Trying to find my easy button

Sometimes, it's the easy things that trip me up. When I was cycling in Italy this fall what do you think was the hardest part? Those uphill climbs? No, not at all. Oh, it was challenging and difficult and I was spinning in the easiest gear trying to get myself up some of those climbs but I knew if I just kept moving my legs, I'd get there eventually.

Instead, the most fearful part for me were the down hills. As steep as the climbs were going up, they were just as steep going down. But going down was fast, seemingly too fast, on narrow roads with cars coming both ways. I felt out of control. Eventually, I learned to relax and get through the descent by relaxing my upper body, getting my bike into the hardest gear I could find, and signing Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" or R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly." (Hey, I never said I was proud of my musical selections.)

Relaxing, even during the tough climbs, was important and I'm finding out how important it is as my training progresses. Fighting through a workout means focusing, working hard and challenging yourself - not getting tense and tight. The more I find comfort in my "downhill" zone, the more productive my workouts feel.

Comments

[Ed]

One of the best phrases of advice a coach ever gave me was "Tight mind, loose body" I repeat that to myself often when I'm pounding out some of those Egger workouts - welcome to the team!