Sunday 24 May 2020

Me and technology!

My pals think I'm a dinosaur when it comes to technology.  I'm constantly having problems with it and it frustrates the life out of me.  I could write forever on the issues but I'm going to put it down to two things.
1 - I didn't grow up with technology and find it a bit like a foreign language (I'm "merde" with languages as well).  I think in English but have to convert to say French.  With technology I think in old language and then need to try and convert.  But that logic doesn't seem to work.
2 - Instructions are written poorly and assume a certain amount of knowledge.  There should always be an "idiots" guide.
This weekend proved another milestone in poorly written instructions or actually a total absence of guidance and certainly no help.  I was taking part in a virtual IM race this weekend and it involved a 40k bike ride.  But the weather was going to be wet and windy so an indoor bike ride was going to be in order.  Unfortunately my bike didn't have a  speed sensor so I decided to join zwift.  My club mates were all on it and enjoying the competition. How difficult could it be to set up?  1 hour on Friday night and a further 2 hours on Saturday morning and my coach was on the phone, sharing screens and my screens were different from hers and we were logging into the same account - WTF!
As I was running out of time my coach entered me in a 40km race which was the distance required for my IM VR8.  Only after entering did she comment "oh it's hilly" - I was trying for a fast time but said don't worry it's just a training session anyway.  Hilly!! 454m in 22km before the "wheels came off".  I had set the bike up in a room where the ventilation was poor and the sweat is pouring off me.  I can count on one hand the number of training sessions I've ditched in 12 years so I was really disappointed and annoyed with myself.  If I'd got the technology sorted I'd have had 40kms on a relatively flat route and completed the IM VR. 
Leaving that disappointment aside, my stats were good with some PBs so I'll take the positived out of it.  Zwift looks like it will be good but there support is non-existent.  Fortunately it now seems to be resolved as Gareth came to the rescue with an ant+stick (no mention of that on Zwift!). Looks like everything will be ok next time I log in but I'll need a fan in the room to keep me from flagging.
Today's run was also tough.  Wind and rain with tired legs and the voice in my head giving me a hard time because of yesterday's failure.  I had to give myself a "good talking to" when the thought of cutting the run short came into my head.  There was no need.  Yes I was tired and yes it was a longer run but your mind gives up before your body and I needed to get through this so I pressed on. 
I'm sharing these thoughts with you because I know we all have them.  And while we're existing in "ground hog day" it's important to keep those negative thoughts at bay.  Training is an escape from the routine of getting through the impact of this pandemic and every session is a privileged because I am fit and well.  Just a dinosaur when it comes to technology although I'd happily offer my services to them writing " instructions for nuls" - French for dummies!