Sunday, January 31, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 9:00 AM |
| Distance: | AM ride – 87 miles
PM ride – 10 miles |
| Time (total): | AM ride – 5:30 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | mid 40s, some moisture, dry at the end, mostly cloudy, calm |
| Workout Type: | tempo, some race simulation |
| Breakfast: | 7:00 AM - smoothie |
| Lunch: | 3:00 PM – juice, water |
| Dinner: | 5:00 PM – potatoes, veggies, cheese, greens, chocolate milk, water
8:30 PM – chocolate milk |
| Workout Food: | 1.5 large bottles each w/3 scoops Endurox R4, Builder's bar, 2 gels |
| Course: | |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | I decided to forgo the Ladro start and rode straight from my house up the Burke Gilman Trail to Log Boom Park. For a change the trail was very peaceful and it was a fantastic spin. Just after leaving the University Village where the trail splits for a bit a tree had fallen across both paths.
It seemed like everyone was here for a ride today.. not just our team but a large contingent of Wines riders and Hagens women were also here. Nice.
We rolled out and about two miles later someone got a flat. :( After what seemed like the longest tube change in the world we got going again. Dustin V was obviously in the mood for a workout and was charging. At the expense of the group. Whatever. On the little climb before the climb to the church only Tony B stayed with him. I was hating life before we even turned left to head up to the church and was wondering if this was going to be a good day or piss poor.
More of the same up to the church. Justin A put in a big pull to close the gap and I was solely focused with staying within six inches of the wheel in front of me. Why wasn't everyone else dying like me…?!
Then we slowed a tad. Whew. After descending Seattle Hill Road Tony, Justin, Ryan D and I had a gap and so we just rolled but nothing wicked. Soon Dustin and Greg K bridged up and we ramped it up a bit. The schedule called for some efforts and the usual sprints so I dutifully took the Edmonds city limit sign. :) That jacked the pace even more and on the last rise before you hang a right back down into the valley Greg and I were left in arrears.
We caught back on as we crossed the train tracks and here we go again. Only this time I was starting to feel just a little better. At the end Dustin tried to lead out the sprint but it was much too early. When he pulled off Justin launched and I had to bridge a 40' gap to grab his wheel but I made and was able to come around. Everyone else was pooped from the pace and Justin probably could have gone harder but hey, it was my little moral booster.
In Snohomish we stopped to hit the head and eat a bar.
Just surged one more time as we got close to Monroe but that was it. As we left the highway and turned right through the farms Cathy V got a flat. This was another slow motion fix and just as we pulled out Alex T got one too. :( I must be getting bitchy in my old age because I just took this one over in an attempt to get us rolling again. Sorry Alex…
The pace picked up once more on Highbridge Road but this time it was fun. We did not kill the hills and just kept leapfrogging each other.
At some point the leaders turned right and Greg, Justin, Tony, Alex and I went left.
On the second to last hill before you get to the top of Woodinville I tried 'my move'. I went from the bottom and felt super until I crested and shifted up. Then the legs started to fill with lead… I looked back and Greg was trying to come across so I gave it everything and managed to open the gap a bit but it did not last. In spite of the fact that you are descending, that stretch of road always destroys me and by the time I reached the transition at the bottom of the hill he was on me. Greg moved in front of me and then his glasses fell off of his helmet! Greg slammed to a stop, I had to slow to a crawl and then everyone else was there. Justin almost plowed into the back of me as he was making up ground mighty quick.
From here it was just cruise control except for one stretch of trail in Bothell where Greg decided to cram the accelerator to the floor; Jesus!
Sore back today! Big time. :( Especially once I got home. But the weather was so (relatively) nice that after a quick shower Shelley and I jumped on our single speed bikes, drove to the bottom of Madrona and cruised down to Seward Park and back. It was such a nice afternoon! After that I was crippled and had to stretch a lot. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | ride 1 - Sugoi shoe covers, bib shorts, knee warmers, Craft long sleeve undershirt, Craft wind front short sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, OR Gripper gloves, cap
ride 2 – fleece knickers, Swobo Shants, 2 cotton shirts and a cotton hoodie, cap |
Friday, January 29, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 6 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 7:30 AM - 178 |
| Body Fat: | 8 |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:30 AM
indoor TT – 5:30 PM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | indoor TT #1 – 24:18 |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | indoor TT #1 – 321 |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 7:00 AM – smoothie
10:30 AM – almonds
11:00 AM – massive chocolate chip cookie |
| Lunch: | 12:30 PM – rice, stir fry veggies, Builder's bar, tea, water |
| Dinner: | 7:30 PM – lasagna, green salad, 2 glasses wine, yogurt, granola, peanut butter, water |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | rubber band walk | 3x down and back in the aerobics studio | | ball leg lifts | 3x10 | | ball hip raisers | 3x10 | | ball leg extensions | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | | incline press | 20/16/12 – 25 lb | | incline pull down | 18/16/14 – 70 lb | | shoulder press | 18/16/12 – 40 lb | | donkey kick | 3x15 – 50 lb | indoor TT – 10 mile rolling course |
| Results: | official results |
| Comments: | The gym went fairly well although I felt pretty (sleepy) tired today. I was psyched to finally bust out some real numbers on my leg lifts while on the ball, that is so damn hard for me.
Having had such a super ride at Cycle U two days ago on my TT bike I was actually excited to see how tonight would go with the longer course! I unloaded my bike, walked it to the door and… [queue sound of crickets]
There was no one else there. Lang R was there futzing with his MacBook trying to get it to display on a television but there were ZERO indoor TT participants. I apprehensively installed my bike on the trainer, changed my clothes and began a lackluster warm-up. After confirming that the other three folks who had signed up had indeed bagged Lang asked me if I'd like to try the CompuTrainer mode instead of the multi rider mode and I said sure. In this mode you are 'outside' and can see the road (and the pixilated trees, grass, etc.) as you climb and descend. He also offered to let me race a pacer; that sounded great.
All seemed fine and at my request we configured the pacer to average 330 watts (it seemed like an ambitious goal on this longer course and me being on my TT bike) so off I went. It soon became obvious that all was not right.
I started out faster than 330 watts but the pacer stuck with me. In fact, he sucked my wheel! On the first climb eased off a bit, got behind him and sure enough, drafting was turned on; I could feel the resistance ease up just a little as my digitized rider slotted in behind the robot pacer. I told Lang what was up and after he told me there was no way to turn this off in this mode I opted to stop and start again by myself.
So… after another five minutes I was finally on my way. Still with the scenery but this time no pacer.
I managed to stay down in the aero bars the entire time but my focus was not laser sharp by any means. I managed a reasonable time/watts but figured out pretty quickly that my stated goal of 330 was not going to happen tonight. Oh well.
After finishing I got the hell out of Dodge as I did not want to subject myself to another solo ride. Good thing too as I was able to eat dinner with Shelley tonight for a change instead of heating leftovers. Nice. |
| Equipment: | Abici Time Machine, 42/55, 12-23 |
| Clothing: | |
Thursday, January 28, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 4 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 7:30 AM (after riding and before eating) – 174
Since I'm usually at 179 or so in the evening after eating and not doing any aerobic activity this is proof positive that my weight varies 5-6 lb through the course of one day! Nifty factoid. |
| Body Fat: | 8 |
| Time of Day: | 5:15 AM |
| Distance: | 40 miles |
| Time (total): | 2:15 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | low 40s, dry, partly cloudy, calm |
| Workout Type: | sprints |
| Breakfast: | 5:00 AM – banana
7:30 AM – banana, Promax bar |
| Lunch: | 11:30 AM – 1 piece Fitness Bread and 3 pieces Pilot bread w/peanut butter and jam, Stonewall's Jerquee
12:30 AM – 6 Dove chocolate hearts, water
1:30 PM - tea |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | large bottle w/2 scoops Cytomax |
| Course: | Dawg, half way around Mercer Island, back, Seward Park, Madrona, Union, home |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Nice! Today was my first sprint workout on the bike this year (and since my last race!) and it is just what I need. My motor is getting better but my top end is hurting. HURTING.
Today it was Greg K, RD R and Ryan D. We met up at the Dawg at the usual insane hour of oh dark thirty and hit out. Once we got on the island the schedule called for one hour of moderate tempo riding (250 ish watts?) with 10 second sprints thrown in every three minutes. These were not all-out by any means, rather they were supposed to be around 180 percent of threshold so roughly 570 watts.
I have no power meter so was just along for the ride.
Everyone else could hardly see their power meter so much of this was by feel anyway. :) We'd ride under a street light and Ryan would yell out, "315!" or similar and then we'd all slow down a touch. You get the idea.
But it was great! I thought I would be lagging seriously and did fine. Even on my boat anchor of a winter bike. If we had gone any faster or uphill it would have been a different story but we did not. Whew.
As we headed down to Seward and did some on the flats the sprints felt better and I could tell I was running out of calories at the same time. At the start of the ride I asked Ryan what he fueled up with prior to these early morning outings and he replied with a big bowl of oatmeal, fruit and coffee. Kind of made my lonely banana sound extremely lacking.
Heading up Madrona I could feel myself bonking. At least I was almost home so pushed it a little. M u s t e a t . . . Ryan claimed I charged up the hill at 500 watts, didn't know that was possible in my 38x23 while starving.
All in all it was great fun and these guys are fantastic to ride with. I can't wait to race with them! |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | Sugoi shoe covers, Roubaix knickers, Craft short sleeve undershirt, Craft long sleeve undershirt, heavy long sleeve jersey, OR Gripper gloves, cap |
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 7:00 AM - 179 |
| Body Fat: | 8 |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:15 AM
walk – 12:00 PM
indoor TT – 5:30 PM |
| Distance: | walk – 3 miles |
| Time (total): | indoor TT #1 – 15:21
indoor TT #2 – 15:34
indoor TT #3 – 15:48 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | indoor TT #1 – 337
indoor TT #2 – 326
indoor TT #3 – 316 |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | ball leg lifts | 3x6 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | | cable cross body | 3x15 – 20 lb | | cable punch | 3x15 – 20 lb | | donkey kick | 3x15 – 50 lb | walk – marsh loop on UW campus
indoor TT – 10 km rolling course |
| Results: | official results |
| Comments: | Core was good, although the numbers don't show it, I finally felt somewhat in control for the lag lifts while on the ball.
After spending some time with my PT this morning tweaking my TT bike position and installing a new saddle to test it out (gotta keep the junk alive ya know) I headed down to Cycle U. And you know what? As ridiculous as this saddle looks it is the absolute bomb. BOMB I tell you.
It totally eliminates the pressure on the crotch and I think that on a longer TT numbness would be a complete non-issue. It is a little wider than what I am used to right between the thighs but I experienced no chafing or other discomfort and I did sit on the bike for three of these things today so that has to be a good test I'm thinking.
In my first heat I felt surprisingly fresh! I was expecting power to be significantly lower on the TT bike than the road bike by like 20 watts but that was not the case for the first couple of miles. I was resolved to stay in the aero bars to 1) test the saddle and 2) to see how the power would fare like when I'm on the road so it did slide some when I hit the first climb but not too bad. On the last hill to the finish I got on the cow horns and was able to hold 400+ like usual. Nice.
Heat number two was similar but I was not quite so fresh. :) It felt like the second heat usually does meaning I was not as fast and a little less focused.
Impulsively I decided to stay for heat number 3 even though I had not originally signed up for it. At the beginning I felt like it was a mistake but I slowly eased into the effort and recovered a tad. Sure, I was slower but I did not feel shattered by any means. This time I stayed down in the aero position all the way to the finish and still managed to hold 420+ watts to the line. That to me is very encouraging as it means I had some gas left in the tank and that my power does not suck when down on the bars.
At my fit this morning I realized my aero bars are stupid. I got the ones that look cool but they are not the most versatile. The cow horn extensions slope down for that 'fast' look but this means that if I need to climb an extended hill on the TT bike I will need to hold onto the forearm pads – not ideal at all. A better bar would be two-piece so I can futz with the stem length and also flat so the sides are the same height as my brake hoods roughly. Live and learn. |
| Equipment: | Abici Time Machine, 42/55, 12-23 |
| Clothing: | |
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:00 AM
stairs – 6:00 AM |
| Distance: | Lucky 13! Okay, 12.5 flights really… |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | low 40s, mostly clear, dry, calm |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | Nothing, the water was shut off at the gym. :( |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | ball hip raisers | 3x10 | | ball leg extensions | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | stairs - Howe Street |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Core was fine, the third set of Roman chair knee lifts are getting easier.
Jim K and I got it done today. Only two more weeks of this action. Yes, I am looking forward to no more stairs on Tuesday! :)
We alternated between walking and running for nine flights and then on our fifth runner we threw in a 'doubler' (read: up two sections, down one, repeat to the top). Then we walked one and finished with a regular runner.
Jim is playing games with me I think… :) He's strong on the first runner and then I leave him behind more and more as the morning progresses but the last time up he came on amazingly strong and I had to push for all I was worth. He was on front of me with just two sections to go and I barely beat him. Must be mental. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | shorts, Craft long sleeve undershirt, long sleeve running shirt |
Technorati Tags:
Howe Street,
stairs
Monday, January 25, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 5:15 AM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | ball hip raisers | 3x10 | | ball leg extensions | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | | incline press | 20/16/12 – 25 lb | | incline pull down | 3x20 – 65 lb | | donkey kick | 3x15 – 50 lb | |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Today is my birthday; happy day to me!
My core exercises are getting a little easier, that's good. So why is my back more sore than previously…?! I think my posture throughout the day is seriously lacking and I need to shape that up. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | |
Sunday, January 24, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 8:40 AM |
| Distance: | 76 miles |
| Time (total): | 4:45 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | low 40s, mostly cloudy, dry most of the time, rain the last hour |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | 2 large bottles each w/3 scoops Endurox R4, gel |
| Course: | |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | This ride was kind of a bust… Everyone had a different agenda and the end result was a mostly endurance (read: slow) ride. I got in one opener but damn, every time I go fast it isn't very fast and I can't sustain it. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | |
Saturday, January 23, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 8:45 AM |
| Distance: | 65 miles |
| Time (total): | 4:30…?! |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | low to mid 40s, damp at times, calm |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 6:00 AM - smoothie |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | 1.5 large bottles each with 3 scoops Endurox R4, gel |
| Course: | Leschi, Coulon Park, McDonalds hill, May Valley, Tiger Mt, Squak, Newport, home |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Today was less than satisfying. :(
It seemed everyone had a different agenda and so not much got done. Some folks wanted to climb hills, some wanted to stay on the flats, some would have gone harder and some wanted to hold back. What did happen is we cruised along pretty slowly until we got to Tiger. Todd G went to the front and set a very reasonable tempo but after a bit he got passed and from that point the pace kept getting slowly ratcheted up.
At first it was okay but then I was breathing pretty darn hard.Greg K was pushing it and so was Edgardo B. Near the top Edgardo surged and Todd (easily!) went with. I was gapped but managed to accelerate after a few seconds to regroup. The return trip up Tiger was more controlled.
Next up was Squak. It was only Greg, Alex T, Edgardo and Julie R at this point. Edgardo was off the front immediately and gone. Then came Greg, me Alex and Julie. At one point near the top where the slope is not so severe I tried to reel in Greg but no dice. I closed the gap some but then suffered the consequences of my effort and had to let it open up again. :(
By this time I was totally out of time and Greg and Julie were done so we rode home and skipped the zoo hill which had originally been on the agenda.
I feel like I can go 70 percent for ever, 80 or 90 percent for about as long as those Cycle U indoor TTs (if I ramp it up slowly) and 100 percent not at all. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | knit shoe covers, shorts, knee warmers, Craft short sleeve undershirt, Craft long sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, wind vest, OR Gripper gloves, cap |
Friday, January 22, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 6 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 7:00 AM - 179 |
| Body Fat: | 9 |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:00 AM
indoor TT – 5:30 PM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | indoor TT #1 – 25:00
indoor TT #2 – 25:28 |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | indoor TT #1 – 326
indoor TT #2 – 312 |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | ball leg lifts | 3x5 | | ball hip raisers | 3x10 | | ball leg extensions | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | | incline pull down | 3x20 – 65 lb | | incline press | 20/17/13 – 25 lb | | shoulder press | 13/13/14 – 40 lb | | donkey kick | 3x15 – 50 lb | indoor TT – 10 mile rolling course |
| Results: | official results |
| Comments: | The gym was great. I was there nice and early, I was into it, the music was good, etc., etc.
For the first time I did not feel like I was flailing when I did my leg lifts on the ball. Now I Just need to be able to do more!
At Cycle U it was so so. My first heat was all right in that I was shooting for 320 watts and surpassed it. But my second heat was lame-o. Once again I could not focus and my numbers were fine one minute and then dropped WAY off the next. One time I Looked up and my average was 309. Had I been a coach I would have yelled at myself.
I'm being hard on myself because I don't think my body is that tired for the second heat… I bet if I cold maintain focus I could equal my first ride; especially since I did not go all out or anything. Far from it. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | |
Thursday, January 21, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 4 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 5:45 AM |
| Distance: | 30 miles |
| Time (total): | 1:45 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | mid 40s, dry, calm |
| Workout Type: | roughly endurance pace |
| Breakfast: | 4:30 AM – cereal
7:30 AM – Promax bar
9:30 AM – almonds |
| Lunch: | 1:30 PM – fish burrito, water |
| Dinner: | 7:00 PM – brown rice, corn chowder, cheese, crackers, tea |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | Dawg, around Mercer Island, home through the I-90 tunnel |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | It was just RC R and me today, we hooked up with Jim K and the ByrneInvent crew on the Mercer Island lid and did one moderate lap around the island.
There were six of us so it was perfect. Except for the two times I almost rode RC into the ditch… I was kind of out of control today. Not sure why. Luckily his bike handling is up to snuff and we were able to laugh it off.
It felt quite warm, warmer than the thermometer indicated. My windproof shirt was awesome. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | knit shoe covers, shorts, knee warmers, Craft windproof short sleeve undershirt, Craft long sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, cap Polypropylene gloves |
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 7:00 AM - 179 |
| Body Fat: | 9 |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:00 AM
walk – 12:00 PM
indoor TT – 5:30 PM |
| Distance: | walk – 3 miles |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | indoor TT #1 – 15:03
indoor TT #2 – 15:28 |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | indoor TT #1 – 540
indoor TT #2 – 530 |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | upper 50s, sunny, dry, calm |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 6:30 AM – cereal
9:30 AM – almonds, water |
| Lunch: | 1:30 PM – fish burrito, water |
| Dinner: | 8:00 PM – corn chowder, cheese, yogurt, jam, granola, water |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | rubber band walk | 3x | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | | incline press | 20/16/13 – 25 lb | | incline pull down | 20/20/14 – 65 lb | | donkey kick | 3x15 – 50 lb | walk – work to Gas Works Park and back
indoor TT – 10 km rolling course |
| Results: | official results |
| Comments: | The gym was okay, I think some of these core exercises are getting easier to a small degree so that's nice.
The weather was outrageous today so I joined the walking group at work and we hit out to Gas Works Park. I was down to a t-shirt right away but for some reason my little toe on both feet was rubbing the adjacent toe and by the end of the walk I had a huge blister on both feet. How crazy… I have gone walking in these shoes several times before.
At Cycle U I was not expecting anything at all and ended up feeling fantastic in the first heat. I was breathing a bit hard kind of like at the stairs yesterday but my legs felt very strong and if not for the breathing the effort was almost easy… As easy as this kind of thing can be. Today was the day that I (maybe) could have posted a new PR; it sure felt like it. Even at 350 watts I felt like I was holding back.
Heat number two sure compensated for that feeling of invincibility though, focus was HARD to maintain. I started thinking I would shoot for 340 and soon realized that was not going to happen. Once I looked up and was barely doing over 200 watts! Crap. If not for that last hill where I try to hold 400+ my average would have been even lower. It really is all about the ability to focus, my legs did not feel that bad. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | |
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 6 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:15 AM
stairs – 6:00 AM |
| Distance: | 11 flights |
| Time (total): | 45:40 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | mid 50s, dry, calm, partly cloudy |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 7:00 AM – cereal, banana
9:45 AM – almonds |
| Lunch: | 12:30 PM – 3 pieces Pilot Bread w/peanut butter and apple butter, Stonewall's Jerquee, water |
| Dinner: | 7:00 PM – Judy Fu's, 2 beers, fortune cookie |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | ball hip raisers | 3x10 | | ball leg extensions | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | stairs - Howe Street |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Core went well! Especially since I have taken four days off from doing any exercises. The knee lifts were tough but they are never easy…
Stairs on the other hand were brutal. I was alone and my incredibly old playlist on the iPod is just not pepping me up like it used to.
I was still able to alternate walking with running but the runners were mighty pathetic and I was gasping for breath after the fourth and fifth one. And by gasping I mean it felt like someone was suffocating me. :( No joke, my throat felt so incredibly freaking small. And once you finish your effort, there isn't anything you can do to speed up the recovery process, you just have to sit/stand/walk and wait for the oxygen to get back into your system. It sucked.
I recall this happening a couple of times each year when I go really hard and each time I want to go have elective surgery and remove my tonsils. Mine have always been huge. Time to see the doctor perhaps? And what makes me wonder is I was not even going that hard. Dang.
Anyway, I was sorta hoping to get in 12 flights today but after eight I knew there was no way in hell that was happening. At least I got five runners plus the 'cool down' walker at the end.
On the bright side it was positively balmy out today. Two shirts was one too many today. And the stairs were 99 percent dry! That's a first since I started this winter. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | shorts, long sleeve Capeline shirt, short sleeve running shirt |
Technorati Tags:
Howe Street,
stairs
Monday, January 18, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 1:45 PM |
| Distance: | 21 miles |
| Time (total): | 1:35 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | mid 50s, mostly sunny, dry, some wind |
| Workout Type: | fun ride |
| Breakfast: | 9:30 AM - cereal |
| Lunch: | 1:00 PM – piece of pizza, 3 pieces biscotti |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | large bottle w/2 scoops Cytomax |
| Course: | |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Sometimes things just work out the way they are supposed to.
After eating burgers (veggie of course!), French fries (twice!), drinking my fair share and not exercising at all these last three days I was thinking I would be chomping at the bit today. After sleeping in and dorking around on the computer for a few hours that was no longer the case. I was just about to go for a run and call it good when I decided to peek my head out of the basement and low and behold it was gorgeous outside.
So, since I had to run an errand downtown anyway I opted for the town bike and decided to just extend the ride. It was the right call.
These rides can be the best thing ever. iPod, sun shining, low-tech bicycle, messenger bag with all the essentials and no agenda.
Besides, my legs did NOT feel spectacular… so I just enjoyed the sights and my music. |
| Equipment: | Raleigh town bike, 26x16 |
| Clothing: | baggy MTB shorts, knee warmers, Craft short sleeve undershirt, long sleeve running shirt, short sleeve running shirt, cap |
Thursday, January 14, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 5 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 9:45 AM - 178 |
| Body Fat: | 8 |
| Time of Day: | 5:15 AM |
| Distance: | 45+ miles (maybe 50?) |
| Time (total): | 3:30 ish |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | 4500'+ |
| Weather: | mid to upper 40s, dry, calm |
| Workout Type: | hills at an endurance+ pace |
| Breakfast: | 4:15 AM – cereal
8:45 AM – 2 bites of a French toast bagel, chocolate milk
9:30 AM – 2 pieces bread, butter |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | 2 large bottles each w/3 scoops Endurox R4 |
| Course: | Madrona x 5, Capitol Hill x 4, Queen Anne Hill x 5 |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Ouch… this ride started and finished hard.
A couple of weeks ago when I first attended this Thursday morning hill extravaganza the pace was indeed endurance but no longer. In fairness I suppose that if you were a regular participant your fitness would increase and so the perceived effort would be similar but that's not me. :| The first time up Madrona I was hating life. Ryan D was instantly 50' in front of me and the gap just grew from there. As we finished the second rep I was seriously wondering if I had made a mistake. On the fourth(?) time up Madrona Greg throttled it back a tad so I had some company. Thanks Greg.
I felt a little better on Capitol Hill. The route up the first time is a brute but then I settled in and 2-4 were okay. Once I even contemplated giving it a little gas but prudence prevailed knowing what was still in store. My mood was picking up!
Funny how fast things can change. Queen Anne broke my spirit. The first climb has a wall and I can't stay in the saddle while on it. Plus you're head is playing games with itself as you approach this hill since you know what is coming. :( RC R had turned off at this point and Greg and Ryan were riding away form me just going up Dexter. On the 'wall' the gap increased. Reps 2-5 were on 3rd Ave and although Ryan's pace was still beyond me at least the grade is not nearly as severe. And again here Greg dialed it back for one ascent so I had company.
Whew, I'm glad Ryan and Greg were okay waiting for the slow guy today as I was on the edge most every climb.
After we finished it was down to Whole Foods on Denny and the traditional coffee break. I used to hate these kinds of stops but am starting to like them… Greg got a giant chocolate milk and a French toast bagel (that's a bagel with sticky syrup and giant sugar crystals on it) and let me have some of both. We chatted about the finer nuances of running a cycling team, had a good laugh and then went our respective ways.
Riding up Pike I was okay as long as I was in my easiest gear. Seriously. If I tried to accelerate there was nothing in it. Mission accomplished. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | knit shoe covers, shorts, knee warmers, Craft short sleeve undershirt, Craft long sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, Polypropylene gloves, cap
I was totally fine until we stopped for coffee, then I froze. |
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 6 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 5:30 PM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | indoor TT #1 – 15:16
indoor TT #2 – 15:23
indoor TT #3 – 15:38 |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | indoor TT #1 – 340
indoor TT #2 – 332
indoor TT #3 – 320 |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 6:45 AM – smoothie
10:00 AM - almonds |
| Lunch: | 11:30 AM - veggies, Stonewall's Jerquee
12:00 PM – 3 pieces Pilot Bread w/peanut butter and Jam
2:30 PM – almonds |
| Dinner: | 8:00 PM – bread, butter, greens, 2 Boca burgers, water |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | 10 km rolling course |
| Results: | official results |
| Comments: | I woke up (read: the alarm jolted me awake) today and it took only a couple of minutes for me to decide that I was not going to the gym in the morning. That's how I roll – I improvise!
At Cycle U I was motivated to try and keep the wattage as constant as I could. I don't need a new PR, just more fitness.
So I held back a tad in the first heat and still managed 340 watts. Nice. If I had gone full on I felt like 350 was attainable. Turns out 340 is still a bit too much for me to duplicate though. :( My focus was wavering a little and my legs were not quite as strong and so I came up eight watts short in heat two.
ASIDE – my Bianchi only has a 50x12 on it and I end up using that gear on every descent and sometimes even on the first flat section at times. I think if I wanted to really crush this course (as much as I can crush it of course) I would need a 53. And I would need to spin whatever gear I'm in faster. And be stronger. Basically I would need to be a better rider than I am…
I was so focused on my own numbers that I never noticed Justin A closing in on me. On the last hill, even though I was holding 400+ watts all of a sudden he was there and he beat me by a nose. His unicorn must have smelled the barn.
Heat three was more-or-less damage control as I was tired. Luckily I did not blow but I did not have the punch or focus of heat one by a long shot. And as soon as I saw my third place was where I was going to end up I cruised in. I did try to maintain 400+ watts on the last hill again and could not. At the start I dipped below 400 twice before I pulled myself together.
Good times. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | |
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 178 |
| Body Fat: | 8 |
| Time of Day: | gym: 5:00 AM
stairs – 6:00 AM |
| Distance: | stairs – 11.5 flights |
| Time (total): | stairs – 51:30 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | 50, light rain, calm |
| Workout Type: | water |
| Breakfast: | 7:15 AM - cereal |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | | incline cable punch | 2x20 – 20 lb | | cable cross pull | 2x20 – 20 lb | stairs - Howe Street |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Well, that's two days in a row that I have been able to do sets of 40 knee lifts. Good for me.
At first I was bummed about the rain but after Jim shoed up and I got out of the car I realized that it was 1) not cold at all and 2) I was not on my bike in this so my mood rapidly improved.
At the bottom of the steps we met – surprise, surprise - Justin A. I guess he didn't want to ride in the wet and dark either.
Justin sure rests less than Jim and I usually do but it was fine. He was running one at a time so we actually got to the top before him, were able to catch our breath and then descend together. He also 'walks' much faster than we usually do. :)
Luckily I felt pretty good! I was able to walk with Justin and even towards the end when he started running two at a time we got to the top together.
Jim was a great sport! We never had to wait long at the top or bottom for him even though we were picking things up a sizable notch. I am so glad he shows up for these workouts. So VERY glad.
The weather turned out to be perfect really. The light rain kept us cool, it was not excessively slippery and the only slip was probably because there is a black hole of sorts on the bottom section and it's really hard to see the stairs this time of day.
We did nine flights and then our last runner was up two, down one. Then we finished with a walker. Nice. And then Jim and I drove home and Justin ran (5.5 miles) home. Oh yeah, he ran down here too. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | shorts, long sleeve Capeline shirt, running t-shirt, cap |
Technorati Tags:
Howe Street,
stairs
Monday, January 11, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 5:15 AM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | 50 min |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x40 | | incline press | 20/18/13 – 25 lb | | incline pull down | 3x20 – 65 lb | | shoulder press | 20/16/12 – 40 lb | |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Totally minimal/rest workout today.
And yes, if I could somehow work in some light cardio on these rest days it would be that much better for me but it's also a nice mental break to not do anything that makes you breath hard.
Today was the first day that I was able to increase the reps for the knee lifts. It was harder but not insanely so which means I need to try and maintain this number now. :( I also tried to increase the reps for the upper body stuff and it kinda sorta worked… Increasing the reps on the early set sure blows me out for the last one. Nothing unusual here Martin, that's how the body works!
On the way out I did some funky donkey kick machine for a couple of sets each leg. Man, there are a lot of strange machines here in the gym. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | |
Sunday, January 10, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 6 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 8:30 AM |
| Distance: | 49 miles |
| Time (total): | 3:10 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | mid to upper 40s, dry, calm |
| Workout Type: | endurance |
| Breakfast: | 6:45 AM – smoothie |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | large bottle w/3 scoops Endurox R4 |
| Course: | Ladro, around the north end of Lake WA, around Mercer Island, home |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men" and all that…
I was hoping for a more aggressive ride today than what it turned into but good thing for me as I was not capable of more. It appears that Friday and Saturday really took it out of me.
So we cruised around at something between rest and endurance pace and I tried to loosen up, eat, drink and enjoy the company. Finally, by the time we got to Mercer Island, my legs started to turn over more smoothly but there still was nothing in it. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | Sugoi shoe covers, bib shorts, knee warmers, Craft short sleeve undershirt, Craft long sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, Polypropylene gloves, cap |
Saturday, January 09, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 6 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 6:40 AM |
| Distance: | 66 miles |
| Time (total): | 5 hours! |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | 4190' |
| Weather: | mid to upper 40s, calm, mostly sunny by the end |
| Workout Type: | Hills! |
| Breakfast: | 5:30 AM – cereal |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | 2 large bottles each w/3 scoops Endurox R4, food bar |
| Course: | across Mercer Island, Newport, up 164th, up Cougar to the top, down the zoo hill, Issaquah, up Squak, Newport, Montreux, Newcastle golf course, home |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Started out with Greg K, RC R, Justin A and Jeff W. Greg had proclaimed this to be an endurance pace ride but I was scratching my head as I know of no way to ride up these massive hills at an endurance pace…
On the very first climb (164th) I got gapped a bit near the top of the first rise but since the pace was 'endurance' I was able to bridge back up on the flat bit before the road tipped up again. After that everyone cooled it some and I managed to finish the climb up Cougar in 2nd place. Ouch! That last up after the saddle is always hard. Mentally you SO ready for the hill to be done when you pass the school but no, you still have almost .5 miles to go.
Dropping down the zoo road is so damn good. Even when the roads are wet. After my spill two weeks ago I was Mr. Cautious on the corners but I still love this descent.
Squak is a killer. The first couple of pitches kick you in the balls and then the rest slaps you around while you are in too much pain to defend yourself. Justin was the first to reach the summit of Cougar and guess what, he was the first to get to the top of Squak too. I still felt okay here if you can call climbing in your lowest gear and rocking back and forth okay. At least my back was doing great! I managed to finish with everyone here.
As we started up Montreux I realized I was done. My legs and back had not given out but I could not go any faster and everyone slowly started to ride away from me. Waaaaay off in the front was Justin, then Greg, RC and me (Jeff had gone home after Squak). I managed to reel in RC but probably only because he was on auto-pilot. From there we finished together.
Nothing like knowing you have already given your all and still having one more hill to climb. :) Thank god it's not too far up to the Newcastle golf course! By now all I could do was find my rhythm and watch everyone disappear up the road.
By now the day had become absolutely gorgeous! The sky was mostly blue, the sun was out and the views were amazing; especially from up here. That made up for a lot of suffering.
On the way home RC got a flat. We all stopped to pitch in and then minutes later he got anther. :( This time Greg and Justin kept riding – I think had a time constraint and needed to get home ASAP. We got the flat fixed and then chatted our way back to the UW.
From here – since the day was so damn nice – I decided to log a couple of extra miles and took the scenic route home via the Fremont Bridge, Dexter and downtown. Beautiful.
It was warm enough today that I could wear knee warmers(!), unzip my vest on the climbs and I even took my gloves off for one climb. That was nice. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | Sugoi shoe covers, bib shorts, knee warmers, Craft short sleeve jersey, Craft long sleeve jersey, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, wind vest, OR Gripper gloves, cap |
Friday, January 08, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 5:00 PM – 180 lb |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:15 AM
indoor TT – 5:30 PM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | gym – 60 min |
| Time (moving): | indoor TT #1 – 25:00?
indoor TT #2 – 25:30? |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | indoor TT #1 – 323?
indoor TT #2 – 302? |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 6:30 AM – smoothie
10:00 AM – almonds |
| Lunch: | 11:30 AM – quinoa, veggies, water
12:30 PM – 3 pieces Pilot Bread w/peanut butter and apple butter
4:30 PM - Z Bar |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | hip raisers (ball) | 3x10 | | leg extensions (ball) | 3x10 | | leg lifts (ball) | 3x5 | | side walk (rubber band) | 2 x across the aerobics studio | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x35 | | cable punches | 3x15 – 20 lb | | cable cross body | 3x15 – 20 lb | indoor TT – 10 mile rolling course |
| Results: | not posted yet |
| Comments: | Mixing up the core today! Dang, it's hard to know what to call each of these exercises… The leg lift while on the ball (think push-up position with feet on the ball) is a killer. I can only left each leg for about three seconds and was only able to do each leg five times per set. Nice. Not.
At the indoor TT I started my first heat hoping to maintain 330 watts but half way through I realized that number was a tad ambitious. I managed to get sorta close so 330 is not too far off I'm hoping. I was not super smooth today and my numbers kept rising an falling more than I wanted and I would have to correct.
My second indoor TT was kind of entertaining if you were not me and were watching. I took off at the gun and right away was in 3rd place! Not that I'm some super star but I kept falling behind and was totally spun out working like crazy! It's like there was not enough resistance.
I finally just coasted, re-calibrated and then tried again. I was going really hard (read: pedaling like a maniac) and yet not making up any ground. By this time I'm about 600' behind the leader and in 4th spot.
Finally I called for help.
Martin: "LANG…!"
Lang: "Yeah?"
Martin: "Something's wrong, [gasp, gasp] I don't have [gasp. gasp] enough resistance and [gasp, gasp] I'm pedaling like crazy."
Lang: "You're in the small chainring."
Martin: "F*ck me…"
Of course as soon as I shifted up I was blown. Oh man was it hard to get that bigger gear rolling… I slowly got used to it and then pretty much put in a maximal effort to catch the guy in front. I passed one person, passed another and got within 300' of the leader before I started to unravel. By the finish I was about 600' back again. :)
So, not a perfect ride and I torched my legs way too early but in retrospect it was fun/a good experience to give it that stick in the middle of the heat and then try to continue. Had I not done that I think I could have ridden a time very close to my first one. That was my goal until I fell behind at the start. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | Wore my new 2010 kit (complete with socks) for the firs time! |
Thursday, January 07, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 5:15 AM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | 60 min? |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | hip raisers (ball) | 3x10 | | leg extensions (ball) | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x35 | | incline press | 3x16 – 25 lb | | incline pull down | 3x16 – 65 lb | |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Well, for the first time I was able to do the side leg lifts without a wall to run my heel up and down on. I guess that's progress.
The on-the-ball stuff is TOUGH. I can hardly balance myself and all tipsy. Nothing like a huge spotlight illuminating my weaknesses…! I sure hope all this stuff helps my back and makes my time on the bike more enjoyable. There were some rides and races last year where I was so sore and stiff and hurt after that even getting off my bike was a chore. Not so much fun. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | |
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | gym – 5:15 AM
walk – 12:00 PM
CycleU – 5:30 PM |
| Distance: | walk – 3 miles |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | indoor TT #1 – 14:44
indoor TT #2 – 15:09 |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | indoor TT #1 – 362
indoor TT #2 – 335 |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | upper 40s, mostly cloudy, calm |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 6:30 AM – smoothie
9:00 AM – almonds |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | water |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | ball hip raisers | 3x10 | | ball leg extensions | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x35 | | incline press | 3x16 – 25 lb | | incline pull down | 3x16 – 65 lb | | shoulder press | 3x16 – 40 lb | walk – from work to Gas Works Park and back
indoor TT – 10 km rolling course |
| Results: | official results |
| Comments: | Today was the first time I was able to do my leg lifts without bracing my foot against the wall – yeah for me. All the ball stuff is still phenomenally difficult.
16 reps for my upper body exercises is feeling slightly more solid now thank goodness… I might have progressed from total weakling to just really, really weak. From piss poor to just pussy. From that guy Mac who got sand kicked in his face on the beach to that guy Mac who got sand kicked in his face on the beach but can do 16 reps of a really light weight.
My indoor TT on the other hand was stunning. To me anyway. :) I believe this is my best or second best time ever since I started dabbling in these about three or four years ago. Seeing as it's early January; as long as I don't burn myself out mentally I should be good for the spring.
Of course my second effort was markedly slower than my first… so I have a new goal now – to increase my average over two heats instead of trying to crush just one.
In heat one I started out hard. For the last few weeks I have been consciously NOT trying to race these and instead just keep my power steady. It's worked well and each week I have been able to up the power just a tad. Not so much today. At the half way point I felt relatively good so I decided to carry on and see if I could hold it. These events (and any TT for that matter I suppose) are all about focus. Lose it and your power falls WAY off. Keep it and you are much more consistent.
I have been pushing a relatively big gear at the indoor TTs this winter and today it was no different. The increase in power and the reduction in time was due to me spinning that same gear just a little faster.
I was pooped at the end but was still able to keep the power over 400 on the last climb. Nice.
Heat number two was all about damage control – holy cow was I cooked. But in retrospect it still was not awful, just slower than I wanted my second heat to be. I kept losing that focus and saw my power dip below 300 on several occasions, especially on descents. Rats. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | |
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 6 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 7:00 AM - 180 |
| Body Fat: | 8 |
| Time of Day: | 5:15 AM |
| Distance: | |
| Time (total): | 60 min |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 6:45 AM – cereal, banana
9:00 – almonds |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | |
| Course: | | clam knee lifts | 3x40 | | side leg lifts | 3x40 | | ball hip lift | 3x10 | | ball leg extension | 3x10 | | roman chair knee lifts | 3x35 | | incline press | 3x16 – 25 lb | | incline pull down | 3x16 – 65 lb | |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | I added two more core exercises to the routine today and man were they hard. I could barely do 10 reps! :( If I were to go way out on a limb I might guess that this is the reason my PT told me to do them…
I still can't do more than 16 reps on the upper body stuff except for the first set and if I did it would kill me for the second and third.
It was positively refreshing to know I was NOT going to do any cardio today. When I walked out of the gym and had hardly broken a sweat. Kind of a change of pace. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | |
Monday, January 04, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | 7 |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | 7:00 AM - 179 |
| Body Fat: | 9 |
| Time of Day: | 5:45 AM |
| Distance: | 10.5 flights |
| Time (total): | forgot to time myself… |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | mid 40s, rain, calm |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 6:45 AM – cereal
9:30 AM – almonds
10:00 AM – 2 cookies |
| Lunch: | 11:45 AM – left over brown rice and veggies
1:00 PM – peanut butter and jam sandwich |
| Dinner: | 7:30 PM – coleslaw, corn and tofu soup, cheese and crackers, water |
| Workout Food: | Nothing… and man was I thirsty. |
| Course: | Howe Street |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Jim K had to move stairs from Tuesday to Monday and knowing I needed company to get 'r done I agreed.
For a change my legs did not feel like cold rebar for the first runner! What a nice change of pace. Don't get me wrong, I was not setting anything on fire but I felt all right. And the second and third runner felt even better.
Today we started with the usual, alternating walkers and runners and then after flight number nine we did the old up-two-down-one for our last runner.
When the numbers hit double digits this is a nice way to change things up and you might be doing half a flight less than normal but you are actually running more so I'm not concerned.
Fatigue from the weekend was noticeable but not so much that I was crushed or anything, far from it actually. Of course at work when I walked up two flights of stairs to my office it was another story but that's kinda normal. It's okay, tomorrow is for rest. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | shorts, Craft short sleeve undershirt, North Face fleece, cap |
Sunday, January 03, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 8:30 AM |
| Distance: | 82 miles |
| Time (total): | 5 hours |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | low to mid 40s, partly sunny, dry |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 7:00 AM – smoothie |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | 2 large bottles each w/3 scoops Endurox R4, granola bar |
| Course: | Fremont Ladro, Snohomish, home via Broadway |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | My first long ride of the year! I know, big, hairy deal. :)
But it was so much fun! Due in large part to the fantastic group that showed up. I think we had fully 20 IJM.org teammates at the start and about five of them were women; good stuff.
ASIDE – I felt like a total rube as I was one of only two people not in full team kit. :( Sigh. All it takes is money, right? I blew my wad on summer clothes once again and will have to cover all my matchy matchy garments with warmer items when the temperature dips below 45. What's an impoverished racer going to do?
The pace was very sedate so we all stuck together until the 'climb' up to the church. No matter what the pace, one person's slow is another's aggressive and so we had to regroup but all was still good. We dropped down Seattle Hill Road and into the valley and then settled into a rotating paceline; it took some verbal prompting on my part but we did it. Kinda ragged at first I have to say and one guy did not have any fenders on but the further we rode and as the pace picked up just a little the rotation smoothed out.
For some reason I was itching to push it a little. As we climbed up the last hill heading NW and then dropped down to River Road I had already resolved to ride next to the bunch if the pace did not pick up or even try to up it some myself. I needn't have worried. As soon as we crossed the train tracks Dustin V went to the front and ramped it up to 25+ mph. At first our group was split but soon we were all back together again. Nice.
At this pace I had to be a regular Joe and just rotate through as I was not capable of any heroics. :) I guess my run yesterday had taken a bit more out of me than I thought plus I have not done any hard riding on the road yet, only on the trainer.
Not a problem though, I was having a blast! With almost 20 people still it was almost like being in a race. Almost. :)
As we neared the overpass I started looking around for the move and sure enough Greg K took off. Luckily for me he was right in front of when he did so I took off after him. Damn… it took all I had just to get on his wheel. I had to shift up twice and get out of the saddle twice. He kept going and normally (read: in a few months) I might have come around or gone again but no dice. I was absolutely pegged. Then it happened; we got swarmed. Up ahead I saw the sprint play out and Jeff D managed to get out of the saddle after grabbing a wheel and I think he took it.
On the way home up Broadway it's all these stair step hills. Super stuff if you feel good, sucky if you are already worked. Since I was not feeling super worked I put myself right up front with Justin A on the first hill to ensure I would not have to play catch up later. Then on the second one I upped the tempo. Not too much but it got me breathing pretty good and was about as much as I could do and hold it to the top and stay in front. Just before you get to Maltby there is one final rise and even though I had just pulled off the front I gave it one more push over the top. And I didn't blow, yeah!
The last rise before you get to the top of the hill is always a race no matter what people say… As a bit of a test for myself and as a preemptive move of sorts I went hard from 3rd position on the second to last rise. It's usually impossible to hold it from here but I knew that. And hey, sometimes it's just fun to make everyone else work.
I think Dustin was on the front when I took off. Prior to going I had given Jeff who was behind me the 'signal' but I think my move was a little early for his liking. Ryan G on the other hand was on my like white on rice. In fact he crested the hill well before me but then sat up and I went right by him. I LOVE that feeling…! And it lasted for about five whole seconds. :| Then I was in total damage control mode. Oh man were my legs done.
One minute I looked back and I had a big gap, the next Justin was pulling the lot right back up to me. Everyone passed me at the bottom of the last rise and I crawled up to the top. By some miracle I did not have to shift to the small ring.
From here it was back to a truly social pace and we chatted our way home. Going up Capitol Hill I figured I'd milk the company as long as possible so suggested to Aaron S that we climb Belmont so as to swing by his place. OUCH.
Okay, so my motor is starting to run. Just being able to sit on a bike for 4+ hours is pretty motivating for me and being able to push the pace a couple of times on this boat anchor of a bike is a treat. As usual I'm resolved to stay on this pig until the end of February – all part of my eastern block training plan. |
| Equipment: | Bianchi Volpe, 38/50, 12-25 |
| Clothing: | A tiny bit too much… thin wool socks, Sugoi shoe covers, Roubaix knickers, Roubaix leg warmers, Craft short sleeve undershirt, Craft long sleeve undershirt, heavy long sleeve jersey, OR Gripper gloves, cap |
Saturday, January 02, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
| Difference: | |
| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 7:00 AM |
| Distance: | 15 miles |
| Time (total): | 2:40 |
| Time (moving): | |
| Time (stopped): | |
| Speed (moving): | |
| Speed (overall): | 10:40 minutes/mile |
| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | 3500' ish |
| Weather: | mid 40s, dry sky, damp ground |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | 5:30 AM – 6 Fig Newtons, 2 bananas, water
6:30 AM – big shot of gel |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | bottle w/Cytomax, 2 gels |
| Course: | Fat Ass 50 |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Nice!
Today was my third official trail run and it was my best by far. I was going to do the Fat Ass 50 (one loop for 25 km that is) which officially started at 8 but Justin A who was my ride said he had a time constraint and needed to start at 7 so I said fine. We were joined by Justin's friends Mike and Bill who I had met once before on Cougar – great guys.
As we pulled into the parking lot at Tiger it was DARK. I didn't even bring my headlamp thinking it would be getting light by now but on the west side of the mountain it was still pitch black. Luckily Justin did have a light so we all lined up behind him and started stumbling up the trail.
We were on a modified Fat Ass route. The plan was to skip the beginning which goes along some slippery boardwalk and then behind the high school and instead run a nice dirt trail. Then at the top we were going to take a different trail down that was not such a huge freeway and then run some rollers back to the car. Turns out this was a nice alternative to the standard.
Except for the very beginning and the very end and maybe a small stretch somewhere in the middle this run is pretty much up or down. We started with a long but luckily not too steep up. The pace was very reasonable and so we plodded on up; Justin leading, me next and then Bill and Mike. I was breathing pretty good but my legs felt fine so up, up and away…
Very shortly it was obvious that Mike was not having a good day. I know the feeling, it sucks to be the last guy or not be feeling tip top. Throughout the run we had to wait for him a few times but it was super low stress. No one was out here today to push the pace and it was strictly social.
One hour in we stopped at a spring that was clean enough to drink from so we all topped off our bottles. Here I also had my first gel. Good timing too because soon it really went up.
This was the 'big' hill and it was steep. We had walked some pitches up until now but this time Justin – who was still in front – kept the power on and we 'ran' all the way to the top. Yikes… right away I was breathing pretty good but I made it. By now my legs were tired too so good thing the hill ended when it did. When the steep trail ended it was some more (less steep) trail and then we finished the climb on a gravel road. No biggie at first but then it kicked up and here Bill and Justin couldn't hold back. :) They started dialing it up and all I could do was watch. By the top thy both had 100 m on me and they made it look so easy…
At the top by the radio tower I had my other gel and then it was down. It was abundantly clear to me after just three trail runs that the good guys not only go up fast but they go down like stink too. Case in point. Justin started to let gravity do it's thing and soon we were hauling! You really need to pay attention on descents, it was fun but my eyes were glued to the trail. EXCITING STUFF.
The trail eased a bit and we stopped at a bridge to wait for Mike again. I had started feeling better so figured I would take the lead. It was more descending and so I tried to let go and really run. I kept going faster and faster and suddenly got a compliment from Justin. Nice boost that was.
The trail leveled off and we regrouped. Then we jogged back to the car. And I was still feeling great! I have no idea why. It could have been the pace, the short stops we made, the softer surface; dunno.
When we finally made it back to the car I was (mentally) flying! Today was my longest run in terms of miles and time. And I felt great! Less soreness, more energy at the finish, all that. Good times. Thanks to these guys for keeping the pace mellow.
As has been the case with each of these trail runs, each time I go out I learn more 'running lingo'. Today I was introduced to the following terms.
- Lycra Fart Train [This is referring to all the n00b runners in massive amounts of Lycra.]
- Camel Toe [This is referring to all the Camelbaks the above n00bs wear.]
- Getting Chicked [Any time you are passed by women.]
- SUC Plus [Seattle Ultra (running) Club Plus – the unofficial uber (or under – depending on your perspective) echelon of local ultra runners. Membership is determined by committee of existing members. Automatic membership is granted if you drop out of your biggest 'A' race, get passed by the Lycra Fart Train or get chicked.]
- A Unicorn Day [Any time you get in the 'zone' you are having a unicorn day; you can also apparently have a bareback unicorn day or a double (or even triple!) unicorn day.] |
| Equipment: | trail bottle |
| Clothing: | Under Armor shorts, Mountain Hardware knickers, Craft long sleeve undershirt, long sleeve running shirt, SmartWool cap, gloves |
Friday, January 01, 2010
| Hours Sleeping: | |
| Pulse (waking): | |
| Pulse (rising): | |
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| Weight: | |
| Body Fat: | |
| Time of Day: | 2:00 PM |
| Distance: | 2 miles |
| Time (total): | |
| Time (moving): | |
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| Power: | |
| Total Ascent: | |
| Weather: | mid to upper 40s, occasional light drizzle, super windy |
| Workout Type: | |
| Breakfast: | |
| Lunch: | |
| Dinner: | |
| Workout Food: | |
| Course: | Discovery Park |
| Results: | |
| Comments: | Rest day today! I was tired after yesterday's hill fest and have a big weekend planned this was perfect.
Shelley, Shannon and I were doing the mini 'see Seattle' tour and we hit the troll under the Aurora Bridge, the Ballard Locks and salmon ladder and then headed up to Discovery Park and walked down to the light house and back.
The wind was howling! As went from the bluff down towards the beach the trees were bending like crazy as each gust ripped through the woods. And it wasn't cold! This kind of weather is so fun to be in. |
| Equipment: | |
| Clothing: | |