Trust

When I woke up this morning and carefully listened for a pitter-pat of rain and didn't hear it, then glanced outside on my way to fill the kettle with water for coffee and saw a gray, dry sky I couldn't help but get my hopes up. I placed a couple of phone calls to schedule a much needed motor pace session and then called the coach to find out exactly what kind of workout I should do since my original plan changed and it might stay dry.

I also looked on the radar and grimaced at a dark green/orange/yellow blob that was moving up from the south. Denial is a wonderful thing. Maybe it will blow by? Maybe it'll just stop right there and not hit the area and douse the track with precipitation? Maybe that orange means sunshine?

I was only 1/4 of the way to Seward on my morning ride when the first sheet of rain hit, spitting at first and then becoming a constant drizzle. By the time I got home, my butt was soaked, shoes wet, rain coat donned and I came to terms that today would hold an insane roller workout.

It's hard not to panic when things don't go according to plan. Especially right before an event that you've waited all year to have a crack at again. Am I doing enough? Am I losing my fitness?

But tapering does just that. It creates a little voice in your head that is hard to ignore. Suddenly you have more time on your hands since somehow you had adapted to the insane double day workouts and 98" gear efforts. And now that workload is cut in half and race gear feels like a warm up gear. What were precious moments of down time become huge blocks of boredom and all your body wants to do is move. I have tackled those pesky chores since I've had more time - mow the lawn, wash the car, organize a closet, knock out a list of self-prescribed honey do's.

This is the time when you place the biggest trust in your coach and training plan. All of the hard work, the hours spent pedaling, the dedication to solid nutrition, the weight training, etc - your homework essentially - comes into play. You couldn't cram fitness in right before a major event - it has to be accumulated over time. And you have to trust that all of your hard work will come into play next week.

And now for that 3x10 minute high cadence workout.... my roller mat will look like I left it outside. :)