A Bit of a Breakthrough

So a typical ride for me over the past two months has been one of two types: 1) Group ride with a couple guys who ride competitively (Sam hangs for as long as possible until getting wrecked, usually during difficult efforts) or 2) Solo ride of some sort.

All rides have been in road configuration sans aero bars. Well, yesterday things began to look up. We were planning to do a brick (for those that don't know, that's a bike followed by a run). The plan was to ride easy beginning and end, but in the middle include 5x(4-min effort w/2-min rest interval). Thus, the tri configuration was set up prior to the ride. I honestly forgot how much I like being in the aerobars with some skeletal support as opposed to musculature support of the road configuration. So effort number 1, we stay pretty even most of the way, with the training partner getting ahead at the end of the interval. Breakthrough came in interval 2, we had done about 2 minutes, and I was about 20 feet behind when we slowed, turned right and started going uphill. From somewhere (perhaps the suffering of all the previous rides) I found some power to go past the training partner (who is light and usually trounces me on hills) and continue accelerating on the hill. Closed out the interval feeling like a champ and held on in front. The next two we stayed pretty even, and he trounced me on the fifth with his endurance. But all the same. It was good to remember (by feeling) that I can throw down a little on the bike when I want to.

I think there's just something about being aero from which I get more power (ahh, the joys of fitness).

(is this a sweet looking bike or what?)

The run off the bike was a bit tough as the legs were feeling gelatinous near the end of the ride, but a planned upon fast first mile was cut by 15 seconds (probably due to group workout nature) and the following 2.8 miles were hard but good.

Lesson for today: keep going, keep mixing it up and don't overdo it. The breakthroughs will come.

Photos courtesy of velonews.com

Ride your A$$

These are some pictures from our ride yesterday. We needed to get out and move after the Fourth's Feast and a hard run at the 10-k.

A quick 10-k recap: I haven't been doing too much speed work, and was not as well-trained as last year. Hence, there were no PR expectations. That's Rodes city next March. Get ready. Mike and I had a little too much fun the night before hanging out and staying up late playing Madden. It was a good time. The next morning we all got out the door a little late (Katy, Mike, Amber, and myself) due to some bowel testing. There was a nice line at the port-o-lets and we all tested their hospitality prior to the race.

Mike and Amber both PR'd and had good races. Katy finished strong, but I'll let her tell you about it. I went out at about 7+min/mi pace and the HR was skyrocketing. I figured it wasn't a PR kind of day as earlier determined, so I went for a good tempo run and finished in 43:02. It was a good time. The weather was overcast and rainy, and pretty cool for July.

The 1st annual SAMBER Independence day cookout was a success with a lot of people coming over for inside out burgers and cornhole. Fun was had by all. Hopefully we'll get some pictures up on the other blog soon.

My riding buddy Jeff and I went out for a nice 45 mile ride saturday morning. Paris is lovely in the summer!

After that, came home and got some lunch and then Amber and I went for a 15-miler. She's getting stronger. About 1+ mph faster than the last ride. We stopped for a quick visit with a local farm inhabitant.

Who likes Climbing?

I do. It hurts like crap, especially when you're a bigger guy, but the fitness gains are remarkable (at least they have been in the past). Yesterday was a good ride. Beautiful day in the bluegrass, and we took it down the the river for some climbs at Clay's Ferry, T-burg Hill, and the climb up from Hall's on the river. There were some other tough ones in there too. I'm looking forward to doing this ride more. Only next time, I'll be throwing on the 12-27 cassette instead of the 11-23. If you don't know what that means, just e-mail me before you have to do any serious climbing, because you should know.

Hammering out Fitness

Cycling in the spring is one of the greater passions of mine. Beautiful days filled with 60+ mile rides is a good afternoon.

So today we had a bit of deja vu. We had a guy come out who had not been riding since the winter. We were supposed to get in a somewhat easy 50+ mile ride, but somebody forgot to tell one person. This singular person started leading out at about 5 miles and we hammered in a pace line for about 10 miles. We put at least a half mile into the poor guy who hadn't been riding. Why deja vu you ask? Because that was me two and a half weeks ago. Getting dropped really builds some fitness.

Yesterday was a 6 mile effort with some 1/2 mile intervals mixed in in the second half of the run. What's the point? Building base fitness is a great thing. It helps to be ready, but when you can't be ready, it's good to go ahead and thrash yourself a little bit every once in a while. First, it does actually build fitness. Second, it's great motivation to put in some training to get up to a level commensurate with your abilities. So if you need to get ready quick. Crush it a little bit. Just don't be stupid.

Tri for Sight Race Report

So one of the goals I had set for this year was to podium at a race. I thought this would push me to train harder and work for some goals. That said, let's get on this race report, shall we?

I wasn't quite as strict with the diet this week. I had already put in 90+ miles on the bike prior to the race. I drank beer on friday, I ate pork and beef at the company picnic on saturday. I just didn't care. I told a couple friends friday night that I was either going to podium or blow up on the run. Saturday night, I had a splitting headache. I think it was due to large stressors in my environment the past few days. Dealing with the fallout of getting run off the road on thursday afternoon during my long run, having to call 911 for a guy having a stroke or heart attack at my company golf scramble, etc could have both contributed to it. Thankfully, I have a great girlfriend who took care of me and helped me get ready last night while I was laying on the couch, hurtin'.

7 am races are early, so I got up at 5 still with a bit of a headache. I popped an Excedrin Migraine, drank some coffee, a diet coke, and ate some cereal. I was ready.

Swim: 800m, 14:29 (1:47/100m)

It was a pool swim, and I felt really good. Passed about 3 or 4 people, was passed by one. these times seem long to me, but everybody's times are slow. Maybe I need to swim more. 500 yds this week is a bit thin.

T1: Long run from the pool to the Community College included: 4:14

Bike: 18+ miles, 49:55 (21.6 mph)

I didn't feel all that great on the bike today, and apparently I need to take a class on gear shifting. I threw my chain again. It's a pretty hilly course, but fun day out there regardless. Guy I know caught me at the end of the bike, and I knew I was going to have to hammer the run if I was going to beat him.

T2: nothing much to tell other than dropping my bike into my leg and gaining a nasty cut. 1:01

Run: 4 miles, 25:04, (6:16/mile)

I didn't know I was running this fast, but I was trying to hold true to my blow up/podium promise. It hurt, but I kept passing people and finished pretty strong. I beat my friend on the run by 2:30. Beat him overall by 12 seconds. whew!

Overall: 1:34:41, 7th overall (out of about 300 I think) 1st/23 in AG.

One guy in AG actually beat me, but he won the overall and is trying to qualify for nationals. Dude's fast. So I got the AG trophy (pics later). Needless to say I'm pretty stoked.

A Good Week

The plan for the week was to recover quickly from the race the weekend before, then start putting in the miles on the bike. I didn't get any swimming in this week, but I'll fix that this week. The recovery ended up turning it into a bigger weekend. Friday involved just under 60 miles on the bike, Saturday had a 8+ mile really hilly run. Sunday was a ride up to the Blue Ridge Parkway for some more riding while those with me chilled at a waterfall picking blueberries (seriously). Suffice it to say, it was a long descent (about 3 miles) and steep from where I began. I did a couple of decent climbs going out and it was tough but fun. i took a picture on the way out, and below is what I look like without thinking about facial expression...

And this is what I look like 30 seconds later when I realize how horrid that first picture looked...

The final climb back to the beginning was a doozy. I'm not sure exactly of length and elevation because I forgot my Garmin. However, I was climbing for about 13-15 minutes in my granny gear. Good stuff. I got to the top and hiked in my bike shoes to a little overlook. Then I came back and hung out with my cool peeps (who gave me relatively no crap this weekend for all the training). We were going to eat at the BRP that night, and I told them about the overlook I found. So we ate turkey tacos/burritos on the side of the mountain. A look at the fare and the ambience is below.

We closed out a good ride home with some flowers in the hair (and a bike in the back :D )

Yes, this is what parts of KY look like as you ride past. A quilt on a barn might be a little cheesy, but it sure is nice to be able to get out of town and be quiet for a while: nothing but you, pastures, nature and a couple of wheels.

Weekly wrap-up: here we go...

Swim: 3000 yds (55:12)
Bike: 84.17 mi (4:33:00)
Run: 14.95 mi (1:55:48)

Total: 7 hrs, 23 min

Pretty easy week. I think I'm figuring out a little bit more how to train fully today but also keep the next day in mind. The focus right now is really on consistency. If I can continue to do moderate aerobic work, it should be possible to develop a solid aerobic engine. This in turn, theoretically, should enable speed work to be more effective and profitable relative to the current state.

I was motivated today as I was at about halfway through my 46 mile ride. The bluegrass cycling club
was out with a lot of beginners and they were lucky to be pushing 10-12 mph. They were circling and going back to pick up some people who were obviously struggling. More and more, I find myself appreciating people who get out and go for it even if they aren't going to look good doing it. Who cares, right? If somebody's got a problem with you being out there, or you feel like you're overweight, or don't know what you're doing....why not just get out there and ask somebody? Here's to you, people who overcome their fears to live their lives. Cheers

accidental slow week (wrap-up) and miami

5:18 Total

Swim: 4000 yds (1:14)

Bike: 39.15 mi (2:28)

Run: 10.39 mi (1:24)

Lift: 0:35

Felt ok, but work and travel got in the way this last week. I'm stepping it back up this week, and hoping to get around 80-85 mi. on the bike. I need it.

I'm coming for you Miami. You better be ready. I know I will be.

Weekly Wrap-Up

I'm going to try to start doing this partially to keep track, and partially to serve as accountability.

Lift: 2 sessions (~1:10)

Swim: 6500 yds (~2:00)

Bike: 78 mi. (~4:00)

Run: ~19 mi (2:50)

Total Training Time: 10 hours

The nice part is, I don't really feel all that shelled. I rather expected I would. However, I do need to get more sleep. Looks as if caffeine might have to take a back seat once again.

I'm noticing more and more how difficult it is to keep things in balance. This really has to be my free time when I'm not with friends/family if I'm going to do it. Oh well, I didn't miss the College World Series that much. It is funny how the importance of some things you used to care about fades away as you do things more important.

Time to wrap this up. I'd like to do a segment on the bike fit I got two weeks ago (forward seatpost, new angle, etc) and how I feel coming out of it, so look for that.

To close, I'll leave you a quote from Frank Shorter to get you fired up:

"You don't run 26 miles at 5 minutes a mile on good looks and a secret recipe."