Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Peace in the Pelaton
With the Tour doing Mont Vontoux yesterday, even with looming rain clouds one needs to get out and ride. This was a really good ride. As I've gotten more specific on training, and hence faster, some guys just ride. Never mind we are all getting older. Today was absolutly fantastic Greg and I met at the local coffee shop. Rode the first hour chatting with everyone, and when we turned to the hills, they headed home. Great guys, and to be able to have an understanding that we want to ride hard, and also visit and chat... All sorts of warm fuzzies guys' aren't suppo
sed to have.
I had on my very cool FCA Endurance jersey and when work picks up again I'm ordering the shorts (gotta look good). We finished up by stopping at another coffee shop and had a double espresso and cheese fritter (not true recovery fuel, but hey once and a while).
I'm playing around with Map My Ride... not willing to pay for the bouncing around it does, I assume it'll get better but it is a pretty cool way to share a ride.
sed to have.I had on my very cool FCA Endurance jersey and when work picks up again I'm ordering the shorts (gotta look good). We finished up by stopping at another coffee shop and had a double espresso and cheese fritter (not true recovery fuel, but hey once and a while).
I'm playing around with Map My Ride... not willing to pay for the bouncing around it does, I assume it'll get better but it is a pretty cool way to share a ride.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Not Racing this Weekend.
OK so I'm wimping out of racing this year, that road is hard, the weather is wet and I can't afford to break it on Sunday and fix it on Monday (old school racing rule taught to me by my "guru" back in the '80's). But I entered map my ride w/ the Tour this week... and the site's pretty cool and I rode the course to make my final decision. This is it, easy but rain and a down hill finish.
I only rode the course three times, the race is 8 times. I "Mapped" the ride three times instead of one for the Tour competition.
I only rode the course three times, the race is 8 times. I "Mapped" the ride three times instead of one for the Tour competition.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Le Tour
I've been busy watching the Tour, and I've come to the conclusion that I could make one stage with the pelaton IF (and a big IF) I had two days rest before and a week recovery afterward.
They have been showing the power output and HR on the climbs. I have figured that I could do what they have, sitting in the pelaton, not doing any work. BUT these guys are doing day in and day out. So don't look for me to be in the pro pelaton anytime soon... Darn my hopes of a come back are shot.
On a more realistic note, the Provencal road race is this Sunday. It would appear the finish is down hill, but I think that it will finish fragmented, and I can stay up towards the front. The big concern is the weather, rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast. This summer if there has been a rain forecast it has rained. Riding with buddies in the rain is good, as you almost have every move they will do memorized, racing with a bunch of older guys, in the pouring rain stoked on watching the Tour for three weeks... Priceless. I have a lot of reserve on racing in such a race... especially after some of those pro's have taken nasty spills.
They have been showing the power output and HR on the climbs. I have figured that I could do what they have, sitting in the pelaton, not doing any work. BUT these guys are doing day in and day out. So don't look for me to be in the pro pelaton anytime soon... Darn my hopes of a come back are shot.
On a more realistic note, the Provencal road race is this Sunday. It would appear the finish is down hill, but I think that it will finish fragmented, and I can stay up towards the front. The big concern is the weather, rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast. This summer if there has been a rain forecast it has rained. Riding with buddies in the rain is good, as you almost have every move they will do memorized, racing with a bunch of older guys, in the pouring rain stoked on watching the Tour for three weeks... Priceless. I have a lot of reserve on racing in such a race... especially after some of those pro's have taken nasty spills.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Power to the People or at least ME!
A friend of my wanted to know my power output, so he let me borrow his Power Tap.
To do this I figured I wanted to get a good hard work out. Days are longer so I took a good long warm up and rode out to my favorite hill ride. I did 3x z4 8' up and over hill repeats (this hill climb takes me about 4.5 to 5 minutes to get to the top then a false flat and then down on the "ridge" so it's a climb and a true interval effort. I finished up going home via "Old Ancaster Road" a nice winding hilly road.
Results my climb was at 425 for the 4.5 minutes except the little dip on the climb, so I should go easier at the beginning ride harder at the "dip" and then back at it, and I would climb the hill faster. Then on the last 3.5 of the interval I dropped to 300. My HR stayed at a constant upper end of z4 moving +- 2 beats. On Old Ancaster at the really good climb part I had 650 for 2 minutes, HR in z5 I just wanted to see how much power output I had on that route.
What do I think of power? at about $1200 its expensive training tool. Would I like to train with power? Yes, if the price comes down, I can get my hands on a wired used unit, or my business just takes off (see NEW website below) and I have disposable income. All that said and done, HR training using the tried and true build method with recovery periods has put me at the top of my game.
To do this I figured I wanted to get a good hard work out. Days are longer so I took a good long warm up and rode out to my favorite hill ride. I did 3x z4 8' up and over hill repeats (this hill climb takes me about 4.5 to 5 minutes to get to the top then a false flat and then down on the "ridge" so it's a climb and a true interval effort. I finished up going home via "Old Ancaster Road" a nice winding hilly road.
Results my climb was at 425 for the 4.5 minutes except the little dip on the climb, so I should go easier at the beginning ride harder at the "dip" and then back at it, and I would climb the hill faster. Then on the last 3.5 of the interval I dropped to 300. My HR stayed at a constant upper end of z4 moving +- 2 beats. On Old Ancaster at the really good climb part I had 650 for 2 minutes, HR in z5 I just wanted to see how much power output I had on that route.
What do I think of power? at about $1200 its expensive training tool. Would I like to train with power? Yes, if the price comes down, I can get my hands on a wired used unit, or my business just takes off (see NEW website below) and I have disposable income. All that said and done, HR training using the tried and true build method with recovery periods has put me at the top of my game.
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