Training Summary: 28.Apr.14 - 5.May.14

This was a bit of a jacked up week. I was busy at work so missed a strength endurance workout and had a day off before making up a mountain ride. Definitely feeling tired towards the end of this week of training and Alison told me 'good, you are supposed to be tired going into the rest week.' Had some issues with the mountain bike. Aside from the seatpost issue, the drive-side crank arm loosened repeatedly during rides after taking the bike in for a complimentary tune to Bicycle Experience. Both bikes needed some TLC and gave it to them today.

I took the drive arm off the Stumpy and found the threads were greased. Grrr. Cleaned them with brake cleaner and then greased the splines on the shaft. Shut your demented mouth. Reinstalled and peddled around the neighborhood without any loosening or sounding like a the deck of a wooden ship. Will see how it goes on a ride. Will bring 8mm hex to be sure. The cross bike was dirty from a past ride and the chain was making some squeaks while on the trainer. May need to change to road gearing because I am maxed out in the gears and barely staying in the appropriate heart rate zone. Getting stronger. Or I could just get a road bike. Hmmm.

Coming up on rest week so I will review some of the gear I have purchased recently. Here is the summary for the week:

28.Apr.14

Planned:

• Endurance
  
• 1.5hr
  
• 95 - 105 rpm in zone 2
  

Actual:

• As planned
  
• 1:16:06
  
• 18.5 mi.
  

Notes:

 

The day seemed to get away from me and I had less time than required to get the workout in so it was 15 minutes short. Didn't want to be late for the Distillery 291 dinner at The Blue Star. Which was amazing!

 

29.Apr.14

 

Planned/Actual:

• Work day and rest/recovery day scheduled. Truck academy training day that involved lifting ladders all day and rescuing dummies from windows so it was pretty physical.
  

30.Apr.14

 

Planned:

• Strength Endurance 2.5hrs
  
• 30min warm up
  
• 5x8 with 8min off
  
• 60 - 70 rpm z3
  
• Finished in z2 for 48min
  

Actual:

• As planned
  
• 2:30:53
  
• 37.3mi
  

Notes:

This was a brutal one. Really felt it at the end and sucked riding on the trainer. Also did a weight workout at Vital Performance with Steve.

1.May14

Planned:

Endurance

1.5hr Z2

Actual:

• As planned
  
• 1:52:15
  
• 10min warm up and cool down also
  
• 25.9mi
  

Notes:

Legs are definitely feeling it.

2.May.14

Planned:

Strength Endurance, 2.5hrs total

30min warm up

5 x 8, 60 - 70rpm Z3 with 10 min rest

Actual:

• Work the next day and a 3hr mountain ride is planned so I decided to switch and do the ride today.
  
• 28.2mi
• 2:55:35
• Strava
  

Notes:

Damn drive side loosened up on the climb up Palmer so had to do less than planned and adjust course. Took bike in after ride to have post removed for warranty replacement, pos! Mounted a Garmin VIRB Elite to the helmet and went over the bars coming down Bear Creek trail. Little video of it. Broke the sticky mount off and scratched the lens cover.

3.May.14

Planned:

2.5hr Strength Endurance from 2.May.14

Actual:

1:01:12

11.1mi

Notes:

Made it through the warm up and after several calls interrupted the workout I was frustrated and stopped. Worked last night and was up most of the night and it had been a busy day. Pissed!

5.May.14

Planned:

• 3hr mountain ride
  

Actual:

• 2:53:35
• 24.2mi
• Strava
  

Notes:

Worked yesterday and planned on making up partial workout but the day did not cooperate. On way home from work friend called and invited me to come ride Buffalo Creek with some people. I had wanted to ride there for some time and decided to do this ride and then start the rest week. Legs felt tired at the start and on the climbs. Fun ride with everyone and went over the bars on a technical section.

Even burned it is a beautiful area to ride.

Not as bad as it looks

Mike getting the weight back.

Week total:

• 145.3mi
  
• 12:29:00
  

Not too bad and even with getting cut short at work it was higher than previous weeks. Going to do my brsT to rest this week. Would like to get a incline in but probably should follow the plan and rest.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Training update

Was out of town for a quick trip and was unable to get anything posted. I know you have missed reading about my training. Because of the trip my mileage was a bit down last week. Well here is the breakdown for 21.Apr.14 to 27.Apr.14

21.Apr.14

Planned:

• Strength and Endurance 1.5 hrs
• 5x6min on and 6min off 60-70 rpms Z3
• 20min warm up and finish in Z2
  

Actual:

• 1:30:07
• Indoor so was as planned
• 22.2mi
• Strava

Notes:

It was a beautiful day but I was at work so had to do this inside. Not fun getting harassed by the muscle heads at work.

22.Apr.14

Planned:

• 1hr Endurance on trainer
• 95-105rpms in Z2

Actual:

• 1:10:06
• Indoor so as planned with some warm up and cool down.
• Strava

Notes:

Another work day so indoors. Nothing exciting!

23.Apr.14

Planned:

• 2hr Strength and Endurance
• Same as earlier workout but 1/2hr longer endurance Z2 at end

Actual:

• 2:34:04 Mountain Bike ride
  
• Z2-4
• Worked on skills
• Strava

Notes:

Tired of being inside on the trainer and had to get outside. This workout was planned for the next day which would be impossible since I would be working. I planned on swapping the workouts but it was a busy day at work and did not get to the Strength Endurance workout. Really loving my bike and set more PR's on the ride. Worked on descending skill and letting the bike roll when I came down section 16 and through Red Rocks. Damn Specialized Command Post is leaking air and needs to be pumped up before every ride. Never had issue with my reverb.

27.Apr.14

Planned:

• 2hr Mtn or Road Ride
• Variable cadence in Z2-4

Actual:

• 2:02:29 Mountain Ride
• Z2-4 and skills in Palmer Park
• Strava

Notes:

Need to learn the trails of Palmer Park better for flow. I didn't download the ride I did with a few friends from a few weeks back so I ended up repeating some areas. Definitely the place to work on technical climbing and descending skills. Lucky to have this place in town.

 

Week Total:

• 87.9mi
• 7:16:00

Notes:

Bit short on actual mileage but it was good to get down to Canyonlands for some hiking. Didn't get to hike as much as planned because of nasty weather but the hot springs in Glenwood were nice! Also found some great places to eat!

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Week ending 4/20/14... Puff Puff Pass

Well finished my first full week of structured training and here is the rest of the workouts and week totals.

17.Apr.14 Thursday

Planned:

• Strength Endurance 1.5hrs
• 3x8min w/ 8min off Z3
• 60-70rpm

Actual:

• 1:30:04 (easy to be punctual indoors)
• Followed workout as planned
• 21.3 mi on indoor trainer
• Strava

Notes:
Called into work so did the workout on trainer indoors.  Day was a bit busy so this was immediately after dinner on a full belly.. Burp.. Felt pretty good.

18.Apr.14 Friday

Planned:

• Rest or Recovery

Actual:

• Rest

Notes:
Was going to do a afternoon recovery ride but the morning got away from me and had to repay a favor to a friend getting a divorce and moved furniture. Is moving furniture considered a rest day?

19.Apr.14 Saturday

Planned:

• Variable Intensity, Z2-4
• 2hr mountain bike ride
• Practice skills

Actual:

• Variable intensity, how can it not be riding the hills around here.
• 2:59:46
• 32.3mi
• Practiced relaxing downhill and getting leaning the bike into turns
• Strava

Nutrition Consumed:

• 1 packet of Honey Stinger Chews
• 20oz bottle of Skratch Lemon Lime Hydration mix

Notes:
Installed a Wolftooth 28T front ring before the ride. Liked being able to spin on more of the the hill sections and not have to grind up. I think I will really appreciate it when I start doing some longer rides and the legs are tired. Erin was on my heels on the climbs so I was being pushed by here and I attempted to keep Jon in site on the climbs and descents. Both of these animals help me set some PR's on the ride. Combined with me really getting comfortable on the new bike and really loving the way it handles. Really liked the taste of the Skratch Labs hydration mix.  Put 2 scoops in 20oz bottle and it dissolved quickly and no residue in the bottle was found.  I also noticed that I didn't feel the need to chase it with water to remove any lingering sweetness or stickiness out of my mouth. Was pretty hungry at the end of the ride and if I was going to be out longer I should have consumed something with more substance. Didn't feel any bonking or cramps coming on either.  Effort and distance were pretty similar to the AFA Falcon ride from home a couple of weeks ago and I felt better after this ride. 

20.Apr.14 Sunday

Planned:

• Endurance
• 1hr on trainer
• Z2, 95-105rpm

Actual:

• Endurance
• 1:10:16, bit of warm-up and cool down
• 16mi
• Strava

Notes:
Rode the trainer at work. Feeling a bit sluggish after drinking beer at a Saison festival all day yesterday.  

Totals for the week:

• 122.9mi
• 10hr11min

Nothing super crazy and will increase as intervals increase and ride times also go up. Probably going to be lower next week because of a hiking trip to Moab over the weekend. 

Getting at it.. Well. Sort of.

Oh lucky day when I received a phone call from a friend telling me he won the lottery into the Leadville 100 mountain bike race.  Which meant that because he was in so was I and the others we entered with as a 'team'.  Not exactly the type of lottery that I was hoping on winning but since it is on my bucket list I was pretty jazzed. Especially since this was the first time I have tried to enter and many of my other friends with much more cycling prowess than myself have been trying for years without success were excited for me but also squirted chainlube in my face from jealousy.

Well I needed to change a few things to get ready.

• Get my ass training
• Get a new bike

For the training bit I contacted the local badass Alison Dunlap to create a training plan for me. I have 'The Time-Crunched Cyclist', 'Endurance Training for Athletes', and other training books in my home library but didn't want to spend the time trying to figure out ride time, periodization calendar, HR zones for rides and the rest of it.  Since this is going to be my only 'race' that I have planned I opted for a monthly plan. I get a personalized plan based on an extensive questionnaire related to goals, strengths, weaknesses, etc.  

I was supposed to start training last week but a viral invasion into my GI tract caused me to cut a MTB trip to Fruita, CO short and miss a couple of days at work and delayed my training.  I spoke to Alison and changed the plan to start on Monday and also take into account a hiking trip to Canyonlands at the end of the month. So the workout will start tomorrow, Monday. Hopefully my plumbing will stay sealed long enough to complete a 1.5hr strength and endurance workout that is planned. I would much rather ride outside than indoors on a trainer.  I will just bring a wag bag and toilet paper as a security blanket.

Since my life is in a tailspin (getting a divorce) and I 'won' entry into a bucket list race what else should you do but get a new bike? Besides I hated the Fox fork and wanted to upgrade to 1x11. By the time I did all the upgrades I might as well get a new bike. So I sold my Niner R.I.P 9 and on the recommendations of several friends I went with the Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Expert Carbon 29er, what a mouthful. The Niner is a great bike but in the few rides on it I have no regrets and the stumpy rocks! 

Here is the new bitch. All stealthy and blacked out!

Will get a review of the bike and few other things out soon.. Just a quick update and review to what is coming.