May 10, 2012
Belgian Training - Week 3
New format!
Yep, weekly "Belgian" updates...no more of the pedestrian 'daily' stuff! We're real up in here and 'real' only happens every once in awhile....
Anyway - today I went on my mostly-weekly ride with a REALLY long time client, we'll call him JB...and JB likes to ride hard on Thursdays...so we do, except this year he's demonstrably stronger and I'm not..so I've had to suck wheel just to hang on for weeks at a time. Or worse..had to modify my effort and 'observe' what he was doing since what he was doing was riding away from me...
Now this is all well and good...Jim has come a long way in the last few years and now boasts an FTP that is more than respectable...so he's earned the right to put the smack down on me as often as he can, but I'm a sensitive little thing and I don't like that he whips me about
Unbeknownst to me - JB had recently gone from the Bay area to Santa Barbara on his annual 3-day soujourn....something like 95 miles on day 1, 150 on day 2 and a mere 100 on day 3...good ride, but tiring
long story short - he was still a bit tired and since I'd taken yesterday off I was pretty fresh...hehehehe
Today was over-unders - which was not on the training plan designed for me...but I thought i'd try to blow doors on some awesomeness for him. Hope he approves. Anyway it's about like this: 60m at 290/330W for Jim and, supposedly 270/315 for me since I figured I was about 290FTP...but I went a bit better than planned...
Yep - 307Wnormalized with the last 5+m at 335Wnorm...felt pretty good too, even as it felt horrible'ish
Tomorrow we're back on it - more structured stuff from the coach, til he sees today's awesomeness and ramps me up...uh, maybe I shouldn't live off ego so much
Belgian Training - Day 14
but I'm getting tired of keeping track of whatever day it is....
So Tuesday I went riding with the HS MTB'ers...but first I did the workout prescribed to me - some 2 and 3 minute ME intervals at 285-295Watts...but I couldn't do it..so I did 'em at 310 instead...
The ride was mellow..but way way hot!
Ok, I'm switching to weeks now...
May 07, 2012
Belgian Training - Days 10, 11, 12 and 13
Pretty good run over the last few days...Friday off, rode with the Matadors on Saturday at Stafford Lake...that course was BUMPY! Then I popped over to China Camp for a ride:
. That was a good day...
Sunday i didn't ride, but Colin Marcroft pulled off a 3rd place in Junior Varsity for the season overall...so it was like a ride!
Today - i commuted for 90m or so..then did nearly an hour at 270'ish watts...tired tonight!
Slowly it may turn around...
May 04, 2012
Belgian Training - Day 9 Beastie Boys Edition
I talked to my new coach - all motivated now! Enough so that I went to bed by 10p and got my 7.5 hours.
And onto other stuff....
The Beastie Boys Adam Y died today. He was 47 and I am shocked! Haven't really followed the band over the last few years...didn't even know he had Cancer...but that doesn't change the seminal impact of the Beastie's on my life. I'm sure there are thousands of others, millions perhaps, for whom the Beastie Boys continually spoke an anthem that resonated...
Fight For Your Right....To Party! It was the embodiment of all that teen angst, rebellion and wild living for a high school kid in Colorado Springs - conservative central. I bought the album and proceeded to annoy my parents to no end, loudly, and from the basement. Yep, Licensed To ILL was a staple
Then they hit out with Paul's Boutique, which I liked but grew to LOVE over the next two decades...especially while living in Arizona in 1989 - riding and racing with lots of free time to rock out in the 1 room hovel I shared with a friend. I guess I got lucky because soon enough it was the only thing I listened to and "Licensed To Ill" started to look sophomoric (although I still listened to it a bunch). B-Boy Bouillabaisse has to be in my top 10!
Beastie Boys - B-Boy Bouillabaisse from oli_mac on Vimeo.
Check Your Head - with its reverb and feedback mixed cacophony..wasn't on my list at first...but I got lucky and found the bounty of the album eventually...probably thanks to long conversations with Mary Jane.
Ill Communication - what can you say? I think "Root Down" is my all time favorite song
Hello Nasty - well, they don't have "Dr Lee PhD" available on video..so we'll default to "Dedication" and this sweet mash up: Sorry Gotta Click It - but worth it even if it's incomplete..
That was the last full album I bought..but I can assure you I'll be getting the others this weekend.
I can't begin to list the situations in which I've jammed Beasties....from bike rides to snow days, studying to partying it was a near constant companion throughout the 90's. Mix tapes for girlfriends, motivation for time trials. LOUD!
Thanks Beasties for it all...
And onto other stuff....
The Beastie Boys Adam Y died today. He was 47 and I am shocked! Haven't really followed the band over the last few years...didn't even know he had Cancer...but that doesn't change the seminal impact of the Beastie's on my life. I'm sure there are thousands of others, millions perhaps, for whom the Beastie Boys continually spoke an anthem that resonated...
Fight For Your Right....To Party! It was the embodiment of all that teen angst, rebellion and wild living for a high school kid in Colorado Springs - conservative central. I bought the album and proceeded to annoy my parents to no end, loudly, and from the basement. Yep, Licensed To ILL was a staple
Then they hit out with Paul's Boutique, which I liked but grew to LOVE over the next two decades...especially while living in Arizona in 1989 - riding and racing with lots of free time to rock out in the 1 room hovel I shared with a friend. I guess I got lucky because soon enough it was the only thing I listened to and "Licensed To Ill" started to look sophomoric (although I still listened to it a bunch). B-Boy Bouillabaisse has to be in my top 10!
Beastie Boys - B-Boy Bouillabaisse from oli_mac on Vimeo.
Check Your Head - with its reverb and feedback mixed cacophony..wasn't on my list at first...but I got lucky and found the bounty of the album eventually...probably thanks to long conversations with Mary Jane.
Ill Communication - what can you say? I think "Root Down" is my all time favorite song
Hello Nasty - well, they don't have "Dr Lee PhD" available on video..so we'll default to "Dedication" and this sweet mash up: Sorry Gotta Click It - but worth it even if it's incomplete..
That was the last full album I bought..but I can assure you I'll be getting the others this weekend.
I can't begin to list the situations in which I've jammed Beasties....from bike rides to snow days, studying to partying it was a near constant companion throughout the 90's. Mix tapes for girlfriends, motivation for time trials. LOUD!
Thanks Beasties for it all...
May 03, 2012
Crashing
I've been watching YouTube lately and yesterday I ran across a host of crash videos, 'cause they're always fun right? I juest....Anyway, watching all these crashes - primarily cat 3,4 and 5 races ironically (or not), I've seen tons of guys - most of the guys - sprinting on their hoods, riding around on their hoods, generally demonstrating really mediocre technique! Examples you ask....
Where to start...how about the tall guy who almost takes himself out crossing wheels on the straight away - that happens far too often. Then a little later THE SAME GUY dives WAY inside before the turn - then slams on the brakes - not because of the crash, but because of a bad angle into the turn...pretty much the only thing that saved him from crashing I guess...but that kid needs to work on his skills ALOT!
Whereas this guy had no chance, but can't really blame anyone but himself...
If you compare the two above with the Pro 1/2 field you'll notice they take a much different line out of the corner..the faster and safer line at that
But let'' wrap up today with a look at REAL hanlding from the 2012 World Keirin Champs..amazing skills!
well, ok...
Exhibit #1:
Where to start...how about the tall guy who almost takes himself out crossing wheels on the straight away - that happens far too often. Then a little later THE SAME GUY dives WAY inside before the turn - then slams on the brakes - not because of the crash, but because of a bad angle into the turn...pretty much the only thing that saved him from crashing I guess...but that kid needs to work on his skills ALOT!
Whereas this guy had no chance, but can't really blame anyone but himself...
If you compare the two above with the Pro 1/2 field you'll notice they take a much different line out of the corner..the faster and safer line at that
But let'' wrap up today with a look at REAL hanlding from the 2012 World Keirin Champs..amazing skills!
May 02, 2012
May 01, 2012
Belgian Training - Day 7
Today I actually rode my bicycle OUTDOORS for all of an hour and ten minutes!
Felt fat and slow...here's the 411:
Time: 1:09 TSS: 91 KJ's: 850 Best 60m effort was a paltry 223Watts on average...but a whopping 271W normalized! Must be the extra kilo's I'm toting around...
The real fun was the EMERGENCY STOP at the bottom of a 45mph descent. I'm ripping along at about 38mph into a R turn (yea, thru a stop sign)...and this JEEP decides to STOP dead in my way...
HARD SHUT DOWN...
managed to avoid him...we traded some shouts and blame..then we actually talked! Talked about whos fault (mine) and why we each decided what we did...it was pretty cool. Doug is a bus driver and good guy...cool '83 Scrambler that I didnt' run into. I wasn't scared, just agro for having to shut down so fast when I was cooking for that corner. Here's the screen shot from strava: well it's down at the moment and I'm impatient...so i'll post it up when its available.
A real bike ride, sweet
Felt fat and slow...here's the 411:
Time: 1:09 TSS: 91 KJ's: 850 Best 60m effort was a paltry 223Watts on average...but a whopping 271W normalized! Must be the extra kilo's I'm toting around...
The real fun was the EMERGENCY STOP at the bottom of a 45mph descent. I'm ripping along at about 38mph into a R turn (yea, thru a stop sign)...and this JEEP decides to STOP dead in my way...
HARD SHUT DOWN...
managed to avoid him...we traded some shouts and blame..then we actually talked! Talked about whos fault (mine) and why we each decided what we did...it was pretty cool. Doug is a bus driver and good guy...cool '83 Scrambler that I didnt' run into. I wasn't scared, just agro for having to shut down so fast when I was cooking for that corner. Here's the screen shot from strava: well it's down at the moment and I'm impatient...so i'll post it up when its available.
A real bike ride, sweet
April 30, 2012
Trying Real Hard, Ringo...
WTF?
I lost a long term athlete today. That doesn't happen much and it stings a bit....I wasn't providing the level they expected, so after three plus years they are making a change. I can look at it a few ways...
1. Hurt - How could they? I'm a Level 1 coach, I write prescient articles on training, have lots of credentials and experience - I MUST be a great coach..how could they leave me? Where is the appreciation? Where is the thanks for the hours and hours of phone conversations or the support during their trying times? And of course they chose to leave while at a personal best in both body mass and fitness....why not go get a new coach and let them enjoy the benefits of my planning and commitment?
2. Relived - Whew, I don't have to endure any more of the grind. I don't have to stress over so much untapped potential, hear the excuses for why things didn't go as planned in ABC workout, or commiserate the never-ending struggle. It's one less thing on my already over-stacked plate, which is probably the main reason in the end...stretched to thin, if I'm...
3. Honest - I let them down. I'm hired to provide feedback and direction and I didn't do that very well over the last couple of months so it's completely understandable and mostly on me. Damn...
4. Hopeful - If I felt stale, certainly they did too...my hope is that they find a place where progress continues to rise and they can get what they are looking for. It's too hard a sport to carry a grudge against an athlete and friend. All the best!
Really it's all four...but I'm trying, I'm trying real hard...
I lost a long term athlete today. That doesn't happen much and it stings a bit....I wasn't providing the level they expected, so after three plus years they are making a change. I can look at it a few ways...
1. Hurt - How could they? I'm a Level 1 coach, I write prescient articles on training, have lots of credentials and experience - I MUST be a great coach..how could they leave me? Where is the appreciation? Where is the thanks for the hours and hours of phone conversations or the support during their trying times? And of course they chose to leave while at a personal best in both body mass and fitness....why not go get a new coach and let them enjoy the benefits of my planning and commitment?
2. Relived - Whew, I don't have to endure any more of the grind. I don't have to stress over so much untapped potential, hear the excuses for why things didn't go as planned in ABC workout, or commiserate the never-ending struggle. It's one less thing on my already over-stacked plate, which is probably the main reason in the end...stretched to thin, if I'm...
3. Honest - I let them down. I'm hired to provide feedback and direction and I didn't do that very well over the last couple of months so it's completely understandable and mostly on me. Damn...
4. Hopeful - If I felt stale, certainly they did too...my hope is that they find a place where progress continues to rise and they can get what they are looking for. It's too hard a sport to carry a grudge against an athlete and friend. All the best!
Really it's all four...but I'm trying, I'm trying real hard...
Belgian Training - Day 6
April 28, 2012
Belgian Training - Day 5
This is a work in progress.....aww F man....I've ridden less this 'training' week than I have in awhile, and that's saying something!
So I'll just give a tip of the hat to guys who actually race
1. Team Mountain Khakis - WIN at Athens!
2. John Piasta - FB friend by and by...but riding stellar today at Wente
3. Lee Rodgers - Tour of Korea mayhem and he's still starting every day
4. Adam Carr - altitude prep for Gila..seriously? #jealousmuch
5. Matt McNamara - that guy rocks when he rides...'cept he never rides!
out...
So I'll just give a tip of the hat to guys who actually race
1. Team Mountain Khakis - WIN at Athens!
2. John Piasta - FB friend by and by...but riding stellar today at Wente
3. Lee Rodgers - Tour of Korea mayhem and he's still starting every day
4. Adam Carr - altitude prep for Gila..seriously? #jealousmuch
5. Matt McNamara - that guy rocks when he rides...'cept he never rides!
out...
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