Can You Get Individual Sports People To Think Like A Team

It is well documented that an individual sportsperson, be it a runner, cyclist, kayaker whatever, can benefit dramatically by training with a group of people. Just as team sport like rugby or vigaro would work with each other to improve the teams performance so to can an individual athlete work with others to lift their performance beyond that which they might achieve alone.

But this having been said can you really turn an individually minded athlete into a functional component of a codependent unit. I don't think you can. too many individual sports people lack the ability (or interest) to consider the impact the way they take to a session is having on the people they are training with that day.

If fact the consideration that their reasons for being their may in fact be completely different from the person standing next to them so their approach to that session could never benefit all parties. Unless they establish (and accept) the different objectives they come to the session with.

So does this mean we should all just head off our own way and never work together? Again I don't think so, but we do need to find out more about what the people we a re training with are looking to get out of each session and then decide if that is what we want as well or agree to head out with them anyway and smash them for our own enjoyment.

Monday 20th April

Swim in the Wood. Took to the water ignoring Sleep Trains explanation of his planned set for the evening knowing that I was definitely after a different objective in this session than he and that there was no chance I would be the one doing the smashing. Clocked up 2.4km to the sounds of aqua aerobics beside me. How do I get a job instructing aqua aerobics, it must be the only aerobics class going were you only need a half the fitness of the people in the class to complete the activities and talk for 1hr.

Tuesday 21st April

Standard Tuesday BMMC loop from the roundhouse. Except that my legs were telling me it seemed like we had travelled a lot further than my mind and 'map my run' tells us it is for Sleep Trains run. A chance for Sleep train (like it is ever different), Animal & Dr Phil to put me in my place on the second climb. Still managed 1hr 3seconds including stretch time, so some joy to be had despite the fatigue found in legs today.

Wednesday 22nd April

Bailed on the swim today and when Home Owner rang to pull out on the PMM7 ride I demonstrated zero mental aptitude by going home to spend 2hrs trolling CR website. Zipo training today but some very funny entries found in forums.

Thursday 23rd April

With (Notso)Fat Kiwi, Sleep Train and myself departing the Mansion on Marshall it was with confidence that I proclaimed "at least none of those half wheelers are here to drag us out to fast". You would think with this understanding crowd and a day of nothingness prior all would be good on the home court. Unfortunately the basic hill circuit had other ideas.

Completely demoralised I walked up the gully track to the bemusement of all (other) participants in today's run. Why would you walk! Because it hurt, get on with it! I'm not proud of this day!

1hr 10mins for the basic hill circuit. Improvement needed or find a team with like minded objectives, go join Lower Mountains Running Men if you want to walk when it gets hard.

Friday 24th April

Back up to the Woods for a swim. Nutted out 2.7km with sound main set of around 1.3km. Feeling good in the water at the moment. Maybe it is because my head was in the water and I couldn't hear the sledging on my walk episode from the day before.

Saturday 25th April

Having dodge laps of Kedumba and a Mt Biking (Glenbrook-Woodford-Glenbrook) Running (Red Hands Cave) brick session eventually strode out with she who must be obeyed for a 'romantic' run (Who says chivalry is dead) around trails of the Twin Lookouts. Her running is really picking up. Measured by the fact that I only got sworn at twice in 1hr and a half. A vast improvement of the turrets days and punches of yesteryear.

Enjoyed the mixed company and might even suggest we do this run thing together each valentines day and anniversary.

Sunday 26th April

No groups would take at the moment. Not with out server mental and physical harassment for my lone status as the guy out the back this week. Did the next best thing and tried to get my self blown off my bike in the upper lower mountain regions of Faulko.

Managed to stay out from under trucks and falling trees and battled the wind for 5okms at round 28km average. Probably need to increase cycling distance, both within indv sessions and through week. Might think about it next week, though there is more chance of one of my year 10 students asking me if they could help get in the gear than me riding with Animal following reports on his destroying everyone who dares ride with him at the moment.

Weekly Totals (Only so I fit in with the group mind you)

Swim 5.1km

Ride 50km

Run ?Distance, 3hrs 40 minutes 3 seconds (less than the long run alone last week)