I feel like a chimp who just found a screwdriver in his cage. It feels like something is *this* close to happening, but I can't quite grasp the technology at my fingertips.
We've had fun over the years riding out pace line course. For some of us, the twilight draws uncomfortably near. For others, it's barely past dawn. Either way, it seems like we could be more.
The truth is, most of us have no more idea what we're doing out there on our bikes than a raw beginner in running. We understand basics, we know miles matter, we know riding hard is good. Beyond that, there isn't much structure to what we do.
There's elegance in that. Things are very basic, elemental, and easy to grasp. Get out there and ride as often as possible, as far as possible, with as much hard in it as possible. Yet we well know if we apply the same logic to running, it doesn't work.
We periodize training with base, strength, and speed phases. We have build-ups and tapers. We have tempos, hill repeats, and intervals. We have so many tools to use in running; it seems impossible an activity so similar in nature as riding wouldn't be as varied.
Over the years I honed my training cycles to the point I knew exactly when I would be peaked. I rarely missed. This year at Nationals I knew one thing for sure - I'd missed my peak. I'd felt it come on two weeks earlier. I've been doing endurance athletics since I was 14, I know the feeling well.
I'll be looking at the next riding season a lot differently. I'm not sure what will change, but I think something will for sure. I'm getting too old to just let things happen. I have to make them happen.
We've had fun over the years riding out pace line course. For some of us, the twilight draws uncomfortably near. For others, it's barely past dawn. Either way, it seems like we could be more.
The truth is, most of us have no more idea what we're doing out there on our bikes than a raw beginner in running. We understand basics, we know miles matter, we know riding hard is good. Beyond that, there isn't much structure to what we do.
There's elegance in that. Things are very basic, elemental, and easy to grasp. Get out there and ride as often as possible, as far as possible, with as much hard in it as possible. Yet we well know if we apply the same logic to running, it doesn't work.
We periodize training with base, strength, and speed phases. We have build-ups and tapers. We have tempos, hill repeats, and intervals. We have so many tools to use in running; it seems impossible an activity so similar in nature as riding wouldn't be as varied.
Over the years I honed my training cycles to the point I knew exactly when I would be peaked. I rarely missed. This year at Nationals I knew one thing for sure - I'd missed my peak. I'd felt it come on two weeks earlier. I've been doing endurance athletics since I was 14, I know the feeling well.
I'll be looking at the next riding season a lot differently. I'm not sure what will change, but I think something will for sure. I'm getting too old to just let things happen. I have to make them happen.
I feel like a chimp who just found a screwdriver in his cage. It feels like something is *this* close to happening, but I can't quite grasp the ..feng shui
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