Thursday, April 28, 2011

Uh-oh.


These two graphs should have the same shape. When they don't... it usually means I'm about to get sick. Heart rate zones on the left. Power zones on the right.

I'm due for a rest week next week. Hopefully the HR:Power disconnect is fatigue. I have a working theory about that... but let's see if things play out before I publish it.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Salvaging the Week

Wednesday early morning fail, along with a Thursday missed workout, things were looking kinda bleak. But some salvage work brought the week back.

Friday I attempted Wednesday's ride. And I completed it properly this time without the struggles of my early morning adventure. A relief. There was some worry I just wasn't up to form. Happily all is well.

Sunday brought absolutely perfect weather! Ideal in fact. I put it to use with a nice long ride. A couple of 20'min sub-threshold intervals and the remainder done at endurance pace.

My riding partner today...


... cute girl with a Tonka truck jersey! Good ride. Great company!

Totals for the week came out OK. In all I hit my threshold and super-threshold goals even if it wasn't exactly to plan.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Saddle Improvements

New saddle. I picked it up at a serious discount, with eyes to put it on the still non-existant new mountain-bike. Like a kid with on Christmas morning... I had to give it a whirl. Mounted on the froufrou bike...



I've been on a Specialized Toupe on the rhodie bike for almost five years. Spesh has slightly changed the Toupe. I have an older one and a newer one. It's now flatter than it used to be. What I like about the new saddle is the sway. Just like an old horse. Side-by-side...




I could never get the Toupe adjusted to feel comfortable in the drops and the tops. Either one, but never both. I suspect the flatness had something to with that. To keep from sliding forward I needed the nose up. But that was too much nose up when in the drops. The Romin allows comfort in both positions. The sway keeps the hips in position fore/aft without having to tip the nose up. The range of hip positions is larger. Keeps my back flatter too, as my pelvis tips, rather than rounding my lower back.

How does it work? Great. Good enough that it's staying on the froufrou bike. I'll need to get another for the non-existant new mountain bike. No rush of course!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Early Morning Flop

I'm not a morning person. Never have been. But... riding in the morning would mesh into my schedule this week. Why not give it a shot.

I awake feeling okay. Early bed made this part easy. I gobble some homemade oatmeal bars for a quick nutrition boost. Dear doG it's an early start...



Onto the bike and into the warmup. The legs feel like bricks. Dead. Flaccid. This should abate once I start my intervals. It doesn't. It gets worse. I have no kick. Worse yet... I'm just not into this mentally. My brain is still foggy, and any ability to push myself has yet to awaken. An all-out struggle over the body is no way to start the day!

My struggle this morning... more mental than physical. Honestly, my attitude isn't very good this time of morning. Especially without coffee! I'm simply checked out and unprepared to push myself. Do I really want to push to my limits - then - start a busy and stressful work day? No. Much easier to push through a difficult ride knowing when it's over... I'm done for the day. Just how I roll.

I abandon this one early. Just isn't working. Not a total loss. The homemade oatmeal bars are awesome! Great recipe I'll use again.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Build Time



Today starts a 12-week build cycle. It's more like three 4-week cycles. Each cycle adds a little step up of power. Then duration gets progressively added at the stepped up level over the 4-week period. The next cycle adds a little more power, then develops the duration.

Tonight was the first night at the new power target. Selecting the target was a bit arbitrary. It's about right, though. Tonight's 10-minute intervals were just a hair under maximal. I probably could push them a touch harder. But in a few weeks when these intervals are 20+minutes long... I need to be able to complete them. If it's still easy... I'll take a bigger bite in the next 4-week cycle.

It's baby steps. But that's how FTP gets built. I'm pleased with this year's progress. My training plan has shown great results, and not left me overly fatigued. The progression model I've used has worked great.

I'm looking forward to some increased intensity. Base training gets boring and eventually you simply can't do 3+hour rides *all* of the time!