Prost's right, 95% is enough
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
I HAVE found some inspiration for my triathlon training from an unexpected source – French Formula One driver Alain Prost, who was world champion when I was in primary school.
In an article I read last week, he explained that, following the death of one of his contemporaries, he decided to never give a total of 100% in races but to go at it 95% most of the time and only turn things up if required.
I’ve found this quite a useful attitude to take into my own preparations.
Something which has characterised my running and swimming over the years has been my ability to go for the burn and really push myself to the limits.
HILARIOUS
But in a multi-sport event like a triathlon this is much harder, if you tire yourself out on the swim you’ll never get through the cycle and, similarly, if you go all out cycling, completing the run is going to be even more of a challenge. While knowing this mentally, I’ve found putting it into practice quite challenging.
So I put Monsieur Prost’s philosophy into practice when I was training this weekend.
After not turning up to a group ‘brick’ training session – comprising a cycle around the event route followed by a run – because a case of reporterus forgetfulus meant I got a haircut instead, I headed to my gym and improvised by going two thirds of the race distance on an exercise bike followed by the same on a treadmill.
Each time the adrenalin started to kick in I told myself ‘remember the Prost’ and calmed myself down. As a result the training went brilliantly and has really got me thinking positively, I may just be able to do this.
* When most people decide on a career in journalism they have someone in their head who’s achievements they would like to match.
The most common are Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the investigative reporters who brought down President Nixon following the Watergate scandal in the 1970s. Personally, I always aspired to be Bill Bryson, a travel writer who regularly manages to be both insightful and hilarious.
This week, however, I received a very unexpected journalistic comparison.
If you read this space last week you’ll remember that I have started eating like someone is going to take all my food away from me, with carrots being a particular favourite.
One woman I spoke to told me they had read an interview with another journalist, in the more image-obsessed arena of television, with a fondness for that particular vegetable who ate so many of them at one stage that their skin actually started turning orange.
And that journalist in question was...former breakfast television host Penny Smith.
Hmm.
