One Peak Per Year: Playing the Long Game in Endurance Sports

"The 'peak me here, peak me there, peak me everywhere' approach is a guaranteed way to fall short of your full potential in the sport." - Alan Couzens

Trying to peak multiple times per year is one of the biggest mistakes in endurance sports.

Why One Peak Matters

After coaching both elite and age-group athletes, here's what I've consistently seen:

• Multiple peaks drain resources

• Recovery gets compromised

• Health deteriorates

• Performance plateaus

The Reality of Peaking

What actually happens when you try multiple peaks:

1. First peak: Good performance

2. Second peak: Compromised results

3. Third peak: Risk of breakdown

The Health Cost

Let me share what I've seen happen:

• Immune system suppression

• Hormonal imbalances

• Sleep disruption

• Mental burnout

• Family stress

• Possibility of stepping away from the sport next season, taking an extended break, or potentially leaving it indefinitely.

A Real Example

Take Kasia's UTMB journey:

• One major peak per year

• Everything else supports that

• Health markers stay stable

• Consistent progression

• Sustainable improvement

The Sustainable Approach

Here's what I have applied for my athletes and I see that works year-after-year:

Base Phase (6-7 months)

• Build foundations

• Focus on health

• Develop systems

• Stay patient

Build Phase (3-4 months)

• Increase specificity

• Monitor health markers

• Maintain balance

• Build gradually

Peak Phase (6-8 weeks)

• Sharpen performance

• Protect health

• Stay focused

• Execute plan

Recovery (2-3 months)

• Full regeneration

• Family time

• Mental break

• System reset

Why This Works Better

1. Physiologically

   • Complete adaptation cycles

   • Proper recovery periods

   • Hormonal balance

   • Immune system protection

2. Mentally

   • Clear focus

   • Reduced pressure

   • Better life balance

   • Sustainable motivation

3. Long-term

   • Career longevity

   • Consistent progress

   • Health preservation

   • Family harmony

The Bottom Line

You have 3 choices:

1. Chase multiple peaks and burn out

2. Risk health for performance and break down

3. Play the long game and have chances for winnin gin your own game

No performance is worth compromising your health.

Even at the elite level, sustainable success beats temporary peaks.

Support & Further Reading

Peak Performance & Periodization

1. Issurin, V. B. (2010). "New Horizons for the Methodology and Physiology of Training Periodization"

Health & Performance Balance

3. Meeusen, R., et al. (2013). "Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of the Overtraining Syndrome"

4. Stellingwerff, T. (2012). "Case Study: Nutrition and Training Periodization in Three Elite Marathon Runners"

Recovery & Adaptation

5. Kiely, J. (2012). "Periodization Paradigms in the 21st Century"

6. Seiler, S. (2010). "What is Best Practice for Training Intensity and Duration Distribution?"

Hormonal Health

7. Hackney, A. C. (2020). "Hypogonadism in Exercising Males"

8. Mountjoy, M., et al. (2014). "The IOC Consensus Statement"