On more
On more
Time horizons, objective data, and the appetite for risk
Time horizons, objective data, and the appetite for risk
Jul 26, 2024
Could I be doing more?
Is the right question but the timeframe is usually wrong
Today? Almost always yes, a lot more
This week? Almost always yes, quite a bit more
This month? Almost always yes, a little bit
This training block? Maybe. But probably not much more.
The conditions are also very variable. At the end of a session? Which session? On the rest day? When carbed-up to the gills and and caffeinated out of my mind? When pressured by work? During an interval? On a deload week? On the the third week of a 3:1 split?
These things will vary the assessment drastically. On the same day, you could wake up feeling like a lazy fuck for not training enough, and then on the second interval or the second hour of a run, or a climb that takes a bit too long, you change your mind entirely.
Two things solve this problem.
The first is objective data. Metrics like TrainingPeak's TSS and Garmin's Training load do a good job of measuring this. At first they make no sense, but very quickly, in a month or two, they catch up and provide a very solid aid to perception. It solves most of the problem switftly and very effectively.
The second is time. Structured training for 6 months is not a lot of experience. You have nothing to go by. How much is enough? When things feel this tough, how long do I have before I break? How much of this is in my head vs in my body?
For me, 9 months in, I'm starting to get a hang of this. Starting.
For example, I made a decision 5 months in to ALWAY err on the side of underdoing, because my natural tendency is to overdo. I also crushed myself on the bike when I started 3 months ago so I also decided to take it easy on the bike. Well, yesterday, I found out that I can probably handle more. Can I? I don’t know. I will increase the intensity just a smidge and see.
Could I be doing more?
Is the right question but the timeframe is usually wrong
Today? Almost always yes, a lot more
This week? Almost always yes, quite a bit more
This month? Almost always yes, a little bit
This training block? Maybe. But probably not much more.
The conditions are also very variable. At the end of a session? Which session? On the rest day? When carbed-up to the gills and and caffeinated out of my mind? When pressured by work? During an interval? On a deload week? On the the third week of a 3:1 split?
These things will vary the assessment drastically. On the same day, you could wake up feeling like a lazy fuck for not training enough, and then on the second interval or the second hour of a run, or a climb that takes a bit too long, you change your mind entirely.
Two things solve this problem.
The first is objective data. Metrics like TrainingPeak's TSS and Garmin's Training load do a good job of measuring this. At first they make no sense, but very quickly, in a month or two, they catch up and provide a very solid aid to perception. It solves most of the problem switftly and very effectively.
The second is time. Structured training for 6 months is not a lot of experience. You have nothing to go by. How much is enough? When things feel this tough, how long do I have before I break? How much of this is in my head vs in my body?
For me, 9 months in, I'm starting to get a hang of this. Starting.
For example, I made a decision 5 months in to ALWAY err on the side of underdoing, because my natural tendency is to overdo. I also crushed myself on the bike when I started 3 months ago so I also decided to take it easy on the bike. Well, yesterday, I found out that I can probably handle more. Can I? I don’t know. I will increase the intensity just a smidge and see.
