Getting the balance right

The lack of posting is not the result of lack of riding.  Quite the contrary, in fact.  The last few weeks I have managed to clock some excellent training hours, which is made even more satisfying as I have just come through a particularly stressful period at work.  To give you an idea, in the last 2 weeks I managed to log 20 hours of flex (or overtime if you are not APS minded).  This may not seem like a lot, but when you try to combine it with a 12-15h hour training load, it gets fairly hectic.  What has helped this time around was an understanding of my limitations.

Unfortunately, when the same ambition that drives you on the bike also drives you in the work place, this can lead to some major unbalancing- training goals aren’t met and often illness prevails.  A challenge was put to me to not over-achieve at work so that my cycling could flourish, but I am afraid I am just not wired that way.  I have had to come up with a different approach.

Earlier in the year I parted ways with Coach Brian and one of the key reasons for that was that I wasn’t able to get the balance right between work, life and bike (the holy trilogy).  Consequently all 3 aspects were suffering and I wasn’t getting the results I thought I deserved. Since I got back on the bike in August my focus has been on quality over quantity with my training, and trying to be a bit more realistic about how much time I have available for the “holy trilogy” and the most significant other of all, rest. 

From my experience over the years I have been able to take cherry pick all the bits that work for me and really focus my training to get the most out of the time I have available.  I am grateful for these different influences on my training; I have definitely learnt something from each of them.  I have picked the races that I want to focus on, with an emphasis on the ones that I enjoy and will challenge me, ie track racingJ.  

Most importantly, I have learnt to listen to my body.  I have learnt the difference between, I am exhausted from a long day at work and I am exhausted from 4 hard days in the saddle and can structure my training accordingly.  The greatest hindrances I have to my training from work are stress and lack of relaxation.  These have been the hardest to manage, but I am getting there with various levels of assistance.

Admittedly it can be a bit of a struggle to maintain motivation when there isn’t an external guiding force on your training, as there is only yourself to answer to.  But, that is where goal-setting and personal expectations really come into their own.  I am not ashamed to say that I have some pretty lofty goals at the moment.  They are challenging, but if I can retain the current momentum, they are definitely achievable.

What is obvious from this experience, there is a reason why most elite sports people don’t have traditional professional careers.  Getting the balance right takes a lot of energy.  Workplaces are full of unexpected surprises that can turn an easy day into a day from hell.  And, despite my repeated requests/threats, taking a nap under the desk after your 3 hours morning session, just isn’t accepted.

Murphy's Law, the Rule of 3 and Zen on a bicycle

Friday morning is usually a time for a chilled out ride with the Vikings Club crew, cruising around the streets of Canberra before finding ourselves back at the ANU for the obligatory coffee stop before work. 

Normally these rides go off without a hitch, but for me the Friday just gone was anything but smooth.

Prior to the bunch heading off I warned everyone about a rather large pothole that had formed on the road that goes past where I work.  This is the sort of pothole that would bring you out in the Northern Atlantic Ocean (see here) if you were to fall in it!

Of course, as Murphy would have it, I did fall in it!  It was not pretty and it sounded even worse.  Importantly I stayed upright, my bike kept moving forward and the expletives didn't need too much censoring.  And whilst it seemed that I may have punctured (no), or bent my rim (no that's not it either), the final diagnoses was that the brake cable had managed to come dislodged in the housing and jammed the brake on.  This, unfortunately, was not rectified until the Super Soigny came to my rescue, bearing my lunch, at the coffee shop.  There are some parts of Canberra that just aren't fun with only a front brake.

 As far as I was concerned at the time, the hole I was in might have been this big! 

(photo credit)

The rule of 3 applies to most things in cycling- punctures, crashes, dnf's, wins (well I'm not sure about the last two).  Friday's set of 3 was people in cars trying to kill me.  First was the crazy man trying to over take the bunch when we were about to turn and then there were 2 others in the space of 500m as I was getting to work.  Obviously these were no more than near misses 'cause I am hear telling you about it.  It is amazing how defensively you will ride after the first near miss of the day and how that increases after number 2.  On guard everyone!

 Amy Gillett Foundation

What actually made these things from the morning seem totally irrelevant occurred to me on my ride home after work.  Despite the adventure into the pothole, I was still upright and even more importantly I had the company of a fellow Viking for the ride back to the coffee shop.  I am sorry that the bunch got away M Larkin but thanks for cruising back in with me.  Avoiding being hit is always a plus (I have been up close and personal with a car and there are still scars) but it might also have raised the awareness of the people in the cars about bikes.  (The first guy maybe not so much, but you never know). 

As I cruised home late in the afternoon of an early spring day, I was reminded that being able to get out on a bike is one of the most enjoyable things that you can do.  And that, my friends, is probably the greatest reason why cyclists endure so much.

(Photo credit)

Form Finding

There has been some discussion about form and how to get it/keep it/not lose it amongst some of my mates.

The obvious suggestion was that is has to be earnt. Well, derr! thanks Steven!

But my favourite was from multiple world champ Sue Powell*- Form... comes and goes but you know its there.... lurking somewhere.... just waiting for you to bring it slowly and carefully out of its box. Don't want to scare it away again.

The last couple of weekends I have been coaxing mine back (it has definitely had a long enough break!!). First up was a handicap out in Goulburn. Yes we went that far just to get to a flat race!!!

At times race conditions seemed like this! (Photo from freefoto.com)

Whilst the weather was abysmal, the racing was fun. For the most part my legs were at the party, at least until the 52nd kilometre. From 52km to the end (55km) they'd had enough. I really can't complain about that, there were lots of positive signs there and form was definitely sniffing around!

The skies as we headed back from Goulburn. (Thanks to Eric Li for the photo)

The following weekend was a double header of racing for me with the Capital Winter Sports Festival. A 10km mountain bike time trial on Saturday and then a 50km road race on Sunday.

The MTB course wasn't too technical but I am glad I rode it on the Tuesday before (part of that may have been because I was in the sun and everyone else was at work!!). Not being the greatest mountain biker this race was about racing for training and having fun (and getting Matt on his bike). I can't complain about the result (I was 2nd female) and in fact it was one of the funnest races I have ever done! If you haven't done a mountain bike time trial before, go and do one!
(Bit of extra plugging for the Bilbys Triathlon Club who expertly hosted the event.)

Thanks to the Canberra Cycling Club for the closed road event on Parkes Way on Sunday... is it showing my age if I say I miss the Parkes Way TT course?!! I thought I might have got bored on the 5 x 10km course, but that only happened briefly. The course whilst generally flat was made interesting thanks to the block headwind/cracking tailwind! The bunch set off at a cracking pace and for a fleeting moment I thought my form had been spooked and my race was over before we had done too many laps at all. But then we all settled down and found some rhythm. The last lap was probably the slowest of the day and I think the headwind as we sprinted to the end caught a lot of people out. End result was I was 10th across the line and first female. There were lots of positives after the weekend, but as ever, I am still learning in this sport and there were some mistakes made at the end which have left me with the "what ifs". But, there is always next time!

Most importantly, form is returning and racing is where it is at!

*Sue will be competing at the Para World Champs in Denmark next week. You can follow the action on Sian's (para super coach) blog or at the UCI pages (links on Sian's blog). If you are especially lucky I might pull something together about Sue for here!

Now that winter is over...

Recent state of my blog, sorry about that.

So much has been happening, but so little as well. Shortly after I wrote the post below, I had my wisdom teeth out. The timing of this was perfect- the le Tour was just starting to heat up and I didn't have to try and juggle training with late nights in front of the tv!!

In case you missed it, perhaps you live under a rock and this is the only thing online you read, Cadel Evans finally got to stand on the top step of the Champs Elysees!! And I am pretty sure the whole of the Australian cycling community stood there with him! (and a whole lot of the non-cycling community too!)

Thank you Cadel! I even enjoyed the sound of Tina Arena's voice

Then we got to the end of July and that was the end of my training break. The 3 weeks off the bike were absolutely essential for mental and physical refreshment. The year to date had been up and down in terms of injury and illness and there had been a lot of frustration from a lack of results. This break was perfect for allowing me to regain my focus and motivation; and work out what I really wanted to do on the bike.

Training recommenced at the start of August and I have been loving every minute of it. There has been some local racing and a whole lot of riding happy (thanks LJ). I have some goals and a couple of potential events for spring and summer and for the first time in a while I am enjoying the company of my bikes.

Admittedly training needs to ramp up a bit now, but I think that I am finding the right balance between work, life and bike and that really is the most important place to be!

Legs for hire

DBR attempted tour, Stage 2

After a good meal post ITT

and a decision that I would try and get to the end of the tour, I offered to help the Suzuki girls. I had nothing at all to lose and if I had something to do I was more likely to focus on the race.

I was duly factored in to the race plan and given my instructions. Easy enough- watch for breaks and cover the front. The first 10km of the race was some of the sketchiest time I have spent in a bunch. I am sure the gusting head winds were not helping our cause. I was also quite bored. Normally when I get bored in the bunch I will try and go off the front. That wasn't part of the instruction so I stayed where I was (boo!).

Things started to split up was we headed down the 2nd sister and even more as we went into Uriarra Crossing. I misjudged where I was in the bunch and ended up much further back than I would have liked. After working very hard out of the crossing and half way along the false flat I was back in the bunch.

Straight to the front I went where Bron was doing an excellent job patrolling. There was an attack from VIS and another rider to cover and then I was left on the front. Not a bad place to be at that point. That is largely where I stayed until everyone started to line things up for the descent back into Uriarra. I drifted to towards the back to take the descent at my own pace (long story).

Allison was just in front of me as we came across the bridge and the poor thing had thrown her chain off. Not knowing what the problem was I swiftly jumped off, offering wheels or whatever was needed. We got the chain back on just as the spares car got to us. A push up the hill to get us going, started well for me, but about half way up my legs just wouldn't shut up and I had to let Allison go on her own.

For me that was my race done. I kept up a reasonable tempo but couldn't bridge back to the bunch. I spotted a rider up the road and set about catching them. That was Skye-Lee, a fellow trackie, she had punctured and was just cruising back to SFP. So we had a nice ride back in with a taily to help us a long!

Allison finished 4th on the stage and was still in the lead at that point so I was happy! Job done!

I didn't start the last day due to an elevated heart rate and a slight sore throat. Rules are rules, and that was my ride done. I watched some phenomenal riding in the women's race, well done to Grace Sulzberger for absolutely dominating the event. Congratulations to all the girls who got through the weekend.

Racing as training

DBR Tour, or should that be an attempted tour.

When the new world coaching order began, this tour was set as a target to see what I was capable of. At last year's addition I was third on the ITT, Amy Cure topped the podium and Jo Hogan was 2nd. I knew what I was capable on the ITT course.

Unfortunately for the month leading up to the tour I wasn't able to train properly. (See the post below about that). I was acutely aware that I was going to be seriously underdone for the tour.

I had contemplated withdrawing, but you know, sometimes you just can't help yourself. With oral surgery set for the following Thursday I set some strict conditions on myself- in particular any sign that I was getting run down or potentially getting sick, I was out. It wouldn't matter if that meant only doing the ITT, I have to be well on Thursday.

The forecast for the weekend was pretty horrendous. Friday morning looked like this outside my backdoor! Fortunately the sun came out and the wind stayed down (relatively) for the women and the disc wheels could go on!

Given the prep that I'd had, I really can't be unhappy with the time trial I rode. I gave it absolutely everything I had, which all anyone can ask for. I saw some good improvements on the flat and descending sections, but there is a lot of work to do on the climbs. At the end of the day I was a little over a minute down on local champ Allison Rice who took the win, and 15th on the stage.

Not a bad result, but I am trying to stop myself asking, what if I had been fully fit and ready, what would have/could have happened then?

postscript

The last post didn't have any pictures. I don't like posts without pictures!

This might be a little bit cryptic for some, but that is what you have google for!!

Any of the girls I went to school with should recognise Fred Savage and make the connection!!