Monday, April 14, 2014

H140 Training: Better Than Last Time

This was one of those weeks where nothing really went as planned, training-wise. That's okay.  I didn't get a bike ride in on Saturday, my usual riding day, because of a commitment I had made (emceeing a Girl Scout Pinewood Derby), and even though I usually don't do much of anything on Sundays, I know that if I'm to complete my planned 70 mile ride this next Saturday, I can't not get on a bike and expect it to be easy. To clarify, I don't expect it to be easy anyway, but I don't want to unnecessarily make it more challenging than it already will be.

ANYway. I hopped on my bike to get a quick ride in this morning before church. I did about the same route I did last week - LA Zoo/Griffith Park.

When I got to the hill that I hadn't been able to complete before, I told myself I'd be doing great if I could get a little further than I did last time. I was focused on trying to remember where I had gotten off last time, so that worked well as a distraction technique. I thought I was about ready to get off, but then saw a speed limit sign and told myself to just make it to that sign, then see how I'm feeling.

Before I knew it, I was at the sign, and still going. "Okay, just a bit further, then I'll get off and walk." Then someone passed me on his bike, and I didn't want to get off in front of anyone, so kept going.

THEN before I knew it, I was at the toughest part of the hill, and still going. By then, I could see the top of the hill, and figured it would be stupid to get off when I knew I was nearly there, so I just kept going.

The payoff is always worth it - the sweet downhill of 32 mph. That always feels great.

My lessons learned - Don't think about the entire distance at once. Just give yourself little chunks to bite off. Do a little bit at a time. Those little bits all add up to one big accomplishment.

Secondly - I am stronger than I think I am. I know that I struggled with this ride last week because of a fairly heavy duty leg workout I'd given myself earlier that week, but the fact that I could do this just one week after not being able to - that gives me hope.

Also, recovery is so important! I am still trying to find the balance between training sufficiently when I don't have time to do all the bike rides during the week I know I probably should so I load up my training schedule in other ways, vs recovery. And sleep. Oh, sleep, how I miss you. I need to figure out how to get more. What I get is quality, I'm just lacking quantity.

"Should" vs "Must" - thoughts coming soon.

2 comments:

  1. CONGRATULATIONS on sticking it out on that hill!!!! That's awesome. You are stronger than you think you are, and you're getting stronger everyday.

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  2. Woohoo! I love how just by taking one more step or pushing through to one more landmark makes it so that we do so much more than we knew we could, and then we are at the top and look back and say, "I did it!" Yea, Laura!!

    I love this quote from Neva:

    "You are stronger than you think you are, and you're getting stronger every day."

    I think that will be my new mantra. My sisters and my brother are awesome!!

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