Comments on: Training vs. talent?

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:27:04 +0000

http://blog.scottsemple.com/the-talent-myth/

as a fellow worker/student/guy who wants to be as fast on a bike as possible i empathize. the reality is not lack of training or talent or tenacity, but focus. being really good at something means doing whatever it takes for YOU to be as good as YOU need to be. keep experimenting, keep riding, but until someone hands you a paycheck, keep having fun…or give up everything else to try and become a pro and probably have no fun at all. i’m guessing you’re pretty “PRO” at whatever it is you do for a living.

ride on.

By: Why Train? - RickySilk

Why Train? - RickySilk — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:48:38 +0000

[...] just read “Talent vs. Training” by Molly Cameron. I can relate. Why train so hard? I don’t know…. I like a challenge. I want to find my [...]

By: Skip

Skip — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:19:03 +0000

“The secret trap of cycling.” I think you drilled it with that phrase.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:23:56 +0000

Life is a test. As a working man racer, you only partially get graded on your final score in the race. Character gets scored higher than bike race result (because we’re not testing VO2 max here) and if you managed, at great effort, to wring more out of your talent at DFL than the guy who glided to a win but never really worked that hard for it, then you win the G.C. even though the other guy took the podium on the day. As a guy-with-a-job-who-happens-to-race, if You manage to integrate work and family and friends with your training and racing, then you take the points competition too. That’s how I view it. Your mileage may vary.

By: beth h

beth h — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:20:58 +0000

This City Biker sez: Keep at it. You have talent and strength and obviously you know what to do with both. (I only wish my time and finances allowed me to “train” like this.) Go for it!

..::putting the pom-poms down now::..

By: crankles

crankles — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:29:47 +0000

oh man. tru dat! so alone…so all alone. Sahara like. I’ve been training solo for so long, I start acting all homeless and sh*t. talking to my self, mumbling, humming ABBA tunes. It’s bad. real bad…and no one want’s to do the dumb ass structured rides i gots to do anyway though. It’s no fun riding w/me.

By: Molly

Molly — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:55:15 +0000

Thanks!

I fired my coach, your check is in the mail!

By: Molly

Molly — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:54:20 +0000

Since I was planning on being fast in December and racing through January the last few years I’d start later in the summer. July ish. Take a month off after cx in February then tag a long with the road guys for some early season long miles. I’d race some vtt and road all spring long to stay fresh and motivated.

This year I took a summer break back in May/June and have been building up since then. Hence the last couple months of specificity. A little earlier than years past as this season starts off big!

Starcrossed-Rad Racing GP-CX Vegas-USGP 1+2

Got to be faster earlier this year!

By: robb

robb — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:29:29 +0000

Dude, racing is the best training. You’re not getting any better results in your cross racing, because you’re only giving yourself race intensity for 2-3months a year, while race season is on.

You should expand your horizons, race some road & mtb stuff so that your body can adjust and get used to the high intensity that comes from racing. It’s absolutely impossible to re-create that kind of stuff training on your own for 4-5hrs/day.

I would even go so far as to suggest you’re overtraining yourself, burning out, and losing key motivators from within.

Relax, remember that really, you’re riding to have fun. Keep that in the forefront, and I bet you’ll see improvements happen.

cheers!

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:29:16 +0000

Yes it is worth it.