Use the wild windspower in training

The athlete called me early in the morning. “Coach, it is terrible windy today, cycling is impossible!” I said to him: “Great, man! The perfect day for training outside!!” and I just heard ….. “ …. but, coach ….. there are only 8 degrees Celsius .....”

It was a really craziness outside, of course I knew cycling would be impossible today. Due to his training plan, he had today an important cycling session for about 2 hours. When the wind is over 90 k/h you have to be …… no, not strong, but inventive!

Myself was driving on the highway between Zell am See and Salzburg then further to Linz and Vienna. I felt how the car looses the direction and how the winds transformed it in a toy on the highway. I had my own high adrenaline moments along this long trip! Speed limit was mandatory up to 60 km per hour instead of the normal 130, so you can imagine how crazy it was today all over the Austrian Alps. The wild rain and the strong winds seemed to play a cosmic play but getting down on Earth!

I changed the training session for today and I told him: “My dear, take your home trainer outside, place it against the wind for 30 minutes, then change the position of it so that you feel the lateral winds for another 30 minutes and then go running on the hills for one hour. When doing all these, please respect the following: 
# no music in the ears, just be with yourself;

# try to live the moment, don’t spend thoughts on other things which are in the past or in the future;

# when running uphill, turn on every 20 minutes and run backside for 30 up to 60 seconds;

# after finishing the run stay on the spot for 10 minutes, do some static stretching, feel the wind on your skin and let it coming through you. Enjoy the feeling. Stay there for ten minutes and identify yourself with the rain, wind, sweat, cold. If too cold, rotate the arms and jump. Do not run in any direction, try to remain on the spot, watch the wind, watch the rain, feel them and think about this being your best training day ever! Meet yourself!”

It was one of the most intense and strong and joyfully training sessions!

Coach-athlete relationship needs time and many other things which develop on the way.  I like to push you to your limits if you are ready to do it so. Otherwise you do not have to do anything of what you do not feel like. Certain things - feelings, thoughts, ideas etc. - do need the certain proper moment on the journey of your life.

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