Now Is the Time to Listen

Ok folks, the time is getting near for our “big races”.  You should start feeling confident in your abilities.  All your hard work from the winter and spring is starting to payoff.  If you’re a little worried about your fitness, this is normal.  Even seasoned veterans question themselves (am I fit enough? do I have what it takes?).

With 2-3 weeks to go there isn’t much you can do to make your body faster.  Muscle adaptations to speed/strength and endurance can take weeks hence the work in the build sessions is crucial to your outcome on race day.

With this in mind, there is A LOT you can do to screw over your performance.  Trying to stuff in your longest ride or pound out your largest week of volume will ruin your race.  There just isn’t enough time for your body to adapt to these stresses.  It’s actually better to go into a race a lot under-trained than a little over-trained (especially for the longer races).

I am a huge believer in “If it doesn’t need fixing, don’t fix it” (in training, not for everything else as Amanda will attest).  So in the remaining weeks just tinker with things that you think need work.  Maybe you’d like to have a faster transition.  Or maybe you need some more sighting practice.  If you want to try a new piece of equipment (helmet, sunglasses, goggles) this would be the time to do it.  DO NOT try a new bike, running sneakers (unless they’re dead) or a wetsuit.

You wanna know what the best thing you can do is to help you race better?  Sleep.  Get caught up.  With the reduction in training time fill it in with some naps or quiet reading.  Don’t go out to the ‘Slounge just because you have the time.  Take the time to rest and heal the body.

Because in the end “that body” will help you out on race day.  Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to take a nap!