wolfpack 

3mi in you had a crash too, eh? same for my race (except it was the 2nd lap)...it was just before that only left hand turn.

tried to find you today....

ted ward

Nearly bonked after 35 miles today. Third day on the bike after a 6 week knee injury.

euphoria

I would chalk that up to pre-race jitters except you've made four posts or so in the last week about entering workouts already fatigued. Maybe a rest week is in order?

Case in point: I was pretty shredded after yesterday's indoor 25K TT and on my recovery ride it took A LOT of relaxing to stay at 120bpm, at first it would be 150bpm even in a small gear

Flatballer

Yeah. I actually took Thursday and Friday off (except for about 15 total miles of slow commuting, I have to do that) because I felt so bad on Wednesday. And I just did a rest week two weeks ago. I have been feeling pretty drained lately though. Maybe I'll dial down the mileage some (I've been averaging about 175) and up the intensity. That will leave me more time to rest, which may be what I need. I've been busy lately.

How should I approach a steep climb in a race like this, assuming we're not near the finish, and the pack is together?

Should I climb it as hard as I can (what I did today) to attempt to not get dropped? Or should I climb it at a pace that I can maintain without blowing up, and then hammer to get back on afterwards? The way I phrase it I guess makes it pretty obvious, but you know what I mean.

I'm not light, and I'm not all that powerful yet, so I'm gonna have to be smarter, which is really hard in the races I'm in, since no one really knows what's going on, including myself.

euphoria

Well, I have the frame and Vo2max of a bodybuilder so extended climbs will always present an issue, but I personally wouldn't count on the descent to play catchup since weight doesn't seem to be the sole determiner of descending speed. Tailing back on after climbing at your own pace has rarely worked for me so I just dig deep to stay with the group knowing I can recover better on flat ground, because chances are there's more than a few minimally taxed light guys in there who will continue to drive the pace. TTing like mad for an indeterminate amount of time will sap more out of you than one HR spike above 200, but then again I live in the land of 2 minute power climbs.

Apus^2

First TT of the season. Got back from vancouver at about 8 last night and finished putting my bike together.

At the start line just as I was getting going I feel a pop. Genius here didn't do a good job tightening my handle bars, so my cockpit was unstable for the entire time. My knees are also a little sore now. I have some work to do on it.

Then, to top it all off, I erase my ptap data. JUST GREAT. I'm thrilled.

grolby

1.5 hours today, 2 hours tomorrow, then next week is a rest week! After that, I start Base 2. I'm doing very well at getting in my planned riding hours, but the motivation for core/upper body workouts (I do crunches for abs and lower back, as well as pushups) just isn't there. I can usually manage two workouts per week, and I spend all day dreading it and putting it off. I think it's a structure thing, really - if I had a gym membership and a time in my schedule to make it there, I would suck it up and get it done. Well, something is better than nothing.

While I'm pretty close to a good fit, it's become a constant aggravation. I can tell what's wrong - my bars are too wide, reach is too long, but I just can't do anything about it right now except ride. I should probably swallow my pride and bring the bars up 5mm while I'm at it. I got low and hammered a bit today, and yow! My lower back was feeling it. I'm not sure if it's a matter of strength, flexibility or both. It definitely is less sore when I don't go so hard. I'm not sure right now whether to keep riding and adapt, do more strength work, or what. It's not a big deal for two hours or less, but a long road race last season turned into a death march when my back up and rebelled after too much work - it was a climbing-heavy course. Suggestions are welcome.

substructure

Two straight days of LT training. Today is a full day of relaxation and healthy eating.
I'll watch the tour then I think I'll go full redneck and watch the Daytona 500 later.

wolfpack 

well, i'm not taking today off. going to go ride with my Hammer guys 34-40mi, probably a good z3 ride. then take a day or two off.

Greg180

Had to dramatically reduce riding, (nothing), due to grinding feeling behind knee cap. Knee joint is sloppy and even walking for any significant distance will result in days of discomfort. 45 days still surgery. All I am left with now is yoga, core work and push-ups. Meh!

Pablo.

Ooooh yeah. Done with a hard weekend of riding; 85 hilly miles yesterday and 50 miles today with a fast group ride in the middle. The form is not back yet, but it's getting there.

ZeCanon

this week begins shorter intervals. I'm ready for some serious pain cave.

waterrockets 

5 miles with my 7 year old son today. We hit some trails in our neighborhood (I rode my SS MTB). No power meter, but I'm guessing NP was somewhere around 70W.

grolby

WOW. This was definitely the right thing to do. Felt much better today. Of course, I still had to raise my saddle mid-ride, and my right cleat was rotated too far to the outside, but my back was much happier. I need to remember that I'm riding deep drops - I can raise the hoods a bit and still have a really good aero position in the drops. Hell, it's only 5mm - I'm not any worse off on the hoods either, but my body feels better.

Now I just need to resolve saddle comfort issues and I think I'll be good for the season.

heads up!

First race of the season for me (and first ever with a power meter). 'Twas the perennial MABRA training race called Trade Zone.

I was working lots and the numbers show, especially for a Cat 3/4 field in February on the east coast. I wasn't racing for the finish line, only took 12th or thereabouts, I was there to test fitness and making moves to see what's what. Feelin' pretty good overall. bdcheung was conspicuously absent (c'mon dude!), but I got a chance to meet BF'er Treefox after the race. He might have a shot or two of me to put in the "pics of you suffering" thread.

Race
Duration: 1:06:19
Work: 1059 kJ
TSS: 125.9 (intensity factor 1.067)
Norm Power: 298
VI: 1.12
Pw:HR: 1.64%
Pa:HR: 1.48%
Distance: 26.986 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 914 266 watts
Heart Rate: 100 187 172 bpm
Cadence: 1 172 93 rpm
Speed: 3 35.4 24.4 mph
Pace 1:42 19:42 2:27 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1698 248 lb-in

patentcad

Good Nyack Ride today, last week too. Not enough snot to make the break, but rode well in the bunch. Should have made the break today, hesitated, then failed to make the bridge over the next two miles and had to retreat to the bunch, but I got close. Felt good trying. Did pretty good in the uphill sprint at the end both weeks, although I got badly boxed today. I felt considerably stronger both weeks in the last 10+ miles than in the first 30. I really have to work at trying to mash bigger gears when they turn up the gas for a number of reasons. Riding stronger than last February, knee feels surprisingly good (no injections yet). Hoping I can help my team. There are two levels of guys in that 35+, the pack fodder and the players, and I'm no player, but the strong peloton dogs can be useful to the team, hoping I can play more of a role this year.

How can a sport that I suck at so bad be so friggin stupid and so friggin great at the same time? It's a puzzlement.

umd

Two back-to-back 3hr races... .8 IF both days. My legs are tired. I had cut my long rides down and increased my intensity and it sure helped for my racing and results but my endurance is suffering for sure. I haven't even done a 2+ hour ride in nearly a month. It's ok, I'd rather be tired the next day after doing well

I have a crit tomorrow, should be interesting

TheKillerPenguin

Today, 62.6mi, 2:50. 22mph in high Z2. Yowza.

waterrockets 

So... did you get some points?

Holy crap

I have a 62.5 mile race next weekend, and I haven't ridden further than 22 miles in months

...well, I guess my back-to-back crits were 43 miles or so, and that wasn't a problem.

umd

I did get 4 points yesterday. Nothing today. Both of these races had uphill finishes but yesterday was more of a power climb and today had a threshold climb, a long descent, and a final power climb. Last year I used to think I was a "climber" and one thing that my results and power meter have shown me is that I am more of a power climber than a threshold climber.

Cantua Creek. 4th out of 29.
Duration: 3:14:09
Work: 2262 kJ
TSS: 206.4 (intensity factor 0.799)
Norm Power: 240
VI: 1.23
Pw:HR: -15.77%
Pa:HR: 10.68%
Distance: 70.446 mi
Elevation Gain: 4096 ft
Elevation Loss: 4141 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-45 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 856 194 watts
Heart Rate: 67 185 145 bpm
Cadence: 1 131 88 rpm
Speed: 2.4 52.6 21.8 mph
Pace 1:08 24:46 2:45 min/mi
Altitude: 444 816 528 ft
Crank Torque: 0 1777 190 lb-in


Pine Flat 15th out of 41
Duration: 2:57:25
Work: 2167 kJ
TSS: 185.3 (intensity factor 0.792)
Norm Power: 237
VI: 1.17
Pw:HR: -13.14%
Pa:HR: 16.96%
Distance: 62.018 mi
Elevation Gain: 5587 ft
Elevation Loss: 4924 ft
Grade: 0.2 % (663 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 864 204 watts
Heart Rate: 70 179 151 bpm
Cadence: 1 126 85 rpm
Speed: 1.5 54.4 21.0 mph
Pace 1:06 40:14 2:52 min/mi
Altitude: 399 1973 977 ft
Crank Torque: 0 1806 215 lb-in

Flatballer

Three races in two days, combined with a bunch of volunteering and working at the races.

Yesterday I got shelled from the Collegiate C road race on the first big climb. Forgot to start my log, so I don't know what my HR/speed and stuff was like.

Today I got dropped from the Collegiate C crit after about the first lap, and then got pulled after about 20 minutes (of 30). A guy went wide through the first corner and cut me off on the hill, I almost had to come to a stop, and I never got back on. I'm not sure why I couldn't get back on, just being stupid I guess. It's not like the pace was that high, I just got hung out by myself. A UNC rider caught me shortly after, and then we made a paceline and tried to get back on, but then we got lapped and pulled.

Collegiate C Crit -
Avg HR - 176 bpm
Avg Speed - 21.6 mph


I then raced Cat 5 late in the day, was too tired to even warm up, and then ended up coming in 14th out of about 30. I ended up feeling decent, but worked a lot harder than I would like. Past about 5 people in the final stretch in the sprint. I ended up wishing I had made a move earlier, I was stronger than I thought. I need to learn how to sit in without working so hard. And I also need a lot more intensity and less endurance.

Cat 5 Crit
Average HR - 174 (my LT is 164 normally)
Max HR - 192 (highest I've ever seen)
Avg Speed - 23.7 mph
Time - 29' 24"

I'm just glad I was able to finish a race in the pack. So far I've had 5 races, and DNF'd 3 of them. I would feel a lot worse if I was at 4 out of 5.

I have a lot to learn, and I need a lot more intensity, but I'm getting better.

TheKillerPenguin

Holy crap indeed...

I'm checking my training logs from this time last year, and in z2 I was doing under 17mph. At the end of Febuary last year, my max 8min speed was 23.2mph. So basically, I'm 5mph ahead of where I was this time last year.

Finally, in late March last year I did a race and my avg HR was in low z3, and even though I was drafting the whole time I could only avg 21mph. And today I did a solo 63 miler at a little over 22mph avg in high z2.

My problem last year was I was taking pretty much every other week off, and then when I would train it'd only be 6-7 hours in a week. See what actually training will do for you?

ZeCanon

two sets of 3x7ish climbing intervals today on the first climb of the collegiate nationals course (stadium hill). 5 min recovery between intervals, 20 between sets. Goal was 335w (5.36w/kg) for each interval.
The hill starts out around 5% for 400m, then kicks up to over 15%, then stays steady around 7-8% before leveling out to around 3% for 50 yards or so and then going back to 8% until the top. The hardest part for me is where it levels out. It messes with my tempo and my PE skyrockets even though the wattage is staying the same. Total for each interval was right around 7 minutes.
The averages:
(set 1)
1: 334
2: 338
3: 341
(set 2)
1: 316 (why the suck? I don't know)
2: 342
3: 339

AlexTaylor

After yesterdays ride I get to move my signature eWangometer to the right

substructure

Here's Saturday's Peak 20min:

Peak 20min (353 watts):
Duration: 20:01
Work: 424 kJ
TSS: 42.6 (intensity factor 1.13)
Norm Power: 356
VI: 1.01
Pw:HR: 2.22%
Pa:HR: -10.68%
Distance: 7.43 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 52 551 353 watts
Heart Rate: 149 194 186 bpm
Cadence: 47 116 98 rpm
Speed: 12.2 28.8 22.3 mph
Pace 2:05 4:56 2:42 min/mi
Hub Torque: 25 250 107 lb-in
Crank Torque: 81 621 308 lb-in

My second wasn't as good. The wind picked up, it was getting cooler, and frankly, I wasn't up to another one over 350. I managed to finish is at 330 or so.


Today was a couple V02s on the trainer. Rain and cold held me indoors. I managed them at 115%. Then finished out with moderate tempo work.