Breakthoughs

My coach is a GENIUS!

Yesterday, I went on my second ride w/ the Fit2Train team.  Last time, if you remember, about a month ago, I got dropped like an asteroid.  Almost right at the very beginning, and on the hills, esp. The coach rode w/ me the whole time, to help me.

Since then, He's had me on a steady diet of cadence training.  Email me privately if you're interested in the regime.  That would be about 4 weeks. 

This time, I hung w/ the pack, albiet in the back for the first part, and when we went extra miles, and even in the hills. The ONLY time i got dropped, was on this super hill. I just wasn't as ready for it.  But, i wasn't in the back, just dropped from the front 3.  One the highway back home, where i would totally get dropped into the wind, i hung w/ the top 3.   That was surprising. In fact, I thought they were going slower this time. No way, i could keep up. But here's what i've learned.

First, i am beginning to believe in the 2 engine theory. It's what I called it, anyway.  Two sets of muscle fibers...ones that allow me to go long distances but slowly, and ones that allow  me to go fast but short distances. I'm sure mixed into that is an aerobic/anaerobic heart engine.  Maybe, while one "engine" (for lack of a better word) is engaged, the other engine is either recovering, or getting ready. 

Here's an example.  I'm riding about an 85 cadence big ring with the pack on a flat probably around 24 mph.  Suddenly, the pack surges forward.  The second engine engages. Cadence kicks up to around 100, and the other engine is now in recovery.   

The only way to train for this, is to train both sets of engines.  I think, and i could be totally wrong, that i spent all year training the bigger engine, the power, aerobic engine. And now, I am training the fast, anaerobic engine.  Of course I could have that physiology incorrect, but what I do know, is that I  kept up.

Here's the second breakthough. The mental game of cycling.  The signals are very subtle. I'll go back to the example i used above.  The surge can be a mere half a mile an hour, or it can be up a long slow climb.  The thing is, feeling when the wheel in front of you takes off, stick w/ the wheel.  That's when that second engine clicks in, but it's also recognizing when it's coming, and staying with it, even if it's just for a few feet. 

Finally, comfort in knowing.  Knowing the terrain is a huge advantage.  By knowing where the hills are, where the wind will kick you in the face, allows you the opportunity to know how much of yourself you can throw into the battle, or when to find a group and hide in it.  But if you can't know the terrain, you can only train as close to the terrain, and distance as possible, then apply that when necessary. Study the maps.

One more thought because now i hear the drier dinging and that means at least of hour of laundry folding, but don't eat a box of krispy kreme donut holes the day before a long ride. 

Trust me on that one.

Clear calm COOL moist skies my friends.