Trainer Workout "The Ladder"

Up at 4:35am get the coffee ready, get a bottle ready and another early morning trainer workout...and another ladder. I bumped all three power zones by 5 watts. Then it's jump off the bike wake my son up, jump in the shower, make coffee, make breakfast, and get on the road to work and school. Phew!

10 minute warm-up

5 minutes at 180 watts (2.66 w/kg)

5 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 205 watts (3.03 w/kg)

5 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 230 watts (3.40 w/kg)

3 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 205 watts (3.03 w/kg)

3 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 180 watts (2.66 w/kg)

10 minute Cool Down.

Trainer Workout- The Ladder

Thursday night will be Date Night with my lovely Brandy. I'll be missing one of my primary workouts for this week (65 mile commute). Hence, I decided to add a workout this morning and tomorrow morning. Usually I take two rest days (Mon and Tues) when coming off of back to back climbing century days of Saturday and Sunday. But this past weekend I did two shorter more intense rides, Food Park and Como Street for 51 and 90 miles respectively, instead of going out to the mountains. I was achey most of Monday but this morning I felt fine.

I did a very simple workout. I call this workout "The Ladder". I increase the wattage in each interval until I reach the goal wattage for that day's session (today225 watts or 3.32 w/kg). Then I reduce the wattage with each interval using the same wattage goals as when I ramped up. If you do it right the last two intervals are quite substantial w/kg intervals but since your "top rung" interval was very difficult, the last two don't feel as hard. Also you know you are nearing the end of your workout so you push through the pain.

10 minute warm-up

5 minutes at 175 watts (2.58 w/kg)

3 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 200 watts (2.95 w/kg)

3 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 225 watts (3.32 w/kg)

3 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 200 watts (2.95 w/kg)

3 minutes recovery

5 minutes at 175 watts (2.58 w/kg)

10 minute Cool Down.




SCREEN SHOT OF MY POWER TAP DOWNLOAD ON TRAININGPEAKS SOFTWARE

Notice the long slow warm up? Yeah well when crawling out of bed and onto the trainer straight away--- I needed it ;)

Como Street Training Ride

90 miles 3,000 feet of gain. An urban ride and still averaged 20 mph for the day -- that's total time not rolling time. I'm quite proud of that.






First things first-- The ride starts at 800 am NOT 830am as I have seen on some websites. I left the house at 7:26 and had to hammer out of the gate to make the meet. I was aching from yesterday's Food Park ride. So I didn't get the benefit of an appropriate warm up.

I got to the start at 805am and I could see the the mass of riders overflowing from the bike lane up the road. I had to make the decision then and there will I chase and totally smoke myself even if I get on? Or just let them go and do my own thing. I decided to chase because I could see a rider about a block away and the pack was at least 3 blocks ahead of him. I caught him and asked, "YOU WANNA CATCH COMO?! THEN LET'S WORK TOGETHER!"

We worked well together and we caught the main field. I thanked him for his help and he looked at me and said "there is no way I would have caught them alone no Thank you!" And just like that I had made a friend for the day LOL!

The ride was fast (my perception). I just don't ride that hard alone. But I need the intensity this month and next. I was hanging tough and then we hit Santiago Canyon. I got dropped. I then got on with some stragglers and rode hard with them to the finish. Someday I'd like to hang in to the finish but it's probably not likely. I'm going to have to come to terms with that when the time comes that I know I'm as fit as I can be and the pack is still going up the road away from me.

I also want to send a shout out to Jamie Paolinetti. At the end of the Como Street Ride I asked to take a picture for my son. As I mentioned yesterday my son has been watching the Hard Road DVD for about 1 1/2 years. I can't wait to show him the pictures of both Jason Bausch and Jamie. And then totally unexpected Jamie gave me a copy of PRO isn't that freakin' cool? Yes it is. Thanks Jamie!!!



Jamie Paolinetti




Entire workout



Leaving home late and chasing the main field



Como Street Detail



Extra miles after Como Street

SCREEN SHOTS FROM MY POWER TAP POWER METER DOWNLOAD ON TRAINING PEAKS SOFTWARE

Food Park Training Ride

I had a good day on the bike. The last half of August and September is about intensity as I peak for Furnace Creek 508. I did Food Park for the first time. There were a few sketchy riders and they ran a few stops signs in the residential area. In my opinion, the right turns on red were questionable as well. I do have concerns about the overall safety of this ride. I am a huge proponent of safety on the bike. When riding alone I stop at EVERY stop sign and every light. I have an internal conflict with the way groups ride in urban areas. On one hand, I don't want to be unsafe and on the other I don't want to get dropped or cause a crash if I'm the only one stopping at a traffic control. I guess that's why most weekends you can find me riding solo in the mountains.

As an Ultra cyclist I don't ride in packs. Many of my races break up pretty early and the other races are non-drafting. I felt my pack riding skills were fine. In other words I felt comfortable and not the sketchy rider people had to yell at -- "hold your line!". My sixth sense for the flow of the pack was spot-on. I didn't miss a thing. I ignored many attacks that I sensed wouldn't amount to much but wasted energy.

What helped the most was marking Jason Bausch the whole ride. His experience helped me make efforts at the right times and conserve at others. Even when attacks went up the road he was steady. I learned a lot from him today.

JB was gracious enough to take a picture with me. I took the picture for my son. My not quite 5 year old son has been watching the Hard Road DVD for about 1 1/2 years. He loves the soundtrack and always remembers the roll call of the teams-- Mercury seems to stick out for some reason.

After my shower and my recovery meal it was time to put on my Skins Travel and Recovery tights. I'm planning on doing Como Street tomorrow. A fast recovery and fresh legs will be necessary to keep up with those boys.











TRAINING PEAKS SCREEN SHOT OF MY POWER TAP DOWNLOAD-- 534 WATTS FOR ONE MINUTE

149LBS OR 67.59 kg my

7.90 w/kg for one minute a new PR.

After looking at the graph I am quite sure that my 1 min number would actually be higher than 534 depending on the situation. I remember distinctly what happened. There was an attack which I didn't follow so I surged but backed off. Then I saw JB go and that was the right time to go. As you can see there was

an initial surge to 672 watts

then a pull back down to 240 watts

then another surge up to 885 watts with 10 sec avg at 743 watts

then the last 30 secs (when I should've been fading) I still put out a 553 avg.

ALSO HAD A MAX SPRINT OF 1077 WATTS OR 15.93 w/kg and a 5 sec of 995 watts or 14.72 w/kg good for mid cat four on the Power Profile chart.

Newport Coast Dr Hill Repeats

Sunday morning was an easy and mellow morning. Brandy and I spent some quiet time together while the kids were out playing. We walked the dog and then made and ate brunch together. A very nice morning indeed.

I didn't get on the road until 2pm but still put in a good days work. Hill repeats on a local hill that starts with a 1.5 mile 6% then a flat spot with a slight downhill as you transition to Vista Ridge which pitches up 10-12% before it flattens out for a short stretch and then two more steep pitches.









As you can see above 6000 feet of gain in 43 miles.

Below you will find a detail blowout of one repeat which incidentally was best for the day. It helps to have a rabbit to chase. All part of the plan the month of August and September is about increasing the intensity and reducing the volume.






SCREEN SHOT FROM TRAININGPEAKS

NORMALIZED POWER 280 WATTS FOR A 4.14 W/KG for 21 minutes not bad considering all the flat spots on the climb. And that 983 watt power spike was a weak attempt to sprint the last steep pitch but I didn't make it.

Glendora Mountain Road (GMR) Personal Record

64 MILES WITH 10,000 FEET OF CLIMBING


Since I don't really have a PR for GMR I going to use 45:50 from the gate to the crest on GMR (which is .2 of a mile past the little shack that everyone stops at).




SCREEN SHOT FROM TRAINING PEAKS

NORMALIZED POWER WAS 247 WATTS WEIGHT WAS 149 LBS OR 67.5 KG

3.65 W/KG FOR 46 MINUTES


The graph below is the descent from the top of GMR to the Gate. I was curious what my time and average speed would be. For the locals I included the small roller

AVG SPEED 31.3 MPH
TIME 15:33




216 miles with 13,500 feet of gain

Look dad no hands

Look dad no hands
Originally uploaded by Red Eyed Vireo

Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach
Originally uploaded by Red Eyed Vireo

Relaxing with my son at the beach