Six weeks to go and feeling strong

My past week has been another step up in confidence. When I write the programs for my athletes, I set out to have every major workout be, a confidence building experience. After all, when you stand on the start line, or when you reach 20km in the Ironman marathon. Your level of self belief and/or confidence is the most valuable assett you have.

At that stage of the race all those around you will have done a similar amount of training and will be of a similar level of fitness. The single thing which separates the athletes is self belief.

It’s true that a certain amount of training in all three disciplines must be done. Doing more will not improve self belief. In fact many athletes are plagued by the feeling that they must do more and more training. This in fact is the opposite to self belief.

My past week has included three workouts in which I’ve been able to measure my progress. Progress is not always measured in faster times. Sometimes it shows up as a feeling. Being strong at the end of a long endurance workout. How I feel getting out of bed at 4.30am two days after an eight hour day in the saddle.

This week has given me a feeling of being on top of my endurance building, by finishing a bike ride which took 7hrs 30min of actual riding time, which included a 26km climb,  in good enough shape to have gone running.

Two days later I “enjoyed” sharing a windtrainer workout with Trent “Red Dog”, which included 10 x 3min efforts at 10% above my AT. I do have to admit, this workout took some serious self talk to complete at the levels we wanted. Without a coach I could not have done that workout.

Saturday was a very necessary rest day. Sunday was forecast to reach 30C. The planned workout was a 100km time trial with a run off it.

We’ve completed our 100km time trial. My wife has spanked me again. She started 2min behind me and finished 17sec in front of me. At the last turnaround, I had about 60m on her and cockily said “Not today baby” as I passed in the opposite direction. I thought she’ll never get me now with this tailwind back to the finish line.

That must have been the bait she needed. I’ve never seen her ride so well. She caught me and just rode away. No excuses, she just had more than me today.

My weekly totals have been – swimming 3 x 1hr sessions (no records broken this week) – cycling 12hrs – running 3 x 45min aerobic runs (next week will be a bigger run week) Seventeen hours in a week which included two full days off.