bike 15.12.2024

From preliminary skirmish to mental “tunnel”

My current performance on the bike pretty much reflects my ride around Lake Zurich last October.

61.76 kilometers in 2:10:33, which corresponds to an average speed of 28.4 km/h. I achieved this on the more or less flat route with an average power output of 136 watts and an average heart rate of 144 bpm.

I assume that I will be able to increase this performance considerably with consistent indoor training over the winter months. And then, for the road season next year, I’ll fit my triathlon handlebars again, which will make me much more aerodynamic on the bike. I’ll have to train in this position all next year anyway, so that my back can get used to it on long rides lasting several hours without causing tension or pain.

My short-term goal for next spring: to complete the same route at an average speed of 30 km/h.

I’m glad I deliberately gave myself three years to prepare for the big long day in October 2026. It’s actually two big, long days. I will probably be at the start of an Ironman in Europe in June 2026, perhaps in Hamburg. I have to finish this successfully to qualify for the World Championships in Hawaii.

I decided on this project spontaneously and on impulse in the summer of 2023. Today, I realize that the run-in period of a whole year was absolutely necessary. The physical adaptation alone to this new variety of exertion after a long break takes time. Coach Dan also regularly reminded me to take a slow, patient approach.

Dan has definitely driven out one of my previous habits of letting my legs hang for a few days or even weeks and then suddenly completely exhausting myself with an enthusiastic “fit” of sporting passion and ambition. I would rather train myself to death than build up my fitness. He’s right! I have learned to curb my sporting and emotional impulses. The development of my performance values on Garmin shows that I’m on the right track. I can feel that my testosterone levels are certainly still quite high for my age. But the impulse to chase after someone who overtakes me on the bike, for example, is something I now leave at the side of the road, deeply relaxed. I know what I have to pay attention to in training.

To be honest, it’s only in the last few weeks that I’ve really dived into the mental “tunnel” with an absolute focus on my big goal. What has “happened” so far has been a preliminary skirmish.

I will train for the last two weeks of this year in the knowledge that 2025 will be absolutely crucial. I am excited and full of anticipation!


Share: