keeping it up up up

I read somewhere that many tour riders fear the rest day and they don't know if they'll be at the top on the day immediately after. Many of them go for a quick couple of hours of training just to assure the body that it is not over yet.

I'm entering the pre competition phase of my programme, and after an adjustment period (I'd say it somewhere between Tuesday two weeks ago and last Friday) the body is getting used to a higher level of stress and more work on the upper scale of the heart rate. It was a moderate week and I had two time trials (the cooper's test and today's 20k on the bike) and a long moderate run. Tomorrow will be a transitional day (I'm guessing there will be not a lot of high intensity on the swim and then only 8min of sprinting) and Saturday will be one of those key workouts (modified to suit my current situation with the leg)

It doesn't cease to amaze me how after the adjustment period, the body has been able to cope with serious intensity and the mind is not playing any games to stop it. I'm tired but eager and I know it's going to be hard, a month ago I would be struggling with the motivation, but now I don't even have time to think on that stuff. I don't fear that a rest day will hinder my performance on race day, I'm looking forward to the next rest day. But I wouldn't like that the workouts get any easier from now on, I want and kind of need them to challenge me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that in some very strange way, the principle is the same for the TdF riders and for us athletes getting ready for an A race (to sound a bit american). When the intensity is up, it's better to keep it up up up until we reach that border where another workout is one too much. I am not quite there yet, and I trust my coach enough to allow him to make me do a lot of stupid hours on the pool, track and windtrainer and stressing the whole system to obtain better performance.

And the rest of my life is busy enough to allow any relaxation, but I'm smiling, and that's important.

Date: 22 July
Sport: Cycling (indoor)
Time: 60min (28.25min)
Dist: n/a (20km)
Comment: I won the sweat competition, I've must let go about 3lt. of water.