Poor Preparation

Tonight I have a time trial and I don't exactly feel prepared.

In fact its been that way for the last few weeks.

As much as I love this sport and pastime, like most people, I have other commitments - usual stuff like a job, family, chores, social life. Fitting a decent training programme around these other commitments can seem impossible at times. Some of the time, I manage it and sometimes I don't.

I was able to put in some seriously good miles earlier in the year and saw the benefits - feeling stronger, improving TT times and that powerful ache in the legs that tells you when you're off the bike that as soon as you get on, you are going to be awesome.

For me there are two potential barriers to putting in some good training - motivation and the much harder, "impossibility of the situation"

Motivation goes a long way - I personally need a target, something on the edge of achievability or something new. This is where events are great, because the last thing I want to do is turn up and be crap, having spent good money to be there. I must confess a genetic advantage here - my dad was a Yorkshireman and I am determined to get my moneys worth, even if it is only a £2.50 pre entry TT.

Motivation helps you shoehorn training into times that previously didn't exist. Although I often have a long working day, I can normally fit in sessions at the most unsociable times - mainly very early in the morning.

If I don't have to be at work early and don't have any meetings requiring a suit, the perfect start for me is a full on commute to work. I must confess a geographical training advantage here as this gives an instant boost of 60+ miles to the training bank and generally puts me in a great mood for the day. Unfortunately, this approach is limited to about once or twice a month over the half of the year when its light early enough.

There are other early morning routes I use closer to home - some out in the countryside around the town where I live - great for the soul, or more concentrated tight circuits in town including hill reps, but close enough that if I have a mechanical, it will not mean my whole work morning disappears down the drain

Recently, things have been different.The "impossible factor" has come in to play. I am sure some coaches would attribute this very phrase to a lack of motivation or creativity in my time management. However, I think it is important to recognise that sometimes you just can't do it all. Recovery, is as important as doing the hard stuff and an essential component in any successful training programme. It is not a soft option, its not a get out, its part of the process and in my life, long working days and a long commute can also be "hard stuff".

This week has been a very good example - a heavier than usual workload has meant earlier starts, many meetings requiring socially acceptable clothing in decent condition and later nights. Trying to squeeze in a training ride this week, would probably finish me off. Thats the reality.

So, tonight I have a 21 mile scratch TT and I feel very underprepared.

I did the club 10 last week and that was my first ride since the previous week. I still managed a course PB, so this was hardly a disaster. I had the following day off work and had a great ride with a fantastic bunch of guys around some of the 2012 Olympic Road Race course - a total of 76 miles and good for the soul. Character building stuff as well - probably the wettest I have ever been on a bike. My final "training" session was on fathers day and involved a hybrid, a riverside track, some haddock, chips, Guinness and a short hail storm.

Tonight will be my first ride at this distance, so whatever time I conjur up from my limited reserves, it will be another PB. And that is good enough for me.

... and as every cyclist knows, there's always the next ride to prepare for.