revchuck 

Well, that's a predictable outcome of just lounging around.

Hermes

Agreed. Lounges are brutal. I try not to recline too far.

Racer Ex 

Better lounging than laddering.

Allegheny Jet

Damn auto correct! You guys make me feel like I'm back at work again! I am lounging tonight though.

Bandera

Medium Gear Time Trials:

Fixed Wheel

https://www.fixedwheel.co.uk/mgleague17.htm

Gotta love the Brits.
That's something I would do, 10 or 25 miles against the clock on a fixed gear limited to 72GI.

-Bandera

Hermes

2 hour endurance ride. Well, there was a charity ride going on along the coast yesterday so my ride was more of a Fredapalooza. My main goal was not to crash and I said so many on your lefts that I had nightmares last night.

The real nightmare was when a fat rider with hairy legs scampered up a climb past me like I was standing still. In fairness, I was warming up but he still was very fast.

And of course, there were the traditional group rides that were on the same route as the charity ride with a larger group overtaking and mingling with the other riders. Now what could possibly go wrong?

However, yet another beautiful day riding along the coast.

Racer Ex 

Aside from the basic concept, what is even more awesome is a guy named Wigglesworth won one of the races. I told Mrs. Ex that if she ever got assigned to London we would change our last name to Balderdash Farmington Smythe

Bandera

A.W.E (Arthur Winston Edward) Balderdash-Farmington-Smythe, known to his public school chums as "Wonky", set his club's slowest 100 mile TT record from Saint-Fred on Avon to Morris Minor riding a fixed 47 GI in the time of 17:11:29.25.
A historically awful effort reflected in the Balderdash-Farmington-Smythe family motto: Perfecta Sunt Idiotae.

-Bandera

Allegheny Jet

I can't seem to figure the distances they are racing. It's probably something that I would join.

Allegheny Jet

Stayed indoors today to avoid the storms even though it's early November and 66 degrees. Did 4 sets of my circuit of misery. First set completed as a WU then 3 continuous circuits for the workout. Not sure why, but I'm loving this workout.

Bandera

AJ,

There are times posted for 10 and 25 miles, 24.19 for 10 miles and 54.08 for 25 is getting it done on a 72 GI FG.
Since I ride a 70 GI fixed on the road it does sound like fun, I'd show up if such an event was on the local calendar.

-Bandera

Hermes

I had the same problem trying to figure out the distances. I assume that they are ridden Merckx versus on a pursuit bike.

Bandera

A rider is shown with what looks to me like a purpose built road FG TT machine w/ track ends, two brakes fitted, bullhorns & aero clip-ons, 4 spoke front, disc rear, aero helmet and skin suit.

Fixed Wheel

"I am a great fan of the medium gear event and have personal best's of 23-31 for 10, 34-19 for 15 and 58-51 for 25 all on 72" fixed." -Steve Morris

Untitled Document

revchuck 

End of the week wrap-up...

Thursday: An hour at what was supposed to be recovery pace, ended up just barely under Z2.

Friday: 1h:30 at endurance pace with 10' cool down.

Saturday: This was supposed to be a century, but turned into a mostly self-inflicted cluster. The fast group took off fast and after the first seven miles at 24-25 mph I pulled off, knowing I wouldn't be able to maintain that pace for 100 miles. Nobody was calling out holes, and I hit one hard enough to lose a bottle. Once alone, I missed a turn and added five miles to the ride. A team on which I know several guys went by while I was filling my single bottle and I called out; they actually stopped and waited for me and I joined them. They were doing a shorter version of the ride and I missed the turnoff for the 100, so I ended up with 76. They weren't doing well with calling holes either. The guy in front of me hit a hole hard enough to lose a bottle, it took two bounces and came toward me and I wedged it between my left calf and rear bottle cage. I couldn't do that again in a million years!

Sunday: Another century, and this one went well, a night-and-day difference. The fast group took off at ~23 mph and I stayed with them. Everbody pulled, and most of us got a little hoarse yelling "Hole!". There were ten of us to start, but by mile 60 we were down to four including me and we held together until the end. Wind and fatigue brought our speed down a bit but we still finished in 4:43 rolling time. Not earth-shattering, but we were still the first ones in.

Totals for the week: CTL 64, ATL 119, TSS 717. Don't think I've ever had a -55 TSB before.

An hour at recovery pace tomorrow, rest day on Tuesday, intervals on Wednesday. Need to discuss Thursday's and Friday's scheduled workouts with Coach, don't want to get to Tucson with a load of fatigue in my legs. Saturday and Sunday I'll drive to Tucson, with openers on Sunday afternoon to get I-10 out of my legs. We still need to finalize the week before El Tour.

Allegheny Jet

Since the races are fixed gear oriented my mind went to shorter distances with time in seconds and hundredths. I have a Redline SS cyclocross frame that I set up for my road fixie that is normally done with a 44/17 and 38mm tires. The gear inches are probably around 72". Works fine for me unless I join in on gravel rides or rail ballast bushwacking experiences at that time I feel a little weak.

sarals 

My end of the week wrap up - stiff and sore.

I did go to the district Awards Banquet Saturday night. I was given an award for "Volunteer of the Year" for my work with the NCNCA Women facebook page, and I was privileged to introduce and then interview Barb as an NCNCA Legend, and then present her with her award. It was quite an evening, really fun, really sweet!

Hermes

Congrats on your award Sara. And thanks for all the work you do promoting racing.

Hermes

Yesterday was endurance work at San Diego Velodrome. Warmup, accelerations and jumps. Then 3x(4x(3laps higher power and two laps lower power)). 10 minutes RBI.

We drove down to the gym at sunset and we treated to an amazing sunset. Generally, we do not get this much color in the sunsets over the ocean. This shot is taken from La Jolla at Boomers beach.

sarals 

@Hermes, thank you!

I'm looking forward (itching) to getting back down to VSC for some workouts. Hope to see you and MEA!

sarals 

Today, STR training. I am still working out how to approach the new exercises Coach has given me. The gym's equipment is different than the gear suggested in the videos he sent me, and I'm an inexperienced Gym Rat, so I don't know yet what the different approaches are. I'm going easy, too. As he said "Early is when we can get hurt". Ummm, NO. I will NOT get hurt. The goals? Stronger core and stronger legs. And don't hurt the back!

Allegheny Jet

Congrats on the award Sara!

Tonight was our first total darkness group ride of the season. The recent time change shut the door on starting out with daylight. Eight riders showed up today. 30 miles with about 1,000' climbing on deserted country roads. Surprisingly we averaged 20.4 mph for the ride with a 41 degree start temp. All but one of the riders are 50+ age with three of us in the 60's. Post ride food and micro brews are the ticket!!!

sarals 

Thanks, AJ! The best moment of the night was introducing Barb, and then hearing her tell her story. So cool. She's an incredible athlete.

I did a 'cruiser ride' on the TT bike yesterday, which featured a long slow grade. My, am I stiff today! I'm noticing much more stiffness these days than I used to. Good thing I'm religious about rolling out and stretching, it would probably be worse. I've another longish ride on the docket for today, but the weather is iffy and the ride may get shortened. It might even turn into a twenty minute roller session.

I know I need to slow down, take some time to relax my body, but it's so hard to do. It takes a lot of time to rebuild from couch potato mode, and as I get older, it takes even more time. Coach and lots of other people I have enormous respect for have told me how much my body needs it and will appreciate it, and how refreshed I'll feel. I get that! It's just so hard to slow down. I have remind myself of something a "former racer" told me ages ago - "you've got to slow down to go fast".

Saturday, Hellyer - yay!

Hermes

San Diego Track workout yesterday. Warmup, accelerations jumps plus 3 x 10 minute combination intervals. Fun day at the track and once again, I had the track to myself.

sarals 

Nice ride with BJ today. We went easy and were really chatty. Which you can do when you can breathe and the wind noise isn't so loud it drowns everything out. Jest sayin'!

Tomorrow, Hellyer. The Women Take Over Hellyer tomorrow. It's also a beginner session, and I volunteered to help out. I haven't been on the track in, three weeks? I'm excited! I did put a - 17 degree stem on my track bike, for the sprint bars, and I'm anxious to see how it feels.

revchuck 

Quick wrap-up for the week...

Monday: 53' at recovery pace.
Tuesday: Rest day.
Wednesday: 2h:03 at endurance pace with 2x9' ramp-up intervals. Coach had told me 2-4 intervals and while I could have done three, the last would have been ugly. We spoke later that day and cut back on Friday's ride; via email, we had earlier switched the intervals for Wednesday to easier ones. I had apparently gone deeper on Sunday than we thought I had.
Thursday: 53' at recovery pace.
Friday: 1h:30 at endurance pace.

Today: I-10 intervals, Lake Charles to El Paso. Just miles and miles of Texas.