Weekly News Number 26

The end of June brought some big news that we honestly didn’t expect. Anyone who has ever applied for a long-term visa knows how much work is involved. For me, though, it wasn’t just the paperwork it was also the mental energy the whole process required.

So when I received the news on Tuesday that my visa had been approved, it felt like a huge milestone. It makes so many things easier for the future, and I’m simply relieved that the process is finally behind me. Without a doubt, this was the biggest news of the week.

Another personal highlight was seeing the performances of my athletes in Thun. I’m incredibly proud of every single one of them. After months of hard work, watching them perform the way they did was incredibly rewarding.

So, let’s dive into the week.

Training Remains Unspectacular

Training still doesn’t feel particularly spectacular at the moment. But, as always, you have to put in the work before you can expect to see the rewards.

We’ve slightly extended some of the tempo intervals and added a few extra ones here and there. From past experience, I know just how effective these sessions can become over time.

I’ve also started doing VO₂max sessions on the bike again. For the first time in a long while, I’ve been riding my time trial bike after spending most of my training on the gravel bike.

I’m still training very much by feel while using my heart rate as my main guide. This helps me avoid pushing too hard or completely overdoing a session. I really enjoy this way of training because I always come home feeling that I gave everything I had.

Whenever I focus too much on power numbers, I automatically start comparing sessions dor even individual intervals. At the moment, I don’t find that particularly helpful.

I swam four mornings this week, but I’m now planning to reduce my swim volume slightly. Instead, we want to increase my running volume while keeping my cycling hours about the same.

Recently, Kristian Blummenfelt mentioned something interesting. His team has deliberately reduced their swim volume so they can increase their bike and run training. Even though they may not come out of the water right at the front anymore, they were consistently among the leading group during their short-course racing.

I think there’s something we can all learn from that. Training is always a balancing act. You have to set priorities and accept that you can’t maximize every discipline at the same time.

Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone should train the same way. I always look at my own situation first. Still, I find it fascinating to observe how the best athletes in the world make their decisions and why they choose certain training priorities.

A Hot Sunday Full of Emotions

Over the past few weeks, Sundays have somehow always been special and this week was no exception.

No, I’m not talking about Roth, even though something historic happened there. A new Ironman best time of 7 hours and 21 minutes was set. It’s incredible to see what’s currently possible at that level.

But what I’m really talking about is Ironman Thun and the athletes I coached who stood on the start line.

Fortunately, I had already finished my own training, which meant I could open the Ironman app and follow their races throughout the day. It was wonderful to see how calm, patient, and controlled they approached the race.

As I’m writing this, I’ve already spoken to some of my athletes. Still, I’m looking forward to sitting down with all of them over the coming days to review their races in detail. Every Ironman tells its own story, and those stories are something I truly enjoy listening to.

Why I Love Coaching

Preparing my athletes for this major goal has been incredibly rewarding.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has trusted me with their journey.

I love working with people and developing a plan that fits their individual lives. Everyone has different strengths, different challenges, and different opportunities and that’s exactly what makes coaching so exciting. The goal is always to help each athlete get the very best out of the opportunities they have.

But one thing should never be forgotten: having fun.

Because when the joy at the finish line is greater than the exhaustion, the chances are much higher that someone will sign up for their next adventure. And that’s exactly what I wish for every one of my athletes.

My goal is to continue growing my coaching step by step. There are few things more rewarding than seeing smiling faces at the finish line and knowing that I was able to play a small part in their success.

With the visa I received this week, new opportunities are now opening up. I can officially coach athletes here in Australia, and I’m genuinely excited about this next chapter.

At the same time, I’ll always stay connected to home. Fortunately, coaching today is largely done remotely, so it doesn’t really matter whether I’m based in Australia or Switzerland. I can continue sharing the Cyrill Method with my athletes from anywhere in the world.

Take Time to Enjoy the Moment

Another great week in triathlon has come to an end.

To everyone who raced in Thun or Roth, I wish you a wonderful recovery.

Enjoy the time with the people and the things that may have taken a back seat over the past few months. It’s completely okay to take your foot off the gas for a while. It’s far better to recover properly than to jump straight back into training after the excitement and realize four weeks later that what you really needed was a holiday.

Hold on to all the special moments you experienced on race day. Store them in your memories and carry that positive energy with you into your everyday life into your training, your work, your friendships, and your family.

Enjoy the summer in Europe and we’ll enjoy winter down here in Australia.

Talk to you next week.

Cyrill

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