Since yesterday was a relative bust in terms of training I was psyched about hitting Seattle Multisport with Greg K and Ryan D. Good times.
And the weather report looked promising so hopefully I would be able to race at the track tonight as well. Yes!
Riding a trainer is a funny thing for me. And by 'funny' I mean it usually sucks ass and I rarely am up for making it as productive of a workout as it could be. Luckily this morning was a good day.
For the first time I started the workout at a threshold setting of 350 watts and kept it there. I even increased it towards the end.
ASIDE – I think one reason trainers are so whack is that people (read: me) who use them rarely put the numbers in perspective. When I suck I get down on myself and when I do well like today I get all up and forget that I weigh more than the guys I am riding with and that out on the road it's a whole different story. So bottom line I'm busy playing mind games with myself and not just working out.
This 'rest' portions of this workout is 65% of your threshold setting. I have done this at at a 340 watt threshold so today figured I would try 350. The first long interval was tough as my breathing was not very efficient yet meaning I could not get a proper lung full of air but after consciously working on breathing slower and deeper it got much better.
The transition from 100% of your threshold to 110% is noticeable. After a couple of the 1.5 minute intervals I was feeling it! By now Greg was panting pretty good but Ryan was totally silent/stoic. Half way through these 1.5 minute intervals I doubt I can maintain 350 watts but then I'm over the 'hump' and decide to dig in. My legs actually feel pretty good, it's just my damn breathing that is problematic.
Once I finish the 1.5 minute intervals I can totally smell the barn and increase my threshold watts by 10 for each of the 30 second intervals and manage to ramp up the speed to 30 mph for the last one. Whew!
At the track I feel surprisingly good. Not 'quick' but my legs are not full of lead by any means. I get in a paceline for about 15-20 laps, do a couple of 200 m accelerations and then the bell rings.
In the tempo I try to go with a couple of attacks but never get the chance to hit out on my own. Turns out my legs a little slower than I thought. :)
The scratch race is more following wheels and at the end I am a little frustrated.
After one sprint in the points race I am looking, looking, looking but can't find the opportunity to get away. Not having a great jump is definitely hampering me here but I stay close to the front and after the second sprint the pack pulls up track and away I go. Alone. Drat.
As usual I established a good gap right away but then being alone and my AM workout started to collaborate against me and I begin to slow down. Alexie M said my speed looked pretty steady but I felt like I was slowing with every lap. :( With about two laps to go before the next sprint I see one or two people chasing me and one person catches and passes me about 100 m from the line. I get second and then the other guy that was chasing me catches us and we try to keep rolling but the coordination is not really there and we are not fast enough and so the pack reels us in with a few laps left and then I have nothing for the last sprint. Oh well.
With only one group of women and one group of category 4 riders and one group of masters we finish in record time! I am in the car by 8:45 which is unheard of but kind of fun.
The evening started out really windy and cool but as the sun got close to the horizon the wind disappeared, the sun came out and the temperature rose quite a bit. I was pretty overdressed by the time the points race wrapped up. Not that I mind, MUCH preferable to the opposite scenario.
Jim F is toying with us. So is Pekka J and this was (supposedly) his first race of the year! What good is endurance if you can't go fast? Not much when the races are so short.
| Sleep | 6 |
| Waking HR | |
| Body Weight | |
| Body Fat | |
| Breakfast | 5:00 AM – cereal |
| Lunch | |
| Dinner | |
| Workout Food | trainer - water track – large bottle w/2 scoops HEED and one tablet of nuun |
| Injuries | |
| Therapy | |
| Time of Day | trainer – 6:00 AM track – 7:00 PM |
| Workout Type | intervals, race |
| Weather | 60 maybe, mostly cloudy, dry, windy |
| Course | Seattle Multisport warm up (65%) 3 x 3 min w/2 min rest (100%) 6 x 1.5 min w/1.5 min rest (110%) 3 x 30 sec w/30 sec rest (110%) cool down (taper down to 65%) track – Masters 12-lap tempo 10-lap scratch 5 x 5 points |
| Distance | track – 27 miles |
| Time | trainer – 53 min |
| Power | |
| Results | |
| Equipment | trainer - Road Bike track - Track Bike |
| Clothing | knee warmers, bib shorts, Craft long sleeve undershirt, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, cap |
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