Sunday, January 13, 2013

Set Your Central Governor Straight!


This morning I finished the first of two indoor time Trials that will take place in January.  After my initial season opener Time Trial in December I had a discussion with my coach about the central governor.  I was arguing that I pushed as hard as I possibly could in that time trial and I had nothing left to give. His response? "You always have more in the tank!"  

The proposed CG theory is a constantly occurring process in the brain that regulates exercise and calculates safe exertion by the body.  We crazy athletes NEED this or we would all go threatening homeostasis by causing anoxic damage to heart and muscle tissue. The CG limits exercise and thereby thwarts off death by reducing the amount of neural recruitment of muscle fibers.  This reduced recruitment = fatigue. 

However studies have shown that even when riders bonk or DNF from seemingly insurmountable fatigue, they still have glycogen stores and fresh muscle fibers at their disposal.  The Governor simply decided it was best to not to go on. He is an overbearing mother hen! So it's time to teach your Governor that your tougher than he thinks!  Prove to him that you do have more unrecruited muscle fibers and extra glucose stores and that your not a big wimp! And how you ask?  Listening to music or even just BELIEVING IT. You have to make the decision that today is your day. Once you start doubting, you change your brain chemistry and you’re done.  And practice makes perfect. You can train the governor in a bit of a role reversal

So even though I'd rather race the Mount Washington Hill Climb, complete 1000 repeats in the pool, run a marathon, race an IRONMAN over doing an Indoor TT I will be at it again in 2 weeks. 

It's me versus the governor and he's going down!

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!


One more thing! Make sure to put Ironheart 5K, 10K and mile on your schedule for 2013!!!!