Avoiding the Pelo-trap
Last month, Chris McClung talked about goal setting in this episode of the Running Rogue podcast. His big goal is a marathon PR, but he’s focusing on the process goals, the things he’s doing every week to help him in his PR quest. As he said, “If you focus on the process and the inputs, then the outcome will take care of itself.” Every week in his bullet journal, Chris lists the things he needs to do to take his running to the next level: strength training, mobility exercises, strides, drills. and then he checks each one off as he completes them. Without realizing it- or maybe I was subconsciously influenced by Chris- I’ve been doing something similar with my weekly goals. I don’t have a specific “outcome” goal right now, other than to get my running back to a level where I can run longer and start doing speedwork again. In order to get to that point, I write down my “process goals” for the week- I’ve found it helpful to be very specific. Instead of vaguely planning to do strength training, here’s what this week looks like: “Yoga 3x, lower body strength 2x, Peloton Crush Your Core Challenge (four core classes), pull-up work 3x, stretch class 2x.” In order for this to work, these have to be the correct process goals to get me where I want to be. After I listened to the podcast episode for the second time, I’m adding some specific ankle and foot mobility work to the weekly goals, and it’s likely I’ll change them again as time goes on. BUT. This week I almost got lured into the Peloton Trap, or as I like to call it… the “Pelo-trap.” I found myself considering taking a Peloton upper body strength class instead of doing my pull-up work. There’s a nagging feeling that the pull-up sessions somehow don’t count, because I’m not getting Peloton credit for them. There’s something addictive about getting that blue circle for the day. I had to stop and remind myself WHY I’m working on pull-ups. It’s not to show off at the gym (that would be hard, since I’m doing pull-ups in my garage) and I’m not going to get a blue circle or a badge. To refresh my memory, I watched this video about why pull-ups are good for runners. Oh yeah… they strengthen the muscles in your back to help your posture. The latissimus dorsi muscle originates in the low back and can help stabilize your core. When Janae from Hungry Runner Girl was training for the marathon where she set her (incredibly fast) PR, her coach was having her do one, and only one, exercise for strength: pull-ups. Some people love Peloton, and you really can be in incredible shape doing nothing but Peloton classes. But I have to remember my true goal, the thing I really love and want to do more than anything: run. The Peloton classes are tools for me, but I have to remember to use them wisely. I don’t do any of the Peloton running classes, because I don’t think it would be helpful to have someone who doesn’t know me and is not my coach, guiding me through a workout. So I’ll have to settle for a smattering of blue dots throughout my month, knowing that I actually worked out (in some way) every day. Is Peloton part of your training program? How big a part? Do you ever fall into the Pelo-trap?