Yee haw! It was time to unofficially kick off the 2008 racing season with the Kent Park Spring Classic. This year's race saw 123 participants line up on a cold, but bearable, Sunday Morning, to race 6 laps (just under 4miles/lap) around the rolling hills of Kent Park near Tiffin, IA.
This race marks my 3rd year anniversary of competitive cycling. I entered this race in 2005, with less than a hundred miles of training, and was forever captivated by the challenge of bettering myself as an athlete.
I rode up in the stylin' red Harper's Racing Team Truck, with Bill Ford and Greg Harper. I wasn't able to recruit any team 'Pin-Up Girls' as of yet, so it was just the three of us. For future events, it is my hope that we can have a female entourage ride up to races with us, helping out with such duties as 'pinning-up' the race numbers, offering water hand-ups, cheering us on at check points, post-race massages, etc. I suppose a guy could do all of these duties, but that just isn't how I roll. Applications for these positions are now being accepted.
Ok, I know I am in dreamland with that concept, so on to the race report...
I lined up front in center in the Category 4 grouping, in the 4th tier to start. The referee started each race a few seconds apart, however, most of the racers who aspired to high placings (not just to finish) initiated a full-on sprint to catch up to the main group. So, it was. I sprinted all out, with two other cat 4 racers ahead of me (mike edwards was one of them), until we caught the peleton.
I am not sure how many of the 26 cat 4 racers made it to the main group, but it seemed like almost everyone did, though only 10 of us hung on for the entire race. I caught my breath and prayed that the group didn't accelerate until I had recovered... they didn't.
Wow, here I was, actually in the main group for the first time at Kent Park, I could see the front of the race. I got excited because I felt that one of the most important parts of the race had been accomplished. I celebrated by singing Snoop Dogg's "Ain't nothing but a G-Thang". I pictured the team pin-up girls and me rolling up to the next race in a silver cadillac escalade, champagne glasses filled with Gatorade, chopped up lines of whey protein chillin on a mirror, supplement pills spilling out of our jerseys, GU stained fingers... ahh yeah (ain't nothing but a GU thang?)
The first two laps were a little sketchy for me. Mainly feeling out the race and reminding myself how to best navigate the Kent Park route to achieve the fastest speeds with the least amout of energy used. I eventually found a nice spot near the front of the main group, so the rest of the race was much more comfortable (until the very end of course).
Three, maybe four people had escaped. Looking at the results, it seems like the breakaway had members of each of the larger teams. This is an obvious sign that some team tactics were in play.
Being a category 4 rider, I didn't line up thinking about winning, or even the top 10, so I wasn't really concerened with who was up ahead. I did, however want to try and follow any subsequent attacks, because my odds of finishing well improved with each rider that got dropped due to accelerations (assuming I wasn't one of them).
This course finishes on a steep hill, and each lap this hill got more and more intimidating. The other hills allowed for momentum from the prior downhill to carry riders up portions of the ascent, but this one yielded no such mercy.
I hung well at the front each time across the white line of this hill. Looking behing me, though, the group never seemed to get any smaller. I later learned that there were about 36 riders in this main group for the second half of the race.
Things picked up on the last lap, as expected, and some new faces emerged at the front. Unfortunately for me, I recognized some of the faces as fellow cat 4 racers. I switched my focus from the overall race, to trying to be the first or second cat 4 rider across the line.
This may have been a mistake, because I lost my position at the front as we rolled down the final hill, across the lake and into the uphill sprint. I was so focused on positioning with respect to these Cat 4 riders, that I didn't realize that the racers passing me (though not technically racing against me) would later be obstacles as I climbed the final sprint.
The race came down to position at the bottom of the hill for the 36 riders in this group. Though I had lots of power left, most of it went unspent, as I was navigating my way around those ahead of me that weren't accelarating at the same rate. This isn't an excuse, actually it is what I love about racing bikes. It isn't just fitness, strength, intelligence, tactics, experience, wisdom, endurace, post-race massages, shaven legs, saddle sore maintenance, etc.... it is all these things combined. So I wasn't where I needed to be on the final sprint, my fault... lesson learned.
Midway up the hill I saw team mate Bill Ford. He seemed to be in perfect position for a great finish. I later learned that his chain broke just seconds later, so he had to walk across the line. Even with that he ended up 40th out of 124 and 6th out of 10 Master 40+ racers. Great job.
I ended up taking an outside line, on the far side from the judge. This meant I had to travel extra distance, but it was the only line available, as everyone was agressively charging up the hill. I barreled across the line, knowing that at least 2 cat 4 riders were ahead of me (it ended up being 4).
I came in 5th out of 26 Cat 4 riders, and 17th overall. This is a good result for me, at least considering year's past. It was a blast to race with Cat 1,2 and Master 40/50+ riders. Good experience and confidence for the future.
Thanks to Greg Harper (who came in 2nd in the Master's 40+ race!, awesome) for driving and supporting racing in Muscatine.
Okay, now time to take a week off to recover... Yeah right, it is full-on in april and may, so time to turn it up a notch!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
TV Time
Today I had Greg Harper come out the the TV studio here at the College where I work. I produce a weekly Access show called "Musca-T-Time" and thought it would be cool to spend one of the episodes talking about the Local BiCycle Racing Scene...
We talked about a wide range of subjects including: the 2008 racing team, types of racing, training, equipment, recreational rides, RAGBRAI, the Melon City Bike Club.
I am hoping to encourage more people to take up cycling so that it can potentially change their life in ways that has changed mine. Who knows, maybe the next great Tuesday Night World Champion was watching and will show up next week.
We talked about a wide range of subjects including: the 2008 racing team, types of racing, training, equipment, recreational rides, RAGBRAI, the Melon City Bike Club.
I am hoping to encourage more people to take up cycling so that it can potentially change their life in ways that has changed mine. Who knows, maybe the next great Tuesday Night World Champion was watching and will show up next week.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Crit Racing at Lake MacBride
To me, Kent Park feels like the unofficial start to the Iowa racing season. It is springtime, and a lot of the upcoming year's racers are in attendance. With that in mind, Sunday's race "The Long and Grinding Road" was positioned as a training race for Kent Park.
This caused a very competitive field, despite the bitter coldness, with 33 riders lining up. I imagine this race would have been even larger if the weather would have been more hospitable. The format of this race turned out to be much like a crit. Except the circuit was slightly longer than a mile and we were doing 2 hours + one lap (instead of 45 minutes). I calculated about 44 miles of total racing. Each lap had an uphill section, a downhill section and a mild headwind section. We ended up doing over 30 laps.
A lot of familiar faces were in attendance, with the exception of a team of three cat 1,2 riders from wisconsin wearing orange jerseys (Great Dane VC). No one knew exactly how to read them, so they ended up adding an excellent element of competition and strategizing to the race.
Because we ended up doing so many laps up the park's incline section, I would say the race favored the lighter rider who likes to attack on hills. As proof to the this I believe the top 5 riders were all under 150 (jim cochran, sean walker, james carrico...).
The wisconsin guys were organized and even had hand signals to communicate their tactics to each other (not to mention matching orange bikes). Jim Cochran ultimately escaped the group and built up a :50 second gap which held for the win. The Wisconsin guys were content to race for second, which they did successfully. We weren't really chasing Jim toward the end of the race. I believe because it seemed like the three guys from GDVC were technically 'obligated' to take on this task.
About one hour into the race is when riders who were still in the main group started to pop. There was a group of around ten, however that held together, despite some pretty quick laps from time to time. There was never a definitive effort to catch the leader, or make another break, but each lap was tense, not knowing if the 'hammer' was going to come down prior to the bell lap.
I was at the front portion of the lead group most of the second half of the race. I just felt comfortable with a certain tempo, and didn't want to be too far back if someone attacked. I dosed out my efforts, focusing more on 'holding back' then 'keeping up'. This is a good sign of fitness for me, because I know last year at this time, I would have been hanging on for dear life.
In the race for second, Sean Walker (and two of the orange Wisconsin guys) attacked hard on the last stretch of the final lap which is an uphill finish. My legs completely popped as I tried to match this acceleration... however, I didn't get passed, though I was basically standing still, because the last lap had spread everyone out, and I had a good gap between the next placed rider. I finished 6th overall, or 2nd out of 11 Cat 4 riders.
I had a lot of momentum at the start of the 2007 season... but some personal issues threw me off track in March and April. I came out of the funk strong, however and began winning cat 4 races mid-summer and into the cyclocross season. So, I am on sort of a mission, picking up where I left off last year at this time.
There are going to be a lot of great races this year, and the skies are only going to get clearer from here! I can't wait to put my baclava (?) up for the season. Man it is hard to look cool wearing a ski mask. If you want to see how cold it was and/or how dorky I looked, there are some pics by Shane Oswald here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowa_cycling/
This caused a very competitive field, despite the bitter coldness, with 33 riders lining up. I imagine this race would have been even larger if the weather would have been more hospitable. The format of this race turned out to be much like a crit. Except the circuit was slightly longer than a mile and we were doing 2 hours + one lap (instead of 45 minutes). I calculated about 44 miles of total racing. Each lap had an uphill section, a downhill section and a mild headwind section. We ended up doing over 30 laps.
A lot of familiar faces were in attendance, with the exception of a team of three cat 1,2 riders from wisconsin wearing orange jerseys (Great Dane VC). No one knew exactly how to read them, so they ended up adding an excellent element of competition and strategizing to the race.
Because we ended up doing so many laps up the park's incline section, I would say the race favored the lighter rider who likes to attack on hills. As proof to the this I believe the top 5 riders were all under 150 (jim cochran, sean walker, james carrico...).
The wisconsin guys were organized and even had hand signals to communicate their tactics to each other (not to mention matching orange bikes). Jim Cochran ultimately escaped the group and built up a :50 second gap which held for the win. The Wisconsin guys were content to race for second, which they did successfully. We weren't really chasing Jim toward the end of the race. I believe because it seemed like the three guys from GDVC were technically 'obligated' to take on this task.
About one hour into the race is when riders who were still in the main group started to pop. There was a group of around ten, however that held together, despite some pretty quick laps from time to time. There was never a definitive effort to catch the leader, or make another break, but each lap was tense, not knowing if the 'hammer' was going to come down prior to the bell lap.
I was at the front portion of the lead group most of the second half of the race. I just felt comfortable with a certain tempo, and didn't want to be too far back if someone attacked. I dosed out my efforts, focusing more on 'holding back' then 'keeping up'. This is a good sign of fitness for me, because I know last year at this time, I would have been hanging on for dear life.
In the race for second, Sean Walker (and two of the orange Wisconsin guys) attacked hard on the last stretch of the final lap which is an uphill finish. My legs completely popped as I tried to match this acceleration... however, I didn't get passed, though I was basically standing still, because the last lap had spread everyone out, and I had a good gap between the next placed rider. I finished 6th overall, or 2nd out of 11 Cat 4 riders.
I had a lot of momentum at the start of the 2007 season... but some personal issues threw me off track in March and April. I came out of the funk strong, however and began winning cat 4 races mid-summer and into the cyclocross season. So, I am on sort of a mission, picking up where I left off last year at this time.
There are going to be a lot of great races this year, and the skies are only going to get clearer from here! I can't wait to put my baclava (?) up for the season. Man it is hard to look cool wearing a ski mask. If you want to see how cold it was and/or how dorky I looked, there are some pics by Shane Oswald here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowa_cycling/
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Perfect Pushups
Ok, I know, something just doesn't look quite right with this picture... I mean why am I wearing a helmet to do push-ups? Regardless, I have decided to start an upper body routine patterned off of these push-up gadgets. I recall reading an article where Lance Armstrong was speaking about some of the perks of retirement. He mentioned that he could finally do push-ups. You see, when he was a pro cyclist, having a built upper body really only meant extra weight to carry up the hills of the Tour de France.
Hmmm, I think I can handle a little extra weight, especially in the form of muscle. Though, I did enjoy using this 'dead weight' idea to justify why my free weights gathered dust all summer. The main inspiration though, is the fact that I am involved with the new MUSCATINE MULTISPORT club. And, the gear we are getting is sleeveless, so having a bird chest and pencil arms would be hard to conceal. Below are the templates of the skinsuit I ordered.
I did the navy seal routine sunday, and my triceps and chest are still too sore to workout again. I guess it was a good thing I started acknowledging my upper body. Now, don't look for 'big guns' to emerge from my tri-suit this summer. I am going to do the bare minimum for upper body. After training rides I really just don't feel like pushing myself up and down for multiple sets of 20.
Hmmm, I think I can handle a little extra weight, especially in the form of muscle. Though, I did enjoy using this 'dead weight' idea to justify why my free weights gathered dust all summer. The main inspiration though, is the fact that I am involved with the new MUSCATINE MULTISPORT club. And, the gear we are getting is sleeveless, so having a bird chest and pencil arms would be hard to conceal. Below are the templates of the skinsuit I ordered.
I did the navy seal routine sunday, and my triceps and chest are still too sore to workout again. I guess it was a good thing I started acknowledging my upper body. Now, don't look for 'big guns' to emerge from my tri-suit this summer. I am going to do the bare minimum for upper body. After training rides I really just don't feel like pushing myself up and down for multiple sets of 20.Sunday, March 16, 2008
Prairie Rude Days - 2008 Season finally starts
I had trouble sleeping before this one... but as I was tossing and turning I realized where this race's name comes from... Paris Rouibaix. Hmm, funny. Normally this race is run through the sidewalks of the High School campus in Cedar Rapids, but their was too much sand and grit, so we instead did a 5 lap circuit out on the county roads.
If I would have known this the night before, I would have fallen right asleep, because this race format was much less technical and didn't feature the mass sprint at the beginning.
After the first lap I remember thinking, "huh, there isn't really any place to make a break, except maybe on one of the four corners". Then on the very next lap, a very subtle acceleration on an uphill stretch caused a gap. Me, Tracy Thompson and Benjamin Lewise were in this break. Tracy immediately assumed the role of 'coach tater' and gave us suggestions regarding speed. The rest of the race we basically pace lined until the final stretch.
Tracy's first action was to verify that we were each in a different category, in that way, we technically weren't competing against each other. Benjamin informed us that this was his first race. Naturally, my ego kicked in, and I decided I wasn't going to come in third. So, that left 1st overall or second place overall, either of which I was going to be happy with.
I ended up second overall and 1st out of the 6 Category 4 entrants. So technically I won the race that I entered, so the new Harper's Cycling Jerseys have debuted in winning fashion.
I elected to take the plate of chocolate rice krispie treats as my trophy. I completely ate the entire plate by nights end. My gut was stuffed, but this was still better than last year's routine, which would have been to take the 12-pack of Michelob Ultra and finish that off. Though, I suppose the calorie content would be about the same, with the beer, I wouldn't have felt like going to the St. Patrick's day group ride on Sunday...
About that ride...I am not going to comment much about group rides on this blog, but in general, Muscatine has a great line up of cyclists who tear it up on group rides all season long. Without these hard training rides, I wouldn't be able to compete in the regional races. Considering how sparsely populated the greater Muscatine area is, it is fortunate to still have good local competition.
Sunday rides are supposed to be 'easy rides' but we always end up sprinting. We went over to Illinois and had a nice ride. The weather is still cold, so I put on about 10 pounds worth of gear, and felt warm and toasty. It is very hard to go out in cold weather without the morale support of a group, so I am always thrilled to be logging miles when the wind chill is below 40 degrees.
If I would have known this the night before, I would have fallen right asleep, because this race format was much less technical and didn't feature the mass sprint at the beginning.
After the first lap I remember thinking, "huh, there isn't really any place to make a break, except maybe on one of the four corners". Then on the very next lap, a very subtle acceleration on an uphill stretch caused a gap. Me, Tracy Thompson and Benjamin Lewise were in this break. Tracy immediately assumed the role of 'coach tater' and gave us suggestions regarding speed. The rest of the race we basically pace lined until the final stretch.
Tracy's first action was to verify that we were each in a different category, in that way, we technically weren't competing against each other. Benjamin informed us that this was his first race. Naturally, my ego kicked in, and I decided I wasn't going to come in third. So, that left 1st overall or second place overall, either of which I was going to be happy with.
I ended up second overall and 1st out of the 6 Category 4 entrants. So technically I won the race that I entered, so the new Harper's Cycling Jerseys have debuted in winning fashion.
I elected to take the plate of chocolate rice krispie treats as my trophy. I completely ate the entire plate by nights end. My gut was stuffed, but this was still better than last year's routine, which would have been to take the 12-pack of Michelob Ultra and finish that off. Though, I suppose the calorie content would be about the same, with the beer, I wouldn't have felt like going to the St. Patrick's day group ride on Sunday...
About that ride...I am not going to comment much about group rides on this blog, but in general, Muscatine has a great line up of cyclists who tear it up on group rides all season long. Without these hard training rides, I wouldn't be able to compete in the regional races. Considering how sparsely populated the greater Muscatine area is, it is fortunate to still have good local competition.
Sunday rides are supposed to be 'easy rides' but we always end up sprinting. We went over to Illinois and had a nice ride. The weather is still cold, so I put on about 10 pounds worth of gear, and felt warm and toasty. It is very hard to go out in cold weather without the morale support of a group, so I am always thrilled to be logging miles when the wind chill is below 40 degrees.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tiime to start loggin miles
Ok, I guess since the daylight savings adjustment has given us more afterwork light (and less excuses), I have no choice but to start riding outdoors. Don't get me wrong, riding outside is what it is all about, but it is still sort of nasty out. Puddles, mud, windchill, frozen toes, etc.
But this is when we seperate the men from the boys, and the girls from the punk rockers.
I have 110 outdoor miles for the year. I assume I am way behind most serious cyclists, but I have a plan... oh yes, I have a plan and I am exactly on schedule.
I have developed sort of an addiction to jogging on the treadmill, but I have to try and cut that down to once a week. Jogging creates dead powerless legs, sure it helps Cardio and VO2 Max, but nothing trains one for cycling better than cycling.
Our first tuesday night ride reminded me what my season would be like racing against pure cyclists, if I didn't shift my priorities. I was hanging in there, but didn't feel very powerful. So, yes, I took off lots of weight through running, so my power to weight ratio would be improved, except now I have to switch back to getting the power up. When and if this happens, I will be in peak form.
The first 'stop ahead' sign sprint of the year goes to Bill Harper, Congratulations! It is always nice to leave mr. wiford speechless, as he missed his chance to pop the cherry of our virginal tuesday sprint.
Muscatine now has a new Multisport Club, which I am a part of, so I will keep running, but only once a week (assuming I can beat this addiction). I figure I may get creamed on the running portions of duathlons, but should be able to make up time on the bike.
But this is when we seperate the men from the boys, and the girls from the punk rockers.
I have 110 outdoor miles for the year. I assume I am way behind most serious cyclists, but I have a plan... oh yes, I have a plan and I am exactly on schedule.
I have developed sort of an addiction to jogging on the treadmill, but I have to try and cut that down to once a week. Jogging creates dead powerless legs, sure it helps Cardio and VO2 Max, but nothing trains one for cycling better than cycling.
Our first tuesday night ride reminded me what my season would be like racing against pure cyclists, if I didn't shift my priorities. I was hanging in there, but didn't feel very powerful. So, yes, I took off lots of weight through running, so my power to weight ratio would be improved, except now I have to switch back to getting the power up. When and if this happens, I will be in peak form.
The first 'stop ahead' sign sprint of the year goes to Bill Harper, Congratulations! It is always nice to leave mr. wiford speechless, as he missed his chance to pop the cherry of our virginal tuesday sprint.
Muscatine now has a new Multisport Club, which I am a part of, so I will keep running, but only once a week (assuming I can beat this addiction). I figure I may get creamed on the running portions of duathlons, but should be able to make up time on the bike.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Weekend Romance (I got some HED's)
This weekend seemed like a good time to make some sacrifices (socially and nutritionally), considering that the weather cancelled my racing plans. Even the Trihawks 5k in Iowa City got post-poned due to coldness. So I decided to try and eat sensibly and do some fat-burning type indoor workouts.
Pretty hot, huh? I got a little artistic with this low-angle shot of her. (Notice she didn't have any tires on, all I had were those recreational 25mm ones, which were too big, so against our better judgement, we opted to go without any rubbers)
In between eating and exercising I was excited to spend time with the newest person in my life, as my new HED JET 60 training/racing wheels had arrived. Being a single guy, I was excited to have someone to hang out with, especially a girl with such sexy aerodynamic curves, and slim profile with just the right sized spokes.
I talked her into letting me take some intimate photos of her. It took awhile to convince her that I wouldn't post these on the internet (oops), but eventually she shed her innertube and posed.
Pretty hot, huh? I got a little artistic with this low-angle shot of her. (Notice she didn't have any tires on, all I had were those recreational 25mm ones, which were too big, so against our better judgement, we opted to go without any rubbers) Well, needless to say, things ended up in the bedroom. Her she is relaxing on my bed...I am a lucky man.
Then things took a turn on the 'funky side'. Teddy hopped up on the bed. He promised to keep his hands to himself, so I took a quick snapshot, and went into the kitchen to get some accelerade and a protein bar, hoping to refuel a bit.
Much to my surprise, Teddy's attraction for my new Wheelset was too much for him to handle.
I took a couple of photos to use as evidence then kicked his ass. What a jerk.
Fortunately, I had a set of old training wheels down in the basement, so Teddy ended up having a happy ending as well.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Autographed Posters are now available!!!
Proceeds go to the Muscatine "Adopt A Pot Hole" foundation. Thanks for your support!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
2008 Jerseys Have Arrived!!! Time to Race.
Yes, it is time to get down to business, our 2008 Team Kits have arrived! I think they look sweet and will provide a fresh start for the 2008 racing season.
Yes, I look mean and mad, don't mess with me.
These Jerseys will hopefully be seen crossing finish lines in high placings throughout the midwest. As of right now, we have about 11 people on the team, so look for us out on the course in our new gear:
Greg Harper
Bill Ford
Chad Bishop
Tyree Williams
Joe Mann
Robert Hayes
Jon Sulzberger
Robert Hayes
Jon Sulzberger
Bill Harper
Mike Doyle
Eric Henricksen
Lonnie Cook
The Jerseys aren't just for racers,they are for club members & fans as well. In fact, we have several ladies who already have ordered their jerseys.
Speaking of the ladies, Bill Ford is offering specially autographed Jerseys (at a significantly increased price). He will train in them prior to autographing to give the jersey's that authentic 'man smell' that is guaranteed to please any aspiring Harper's Racing Team bike groupies. (females only please)
Yes, I look mean and mad, don't mess with me.
Body Fat
With yet another Race cancelled (Cody Race #1, Mar. 15th), and daily temperatures currently about 20 degrees below the usual average, I am, again, obsessing about body composition.
So, for those who read this blog to keep motivated and educated with respect to cycling here is some new info I am using as guidelines:
Men (% Fat)
Essential Fat 2-4 percent
Athletes 6-13 percent
Fitness 14-17 percent
Acceptable 18-25 percent
So, amateur cyclists should strive to be in the 6 to 13% range. If you are over 40 you can add two percentage points. I have a bodyfat scale, so I keep track of this data.
In general, healthy fat for men is 8 to 19% (up to 39 years) and 11 to 21% (40 to 59 years). So racer or not, being in these numbers reduces the risk of a variety of diseases.
Also, if you want to check your BMI, (Body Mass Index), visit this site and punch in your numbers. Unless you are very muscular you will want to be between 18.5 and 24.9 (don't makes excuses if your BMI is over 25, you are just too fat to perform at your best).
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bminojs.htm
I am about 12.6% body fat right now and BMI is around 23.3 so doing pretty good, just a little fat to trim, then into maintenance mode.
So, for those who read this blog to keep motivated and educated with respect to cycling here is some new info I am using as guidelines:
Men (% Fat)
Essential Fat 2-4 percent
Athletes 6-13 percent
Fitness 14-17 percent
Acceptable 18-25 percent
So, amateur cyclists should strive to be in the 6 to 13% range. If you are over 40 you can add two percentage points. I have a bodyfat scale, so I keep track of this data.
In general, healthy fat for men is 8 to 19% (up to 39 years) and 11 to 21% (40 to 59 years). So racer or not, being in these numbers reduces the risk of a variety of diseases.
Also, if you want to check your BMI, (Body Mass Index), visit this site and punch in your numbers. Unless you are very muscular you will want to be between 18.5 and 24.9 (don't makes excuses if your BMI is over 25, you are just too fat to perform at your best).
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bminojs.htm
I am about 12.6% body fat right now and BMI is around 23.3 so doing pretty good, just a little fat to trim, then into maintenance mode.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Outdoor Training
I got outside for the second time this year on Sunday, bringing my outdoor mileage total up to about 80 whopping miles for the year. It was windy, but not cold, and our group of four got in some good mileage.
I was very thankful after the workout that I made it to the outdoor group ride, as opposed to doing another indoor routine. I was able to assess my racing fitness, and see where I need some work. Nothing ground breaking, I need some hill work (no real way to get hill training indoors), and endurance (again, I can't stomach going longer than 90minutes on the trainier, so not in much shape for rides that go over 30 miles).
On the plus side, I am light (My morning weight was only 163.6lbs), so the other three guys seemed to roll away from me on the down hill sections (last year at this time, I was the heavy roller). And, I was't as winded as usual due to my cardio work on the treadmill. Also, I was strong on the flat headwind sections, an area I am focusing on due to my time trial aspirations.
Looks like some more crappy weather until the weekend, but at least a lot of the snow has melted.
I was very thankful after the workout that I made it to the outdoor group ride, as opposed to doing another indoor routine. I was able to assess my racing fitness, and see where I need some work. Nothing ground breaking, I need some hill work (no real way to get hill training indoors), and endurance (again, I can't stomach going longer than 90minutes on the trainier, so not in much shape for rides that go over 30 miles).
On the plus side, I am light (My morning weight was only 163.6lbs), so the other three guys seemed to roll away from me on the down hill sections (last year at this time, I was the heavy roller). And, I was't as winded as usual due to my cardio work on the treadmill. Also, I was strong on the flat headwind sections, an area I am focusing on due to my time trial aspirations.
Looks like some more crappy weather until the weekend, but at least a lot of the snow has melted.
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