training 8-29-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, foothole covers). I added the foothole covers because I wanted to get a more direct comparison to my earlier-season fitness. On the northbound pass I was up to an average of 34mph when my chain derailed about 2/3 to 3/4 the way through. Based on past experience and where I was I would have averaged at least 34.5mph for the full run. On the way back I derailed again (my cheap Actionbent bar-end shifter is falling apart) early in the pass so my data was skewed beyond use. Anyway, I'm certain my fitness is at an all-time high -- my speed is up even though I'm not putting the effort in that I was earlier in the year. The good thing is that I don't feel very strong. I feel more like a crippled old man than a racing cyclist. That's a good thing because I know I'm not on a hormonal upswing so that means I shouldn't be encountering a downswing in the too near future. I notice the foothole covers don't help anywhere near as much as when I'm riding hoodless. With the hood on there's not a whole lot of draw through the footholes. When I lift the hood an inch in the back and provide exhaust the footholes are like turbo chargers.

training 8-27-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. Birkenstein (172.5mm cranks). Moderate effort.

training 8-25-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-31.0, S-26.5. I normally run with the rear shocked pumped up so it's like a solid strut but after reading about all of the broken coat hangers on BROL I decided to let out some air. I didn't bother to measure it and I knew it was too low but I was too lazy to do something about it before my ride. I bottomed out when I got in and I could feel a lot more air coming through the footholes. I was planning to reduce speed these last two weeks before Battle Mountain but not like this. When I got home I took some measurements. Unladed the rear end was .75" lower at the horizontal fairing seam than at the seam over the front axles. Laden it was 3" lower. Oops!

training 8-22-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-34.5, S-30.3. I guess the taper is working pretty well. My pulse is down to a record low of 43-bpm and my blood pressure is 103/57.

training 8-20-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. Birkenstein (172.5mm cranks). Easy day.

training 8-18-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-33.2, S-32.8.

training 8-15-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. Birkenstein (172.5mm cranks). N-210w, S-226w. Easy day. I decided to collect Powertap data because this will be the last chance I have to use it. Start super taper, three-day-per-week training (Sun., Tue., Thur.) with a total of 67.5 miles per week only.

training 8-14-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-32.7, S-31.1. Another over 32mph-average for the week.

training 8-13-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-30.5, S-30.5. Felt good but was slow today.

training 8-12-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. Birkenstein (172.5mm cranks). Easy day.

training 8-11-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-33.9, S-31.3. This weekend's rides are a total of .25mph better than last weekend's (each with a PR on Saturday). I had 1500 calories yesterday with no carbohydrates. The three days prior to that, though, I ate a total of approximately 20,000 calories.

training 8-10-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-34.3, S-32.1. A new one-lap, round-trip training record in this configuration with a 33.2mph average. That's only .1mph slower than my training record with my previous race setup. This begins my last week of regular training before a three-week taper.

training 8-8-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. Birkenstein (172.5mm cranks). Easy day.

training 8-7-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-33.0, S-29.4. I'm a hair under 190lbs. That is probably my optimum weight -- fat enough not to feel deprived yet not so fat that I disgust myself (much).

training 8-6-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-32.2, S-29.6. Less than half maintenance calories with very low carbs yesterday.

training 8-5-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. Birkenstein (172.5mm cranks). Easy day.

training 8-4-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-33.4, S-31.6. 32.5mph total ride average after yesterday's PR run is very good news, especially considering I ate only one-half of my maintenance-levels of calories with very few carbohydrates yesterday. That tells me my aerobic system is doing especially well.

training 8-3-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. QuestXS (open hood, only). N-33.0, S-33.1. New one-lap, round-trip training PR of 33.05mph average in this configuration (500+ gram Conti Top Tour 2000 front tires and no foothole covers). That's only .25mph off my best training speed in the full-race setup. I feel really good and apparently I'm still making progress. I guess my shorter rides aren't hurting my fitness.

training 8-1-13

Folsom Canal, 22.5 miles. Birkenstein (172.5mm cranks). Easy day.