The Urge to Tinker

Now that summer and the racing season are in full swing, you’re probably feeling pretty good.

If you are not feeling speedy, or if you have a goal to be speedy beyond the end of August, then consider scheduling a deep recovery week somewhere in the next 45 days.

For many years, my year was built towards being fast at the end of August. Around this time of the summer, I’d find myself cranking out life best sessions. Fitness, fatigue and performance would often lead to some less than optimal ideas for making things even better.

Some examples…

• Training sessions done far faster than scheduled
• Easy days that weren’t easy
• Max effort downhill running
• Changes in bike position
• Changes in race day nutrition strategy
• The urge to drive my body weight ever lower

To balance these self-destructive urges, remember to give yourself every opportunity to run well on race day.

There’s something about looking through to the last run of my season that would keep me sensible, particularly with regard to the little niggles that pop-up when training load is high.

Relax, stay the course and let other athletes beat themselves.