Mar 14, 04:10 PM by Steve | Training 3/8-3/14
Posted in Cycling & Training
The theme this week was masochism, or hurting myself for fun. That’s why we do all this, right? For fun? Some uber painful intervals, 100 mile hammerfest (Solvang Century), and killing it at Sunday Worlds. We were all talking about Solvang on Sunday morning, and a few guys were talking about the easier rides they did. I said that sometimes you just have to flog yourself to know what you are capable of.
The Solvang Century hammerfest was that flogging, but it “was a good kind of hurt.” I’m glad I did it, I’m glad I lasted a slong as I did, and I got a lot of compliments about how strong I am riding. Next year I’m using race wheels like Marco. San Dimas, here I come.
Total: 17.6 hrs, 337 miles, 1,050 TSS, 11,877kJ
Mon: 1 hr Goleta/University Loop
Tue: 2 hrs Refugio & Back
Wed: 3 hrs w/5x Farren repeats
My favorite climb (OSM) is closed for the next month and a half unless I get up really early, and I didn’t, so I had to go somewhere else. That somewhere else ended up being Farren, another climb that I haven’t done in ages, and now I remember why. It sucks. It’s not even remotely steady, the pavement is crap, it has huge dips and tons of traffic considering it doesn’t actually go anywhere. I did the first interval way too hard, the second too easy, but finally got the last 3 where I wanted them despite all the dips and crap.
There was a guy riding up with his dog when I was coming down the 3rd time; I passed him on the 4th time up and the dog lunged at me. He was still coming up but appeared to be slowing/stopping on my way down, then on my 5th and final time up, he said something to me as I went by. I didn’t hear what he said and wasn’t going to stop, but thought I might catch him on the way back down. I never saw him again. I wonder what he said. Oh well…
Thu: 2.5 hrs Mariposa Reina & Back
Did .87 IF (intensity factor) over the entire workout today, including a bunch of tempo and 20 minutes of painful shorter stuff. There was an hour in there with an NP of 292, exactly matching my season best from last Saturday (on the Echelon Ride). I’m feeling better about setting my FTP at 290.
Fri: 1.5 hrs Mountain Drive
Nice easy ride down Foothill and Mountain Drive, to Hot Springs and down through Montecito and along the beach. Beautiful day, a nice change from the wind most of the week. A fred tried to race me when I passed him on Foothill but I lost him on Mountain Drive and never saw him again. Recovery pace ;)
Sat: 4.5 hrs Solvang Century
100 mile hammerfest. My computer read a little short but other had closer to 100. It wasn’t very hilly at 5-6k of gain, just a few medium climbs and a bunch of rollers. It was crazy f’ing windy and we started with about 60, only about 6 left when I got dropped. I lost the group when a gap ahead in a massive crosswind and I just couldn’t bridge. The lead group of 3 (Olson, Fennell, and Douville) finished in 4:18. I dragged my ass solo in for 30+ miles and finished with Chester in 4:31. Pretty sure I was the only 3 left when I got dropped, everyone else who finished before me was a pro or 1. That was by far the hardest I’ve ever worked on a bike. Averaged 800kJ/hr for the first 4 hours and then the last half hour was mostly downhill with a tailwind.
Sun: 3 hrs Sunday “worlds”
Today I thought my legs would be jello but I ended up doing really well. I was fried for sure, and felt like crap, but the power was there. I don’t know if everyone was just tired from yesterday but I was up near the front for much of the ride, even pushing the pace and stringing it out at times. But I had no jump left at all and had nothing to respond to attacks, but was able to diesel my way back up. I told Bill I didn’t think I was pushing that hard and he said, “you were.” Nice.
I see that guy with the dog on Farren all the time. The dog likes to chase/lunge at not only cyclists but cars too. The owner is friendly to me and trying to train that dog, while giving him exercise. I only always see him once, and then never again when I“m doing repeats (which given my current work schedule, is pretty much a couple times a week).
— Kimberly at Mar 15, 08:45 AMOSM really is not closed…I went up it yesterday around 4 and there was no one there… the previous day Matt rode it around 5:00 and they were waved through…
— Chester at Mar 18, 09:22 AM