Flip the switch

The last few days have been interesting. I noticed on Sunday that things seemed different for me. When I was on the trainer for 90 minutes on Sunday it didn't bother me. I had been struggling to get an hour in...and sometimes settling for 45 minutes on occasion. That ride on Sunday though just seemed different. I didn't mind the time and just was thinking about the first race of the season in March. I just pedaled for 90 minutes and was fairly relaxed on the bike.

Monday was a scheduled rest day. I was going to spin for 30-45 minutes at an easy pace just to keep my legs loose but I opted for extra sleep instead. Glad I did. I felt very rested on Tuesday and I had another 90 minute session on the schedule. I put on a movie and pedaled for 90 more minutes. This ride was a little less comfortable because of the steady state intervals (3x10 min) that were mixed into the ride. The first one was easy. Comfortable. The second I noticed that my focus was on maintaining cadence and breathing. I easily could have gone out of the SS range but my breathing was controlling my heart rate. The third was hard. I didn't think 10 minutes at a higher heart rate would be difficult but by the last 5 minutes I was ready to be done. After the third set I still had 28 minutes left of my 90 minutes. I did an easy pedal for 5 minutes then a moderate cruising speed for the remainder of the ride. Again, just a different feeling on the bike than I had even last week. Kind of like a switch was turned on.

Say what you want but I know that if you are not in the right frame of mind that you will not be able to accomplish anything. Confidence? Perhaps, but I don't think that is it. I think for me it is the desire to be better. I can say I want to be better but until I actually WANT to be better I will never get better. With 12 weeks until my first race I WANT and NEED to be better. I think this started last Saturday when I was sitting with a few of my team members. We were talking about bike choice for Barry Roubaix in March. I just started thinking that it is time to get in gear. I made a spreadsheet comparing gear ratio vs. speed of my Epic and Defy. I want to ride the Defy (with CX tires) because I will be way faster. The issue is gearing on the Epic is clearly better for hills. So, the choice I have is to ride the Epic or get stronger and ride the Defy. David W. told me to ride the Defy and if I can't make a hill to get off and run. Makes sense. So, because I want to ride the Defy and I know time is closing in I had the switch flipped. It is on and I am going to work my ass off to get in race shape. 

Do you have a switch?

One other thing. I saw this picture and it reminded me of myself. I am a person of average intelligence but I have doubts about the decisions I make. This makes me less confident in myself. I work, or have worked, with people that are the other way. They are so confident that they are right that they prove their stupidity on a daily basis. Just food for thought.

courtesy of www.lifelovequotesandsayings.com