Biscotti Madness

Yesterday's easy ride:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8277823

Today, Kill HIll Volume 1:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8283777

2:30
41 miles
4600+ veritical feet
16.5 mph

The idea here was to ride light tempo between the hills and hit the hills hard. Smaller hills I hit really hard, medium hills I hit moderately or I would stand, and the 3 colossal hills I just hung on and tried not to blow myself up. Towards the end I felt that my legs had a lot of snap, and I was able to really hammer up the small/middle hills. The last of the 3 big ones was still tough, but I felt I did well.

Compare this ride with the same loop I did on March 12:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7778402

Average speed of 13.6 versus 16.5 today. Form coming along, feeling good.

Tomorrow I'm riding with a big bunch of people, 5-6 hours or so.
 
Didn't talk much about the sunday ride. It was a fast one, well above an effort level I could hope to maintain for anything more than I did that day. The last 2 miles were tough, and I'm glad I ended up at Woody's and didn't have to go all the way home. I probably should do more group rides, with the various hill climb antics and so on, I can only get faster.

Yesterday did an hour and change of recovery, dragging my daughter around town.

Today I went to LM, on the SS, with a 19T on:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8312150

Last week I Was at 10.6, today 11.3. So I think the 19t is the better choice for this week's race. I started with a race lap from last year, and did a 30:30. Then I did an old race lap in 33 minutes. I think I may have to admit that I'm actually faster on the SS right now. I'm starting to see my high-end take shape, so I may just be in the right time at the right place. After the race this weekend I'll take the geared bike out and see what I can do with it there. After the 2 race laps I had an 11.6 average on the ride. Feeling pretty good right now.
 
you should be, you're fawking flying.

how's this for a thought: take everything below a 19T off your cassette for the race. how much more does the SIR weigh over the AIR? is that reality or not?

edit: i just looked at your MB link. that's just insane.
 
bonefishjake said:
how's this for a thought: take everything below a 19T off your cassette for the race. how much more does the SIR weigh over the AIR? is that reality or not?
Click to expand...

I think that one major advantage the SS has is the power transfer from pedals to wheel. With the SS it feels to me that more power is transferred to the wheel and less is lost in the clockworks of the gears. I put Geax tires on this weekend, and that added almost 1/2 pound to the bike. Yet with the 19T I went from 10.6 last week to 11.3 today, and I was at 11.6 after 2 different race laps today. I don't think it's the weight as much as the efficiency in power transfer.

I did a quick search online and couldn't find anything "legit" about it. There must be studies on this somewhere.
 
Took stock of what I've been doing lately, and the fact I'm exhausted the past few days, and did a recovery ride:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8324670

Got a bit out and realized I never put my bike bag on after cleaning the bike this weekend. So turned around so as not to tempt fate. Got it and did another loop. Kept it pretty tame today, really wanted to go light. Still feeling pretty tired right now.

Was going to try and meet up for Jim's ride tomorrow but I have a conf call at 10, looks like. Tried to get out of it but no luck. At least I don't have to go into the city. Hoping to do the Califon-Rockaway-Guinea Hollow loop I did several times over the winter.

Got the new team kits in today so I'll be sporting a new jersey on tomorrow's ride. It looks the same with some sponsor changes.
 
That route does not resemble any recognizable shapes. wtf.

(wasting time while the presentation is printing)

At least you didn't have to go into the city. rainy ride back it looks like

:popcorn:
 
this?
 

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Thursday tempo ride:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8326445

The Ride

The image kinda looks like a big water gun. I planned to do one of my winter base loops but yet another road construction project made me change my course and I looped back towards Pottersville, up over one of the Big B hills, then through the swamp. The vertical per mile is roughly similar to the RV loop I did last week, but this was 18.7 versus 18.9 last week.

HRM

I wore my HRM today and I averaged 138 bpm. WHat does that mean? My old LT used to be around 160. Now is it lower because I'm older, or higher because I'm more fit, or the same? If I say the same, then I may want to get my average HR up over 140 for this ride. Am I going to wear the HRM again this year? I don't know. Maybe for recovery.

Garmin

I may want to get a Garmin 305 if I'm going to do that because a) it's probably pretty cheap, b) I don't want to strap yet another piece of flight deck equipment on my bars, and c) I think the 205 is showing signs of giving up the ghost.

My Left Calf

It hurts. I think I tweaked something on Fred's Wedding Ride and it hasn't been right since. It was getting better but then today I pressed too hard and made it worse again. I had to ease up towards the end because it was hurting me a bit much. I'm not sure how this will effect Sunday's race. I'll suck it up and re-assess Sunday night as I pound a few brews.

Tomorrow

I think I'm going to let my body rest tomorrow. I may do an hour or so at lunch just to get the legs moving and burn some calories. I didn't feel as good as I think I should have today. For sure that has something to do with the calf, but I think I'm still pressing too much. Maybe I need a day off. I need sleep.

My Legs

On Sunday Jay told me one of my legs is longer than the other, which is something I had picked up on a few months ago. He told me today that this is a pretty substantial problem I need to correct sooner than later. So I'm going to need to do that. It may be time to drop some real cash on more comfortable shoes as well.

A First

Today I was the first person to ever wear the 2009 MTBNJ Team Kit. It's almost June and I was in a LS jersey. I have to say, it may already be time to try the medium as the large was a little baggy by the end of this ride.

So

Is this easier to read with headlines like this?
 
[B said:
So[/B]

Is this easier to read with headlines like this?
Click to expand...

Yes. I also like the Fun Fact you provided about the bison. I am thinking a Things I Learned thread may be in order.

As in, today I learned that citrus degreaser burns if it gets in your eye.

Or today I learned that by staying in 2x1 instead of dropping to granny I can muscle my way up the Orange climb and maintain traction.

For some reason I religiously follow this thread, more religiously than I follow my religion. We live our cycling lives vicariously through Norm.
 
Norm said:
Am I going to wear the HRM again this year? I don't know. Maybe for recovery.
My Left Calf
It hurts.
Click to expand...
I think a HRM for recovery rides is a good idea, stay healthy your having a good year. If it means planning more rest/recovery to stay healthy than so be it.

Engignar said:
We live our cycling lives vicariously through Norm.
Click to expand...
NO doubt, I've been eating more popcorn than riding lately:popcorn:😀
 
Norm said:
My Left Calf

It hurts. I think I tweaked something on Fred's Wedding Ride and it hasn't been right since. It was getting better but then today I pressed too hard and made it worse again. I had to ease up towards the end because it was hurting me a bit much. I'm not sure how this will effect Sunday's race. I'll suck it up and re-assess Sunday night as I pound a few brews.
Click to expand...

This may help avoid me having to take out one of your kneecaps before the Stewart race.

(Sorry to hear that hope it gets better)

 
kush said:
This may help avoid me having to take out one of your kneecaps before the Stewart race.

(Sorry to hear that hope it gets better)
Click to expand...

Don't worry Kush...Norm is going to be towing me around the course so that *might* slow him down enough for you 😉
 
Norm said:
My Legs

On Sunday Jay told me one of my legs is longer than the other, which is something I had picked up on a few months ago. He told me today that this is a pretty substantial problem I need to correct sooner than later. So I'm going to need to do that. It may be time to drop some real cash on more comfortable shoes as well.

Is this easier to read with headlines like this?
Click to expand...

how, exactly, does one go about making their legs the same length? i mean, look at bruce lee- his left leg was 1" shorter than his right and he did ok. well, except for that whole death thing. but besides that, he was brilliant.

oh, yes, more easier to read. you need rest though dude. seriously.
 
ChrisG said:
Cleat shims.
Click to expand...

That would seem to take care of the situation where the majority of the imbalance is in your shins, but what if it is in your femur?

'Guess all you could do is "compromise" your saddle offset or maybe mess with fore-aft cleat positioning, yes?

I just noticed recently (really) that my right femur seems to be quite a bit longer than my left. Which explains, I guess, why I can get pain in one knee dialed out only to have it usually show up in the other.
 
Got out for a lunch recovery spin today:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8332726

HRM

Did the HRM again today, tried to keep the whole ride under 120 bpm. I failed, but the average was 110 so it was a legit recovery ride. It's really hard to stay that low, which means it's probably pretty valuable to do these mid/lower pace rides with the HRM until I at least get the lower end of my RPE scale worked out for myself.

Left Calf

Wanted to try and get the whole ride in without the calf hurting, and I was more or less successful. A few times it was tight/sore but all in all it's pretty good. If it weren't for the race this weekend I would likely be fine by Monday. I'm pretty sure I'll tweak it again this Sunday because I have to lay it all out there for the glory of 8th place in the NJ sport class!

Or something like that.

Medium

I tried the medium club cut on today, and it fits. I may or may not race with it this weekend. It fit fine but I may have been holding my breath too. I think this is the end of the line as I don't really see myself fitting into a medium race cut anytime soon. I'm not really medium. I woke up at 179 today. This is medium?

Sleep

9.5 hours of it last night. Damn that felt good. But that's an indication more than anything that I need rest. Traditionally I don't need that much sleep so when I zonk out for 8-10 hours I know I'm toasted. I feel fine today. Hopefully I'll get a good night of sleep again tonight, then tomorrow night is immaterial.

Tomorrow

Ideally I'd get out to LM for a lap or 2 on the SS, but I don't think that's likely to happen. I'll probably wake up and hit the road bike for 1.5 hours or less. Maybe try the HRM again just to get more data so these numbers start to mean something. Probably get a good 30 warmup, 30 hard, then cooldown. Also more strongly considering a 305 now.
 
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