31 December 2010

training-run

Hours
Sleeping
6 Time
of Day
8:00 AM
Body
Weight
Body
Fat
Distance 4 miles Power
Time Total – 29:24
Moving
Speed Overall – 7:21 min/mile
Moving
Total
Ascent
Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 7:15 AM – glass of orange juice
Lunch
Dinner
Workout Food
Injuries
Therapy
Workout Type
Weather 30, bright sun, light wind
Course
Results
Equipment Brooks road shoes
Clothing shorts, short sleeve active t, 2 long sleeve active ts, OR Gripper gloves, cap
My first faster run! And in the dirt too.

Yesterday felt so good and I wanted to sneak in another run of some kind before we had to pack our bags and head home and the wash behind Shelley's sister's house is the most interesting route I know so that's where I went.

I started off at a reasonable pace and probably sped up a bit during the first mile as it's mostly downhill. As soon as I could I got off the bike path and down into the wash and ran up one trail and back on another.
Boy, I was out of breath! Going faster is harder... duh. But it felt SO good. And even though I was on this lame little trail it reaffirmed for me that running in the dirt is about 100 times more fun than running on the road.

I will feel like I'm finally 'back' when I can keep up with Justin A and friends on one of his 'easy' Cougar Mt 10 milers. Not sure if I can get there this winter but I am still really pumped that I was able to do eight easy miles on pavement yesterday and then four faster miles today. Real (long/fast) runs will have to wait until the fall of 2011 when I ramp this sport back up again.

Kalmthout World Cup Cyclocross coverage

Here is incredible coverage of the women. You need to watch this first to appreciate the course, the effort and the bike handling that is professional cyclocross in Europe:

Kalmthout 2010 - 4ème manche de CDM Cyclo cross from Web Petitesreines on Vimeo.

And here are the men with the live commentary:

Clearly it is time for the Winter Olympics to include a cycling event.

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30 December 2010

training-run

Hours
Sleeping
7 Time
of Day
8:15 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 8 miles Power  
Time Total – 1:14
Moving
Speed Overall – 9:15 min/mile
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 7:30 AM – small bowl of dry cereal, water
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food  
Injuries  
Therapy stretching – hamstrings
Workout Type  
Weather upper 30s, sun, windy
Course  
Results  
Equipment Brooks road shoes
Clothing shorts, short sleeve active t, 2 long sleeve active ts, OR Gripper gloves, cap

Went for a run with my brother in law today so good company. We just cruised along and chatted the whole time. I felt totally at ease, my knee was fine and for a change running at someone else's pace did not feel too awkward.

The entire run was on asphalt and concrete so if I can stand an hour of this then my IT band issues have got to be behind me. You hear that knee?

It was COLD and I only had shorts but it ended up being fine. Thanks goodness I Had  my cycling gloves and cap and three layers on my chest were ample. the sun sure does help. It was also pretty windy but for some reason it did not bother me today, maybe because we were not trying to go fast? Anyway, nice to not feel like you are fighting it.

28 December 2010

training-ride

Hours
Sleeping
7 Time
of Day
8:15 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 81 miles Power  
Time Total – 4:39
Moving – 4:22
Speed Overall – 17.3 mph
Moving – 18.5 mph
Total
Ascent
3858 ft Max Speed
Elevation – 4809 ft
Gradient
Breakfast 7:15 AM – 2 Yoplait yogurts, muesli
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food 2 Clif Bars, 2 Atomic Gu gels (includes caffeine), 2 bottles Cytomax
Injuries  
Therapy stretching – hamstrings
Workout Type endurance
Weather low 40s at the start, 50 at the finish, sun, some wind all day
Course Red Rock Canyon loop
Results  
Equipment Road Bike
Clothing knit shoes covers, knee warmers, bib shorts, Craft long sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, wind vest, OR Gripper gloves, cap

If at first you don't succeed, try again. Two days ago I attempted to make it out to Red Rock Canyon and was stopped by the wind. This time I made it. Hooray for me.

The headwind was not so bad as last time heading out but you are still gradually gaining elevation so you can't exactly go fast. Mostly I was cruising along at 17-18 mph in the 53x19 but never had to resort to the small chainring. It was also a little colder today but I did not mind. I still wasn't getting all bundled up like at home and the sun makes it SO nice to be out on the road.

As I rode past the spot where I turned around two days ago (about 30 miles in) I felt much better. It's right around here that the scenery starts to become enjoyable too. You get away from all the urban sprawl, trash, road debris and are closer to the hills. I could see snow on the upper slopes and the foreshortening effect made it seem a lot closer than it really was.

As I pulled into the entrance to the Red Rock Canyon scenic loop I saw a toll booth... Argh. It had not even occurred to me that this would cost money and I had none on me. As I pulled up to the window I tried to put on my most humble and trustworthy face and told the woman in the booth that I was visiting from Seattle and had no idea there was an entry fee (which was true) and would she please make an exception for me so I could ride up the canyon... She kinda did a double take but then she let me in! Her expression told the story, "Jesus, another tourist that thinks everything is free...?! Is everyone normally this stupid or do they work at it?"

I was so happy. My face lit up and I think I told her happy holidays or something lame like that but my grin was ear to ear as I started up the canyon.

I recall driving this loop one or two years ago and it seemed really steep. Riding it to day was not that bad. I did have to grab my lowest gear (42x25) on two occasions but it was so pretty and the music on my iPod was perfect and the sun was shining so today was a good day. The air was colder up here but he first time the road leveled off I took off my vest and gloves on account of I was working harder.

People were parked everywhere and hiking and climbing all over the red rock. I wanted to join them! I think scrambling over boulders has got to be one of the most fun things you can do.

The whole way up I was looking to my left, to my right, up the canyon... I hardly looked down at the road at all there was so much to see. I got passed by some cars  but not too many, maybe 30? Not bad for a five mile climb.

When I reached the top I did not realize it and overshot the last lookout. Once I figured it out I pulled over, took a picture of the lookout behind me and put my vest and gloves back on for the descent.

The loop is a one-way road and the climb is definitely steeper and has more twists and turns but the descent was still fun. I managed to pass one car back. :)

There were burros next to the fence at several spots on the way down and people had parked their cars to take pictures. I thought about it but hate interrupting a fast downhill so kept on rolling.

As I turned back onto the highway something felt wrong... It did not take me long to figure it out – the wind was not at my back. Crap. Two days ago I was flying on my return trip and today I was actually riding into a headwind again. This persisted all the way down 159 and only got worse on 160. I had a brief moment of concern when I realized there were still 25 miles to go and it was going to take me over an hour as this was my longest ride since last summer! My left hamstring was feeling kind of suspect like it might cramp but I worked it out, told myself to enjoy the sun and it ended up being okay.

Although I was not flying back home, the net loss in elevation did let me ride at 22-24 mph most of the time so that was some consolation. Still, the 35+ mph I was doing two days ago was pretty damn fun.

As I rode back on the bicycle paths I could not help laughing at their condition. The bits that were finished were great but then the path would stop and I was floating through gravel. I'm betting there is not much incentive to get these kinds of projects finished up in this part of the country. Just a hunch.

I noticed just 30 miles into my ride that my chain was making a lot of noise and it only got worse the further I rode. I had used alight lube two days ago and I think the conditions had simply evaporated the oil! The take-away from this is lube your chain more often when you are in Las Vegas.

Two days ago my back started to hurt when I rode and today it was as good as I had any reason to expect. Nice. Not totally free from discomfort but pain free and that is good enough for me. I rode on the tops of my bars a lot today and tried to keep my spine straight. As straight as I could anyway. Nice to get in four solid hours and not have it complain too much. Also nice to get in this much riding time with a minimum of stopping/dorking around! Only 17 minutes off the bike, that's great!

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27 December 2010

training-run

Hours
Sleeping
7 Time
of Day
10:00 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 5 miles Power  
Time Total – 39 min
Moving
Speed Overall – 7:48 min/mile
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 8:15 AM - cereal
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food  
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather mid to upper 40s, sun, calm
Course  
Results  
Equipment Brooks road shoes
Clothing shorts, short sleeve active t, long sleeve active t

It's amazing how good the sun feels. Especially when you come from a wet and dark place.

I did not feel fast or light on my feet or even just good but getting out today was worth so much. My breathing was labored and I kept wanting to stop and just walk... luckily I managed to hold on until I got to intersections, etc. before slowing down.

I basically ran up the wash on the pedestrian/bicycle path and then back on the dirt trail down in the wash itself. At one point the footpath was closed for some repair work and I had to go down the embankment, across the bottom and up the other side to continue. That was a bit aggressive for running so here was one of my walking sections.

All the sidewalks here are concrete so there was very little asphalt and I was worried about my right knee/IT band but it held up just fine.

26 December 2010

training–ride

Hours
Sleeping
5 Time
of Day
12:30 PM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 59 miles Power  
Time Total – 3:11
Moving – 2:59
Speed Overall – 18.6 mph
Moving – 19.8 mph
Total
Ascent
2020 ft Max Speed
Elevation – 3463 ft
Gradient
Breakfast 10:00 AM - 2 x (egg cheese bake and cinnamon delight), orange juice
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food 2 bottles of Cytomax, Clif Bar
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type endurance +
Weather 60 to start, mid 50s at the end, sun to start, clouds at the end, light wind to start, harder wind at the end
Course  
Results  
Equipment Road Bike
Clothing bib shorts, knee warmers, Craft short sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, cap

New roads! No rain! No gloves! Some sun!

The price I had to pay for all this was riding through the massive urban sprawl that is Las Vegas. Shelley and I are visiting her sister/brother in law/nephew here.

I had my iPod with so at first the roads were no big deal. Even the shoulder of a gross highway can be tolerable when you are new to the neighborhood and don't have to ride it all the time. And because it was the day after Christmas and a weekend the traffic was not so heavy.

I was riding into a mild headwind pretty much from the start. Heading west was the worst. In the beginning when I was still chipper my speed hovered around 17-18 mph turning the 53x19 but as I got out onto Hwy 160 I was going 15 mph. When the road tipped up my speed would hit 11. When I turned off onto Hwy 150 that goes to Red Rock the wind got stronger and I was hating it. My late start meant the clouds were starting to roll over the mountains and I did not want to get stuck out here if rain came or I got too tired. I decided the prudent thing to do was turn around.

What a difference! Suddenly I'm doing 32 mph easy and then I'm doing 35. As I got back on Hwy 160 I was pretty much always going 33-36 mph rolling the 53x13 and occasionally the 12. What a relief.

Coming back on St Rose Parkway I got sick of blasting along with traffic and decided to hit the bike path. What a trip. Mostly the path is wide and smooth but at several points it just ends. And turns to gravel. I'm flying along at 30+ mph and had to relax my grip a bit on the bars to not bite it. Luckily the gravel sections are not too long and 40 or 50 later the pavement starts back up again but how bizarre. This path is obviously not a finished product.

Some other interesting features of this 'path' were that at some intersections the path would just end at the curb. No ramp or taper or anything. Once I flew off the curb and once I almost crushed my front wheel because I did not see the curb as early as I would have liked when getting back on the path.

At intersections there were also poles in the asphalt, to keep cars and dirt bikes off the path I guess. The poles were close enough that a motorcycle handlebar could not fit through but a bike could. Just. My heart rate did increase a few beats as I threaded the needle again and again.

I'm bummed I did not get to Red Rock! But that wind tired me out. The entire ride was flat or a 1% incline or decline. I was really looking forward to getting out of the saddle for a bit or just feeling a real incline.

But it was SO nice not to need gloves. I hate gloves... more than I realized. Even wearing them to keep warm is no fun. Obviously I have issues. And it was fun not to have to confront them today. :)

I was not hammering along today but when I finished it felt like I had not rested much at all while I was out there. I was either fighting the wind or going fast. I got lucky and did not need to wait for many lights and pretty much kept the effort on most of the ride. Three solid hours in other words.

25 December 2010

Want to support a professional cycling team?

Turns out it's as easy as buying a 400 Euro watch.

Michael Rasmussen's bacon got saved a few months ago when his biggest fan, Christina Hembo, decided that supporting his cycling lifestyle was in her best interests.

ASIDE – I wonder how that makes her husband feel.

I read today on Cyclingnews.com that in an effort to raise money for the team Christina is offering a limited edition watch and that 200 Euro from each sale will go directly toward the team. And with features like these, who can resist?

Bracelet: shiny and brushed
Bezel: Turnable

But wait, there's more.

The signature of both Christina Hembo and Michael Rasmussen will be emblazoned on the black case under the dial. And on the left side of the watch case is the route profile of The Chicken's greatest stage victory. According to Christina anyway. You can even get them with a yellow bezel – no doubt signifying the yellow jersey that was (unfairly of course) ripped from the shoulders of Michael during the 2007 Tour de France when he got ejected.

All I can say is Michael must really LOVE cycling because even if this team gets off the ground, he has a long way to go before he ever gets invited to any top tier races. First of all Team Christina Watches is a UCI Continental Team. This means no automatic entry into anything. Second of all most of the race organizers have shown they are reluctant to invite athletes that have been convicted of any offense; especially if they don't seem to show any remorse. If you're likable and apologize like Ivan Basso you have a chance. If you're living in denial, good luck. Thirdly the guy is 36 years old which doesn't exactly put any spring in this chicken.

Still, pretty cool to have a personal sponsor.

The Sufferfest–best indoor cycling workout videos ever?

Every once in a while you come across something that seems so damn good you get convinced it is the best without ever even trying it. This is one of those things.

Let me count the ways I got convinced.

  1. The music. It's fast, it sounds good loud, I like trance.
  2. The footage. Real pros kicking each other's asses, need I say more? If you tell me you don't live vicariously through athletes that are better than you I will not believe it.
  3. Digital format. You get to download a file that you can play on your computer, television, iPod, PSP, etc. DVD? How 2000. And how limiting.
  4. Clear instructions. These videos tell you exactly what to do and when to do it. You will go hard NOW. And you will have no excuses.
  5. The enthusiasm. The guy (David) running this site is bike crazy and you gotta love that. Plus all the resources are good!
  6. The slogan: IWBMATTKYT (I will beat my ass today to kick yours tomorrow)
  7. The reviews. How can so many cycling resources that I respect be wrong?
  8. The price. I can afford to get several.
  9. This is enterPAINment. Hahahahaha.

Check out some of the action here:

http://www.thesufferfest.com/video-sufferfests/

I am almost excited about getting in my trainer. Screw that, I AM excited! Just as soon as I finish the rest of this Christmas [insert over-the-top, fattening item here]...

24 December 2010

Duck Sauce "Barbara Streisand"

Ultimate Floorfillers indeed, this song will pack the house.

When it comes to lyrics, frequently less is more.

And what would a dance song be without remixes? Here is the 'official' video complete with NY flavor (read: attitude).

NY, hipper than you.

The sauce sure does make the difference.

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23 December 2010

training-ride | Seattle Multisport

Hours
Sleeping
4 Time
of Day
6:00 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance ride – 28 miles Power TT #1 – 329 watts
TT #2 – 306 watts
Time Total (ride) – 1:30
TT #1 – 15:35?
TT #2 – 15:45?
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 3:30 AM – cereal
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food half of a large bottle w/3 scoops Sustained Energy
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather low 40s, calm at first, some wind by the end, light rain on and off
Course  
Results  
Equipment Rain Bike
Clothing  

Oh man, I hate it when I can't sleep. The classic scenario goes something like this.

  • Wake up around 2 AM. Sometimes it's because I have to go to the bathroom, sometimes I have no idea what woke me.
  • Try various positions in bed but none let keeping my eyes closed feel very natural or relaxing.
  • Look at the clock and see it's still only about 2:30.
  • Toss and turn some more and finally decide it's fruitless and get our of bed.

In attendance today were RC R, Justin A, Ryan D and Tim F. Great group.

We did a lap of Mercer Island and it was fine except I felt like I was SO blind this morning... I concurred this with RC and Ryan who were also exclaiming how hard it was to see anything today. We (read: I) kept riding off the road and narrowly missing all sorts of things like guardrails and reflectors.

In the end I felt okay but not special.

At Seattle Multisport it was test time which means we do two 10 km TTs and average the watts to get our threshold power for future workouts. The course is always the same, the ever popular rolling route that you can do entirely in the big ring.

We take off and soon I realize that Greg K and I will be close to each other all the way to the end. Unlike the 2x20 workout, this is kind of a race and we both did our best to surge at the finish sustaining over 400 watts for the last climb.

When we started the second TT I could tell right away that I was not going to be as good. Greg pulled away from me slowly and although I had a similar/good finish I did not have the same intensity or focus and was more tired.

Last time we tested I averaged 330 watts (229 and 331) so this time was worse.

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No Urban Assault Ride in Seattle for 2011?!

Nice. And by 'nice' I of course mean the exact opposite.

Yesterday I received an email from the Urban Assault Ride proclaiming that 2011 will be the best season ever.

uar

This is one of Shelley's and my favorite rides; we have done it three times and loved it each time. Even when we did not do very well. Not only is the ride fun with crazy obstacles, the after-party is fantastic complete with free food, beer and other drinks. And they have lots of drawings so you don't have to win your category to walk away with a prize. Always a plus for those that participate just for the fun of it.

So it was with eager anticipation that I went to the web site. Early registration nets you a significant discount and all that.

But what was this? It appears that both Seattle and Portland have been excluded from the list of cities in 2011. NO...!

So I rush over to the contact page and fire off a note to the most obvious email address listed. And it bounces back as undeliverable. This is getting better and better.

Shelley and I had such a good time this year, it would be a shame if we did not have the opportunity to ride again in 2011.

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22 December 2010

one that makes my pants feel tight

One of the best 'cycling' blogs around has got to the All Hail the Black Market. Stevil consistently brings the humor, sarcasm, straight up ridicule and irony that is requisite (or should be) for all blogs in general. I mean if you just want the news, go read some mainstream news site, right? Not me, I'm looking for opinions and rants and this site boasts plenty of both.

In addition to loving well written diatribes about ultra niche activities like cycling I also love memorable quotes. Invariably – and sometimes to the dismay of my wife – I'm that guy who repeats the punch line of a joke several seconds after it has been delivered and then again and way too often for the rest of the evening. So it's no wonder that when I see a catch line I cling to it, try to immortalize it and of course share it with the world.

In a post today Stevil was showing off a bike build by an acquaintance and described it as, "one that makes my pants feel tight".

Hahahahahahaha...

Oh man did that slay me.

You?

Whatever.

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training-stairs

Hours
Sleeping
6 Time
of Day
6:00 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 15 flights Power  
Time Total – 1:09
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast  
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food nuun (thanks to Ryan)
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather mid 40s, some sporadic rain, calm, partly clear at the end
Course Howe Street
Results  
Equipment Brooks road shoes
Clothing shorts, Craft short sleeve undershirt, long sleeve active t

Damn, I got in a good workout this morning.

I showed up about 15 minutes early to get in a couple of warm-up walkers prior to running (which seems to have me totally psyched out/intimidated lately) and after three flights Jim K arrived and we headed down. We walked on flight and the next time down we met Ryan D at the bottom and opted for one more walker just because. Then the fun started.

This week we were up to 10 'official' flights which meant five runners. Ouch. Right about at this point the stair workout starts getting kinda hard. And by 'kinda' I of course mean brutal.

The first runner was okay as was the second. Ryan had ridden FOUR HOURS yesterday so was feeling the effects and for once I was finishing ahead of him. Jim always seems to start fast and then stall when we cross Broadway and today was no different. On the fourth runner Jim took off like a shot from a f'ing gun and I was killing myself just to keep him within reach! I managed to get around him but god was I sucking wind at the top. Holy hate that was a hard flight.

Jim stopped after 10 flights so since we had walked one more than usual at the start Ryan and I did the last runner alone. Up until now I had been starting at the back and this time Ryan offered to let me lead. Not sure which is better... you either feel the pressure from behind or the need to catch the guy in front of you. Why is this always a race?! Because we are men I suppose.

To round out the workout Ryan and I did one more walker to 'cool off' which meant my heart rate went from about one million back down to triple digits. Oh yeah, my throat feels like it's sealing up when I do these. I get to the top and no matter what I do (walk, sit, lie down) I just can't catch my breath very fast. I turn into that guy who is wheezing and gasping – the loud breather. Stairs has got to be one of the most efficient workouts there is bar none.

At one point about six flights in I thought I felt my right knee/IT band and had a panic attack. But it never came back and I'm not sure if I really felt it in the first place. Phantom pain perhaps? Let's hope so.

On the up side my massive, 41 minute run yesterday did not slow me down at all today. Yes, I am being sarcastic.

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21 December 2010

Mary's gone crackers–and it tastes like more.

Ever stumble on a food that just hits the spot?

I do all the time. Then I usually overdo it with wild abandon, grossing myself out and end up swearing it off for a few weeks or months. I guess doing stuff to excess – eating anyway – is in my nature.

The other day I needed to bring a snack to a party and so hit the store on the way and look what I got:

sticks

Sticks & Twigs. In a word: yum

In three words: CONTAINS CHIA SEEDS

Funny how you can say pretty much anything and if's done so with affirmation and gusto or contains the words 'natural' or 'organic' or 'whole grain' or 'home cooked' people flock to it. Oh yeah, you can also list all the stuff your food does NOT contain. Because as we all know, deductive logic mandates that if it does not contain one bad ingredient (or better yet two!) it must be good for you... Marketing genius or a sad commentary on our education system? You make the call.

ASIDE – 'home cooked' is about as much of a guarantee of a quality meal as 'hand dipped' is a guarantee of great tasting ice cream. How many people do you know that make absolute shite at home? Likewise, who knows what is in that bucket in the freezer... C'mon people.

Here is all the stuff these sticks and twigs do not contain.

  • GMO Grain
  • Dairy
  • Wheat
  • Refined Flour
  • Gluten
  • Hydrogenated Oils
  • Trans Fats
  • Nuts

A skeptic might argue that since the label is so exhaustive but says nothing about lead, arsenic, paint, radioactive isotopes or leached aluminum you obviously should not assume anything.

So what is left when you can't use all the stuff that usually makes a baked item tasty? Well, for one there are those Chia seeds. And Millet. And Quinoa and Amaranth. Who even knows that this stuff is? Not me. But it's listed proudly on the bag so it must be delicious. And if you are a woman it gets the gray out and firms the bootie and if you are a man you will last all night long. Totally – you have my word. I mean why would any manufacturer lie?

In spite of all my cynicism this is a damn tasty snack! It took me all of two sittings to drain the bag and if it had been bigger the result would not have been any different.

Lord give me strength for I am weak.

training-run

Hours
Sleeping
6 Time
of Day
12:15 PM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 5.2 Power  
Time Total – 41:02
Moving
Speed Overall – 7:53 min/mile
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 6:00 AM – cereal
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food  
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather mid 40s, dry, calm mostly overcast
Course  
Results  
Equipment Brooks road shoes
Clothing shorts, Craft short sleeve undershirt, long sleeve active t

My first outdoor run since the beginning of October! Nice.

I was walking down to the IMA thinking I would do another 30 minutes on the treadmill when I decided, "screw that"... it was nice outside and sooner or later I needed to hit the pavement. Or grass. Or whatever; just so it's outside. So that's where I went.

I figured heading up through Ravenna Park would be a 'soft' route so I went there watching the clock thinking I would just turn around after 15 minutes but when 15 minutes came and went I was getting close to Green Lake so went just a bit further.

At 19:30 I had reached 65th. At 20:30 I was rounding the corner at 70th. The way back had more downhill than uphill so I was hoping for a negative split but looks like I ran both directions in exactly the same amount of time.

The grass median on Ravenna was very soft. It sure does not drain well. A couple of times I would sort of slide sideways as my foot hit the ground so I had to be careful but it's just dirt, and way better for me than concrete at this point I'm guessing.

I felt good! My breathing was somewhat labored but my feet and knees and everything else felt fine. Well, I guess my arms actually got a tiny bit tired and I was not even carrying a bottle! I am SUCH a wimp from the waist up it's laughable. It appears I can also break down a five mile run into way more detail than most people would ever think of doing but hey, it's my first on in a long time so I deserve a break.

ASIDE – there were a lot of people walking their dogs off leash in Ravenna Park. What is with that? We have laws for a reason people... Kidding. Sort of. There was also this cute little girl who was probably all of four years old on a little pink bike cruising down the gravel path like she owned it. Her mom could hardly keep up. Very cool – especially as she did not seem to be afraid of the downhill sections.

20 December 2010

training-core

Hours
Sleeping
  Time
of Day
5:30 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance   Power  
Time Total
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 6:45 AM – cereal
8:30 AM – 2 Aussie Bites
9:15 AM – almonds
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food water
Injuries  
Therapy stretching – hamstrings, quads, calves, pigeon
Workout Type  
Weather  
Course
sideways rubber band walk 3x across the aerobics studio
back extensions 3x30
plank 3 min, 2 min each side
roman chair knee lifts 3x40
hip abductors 3x30 – 100 lb
Results  
Equipment  
Clothing  

Oh man, core was tough today. I decided to mix it up just a little after my motivation faded so much Friday and started the session off with something different. It helped, a little.

Work was too busy for me to get out of the office at lunch so no second session today.

19 December 2010

before, after

I get my hair cut about twice a year it seems. Perhaps more if I happen to get married, stuff like that.

I guess I am lazy but I also seem to like change. And I'm lucky enough to have hair that grows out pretty well and does not usually look like garbage during the transition (according to me anyway...) so I wait and wait and then finally I get something done about it. Like yesterday.

2010-12-18 13.50.43

IMAG0001

Jarhead? Fauxhawk? Self-obsessed poser? You make the call.

18 December 2010

training-team ride

Hours
Sleeping
5 Time
of Day
9:00 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 67 miles Power  
Time Total – 4 hours
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 6:00 AM – cereal, banana
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food 2 large bottles each w/3 scoops Perpetuem, flask of gel
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather low 40s to mid 40s, rain at the start, some sun by the end, lots of wind
Course  
Results  
Equipment Rain Bike
Clothing Sugoi shoe covers, Roubaix knickers, Roubaix leg warmers, Craft long sleeve undershirt, heavy long sleeve jersey, Curve raincoat, Polypropylene liners, OR Gripper gloves, OR lobster overmits, cap

I never get tired of saying this: weather window.

At 7 and 7:30 this morning it looked absolutely terrible outside. 40 mph winds and sideways rain and 40 degrees. Yikes. But I was SO determined to ride outdoors today... and I had just received my new uber raincoat so I slowly went downstairs to get changed with what must have been a determined look on my face.

By the time I went back upstairs to fill my bottles it had improved dramatically. The rain had almost stopped and there was much more light out than previously. Nice. I put on an insane amount of layers and hit the road. By the time I got down to Leschi it had improved even more. It was going to be a good day.

In attendance were Greg K, Tim F, Andrew, Jed B, Dean J. In general the crowd at the Leschi Starbucks was really small. The wind was out of the SSE so all the way down to Renton it was kinda brutal. My legs were feeling like it was going to be a while before they warmed up today as well which was not helping any. But the direction was consistent so I got busy figuring out a route that would take advantage of this on the return trip.

I have not ridden on Jones Road in ages. It has lots of those tiny rises that are no big deal unless you are close to your limit trying to stay connected to the wheel in front of you. Then it sucks. Today it was covered in pine boughs and pine cones. We kept smelling 'Christmas' all the way to the highway. I felt like I could pull for a fair but but then my legs would cave and I had to run for a wheel. As we turned left on Cedar Lake we passed a group of ByrneInvent riders and Andrew (as is his nature apparently) went to the front and started to pull away up the hill. I closed the gap and tried to push it to the top and did not die this time. Better.

As we hit the flats the shoulder was almost entirely obscured with pine branches. It looked really cool to see all that green. The only problem was we had to ride in the road instead of on the shoulder. At least there was not much traffic. I got in another long pull here and then Andrew took over with an equally long stint at the front – go Andrew.

As we headed up Tiger Andrew started to pull ahead so I figured I would try and hang. Last week his left me for dead on all the climbs but I felt a little better today. The guy is at least 30 lb lighter than me so I had no illusions but I was in the mood for an effort so dug in. Slowly we pulled away from everyone else. There was a gap behind us, then came Greg, another larger gap and then everyone else.

Andrew was breathing loudly! Usually it's me that is sucking wind like mad but he does me one better. Just after making it over the steep pitches I looked back and there was Greg! That guy can close a gap in no time flat. Since the road was flattening out I shifted up and stood up and did my best to 'sprint' away from Greg and Andrew. Ouch...! It must have looked like super slow-mo. Andrew had no trouble staying with me and a few seconds later Greg come roaring past me and I yelled at Andrew to go with that. He did. I could not. But after slowing for a few seconds I felt somewhat recovered and managed to shift up again and increase my speed. And then I caught them and even managed to squirt past and create a very short-lived gap myself. Whew, that was a hard hill.

Riding back on Issaquah-Hobart was a dream. We had a roaring tailwind and the road surface is fine. By this time Jed was suffering some so I tried to encourage him. It is no fun to get left behind ever but especially this far from home.

We turned left on May Valley and kept up the spirited pulling. There were a couple of times that I had to give Jed a push to get him back on a wheel but we stuck together. Tim was starting to falter just a bit by now as well. Not Andrew, that guy is doing just fine. If he can combine this strength with racing smarts he will do very well.

We opted for a 'hot' (read: very tepid) lap of Mercer Island and it was one of the slowest I have ever done. Which was pretty much okay with all of us. Tim and Jed came off twice and the second time they were gone. Luckily it was close to the end.

On the last incline Andrew went to the front and I figured why not? I had to close a small gap to get on his wheel and immediately my legs shut down. It was comical how suddenly it happened. Lights out for Martin. Andrew just kept dancing on the pedals out of the saddle all the way to the bridge. Way to go.

Everyone except for Greg and I went through the pedestrian tunnel so we rode for just a bit longer and chatted. It was a nice way to cool down. I need more of this for sure.

I had SO much clothing on... When I got to Rainier I took off my overmits and when I got to Renton I took off my raincoat and when I got to Cedar Grove I took off my glove liners. But no complaints here – WAY better than getting decimated by biblical floods and winds. The Cedar River was pretty damn high today. As we left the Renton airport and crossed the main road you could see the water was just inches below the walking path next to the river. At the top of Tiger we got dusted by a few snow flakes, it was really pretty actually. Exciting stuff.

17 December 2010

training-core | commute

Hours
Sleeping
6 Time
of Day
gym – 5:15 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 10 miles Power  
Time Total
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast  
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food water
Injuries  
Therapy massage
Workout Type  
Weather low 40s, dry, brilliant sun, light breeze
Course
clam knee lifts 3x40 each leg
side leg lifts 3x40 each leg
back extensions 3x30
plank 3 min, 2 min each side
roman chair knee lifts 3x40
hip abductors 3x30 – 100 lb
Results  
Equipment Town Bike
Clothing  

I was just checking the box today... could not wait to get out of the gym and so no stretching or cardio but that's fine. My commute was my 'active recovery'.

On the other hand the ride in to work and home was fantastic. Heading in the sun was dazzling and traffic was light and heading home it was really peaceful and I was enjoying watching my headlight bounce off of reflective surfaces. One thing that should have been a little more reflective was the branch I smacked with my helmet climbing Interlaken but hey, that's what helmets are for. No harm done luckily.

16 December 2010

training-ride | Seattle Multisport

Hours
Sleeping
5 Time
of Day
ride - 6:00 AM
trainer – 6:00 PM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance ride - 23 miles Power 310 watts
Time Total (ride) – 1:30
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 4:00 AM – 2 bananas
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food ride – large bottle w/3 scoops Sustained Energy
trainer - nuun
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather 40-42, dry sky, damp ground, cloudy
Course  
Results  
Equipment Rain Bike
Clothing  

It was a good day. I got out for a real (read: outdoor) ride and had a reasonable evening at Seattle Multisport.

This AM I connected with Greg K, Ryan D and RC R. Greg wanted to go easier as we were going to hit the trainer later on and Ryan and RC did not have an issue with that so we just rolled south. RC has been having a rash of bad luck with flats and that trend continued as he lost air in his front tire at Leschi. Not a big deal tho and we got going pretty quick.

On the way back we went up Alder. Greg had been there Tuesday and said this street had been subjected to a massive mud slide closing the road so we wanted to check it out. Indeed, there was still plenty of mud on the road but we were able to ride through okay. Kinda fun in the dark. Crazy how a hillside can just slough off like that...

I did not feel tip top in the morning and once when Ryan accelerated I was caught off guard and then found I had zero interest in attempting to close the gap.

ASIDE – on the way to my trainer session I passed Ryan on Dexter riding home from work. I first passed him crossing Mercer and he beat me across the Fremont Bridge. Driving sucks.

At Seattle Multisport things went better. Last week I was not able to maintain 320 watts for both 20 minute intervals so today I swallowed my pride and started the first one at 310 watts. Things were going swimmingly when with about four or five minutes to go in the first interval my bike slipped out of the trainer! I almost knocked over the projector and Tim's laptop computer but luckily managed to catch myself in time.

After getting my bike bolted back in I tried to pedal and could not! My watts had somehow been set to something above 2500 – yikes. It took all of the remaining time in the first interval to dial my watts back down to 310 and I was able to resume just as the second interval started.

The last few weeks my second interval has been crap but not today. My cadence was a little slower than in the first but I did not die. And with five minutes left I started to feel better. With two minutes left I increased the watts by 10 every 30 seconds and it was no problem! Whew. Finishing at 350 sure felt good.

Stay tuned – Martin tries to increase that first interval and not blow his wad.

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15 December 2010

training-stairs | run

Hours
Sleeping
6 Time
of Day
stairs - 6:00 AM
run – 12:00 PM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance stairs – 13 flights Power  
Time Total (stairs) – 1:06
Total (run) – 30 min
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 8:30 AM – vat of yogurt, jam, hot cereal, 1 scoop protein powder, banana, water
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food stairs - nuun
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather low 40s, dry sky, damp ground, partly cloudy, pretty calm
Course stairs - Howe Street
run – treadmill, 1 incline, 8 mph (7:30 min/mile)
Results  
Equipment Brooks road shoes
Clothing shorts, Craft short sleeve undershirt, long sleeve active t

Hooray for Ryan D! Man does he push me on the stairs so it was great (read: hard) to see him again. Jim K and Nelson J were also there so a full compliment was in attendance.

I managed to squeeze in two walkers prior to hooking up with Jim and Ryan and then we did nine flights alternating walking and running. After that Ryan and I rounded out the workout with two more walkers. Nice.

IN spite of the additional warm up flights, the first runner was tough. The second and third were significantly easier and then on the fourth Jim took of like a shot and was pulling away from me until we got to the street crossing. This is usually where Jim fades a bit and sure enough I passed him here and from here managed to hang on to Ryan's heels to the top.

On our last two flights Ryan and I were discussing the various sections of the Howe Street incline and we both agreed that the first flight or tow right after crossing Broadway are the hardest. To use a cycling analogy, I keep thinking that if I go hard as I cross the flat street I will have some speed built up and can 'coast' into the steepest part of the stairs. Not so. As soon as you hit that first section east of Broadway you have to dig hard or you will slow to a walk. And then you have to keep digging as the slope doesn't change until you are done. Funny that no mater how long an interval is you can still break it down into specific segments. I hear even 100 m runners need to pace themselves or at least split up the race into segments to ensure that their technique is proper in each section.

At lunch today I hit the IMA for what is hopefully one of my last indoor runs. I did 30 minutes for the second time and my IT band is feeling really good. The only thing holding me back now is running fitness which admittedly will be hard to develop while trying to ramp up cycling but it's just good to know that I am healed up so now it's up to me to maintain all the maintenance so I stay healthy and then next fall I can try again.

My goal for this last fall was to run a 1:30 half marathon and I was totally on schedule to do this... Here's hoping next fall will be at least the same.

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14 December 2010

training-core | spinning

Hours
Sleeping
6 Time
of Day
gym – 5:15 AM
spinning – 12:00 PM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance   Power  
Time Total (spinning) – 45 min
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast  
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food water
Injuries  
Therapy stretching – hamstrings, quads
Workout Type  
Weather  
Course
sideways rubber band walk 3x across the aerobics studio
back extensions 3x30
plank 3 min, 2 min each side
roman chair knee lifts 3x40
hip abductors 3x30 – 100 lb
Results  
Equipment  
Clothing  

Today I did manage to join the IMA. It sure feels strange being back here after spending so much time in this facility as an undergraduate.

The place is huge (it got extensively remodeled a year or two ago) but the racket ball and squash courts are just the same as they used to be and this is where I found myself for a spinning class. All they did was put some acoustic tile on the walls, add a sound system that you can plug an iPod into and install a "big ass fan" on the ceiling. Damn, that thing moves a lot of air.

The bikes were okay except you can't move the handlebars forward or backward so every time I got out of the saddle my knees would slam into the bars. Not so great. The saddle height is also only adjustable in about 1 cm increments and I could tell I was right in between two settings. Oh well.

I went with Andy G (friend and co-worker) so that was good. The instructor was  very average.

The biggest disappointment was that the class was only 30 minutes of work! We diddled around for the first 15 minutes, worked for 30 and then cooled off so we could stretch for the last 10. Whatever.  But I'm just blowing smoke, it's really cheap and beats not doing a spin class at all so I will probably come back. And I'm psyched about being able to run out of here in addition to spinning. And most important of all, I'm psyched about scheduling a break in my day so I actually get away from my desk on a regular basis. that has got to be good.

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13 December 2010

training-core

Hours
Sleeping
7 Time
of Day
5:30 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance   Power  
Time Total
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast  
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food water
Injuries  
Therapy stretching – hamstrings, quads, calves, pigeon
Workout Type  
Weather  
Course
clam knee lifts 3x40 each leg
side leg lifts 3x40 each leg
back extensions 3x30
roman chair knee lifts 3x40
hip abductors 3x30 – 100 lb
Results  
Equipment  
Clothing  

Sometimes things just don't work out.

I got to the gym and realized I forgot my watch that I use to time my plank. Plan B was also not going to work as the clock on the wall said 10:15 all morning long. Not wanting to count to 180 I opted to bag the plank today.

Then when I got to work I was planning on going for a run at lunch and joining the IMA so I could shower after but I had too much work to do so I bagged that as well.

On the up side I finally got some sleep! It felt really good.

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11 December 2010

training-team ride

Hours
Sleeping
4 Time
of Day
9:00 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 60 miles Power  
Time Total – 4:15
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast 6:30 AM – cereal
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food 2 large bottles each w/3 scoops Perpetuem, PowerBar, 1 shot of gel
Injuries  
Therapy  
Workout Type  
Weather low to mid 40s, dry to start and then light rain by the end, not much wind
Course  
Results  
Equipment Rain Bike
Clothing Sugoi shoe covers, Roubaix knickers, Roubaix leg warmers, Craft long sleeve undershirt, long sleeve jersey, wind vest, OR Gripper gloves, cap

A real ride! Nice.

Lots of people showed up including Ryan G, Tim F, Suzie and Greg K, Guy T, Tony B, RC R, Jeff D and others. The goal was to do some hills and Guy was on a fixed gear (78"?) so bravo for him...

We did not go too hard until we hit Tiger and then the pace ramped up some. Ryan was at the front looking like it was no problem and then came Jeff, a new guy, Greg and me. Coming back over Tiger we took it a little easier.

Next up was Squak and damn is that a steep hill. This time I was not able to hang with the front runners and was solo to the top. Those guys just make it look so easy, they were chatting most of the way up for Christ's sake.

ASIDE – my 'new' rain bike is fantastic. I really like it more than my old Bianchi. It's gotta be at least one or two pounds lighter and it handles better. I was up way early this AM getting ready and I'm glad I did.

After Squak it was pretty tame all the way home but I was bushed. I noticed again (too late of course) that I am not eating enough early on in the ride. That and I have not ben doing any long rides so fitness is a factor too.

On the way home RC blew up his rear tire. It was absolutely like a gun going off and Ryan said it caused his first military flash back. Nice. Not. I felt really bad, none of us had anything to fix it with and he had to call home for a ride. That stinks, especially when you are wet and cold.

By the time we crossed the I-90 bridge I was done good and proper and my left hamstring started to twinge again like it was about to cramp. It felt really good to get back home and eat. And shower. And not ride any more. I am such a wuss... 60 miles and I can barely maintain. Not that I was whining during the ride – I was loving it actually. It felt so good to get out on this bike and to ride with friends and to ride up some real hills.

10 December 2010

training-core | commute

Hours
Sleeping
4 Time
of Day
5:15 AM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance 4 miles Power  
Time Total
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast  
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food water
Injuries  
Therapy stretching – hamstrings, quads, calves
foam roller – 5x each leg
Workout Type  
Weather  
Course
clam knee lifts 3x40 each leg
side leg lifts 3x40 each leg
back extensions 3x30
plank 3 min, 2 min each side
roman chair knee lifts 3x40
hip abductors 3x30 – 100 lb
Results  
Equipment Town Bike
Clothing  

That's right, I rode my bike to work (all downhill) and then after work had a beer and took the bus home. Ha!

Core felt okay but stretching is hard...! First of all I am tight and second of all it's difficult to incorporate any new item into your routine, it's so easy to forget to do this!

Oh yeah, sleep? Who needs it. I think I have gotten about 4-5 hours each of the last three nights. Not on purpose mind you.

09 December 2010

training-core | run | Seattle Multisport

Hours
Sleeping
not enough Time
of Day
gym – 5:15 AM
trainer – 6:00 PM
Body
Weight
  Body
Fat
 
Distance run – 3.9 miles Power 1st 20 min – 320 watts
2nd 20 min – 310 watts
Time Total (run) – 30 min
Moving
Speed Overall
Moving
Total
Ascent
  Max Speed
Elevation
Gradient
Breakfast  
Lunch  
Dinner  
Workout Food water
Injuries  
Therapy stretching – hamstrings, quads, calves, pigeon
foam roller – 5x each leg
Workout Type  
Weather  
Course
clam knee lifts 3x40 each leg
side leg lifts 3x40 each leg
back extensions 3x30
plank 3 min, 2 min each side
roman chair knee lifts 3x40
hip abductors 3x30 – 100 lb
run – treadmill, 2% incline, 8 mph (7:30 min/mile)
trainer – 2x20 at 90% of threshold, 2 min rest between intervals
Results  
Equipment Road Bike
Clothing  

Core felt okay, so did the run. This was my first 30 minute run since the beginning of October so hooray for me. But I gotta say, even though my knee and IT band felt fine my running fitness is in the toilet and today I noticed that for the first time. I was sucking a little air at the end of 30 minutes...

At Seattle Multisport we did what I think is (finally) a true 2x20 workout. 10 minutes of warm up with a couple of 30 second efforts and then one 20 minutes interval followed by two minutes of rest followed by another 20 minute interval; both of the 20s were at a consistent 90% of threshold power.

For the first interval I set my threshold power to 320 watts and that was kinda difficult but doable. For the second I started out at 320 and was doing okay but around 10 minutes in my mental focus totally left me and I had to drop it to 310. Not one minute after lowering my power I had to quit. I stopped pedaling and stand up and gulp some air for about 20 seconds and then got back to it. Unfortunately about four or five minutes later I had to stop pedaling and stand again. :( At least this time I did not turn the resistance down.

I was able to ramp up the effort the last 60 seconds so there was a ray of hope in the workout. But damn, that's two weeks in a row I have not been able to do a quality second 20 minute interval. Rats.

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