Did a critical power test today. Long time coming. Don’t know if you’ve ever done a critical power test before. It is a super efficient and easy way to get your wattage zones defined. You can do it in the comfort of your own home. It takes maximum two hours (depends on how much warm-up and cooldown you want). Anyway, I’m sure you can google “critical power test” and find out all the details. So I did one.

I learned something incredibly valuable today (besides my new wattage zones)… Fear of failure. This is my limiter. I held back during the first part of the 20 minute interval block. I was afraid of cracking and not finishing the interval. But what this did was prevented me from riding to my potential.

I had a long talk with Marc afterwards about the critical power test and what he saw. He started to point out some of the things I do when I train. I tend to pay too much attention to my SRM. Worried that I’m training too hard or not hard enough. When Marc points out, what really matters is the average number for the interval/training session. I need to learn to train with power as opposed to training against power. Does this make sense?

A similar trend happens when I race. I’m afraid of taking a risk. Taking the flier. Attempting to bridge to the group up the road. Or to really rip through a sandy corner. Limiters. Holding me back from my potential. This is a tough lock to unlock. Guess really it comes down to committing to taking chances. Taking a risk here and there will inevitably lead to success and failure. A bit of both is better than mediocrity.

I suppose it would be different if I was 17 years old – I’d have some years in the sport to try things slowly and surely and learn the bike racing game slowly. But I’m not 17. I’m 37. I don’t really have time to take the slow and easy approach. I’ve got to take the chances and race now like I’m not going to have a chance to race next year.

So time for some risk taking. There is no room for limits in my training and racing. This isn’t limited to the bike – same approach needs to be applied in the weight room and on my mental training.

Wow, I’m fired up now!!! How about you?

(Good luck to the hard-men and strong-women of Ottawa/Chelsea/Gatineau who are toeing the line tomorrow in Almonte for Paris Roubaix. I’ll be thinking of you while I’m out riding on nice smooth paved roads!)