The Sunday Special

What is the Sunday Special?

The Sunday Special is a habit that I have always had for my work / personal life, but became a fitness habit I was re-introduced to when training on a Purple Patch plan many years ago. In that regard it originated from their pro athletes and quickly spread to the general squad community. This very basic habit translates to the overall success of all athletes and performance-driven individuals. It is stunningly simple but builds self-awareness, honest planning, and a sense of control. It will set you up to execute your week successfully and maximise your performance in training, work, and daily life.

How do I do it?

Before the beginning of each week - Sunday afternoon or evening for most people - take 10-15 minutes to reflect a bit and prepare to successfully integrate sport and life in the week ahead. Some athletes benefit from using a digital calendar, while others like a journal, a spreadsheet, a whiteboard, or just their own imagination. Personally I use my Outlook calendar which auto-syncs with my TrainingPeaks account so that everything is in one place, at a glance.

There are no rules, except for the ritual of pausing, coming up for perspective, and nailing the basic habits that help you perform - habits like the Sunday Special.

While there is no strict structure to this ritual, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Open your training calendar and check the week ahead. (This isn't actually a suggestion. You should do it every week. It's more like a rule.)

Look through the week's sessions, and adjust as needed based on your upcoming work and life schedule. This might include various customisations including:

• Moving sessions to a different day

• Adding sessions

• Adding a rest day or a placeholder for another type of workout (or example, your regular Thursday yoga class, or a cross-country skiing trip happening with friends on the weekend)

Make note of any important life events or situations during the week - for example, an early-morning work meeting that interferes with your normal morning training schedule.

Check in with your supporting and recovery habits. How is your nutrition, hydration, and sleep? Do you have what you need to fuel this week's sessions? Are you feeling overly mentally or physically fatigued? (Oh... and is that foam roller collecting dust, or are you actually using it?)

Reconnect with your goals and your why. What is your reason, your purpose, for being active? What Big Hairy Audacious Goals are you chasing this year? What small goals or plans do you have this week or month?

It's that simple. Spending the time now will likely save you lots of frustration (or panic) later in the week!