Hello everyone,
I have come to a rough conclusion over the last several days and
that is I am weak! I want to be a really good triathlon racer and to
do that I need to get my legs stronger. I thought they were strong,
but they obviously need some development. That's how I came to
understand that cycling is hard. I have taken to looking toward
spring for new triathlons to take my fitness to the next level. To
that end I have been doing some group training with friends and
learning how to ride a bicycle. Yes you heard me right I am having to
relearn how to ride a bicycle.
Sure, I learned how to ride when I was a kid, who didn't, and sure
I had a ten speed when I was younger, but this... this... this...
racing stuff is an absolute mystery to me. The aggressive posture,
the tiny wheels, the quick movements of the bike, not knowing my pace
or cadence, all foreign and truthfully a little scary. I know I need
to do more miles to get myself set up on a riding style that works
for me individually, before I go back to any group rides.
I tend to train alone for most of my races and when it comes to
running I am good at knowing my pace, tempo, when to kick, when to
hold back, it is in many ways my element. I may not be the fastest
runner, OK I know I'm not the fastest runner, but that will come and
after Disney in January I think I have to take a hard look at my
training regimen to go to the next level of speed and endurance.
That is for another day, today however I am weak and a bad
cyclist. No its true, I have calf muscles to spare and I can run for
days, but when it comes to cycling my quads are pitiful. As I've said
I have been doing a couple of group rides and I even borrowed an
upgraded bike this past weekend and I manged to go about 3 miles
faster on the group ride and it was killing me. Around my area I was
getting an average of 15 miles an hour, I was cooking, but I feel
apart on this group ride.
I think there are several factors impacting my group rides. The
first is it could be mental, I know everyone else is very good and I
also know that I hold them back because they are gracious enough to
wait on me. Two the idea of leaning forward on these so called "aero
bars" and biking harder and more aggressive is very different
and I think it scares me that my legs will simply give out. Third I
feel so wobbly, these wheels are so thin that my bike is all over the
road when I go for my water or transition between sitting positions -
frustrating! I know it will come in time, but until them my body is
making a lot of new adjustments because it just hasn't had to work
that way before.
So, having said all that it has become clear that strength
training for me will be a must. I need to build my leg strength if I
am going to be a serious contender in my triathlon adventures. I have
settled on the idea that I need to retool all my training programs
and perhaps stop thinking of myself as a runner who rides, but start
thinking of myself as a whole triathlon racer. After all I hate being
last, but improvements come in time, and I totally hate being the
pity rider that everyone looks at and goes "Poor guy he tries so
hard".
So as I go forward starting Monday (yes I get that I'm waiting
several days, but I have a race this weekend) my new training will
start taking place it will now be training for a specific goal and
not a half effort at training for runs or events – next level
training – training for true race results. So look out world this
good looking man is going to get stronger, faster, and if possible
even better looking. I know I already walk around looking like an
Adonis, but I need goals people!
