The Dreaded Break
taken 09/20/2006 - Ready to ride with Carmichael’s climbing DVD
Kirk Nordgren, CTS Coach writes, “Right about this time of year, I start to notice the beginnings of a subtle change in the athletes I work around. They start complaining about little things. A training session on a hot, 90-degree day suddenly seems unbearable to them, whereas two months ago, the heat was a minor annoyance. Their weekly group rides or runs switch from fun rolling parties to miles of quiet suffering. In cycling terms, the switch can be as understated as someone telling me that they’re “going for a ride,” versus “having to train.” A “ride” infers an invigorating spin while “train” invokes work and exhaustion. —”
I think you all know when you need a break from training. I figured it out this past month after the Torture 10,000 where I got severe burn out. Don’t get so far into hard training that your mind can’t keep up. Scheduling a break for two to four weeks can make a difference in attitude and motivation.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
I try to take every fouth week as an easy week. I ride with the slower folks in my club and do not do the real long rides. Seems to help me!