Commuting every day will not turn you into a professional race car driver. Antonio Gonzalez
“In 2023, I took on a personal challenge to ‘run every day’ in preparation for a marathon. It showed commitment, self-discipline & grit. It also fell into the commute every day = race car driver fallacy & supported the idea that just doing more just isn’t enough.
Goodhart’s Law is an adage which states, ‘When a measure becomes a target, it fails to be a good measure.’ Athletes often fall into this trap, fixating on arbitrary goals like working out every day, reaching a certain FTP number, or hitting a certain body weight before competition. In my case, the objective should have been to run better, not just to run more.
True progress goes beyond mere attendance, though showing up is a critical component of athletic success. Presence & thoughtful consideration of your actions before, during & after workouts or races is essential. Most importantly, you must be willing to put yourself in uncomfortable situations that challenge you to evolve & adapt as an athlete.
Get Outside Your Comfort Zone
Even the most dedicated race car driver, practicing on the same track for years, won’t develop the skill needed to compete at the highest level without regularly pushing beyond their comfort zone. They must test their skills on various tracks, in a variety of vehicles, on a mix of surfaces & against a broad range of competitors. The goal is to cultivate depth of experience, not just breadth.
As we enter the new year, a good goal for all of us is to regularly push ourselves outside our comfort zones. Challenge ourselves by pushing our skills and ‘vehicle’ to the edge. It may be uncomfortable, & at times painful, but it’s through such experiences that we grow, learn & develop character.
Train smart & have a great week!”
If you’d like to connect with Antonio, feel free to email him, call 208.297.7943 or visit the TriTown Bicycles website.
Here’s a list of past articles written by Antonio Gonzalez: