Digging out of a hole
It has been a challenge since starting my training back in November. With a full-time job, along my responsibilities with The Worthwhile Company, church, community, and – of course, family, time for training is hard to come by. So far, I’ve been pretty good keeping up the plan.
Last week I just got hit with a cold. Unfortunately for me, it happened during one of the biggest weeks so far. The plan called for 12 hours. I’m looking at the numbers I actually got finished and see 9:46. Most of those lost hours happened in the last two days. Friday was supposed to be three hours.
It would have worked because I was supposed to ride up to a camp located in Rosman, NC. That would have given me four hours (the plan called for three). Because of the frigid temperatures and snow in the mountains, my buddies canceled the ride. Even with the cold, I tried to go out and get some time in. After two hours and having my Garmin Edge 500 locking up in temperatures in the 20s, I called it a day.
Then on Saturday, I had four hours slated. These hours should have been simple to get. The plan was to go out to the UWBL. Had things gone as planned, it would have four hours. However, the UWBL got altered again because of the weather. Had I been able to go, I still would have only gotten three of the five I needed at this point.
I ended up dragging myself up onto the trainer and spinning out (and I mean easily spinning!) 2.5 hours. On a day when I was supposed to get 300+ TSS points, I ended up with less than 100. It wasn’t a good finish to the week.
I guess you could call this the “training hole.” Now, any self respecting coach will tell you (as mine did) that this is no big deal. You should just get back on the bike and you’ll get it back. One week does not a season make!
My problem is that my confidence isn’t that high. I feel as though I’m starting in a hole already. As a 40 year-old who will be racing against guys in their 20s and 30s, I sense I need to be even more prepared than they are. I have the feeling that things are going to have to go perfectly for me to be ready. I guess this added pressure creates the stress that comes when I miss the goals.
Now, of course, I realize that the biggest objective in my plan right now is to get rested and beat back this cold so I can get back at it. That is going to be the challenge, finding the balance of when to back off and when to get back at it. I’ve got the day off today.
We’ll see what happens tomorrow…
Tags: Colds
