Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Real recovery

"Resting hard is the part most athletes screw up." - Joe Friel.

Yes I know this.  Resting properly is important.  I have learnt this before.  I got sick multiple times last year because I didn't "rest" enough.  But just because I know what to do, does it mean I really do it?...
Even though I use a training program that is "set" for me, I recently realised (with some help - thanks MW and BG) that I am still not resting "enough".
In contrast, my workouts are done correctly; all in the right zones and for the right amount of time.  But I have become "slack" on my rest/recovery days.  I went back through my training data and HR files, and I have noticed an increasing trend to go too hard on my easy days, simply because I feel "good" on those days.  So rather than recovering and feeling truly "fresh" for the next day of training, I am building up an endless amount of endurance on my rest days... something I really don't need!

I guess I have been a bit "lucky" so far in that my lack of rest has not led me (yet) to illness and injury this year... but hopefully now that I am a lot more conscious of what it really means to go "easy" on a recovery day, my training and racing days will feel even better.

"Training must be either hard or easy - never in between. 'Hard' is related to the event for which one is training. It doesn't mean maximum effort all the time. 'Easy' means zone 1. If you make the easy days easy, the hard days can be truly hard. And race fitness improves. 
If, on the other hand, easy becomes moderate, then hard also becomes moderate. And there is little progress." - Joe Friel

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Autumn shadows

It's only May and already Brisbane is experiencing early morning temperatures of less than 10 degrees! 

I know it's not really that cold, but after a particularly warm April, it is a bit alarming that I am already wearing almost every bit of "winter" clothing when out training this week.  Only two weeks ago, we were still in just jerseys and bike knicks, not even a vest!

On Sunday, we rode with lots of friends to the outer reaches of Logan, but not quite as far as Mt Tambourine... and it was cold enough that many of us wanted to 'shelter' inside a local petrol station during one of our brief rest stops. 

Sandra (http://competitivecycling.blogspot.com/) and Alberto (http://amrcycling.blogspot.com/) took some nice 'on the road' photos that day... the one I liked most was her "shadows" photo... (hopefully she'll put it up on her blog)... a line of the shadows our bunch cast in the early morning sun.
That led me to do an internet search later... and yep there is a flickr page dedicated to photos of bike shadows.  :)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Wouter Weylandt RIP

So in the excitement of watching the first few stages of this year's Giro d'Italia, I forgot how dangerous this sport really is.  Yes professional riders crash sometimes...  they get some road rash, some bruising, some broken bones... but I often take it for granted that they'll heal up again and be back racing soon.  Because they are "pros", they can seem to be immune to anything 'really bad' happening to them... but they're not.

Like anyone, they can come off their bike in an unlucky way, and get much more 'serious' injuries... spinal injuries, head injuries, and unfortunately, pro cyclists can die (even when wearing helmets).  It's not something we like to think about, and I don't think anyone watches coverage of a race expecting to see someone die that day.  When the news came through about Wouter early this morning, it was difficult to grasp the concept that it had really happened. 

And like many who have sent their best wishes to Wouter's family today, I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to be his mum, his dad, or his girlfriend right now.  Maybe some 'good' will come from this tragedy... it's just very hard to see that happening right now.

"Miss me, but let me go
When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul set free
Miss me a little - but not too long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember me, miss me, but let me go."  - Anon

Thanks to Kristof Ramon and Cindy Trossaert for the photos.