Coach Carter

To start this post, a quote from Floyd Landis, speaking about his return to the pro ranks after a 2 year suspension: "I never stopped really appreciating my bicycle, I just didn't have any goals so I just wasn't as determined with my riding."

Since the decision I made to race less while I got the PBscience business up and running, I have to confess to finding less reasons to get on my bike. Sure, I still enjoy riding, but when you have been through 'having' to ride your bike 6 or 7 times per week, the 'wanting' to ride gets diminishes Right now, I would gauge that I would choose to ride my bike once maybe twice per week if enjoyment was what it was all about.

While I was competitive, I never questioned the training process - and each morning I would rise early to get that day's session done - no questions, it was automatic. I was speaking with Juliette, one oy my athletes about this last week when she came in to do a cycle training session in the lab under my supervision. We were reflecting on how as an athlete, the enjoyment often comes from the desire to get better - to know that you piece together sessions and get the reward at the end. Day by day though, it doesn't mean you have to love each training session. Its hard being an athlete: its by no means 'an easy life'. I fully allow my athletes to complain about training; but I do keep an ear on the tone with which they speak: the sessions can be tough, but I need to hear the satisfaction alongside. If that goes, THEN I begin to delve deeper for issues.

So, what gets me up at 6am each morning to train now? Well, the first PBscience training camp in Majorca is 10 days away. As well as being excited about running my first camp, I am also a little anxious that I will keep up on the rides! Its all very well doing 1 to 2 hour rides (often on the turbo), but stringing together 6 or 7, back to back 3 / 4 hour rides is a different proposition! My fitness is good - my lactate threshold is only 10W down on when I was training twice as many hours per week - but my ability to 'endure' that LT intensity is not what it was - I will be hiding in the group!

I think we all need reasons to train - as yes, I could make a choice to just exercise for fitness and health: but it wouldn't be enough to maintain my fitness in order to ride with my athletes, like during a track session I organised for a3crg this week. It was fun doing team time trial practice!

I'm glad I have Majorca to train for - the obvious question is then, after I get back, what is my motivation then? Its a long time to our second training camp, Lanzarote in November!