Assessing Risk as an Athlete | Consummate Athlete

Nov 22, 2022

Making training efficient for people with busy lives and big goals.

Before we get into talking about all things risk assessment, let’s talk about Summer 2023 and bucket list races! Quebec Singletrack Experience Reg is Open Now for Early Birds—and we have a promo code for you! If you’ve eyed this race in the past or are looking for a fun 5-day challenge, come hang out with the Consummate Athlete crew this July in Quebec!

OK, on to this week’s topic: ALL ABOUT RISK ASSESSMENT. We talked about it on the podcast, and we wrote about it too.

Risk or Cost: Benefits are worth considering when you plan out your training, whether your goal is in the realm of elite/extreme, or improved fitness, or even if it is more health-oriented. There is a ‘risk’ with certain actions and in particular today I wanted to discuss, or ponder, the idea that sometimes ‘more’ is simply just more and not better. That is, applying more stimulus (e.g. intensity/volume/dieting, etc) may not cause the same benefit and indeed, will start to cause regression at some point as the risk involved increases.

Mechanical Risks

This is a simple risk to (mostly) mitigate with proper prep: Keeping bikes clean and in good working condition, doing regular maintenance… and carrying the spare tools and extras you need to handle most of the issues that might arise on a ride. (Tire plugs, extra tubes, a mini pump in addition to a CO2, a chain link, a derailleur hanger, enough water/food for an extra couple hours of riding, lights if it might get dark…)

Technical Risks: Skills Training + Practice

Physical risks in training are more obvious. We need to straddle the line between being a corny Triple-X adrenaline junkie and a nervous runner who sticks to the same 5K road out-and-back every single day. With that idea of long-term ‘goal’ in mind, it would be irrational to do a ‘stunt’ or ‘obstacle’ or ‘look at me’ in hopes that a single day or intervention will speed you to your goal but we also can’t progress by applying the same, monotonous and ‘light’ load. We need to find the right level of stress or ‘stimulus’.

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE FOR THE OTHER 2 RISK TYPES

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