Mountain Biking Training Plans
Swimming, Biking, Running… and Leading
Here’s a passion of mine: triathlons.
It started for me in 1995 as an agreement to do a short race with a friend, but has since turned into a focused and intentional training process to successfully compete in these athletic races that combine swimming, biking and running.
Leadership is another passion of mine, and I have found many parallels between the physical skills and endurance needed to compete in a multi-sport competition, and the emotional and behavioral competence needed to succeed as a leader. Neither leadership nor athletic success comes overnight. Neither can be rushed or accomplished by reading a book or attending a seminar.
As an executive coach, I help professionals refine their approach to goal setting, planning, commitment, experience and support, just as my triathlon coach encourages me to focus on the same. The rewards are similar as well: a gradual yet measurable improvement, and the ongoing development of new skills and areas of excellence.
Here are some of the specific areas where I have found that my passions converge:
Goal Setting
After a few seasons of relatively haphazard training and racing, I decided to become more focused and intentional in my training and racing and began setting goals for each season. These goals varied, focusing on number of races, types of races, competition times and, more recently, recovering from injuries.
But my goals were always specific in nature, a strategy I often recommend to clients who want to become more successful leaders. Goals have the power to mobilize and focus efforts. Instead of a general goal to communicate more successfully with co-workers, you are more likely to achieve the desired outcome if you set out “to build more effective working relationships with John and Mary by the end of the third quarter.”
Planning
I could never achieve my triathlon goals without planning. My work with a triathlon coach involves setting detailed training plans that outline each workout in terms of discipline, duration, and intensity. They are goal-focused as well: when I was working on improving my running time, I spent more time running sprints and hills; when I was getting back into racing after having my son, I did more long, slow distance work to rebuild my endurance.
Planning your development as a leader means determining where you will focus your energy, how you will prioritize time, and what activities you will engage in. Planning shows you’re serious about achieving goals, such as resolving to “schedule regular Monday meetings with John and Mary to discuss both professional and personal topics.”
Commitment
Making a commitment involves maintaining a big picture perspective. I am willing to make everyday compromises—getting into a cold pool at 5:00 a.m., or biking before my kids wake up—in order to achieve my goals and participate in a sport I love. My big picture commitment helps me say no to other things, like sleep!
Leadership development requires sticking to important planned activities, sometimes at the expense of other things. If you recognize that visiting 1:1 with a co-worker is a high priority, then you won’t let phone calls interrupt that time. If a meeting gets in the way of important planned work, it might require rescheduling or having someone attend on your behalf.
Experience
Sometimes there’s no way to replace experience. When biking through the Flatiron Mountains in Colorado earlier this year, I experienced for the first time the challenge of DESCENDING a mountain. Taking hairpin turns at 45-50 m.p.h. was one scary experience, where error would have resulted in serious injury. Simply put, there was no way to plan for how my body would experience the constant braking, fear of failure, and chilling wind in my face. I simply had to do it.
In many work scenarios, there is no sufficient training for the experience itself, such as delivering a tough performance appraisal, or admitting failure about a major project. Experience can teach more than classrooms or books. The coach in me recognizes that the key to maximizing these experiences is to take time to reflect after they happen: what went well; what would you change next time? In my biking experience, I realized that my ascent of Flatiron was successful, but that a more stable bike would better equip me for the descending stage of my next mountain ride.
Support
Although triathlon is an individual sport, I could not be successful without the support of many people: my husband who takes care of our kids while I’m training and racing, my best friend and training partner who keeps me motivated and accountable, and my coach who keeps me on track. I recall completing one particularly rigorous mountain ascent (again in the Flatirons) only because my coach and his brother literally pushed me up the mountain so that I could regain momentum.
Leaders don’t develop in a vacuum. They share their goals and plans with others who can help them stay focused and motivated. Having a support system helps you maintain perspective while keeping sight of your goals, providing encouragement during difficult times and helping to celebrate successes as well.
Just as there is no single way to improve as a triathlete, growth as a leader requires a number of strategies that require time and energy. At the Bailey Group, we specialize in helping leaders address all of the areas discussed here. If you want to know more about how we work, feel free to contact us—we’d be pleased to talk with you.
About the Author
Martha Carlson, MBA, CPCC: Martha is an Executive Coach and consultant with The Bailey Consulting Group, Inc. Prior to joining BCG in January of 2006, Martha founded Carlson Coaching and Consulting, where she provided coaching to business leaders on professional development and career decisions. Previously, she spent 15 years as an executive with Ameriprise Financial Services (formerly American Express Financial Advisors) leading a variety of functions and business units. Her areas of expertise included leadership and team development, new business development, and large-scale project management. Most recently, she was Vice President of American Express Platinum Financial Services. She is passionate about working with leaders to expand their skills and find purpose and meaning in their professional and personal lives. She also competes as a triathlete, training year-round and racing in 5-6 events each year. She can be reached at www.thebaileygroup.com
Dave Zabriskie’s Off Season Program 12 13 10
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CamelBak Annadel 50 oz backpack $48.9 Whether riding, biking or running, the Annadel Hydration Pack by CamelBak is an excellent women’s training companion. |
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Guided Mountain Biking Tour $305 This memorable mountain biking experience will provide all levels of riders an invigorating Sonoran Desert experience! Explore the expansive network of trails winding through the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Arizona’s premier mountain bike trail system. In addition to sharpening your mountain biking skills, this adventure also allows you to learn about the fascinating flora and fauna, geology and history of the richly diverse Sonoran Desert. |
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking- Washington Dc $17.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking- Washington Dc |
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Northern California $18.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Northern California |
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking North Carolina $16.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking North Carolina |
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Pennsylvania $19.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Pennsylvania |
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Performance Video Performance Mountain Biking Dvd $29.95 Performance Video Performance Mountain Biking Dvd |
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The Mountaineers Mountain Biking Adventures- Four Corners Region $12.95 The Mountaineers Mountain Biking Adventures- Four Corners Region |
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Mountain Biking Singletrack Ride $120 This mountain biking adventure will take you to Park City and Midway areas, including lift access riding at one of our four amazing resorts.Our friendly and professional guides will help you learn the necessary techniques and skills to really enjoy this fantastic form of outdoor adventure.Whether you are looking to ride cross-country trails or technical downhills, your guide will customize your experience and lead you to the terrain you want to ride. |
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San Diego Mountain Biking $95 Climb onto your trail-ready mountain bike and rediscover your inner 10 year old! This mountain biking tour covers some of San Diego’s best wild areas and includes a combination of dirt roads and single track.Riding in the dirt is simply a blast as you bank off berms, cruise down hills and whip through rolling terrain catching a little air! We’ll share with you some secret wild places within San Diego city limits including quiet creeks and maybe a waterfall or two!As an off-road tour, expect to get dirty and bounced around a bit, all in good fun of course.The tour is designed for beginning mountain bikers, but will please riders of all abilities. You will ride in local parks including Penasquitos, Mission Trails and the Rose Canyon areas. |
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Ft. Lauderdale Mountain Biking $75 Get away from the everyday hustle and bustle to enjoy a truly memorable day mountain biking in scenic Oleta River State Park!Oleta River State Park is located at the northern end of Biscayne bay, just 15 minutes away from downtown Miami and 20 minutes away from downtown Fort Lauderdale.Enjoy a guided mountain bike tour, exploring Oleta River State Park’s extensive trail network, consisting of over 14 miles of challenging off-road trails. Your trained guide will lead you behind the scenes to give you an overview of the entire park.The Oleta River is a very beautiful place, and there is no more exciting way to explore this wonderful area than on a mountain bike. |
