Going Slow to Go Fast

I’ve been feeling the need to get in shape lately. Sure, I’m in shape but not the kind of shape that I used to be a few years ago. You know the drill. To get a good baseline, I decided to go do a Lactic Threshold test with a VO2 max test. I had forgotten how painful the experience of taking these tests are. From getting your finger pricked every few minutes as you’re trying to push yourself hard to having to breath through a tube as your nose is plugged while you start to see stars from pushing so hard.

Well, the gratifying news was that I scored higher than I did 7 years ago. That made me feel good. But there was something more surprising when I really started to look at the numbers closely. It seems I’ve been doing what most other middle-aged, type A, males do. We train too hard. Every day, with limited time, we go out and try to see how fast we can go for 30 or 60 minutes. The result is we never get anywhere.

Since the tests I’ve got a new program. Ride slow 85% of the time and ride really fast (for me) 15% of the time. The slow riding is not only so much more enjoyable but it’s giving me the chance to rest up for when I really push myself. As a result I’m getting fitter. So, by going slower, I’m going faster. I’m not sure why this feels like a new revelation. I’ve heard it a million times when I used to train. It’s just that the results are so obvious. It creates such good momentum.

It’s the same thing in business. I have a tendency to go at the same semi-fast pace all of the time. Now, by going slower in business, I’m finding I can go so much faster.