Tackling Weaknesses for a Breakthrough

by Marilyn McDonald

You know those sessions that cause you to just cringe in fear if anyone even mentions them? We all have them. The coach says, "Okay, today we are going to do a solo bike TT for one hour, best possible pace," or "1500m TT in the pool," and you get that shudder.

On the flipside there are those those session you would wake up any day to go do. For me, it's the group ride, as fast and furious as possible, the bigger the group the more fun!

Chances are it's those session we cringe over that are our weak links. They're the ones that expose our true weakness. There is a certain amount of fear, because it's super hard for us.

Here is what I've found works to turn limiters into a challenge that you can grow to love and then go on to have breakthrough performances mentally and physically.

First, recognize your weakness and be willing to change and challenge them.

Next, break the challenge into small manageable segments that progressively build each week.

For example:
Commit to riding in your areobars for six times 10 minutes, then maybe the next week move to four times 20 minutes at your TT effort, with a small 5-minute break between each interval. Hit target pace, effort, watts, rpm, etc. Keep building on to to the workout until you gain enough strength to tackle your one-hour TT.

Or the other example of 1500m TT swim:
You could start out with doing a set of 3x (5x100) with 50 easy between sets. Aim for the pace you hope to hold in your TT, all on 5-10 sec rest. Progress from there to 15x100 on 5 seconds rest holding your goal time. Add on until you finally have the comfort to go after your 1500m TT.

If you are hitting this type of progression successfully and come to the week where your confidence is high and the effort feels challenging but comfortable and not scary you are ready to go race. This is the moment you've built yourself to for the breakthrough you are looking for.

Look at your most dreaded sessions and ask yourself, "Is this the limiter I need to tackle to break through?"

Go after it!