I'm a coach. I have hired a coach. He has a coach of his own...
Everybody can improve.
I went to the local Saturday morning hammerfest at Richardson BikeMart this weekend and promptly missed the start of the 36 mile no-stop, drop you if you can't keep up ride.
I was on a mission to keep my HR right at 160, per my training plan.
So I'm at 140 before I leave the parking lot to try and catch the group. So much for proper 10 minute warmup...
I get on the route at a place that should put me just a little behind the group and I see a few stragglers. I pass two of them and ask if the 36 milers are ahead or behind me (just in case I jumped too far ahead). "Way ahead...they took off like a shot" is what I got back.
Great.
And then I hit 5 red lights in a row. No chance I'm catching the pack without blowing up.
Next thing I know, the 27 mile group is right behind me. ok. fine. I'll hang out at the front of this group and just leave when they turn earlier than the 36 mile route does.
Do you see it coming? I didn't.
So we roll along for probably 5 miles, me cruising at the front, sometimes taking a pull, sometimes rolling away. You see, I have a HR to maintain here. And I've lead this 27 mile ride before, several times.
After the big nasty hill that I usually suffer up my friend Woody rolls up beside me suggesting I should be checked for banned substances. "Why?" I ask. Then..smack.
Woody leads the 36 mile group. I was ahead of them the whole time and have been dragging this group for the last 5 miles. Previously, I would have been at the back half-dead.
So, it occurs to me the three things were at work for me to that point:
Race wheels instead of training hoops (Coach's orders)
Training plan for a week (Coach's orders)
Ignorance of what group I was in.
I lost number 3, but the other 2 stayed with me the rest of the ride and I rolled in with the lead bunch. NEVER have done that before in 2 years of trying.
Coaching works, even for old geezers.
And Woody (who I have known since 1984) tells me that is the strongest he has seen me ride in 15 years.
Want to improve? Hire a coach, get a consult, buy a training plan...and stick to it.
See you Saturday!
Cyclist to pray for: Michael.
DB
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3 comments:
Sweet. I don't think I'll be passing you in the follow car so much this season!
thanks Bull, but yeah, you might. We're not really training me for road races. I'm way more focused on average crit results and good track finishes.
I've found out how badly I warmup, now that I generally do it right and see the difference.
Got no warmup in CC, thus you passing me :)
I "signed up" to officiate for the IC3 crit and the HCTT using the new official's website. I just wanted to point out that I always work for less than you pay. Of course, the argument could be made that you get what you pay for. :-)
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