tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3631472551155659742.post288739914067074225..comments2023-10-31T02:05:10.932-07:00Comments on THOUGH HE BE BUT LITTLE HE IS FIERCE: Beers and Dim Sum and WillpowerSteve Pelaezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03521856940951566242noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3631472551155659742.post-54626321761112628102008-05-13T00:19:00.000-07:002008-05-13T00:19:00.000-07:00I've always believed that it's the mental game tha...I've always believed that it's the mental game that separates the contenders from the champions. Competing in various individual sports growing up made me realize that more often that not, when pitted against an opponent of equal or lesser skill, it was my own mental unraveling that led to defeat.<BR/><BR/>As for self-discipline, it definitely takes willpower to maintain willpower...!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04191837467131775215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3631472551155659742.post-11354537818416837172008-05-08T22:52:00.000-07:002008-05-08T22:52:00.000-07:00At the Sydney World Cup, I asked Magnus if he was ...At the Sydney World Cup, I asked Magnus if he was flying the year he won Paris Rubaix. His response "Fxxx no, I was dying, but I told myself who's going to win, your body or your mind?" That's the kind of mental tenacity (willpower) it takes to win. Some days I have it, but it comes and goes. It's a mental state that takes practice. Obviously, it's hard to have that kind of razor sharp focus when we have so many other things on your plates (work, family, etc.). One of the things I really enjoyed when I was training fulltime was taking my daily afternoon naps. That definitely helped recharge me mentally and physically. Wish I could still take some sietas. Ultimately, given the limits of willpower (mental energy), cycling has to be a lifestyle. It's too hard any other way. It's hard to live like a rockstar off the bike and then turn around and train like madman. Burnout!Steve Pelaezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03521856940951566242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3631472551155659742.post-10121246944449719282008-05-08T19:46:00.000-07:002008-05-08T19:46:00.000-07:00I done lots of reading and had some good professio...I done lots of reading and had some good professional help in the area of mental preparation. There are mental preparation things you can, and should do every day, and during especially important training sessions. Mental imagery of the successful race outcomes is one, reminders of your goals is another.<BR/><BR/>Brian knows this one, but when I'm doing my hardest sessions, getting close to blacking out from the efforts, I look at the stars and stripes on my sleeves for a reminder of why I'm doing this. That intensity can't be survived except in limited doses.<BR/><BR/>The CNS system has absolute, finite limits. It's more for some people than others, but the limits still apply, and must be managed carefully. Eddy Merckx once said that "burnout" isn't physical, it's mental. More correctly, it's the CNS.<BR/><BR/>The mental build in the last days before the main event of the season gets intense, and the final mental preparations saved for the day of the event and the last few minutes prior are so intense and focused laser-sharp, that they have to be saved for when it matters most, or they won't be as effective, and your brain would burn up.WarrenGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16524271078611979940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3631472551155659742.post-22352007716444625432008-05-08T09:59:00.000-07:002008-05-08T09:59:00.000-07:00Good article Steve. Many people talk about "burnin...Good article Steve. Many people talk about "burning matches" during a race, and they usually mean physical matches. Burn too many and you are done.<BR/><BR/>While I certainly have a limited number of physical matches, I've got a limited number of mental matches. Knowing when to burn them throughout the season is important.<BR/><BR/>Some people have a greater capacity for handling the willpower. It just goes to show how we are each individual. The key is to understand yourself, and know your bounds and how you can respond to all the stimuli.Brian Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16526342604881980594noreply@blogger.com