Prior to May 6, 1954 it was thought to be impossible for a man to run one mile is less than 4 minutes. However, once Roger Bannister did the impossible and broke the 4 minute mile barrier, many more people were suddenly able to make it happen.
Many times people and organizations are held back by limitations unbeknownst to them. Not because what they want can’t be done but because that is they way it has always been done. A non-sports related example of this is the reason why the solid rocket boosters (SRBs) on the space shuttle are exactly 12.17 feet in diameter. The short answer is because 12.17 ft (3.71 m) is the width of two horses. Before you think I am totally crazy, let me explain:
The standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) in the United States is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That odd measurement is used because that is the measurement used on railroads built in England and it was English engineers who designed the first railroads in the United States. The English engineers used that measurement to build railroads in England because the first railroads were built by the same people who built the wagon tramways. These tramways were modeled from the same jigs and tools that were used for building wagons, which had a wheel spacing of 4 feet, 8.5 inches. The wagons had this odd wheel spacing because if any other spacing would have been used the wagon wheels would be damaged by the ruts in English roads. It was Roman war chariots that formed those initial ruts when Imperial Rome was building the first long distance roads in England. The chariots were made for Imperial Rome; therefore, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing because the Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the width of two war horses.
So what on earth does any of this have to do with the SRBs on the Space Shuttle? Well, the SRBs are manufactured at Thiokol aerospace and defense factory in Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs calculated the ideal size of the SBR to be larger than 12.17 feet in diameter. However, the SRBs were scheduled to be shipped via train from the factory in Utah to the shuttle launch site in Florida. The only railroad from the factory to the launch pad runs through a tunnel in the mountains. The tunnel is only slightly wider than the railroad track. Because the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel the size of the SBRs was reduced from an optimal size calculated by the engineers to the width of two horses.
What is my point? In most cases, previously established standards will limit what you can achieve. Now, ask yourself – is your performance limited because of the standards you are conforming too? Are you following a one-size-fits-all training plan? Are you swimming, biking, and running in the most efficient manner for you or are you conforming to the norm?
Keep a training log and communicate to your coach what you are feeling after each workout. Did you feel strong or did you feel tired? When training, it is important to make the most out of each workout. Whether you have a coach, training partner, or workout alone your training needs to be in balance with your life and in the end both will be elevated to a new level. Control your training, don’t let your training control you!
