Sunday, March 28, 2010

Long Time Coming

This spring marks my third season doing triathlon. Having enjoyed early success in the sport of running I thought I would enjoy the same results when I started competing in triathlon. Boy was I wrong! My first season was spent getting passed left and right both in the water and on the road. I learned real fast that I indeed had a lot to learn. Most of the guys I was competing against were far more advanced than I. They were riding faster equipment, had fancier wetsuits and way more experience. I was a little discouraged to say the least. I couldn’t figure out why I was spending way more energy but going a lot slower. I had to constantly remind myself that I had a limited swimming back ground and absolutely no cycling back ground. I knew nothing about gear ratios, pacing in the water or on the road, or nutrition.

I asked the guys I trained with what the secret was to becoming a better cyclist. What was the magic fix? I was sure I was just missing something simple that could be easily adjusted. What I was told surprised me. “Be patient.”

That was it? Surely there had to be more than that. How could patience make me a better cyclist? The explanation was quite simple. Kelly, my coach, told me it was all a matter of time. Unlike running where there is no machinery to aid you, when riding a bike you have to learn to do so efficiently. That requires lots of miles in the saddle and constantly adjusting position to find that optimum “sweet spot” where power and comfort are maximized. There is also the training of smaller muscle groups that help stabilize the hips and legs to make you a more powerful and more efficient cyclist. All of that she told me just takes time. By “time” I didn’t know she meant years. I thought it would all happen in a season or two. I guess that shows how much of a rookie I still am.

I like to think of myself as a patient person. I think my friends and co-workers would describe me as such. But when it comes to exercising I’m anything but patient. This was fostered by my early success in running. My expectation was to excel on the bike and in the pool and when I didn’t I got frustrated. My patience was running out but I listened to Kelly and stuck with it. Then this winter it all clicked.

When I started my build this winter I saw immediate improvements both in the water and on the trainer. It was very motivating to see. Finally the countless reps of single leg pedaling and one arm swimming are paying off. The gains are tangible now which I think makes a difference for any one. It’s a lot more motivating to see big results rather than small but it’s the small results that lead to the big results. It’s kind of like building a sand castle on grain at a time. All you need is a little patience and a whole lot of time.

-Ian

Posted by Athlete Ian on 03/28/10 at 02:10 PM
EFC Athletes • (2) Comments • Permalink

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