Training Status??? (IV)
fuggitivo solitario
Great mtb ride for me yesterday. 16 miles/2400 ft of climbing, 100% HR zones 2/3, much improved technically, such a beautiful trail, great company on the 9 mile climb with plenty of time to chat.
Also: I have a conference in St George UT in Sept, bringing a bike and riding there. Then after we were planning on Zion NP but instead we’re bringing the dog on the trip and going to Moab instead. Three of the women mtb instructors from my Trek Dirt Series camp in Mammoth are based out of Moab and all three were great. Hopefully I can set up a few hours of instructional riding with one of them. And see Arches and Canyonlands. And keep riding in the second half of our trip.
Hitting up another favorite trail today.
At Mount Pinos, yesterdays ride:
Also: I have a conference in St George UT in Sept, bringing a bike and riding there. Then after we were planning on Zion NP but instead we’re bringing the dog on the trip and going to Moab instead. Three of the women mtb instructors from my Trek Dirt Series camp in Mammoth are based out of Moab and all three were great. Hopefully I can set up a few hours of instructional riding with one of them. And see Arches and Canyonlands. And keep riding in the second half of our trip.
Hitting up another favorite trail today.
At Mount Pinos, yesterdays ride:
i seem to have dove off into the deep end with my MTB, as the trails here are rarely that wide and almost always have roots and rocks. it's been a rather laborious and somewhat painful (figuratively and literally) start to my MTBing. it's so ridiculous that there are times i can't even go up climbs, as my lines aren't tight enough and I end up either going up a banking or lose momentum on roots...
**** that
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I've been too busy to visit here much lately. My "retirement job" is a part-time gig at a bike shop, which turned into full-time last month when the mechanic quit. That's on top of the 15-18 hours/week I've been riding, topped out at 110 CTL/146ATL about four weeks ago. Last week (13-17 August) I was in Colorado Springs for a climbing/altitude camp. You can tell your coach is a hardass when she assigns you this for a bleepin' training ride:
All this is in preparation for LOTOJA, which is two weeks from today. I'm ramping down this week (730 TSS) and next (670-700) and then tapering the week of the ride. It's the hardest I've ever worked to prep for an event. I'm really looking forward to it!
All this is in preparation for LOTOJA, which is two weeks from today. I'm ramping down this week (730 TSS) and next (670-700) and then tapering the week of the ride. It's the hardest I've ever worked to prep for an event. I'm really looking forward to it!
Also you're doing more hours than me lately - I'm jealous!
**** that
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Did the local hammerfesf yesterday, then tacked on another 60 mi for about 100 total.
Today did 40 flat miles, battling the wind the whole damn way.
Three races next weekend, should be fun! Form is coming back around, finally.
Today did 40 flat miles, battling the wind the whole damn way.
Three races next weekend, should be fun! Form is coming back around, finally.
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@mattm:
Once I was above treeline, I had to stop about every fifteen minutes to catch my breath. The graph of my power declined in almost a straight line from the start (~7750 ft) to the finish, from ~80% to ~70% of FTP...and that 70% hurt more than the 80%.
I dunno how you can even breathe, much less ride, at that elevation.
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Chuck
Demain, on roule!
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Thanks, @Heathpack! The "enjoyment" will come from accomplishing a goal I've worked hard to achieve. A sub-goal was to no longer be intimidated by elevation gain, and I'm pretty much there. I seemed to be pretty comfortable at 6k feet in COS, though I wasn't on the bike for 11-12 hours straight. I'm looking forward to this!
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out of curiosity, how often do you encounter rooty or rocky sections on that trail? also, any switchback descents?
i seem to have dove off into the deep end with my MTB, as the trails here are rarely that wide and almost always have roots and rocks. it's been a rather laborious and somewhat painful (figuratively and literally) start to my MTBing. it's so ridiculous that there are times i can't even go up climbs, as my lines aren't tight enough and I end up either going up a banking or lose momentum on roots...
i seem to have dove off into the deep end with my MTB, as the trails here are rarely that wide and almost always have roots and rocks. it's been a rather laborious and somewhat painful (figuratively and literally) start to my MTBing. it's so ridiculous that there are times i can't even go up climbs, as my lines aren't tight enough and I end up either going up a banking or lose momentum on roots...
But all of that is skills stuff, not really fitness stuff. If you climb the paved road (as we did), the trail is pretty easy from a fitness perspective.
In town, I don’t have a lot of great mtb options. But I mtb lots of other places.
Today, I rode a trail called Golden Eagle. It’s big challenges are very narrow, over grown, very loose in summer, lots of exposed off camber stuff, remoteness etc. But almost no rocks.
Big Bear (where I ride frequently) is much more rocky. Some of the stuff I just look at and wonder how people ride it. I walk over that stuff. Here’s a pic I sent Ex from last weekend. I want him to come ride Big Bear with me cause I want to see him ride up this. The trail goes to the right of the tree btw. This section is on a blue/intermediate trail called Skyline. So I think there’s decently hard stuff around here, but I’m mostly not on those trails and when I am I’m not drawn to taking pics of stuff I can’t ride for the most part.
Come out to California and we’ll hit up some non-discouraging trails.
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MTB ride for me today, the singletrack stuff was super fun but then we went “exploring” and headed down down down a new-to-us trail. Figured we’d return by the fireroad but that was shadeless and miles (maybe 3?) of mostly 15-18% uphill grades in 100F temps. Exploring this area was not my idea or something I knew was on the agenda, so I only had two bottles of water. Got dehydrated and a little bit of heat exhaustion, had to walk a bunch of the fireroad stuff. But the singletrack stuff was really fun, almost made up for it. We wound up riding 27 miles/4000 ft of climbing and amazing despite the heat stress it was still almost all HR zone 2/3 for me. 250ish TSS for this ride, bringing me to 120 miles (40 of em mtb miles which count at least 2x lol)/700 TSS/10000 ft climbing for the week. I am tired and sitting on a -40 TSB right now. Rest day tomorrow, I am so tired.
We saw zero other cyclists or hikers. Four deer. And lots of tracks: Bear, bobcat, deer, and snake. Blows my mind to go to this trail just 35 min north of a pretty big population center and see zero people out there.
Bear track:
We saw zero other cyclists or hikers. Four deer. And lots of tracks: Bear, bobcat, deer, and snake. Blows my mind to go to this trail just 35 min north of a pretty big population center and see zero people out there.
Bear track:
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oh Yeah and I just learned my favorite instructor from my Mammoth clinic will be available when we’re in Moab. So happy, she is a really great instructor.
fuggitivo solitario
very nice! though i'm not sure about the bear
one of these day's i'll make it out to Kurt's Ranch
in the mean time, it'll be endless repeats of tackling those switchback turns. I'm so bad that my outside hand seems to be applying most of the force, despite consciously telling myself to weigh the inside hand.
one of these day's i'll make it out to Kurt's Ranch
in the mean time, it'll be endless repeats of tackling those switchback turns. I'm so bad that my outside hand seems to be applying most of the force, despite consciously telling myself to weigh the inside hand.
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WKO4 says I'm a bit ahead of my all time best numbers from last November. Pretty happy about that, it was a hard winter and spring with sicknesses and injuries.
Cat 2
@revchuck doing the training I should've been doing the last week. Stomach bug last tuesday apparently never went away and I actually had to DNF a fondo on Saturday. FML. 50 miles in and I could hardly turn the pedals. Not pain.. just weak. Got a ride back to the start, drove home and laid on the couch for multiple hours chugging pedialyte trying to avoid dehydration from the...affects. I think I've spent about 40$ on pedialyte this month. Sunday completely off the bike and then just 30 minutes easy today. So much for a big block of training before LoToJa. Luckily I've found a couple people to ride for/with at the race. Today at work I finally felt like I could eat normal food again.
We'll try again tomorrow and hope the legs are back. Sick of being sick.
We'll try again tomorrow and hope the legs are back. Sick of being sick.
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cool rides @revchuck and @Heathpack.
Yesterday evening we got back from a wedding in Tahoe/Truckee for five days, had fun but overall it was too much drinking for my 31 year old body. Would love to go back there on a cycling vacay sometime; place is awesome.
Yesterday I rode my MTB for ~30 min, this morning I rode it for an hour and now I'm going to ride it for another hour before going into work to widdle down some desk work so I can start tomorrow on my best foot fwd. Will get a big one in on Saturday with a small group of racing buddies, which should prevent my fitness from 100% disappearing during my off-season splendor
Yesterday evening we got back from a wedding in Tahoe/Truckee for five days, had fun but overall it was too much drinking for my 31 year old body. Would love to go back there on a cycling vacay sometime; place is awesome.
Yesterday I rode my MTB for ~30 min, this morning I rode it for an hour and now I'm going to ride it for another hour before going into work to widdle down some desk work so I can start tomorrow on my best foot fwd. Will get a big one in on Saturday with a small group of racing buddies, which should prevent my fitness from 100% disappearing during my off-season splendor
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@TMonk, Tahoe/Truckee is awesome riding. Especially on the mtb.
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@Ttoc6 - That's some bad timing to get sick One of the many advantages of being young is that you'll be mostly recovered by the race. Maybe you'll have to dial it back to where you only beat me to Jackson Hole by an hour. Save me some beer!
An hour and a half at endurance pace this morning, yesterday I was off the bike but spent an hour and a half mowing. Tomorrow is my last hard day prior to LOTOJA, 2-3x12' O/U, under being 5' at 105% and over being 1' at 120%. Fast group ride Saturday, easier set of O/U next Wednesday, pretty much endurance pace or recovery the rest of the time.
An hour and a half at endurance pace this morning, yesterday I was off the bike but spent an hour and a half mowing. Tomorrow is my last hard day prior to LOTOJA, 2-3x12' O/U, under being 5' at 105% and over being 1' at 120%. Fast group ride Saturday, easier set of O/U next Wednesday, pretty much endurance pace or recovery the rest of the time.
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Demain, on roule!
Regards,
Chuck
Demain, on roule!
Cat 2
That OU set sounds HAAARD, @revchuck.
Group ride tonight. Finally felt what I'd call normal. Good to be rested, I hit it hard and was the driving force to bring back a lot of moves. Didn't win, but was there for the sprint after doing a lot of work, so I guess form is okay? Who know anymore.. I'm gonna race it like any other race and see how it goes. Shhoot me a PM with your info and we'll try to catch up with you after we are both done!
Group ride tonight. Finally felt what I'd call normal. Good to be rested, I hit it hard and was the driving force to bring back a lot of moves. Didn't win, but was there for the sprint after doing a lot of work, so I guess form is okay? Who know anymore.. I'm gonna race it like any other race and see how it goes. Shhoot me a PM with your info and we'll try to catch up with you after we are both done!
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Yea it does, ow!
Back to structured training for me. Long big gear sets and weights weekly, z2 filling in the rest. Going to Tahoe in a couple weeks for a cyclist friends bachelor party, so I'm shipping my crit bike over. Should be fun! Never rode out there except for district ttt once
Back to structured training for me. Long big gear sets and weights weekly, z2 filling in the rest. Going to Tahoe in a couple weeks for a cyclist friends bachelor party, so I'm shipping my crit bike over. Should be fun! Never rode out there except for district ttt once
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@revchuck I would call that an over over.
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yeah is that correct? I feel like 3x12' at 105% is plenty difficult by itself.
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@revchuck I would call that an over over.
Yesterday I did a big gear workout on the TT bike. That one tends to feel relatively "easy" if it comes after a rest day. It went well.
This morning my alarm goes off at 4am for a gnarly workout- 2 x 5 @115%, then 1 x 20 @100%, then 30 min of tempo- on the TT bike in aero position. I almost called in sick on that one, but decided to give it a whirl. Surprised I made both of the 115% intervals and then the threshold interval seemed insurmountably long... but I have a "preseason" TT a week from Sunday, I need to get crackin at some point.
Five minutes in to the interval, I decided I could just do 2 x 10. At the 10 min mark, I decided it would be easier to just do 1 x 15. At the 15 min mark, I was a few watts low and decided to finish the interval to see how much I could drag the power number up. Still missed by a watt or two but basically got it done. Lol sometimes it takes a bit of mental gymnastics to get myself through these things. And sometimes I just do it like a normal person.
Rest day tomorrow then four days of mtn biking in Big Bear.
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Five minutes in to the interval, I decided I could just do 2 x 10. At the 10 min mark, I decided it would be easier to just do 1 x 15. At the 15 min mark, I was a few watts low and decided to finish the interval to see how much I could drag the power number up. Still missed by a watt or two but basically got it done. Lol sometimes it takes a bit of mental gymnastics to get myself through these things. And sometimes I just do it like a normal person.
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Didn't eat enough, didn't read the plan and accidentally looked at a workout for next week.
That didn't go great. 3x10min under overs. Success first set, couldn't hold it the next two. I completed all sets but ground to a stop for a couple seconds in the middle on the last two sets.
Geeesh.
I think the power and effort have gotten to be enough over time I need to take the nutrition aspect a little more seriously.
That didn't go great. 3x10min under overs. Success first set, couldn't hold it the next two. I completed all sets but ground to a stop for a couple seconds in the middle on the last two sets.
Geeesh.
I think the power and effort have gotten to be enough over time I need to take the nutrition aspect a little more seriously.
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I'm kinda sorta done. Outside a disastrous February, I've been grinding since September of last year and its definitely taking its toll mentally. I'll still 'train' til worlds are done (which is 3 weeks or so) as that's my favorite activity for the week. I only made it to 2 of the 9 races I had planned there was always a constant state of training for the next thing. Having a wife that travels for work and being on call 50% of the time took a bigger toll than it did in other races seasons. A lot of being told to work on Saturday 3 days before a race =\
My wife said I could do Mt Whitney but that meant picking her up from the airport, going to to the race, getting back late Sunday and flying out Monday morning. So I didn't want to do that to her and just made up a reason not to go.
Last night I got worked at worlds, but it was still a fast time; just a matter of not being able to survive the surge since I have no top end. So instead of being in no man's land where I'm 30 seconds off the lead group and 30 seconds off the next I just sat up and waited for the next group. I did tow our group and probably did 50% of the work for our group of 10.
Everyone now is on form so some of the younger and talented riders that don't train (ie they just do group rides and don't go over 10 hours a week) have found their legs.
My wife said I could do Mt Whitney but that meant picking her up from the airport, going to to the race, getting back late Sunday and flying out Monday morning. So I didn't want to do that to her and just made up a reason not to go.
Last night I got worked at worlds, but it was still a fast time; just a matter of not being able to survive the surge since I have no top end. So instead of being in no man's land where I'm 30 seconds off the lead group and 30 seconds off the next I just sat up and waited for the next group. I did tow our group and probably did 50% of the work for our group of 10.
Everyone now is on form so some of the younger and talented riders that don't train (ie they just do group rides and don't go over 10 hours a week) have found their legs.
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Didn't eat enough, didn't read the plan and accidentally looked at a workout for next week.
That didn't go great. 3x10min under overs. Success first set, couldn't hold it the next two. I completed all sets but ground to a stop for a couple seconds in the middle on the last two sets.
Geeesh.
I think the power and effort have gotten to be enough over time I need to take the nutrition aspect a little more seriously.
That didn't go great. 3x10min under overs. Success first set, couldn't hold it the next two. I completed all sets but ground to a stop for a couple seconds in the middle on the last two sets.
Geeesh.
I think the power and effort have gotten to be enough over time I need to take the nutrition aspect a little more seriously.
i'd look at your pacing first
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Rebuilt my old Gazelle as a FG road machine over the weekend and took it out on my regular flat out-and-back. No HRM, no PM, just turned pedals. I liked it.
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I think I can do anything for five minutes. Then when I get to two minutes, I repeat the 5 minute mantra substituting two minutes. When I get to one minute, I remind myself I was a 400 meter runner. All is good.
Does that always work? No but if it does not, I will switch from time control to distance control and look ahead and say, I know I can make it at this level of effort to that distance goal. Does that always work? No, then I go into my rabid dog mode and hope.
Does that always work? No but if it does not, I will switch from time control to distance control and look ahead and say, I know I can make it at this level of effort to that distance goal. Does that always work? No, then I go into my rabid dog mode and hope.