A week before the spring races begin, I'm starting to feel like it. I'm really looking forward to getting the bib on my back and going for it. Although, this block is more for building towards the bigger goals in the future, to raise the bar for next macro cycle, to see where I'm currently at – but still racing is always racing. I'm just curious to see how my form is now after winter season and looking forward to some solid performances and further development. There is quite a lot of time trialling in the schedule, to build up the power for individual pursuiting. Please, see calendar for more info about the races.
Now that the dissertation is gone from my mind, I'm lot less stressed and the distractions to training are gone. After handing it in on Tuesday I've had bit of funny moments of not knowing what to do, since there has been nothing that I should or would have to do. It's been nice, but kinda weird. It's not only been mental stress, but I've been feeling a lot better in general and I've been able to set some pretty nice training sessions. And besides life is far more enjoyable now!
As said, these races are for raising the bar, they are not primary targets. The primary targets are a way in the future and all this is just building for those moments. Those days will eventually come and then I will be ready.
It is gonna be tough couple of weeks, but it definitely is worth it. I'm looking forward to give my all and see how it all goes.
P.S. 10.000 visitors today, thank you!
Friday, 16 March 2012
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
News flash!
Lately, I haven't been too active on updating my blog and for that, I apologize. The reason behind it, however, is quite reasonable and understandable: I've been working all day long on my dissertation (opinnäytetyö) and have barely had time to for cycling.
Now to the news! It is all completed, done, handed in and so on. This feels amazing, simply amazing. It goes under the title of: Competitive anxiety and self-confidence among talented Finnish alpine skiers and impacts on the athletic performance. Altogether 76 pages around the topic – I've never done anything up to this scale
If anyone fancies a read, just drop me a message. I gotta warn though, that at times the text is fairly scientific, which is another way to say almost impossible to understand.... ;)
Stress relief is major. Now I can again concentrate on my training spot on as the racing season begins in two week. My calendar can be found by clicking here. Quite a hectic April coming up, but it is nothing compared to the stress this piece work caused. In terms of cycling it is all okay; nothing spectacular has happened and I haven't lost it too much during the distractions to training.
Monday, 20 February 2012
London TWC - vol.3 - The aftermath
To my family and friends: Thanks for the support!
Life and training goes on anyway. Now, couple days after things are set into context and I'm very much coming to my senses about it all. I've gone the 1k performance through and my training leading to it. I've lost my standing start understandably, but it is not easy to remember when I have the bib in my back. Naturally though, other attributes are going the other way, I mean upwards, which is good when considering the set targets. Sometimes it is ”good” to fail, just to realize where you are going – not to say that failing is nice by any means. Today though, the process is fully on again and after some testing I see myself comfortably in the schedule, but I just gotta remember to let the kilo go as big part as it has been for me earlier on.
The things to learn; Live the journey. Also keep eyes on the target, and don't get distracted from that. Accept the fact that I can't be in top form in all the races I do, and accept the fact that if you don't train something – you will lose it. I'm studying coaching, you see. Ha ha.
Now I'm back on my two wheels with great joy and motivation. We have tested a bit of new things and settings in my riding position and made some findings as well. It looks good, and it starts to feel good. As I will get my upper body flexibility to appropriate levels – that will bloody work.
Learn from the past,
Live in the present,
Dream of the future.
(Petteri Nykky)
Life and training goes on anyway. Now, couple days after things are set into context and I'm very much coming to my senses about it all. I've gone the 1k performance through and my training leading to it. I've lost my standing start understandably, but it is not easy to remember when I have the bib in my back. Naturally though, other attributes are going the other way, I mean upwards, which is good when considering the set targets. Sometimes it is ”good” to fail, just to realize where you are going – not to say that failing is nice by any means. Today though, the process is fully on again and after some testing I see myself comfortably in the schedule, but I just gotta remember to let the kilo go as big part as it has been for me earlier on.
The things to learn; Live the journey. Also keep eyes on the target, and don't get distracted from that. Accept the fact that I can't be in top form in all the races I do, and accept the fact that if you don't train something – you will lose it. I'm studying coaching, you see. Ha ha.
Now I'm back on my two wheels with great joy and motivation. We have tested a bit of new things and settings in my riding position and made some findings as well. It looks good, and it starts to feel good. As I will get my upper body flexibility to appropriate levels – that will bloody work.
Learn from the past,
Live in the present,
Dream of the future.
(Petteri Nykky)
Saturday, 18 February 2012
London TWC - vol.2
I don't know what to say. I have no words.
I'm disappointed. I'm devastated.
Believe me, I'm am the first one to admit the failure and to take it on myself. I knew it was a gamble to take up the kilo with my current focus of endurance training. It just didn't work at all. However, I was confident as in the training sessions the flying efforts were rather alright, but the issue was the start. I never reached the speed and faded from there. The moment I saw my time was crushing, a moment, I hope, no one would ever experience, but I had to take it. To be honest, I think everyone should, but that is not the point. And believe me – that was one of the hardest split moments ever. No explanations needed, I know what went wrong or what was missing. Still, for me, it is hard to take this at the moment. I know that I haven't trained for the kilo at all, but I never ever would have thought that all the starting power is so gone, but that's how it is. There are things on the background, such as the current training phase and and non existing track time, that had their toll on the ride, but I'm not very much willing to talk about them.
It is a crisis just now. But tomorrow, I believe, that I can start figuring out how to come up stronger. Some one has said that the character is tested when one is put against it. And now it is my job to show some character, and come the longer spring races, I'll be stronger than ever before.
As you can imagine, I'm not keen on talking about this. I'll go this through, with the people close to me, but this is something I just don't want to go through again and again. That's why I'm writing this now here – not trying to hide anything, but to say it and put it behind.
I'm disappointed. I'm devastated.
Believe me, I'm am the first one to admit the failure and to take it on myself. I knew it was a gamble to take up the kilo with my current focus of endurance training. It just didn't work at all. However, I was confident as in the training sessions the flying efforts were rather alright, but the issue was the start. I never reached the speed and faded from there. The moment I saw my time was crushing, a moment, I hope, no one would ever experience, but I had to take it. To be honest, I think everyone should, but that is not the point. And believe me – that was one of the hardest split moments ever. No explanations needed, I know what went wrong or what was missing. Still, for me, it is hard to take this at the moment. I know that I haven't trained for the kilo at all, but I never ever would have thought that all the starting power is so gone, but that's how it is. There are things on the background, such as the current training phase and and non existing track time, that had their toll on the ride, but I'm not very much willing to talk about them.
It is a crisis just now. But tomorrow, I believe, that I can start figuring out how to come up stronger. Some one has said that the character is tested when one is put against it. And now it is my job to show some character, and come the longer spring races, I'll be stronger than ever before.
As you can imagine, I'm not keen on talking about this. I'll go this through, with the people close to me, but this is something I just don't want to go through again and again. That's why I'm writing this now here – not trying to hide anything, but to say it and put it behind.
There is no starting or stopping - only doing.
Everything has a purpose, even this, and it's up to you to find it.
A warrior does not give up what he loves, he finds the love in what he does
(Quotes from Peaceful Warrior)
Everything has a purpose, even this, and it's up to you to find it.
A warrior does not give up what he loves, he finds the love in what he does
(Quotes from Peaceful Warrior)
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