Chronicles a week of training for WTCS pro and regular Slowtwitch contributor Erika Ackerlund.
https://www.slowtwitch.com/...ining_Life_8677.html
Yet another nice bubble popping moment for me. As summer approaches it's typical for me to start day dreaming about how great things are going to turn out this season. Somehow, magically, a sub-20-minute 1500m will flow like a soft summer breeze; the sub 6-minute pace tempo runs will pretty much run themsevles.
Then I see the routine volume and intensity that she can digest. Her normal weeks are like my single best week ever. Her current constitution is a testament to years of good development.
So I'm like, nevermind, let's just focus on keeping this carcass moving enough to keep the buzzards away. Probably better that I have my reality check on the couch instead of the road anyway. Thank you, EA, no dangerous heroics here this week; instead I will keep my preseason volume build at 2-3% and include one skill-building set.
FYI: Her current world ranking is 29th overall. And 5th US. She has contributed some excellent articles to Slowtwitch before.
(Erika is from MT; me too. I don't know her personally but we do share people. Hence the self-appointed role of part-time PR rep.)
What blows me away the most about athletes like her is the capacity to keep grinding away at the goal. It's easy to forget that desire + work are the original necessary ingredients. I think the same thing when I hear an emerging musician, when I read a debut novel, when the candidate running for school board knocks on my door and asks me open-ended questions, when the woman who owns the sandwich shop is there every day, day after day. Grind away, grinder.
Anyway, no question for the forum, no new and unique triathon-specific product or training advice. Thanks for letting a guy ramble again.
https://www.slowtwitch.com/...ining_Life_8677.html
Yet another nice bubble popping moment for me. As summer approaches it's typical for me to start day dreaming about how great things are going to turn out this season. Somehow, magically, a sub-20-minute 1500m will flow like a soft summer breeze; the sub 6-minute pace tempo runs will pretty much run themsevles.
Then I see the routine volume and intensity that she can digest. Her normal weeks are like my single best week ever. Her current constitution is a testament to years of good development.
So I'm like, nevermind, let's just focus on keeping this carcass moving enough to keep the buzzards away. Probably better that I have my reality check on the couch instead of the road anyway. Thank you, EA, no dangerous heroics here this week; instead I will keep my preseason volume build at 2-3% and include one skill-building set.
FYI: Her current world ranking is 29th overall. And 5th US. She has contributed some excellent articles to Slowtwitch before.
(Erika is from MT; me too. I don't know her personally but we do share people. Hence the self-appointed role of part-time PR rep.)
What blows me away the most about athletes like her is the capacity to keep grinding away at the goal. It's easy to forget that desire + work are the original necessary ingredients. I think the same thing when I hear an emerging musician, when I read a debut novel, when the candidate running for school board knocks on my door and asks me open-ended questions, when the woman who owns the sandwich shop is there every day, day after day. Grind away, grinder.
Anyway, no question for the forum, no new and unique triathon-specific product or training advice. Thanks for letting a guy ramble again.