Oh and with all the mental maths, trying to workout where I can say/shout/sing Happy Halfway!
Thanks to Amber for that one😎
2 Likes
As a rule I always end it with “I did the best I could”. And then maybe go back and analyze the data and see if there was anything I could learn from it.
1 Like
Wanted to share something that I “think” I have learned, that has taken me about 5 years to really understand, even though when I say it, it sounds simple and logical.
2017 was my best year ever fitness wise. I hit my highest ftp and power numbers and scored some significant results in decent size races. In the years that followed, I kept trying to hit those same numbers in my workouts and couldn’t. Would often get discouraged and quit workouts early, or push so hard that I was wrecked for the rest of the week. In short, I have been trying for 5 years to get back to the same level and failed.
I have been really studying what I did in 2017 - and what I have finally realized after looking over workout after workout is that I completed lots of quality workouts, lots of intervals, but many of them were below the big numbers (for me) that I remember hitting. In my head, I remember doing 3 x 20 at 365W. Well, that was for a few key workouts and races where I had tapered. Most of the year, in build cycles, I was doing 20 minute intervals at 330 watts or 340 watts, but putting in the work. Doing 2-3 quality interval days per week.
Long story short is you don’t/won’t always have to hit your best numbers. Even if you have tested at X watts, some days, particularly when you are carrying fatigue, you are only going to be capable of hitting X-15W. Just meet the workout where you are that day. Don’t get discouraged. Put in the work, and it all adds up.
7 Likes
I like to think about everything that Frodo had to endure carrying The Ring to Mt. Doom and how comparatively my intervals seems pretty easy.
I’m not even kidding.
3 Likes
I love this topic and all of the replies!
I call them “Jedi Mind Tricks” and it’s fun to see what ones other folks use.
For me, “amping myself up”, makes it worse. It’s almost counterintuitive, but I prefer breathing and relaxing through the discomfort rather than tightening up. (I used to do a lot of yoga). You want to breathe more oxygen and let those legs fly, not be tensed up with constricted muscles if that makes sense. Also I think even Chad’s workout instructions often advise relaxing your non-working muscles - face, jaw, etc. Smile!
Dividing the minutes to go in half is definitely something I do too.
Telling myself at the end of a 4 or 5 minute effort- “it’s only 2 minutes, you can do anything for 2 minutes“!
Music definitely works too, there are studies!
Tim Noakes’ central governor theory - if it’s true then you can’t push too hard, your body won’t allow it. So most likely we can go harder than we think. Or something like that. But for sure - Mind over matter- trust the training plan - trust your race plan.
3 Likes
After a year of ERG, I discovered the joys of Resistance. I may never go back because it feels easier especially for things threshold and above.
ERG death spiral is totally counterproductive IMO. I’d rather complete an interval 10% off than get into the zone, work the wrong effect, crack and not complete it.
1 Like
The other thing I meant to say.
I think the mental side is extremely good at remembering the negatives, when we cut an interval short, or when we reduce the intensity, or etc
So make sure that when you do crush an interval, you write it in the description, and really make it stand out.
(It’s almost the inverse to photos where we tend to have photos that mark a positive occasion, like a birthday or a get together, we don’t take photos of arguments and people in tears. And then it’s good for the soul to have an occasional look at the photo album)
So record the positives. And every so often, have a look back at them. Did you get some extra sleep in the few days before. Make sure nutrition was top notch. Goodness knows that we need to make the most of the good days 
1 Like
When it gets to the point that I want to pack it in, I stare at this on the wall in front of my trainer and read it over and over and over again.
4 Likes
Life is inherent suffering?
1 Like
Can’t say I take it all in but I like to have the TR podcast on during workouts.
Probably a lot of repeats in this but:
Caffeine
Music
‘You CAN do this!’
Corny maybe, but line from The Matrix: ‘You think that’s real air you are breathing?’
Just saying ‘I WILL NOT QUIT!!’
Thinking that lesser people have done more.
Thinking ‘Dedicated or crazy’.
I mean, tough love, positive/negative self-talk, caffeine and music as medicine, just freaking holding on until it’s over.
I don’t think anyone loves FTP tests, but they are important for those that are training so just gritting your teeth and realizing it’s for your greater good works for me. Plus I feel a hell of a lot better after a grueling torturous near-death ride. Call it endorphins or hypoglycemia, but it DOES feel good to push HARD…
Just never quit, unless you are dead. I mean, death is a good excuse. Perhaps the only… 
(But also realize your limits. Don’t start a ride you know you can’t finish. Be realistic, but don’t be afraid to dig deeper)
Oh, I tried reading an ebook during a vigorous workout, and the high demand intervals always seemed to catch me at a bad time and then getting on top of them proved to be more painful. I only did that once. Knowing what’s coming is important and can avoid injury and pain.
Also do the counting down, big-action movies, etc, but when my brain starts screaming “i caaan’tt! it feels tooooo baaad!!!”, i try to replace it with a mantra of “this is the feeling of getting stronger”, or “you’ve got this”
I’m a former track and XC running coach so I had all of the motivational quotes to throw at those that I coached. When I’m about to enter a dark place during training effort, I rely on some of those mantras. My go to is, “If it doesn’t challenge you - it doesn’t change you.” That gets repeated in my head many times, over and over. I visualize scenarios during races or group rides, I try to place myself there during the training effort. If I’m really being challenged - I’m doing a whole lot of changing (for the good hopefully).
2 Likes
Time is the monkey on my back. I cant bear to watch the timers on the app if its going to be a hard workout. I cover the app on my phone. I dont look too hard at how many, how hard or how long the intervals are before i start. I only need to know how long the total workout is. I’m committed to finish the workout and that’s what matters.
I load some remixes or live recordings of songs. Not knowing the length of a song keeps me from guessing time left in the interval or workout. Example; “Radar Love Live in SF” is 18 min long, not 5 min as the original. This coupled with a race video on the Ipad.
When the TR workout beeps I have to guess if the intensity is going up or down.
Works for me, maybe someone else too.
1 Like