Quote of the Week
"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."
-Andre Gide
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Know when to say when.
I had 5-6 hours on the schedule today. I was hoping to get my first hundie (100 miles) in for 2006. The weather had other ideas in mind. I hit the road around 11am under overcast skies with some mist in the air. I was thinking not too bad, but the back of my mind was warning that it was a little cold and fairly windy. As I rolled south, the tempo of the rain started to pick up until it was clearly a down pour. My jacket had just received a fresh treatment with Nikwax, so it was keeping the moisture at bay for the most part. My lycra clad legs were getting soaked. My windstopper gloves, start to sop up water like sponges. My booties did likewise. Soon enough, my feet, legs, hands, and head were soaked through. My Tifosi glasses needed wipers so I could see.
The doubts started to creep in my mind whether I could endure another 4 hours in the saddle. Each pedal stroke squished water from my feet. I was still close to Lake Washington, but planned to head east into the mountains. I looked up the road and saw nothing but dark, heavy clouds hanging low in the sky. They were surely dumping their H2o cargo on the foothills to make it up over the mountains.
As I approached my turnout to head up hill, I decided to bag it and head towards home. Just then, the winds picked up, which added further conviction to my decision. On the run home, my hands and lower extremities lost feeling. It started raining so hard, the roads were covered in sheets of water several inches deep. Spray from my wheels was escaping from under the fenders and making sure any dry part of my body became wet.
I finally rolled in the driveway. A little over three hours later with about 50 miles in the legs. I stripped off all my wet layers to reveal swollen feet and hands. I had to get my wedding ring off fast to keep my finger from exploding under the pressure. I hit a hot shower and drained the hot water tank enjoying the steamy warmth.
I didn't quite get the time or miles planned, but sometime mother nature has other ideas. The picture above is near where my planned route was to take me in the mountains. I made the right choice. Just another interesting day in the saddle in the Pacific Northwest.
Go Seahawks!
Blue Star
I had 5-6 hours on the schedule today. I was hoping to get my first hundie (100 miles) in for 2006. The weather had other ideas in mind. I hit the road around 11am under overcast skies with some mist in the air. I was thinking not too bad, but the back of my mind was warning that it was a little cold and fairly windy. As I rolled south, the tempo of the rain started to pick up until it was clearly a down pour. My jacket had just received a fresh treatment with Nikwax, so it was keeping the moisture at bay for the most part. My lycra clad legs were getting soaked. My windstopper gloves, start to sop up water like sponges. My booties did likewise. Soon enough, my feet, legs, hands, and head were soaked through. My Tifosi glasses needed wipers so I could see.
The doubts started to creep in my mind whether I could endure another 4 hours in the saddle. Each pedal stroke squished water from my feet. I was still close to Lake Washington, but planned to head east into the mountains. I looked up the road and saw nothing but dark, heavy clouds hanging low in the sky. They were surely dumping their H2o cargo on the foothills to make it up over the mountains.
As I approached my turnout to head up hill, I decided to bag it and head towards home. Just then, the winds picked up, which added further conviction to my decision. On the run home, my hands and lower extremities lost feeling. It started raining so hard, the roads were covered in sheets of water several inches deep. Spray from my wheels was escaping from under the fenders and making sure any dry part of my body became wet.
I finally rolled in the driveway. A little over three hours later with about 50 miles in the legs. I stripped off all my wet layers to reveal swollen feet and hands. I had to get my wedding ring off fast to keep my finger from exploding under the pressure. I hit a hot shower and drained the hot water tank enjoying the steamy warmth.
I didn't quite get the time or miles planned, but sometime mother nature has other ideas. The picture above is near where my planned route was to take me in the mountains. I made the right choice. Just another interesting day in the saddle in the Pacific Northwest.
Go Seahawks!
Blue Star
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
"When it rains, it pours" and Riding the Wave.
Well, including today, Seattle has experienced 23 consecutive days of rain and the forecast is calling for at least seven more. The record is 33 straight days. Now that's some good training weather. This weekend has some long rides on tap that will include some big climbs, so at least I won't be too cold. I'm moving into my final base phase, which means the rides are going to start including some harder efforts as the race season fast approaches and I transition into build phase.
Anyway, did you ever notice that good fortune comes in waves? Kind of like the rain that has inundated Seattle. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's karma, maybe it's hard work. Who knows, but I like to ride the big waves. Two sponsors haved added themselves to my roster of supporters this year in a big way. A couple of months ago, I had no idea what to expect when I was spending all those hours putting together my race resume. It has turned out to be more than worth the effort.
Maxxis Tires
I'm going to be rolling on the best tires on the planet. Maxxis prides itself on high quality products. They have a tire for every condition and for some conditions multiple tires. Having Maxxis in my corner is like having a secret weapon for each course. Plus, I go through tires like candy and Maxxis is going to take care of my sweet tooth. In the next few weeks, all of my bikes will be sporting the big orange Maxxis logo. K-bomb, Gunn-Rita Dahle, and... Blue Star! Be sure to visit the Maxxis website at www.maxxis.com and whether you are in the market for bike tires or car tires there is something there for you.
Fox Racing Shox
I'm starting to sound like a skipping CD in my praise for my sponsors, but Fox makes the only suspension forks and shocks that I will ride. I submitted my resume to only those companies whose product I wanted to race on. Fox will be hooking up my '06 Truth with a shiny and smooth F100x fork and Float R rear shock. I'm in love with the automatic lockout of the super-efficient inertia valve on the F100x. Get out the saddle and stomp and there's no bob, but ride over some low frequency bumps in the trail and the suspension kicks in like butter. Fast suspension products and some cool scenery can be seen at their website: http://www.foxracingshox.com/
In other news, Cathy at Ellsworth has sent me the new Ellsworth team kit. I'm going to be pimpin' at the races. I'm hoping I cross the finish line first at a race this year so, I can bust out my pimp pop victory salute with the new threads. Also, my new Truth should be on the way in the next couple of weeks. Guess what color.... You will have to wait and see, but it should not be that hard to figure out.
T-minus one month and two days until my first warm up race at South Seatac Park. If my CP12 test this weekend and the way I felt on the bike today are any indication, I think Ellsworth will be happy they put a logo on the arse of my shorts.
It's pouring outside. Bring on the rain, bring on the waves.
Blue Star signing off.
Well, including today, Seattle has experienced 23 consecutive days of rain and the forecast is calling for at least seven more. The record is 33 straight days. Now that's some good training weather. This weekend has some long rides on tap that will include some big climbs, so at least I won't be too cold. I'm moving into my final base phase, which means the rides are going to start including some harder efforts as the race season fast approaches and I transition into build phase.
Anyway, did you ever notice that good fortune comes in waves? Kind of like the rain that has inundated Seattle. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's karma, maybe it's hard work. Who knows, but I like to ride the big waves. Two sponsors haved added themselves to my roster of supporters this year in a big way. A couple of months ago, I had no idea what to expect when I was spending all those hours putting together my race resume. It has turned out to be more than worth the effort.
Maxxis Tires
I'm going to be rolling on the best tires on the planet. Maxxis prides itself on high quality products. They have a tire for every condition and for some conditions multiple tires. Having Maxxis in my corner is like having a secret weapon for each course. Plus, I go through tires like candy and Maxxis is going to take care of my sweet tooth. In the next few weeks, all of my bikes will be sporting the big orange Maxxis logo. K-bomb, Gunn-Rita Dahle, and... Blue Star! Be sure to visit the Maxxis website at www.maxxis.com and whether you are in the market for bike tires or car tires there is something there for you.
Fox Racing Shox
I'm starting to sound like a skipping CD in my praise for my sponsors, but Fox makes the only suspension forks and shocks that I will ride. I submitted my resume to only those companies whose product I wanted to race on. Fox will be hooking up my '06 Truth with a shiny and smooth F100x fork and Float R rear shock. I'm in love with the automatic lockout of the super-efficient inertia valve on the F100x. Get out the saddle and stomp and there's no bob, but ride over some low frequency bumps in the trail and the suspension kicks in like butter. Fast suspension products and some cool scenery can be seen at their website: http://www.foxracingshox.com/
In other news, Cathy at Ellsworth has sent me the new Ellsworth team kit. I'm going to be pimpin' at the races. I'm hoping I cross the finish line first at a race this year so, I can bust out my pimp pop victory salute with the new threads. Also, my new Truth should be on the way in the next couple of weeks. Guess what color.... You will have to wait and see, but it should not be that hard to figure out.
T-minus one month and two days until my first warm up race at South Seatac Park. If my CP12 test this weekend and the way I felt on the bike today are any indication, I think Ellsworth will be happy they put a logo on the arse of my shorts.
It's pouring outside. Bring on the rain, bring on the waves.
Blue Star signing off.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Crankbrothers Pedals under Blue Star's feet
Another awesome sponsor on board for the '06 race season. I'll be putting the power down on some Crankbrothers Eggbeater Ti pedals. I submitted a sponorship request to ride for Crankbrothers because their pedals are beautiful, perform, and are lightweight. A key feature for NW riding is that clip ins and outs are accomplished with ease and this pedal does that in even the nastiest conditions because of the open retention hoops. Crankbrothers is one cool company with a sense of style. Check out their site at Crankbrothers.com
Another awesome sponsor on board for the '06 race season. I'll be putting the power down on some Crankbrothers Eggbeater Ti pedals. I submitted a sponorship request to ride for Crankbrothers because their pedals are beautiful, perform, and are lightweight. A key feature for NW riding is that clip ins and outs are accomplished with ease and this pedal does that in even the nastiest conditions because of the open retention hoops. Crankbrothers is one cool company with a sense of style. Check out their site at Crankbrothers.com
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Sunday, January 01, 2006
17+ Hours in the Saddle
Wow, I just experienced quite a week on the bicycle. Work slows down between the Christmas and New Year holidays, so Coach Thomas set up my schedule to take advantage of having more time to devote to training. In total, I put in over 17 hours in the saddle for just about 250 miles. Not a bad haul for a 7 day period that included 2 recovery days.
Monday: Recovery Day. I had to let my legs recover from the effort of the past weekend. Plus, the weather was nasty.
Tuesday: 3 hours of saddle time. The first half of the ride was outside taking advantage of the waning light. Mr. Bicep and I hit the Birk Gilman for a short spin. Intensity was fairly low, but I cranked it up a little towards the end to remind Mr. Bicep that single malt doesn't make you fast on the bike. Just as the last bit of light slipped behind the western horizon, I returned home and set the bike up on the hamster wheel. I spent another hour and half of riding on the trainer, zoning out to some music on the iPod.
Wednesday: 1 hour of gym time and 90 minutes of chamois time. I started my day with 90 minutes on the stationary trainer. My body hates early morning workouts. In fact, it revolts and the engine refuses to fire for at least an hour. I plodded through the ride and was relieved when it was over. Later in the day, I hit the gym. I'm now in my strength maintenance phase, which means I'm backing off the weights some, but still lifting enough to allow me to keep the strength gains I have made without putting on any more muscle mass. One of the keys to going fast on a bike (especially on those long, lung searing climbs in the mountains) is power to weight ratio. More power over less weight equals more speed. Lose too much weight and you also lose muscle that generates power. Put on too much muscle and the power increase from that additional muscle mass is not enough to offset the weight being carried. It's a tenuous balance to maintain. I've put on about 2 kilos of muscle in my legs, arse, and lower back the last two and half months. The big question is whether my power ouput on the bike has increased to compensate, or exceed, the weight gain as compared to where I was at the end of last season. In other words, have I increased my power to weight ratio. From my recent rides, I think there is more power under the hood. I have some power tests coming up soon to confirm my suspicion.
Thursday: 2.5 hours of riding on the trainer (a new personal record). Thursday's workout was very specific, so it had to be done on the trainer. After a long warm up, I did 5 sets of force intervals. As I described in a previous post, force intervals are low RPM, high power output affairs. Essentially, this workou is like weight lifting on the bike as I slowly crank out big watts. I did 5 sets of three minutes at my CP12 power with three minutes of recovery following each effort. Even though the effort was high, I felt really smooth and powerful today. It is exciting to see fitness developing.
Friday: Recovery day, sort of. A half day of taking advantage of fresh snow at Snoqualmie Pass. Not a vacation for the legs, but it was fun to get back on the slopes after a dry winter last year. The snow was so good the Pass was closed for a few hours at the end of the day. We had to hang out and have some food and drink while the DOT folks plowed like crazy to make I-90 drivable.
Saturday: An epic 5.5 hour group ride totaling 90 miles. We began the day be heading about 30 miles to the northeast to Snohomish. In Snohomish, we stopped for a slice of fresh pie at a small bakery to fill the tank for the next 60 miles. After getting warm and eating yummy apple crumb pie, we braved the elements and turned south along the Snohomish River valley. The roads in this part of Washington are very beautiful. Unobstructed views of the snow capped Cascades to west with pastures and undeveloped land in the foreground. Plus, there were only about 5 cars that passed by in a 30-mile stretch. After heading south along the river valley putting in some solid tempo in a pace line, we had to cross back over the western slope of valley. Union Hill Road took us out of the valley and dropped us down into Redmond. Union Hill is the perfect climb. It is just steep enough to generate a steady effort while the road winds ahead in the distance all encased by woods filled with big trees. I was motoring dropping all my riding companions in my wake. The beautiful thing was that I did not even put out an effort, staying in HR zones 3 and 4 the entire 3-mile climb. After regrouping on top, we descended into Redmond, went south through Bellevue, across I-90 and north back to the U-village Zoka.
Sunday: 4+ hours. Hayes and I headed to Tiger Mountain for some mountain bike fun on the fire roads. We road out to Poo Poo Point. Poo Poo Point is a 15 mile out and back ride that features some serious climbing in both directions, but it is worth it for the westerly views from the top. We set off in heavy winds and a slight drizzle. Half-way out the clouds began to thin revealing some button holes of blue sky and occasional rays of sun. The last two miles of the climb gain 1000 vertical feet. We crested the top and rolled out onto the point. The point serves as a launching pad for hang gliders and and parasailers, but none were braving the shifting and heavy winds today. The urban towers of Bellevue stood like monolisks in the distance, flanked on either side by shimmering waters of Lake Sammamish and Lake Washington. I-90 was pumping cars and trucks in and out of the city. It was as if the landscape was alive. I was snapped out of my thoughts by a harsh gust of wind that signaled our call to retreat to the car before the weather turned nasty. A fast two-mile descent, letting the bike drift through the gravel in the turns at 30mph, was soon followed by some steady rolling climbs for the next five miles back to car. About a two miles out from the trail head, the cold rain started to fall, first slowly but picking up pace with each pedal stroke. We got back to the car and decided to bag heading for the 4 miles up to Tiger Summit. Total mountain bike ride time was just over 2 hours.
After retreating off Tiger to my warm and dry living room, I set up the road bike on the hamster wheel for another 2 hours of spinning. 32 miles on the trainer to close out the weekend. iPod to the rescue again to keep my mind from imploding from the monotony of pedaling but not moving anywhere. Daydreaming of the mountain bike ride to the rhythms of Dave Matthews, U2, and others made the time pass by quickly.
Over 17 hours later, it's time for a recovery week. It is important to remember that fitness develops during recovery not the workout. Only seven hours on the schedule this week, which happens to coincide with what is surely going to be a busy week at work as everyone returns to normal schedules fresh from their respective holiday breaks. I'll probably make a trip to Dream Clinic for a massage to work out some kinks (both physical and mental) at the end of the week.
Three pair of Tifosi glasses arrived last week. I'll post photos and reviews soon. Preliminary report is that the Q2 is the perfect riding eyewear.
That's it for this long post. Thanks for reading.
Happy New Year to all,
Blue Star out.
Wow, I just experienced quite a week on the bicycle. Work slows down between the Christmas and New Year holidays, so Coach Thomas set up my schedule to take advantage of having more time to devote to training. In total, I put in over 17 hours in the saddle for just about 250 miles. Not a bad haul for a 7 day period that included 2 recovery days.
Monday: Recovery Day. I had to let my legs recover from the effort of the past weekend. Plus, the weather was nasty.
Tuesday: 3 hours of saddle time. The first half of the ride was outside taking advantage of the waning light. Mr. Bicep and I hit the Birk Gilman for a short spin. Intensity was fairly low, but I cranked it up a little towards the end to remind Mr. Bicep that single malt doesn't make you fast on the bike. Just as the last bit of light slipped behind the western horizon, I returned home and set the bike up on the hamster wheel. I spent another hour and half of riding on the trainer, zoning out to some music on the iPod.
Wednesday: 1 hour of gym time and 90 minutes of chamois time. I started my day with 90 minutes on the stationary trainer. My body hates early morning workouts. In fact, it revolts and the engine refuses to fire for at least an hour. I plodded through the ride and was relieved when it was over. Later in the day, I hit the gym. I'm now in my strength maintenance phase, which means I'm backing off the weights some, but still lifting enough to allow me to keep the strength gains I have made without putting on any more muscle mass. One of the keys to going fast on a bike (especially on those long, lung searing climbs in the mountains) is power to weight ratio. More power over less weight equals more speed. Lose too much weight and you also lose muscle that generates power. Put on too much muscle and the power increase from that additional muscle mass is not enough to offset the weight being carried. It's a tenuous balance to maintain. I've put on about 2 kilos of muscle in my legs, arse, and lower back the last two and half months. The big question is whether my power ouput on the bike has increased to compensate, or exceed, the weight gain as compared to where I was at the end of last season. In other words, have I increased my power to weight ratio. From my recent rides, I think there is more power under the hood. I have some power tests coming up soon to confirm my suspicion.
Thursday: 2.5 hours of riding on the trainer (a new personal record). Thursday's workout was very specific, so it had to be done on the trainer. After a long warm up, I did 5 sets of force intervals. As I described in a previous post, force intervals are low RPM, high power output affairs. Essentially, this workou is like weight lifting on the bike as I slowly crank out big watts. I did 5 sets of three minutes at my CP12 power with three minutes of recovery following each effort. Even though the effort was high, I felt really smooth and powerful today. It is exciting to see fitness developing.
Friday: Recovery day, sort of. A half day of taking advantage of fresh snow at Snoqualmie Pass. Not a vacation for the legs, but it was fun to get back on the slopes after a dry winter last year. The snow was so good the Pass was closed for a few hours at the end of the day. We had to hang out and have some food and drink while the DOT folks plowed like crazy to make I-90 drivable.
Saturday: An epic 5.5 hour group ride totaling 90 miles. We began the day be heading about 30 miles to the northeast to Snohomish. In Snohomish, we stopped for a slice of fresh pie at a small bakery to fill the tank for the next 60 miles. After getting warm and eating yummy apple crumb pie, we braved the elements and turned south along the Snohomish River valley. The roads in this part of Washington are very beautiful. Unobstructed views of the snow capped Cascades to west with pastures and undeveloped land in the foreground. Plus, there were only about 5 cars that passed by in a 30-mile stretch. After heading south along the river valley putting in some solid tempo in a pace line, we had to cross back over the western slope of valley. Union Hill Road took us out of the valley and dropped us down into Redmond. Union Hill is the perfect climb. It is just steep enough to generate a steady effort while the road winds ahead in the distance all encased by woods filled with big trees. I was motoring dropping all my riding companions in my wake. The beautiful thing was that I did not even put out an effort, staying in HR zones 3 and 4 the entire 3-mile climb. After regrouping on top, we descended into Redmond, went south through Bellevue, across I-90 and north back to the U-village Zoka.
Sunday: 4+ hours. Hayes and I headed to Tiger Mountain for some mountain bike fun on the fire roads. We road out to Poo Poo Point. Poo Poo Point is a 15 mile out and back ride that features some serious climbing in both directions, but it is worth it for the westerly views from the top. We set off in heavy winds and a slight drizzle. Half-way out the clouds began to thin revealing some button holes of blue sky and occasional rays of sun. The last two miles of the climb gain 1000 vertical feet. We crested the top and rolled out onto the point. The point serves as a launching pad for hang gliders and and parasailers, but none were braving the shifting and heavy winds today. The urban towers of Bellevue stood like monolisks in the distance, flanked on either side by shimmering waters of Lake Sammamish and Lake Washington. I-90 was pumping cars and trucks in and out of the city. It was as if the landscape was alive. I was snapped out of my thoughts by a harsh gust of wind that signaled our call to retreat to the car before the weather turned nasty. A fast two-mile descent, letting the bike drift through the gravel in the turns at 30mph, was soon followed by some steady rolling climbs for the next five miles back to car. About a two miles out from the trail head, the cold rain started to fall, first slowly but picking up pace with each pedal stroke. We got back to the car and decided to bag heading for the 4 miles up to Tiger Summit. Total mountain bike ride time was just over 2 hours.
After retreating off Tiger to my warm and dry living room, I set up the road bike on the hamster wheel for another 2 hours of spinning. 32 miles on the trainer to close out the weekend. iPod to the rescue again to keep my mind from imploding from the monotony of pedaling but not moving anywhere. Daydreaming of the mountain bike ride to the rhythms of Dave Matthews, U2, and others made the time pass by quickly.
Over 17 hours later, it's time for a recovery week. It is important to remember that fitness develops during recovery not the workout. Only seven hours on the schedule this week, which happens to coincide with what is surely going to be a busy week at work as everyone returns to normal schedules fresh from their respective holiday breaks. I'll probably make a trip to Dream Clinic for a massage to work out some kinks (both physical and mental) at the end of the week.
Three pair of Tifosi glasses arrived last week. I'll post photos and reviews soon. Preliminary report is that the Q2 is the perfect riding eyewear.
That's it for this long post. Thanks for reading.
Happy New Year to all,
Blue Star out.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Christmakah Eve
In keeping with family tradition of opening gifts early, SLR and I exchanged a couple of presents on the eve before Christmakah begins.
You'll see me at the races this year sporting this cool fitted Ellsworth hat:
And rollin' fast on some XTR wheels:
Today's training ride was 5 hours of climbing and descending. Luckily, we didn't get rained on, which is a Christmakah miracle according to the Seattle weather prognosticators. Nevertheless, we still got pretty wet from all the water on the roads as the result of several days of consistent heavy rain. Coach Thomas, A.C., and I hit the roads at 9am and went south around Lake Washington through Renton then headed east and ticked off some hefty climbs up Tiger Mountain Road and Cougar Mountain. After descending Cougar Mountain, we made a quick stop for a sandwich and some espresso to fuel us back home across I-90 and north to the U-district. 80ish miles in total. Not a bad way to spend Christmakah eve morning/afternoon. Some uphill suffering, some good conversation, and some wet feet were had by all.
Recover and repeat on Christmas Day, but with lesser inclines.
Blue Star
In keeping with family tradition of opening gifts early, SLR and I exchanged a couple of presents on the eve before Christmakah begins.
You'll see me at the races this year sporting this cool fitted Ellsworth hat:
And rollin' fast on some XTR wheels:
Today's training ride was 5 hours of climbing and descending. Luckily, we didn't get rained on, which is a Christmakah miracle according to the Seattle weather prognosticators. Nevertheless, we still got pretty wet from all the water on the roads as the result of several days of consistent heavy rain. Coach Thomas, A.C., and I hit the roads at 9am and went south around Lake Washington through Renton then headed east and ticked off some hefty climbs up Tiger Mountain Road and Cougar Mountain. After descending Cougar Mountain, we made a quick stop for a sandwich and some espresso to fuel us back home across I-90 and north to the U-district. 80ish miles in total. Not a bad way to spend Christmakah eve morning/afternoon. Some uphill suffering, some good conversation, and some wet feet were had by all.
Recover and repeat on Christmas Day, but with lesser inclines.
Blue Star
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Random Odds and Ends...
Sorry for the delay between posts. Keeping up with the holiday gatherings (one each night last weekend), plus training, plus work, has led to a lack of updates to the blog.
Christmas tree is up with lots of bike ornaments. I'm thinking of putting some ribbon on some old cogs to add to the bike theme. Santa (Fed Ex) is supposed to drop off another present to put under the tree today. According to my Santa's Helper sources (at eBay), I'm getting a new super-light Shimano XTR Wheelset. Nothing makes for some good holiday cheer like a 1600 gram wheelset decked out with a Ti freehub body and axles.
Big training block coming up the next couple of weeks. Lots o' miles including some big climbing days. Also, I will be doing some force work on the trainer during the week to start converting that strength I developed at the gym into strength to apply force the pedals. These workouts consist of turning over a BIG gear at a really low cadence (less than 60 rpm) for intervals between 3 and 10 minutes.
On the sponsorship front, I'm supposed to hear in the next couple of weeks from the remaining sponsors I submitted requests to. Got word from Tifosi that the several new pairs of specs are in the mail today and will arrive next week or so. Ellsworth hasn't given word yet when I can get my mitts on the new bike(s). Hopefully soon.
Crashed again on the road bike and scraped up the other hip. Go figure, twice in 2 weeks. This time I hit a patch of ice on a twisty descent and before I could register why the road looked kind of funny, the front wheel was over my head and my hip was firmly planted on the tarmac. Just a little road rash to care for and now I really have to replace the STI shifters. Mom, don't worry too much, I usually don't fall this often really.
That's about all. Maybe some epic tales of 5 hour rides in wind and rain to follow next week.
Blue Star
Sorry for the delay between posts. Keeping up with the holiday gatherings (one each night last weekend), plus training, plus work, has led to a lack of updates to the blog.
Christmas tree is up with lots of bike ornaments. I'm thinking of putting some ribbon on some old cogs to add to the bike theme. Santa (Fed Ex) is supposed to drop off another present to put under the tree today. According to my Santa's Helper sources (at eBay), I'm getting a new super-light Shimano XTR Wheelset. Nothing makes for some good holiday cheer like a 1600 gram wheelset decked out with a Ti freehub body and axles.
Big training block coming up the next couple of weeks. Lots o' miles including some big climbing days. Also, I will be doing some force work on the trainer during the week to start converting that strength I developed at the gym into strength to apply force the pedals. These workouts consist of turning over a BIG gear at a really low cadence (less than 60 rpm) for intervals between 3 and 10 minutes.
On the sponsorship front, I'm supposed to hear in the next couple of weeks from the remaining sponsors I submitted requests to. Got word from Tifosi that the several new pairs of specs are in the mail today and will arrive next week or so. Ellsworth hasn't given word yet when I can get my mitts on the new bike(s). Hopefully soon.
Crashed again on the road bike and scraped up the other hip. Go figure, twice in 2 weeks. This time I hit a patch of ice on a twisty descent and before I could register why the road looked kind of funny, the front wheel was over my head and my hip was firmly planted on the tarmac. Just a little road rash to care for and now I really have to replace the STI shifters. Mom, don't worry too much, I usually don't fall this often really.
That's about all. Maybe some epic tales of 5 hour rides in wind and rain to follow next week.
Blue Star
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Pinning it
Saturday had a CP30 test on the schedule. A CP30 test is an all out effort for 30 minutes during which my Powertap measures my power output, heart rate, cadence, and speed. I do my testing on the trainer so variables such as weather, cars, and road hazards are eliminated. I repeat this test throughout the year to see where my fitness is by comparing the results.
The effort today yielded a less then stellar output. I was hoping for a bigger number given all the miles I have been putting in lately. However, the sub par result wasn't for lack of trying. I pinned it at 190 beats per minute for the full half hour. To put that number in perspective, it is about 95% of my max heart rate of 202 bpm. In short, it really hurt. It took everything I had not to get off the bike at about the 15 minute mark, especially because it was clear that I was not generating much power. Nevertheless, I soldiered on and kept the pedals turning over. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger... I guess.
The low number is probably a result of some fatigue from the big miles lately. Also, I just finished the first block of base so I haven't done an intense effort of this duration since September. So, I can't be too discouraged. I just hope the legs come around soon because I have a HUGE block of training coming up.
Off to bed to let the legs repair themselves. The furnass will be fired up.
Blue Star
Saturday had a CP30 test on the schedule. A CP30 test is an all out effort for 30 minutes during which my Powertap measures my power output, heart rate, cadence, and speed. I do my testing on the trainer so variables such as weather, cars, and road hazards are eliminated. I repeat this test throughout the year to see where my fitness is by comparing the results.
The effort today yielded a less then stellar output. I was hoping for a bigger number given all the miles I have been putting in lately. However, the sub par result wasn't for lack of trying. I pinned it at 190 beats per minute for the full half hour. To put that number in perspective, it is about 95% of my max heart rate of 202 bpm. In short, it really hurt. It took everything I had not to get off the bike at about the 15 minute mark, especially because it was clear that I was not generating much power. Nevertheless, I soldiered on and kept the pedals turning over. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger... I guess.
The low number is probably a result of some fatigue from the big miles lately. Also, I just finished the first block of base so I haven't done an intense effort of this duration since September. So, I can't be too discouraged. I just hope the legs come around soon because I have a HUGE block of training coming up.
Off to bed to let the legs repair themselves. The furnass will be fired up.
Blue Star
Friday, December 09, 2005
Thursday, December 08, 2005
2006 Race Schedule
If you found yourself wondering, where will Blue Star's travels take him in 2006, then this post is for you. A few months back during my transition phase, I sat down with Coach Thomas to plan out next year's race schedule. Why so soon? Well, the entire calendar year's training schedule hinges on two, maybe three if your lucky, "peaks" that are spread out throughout season. A peak follows a short period of recovery that allows all the hours of intervals, squats, and other suffering to add up to me being really fast on the bike. A person can not maintain peak form for more than a week or so. This theory of training is known as "periodization." Some proven benefits of periodization are improved muscular endurance, strength, power, motor performance, and/or muscle hypertrophy. Anyway, enough techno babble, the key to it all is I pick three big racesI want to go fast at and Coach Thomas designs my annual training plan around those races. Nevertheless, the goal will be to go as fast I can at every race I toe the start line at.
If you found yourself wondering, where will Blue Star's travels take him in 2006, then this post is for you. A few months back during my transition phase, I sat down with Coach Thomas to plan out next year's race schedule. Why so soon? Well, the entire calendar year's training schedule hinges on two, maybe three if your lucky, "peaks" that are spread out throughout season. A peak follows a short period of recovery that allows all the hours of intervals, squats, and other suffering to add up to me being really fast on the bike. A person can not maintain peak form for more than a week or so. This theory of training is known as "periodization." Some proven benefits of periodization are improved muscular endurance, strength, power, motor performance, and/or muscle hypertrophy. Anyway, enough techno babble, the key to it all is I pick three big racesI want to go fast at and Coach Thomas designs my annual training plan around those races. Nevertheless, the goal will be to go as fast I can at every race I toe the start line at.
The three races I hope to peak for are:
1) Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA: April 6-9. The self-proclaimed "Celebration of Cycling" is the largest racing event in the U.S. including almost every bicycling discipline. This is the first big MTB race of the year, so all the fast guys use it to show off their early season form. Hopefully, I have something to show off.
2) U.S. National Championship, Mammoth Lakes, CA, July 20-23. I affectionately call this race the "One-Day." The winner of this one is crowned national champion and wears the stars and bars jersey until the next year.
3) UCI Master's World Championships, Sun Peaks Resort, B.C., Canada, September 2-3. This one is for all the marbles. Put the wood to everyone at this race and you walk away with the rainbow jersey for the over 30 set. That's right, World Champ! It is even more exciting for me because the race is only a 5 1/2 hour drive from Seattle at the Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops, B.C. and the trails there promise to be epic Pacific NW style (i.e. rocky, rooty, super tech stuff). I'll be cocked and ready to go off like a rocket and represent the U.S. of A.
"B" races are very important, but don't fall during a peak in the periodization schedule. I hope to hit most of the NORBA National Championship Series for my B races. The Series Schedule (although not on their web site yet) is as follows:
April 22-23: Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park - San Dimas, Calif. Sea level = Fast Blue Star
June 10-11: Sugar Mountain Resort - Banner Elk, N.C. Probably going to skip this one.
June 17-18: Mount Snow Resort - West Dover, Vt. My absolute favorite course!
July 8-9: Deer Valley Resort - Park City, Utah. Coughing up a lung at 10k feet.
August 5-6: Brian Head Resort - Brian Head, Utah. Ditto. One epic 30 mile lap.
August 12-13: Snowmass Resort - Aspen, Colorado. Ditto. Can I get an altitude tent yet?
"C" races are mostly local stuff. Fun races to give 'er at and build fitness. I plan on doing all of the Indie Series races that do not conflict with anything listed above. I'd love to post the calendar for ya, but, in classic WA bike racing style, no schedule is set yet. Maybe they'll get around to it by January! I may also throw in a trip or two down to Oregon for an OBRA event, because they have their shizit together down there, unlike the WA folks.
I will fill in any gaps in the schedule with the "Wednesday Night World Championship" races Stiff Wick puts on at South Sea-Tac Park. These races, as the name implies, are every Wednesday night in the summer. Round and round we go in the sand as the planes take off and land. Low key stuff. Never really sure where I finish other than behind the pros and in front of most everyone else. Also, if it's being put on again this year, I'll probably hit the Dirty Dozen in Port Gamble, WA, because it's a fun course and they pay mucho $$$ for the podium finishers.
All this, of course, is subject to change based on the numerous variables that life can throw at me. I hope to see YOU out at some of the races. Suffering up a climb is always easier when someone you know is screaming their head off and ringing a cow bell.
'til next time, Blue Star
"C" races are mostly local stuff. Fun races to give 'er at and build fitness. I plan on doing all of the Indie Series races that do not conflict with anything listed above. I'd love to post the calendar for ya, but, in classic WA bike racing style, no schedule is set yet. Maybe they'll get around to it by January! I may also throw in a trip or two down to Oregon for an OBRA event, because they have their shizit together down there, unlike the WA folks.
I will fill in any gaps in the schedule with the "Wednesday Night World Championship" races Stiff Wick puts on at South Sea-Tac Park. These races, as the name implies, are every Wednesday night in the summer. Round and round we go in the sand as the planes take off and land. Low key stuff. Never really sure where I finish other than behind the pros and in front of most everyone else. Also, if it's being put on again this year, I'll probably hit the Dirty Dozen in Port Gamble, WA, because it's a fun course and they pay mucho $$$ for the podium finishers.
All this, of course, is subject to change based on the numerous variables that life can throw at me. I hope to see YOU out at some of the races. Suffering up a climb is always easier when someone you know is screaming their head off and ringing a cow bell.
'til next time, Blue Star
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Sh!t Happens... Or Lucky Guy... Or The Eternal Optimist...
I went out for a ride last night after work. It was about 32 degrees or so and I put on lots of warm fuzzy clothes including a balaclava to keep the head/neck warm. With all my clothes on, I felt like a kid who was going to go out sledding. The extremities don't bend very well because of all the fabric. Walking looks more like waddling. Imagine Ralphie from the movie "A Christmas Story" when his mom dresses him to go play in the snow, except I had an orange helmet on with a really bright light on it.
Click, Click. Spinning along in the cold quite night. Each breath producing a cloud of steam that leaves tracer trails behind me like a jet through the sky. I'm about 10 minutes into my ride on my usual night route, thinking about how great the legs felt, when sh!t began to happen. I look over my shoulder to check for cars in preparation to make a left turn. The problem is I started to drift to the right when I was looking over my shoulder (maybe all those clothes threw my balance off). When I turn around to look forward, I noticed that I was about to hit the curb running along the side of the road. Wham! I clipped the curb with my front wheel and got pitched sideways onto the sidewalk hip first. I did a spinning slide across the concrete sidewalk into the bushes where I came to an abrupt stop from 18 mph.
I immediately pop up to my feet, adrenaline pumping, and assess the damage to body and bike. Body good? Check. All the clothes acted as buffer to keep skin away from concrete. I didn't even rip my jacket or tights. Right glove was a little mangled (note to self - might have to replace those). Bike good? Check. Some surface scratches to the shifters and some torn bar tape but other than that good to go. No damage to the frame or important parts (read, the expensive stuff). I decide to soldier on and finish out the 2 hour ride.
But, wait a minute, what stinks? I mean something was really stinking like sh!t. Huh? What's that on my shoulder? A few pine needles from the bushes. Why are they sticking to my jacket? OOOHHHH that's what smells like sh!t, IT IS SH!T! All over my shoulder. When I came to a stop in the bushes adjacent to the sidewalk, I landed in a steaming fresh pile of dog poo. I come to the realization that I simply can't continue my ride smelling like that so I return home, strip off my aromatic outer layers, and throw them in the wash. Determined to get some training time in, I rode on the trainer for a half hour or so pontificating about the events that just occurred.
What are the chances? I have logged about 20k miles on my road bike and have never laid it down once. Yesterday, the stars aligned and I crash. Of all the places to fall on the planet earth, I serendipitously land in a pile of sh!t. Again, I ask, what are the chances? I figure it just about the same odds of hitting the Powerball jackpot. Unlikely to damn near impossible.
Eternal optimist I am (in Yoda voice). The way I see it I'm lucky. I didn't break any bones. I didn't ruin any clothes. Bike will be fixed for less than $100. Plus, I needed to replace some worn out parts on the bike anyway. Perfect opportunity. So, all is good in the Emerald City. After some garage time tomorrow night over a few glasses of wine, I'll be out logging a pair of five hour rides on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Snow or no snow I'll be out there.
(Black and) Blue Star out.
I went out for a ride last night after work. It was about 32 degrees or so and I put on lots of warm fuzzy clothes including a balaclava to keep the head/neck warm. With all my clothes on, I felt like a kid who was going to go out sledding. The extremities don't bend very well because of all the fabric. Walking looks more like waddling. Imagine Ralphie from the movie "A Christmas Story" when his mom dresses him to go play in the snow, except I had an orange helmet on with a really bright light on it.
Click, Click. Spinning along in the cold quite night. Each breath producing a cloud of steam that leaves tracer trails behind me like a jet through the sky. I'm about 10 minutes into my ride on my usual night route, thinking about how great the legs felt, when sh!t began to happen. I look over my shoulder to check for cars in preparation to make a left turn. The problem is I started to drift to the right when I was looking over my shoulder (maybe all those clothes threw my balance off). When I turn around to look forward, I noticed that I was about to hit the curb running along the side of the road. Wham! I clipped the curb with my front wheel and got pitched sideways onto the sidewalk hip first. I did a spinning slide across the concrete sidewalk into the bushes where I came to an abrupt stop from 18 mph.
I immediately pop up to my feet, adrenaline pumping, and assess the damage to body and bike. Body good? Check. All the clothes acted as buffer to keep skin away from concrete. I didn't even rip my jacket or tights. Right glove was a little mangled (note to self - might have to replace those). Bike good? Check. Some surface scratches to the shifters and some torn bar tape but other than that good to go. No damage to the frame or important parts (read, the expensive stuff). I decide to soldier on and finish out the 2 hour ride.
But, wait a minute, what stinks? I mean something was really stinking like sh!t. Huh? What's that on my shoulder? A few pine needles from the bushes. Why are they sticking to my jacket? OOOHHHH that's what smells like sh!t, IT IS SH!T! All over my shoulder. When I came to a stop in the bushes adjacent to the sidewalk, I landed in a steaming fresh pile of dog poo. I come to the realization that I simply can't continue my ride smelling like that so I return home, strip off my aromatic outer layers, and throw them in the wash. Determined to get some training time in, I rode on the trainer for a half hour or so pontificating about the events that just occurred.
What are the chances? I have logged about 20k miles on my road bike and have never laid it down once. Yesterday, the stars aligned and I crash. Of all the places to fall on the planet earth, I serendipitously land in a pile of sh!t. Again, I ask, what are the chances? I figure it just about the same odds of hitting the Powerball jackpot. Unlikely to damn near impossible.
Eternal optimist I am (in Yoda voice). The way I see it I'm lucky. I didn't break any bones. I didn't ruin any clothes. Bike will be fixed for less than $100. Plus, I needed to replace some worn out parts on the bike anyway. Perfect opportunity. So, all is good in the Emerald City. After some garage time tomorrow night over a few glasses of wine, I'll be out logging a pair of five hour rides on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Snow or no snow I'll be out there.
(Black and) Blue Star out.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Orcas Training Camp
I just returned from spending the long Turkey Day weekend on Orcas Island. Orcas provided the perfect backdrop for some long training rides, good food, and family time.
Day 0 (Travel Day):
Both SLR and I had to work on Wednesday, so we didn't hit the road until about 4:30 or so. The drive north to Anacortes took forever. We didn't exceed 15mph all the way north to Marysville. The exhaust fumes were actually nauseating with the windows UP! We sat in traffic for two hours before the gridlock eased. We were starting to worry that we were going to miss the 8:25 ferry we were trying to catch and was the last of the day. We made it with not much time to spare. Once on the ferry, all the stresses of life, work, and driving melt away. I slept the entire way to Orcas.
Day 1 (Turkey Day):
The biggest training day of the weekend. 4 hours on the schedule had me doing some rough calculations of how many paved miles of road are on the island. According to H's contact, there are 59 point something miles, which was plenty to get the job done. The riding was the stuff that bike tours are made of. I saw nearly every corner of the island and the roads were empty. I may have passed 10 cars the entire afternoon. While over near Olga and Obstruction pass, I watched as the shroud of clouds that blanket the Olympics this time of year parted for a brief moment to reveal the snowy mountain treasures hidden underneath. The Olympics were a sight to behold especially when backlit by the waning sun. At one point near the end of my ride, a bald eagle and I glided along at the same pace along a desolate stretch of road that tracked the water's edge. The only sound was the ticking of my freewheel and a slight wind that pushed us both along to our future destinations. Invigorated by the Island's beauty, I hardly noticed that my scheduled riding time was almost up. I circled back to the house to finish the day.
Recovery is easy when you can consume enough protein (the Bird), carbs (mash and stuffin'), and fat (in just about everything on the table) in one sitting. Upon my return, I pitched in to finish up the preparations by mashing some taters and prepping the bread putting for desert. The Chef's creations could have graced Martha Stewart's Living. I tore into a heaping plate and enjoyed with much thanks for family, bikes, and the beauty of Orcas. I'm sure I downed enough Kcals to replace what I burned over the course of the ride.
Day 2 (Rainy Day):
The rain was falling fast with big drops for almost the whole day. In other words, it was really wet and not the best riding weather. Good thing I have a coach that can make it rain when I have a gym day scheduled. 1 hour of max strength time at the Orcas Athletic Club. Max strength phase requires moving lots of weight until your legs feel like they are going to fold over backwards. Mission accomplished. Tossed in a few treys on the court to make sure I still have the j working.
Day 3 (Dirty Roads Day):
Having exhausted all the paved roads on Thanksgiving, I decided to hit some dirt roads on Saturday. 3 hours of chamois time on tap. I made it my mission to explore the nooks and crannies that most visitors of Orcas pass by on route to their respective destinations. I headed down seldom traveled dirt roads, most of which were plastered with "Private Road" signs. I think I ended up in places like Spring Point, Killebrew Lake, and Victorian Valley, but one can never be sure because I was winging it. Another solid training day in the books.
Day 4 (Last Day):
3 more hours. I took the Killebrew/Dolphin Bay Road route into town. Both are open dirt roads that pass by beautiful lakes and wetlands. The trees and moss form a tunnel hiding the sun making it rather cold riding. I decided to retrace my steps out to Olga to see if the Olympics would make an appearance today. No such luck. I headed back via Crow Valley Road with a brief jaunt towards Deer Harbor on the way. The water of Massacre Bay was green and still giving off the appearance that it was solid jade and not really H2o. One last slog up the hill on Orcas Road that leads to Orcas landing and I called it a weekend. That hill is a grind, even more so because at the crest there is a road sign laughing at you, "Uff da Hill Rd." Before I knew it, back on the ferry for the journey home; revitalized with some solid base miles in the legs.
Total Ride Time: 10 hours
Gym Time: 1 hour
Orcas beauty and Thanksgiving with Family: Priceless.
Blue Star
I just returned from spending the long Turkey Day weekend on Orcas Island. Orcas provided the perfect backdrop for some long training rides, good food, and family time.
Day 0 (Travel Day):
Both SLR and I had to work on Wednesday, so we didn't hit the road until about 4:30 or so. The drive north to Anacortes took forever. We didn't exceed 15mph all the way north to Marysville. The exhaust fumes were actually nauseating with the windows UP! We sat in traffic for two hours before the gridlock eased. We were starting to worry that we were going to miss the 8:25 ferry we were trying to catch and was the last of the day. We made it with not much time to spare. Once on the ferry, all the stresses of life, work, and driving melt away. I slept the entire way to Orcas.
Day 1 (Turkey Day):
The biggest training day of the weekend. 4 hours on the schedule had me doing some rough calculations of how many paved miles of road are on the island. According to H's contact, there are 59 point something miles, which was plenty to get the job done. The riding was the stuff that bike tours are made of. I saw nearly every corner of the island and the roads were empty. I may have passed 10 cars the entire afternoon. While over near Olga and Obstruction pass, I watched as the shroud of clouds that blanket the Olympics this time of year parted for a brief moment to reveal the snowy mountain treasures hidden underneath. The Olympics were a sight to behold especially when backlit by the waning sun. At one point near the end of my ride, a bald eagle and I glided along at the same pace along a desolate stretch of road that tracked the water's edge. The only sound was the ticking of my freewheel and a slight wind that pushed us both along to our future destinations. Invigorated by the Island's beauty, I hardly noticed that my scheduled riding time was almost up. I circled back to the house to finish the day.
Recovery is easy when you can consume enough protein (the Bird), carbs (mash and stuffin'), and fat (in just about everything on the table) in one sitting. Upon my return, I pitched in to finish up the preparations by mashing some taters and prepping the bread putting for desert. The Chef's creations could have graced Martha Stewart's Living. I tore into a heaping plate and enjoyed with much thanks for family, bikes, and the beauty of Orcas. I'm sure I downed enough Kcals to replace what I burned over the course of the ride.
Day 2 (Rainy Day):
The rain was falling fast with big drops for almost the whole day. In other words, it was really wet and not the best riding weather. Good thing I have a coach that can make it rain when I have a gym day scheduled. 1 hour of max strength time at the Orcas Athletic Club. Max strength phase requires moving lots of weight until your legs feel like they are going to fold over backwards. Mission accomplished. Tossed in a few treys on the court to make sure I still have the j working.
Day 3 (Dirty Roads Day):
Having exhausted all the paved roads on Thanksgiving, I decided to hit some dirt roads on Saturday. 3 hours of chamois time on tap. I made it my mission to explore the nooks and crannies that most visitors of Orcas pass by on route to their respective destinations. I headed down seldom traveled dirt roads, most of which were plastered with "Private Road" signs. I think I ended up in places like Spring Point, Killebrew Lake, and Victorian Valley, but one can never be sure because I was winging it. Another solid training day in the books.
Day 4 (Last Day):
3 more hours. I took the Killebrew/Dolphin Bay Road route into town. Both are open dirt roads that pass by beautiful lakes and wetlands. The trees and moss form a tunnel hiding the sun making it rather cold riding. I decided to retrace my steps out to Olga to see if the Olympics would make an appearance today. No such luck. I headed back via Crow Valley Road with a brief jaunt towards Deer Harbor on the way. The water of Massacre Bay was green and still giving off the appearance that it was solid jade and not really H2o. One last slog up the hill on Orcas Road that leads to Orcas landing and I called it a weekend. That hill is a grind, even more so because at the crest there is a road sign laughing at you, "Uff da Hill Rd." Before I knew it, back on the ferry for the journey home; revitalized with some solid base miles in the legs.
Total Ride Time: 10 hours
Gym Time: 1 hour
Orcas beauty and Thanksgiving with Family: Priceless.
Blue Star
Monday, November 21, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
VO2 Max Test
A week or so ago, I had some physiological testing done at Swedish Hospital. I was given the chance to do the testing for free so the doctors could test some new equipment. I worked with two great doctors Dr. Carey and Dr. Noonan and a number of other techs and nurses. Dr. Carey is the cardiologist and sports physician for the Seattle Superonics and Seattle Storm basketball teams.
VO2 max represents the maximum amount of oxygen that can be removed from circulating blood and used by the working tissues during a exercise. In other words, the bigger the V02 max, the better the endurance athlete. An athlete's Vo2 max number can fluctuate between 5-15% with training (more for untrained individuals). Intense workouts at or near the current max number can train the body's ability to use oxygen during high intensity efforts thereby raising the VO2 max number until the genetic ceiling has been reached. Professional cyclists typically test in the low to mid 70's (ml/kg/min). Lance Armstrong is reputed to have a maximum around 85 ml/kg/min.
My max result was 64 ml/kg/min. This number is very encouraging because, as Dr. Carey wrote in his report, that number is "the highest range of cardiorespitory fitness for age. " It is also encouraging because it's off season. I have not been doing any intense efforts and in October I didn't really do much cycling at all. Accordingly, I'm probably at the bottom of my trained Vo2 spectrum and could expect to have a number near what a pro cyclist generates during the season.
So, there you have it. I have got the engine under the hood.
Blue Star
A week or so ago, I had some physiological testing done at Swedish Hospital. I was given the chance to do the testing for free so the doctors could test some new equipment. I worked with two great doctors Dr. Carey and Dr. Noonan and a number of other techs and nurses. Dr. Carey is the cardiologist and sports physician for the Seattle Superonics and Seattle Storm basketball teams.
VO2 max represents the maximum amount of oxygen that can be removed from circulating blood and used by the working tissues during a exercise. In other words, the bigger the V02 max, the better the endurance athlete. An athlete's Vo2 max number can fluctuate between 5-15% with training (more for untrained individuals). Intense workouts at or near the current max number can train the body's ability to use oxygen during high intensity efforts thereby raising the VO2 max number until the genetic ceiling has been reached. Professional cyclists typically test in the low to mid 70's (ml/kg/min). Lance Armstrong is reputed to have a maximum around 85 ml/kg/min.
My max result was 64 ml/kg/min. This number is very encouraging because, as Dr. Carey wrote in his report, that number is "the highest range of cardiorespitory fitness for age. " It is also encouraging because it's off season. I have not been doing any intense efforts and in October I didn't really do much cycling at all. Accordingly, I'm probably at the bottom of my trained Vo2 spectrum and could expect to have a number near what a pro cyclist generates during the season.
So, there you have it. I have got the engine under the hood.
Blue Star
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
MST & Base Miles
Not much to report. Yesterday, was the first day of max strength phase in the gym. Movin' some big weights on the leg sled. I wasn't that sore today so I'll be increasing weights next week. Tonight, it was 2 hours in the saddle. It wasn't raining so I strapped on the light system and all my reflective gear and hit the road and the Birk Gilman trail. I think I saw two other cyclists out there. I have made a pact with myself that whenever it's not raining, no matter how cold it is, I will stay off the indoor trainer to maintain my sanity.
That's it for now.
Blue Star
Not much to report. Yesterday, was the first day of max strength phase in the gym. Movin' some big weights on the leg sled. I wasn't that sore today so I'll be increasing weights next week. Tonight, it was 2 hours in the saddle. It wasn't raining so I strapped on the light system and all my reflective gear and hit the road and the Birk Gilman trail. I think I saw two other cyclists out there. I have made a pact with myself that whenever it's not raining, no matter how cold it is, I will stay off the indoor trainer to maintain my sanity.
That's it for now.
Blue Star
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Burning Some Kcals...
Here's some stats from yesterday's four-hour training ride:
Distance: 64 miles
Kcals: 2165
Power Average: 150 watts
HR Average: 151 bpm
I burned enough calories yesterday to eat whatever I want. It's hard to stuff in enough food to account for the day's expenditure. The stomach is only so big and it doesn't like too much at any one time. The picture is the power file from my ride. Purple = Power, Red = HR, Blue = Speed, Green = Cadence.
2.5 hours on tap for today. The weather is looking ominous. Hopefully, the heavy rains hold off. A little mist/drizzle already. Then I've got to work. No rest for the weary.
Blue Star
Friday, November 11, 2005
A Training Update...
Lately, I have been posting on everything but my training so I figured I'd give you an update on my recent workouts and the plan for this off season. I'm just finishing up "Preparation Phase," which is just a lot of running, lifting, and riding all mixed together during the week. Aerobic intensity is relatively low, it's really just a period of time to get mentally and physically ready to start base and max strength weight training. Tomorrow, I start my "Base 1" period. Base 1 focuses on laying the aerobic foundation that I will build upon for the rest of the season. The key to base is lots of miles at low intensity.
My theory is that riding a bike fast is a combination of four elements: (1) strength, (2) speed, (3) stamina, (4) bike handling skills. In other words, I can go faster by either applying more force to the pedals, spinning the pedals at a higher cadence, maintaining speed over longer periods, or being a Jedi master in the singletrack so that I never touch the brakes. One other element is body weight but I'll avoid that one since most think I'm skinny enough.
For strength, I've really been focusing on building strong legs and core in the gym. I'm hoping that more leg strength will translate to some more watts on the bike. I'm doing squats, leg press, leg extensions and curls, calf raises, and a variety of core exercises. The weight workouts cook my legs. No pain, no gain. Since October, I have increased weights on the various leg exercises up to 20%.
I already have good leg speed. So, in the coming months, I will focus on maintaining high cadence riding as I attempt to increase leg strength. I will throw in some pedaling drills occasionally including spin ups and high rev cruise intervals. I don't have a scooter, so I'm not doing any motorpacing like the pros. Plus, I can't really see SLR riding around on the cold, rain on a scooter.
Stamina is built during base. Long, slow endurance building rides for the next two months. Tomorrow, it's 4 hours in the saddle. In December and early January I will build up to several 250+ miles weeks and 15 hours on the bike (good thing Holidays are slow around the office).
Lastly, bike handling. I think I'm a good bike handler. However, this year I decided to do some local cross races to further enhance my skills. I'm hoping riding off road in sloppy conditions on skinny knobbies will improve my feel for the bike. I'll also throw in track stands and other slow speed stuff whenever I can.
Add all that up and maybe, just maybe, next year I'm able to dominate the early season expert races and make the move to semi-pro. We shall see.
Until next time,
Blue Star
Lately, I have been posting on everything but my training so I figured I'd give you an update on my recent workouts and the plan for this off season. I'm just finishing up "Preparation Phase," which is just a lot of running, lifting, and riding all mixed together during the week. Aerobic intensity is relatively low, it's really just a period of time to get mentally and physically ready to start base and max strength weight training. Tomorrow, I start my "Base 1" period. Base 1 focuses on laying the aerobic foundation that I will build upon for the rest of the season. The key to base is lots of miles at low intensity.
My theory is that riding a bike fast is a combination of four elements: (1) strength, (2) speed, (3) stamina, (4) bike handling skills. In other words, I can go faster by either applying more force to the pedals, spinning the pedals at a higher cadence, maintaining speed over longer periods, or being a Jedi master in the singletrack so that I never touch the brakes. One other element is body weight but I'll avoid that one since most think I'm skinny enough.
For strength, I've really been focusing on building strong legs and core in the gym. I'm hoping that more leg strength will translate to some more watts on the bike. I'm doing squats, leg press, leg extensions and curls, calf raises, and a variety of core exercises. The weight workouts cook my legs. No pain, no gain. Since October, I have increased weights on the various leg exercises up to 20%.
I already have good leg speed. So, in the coming months, I will focus on maintaining high cadence riding as I attempt to increase leg strength. I will throw in some pedaling drills occasionally including spin ups and high rev cruise intervals. I don't have a scooter, so I'm not doing any motorpacing like the pros. Plus, I can't really see SLR riding around on the cold, rain on a scooter.
Stamina is built during base. Long, slow endurance building rides for the next two months. Tomorrow, it's 4 hours in the saddle. In December and early January I will build up to several 250+ miles weeks and 15 hours on the bike (good thing Holidays are slow around the office).
Lastly, bike handling. I think I'm a good bike handler. However, this year I decided to do some local cross races to further enhance my skills. I'm hoping riding off road in sloppy conditions on skinny knobbies will improve my feel for the bike. I'll also throw in track stands and other slow speed stuff whenever I can.
Add all that up and maybe, just maybe, next year I'm able to dominate the early season expert races and make the move to semi-pro. We shall see.
Until next time,
Blue Star
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