In his regular feature Between The Ears Zack Neufeld reports on how to use anger as a positive force in your training and racing.
Use your inner rage for good watts not bad watts!
Also on the show, we let you know about a way to raise your heart rate and raise money for local health care at the same time. Fraser Health is holding a “stair-a-thon” formally known as the Step Up for Cardiac Health. We hear from event organizer Liz Harris about the details.
The second annual event is set to go on Saturday February 9th. You can sign up at https://www.fvhcf.ca/stepup/
To elevate your heart rate and race day success, Tri*Joy can help. With in-person consultations, effective training programs, and regular progress assessments, we’ll help you achieve your athletic goals in 2019. E-mail kknnheinze@yahoo.com to gets things started.
Why are these people here? Don’t they know the football playoff tournament is going on this afternoon?
As athletes, and as people in general,
we are always striving for balance. Balance between work and play.
Balance between saving and spending. Balance between thinking and
talking (well, for me anyway). And even in cycling, we strive for
balance between suffering and pleasure, however it is that you choose
to define the two. Today my ride had both!
I’m getting a bit softer over the
years. Upon first moving to the Lower Mainland from Calgary, my bike
rarely saw the trainer, even in winter. The fenders were on, as well
as layers of waterproof clothing to shield me from the ever-present
monsoons.
This is no longer the case. Partly due
to time constraints and partly due to fear of death by F-350 on
Dewdney Trunk Road, I’m usually on the CompuTrainer in the dark
season. I havn’t been on the real road since late October.
That changed this weekend, with my annual pilgrimage to Mecca. That is of course, Southern California. After the requisite 2200 kilometre drive (flying is cheating) to the promised land, I drank three cups of local coffee, re-assembled my superleggara Scott Foil from Wentings, mixed up my Glycodurance, and hit the road.
Seven days previously, I hosted a
presentation for our local cycling club, Phoenix Velo. To get the
members warmed up for the guest speaker, I asked them “when I am on
my bike, I feel __________.”
Within ten pedal strokes, I had my own
answer to that question, “at home!”
Ten more pedal strokes later, I noticed burning in my eyes. This was likely caused by the salty breeze wafting off the Pacific. Like I say, I hadn’t been on the real road in quite a while, so there was a brief period of acclimatization.
The second thing I noticed was how fresh my legs were feeling. The third thing I noticed was how many other cyclists there were.
There’s a simple mathematical formula that most riders have probably heard of. It goes like this. Fresh legs + many riders = RACE.
After passing twenty riders in ten minutes, my ego reigned itself in, well, at least for the moment. And even though I have ridden it a dozen times before, rolling through Leucadia, Encinitas, and Solano Beach, was like being in a movie featuring a cast of half-million dollar cars, quarter-million dollar plastic surgeries, inspiring vistas, and the roar of “Go Rams Go” emanating from scores of cantinas along the route. As it turned out, the Rams DID go, or should I say, ARE going to the Super Bowl.
Pause for reflection, at Swami’s Beach. For which the cycling team down here is named after.
But back to the ride. After stopping
for fun beach pictures at Swami’s Beach, I soft pedaled for a few k,
saving my legs for the piccolo provo of the day, hill repeats
at Torrey Pines, a long but civilized grade of about 2 kilometres.
The first repeat was a lesson in self-discipline. Yes, there were
other riders. Yes, they were on “slower” bikes. Yes, they looked
slower/older than me. Yes, I watched them ride all ride away, as I
steadfastly held to my target heart rate (130). My glory would come
on the next two repeats.
Hill repeat number two had nothing to
do with effective training but everything to do with ego. Yet, every
year I come back here I do it. To see if I still, “got it.”
The protocol is as simple as it is self-destructive, ride the hill in
the biggest gear. NOT “the biggest gear possible,” THE biggest
gear. Failure IS an option. In fact it is honourable!
Off I went. There were no surprises. I resolved to sit, grind the 50/11 as long as possible, and stand only when my knees complained or when things were going sideways due to lack of forward momentum. In the first few minutes, things were going well. Despite my tortoise-like cadence (40-ish) I was getting up the climb. Equally important, nobody was passing me, likely because there was nobody else on the climb at that time.
Then it happened. Gently at first. But then increasing more and more. No, my knees were fine. It was my left shoe. Apparently, the massive watts (130, yes that’s a 1) that my 55-year-old legs generated, were loosening my cleat. With steely resolved I continued the grind, each pedal stroke sloppier than the previous. I promised myself I could tighten the cleat, but only after the crest of the climb.
I made it to the top. Then I dutifully unclipped. Then began looking for a place to balance the bike so I could re-tighten what was now remnants of a ten dollar bargain store Look compatible red plastic piece of plastic. Since I just completed the Torrey Pine Climb, how about a Torrey Pine tree to go with it? There were plenty. I chose one that was not too big or not too small. It was just right.
With my bike safe and my bladder full,
I was also looking for relief of another sort. And after answering
nature’s call, I sadly began smelling nature’s smell. And it wasn’t
lavender.
Apparently, someone else thought this Torrey Pine was just right as well. But not for a pee. It was the unmistakable stench of having stepped in poo, and it was mine to deal with. Sure enough, the loose clear was smothered in it, like a piece of toast covered with Kraft extra chunky.
I assessed the grim task at hand, how to dislodge a few ounces of poo from the underside of my left shoe. To make my unsavoury task more dignified, I looked for something to take off the offending substance. No dice. Torrey Pines are conifers. How I longed for a Canadian Maple or Douglas Fir.
Not too big or not too small. So thought the both of us.
With no other option, I dug in with my now VERY multi-purpose tool and commenced liberating my cleat from the greasy mix of pine needles, shards of red plastic, and feces. Minutes later the dirty deed was done and I was set for the rest of the ride. And although it was beautiful, it was much less memorable for all the right reasons.
And so the season begins!
I wouldn’t eat off it, but close enough to get on with the ride.
In Fitspeek 57 you’ll hear about Day Five of Chad Bentley’s experience at the Epic Five Triathlon in Hawaii. Chad will also speak about what he learned from completing such an epic event. He also has some training tips and motivation for you, if you’ve ever considered going long. Also on the program we finish up our look at the top fitness trends of 2018 (hint: it’s over 1000 years old). We also have our upcoming events schedule. Kick off your work week with a shot of endorphins through osmosis by pressing play below.
Tri*Joy The Spirit of Multisport is your Fraser-Valley based coaching company. We’re only a short drive away to meet in person to discuss your fitness goals and to set up a plan to keep you motivated. Our low client to coach ratio ensures you get the support you need to achieve your potential. E-mail kknnheinze@yahoo.com to set up a in person consultation.
Happy New Year from Zack, Kevin W, and myself at Fitspeek.
We kick off the year with a field goal from the 50 yard line, as we snagged the ever popular and ever motivating Chad Bentley for an in-depth interview.
Chad is originally from Abbotsford, and now from North Vancouver. His story is one we covered back in August, as he transformed himself from a burger-eating, beer swilling, “party-guy” to a lean, mean triathlon machine completing multiple Ironman distance races, representing Canada at the Ultraman World Championships, and more recently completing the EPIC FIVE triathlon in Hawaii. If you think an Ironman is tough, how would you describe doing five of them on consecutive days on 5 Hawaiian islands?
Hear how Chad would describe the experience, by pressing play right here.
Also in Fitspeek 56, we take a look at another one of the top fitness trends of 2018, virtual reality training.
Tri*Joy is more than virtual reality coaching, it’s real coaching from real people, who have toed the line at more than 500 races of all sorts, from fondos to five k’s to ultras. We have the experience, expertise, and the passion to help you succeed in your athletic pursuits. Contact us for a free in-personal consultation and goal-setting session. E-mail kknnheinze@yahoo.com
