High and lull
Whew! I don’t know what to do with myself. For three weeks in a row my focus was on competing in races each weekend. It determined how I ate, slept, and exercised. Now it is nearly a month until my next race and we’re starting the process all over again at the beginning. I’m in a lull and I’m not used to it.
This doesn’t mean that I am not on the bike. I still have workouts that aren’t quite as focused. For instance, my instructions for Tuesday were to do some pilates and spin easy on my bike for an hour. Wednesday is my normal off the bike rest day.
The only day when I am supposed to produce a significant amount of wattage is today when I am supposed to go 5 minutes at threshold. Then it is time for some 30-30′s. This is where you go 30 seconds very hard followed by 30 seconds easy. You repeat this pattern non-stop five times. After a rest of about 5 minutes, you do it again… and then again until you have completed 4 sets.
Friday is my choice of exercise for about 20 minutes. Saturday will be a day for rebuilding my base miles. I’ll be spending 5 hours on the bike that day. I’m pretty sure next week will start to ramp up some more.
However, it isn’t the change in exercise routine that has me discombobulated. It is the lack of an immediate goal. With a race every weekend it was a perpetual state of up. All of a sudden I’m back into the train now to enjoy life later mode. It is hard to kick the desire for instant gratification!
I should point out that I say I’m in a lull, not a low. It isn’t as though I’m depressed or anything. It is more like nervous energy with no outlet.
Frankly, this is probably a good thing. This month is a pretty huge month for my life off the bike. I’ve just got to learn how to channel that cycling related nervous energy into the immediate objectives I have for other parts of my life. Mentally, the bike needs to take more of a back seat — maybe it will fit in the trunk — in my life.
Yes, the highs of racing are a load of fun, but the lulls are good. Embrace the lull.
Tags: Rest
