Don't Call it a Comeback

[Norm]

1: 68%
2: 69-83
3: 84-94
4: 95-105
5: 105+

The Friel breakdown is just strange to me. Small L3 spread, low L4 range, and also low bottom value for L5. L5 is typically only what you can reasonably maintain for 4-5 minutes. To that point, threshold workouts are usually done 5% above/below your LTHR.

At this time of year it's enough to pick a HR and try not to have your ride average above that. For you I would say 147 is way absurdly high. Stupid high. 135 makes more sense IMO.

To the point, having those baseline HR numbers is a good place to start. What kind of HR numbers do you pull on mtb race days?

 

[Norm]

Yeah I think I have to step it up a little...My goals are a simple as of now and my riding HAS been inline with what I am trying to do...That is ride 7-8 hours weekly with one of those ride being 2.5 to 3 hours...I have become more structured and haven't lost a bit of joy about getting on my bike...That is what can not be sacrificed (funfunfun)...I have some homework to do...Thanks bro and cya round🙂

Don't overcomplicate it. If you can keep that routine up over the next 5 months you're doing more than most people and will see rewards next spring.

 

[The Kalmyk]

Don't overcomplicate it. If you can keep that routine up over the next 5 months you're doing more than most people and will see rewards next spring.

I have that tendency...Stupid but one of my goals has been to keep it simple😱

 

[stb222]

I have that tendency...Stupid but one of my goals has been to keep it simple😱

don't know for sure, but don't you still fall into the category of just riding more? I think I posed this question to you when you were doing hill intervals earlier this year. I am obviously not a structured guy and don't train, however, I have gone now where this year as far as getting faster but have improved in many other areas. Some of those speeds you posted where waaaaaaay slow especailly considering the lack of elevation change and I would think you could step it up and still keep your heart rate down.

 

[mattybfat]

I have that tendency...Stupid but one of my goals has been to keep it simple😱

Simple is as smiple does 😀 When you coming north buddy...

 

[Norm]

I have that tendency...Stupid but one of my goals has been to keep it simple😱

It's normal. When we don't have 20 hours a week to ride we spend time thinking about how to maximize what we do have. You end up thinking about riding more than riding. That doesn't really work, I've tried 🙂

 

[ArmyOfNone]

It's normal. When we don't have 20 hours a week to ride we spend time thinking about how to maximize what we do have. You end up thinking about riding more than riding. That doesn't really work, I've tried 🙂

If thinking about riding could replace riding, we could be the new Radio Shack team...

 

[kush]

1: 68%
2: 69-83
3: 84-94
4: 95-105
5: 105+

The Friel breakdown is just strange to me. Small L3 spread, low L4 range, and also low bottom value for L5. L5 is typically only what you can reasonably maintain for 4-5 minutes. To that point, threshold workouts are usually done 5% above/below your LTHR.

At this time of year it's enough to pick a HR and try not to have your ride average above that. For you I would say 147 is way absurdly high. Stupid high. 135 makes more sense IMO.

To the point, having those baseline HR numbers is a good place to start. What kind of HR numbers do you pull on mtb race days?

MTB race days are 164-167. Cross is a minimum of 167, up to 171.

Your spread is vastly different. Which is ridiculous.

1 - 114
2 115 139
3 140 157
4 159 175
5 177 -

 

[kush]

Yeah I think I have to step it up a little...My goals are a simple as of now and my riding HAS been inline with what I am trying to do...That is ride 7-8 hours weekly with one of those ride being 2.5 to 3 hours...I have become more structured and haven't lost a bit of joy about getting on my bike...That is what can not be sacrificed (funfunfun)...I have some homework to do...Thanks bro and cya round🙂

When are we riding?

 

[The Kalmyk]

When are we riding?

Honestly I have put together a bunch of suggestions and the one that sticks out is: If you can ride whether it be 45 minutes or 2 hours do it...Two guys have told me that and combined I would say they have 40+ years experience (Ben & ChrisG)....Commuting is VERRYYY helpful for me and I also get out late night after I put the kids down...Like 8-9pm road rides of course😉...But for sure 7-8 hours weekly for the past 2 months and the weight is coming off slowly the way I want it to....For sure I will be at some H2H races next year with the family...For some reason my wife likes the idea of racing and I use that as a reason for me needing to ride a lot...It is working cause she has been giving me my time😀

 

[Norm]

If thinking about riding could replace riding, we could be the new Radio Shack team...

I'll buy you some capacitors.

Kush - yes it is. But to say 20 bpm below your race pace is base building is much more ridiculous. My highest hour this year was 178, the first lap of the 24 hour race. If I tried to keep a 158 HR for 3 hours I'm pretty sure I would catch fire and throw up.

 

[kush]

Kush - yes it is. But to say 20 bpm below your race pace is base building is much more ridiculous. My highest hour this year was 178, the first lap of the 24 hour race. If I tried to keep a 158 HR for 3 hours I'm pretty sure I would catch fire and throw up.

On a few of the PFW rides, particularly when I first started, I would average 153-156 for 2 hours.

But the fact remains that it's silly that methods steeped in science and research be so widely disparate. And I think that I set my LTHR correctly. Do you have your Coggan or whatever you use electronically?

 

[Norm]

It's all online. I'll have to find it later.

 

[kush]

Weekend recap

On Saturday, I did the C's in NJ CX Championship in Pburg. Good start, and then halfway through the 1st lap, disaster struck - somehow my rear canti brake pad lodged itself under the rim, seizing up my rear wheel. By the time I got it unjammed, most of the field passed me.

I clawed back but could not catch up to the front runners. I finished 29 out of 63.

Fun course, the best one I've done yet. Technical with fun features like a whoop downhill and a run up. I saw people literally stop before the downhill and brake all the way down 🙄

Saturday I also ordered a complete upgrade to my main PC. I hand-built that thing in 2004, at that time it was like a supercomputer, but now its like 26" wheels 😀. And none of my laptops do the job.

So for you eggheads, Newegg is delivering this tomorrow - latest and greatest.
Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
EVGA 141-BL-E757-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX X58 SLI LE Intel Motherboard
HIS H467QS1GH Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS
CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
Windows 7

Wohoo, weekend project.

On Sunday afternoon, when the roads were more or less dry and temps were below 30, I took the carbon road bike out to see if carbon would break below freezing 🙄. No such luck. I did the home to Sourlands and back. On top was about 10 degrees colder (and it was night), and roads were a bit slick. Was supposed to be another base building ride, but I think I busted out of whatever 135-140 upper limit more than a few times.

3 hrs
46 miles
2800 ft elev
120 avg bpm
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/20221706

Then my MBU bank was totally busted, and I skipped a league hockey game that night.

Today, I have these spells of kind of vertigo symptoms. And an occasional buzz type sensation shooting through my head. No idea what is going on. Its when I'm sitting still. Maybe its related to that I am a bit stressed about a decision I have to make this week. It's all net net positive and good whatever I decide, but its a big decision.

 

[kush]

Just to catch up real quick, since Dec 6th to today

Which breaks down like this -

Today was an interesting ride, 30 miles after work around Upper Makefield, PA. I hit a pothole and flatted my front tire (tubeless). Have not flatted my road tubeless before. Thought I just burped it and wasted a CO2. Put in another CO2, and it holds for a minute, and then deflates to maybe 20psi. I'm out of CO2. I do have a tube.

I'm in the middle of nowhere. It's dark, and my wife, if I call her, would take about an hour to get here. It's 25 degrees. Before I could scream obscenities at the crisp clear sky, I see a miracle. Two guys on road bikes riding across an intersection right in front of me. I have not seen anything remotely resembling bikes on the whole route. They help me out with CO2, I put a tube in as a sidewall is damaged, and I'm on my way. I lead a charmed life sometimes.

 

[stb222]

I'm in the middle of nowhere. It's dark, and my wife, if I call her, would take about an hour to get here. It's 25 degrees. Before I could scream obscenities at the crisp clear sky, I see a miracle. Two guys on road bikes riding across an intersection right in front of me. I have not seen anything remotely resembling bikes on the whole route. They help me out with CO2, I put a tube in as a sidewall is damaged, and I'm on my way. I lead a charmed life sometimes.

Damn, you lucked out......

 

[kush]

Snow Rides!

I had two back to back snow rides, 6m and CR and had a blast at each. It's a different kind of workout. If you're going into a foot of powder expecting the same ride as you always have when its dry, for sure you'll be disappointed. You walk up hill and you work hard when its flat or down.

At 6m yesterday, I rode with Tony P (parabola6) and teammate Mike (vandbtriver), and we also ran into Neil (NHM) and Tyler (MTBTyler). We made it to Middlebush and took the road back to 27 lot. Jorba-Mexipene food afterwards.

Going through fresh powder was much better than trying to ride on the snowshoe tracks.

My tire pressure on the Mtn Kings when I got home was 7.5 psi. On the road I felt like I would get tossed into traffic at any moment.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/20882581

One highlight was that Mike cut off his hair. Handsome devil, in a hetero sense.

At CR, Kirt and I did about 2 hours all total. Same conditions, maybe a bit less cover, and more trails packed down. We rode along bighit's monster tire tracks for a while. It was a packed down channel about the size of a car tire, and was iced at the bottom. In any case, it was no help because it just messes you up trying to stay in that groove. Fresh is best. But that tire track is just a beast. I have video, but no way I can get to it today.


http://connect.garmin.com/activity/20912816

 

[notwist]

What restaurant was that photo taken in? it looks familiar

 

[BiknBen]

What restaurant was that photo taken in? it looks familiar

That is Le Casa de Tortilla near the Rt 27 parking area of 6-Mile.

 

[kush]

What restaurant was that photo taken in? it looks familiar

It is also a Jorba partner, get a discount with your membership card -

http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14592&highlight=la+casa