At one time or another, most cyclists have muttered these words: “I could’ve gone harder.”
While these feelings are usually stirred up in the moments following a big event and not during the race itself, there is truth that can be learned from this confession. What these words won’t do is make an all-out effort on the bike any easier the next time around.
Like anything else, if you want to ride harder, faster or longer, you’ll have to train your body and mind to make it happen.
The Physiological Versus the Psychological
Training principles that involve VO2 max numbers and lactate threshold benchmarks are often used to tailor training plans and judge a cyclist’s fitness. These data points are a way for science to measure what our bodies are capable of during physical exercise—and while these methods shouldn’t be discounted, they aren’t the only things that need to be accounted for when judging how far our bodies can be pushed.
Tim Noakes, a professor of exercise science at the University of Cape Town and a former runner, made headlines recently with his theory that endurance athletes slow down because of a safety mechanism in the brain that’s meant to protect the body from extreme physical exertion, and not because of a lack of oxygen being supplied to working muscles.
One study put Noakes’ theory to the test. Researchers found that the use of acetaminophen during all-out time trial efforts improved performance. The reasoning behind the study was meant to show that when the brain’s pain sensors are dulled, the body is able to push beyond previous levels of physical exertion.
While this isn’t meant to lobby for pain killers like alcohol and other amphetamines used by cyclists throughout the history of the Tour de France to improve performance, it does emphasize the important role the brain plays in regulating our efforts during extreme endurance events.
Training Tips to Reach New Heights
Of the pain a cyclist learns to endure in professional cycling, American Greg LeMond once said: “It [cycling] never gets easier, you just go faster.”
For most amateur athletes, mental limitations are often the biggest obstacle to overcome—and the last we choose to improve. In order to train your brain to allow for more suffering on the bike (for the sake of getting faster), you’ll need to treat it like any other muscle.
According to a recent study published in the American College of Sports Medicine Journal, those who regularly participate in aerobic exercise have a higher tolerance for pain than those who don’t. What’s more, as you continue a routine schedule of exercise, your pain threshold (along with your fitness) will continue to improve. In other words, the more you practice dealing with pain as a result of aerobic exercise, the more you’ll be able to handle.
Here are some tips to get more out of yourself at your next big event:
1. Do high-intensity workouts.
Designed to improve your pain threshold as you fatigue, incorporating all-out efforts one to two times per week can help you become more comfortable with what pain on the bike feels like. Whether it’s repeats on a tough climb in your area or sustained time-trial efforts on your indoor trainer, practicing pain is the way to go.
2. Schedule “test” races before your big event.
Because athletes are more likely to push themselves harder during an event than they would during a routine training ride, it’s recommended that you race in multiple events throughout the year leading up to your goal or “A” race. The more competitive races you’re involved in, the more comfortable you’ll get at pushing yourself toward your physical limitations.
3. Rest your brain and body before you test it.
It’s proven that mental fatigue can lead to lower levels of physical exertion by the body. As a component of this, being well rested is an essential element when it’s time to “empty your tank” with an all-out effort. Whether it’s for training or race day, get plenty of sleep and make sure you are fully recovered mentally and physically before extreme efforts.
4. Use gadgets to push yourself.
Doctor Kevin Thompson’s study is one example of how technology can help you to get faster and find new pain thresholds on the bike. Thompson asked participants to race against avatars who, unbeknownst to them were programmed to ride faster than their human competitors ever had. The cyclists ended up matching their avatars’ efforts, riding faster than they had before.
While most of you won’t have your own virtual avatar to race against, there are plenty of gadgets you can use to inspire suffering on the bike. Whether it’s racing against your own power meter metrics, your friends on Strava or virtual competition on Zwift, keeping yourself motivated to push harder is the only way you’ll be able to reach new heights.
