100 variables, well 55......

Bit stuck for what to write this week hence it's Tuesday and I have yet to post. Then I remembered a list I wrote before Christmas. Whilst reading a cycling book (GB track cycling team success I think) I read the foreword written by Clive Woodward. In it he talked about trying to make the England Rugby Team as good as it could possibly be. He simply said that if you could improve 100 things each by 1% the net improvement would be substantial. This is also very much in line with Dave Brailsford thinking with the Cycling team. So I set about creating my '100 things list' I didn't get to 100 but I did manage to identify some potential changes that should progress my racing. I must admit I haven't paid particular attention to the list but it has been in the back of my mind, some of the targets, goals further forward than others.

When I look at my list I have hit some of my goals, improvements, variables, others I have not.

The variables might be ‘Race Day’ Variables or ‘Training’ Variables. If improved they will have a positive impact on Race Day performance.

1. Shoulder and Pectoral Flexibility; more aero.
2. Hip Flexor Flexibility; running efficiency.
3. Ankle Flexibility; running and swimming efficiency.
4. Hamstring Strength.
5. Quadriceps Strength.
6. Gastrocnemius Strength.
7. Gluteals Strength.
8. Core Stability.
9. Triceps Strength and Muscular Endurance.
10. Latissimus Dorsi Strength and Muscular Endurance.
11. Concentration on the bike.
12. Ride a neater line.
13. Stay more still whilst pedalling.
14. Increase cycling cadence.
15. Change Front end of the bike; improved aero position.
16. Use the ‘Drafting Distance Rule’ effectively.
17. Remove a head tube spacer, lower front end.
18. Descend faster.
19. Get a streamlined hair cut?
20. Take Corners faster, be more confident.
21. Pee whilst riding.
22. Ride hard ‘over’ the top of climbs.
23. Ride on the drops during every session, at least once.
24. Reduce the time spent free-wheeling.
25. ‘Pull Up’ the pedal, particularly when climbing.
26. Buy lighter pedals.
27. Research FAST Tubular tyres, change if necessary.
28. Increase speed just prior to a climb, increase cadence 10rpm.
29. Switch from 9 to 10 speed gears; wider gear ratio, smoother changes.
30. Improve fat metabolism.
31. 23rd May; weigh 72 kg’s.
32. Drink more water, every single day.
33. Reduce my body fat.
34. Practice Race Day Nutrition on long training days.
35. Race Day Nutrition, get it right.
36. Eat more ‘proper real’ foods.
37. Each day eat less sugary foods.
38. Eat more food on race morning.
39. Race in a light coloured top to assist thermoregulation.
40. In the water, keep my elbow higher.
41. Start the pull phase earlier in my stroke.
42. Make less splash during hand entry.
43. Run Tall.
44. Increase running cadence.
45. Relax my fingers and hands when running ‘holding a crisp’; visual trigger.
46. Be more relaxed on race morning.
47. Remove negative thoughts whilst racing, think of something more beneficial.
48. Stay positive whilst racing, engage positive experiences .
49. Learn and use some ‘visualisation’ techniques.
50. When it hurts, make it hurt more.
51. Be pro-active to training sessions, not just re-active; USE HR monitor or Garmin.
52. Shave my legs?
53. Learn to ingest 1/4 Nuun tablets neat, followed by water to reduce the need to walk through feed zones as wait for the tablets to dissolve in a cup.
54. Stretch after each run session.
55. Maximise the first 1hour post hard or long sessions, ingest a balance of nutrients.

So what's left to do? Here's a few thoughts. 52. Shave my legs, with a divorce threat if I do I have given that one a miss. 19. Get a stream lined hair cut, worried like Samson I might lose my strength so will give that a miss (Tim Don seemed to do fine) 12. Ride a neater line, done, every time I rode home I'd try to stick on the white line for the 1 mile stretch. 21. Pee whilst riding, not a great thing to practice whilst training, so will decide on race day. 45. Relax my fingers and hands when running, seems to have worked, still got the 'crisp' in my mind (Walkers salt and vinegar work best) 31. 23rd May weigh 72kg's, I'm gonna be closer to 72 than 75.

Having re-read my list I still have 10 days in which to get a few more variables in the bag. Will it work, well it certainly won't do any harm.