Day 1 in the books for my AoMM training. On the table this evening were 4x6min zone 4 intervals. I think I have learned how to do them without going out too hard at the beginning and then faltering at the end. Lots of wind this evening (head/crosswind) and for once, that wasn't all that bad, maybe helped somewhat. It was a bit hard to keep the average on the lower end of my zone, but I did manage to do that as well as increase them 10+/- watts each time.
I did get all of them done and I don't believe I could have done another one that would have been better than the last one. Great job! Rode back to the car, then picked Taylor up at doggy daycare and on home. I even got the after workout nutrition correct! 1 serving of Recoverite, then a shower, and lastly a 1c serving of pasta/sauce, 1 slice of spinach/feta pizza, and a Sweet Water 420 Extra Pale Ale. :)
My legs are definitely feeling the effects of this workout right now. I will be going to bed in about an hour or so too - Andy's old sayings & training are still remembered - "Rest, Recover, Get Stronger". Early to bed so that I can get up at 5:20am to take Taylor for a 20-30 min walk (with a few stints of running) before breakfast & going to work.
Tomorrow will be a nice 1 hour recovery ride. I'm so glad I have a schedule to follow! Structure & organization I do like!!!
Interval session (181-211w=zone 4):
#1 188/187/89 (normal power/avg power/rpm)
#2 191/191/93
#3 205/204/90
#4 218/217/88
Hmmmm...cadence needs to be 95+. I'll have to work on just spinning at 95+ tomorrow and the high cadence drills later this week should help get me back into more spinning. Better for the knees.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
I have a Plan
Yes, yes, I do. I have a plan for the remainder of this month and through the first full week of March. I really haven't had anything written down and I've just been doing zone 4 (threshold) rides every other day. Mainly on the trainer due to weather or not having time after work.
This evening, I was supposed to do another zone 4 interval set, but my mind just was not into it this evening. I even got dressed but just did not feel like doing them. Frustrated really. Frustrated because I honestly didn't really know what to do. I had no real plan. I thrive on structure, especially in cycling, and I NEEDED to know what I was going to be doing in preparation for AoMM. I have the makings of a plan for part of that.
Once I get to March, I will go back to my 2009 Google Calendar and do the workouts I posted for all of March & April. Hopefully, those along with a few mountain training rides, I will be ready come May 16, 2011.
I have a solid 3 weeks of intervals, a recovery week and I will do my FTP test on March 18. Will be interesting to see what I get during an actual test - see if I'm close to what I have been using. I hope so. Even if I come out and the test results are indicative of a lower FTP, I'm going to continue using what I have used for the 3 weeks on. I might even bump it up, if I can do those wattages....
Damn. I do feel better after spending the last hour or so figuring out the training plan. The next 3 days will be intervals, tempo, recovery and then it starts!!! Yay!! :)
This evening, I was supposed to do another zone 4 interval set, but my mind just was not into it this evening. I even got dressed but just did not feel like doing them. Frustrated really. Frustrated because I honestly didn't really know what to do. I had no real plan. I thrive on structure, especially in cycling, and I NEEDED to know what I was going to be doing in preparation for AoMM. I have the makings of a plan for part of that.
Once I get to March, I will go back to my 2009 Google Calendar and do the workouts I posted for all of March & April. Hopefully, those along with a few mountain training rides, I will be ready come May 16, 2011.
I have a solid 3 weeks of intervals, a recovery week and I will do my FTP test on March 18. Will be interesting to see what I get during an actual test - see if I'm close to what I have been using. I hope so. Even if I come out and the test results are indicative of a lower FTP, I'm going to continue using what I have used for the 3 weeks on. I might even bump it up, if I can do those wattages....
Damn. I do feel better after spending the last hour or so figuring out the training plan. The next 3 days will be intervals, tempo, recovery and then it starts!!! Yay!! :)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Training Week
Well, it's been a week since I started my AoMM training. I have managed to get the interval & zone 3 rides done, but the recovery rides haven't been as easy to do. A zone 2 recovery ride for an hour on the trainer??? I just can't seem to do those. But, I will do my intervals on the trainer. Someone once told me - "Never skip your intervals" and I really have and will try to not skip them.
This past Sunday, I managed to get out for 2 hours and do a zone 3 tempo ride out in the county. It was a very nice day and I really enjoyed the ride. My only concern was that I may have under-estimated my power zones. I decided to use the zones calculated from December 2007, but after the tempo ride and the first interval session, I think I'm a tad low.
Thinking I was a tad low on the power zones, I upped them and did the zone 4 intervals at the new level. I think I'm close. I was expecting company yesterday evening and just did not have time to get all 6 intervals done before 7pm (expected arrival). I did squeek out 5x3min zone 4 intervals and the last one was really becoming hard (202w avg). Therefore, since the 5th one was becoming a bit difficult towards the end and thinking that had I been able to do a 6th one, it would have really been more difficult. Just the way they're supposed to be. :)
Tomorrow, Thursday, February 10, I have a zone 3 tempo ride scheduled. The weather probably isn't going to be conducive to outdoor riding plus, I won't have enough daylight, so it looks like it's another trainer ride. Oh Yay.
Half day Friday - I may do another zone 4 interval session and the weekend looks fabulous, so I'll definitely be riding outside over the weekend. Very much looking forward to the outside rides!!! Next week looks very promising too! :)
Guess that's all for now....
This past Sunday, I managed to get out for 2 hours and do a zone 3 tempo ride out in the county. It was a very nice day and I really enjoyed the ride. My only concern was that I may have under-estimated my power zones. I decided to use the zones calculated from December 2007, but after the tempo ride and the first interval session, I think I'm a tad low.
Thinking I was a tad low on the power zones, I upped them and did the zone 4 intervals at the new level. I think I'm close. I was expecting company yesterday evening and just did not have time to get all 6 intervals done before 7pm (expected arrival). I did squeek out 5x3min zone 4 intervals and the last one was really becoming hard (202w avg). Therefore, since the 5th one was becoming a bit difficult towards the end and thinking that had I been able to do a 6th one, it would have really been more difficult. Just the way they're supposed to be. :)
Tomorrow, Thursday, February 10, I have a zone 3 tempo ride scheduled. The weather probably isn't going to be conducive to outdoor riding plus, I won't have enough daylight, so it looks like it's another trainer ride. Oh Yay.
Half day Friday - I may do another zone 4 interval session and the weekend looks fabulous, so I'll definitely be riding outside over the weekend. Very much looking forward to the outside rides!!! Next week looks very promising too! :)
Guess that's all for now....
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
First "real" training session
I want to do AoMM, as I stated in the previous post. 15 weeks....I know if I don't get my ass in gear and start doing SOMETHING, I won't make it past Marion. So, I went back and looked over my training rides from 2008 & 2009 and have sorta figured out what I need to do. I hope.
Tonight, despite the unanswered calls from my Dad, a dog that needed some Mommy time, and a cat that was pestering me, I managed to do my first interval session. It was a very good one...I have learned from years past. I did 6x3min zone 4 (powertap) intervals this evening. I did them correctly too. :) I worked from the low end of zone 4 up to the high end for the last two intervals. Damn!!! I love intervals!!!
I can't download my data, as I have a new computer (Macbook Pro) and do not have the thing configured to run any of my Windows programs. Will take it tomorrow and see if I can get that fixed. I will also have to do a good recovery ride on the trainer tomorrow.
I'm excited!!! I just need to keep it up and not let the family/life issues derail me. I know I can do AoMM, I know how to do the ride, from Spartanburg to Marion, and from Marion to Mitchell. I know. And, I know I can do it.
Now, it's time for bed. Rest, Recover, Get Stronger.
Tonight, despite the unanswered calls from my Dad, a dog that needed some Mommy time, and a cat that was pestering me, I managed to do my first interval session. It was a very good one...I have learned from years past. I did 6x3min zone 4 (powertap) intervals this evening. I did them correctly too. :) I worked from the low end of zone 4 up to the high end for the last two intervals. Damn!!! I love intervals!!!
I can't download my data, as I have a new computer (Macbook Pro) and do not have the thing configured to run any of my Windows programs. Will take it tomorrow and see if I can get that fixed. I will also have to do a good recovery ride on the trainer tomorrow.
I'm excited!!! I just need to keep it up and not let the family/life issues derail me. I know I can do AoMM, I know how to do the ride, from Spartanburg to Marion, and from Marion to Mitchell. I know. And, I know I can do it.
Now, it's time for bed. Rest, Recover, Get Stronger.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thinking & Pondering
That is what I am doing this evening. Anyone reading this knows I pretty much took last year off from any kind of serious riding. 2.5yrs of some (for me) serious training and no fun-ride riding just left me feeling burnt out and not enjoying cycling anymore. I did one organized ride last year, thought about doing a few others, but never did.
I made a post on my Facebook page - wondering whether 3.5 (actually 15 weeks) months would be enough time to prepare for Assault on Mt Mitchell?? I sorta felt like it wasn't, so I also posted this and that I would do Caesars Head Challenge in June. Sorta gave up on the idea until an acquaintance from work posted and told me, basically, "so what if you only have 3.5 months? Train & prepare for it. You could do the ride and have a PR, but will never know if you don't do the ride. Some days you are the Hammer. And some days the Nail".
Well, I know how to train for the ride. I know the ride. I can do this. I can sit down and make out my training plan, stick to it and maybe have a PR. Maybe I won't PR, but it's a dang fun ride and I will enjoy it. Do I have to have rides upon rides in the mountains to be able to do this ride? No. I have friends from here in flatland that did the ride (pretty dang strong riders) with only training in flatland. They may have occasionally done day trips or such for climbing rides, but it can be done without.
Just because I haven't been climbing in over a year, does not mean I have forgotten how to climb. I can take a day trip to Marion and do the last 27 miles. I can head out to the Hanging Rock/Pilot Mtn area for some training. It can be done.
Damn. Do I really have a goal now? Yes. Something to work towards - something to motivate me to ride and get back in the shape I was in 2009. I'm actually excited about this!! I remember doing a post last year - talking about how I had signed up for AoMM and then bailing on it later on. My mind, and more importantly, my heart wasn't in it last year. I believe both are in it this year. :)
I guess I can use the next few weeks of lunchtime riding, to start building the endurance up, stop being a wussy with the weather & ride more on the weekends, and finally - when DST rolls around be ready to start my favorite part of training - intervals.
I can do it!
I made a post on my Facebook page - wondering whether 3.5 (actually 15 weeks) months would be enough time to prepare for Assault on Mt Mitchell?? I sorta felt like it wasn't, so I also posted this and that I would do Caesars Head Challenge in June. Sorta gave up on the idea until an acquaintance from work posted and told me, basically, "so what if you only have 3.5 months? Train & prepare for it. You could do the ride and have a PR, but will never know if you don't do the ride. Some days you are the Hammer. And some days the Nail".
Well, I know how to train for the ride. I know the ride. I can do this. I can sit down and make out my training plan, stick to it and maybe have a PR. Maybe I won't PR, but it's a dang fun ride and I will enjoy it. Do I have to have rides upon rides in the mountains to be able to do this ride? No. I have friends from here in flatland that did the ride (pretty dang strong riders) with only training in flatland. They may have occasionally done day trips or such for climbing rides, but it can be done without.
Just because I haven't been climbing in over a year, does not mean I have forgotten how to climb. I can take a day trip to Marion and do the last 27 miles. I can head out to the Hanging Rock/Pilot Mtn area for some training. It can be done.
Damn. Do I really have a goal now? Yes. Something to work towards - something to motivate me to ride and get back in the shape I was in 2009. I'm actually excited about this!! I remember doing a post last year - talking about how I had signed up for AoMM and then bailing on it later on. My mind, and more importantly, my heart wasn't in it last year. I believe both are in it this year. :)
I guess I can use the next few weeks of lunchtime riding, to start building the endurance up, stop being a wussy with the weather & ride more on the weekends, and finally - when DST rolls around be ready to start my favorite part of training - intervals.
I can do it!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Good Grief - It has been a long time!
Wow. Here it is, a new year, January 15, 2011, and this is my first post since August 27, 2010. But, I have a somewhat legitimate excuse....family issues.
Damn. I read my last entry - I was riding so well with the guys, riding really strong, looking forward to an exciting cyclocross season, working with Taylor on training, and BAM!! It all came to a damn standstill Labor Day weekend.
Long story - short. My Dad has dementia/Alzheimers, his wife (my step-mom) couldn't deal with him anymore and she laid it all on me that weekend. "Come get him. Do something with him. I don't want to live with him anymore." And, so it began.
I managed to ride 10-12 times in September, but that was it, pretty much for the remainder of the year. My Dad was doing all kinds of crazy things and I was being pulled in every which direction trying to make the right decisions concerning him & his well being (he's now in an assisted living facility here in Raleigh. Things aren't great - he wants to move to Greenville, SC and I'm not letting him. Otherwise doing well). October came & went with me doing 2 rides. November came & went with one ride under my belt. December came & went with one ride. So discouraged and depressed about cycling at that time - here I had 7 bikes in my house, I was a really strong rider and now, I'm not getting to ride any, I've been off the bike for 3 months - felt like giving up.
7 bikes? Yep. I bought a 2008 Specialized Era FSR the first of September and then a Quintana Roo Tequilio TT bike mid September. Have yet had the pleasure of riding the mtb, but got to ride the TT bike quite a bit in September. Looking forward to doing some TT's this spring/summer.
As for being off the bike for 3 months and feeling bad...I'm not a quitter. Kept in touch with Dallas through all the Dad issues and I had decided, come January 1, 2011, I was going to get my ass in gear and do something. Ride the trainer for at least 30-45min on Tuesday & Thursday and try to get out for an hour or so each day on the weekends. I've not been exactly successful, but I'm definitely doing a lot better.
Dallas contacted me 12/31 and wanted to know if I wanted to get out for a New Year's Day ride?? Hell Yes. :) There were 6 of us total riding - Dallas, Randall, Grady, Ricky, Philip & myself. OMG. I knew I was in for a serious hurting cause these guys have been able to continue riding, hitting Umstead on the weekends or the mtb trails. But, I was determined to do the best I could and despite only riding 3 times in the last 3 months - I did damn good. :)
33 miles in 1:50+ hr, a 17.5 avg. The pace was a bit hot for the first 18mi - I didn't think I'd make it back if it continued that way and told Dallas. Grady, Randall, & Philip went on ahead and finished up the ride with a 19+ avg. 19+ in the dead of winter. Dallas & Ricky got me back at a decent pace. Anyways...since then, I've tried to ride the trainer 2x/week and start a run/walk program.
Run/walk?? Yep. I have decided to try a duathlon! The first one is 3/5 down in Waxhaw, NC and it's 2mi/19mi/2mi. I'm on week 3 of the program and should be able to do the 2mi by then. The ride part should be fairly easy for me, at least I hope so!
What else? That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. Keep getting some cycle time in my butt & legs via trainer & road and I'm going to be strong again! Haven't really planned any rides like I had in the past years - I might do 1 or 2 organized rides, but not sure.
Hope everyone that reads this is doing well and having a great start to the New Year!!
Damn. I read my last entry - I was riding so well with the guys, riding really strong, looking forward to an exciting cyclocross season, working with Taylor on training, and BAM!! It all came to a damn standstill Labor Day weekend.
Long story - short. My Dad has dementia/Alzheimers, his wife (my step-mom) couldn't deal with him anymore and she laid it all on me that weekend. "Come get him. Do something with him. I don't want to live with him anymore." And, so it began.
I managed to ride 10-12 times in September, but that was it, pretty much for the remainder of the year. My Dad was doing all kinds of crazy things and I was being pulled in every which direction trying to make the right decisions concerning him & his well being (he's now in an assisted living facility here in Raleigh. Things aren't great - he wants to move to Greenville, SC and I'm not letting him. Otherwise doing well). October came & went with me doing 2 rides. November came & went with one ride under my belt. December came & went with one ride. So discouraged and depressed about cycling at that time - here I had 7 bikes in my house, I was a really strong rider and now, I'm not getting to ride any, I've been off the bike for 3 months - felt like giving up.
7 bikes? Yep. I bought a 2008 Specialized Era FSR the first of September and then a Quintana Roo Tequilio TT bike mid September. Have yet had the pleasure of riding the mtb, but got to ride the TT bike quite a bit in September. Looking forward to doing some TT's this spring/summer.
As for being off the bike for 3 months and feeling bad...I'm not a quitter. Kept in touch with Dallas through all the Dad issues and I had decided, come January 1, 2011, I was going to get my ass in gear and do something. Ride the trainer for at least 30-45min on Tuesday & Thursday and try to get out for an hour or so each day on the weekends. I've not been exactly successful, but I'm definitely doing a lot better.
Dallas contacted me 12/31 and wanted to know if I wanted to get out for a New Year's Day ride?? Hell Yes. :) There were 6 of us total riding - Dallas, Randall, Grady, Ricky, Philip & myself. OMG. I knew I was in for a serious hurting cause these guys have been able to continue riding, hitting Umstead on the weekends or the mtb trails. But, I was determined to do the best I could and despite only riding 3 times in the last 3 months - I did damn good. :)
33 miles in 1:50+ hr, a 17.5 avg. The pace was a bit hot for the first 18mi - I didn't think I'd make it back if it continued that way and told Dallas. Grady, Randall, & Philip went on ahead and finished up the ride with a 19+ avg. 19+ in the dead of winter. Dallas & Ricky got me back at a decent pace. Anyways...since then, I've tried to ride the trainer 2x/week and start a run/walk program.
Run/walk?? Yep. I have decided to try a duathlon! The first one is 3/5 down in Waxhaw, NC and it's 2mi/19mi/2mi. I'm on week 3 of the program and should be able to do the 2mi by then. The ride part should be fairly easy for me, at least I hope so!
What else? That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. Keep getting some cycle time in my butt & legs via trainer & road and I'm going to be strong again! Haven't really planned any rides like I had in the past years - I might do 1 or 2 organized rides, but not sure.
Hope everyone that reads this is doing well and having a great start to the New Year!!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Has It Been That Long?? Really??
Since I last posted? Wow. Not a lot different here, but I am getting some good miles in on the bike each week - anywhere from 150-200+ miles per week. I've kept pretty busy just doing stuff around the house (stupid outside housework!), puppy training classes, & riding.
Taylor finished up puppy class 2 weeks ago - she did pretty well, but I still have a bit of work to do on the Leave It and Come When Called commands. The next class starts in about 2-2.5 weeks and I'm not sure we'll have those commands down by then. I may wait until the October class because I really want her to have the others down well before we start another class. She has been a PITA and a true joy, all at the same time. :) There are times, where I wonder what ever came over me, to get a baby at this time, but I suppose in the long run, she will well be worth the effort.
She turned 5 months old last week and today she went in for spay surgery. I really hate that she is or could be in pain from this, but hopefully, it won't be for too long. She had 2 teeth pulled while there (the baby fangs) because the adult teeth were almost completely in, micro-chipped, and nails trimmed. She also got a long acting (till tomorrow probably) pain medication injection and an antibiotic injection for some sort of skin rash (a few bald-ish spots on her from scratching) that is good for 2 weeks. I opted for the laser surgery - supposedly it is better for them - no sutures to take out and less blood loss. She's been sleeping pretty much the whole time since I got her home at 2pm. Hopefully, she'll be back to almost normal by next week....
Riding.....Tuesday/Thursday Hammer rides. I thought, at one point this year, I said I wasn't doing those kind of rides this year. What happened? I got sucked in, I got better, I got faster, I became able to hang on with this group of guys, so I ride hard & fast on Tuesdays & Thursdays for 35 miles at an 18-20 mph pace! Saturday rides have been with the guys, but we usually go to the Grocery Bag and ride with the Cyclepaths. Those rides range anywhere from 40-60 miles and they, too, are hard & fast. I try to hang on with the fast boys and usually do unless it's extremely fast (faster than 20).
Sundays have become "Metric Sundays". We do a nice route from Dallas's house down to Brogden, Pinelevel, Micro, and back to his house. It's a really flat route, 65 miles and supposed to be a "recovery" ride from the hard Saturday ride. For the most part, it is a recovery ride. Pace has been averaging 18-19.5mph! Yea baby!! That's a recovery ride!
That's about it, I guess. I'd like to get back out for a 2-3 day backpacking trip, but probably won't do that till later this year. Company coming up next week for a 2 day visit. Can't wait!! :) <3 September 18/19 to Greenville, SC for the USA Pro Cycling races. Paris Mountain!!
Later!!
Taylor:
Taylor finished up puppy class 2 weeks ago - she did pretty well, but I still have a bit of work to do on the Leave It and Come When Called commands. The next class starts in about 2-2.5 weeks and I'm not sure we'll have those commands down by then. I may wait until the October class because I really want her to have the others down well before we start another class. She has been a PITA and a true joy, all at the same time. :) There are times, where I wonder what ever came over me, to get a baby at this time, but I suppose in the long run, she will well be worth the effort.
She turned 5 months old last week and today she went in for spay surgery. I really hate that she is or could be in pain from this, but hopefully, it won't be for too long. She had 2 teeth pulled while there (the baby fangs) because the adult teeth were almost completely in, micro-chipped, and nails trimmed. She also got a long acting (till tomorrow probably) pain medication injection and an antibiotic injection for some sort of skin rash (a few bald-ish spots on her from scratching) that is good for 2 weeks. I opted for the laser surgery - supposedly it is better for them - no sutures to take out and less blood loss. She's been sleeping pretty much the whole time since I got her home at 2pm. Hopefully, she'll be back to almost normal by next week....
Riding.....Tuesday/Thursday Hammer rides. I thought, at one point this year, I said I wasn't doing those kind of rides this year. What happened? I got sucked in, I got better, I got faster, I became able to hang on with this group of guys, so I ride hard & fast on Tuesdays & Thursdays for 35 miles at an 18-20 mph pace! Saturday rides have been with the guys, but we usually go to the Grocery Bag and ride with the Cyclepaths. Those rides range anywhere from 40-60 miles and they, too, are hard & fast. I try to hang on with the fast boys and usually do unless it's extremely fast (faster than 20).
Sundays have become "Metric Sundays". We do a nice route from Dallas's house down to Brogden, Pinelevel, Micro, and back to his house. It's a really flat route, 65 miles and supposed to be a "recovery" ride from the hard Saturday ride. For the most part, it is a recovery ride. Pace has been averaging 18-19.5mph! Yea baby!! That's a recovery ride!
That's about it, I guess. I'd like to get back out for a 2-3 day backpacking trip, but probably won't do that till later this year. Company coming up next week for a 2 day visit. Can't wait!! :) <3 September 18/19 to Greenville, SC for the USA Pro Cycling races. Paris Mountain!!
Later!!
Taylor:
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