What to think?

I decided late yesterday afternoon to test my legs at the "Wednesday Night World" ride from the Trek store.  The ride started at 5:30.  It truly was a last minute decision... I wasn't prepared at all.  No clothes laid out, no water bottles, and no dinner.  I have about a 20min drive home, in that time I thought about how I was going to get rush through the house to get everything ready.  Where are my bottles, what clothes to where, air in the tires, lights, ride or drive to the shop...etc.

I decided it would be faster to ride to the shop.  I had plenty of time once on the bike.  Whew! relief.  I made it with a few minutes to spare.  We did the typical roll out down the trail then North out of town.  There is a long flat road about 3miles before the ride kicks into full throttle.  I kept thinking... I don't want to work.    A couple of guys got out in front just before the hill.  A sort of head start or pre-emptive strike.  I was on the front not working too hard but not resting either.  Just waiting for the rest to roll by.  Note to self... don't do that!  Surprise, I was able to stay resonably close to the lead pack.  I had to make up a little gap.   Heart rate check 179bpm.  Top of Zone 5.

Now there was about ten guys in the packed.  Some guys that I have never ridden with were pretty fast.  I was right at my aerobic threshold when we hit the next big hill.   I blew up on this hill.  I had to slow down and found a more sustainable pace.  Again, the group got together.

Next up were the rolling hills of the Omaha trace rd.  I like rolling hills.  I saw some incredible speeds on my computer.  35mph down hills 25mph over the hills.  I was pretty comfortable with this pace.  I had good energy for the sprint.  Limpach and Lucas got out in front but I wasn't far behind.

Overall, I am happy with my fitness.  It was fun to mix it up with a group ride.  The bike works great!  No problems at all.  It just did it's thing and let me do all the work.  TODOs:  more cruise intervals, more hills, less weight :)

Still work to Do

Even though it is a rest week there is still riding to do.  This morning I took the chance to sleep instead of waking up for a trainer ride.  So, I will do that tonight.  1:30hr endurance work.  Nice and Easy.  

I will have to do some work Thursday with some Form Sprints.   Then Saturday, I will do another fitness test on the trainer.  I am feeling faster so I am looking forward to seeing how much.  It would have been nice to have a rest week right before the Twin Bing race.  I would have substituted the test for the race.

I am looking forward to the Twin Bing race.  Looking at the results from last year...  I finished last of all the people who finished.   I think everyone that finished in front of me are Cat 2 now.  A little encouragement.  I need to look at my training schedule and work around this race.  I don't want to taper.   I will just rearrange to have easier/shorter days before the race.

Ready to Rest

Though, I did not ride all my scheduled hour I finished with a solid week. 

After I missed my Thursday and Friday rides, I was determined to ride and not on the trainer.  I ventured outside in the snow.  I prefer to have 35 degrees and snow over the same temp and rain.   My feet and seat still got wet from the wet road but it was bearable.  I was able to ride 4hrs.  In that 4hrs I did 25min in zone 4 with some long cruise intervals into the wind.  I did another 35 minutes in zone 3 and the rest in Zone 2 and below.  The last hour I was done riding and just limped home.

Sunday, I was scheduled for 5hrs.   I led a Spin class and then made it home for a 4hr ride.  Craig was able to meet me at Hiway 370 & Hiway 50.  We coodinated out training schedule and it worked out good.  He had a "Group Ride" day.  He could ride hard or easy.  I had an endurance ride... zone 2 and lower.  We set a moderate pace down Hiway 50.  Craig rode hard up the hills and I kept my consistant speed.  Once we got on the flats, Craig would do most of the pulling into the wind.  There were a couple times my HR went above my Zone 2.  We parted ways at Hiways 370 & 50.  I rode home into a steady headwind.  I had to help out with some painting at home so I called my wife for a rescue.  Still I had 4:15hrs on the road. 

This morning it was very slow going.  I was beat.  Thank goodness I am now on a rest week.

Wait, What?... it's Snowing

Wet sloppy snow last night and more predicted tonight.  That is going to throw a wrench into my training plan. 

I still trying to work out in my mind how am I going to make this weekend work.  I have already missed my workout last night.  Didn't feel like climbing on the trainer this morning.  So now I have an endurance ride tonight, Hill work tomorrow, and my long endurance ride Sunday.  I suppose I will take it one day at a time.

Today, I am scheduled for 4hrs.  Not going to happen... I will sit on my trainer for 3hrs.  I am thinking tomorrow I can get out on my Single Speed for my Hill workout.  Sunday, I will do a Spin class and probably head out for another long ride.

Blown off course

The plan yesterday was to ride NorthWest of town then back to the East to Blair.  That didn't happen.   The planned route would have taken me far away from home.   The weather was so cold and windy, I did not want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere if I ran out of steam.  So, new plan, go North and fight the wind as long as possible.  Then turn around and ride home with the wind.

So from my office it took me about thirty minutes to get out of town.  I made it to the Omaha Trace rd then to Ft. Calhoun.  At this point it was only 1:15min into the ride.  It seemed like 3hrs.  I was out there and feeling ok, I might as well finish the ride.  After Ft Calhoun came a long ~5mi flat section.  I had been thinking about how miserable it was going to be.  I would feel the full force of the wind here.  I watched the time on my HR monitor, telling myself that  1:45hr was long enough to fight the beast. When the time hit 1:45hr I was only a couple miles out of Blair... should I keep going.  I didn't.

I made a quick stop to dig out a Clif Bar from my jersey, then headed South.  What a difference.  My speed was 11mph into the wind and now it was 31mph without trying.  I covered 7 miles in no time.  Went back through Ft. Calhoun and onto the flat roads by Boyer Cute.  There I completed a couple cruise intervals... getting my HR up to my lactat threshold.  With an assist from the wind I powered up some steep hills.   I was home free.  I ended the ride with 3:25hrs & 55miles.  So with the ride to work I had over 60mi and ~4hrs a little short of the plan but I will take it.

Wednesday Update

Not much to report.  Last nigh I only did two short cruise intervals on the trainer.  My rear wheel flatted about 4 minutes into the second interval.  The patch gave out on the tube.  I put on a wheel from my other bike but lost all my motivation.  I was ready to be done.

I rode into work this morning.  The traffic down Blondo at 6:30 is light.  Tonight I am riding to Blair.  Since the wind will be out of the Northwest, I will ride to Elk City then North to Highway 30.  Highway 30 will bring me to Blair.  Then it will be a easy ride home with the wind.

I am getting tired.  It seems that as soon as I climb off the bike from one ride I am preparing for another.  I am ready for a rest week. Just a few more days!

This is the last work week of Base 3

It is going to be tough to work in all my training hours.  Today will be fine.  I did a workout in the morning and I will do my 2hrs of Cruise intervals tonight.

The problem will be the next three days.  I have to do a long ride tomorrow.  I am thinking that I will get into work by 6am and leave at 3pm. Doing the long ride won't be that tough either but after that I will be less motivated to finish the rest of the weekday schedule.  Which is a 2:30hr ride Thursday and 3:00hr ride Friday.  

For the weekend, I have more hill intervals and another long ride on Sunday.  I can't wait 'till rest week!