Log: 20/10/2011

Looking back to my moments of trepidation Wednesday morning - there was a contributing factor that I didn't mention - being my inability to resist the temptation of testing myself a little the day before. Tuesdays workout was on the velo:

95% FTP for 2x20min, 1x10min at 105% FTP.

That final 10min was really to test the water with an alternate power meter. For the final interval, I sustained similar wattage to that regularly output during climbs - and it wasn't really very comfortable. I was surprised to be moving so fast while doing threshold work, and it all felt a bit strange. 10min on the flat at the intensity that I'd normally bang out back to back 2x20min on a climb felt a bit like it ripped my legs off.. The 10min effort did occur after 40min @95% FTP, that would have to contribute to the sting - but interestingly enough - would probably say there is an element that comes back to specificity of training.


20/10/2011 - Trainer

60mins AeT.. Pretty warm.


Duration:      1:02:05
Work:          616 kJ
TSS:           49.6 (intensity factor 0.695)
Distance:      29.802 kmMin    Max    Avg

Heart Rate:      75    164    138     bpm
Temperature:     26    29    28.3     Celsius

20/10/2011 - Road | Velodrome

BBN skills with jnrs. Threat of rain all night, basically held off. Ol is still enjoying the track and is keen to have a race on Saturday. I don't end up accruing much actual training during these sessions, is nice to roll out the legs on the track..

21/10/2011 - Road | Muntanyes

Awoke to rain this morning - back to bed. Crossing my fingers that it's clear this evening as I won't miss this workout regardless of weather..

Log: 19/10/2011

19/10/2011 - Road | Muntanyes

Another mid-week muntanyes done and dusted.

Ok, went back and rode the same route as last Sunday - this time on racing wheel with different Powertap. Sunday it was becoming pretty apparent (final nail in coffin) that my other PT was starting to swing high/low and the offset torque was now consistently reporting out of spec values. Have been living with it for the last couple of weeks as it's pretty obvious when it's happening and I seemed to be able to bring it back in-line with a calibration and trusty 'ol auto-zero. Certainly there was a dose of denial going on there too - as I just didn't want to have deal with a faulty unit.. Aaaaaa-nnnd well, I was quietly terrified that the unit may have been reading a bit high for a while, and that all of my so called progress was just noise in the machine that was slowly amplifying as it kind of rolled over and died...

All this in mind (well and truly in mind) it was with some trepidation that I rolled out for the mid-week muntanyes. Different scenarios played out in my mind, in particular those where I just couldn't hit the same numbers that I had days and weeks before this very morning - thus confirming that all of my progress was just bollox - and that in fact I was capable of only mediocre performance, and what would I tell myself if this eventuated, and how would I cope, and.. you get the picture.

1st climb - hit the requisite numbers. "Did I just slaughter myself -  rendering a second, repeat performance impossible?" "Didn't feel that hard, buut dunno If I could tap out another one of those.." etc, etc..

2nd climb - hit the requisite numbers!! Army of monkeys simultaneously jumped from my shoulders and into the surrounding trees. Tough, but doable - nothing unusual. In fact over the two climbs I did hit next weeks target numbers (which is what I had been doing on the dodgy PM).. Take a deep breath, consolidate, move forward.

I'm liking this climb - it gives me 20 minutes work and is 7.9% gradient. Not as long as TawongaB - but the right kind of gradient. 1: 20min@104.6% FTP, 2: 20min@103.9% FTP, 3: 10min@100% FTP.

    Duration:      3:05:41
    Work:          1800 kJ
    TSS:           210.2 (intensity factor 0.828)
    VI:            1.33
    Pw:HR:          17.16%
    Distance:      74.918 km
    Elevation Gain:        1363 m
    Temperature:     12    24    16.7     Celsius

Log: 18/10/2011

17/10/2011 - Nil(ish)

Rest Day. 20min on the trainer- easy effort.. Didn't happen.. Did roll around a bit on the road to validate swapped wheel operating correctly. Have sent primary Powertap back to meet it's makers as suspect numbers have been plaguing rides for last couple of weeks..

18/10/2011 - Road | Velo

Prescribed 95% FTP for 2x20min, which completed then completed 1x10 at 105%.
Beautiful day (warm), lots of sweat - got to get used to that..


Duration:      1:35:09
Work:          1017 kJ
TSS:           113.5 (intensity factor 0.848)
Distance:      46.471 km
Temperature:     21    29    25.3     Celsius

Minimum 14c overnight. Going to be beautiful morning for mid-week Muntanyes..

Log: 11/10/2011

10/10/2011 - Nil 

 

Rest Day. 20min on the trainer- easy effort.. Didn't happen..

11/10/2011 - Road | Velo

 

Per previous post I've started Build2 phase. I have taken the approach of pre-mapping out target watts for each SST or FTP interval for the coming period. In the case of each Tuesday it's SST - and have prescribed 95% FTP for 2x20min, but the Tuesday mantra is strictly to go with the flow.

If I had an intense Sunday I can still be carrying fatigue into Tue - and where I find 95% feels like 9500% which it sometimes can - then just turn the volume down on intensity. Wednesday muntanyes take priority, and I have prescribed target numbers for Wednesdays that I do not want to miss. Target numbers for Wed & Fri climbing intervals aren't overly ambitious (I hope) - but they scare me nevertheless..

So, 2x20min at Balcky Velo. 1st 20 - on the scale of perceived effort (PE) was a bit difficult - but no danger of falling short of the mark. 2nd 20 was nice and easy on the PE scale - more like how I felt the first might be. Probably suffered 1st time round as did not roll the legs out yesterday like supposed to.

Duration:      1:25:24
Work:          857 kJ
TSS:           101.2 (intensity factor 0.849)
Pw:HR:          5.54%
Distance:      38.519 km

Log: 20/09/2011

19/09/2011 - Trainer

Rest Day. 20min on the trainer- easy effort..

Pretty heavy legs from last week - had accrued 1019 TSS. Bit heavier than usual, but I trained on the Monday which is usually not the case..

20/09/2011 - Road | Velo

Still heavy legs in the morning. Once I got on the bike they felt great.

2x20min at Balcky Velo. 1st 20 - Just floated through it, too easy. Easiest since I can remember, no chain interval. Cool - starting to feel strong.

2nd 20 was an effort - back down to earth. Started to feel the fatigue in the legs that I expected during 1st interval.

Duration:      1:22:27
Work:          845 kJ
TSS:           109.9 (intensity factor 0.897)
Distance:      37.485 km

Muntanyes tomorrow. Weather - please hold out..

Log: 13/09/2011

2x20min - Blacky Velo.

1st interval really hurt today, 2nd was a breeze in comparison. It is generally the case that 1st is worst - but today I was really uncomfortable..

Windy, really windy. It's always windy at Blacky Velo but today I was hanging on to my bike at times. This is the only place that I ride where frequently there is a headwind for 360 degrees. Whole lap into a headwind - how does that work? Seriously - headwind 100% of the time. I have no major issue with it, but its a curiosity that always astonishes me..

Guy on a mountain bike lapping in the wrong direction when I arrived. He knew it, and turned around as soon as I looked at him. I knew what he was up to - 360 degree tailwind :)

Duration:      1:20:49
Work:          851 kJ
TSS:           105.6 (intensity factor 0.888)
VI:            1.21
Pw:HR:          5.36%
Distance:      36.363 km
Temperature: 18.8     Celsius

Tomorrow I plan to head for the mountains early AM. BOM says it might rain. I'm going regardless..