The Tri Town Times: 4/22/24

• Posted on 23 April 2024
• By Antonio Gonzalez
• Posted in the tri town times
• 0

When a measure becomes the target.

Hi all,

Here is your weekly Tri Town Times newsletter:

Last week's highlights:

Nathaniel Souther of Boise and Danielle Marquette of Nampa won the Race to Robie Creek half marathon on Saturday under perfect weather conditions.

Events I'm looking forward to:

A fair number of local athletes will be racing Ironman Texas in The Woodlands this weekend.

Training thoughts and updates:

A meta-analysis found that when it comes to calming down, venting and physical activity like running are not as effective as simple techniques like deep breathing, relaxation, meditation, yoga, and mindfulness.

Thought that struck a chord:

"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." Charles Goodhart.

Hat tip to Coach Erin Green for sending me an intriguing podcast from the crew at Fast Talk Labs regarding the world of data, metrics, and wearables in relation to building fitness, training, racing, and improving health.

A couple years ago, I purchased an Oura Ring, and found the data it provided insightful but not helpful. My lowest scores would almost always be on race mornings. Of course, the night before a race, my sleep would be compromised due to travel, an unfamiliar sleep setting, and an exceptionally early wake-up call race morning. Sleep and readiness metrics in that context are rarely helpful- similar to having a friend on race morning say you look like crap. It may be true, but it's not helpful. As athletes, we do not get to chose when we have to perform at our best- the day will come whether we're ready or not.

From my experience, the best use of wearables and other devices is to promote changes in behavior that direct you towards better choices. A simple body weight scale and tape measure can maintain commitment to a new diet. A continuous blood glucose monitor can demonstrate the consequences of eating a donut in real time, and a sleep tracker can show you the cost of drinking alcohol. A power meter can encourage great pacing by demonstrating how easy 200 watts feels at the beginning of a race, and how impossible it may feel at 112 miles.

These devices are simply tools to help you make better decisions and do better work. Never be a slave to the tool, and remember Goodhart's law.

Have a great week!

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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