FUD

Fear.
Uncertainty.
Doubt.

These are probably the 3 biggest issues I have in my training and racing.  They are three little devils in the back of my mind that erode my ability to train consistently, smartly, and correctly – which ultimately impacts my ability to race at the level I want.

I’ve had success and failure in the past in dealing with FUD.  It’s easiest to combat FUD – when you are getting regular positive feedback on your actions.  Fast times, successful workouts, and good feelings always seem to hold FUD off.

FUD seems to creep in though when the opposite things happens – bad races, failed workouts, staleness.  In and of itself the arrival of FUD isn’t bad,when it turns bad though is when you act on that FUD.  For me, the downfall is when I start to question my training plan and my weekly routine, and spending time on the net searching out the next thing to try.

I try what I find, struggle, and struggle some more.  At some point I realize that I have succumbed to this bout of FUD, and am able to pull myself out of it.

A bit of a cryptic post today, but mostly intended as a reminder to myself (and warning to others) – FUD isn’t bad, but allowing FUD to change your day to day plan is.  When you find a formula that works for you – keep at it – until you need to make a change, rather than changing because out of FUD.

Training Update: I did the High Cliff HIM, as a relay.  I paced it a little aggressively – was at 290 some watts @ 20 minutes.  I ended up faded pretty fantastically to average 260 overall.  My time was 2:20+.  I really wanted to pull in under 2:20, but comparing my time to some of the studs in the race, I was very happy with it.  I could not have run well off the ride the way I rode, but assuming a smartly paced average power of 260 would have resulted in the same time, it probably would have been an exciting day.  I also raced the Superrun 5k last night.  Last year I finished in 18:40.  This year my time was 18:45 – the day after a 2 hour run in hot, humid weather that saw me losing 7 pounds, and was my second run of the day along with two bike rides.  So not to shabby to end up only 5 seconds slower than last year.  That said, my CTL for cycling has been flattening out the last two weeks or so – mostly due to some life scheduling things – so I need to focus a bit on the consistent to continue to drive that north for a few more weeks.

I intend to only sharply drive my CTL north for another 5 to 6 weeks, than let it flatten for a few weeks before I drop off for a taper.  That’s similar to what I did in 2008, so I intend to try to replicate it.