Mind'ervals
sometimes ... you gotta burn a few synapses.
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the lunch workout can often be a bitch. maybe the breakfast wasn't anything but caffeinated chocolate. maybe the nite before saw one or three too many margaritas. maybe the will is just waning ...
but, form has to be built ... so, dammit ~ turn the screws to it.
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one technique i use - when the repeats oppress like a looming, dooming mountain to be scaled - is to start with one foot forward, blinking eyes with a sigh and a brief mantra of, "ok ... two more ... just two more."
i know i can handle "two more." Two more is digestible, it's realistic and though a bail-out of what might be needed, it's still better than nothing. And no matter how blown or shattered or disgusted i feel with myself after an interval ... i know i can do at least one after that ... so, looking at the mountain, it's...
"ok ... two more."
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Up the hill, knees in revolt shoving daggers and screaming jihad. The back is tight and twisted from too little ab-work and crooked, hooked, age is all that can be seen.
where is your breathing, michael?
turn the pedals over, it's only two more.
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The knees find lubrication and the shoulders have taught the back to relax a bit, so pace opens up a hair, another time up the hill ... "two more, just two more."
I know I can make it one more time, and then it's the last one. I'll be done and the pain will stop. Just make it up this hill ... do what needs be done.
"two more, just two more."
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and this time, i think we can do it. Come'on bicycle, let's accelerate mid-way through this repeat ... that's what the workout called for, right? And now, you can do it. I mean, we've only got two more, just two more ... the body has woken up and the suffering has changed from ripping cloth to pounding hammer ... we can do a couple in the right form, the right effort, the right mold.
Hit the big gear ...yes, feel the circle, distribute it evenly ... efficiency is there under the dust. you can find it.
"two more, just two more."
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Everything, pour it into this one ... everything. This is the winning move, Michael ... this is the training. Yes, at least this is the right pain, the building pain, the pain that brings rewards.
Shake with effort at the top, breath rasping, eyes bloodshot. Turn down the hill, get down for the next one ... "just two more."
Sprint, don't just accelerate ... is that the 19t? .... make it to the 17. Burn, BURN, get back on that saddle and force the speed to remain after that attack. Let them chase, make them chase, put everything into the pedalstroke.
"just two more."
just two more
8 comments:
i'm not so good at fooling myself
but if i make each 2 slightly different in some way, than i can wrap myself in the 'just 2 more' a little better and not feel that i'm being fooled
silliness makes the bike go 'round
just to more margaritas?
Two more is two too many, unless you are talking about margaritas. But again, I have no discipline.
chocovals.
you're so good.
will you do my intervals for me?
That is why I have to do my intervals ont he rollers with a Russian looking over my shoulder.
I can give up on myself (with all sorts of valid justification...what's that saying, "excuses are like assholes, everyone has one and they all stink"), but I cannot give up on my coach or my team.
I need to learn your discipline.
I can do it in the gym, in a group ride while chasing or being chased, and I can do it in a race. Just can't always muster the will on a training ride.
We are talking about drinking margaritas...right?
Hey OV, can you delete this post?! No fair giving all the secrets away to the youngins for free. Aren't they supposed to be figurin this stuff out themselves. Coaches don't teach it like this, life does. Then again, they probably aren't readin all the beautiful, inciteful, wise geezer talk comin out of this corner of the ethersphere!
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