Last Saturday (21st January) was my first race of
2017 and last Friday my old Garmin Edge computer decided to expire – timing was
a bit inconvenient. My plan for the Saturday was to ride to
the race at Croft Motor Racing circuit, to race in the Velo 29 Winter Series E1234 V29 and then ride home. But without a
Garmin! not being able to analyse my race data! without being able to upload to
Strava afterwards! No Kudus from my army of followers! – no way! So I had to make a Friday afternoon panic purchase of a new Garmin 520
from my good friends at NRG cycles NowOpenSundays which saved a desperate situation. Although I still had two problems to sort, setting up said Garmin and figuring out how to use it – a bit
more complicated than my old Edge.
Sorting the new Garmin - Unable to turn a pedal until the software is loaded
My PhD (which you are probably sick of hearing about so I wont mention it again - this week!) was intended to be a study of the everyday lives of racing cyclists in training but because of the technological developments that took place during the four years that it took me to complete my thesis it became a study of social change driven by technology. So I have been thinking a lot about change generally. The 'nightmare' experience of not having a functioning Garmin got me thinking back to a time not too long ago when cycling and training generally was a lot simpler than it is now - when we just used to write stuff down - odd as it may seem.
My PhD (which you are probably sick of hearing about so I wont mention it again - this week!) was intended to be a study of the everyday lives of racing cyclists in training but because of the technological developments that took place during the four years that it took me to complete my thesis it became a study of social change driven by technology. So I have been thinking a lot about change generally. The 'nightmare' experience of not having a functioning Garmin got me thinking back to a time not too long ago when cycling and training generally was a lot simpler than it is now - when we just used to write stuff down - odd as it may seem.
During my time as a triathlete I
meticulously recorded my training in 'day to a page'’ diaries. I needed a full page
because I trained a lot! Looking back through the diaries from my Ironman years
(pictured) definitely makes for interesting reading. I learned a lot during that period but I also made a fairly fundamental mistake - I didnt rest enough! I spent several years in what was probably an over-trained state - I know that now, I didnt know it then. Overtaining syndrome is difficult to recognise (especially in yourself) and I may have just been 'under-recovered'.OT Either way, I now firmly believe that my performances over the Ironman distance would have been better if I had trained less and recovered more.
While the incredible technology now available to us continues to
provide new training opportunities and the data becomes more and
more complex, it is still important to remember that getting fit doesn't need to be
really complicated. When I was looking through some of my diaries (and reminding myself how obsessed I used to be!) in the 2006 edition I found the piece of paper pictured below detailing the training
principles that I believed in at the time (even though I conveniently ignored #4) I think the six points are still very valid today. I have changed the order a bit and summarised them below, I have also added another important one, specificity, along with
some links to sources with bit more information.
Simple steps + specificity will get you fit for sure. (sounds like a good motto to me)
Step One -
Consistency is KEY and trumps anything else (no Donald
pun intended). If you are not improving its probably because you are not
training consistently enough.S1
Step Two -
Variety keep changing what you
do, preferably before the adaptation ceases. Periodisation of some sort is
essential.S2
Step Three
- Volume in line with Step
one you need to ride as much as you can
appropriate for you, your lifestyle and your goals.S3
Step Four - Intensity sometimes you need to go HARD - HIIT training works - but it hurts! Interval training is powerful medicine but it doesn't replace volume.S4
Step Four - Intensity sometimes you need to go HARD - HIIT training works - but it hurts! Interval training is powerful medicine but it doesn't replace volume.S4
Step Five -
Progressive overload gradually increase three and four and your body will adapt to the work –
you will get fitter! S5
Step Six -
Specificity is easy to
overlook, but, we prefer to do the type of riding we enjoy most. Here's the thing though, if you want get better
at riding up hills – guess what? S6
Step Seven
- Recovery the last but
possibly most important step. It took me way too long to realise the importance
of rest. You MUST give your body a chance to adapt. S7
Unfortunately technology still got the better of me last Saturday. I had data for my warm up ride and data from the ride home. But somehow I failed to start the Garmin at the start, so no race data - this of course means that in the virtual world of Strava 'game play' my opening race of the 2017 season didnt actually happen.
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