A group of my students were interviewed, on camera, regarding what it takes to be successful in the challenging two year course that I teach. Their responses were shared with a room of administrators and teachers. A member of the audience was the parent of one of the kids interviewed.
After the video the parent observed the irony in the advice given by their child. The inferred message was, "If she knows that's what you're supposed to do to be successful, why does she struggle with it?"
We had a good hearted laugh at the observation.
But, later, I was thinking about it. I know exactly what my limiters are (the things that hold me back from fulfilling my potential) in all areas of my life. I can give excellent advice on what to do in response to those limiters. However, that doesn't mean that I don't struggle with them and that those areas do not still cause me issue.
Then I replayed my own advice to my students regarding study habits. The advice: There's an element of learning that cannot be compressed ... time. It takes time to learn and develop and attempting to rush things, compress those things into limited time, only compounds and delays the desired results.
I know this is true because I have, and continue to, suffer the consequences of attempting to do things at the last minute, or putting things off when there's no cause to do so ... other than to engage in the satisfying act of procrastination.
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| I have 6 of these in my spine. |
A few weeks ago I did a short 20k time trial and discovered that I need to spend a lot more time in the aero position on my time trial bike. This is true of all cyclists, probably, but with my back injury and the neuro-muscular issues that resulted, it's especially true of me.
After the race I sat down and adjusted my training plan...it looked great on paper. However, I failed to execute it almost entirely! DOH!!!
I have been working on flexibility and increasing mobility, but have not spent enough time in the aero position like I had planned.
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| I use TrainerRoad for my early morning TT intervals |
Only one way to find out ... and good, bad, or indifferent, I'll use to the results to inform my training and practices, eventually. ;)
This past week of training my training was not on-point. I work two jobs, had extra duties with one job and am fighting a cold. I did get one great ride in Tuesday, testing myself on a category 2 climb called Whipple, here locally. A good time up that hill is under 30 minutes. I had my second best time of 25:06, but my best time ever was with a 20 mph tailwind! The attempt this week had essentially no wind at all. Afterwards I did three 10 to 12 minute sweet-spot intervals. Here's my ride on Strava.
On the first half of the ride the speed was so intense and I covered moves just fine, but I could NOT recover. I popped very early. I was mad because I know I'm stronger than that ... and while I'm sure it happened because I was sick, it didn't make me feel better (physically or emotionally)...see what I did there????
A group of about 9 or 10 other dropped riders joined up with me, same guys I'd left the week before, and I had trouble keeping up with them, too!
We eventually caught back up with the group when they stopped to get water and what-not. I was shaking and decided that I might just roll back into town super easy. But, I ate some food and that helped. (I think I need to eat just before this ride takes off.) Tim and I went inside to get water and when we came out, the group was gone, already heading up Helmet Peak Road. We rushed to catch them and caught a LONG left hand turn on green only light.
I was pissed, but felt better after eating. I told myself that I didn't care what else happened on the day, I was going to do everything in my power to bring them back ... and Tim did more than his fair share, too. We caught them, but it was 12 minutes of insane work. Tim said he was doing 350 watts just to hold my wheel (we had a cross wind). In the end, I had a huge PR on Helmet Peak and Tim was about 20 seconds of his PR, which came in a Shootout in 2014, that he remembered well. Most of this work seen in the graph to the right was done trying to catch the group.On the way back into town it got really punchy, a couple of guys attacking the pace line even though we were going 35+ mph. One attack I reeled in, the others I just let others reel in. But, towards the end Ben Kanute (olympic triathlete and super nice guy) put in a real hard attack and he got away. I bridged up to him but nobody else could come with me. I worked with him a bit and then he asked me to do another pull but I was done. I could've ridden his wheel all of the way to the end, but I'm new and I didn't want to make an ass of myself (...should also read, continual goal of mine!)
Sunday I ditched my planned TT workout, even though I need some time in the aero position, to try and allow myself to kick the cold I'm fighting.
Best news from Saturday's ride: Both hamstrings are firing again. The right side had been getting super sore because the left side wasn't firing. But the isolation exercises and PT movements I'd been working on have gotten the left side working again. I know it's weak, both posterior chains are weak compared to the quads still, but they're all firing again. I can't get lax on those therapy sessions! (I've got a lot to learn about how to manage this humpty dumpty body of mine, but I'm taking my lessions seriously.)
Also, I found the best pair of bib shorts ever. They're Craft Night Glow...designed for long distance summer riding. I didn't have a single moment of discomfort even though Mission Road is horribly bumpy!
In other cycling news, I had a very flattering experience. The team I am a member of, Aggress, has asked me to be their team president! I feel honored that my peers think enough of my character to ask me to help develop and build the team. I am very much looking forward to the challenge and experience.
Now to pack and plan for Valley of the Sun. I'm going to relax the position on my TT bike from what it was, hoping to compensate for my lack of ability to make power in the tucked position. Hopefully it won't cost me too much. Tune in next week to see how it goes!
Until then, thanks for reading!
A lot of riders get too aggressive with their TT position and lose the ability to put out the watts they need. I was happy to read at the end that you are going to relax the position a bit, that takes a significant amount of understanding to do since most everything you see/read pushes us into being as aggressive as the bike will allow. Over time you may be able to get more aggressive with your position but that requires putting in the time on you're TT saddle. Even easy spins on the TT bike can help you adapt if your intense interval work is not suitable for the TT bike.
ReplyDeleteAlso doing intense workouts sick is a bad idea, doing something really intense like the shootout is a terrible idea. You can't go as hard as you're capable of going so you miss out on some of the training stimulus you're after plus you increase the amount of time that you're sick thus reducing your future training stimulus. I'm sure you know all this, but I find it can be useful having someone occasionally remind me of the things I know but don't practice ;)
Finally a question: it sounded like you didn't eat before doing the shootout. Did I understand that right and is that your normal operating procedure before a race simulation?
Kyle,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice on the TT position. I listen to TrainerRoad's podcast and their headcoach, Chad, really knows his stuff. He missed master's national TT championship by 0.6 of a second a few years ago. His advice echoes what you said, almost exactly! Are you really Coach Chad? ;)
I do eat before the shootout, but with the hour drive and what-not, I end up eating almost 3 hours before. So I think I'll try eating something shortly before the ride next time.
Thanks again for the advice, I try to learn from others!
Lol, I've been listening to them after you recommended the podcast to me. Pretty informative though very sporadic in topic, you never know what you'll learn about but there are often at least a few good little tidbits hidden in each one.
ReplyDeleteEating 3 hours before is pretty much perfect for a race so that's good. When I used to roll out with the group from University I found that it was best to eat a gel or something during the roll out, usually around Drexel. Once things kick off it can be hard to find the time to eat anything until the downhill at The Mailboxes.
I'll give it a shot and see.
ReplyDeleteThe random nature of the topics bothered me at first, but eventually I got used to it. I like how they try things themselves, they don't promote anything due to sponsorships or affiliations.