The Tri Town Times: 7/22/24

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

Setting and leveraging boundaries.

Hi all,

Some time ago, I noticed something intriguing in our athlete onboarding process. We pose a simple question: "How many hours per week do you have available to train for this event?" Most athletes fall within a reasonable range of 7 to 15 hours weekly, but occasionally, we encounter outliers. These outliers typically fall into two categories: those with an abundance of time (25+ hours per week) and those severely time-constrained (<4 hours per week). Interestingly, regardless of their initial response, their outcomes tend to be consistent—they struggle to maintain consistency once training begins.

I believe these outliers often face challenges in setting boundaries.

The time-constrained outliers resemble jugglers trying to manage too many balls at once. They attempt to do it all despite knowing they're nearing their personal limits in time and energy. While successful in other aspects of life, they register for demanding challenges like Ironman or ultra-distance races, often driven by the prestige associated with such feats. Once the event is completed, they rarely return, having checked the box on their list of accomplishments.

Conversely, the time-rich outliers struggle with a lack of structure and boundaries. With ample freedom, they find it challenging to impose discipline on their training regimen. Such athletes often benefit from treating training like a job, adhering to a set schedule and possibly joining group sessions to foster accountability.

In contrast, the most successful athletes I've worked with excel in setting clear boundaries. They allocate specific time for training (typically in the mornings) while balancing other commitments. Despite sport not being their full-time occupation, they approach it with utmost dedication. During their training sessions, they eliminate distractions and maintain a singular focus on preparing both body and mind for the upcoming event.

Ultimately, boundaries- when effectively utilized- can be a hidden advantage in our athletic pursuits.

Last week's highlights:

- Yesterday, the Tour de France finished in Nice for the first time in history. Tadej Pogačar won his third Tour and became the first cyclist since 1998 to win both the Tour and Giro d'Italia in the same season.

- Matteo Jorgenson of Boise took 8th overall in the Tour de France and 4th place in the final Stage 21 time trial. Watch the highlights of his heartbreaking second place in Stage 19 here.

- Despite a crash late on the bike course, Danielle Lewis of Boise won Ironman Lake Placid yesterday and set a women's run course record of 2:52:23.

- Carson Hampton of Boise won the U23 Pro/Cat1 cross-country and short-track races at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships this past weekend in Macungie, Pennsylvania. Full results here.

Events I'm looking forward to:

- The Olympic Games Opening Ceremony is Friday, July 26th, and for the first time it will not be held in a stadium. The Ceremony will be held as a 'river parade' on the Seine.

Have a great week!

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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