gut
I can’t stress this enough. Your body needs to know how to take in carbs, electrolytes, and fluids under pressure. Practice now:
- How many grams of carbs/hour can you tolerate?
- What gels, bars, or drinks sit well in your stomach?
- What’s your hydration plan in the heat?
No one figures this out on race week. You figure it out now.
Mindset: Keep Showing Up
This is the month when some athletes start fading. They skip key sessions. Motivation wavers. But this is exactly when progress compounds.
Discipline now will pay off when motivation isn’t enough. Here’s what’s working for me:
- Visualizing race day often—not just the finish, but the struggle
- Tracking training (even imperfectly) to build momentum
- Taking the long view: you don’t have to feel great every session to be on track
Race Week Simulation
This month, schedule a mock race weekend:
- Swim-bike brick on Saturday
- Long run on Sunday
- Wear your race kit, eat your race food, use your race gear
Not only does this build physical readiness, it builds confidence. Confidence is earned in training—not handed out at the starting line.
And If You’re Not Registered Yet…
This race is special. The city, the course, the energy. Earth, Sea & Fire Triathlon – Dubrovnik isn’t just a race—it’s an experience.
🏁 October 2025.
📍 Dubrovnik, Croatia
🔥 Scenic. Challenging. One-of-a-kind.
Let’s make these next four months count.
Every session. Every meal. Every rest day.
Because when you hit that shoreline in Dubrovnik—you’ll want to know you did everything you could.
See you at the start line.
#4MonthsToGo #EarthSeaFire #DubrovnikTriathlon #TrainWithPurpose #SwimBikeRun
