"Meanwhile...Back on Planet Earth....."

It has been awhile since I have taken the time to do any posting. Sorry about that! I have been riding however, so let me bring you up to speed on what has been going on......

1. At the end of May 2009, I started travelling to the velodrome (Dick Lane Velo) in Atlanta, and throughout the summer, up until about a month ago , I was training/riding there every Sunday.

2. In the middle of September 2009, I hired a coach (Steve Hill), because I wanted to take the most direct path to getting "fast" on the track.

3. I started a weight training program put together by my coach but based on the principles of Mark Rippetoe.

4. I have gained nearly 20 lbs of lean mass since beginning the program...I was on a schedule to gain about 1 lb per week. It actually worked out to be .8 lbs per week.


Take a look at the pics and see if there is any difference. They aren't leg shots, although I will tell you that I have had to buy much larger pants.


Sooooo this me in mid December 2009



This next one is me in November 2009.




This where I started in September of 2009.

Tomorrow I will stat back up with the training posts!!!!

My Camera Broke...WAAAAH!

This first photo is the final picture my camera will ever take. After the track bike pics, I wanted to take a close up of the wheels, and I dropped the camera, snapping a picture of the ceiling, in the basement of my parents house. The lens broke from the shock of dropping the camera about 6 ft.

R.I.P.


These are pics of the Planet X track bike with the new ZIPP 1080 track wheel set.

The bike does not have the modified handlebars installed, and I just put a set of pedals on that I had lying around....I will be opting for the Speedplay Zero's eventually. Also the stem position is not final yet either...once I get the aero helmet I have been contemplating I may have to tweak the aero position somewhat... we will cross that bridge.....

Training posts to follow!

Day 233: Computrainer Session At Spin Lite Cycling, Hiawassee, Georgia

Went over to Spin Lite Cycling over in Hiawassee, Georgia today to do a Computrainer (CT) session. The weather was cold, rainy, and at times snowing, so going out on the road was out of the question for me. Seemed like it might be fun to ride with others even if it was indoors on the CT.

It was fun, and the workout just flew by...have to do these types of sessions more often!

Got a chance to see my 1080 (1080 front & rear) track wheel set that Lyle over at Spin Lite is building for me:

The wheels are not quite done, but they look kinda cool.
Lyle is still doing some final adjustments.

They should be ready in a few days, then I have to get some tires for them....

Next I will have them on the new track bike!

Day 232: "Testing, And It Is Not The SAT'S"

Today I did my VO2 testing, and I decided to do the test using the Computrainer's Coaching Software in ergo mode. To do so, I set myself a "lofty" goal and then wrote a workout using the Cycling Peaks ERG+ software.

Of course the problem with doing a test this way is that you need to have some idea of what you are capable of doing. Right.

I was a little ambitious with my goal....I was shooting for a 55 watt average increase since my last test which wasn't all that long ago....I only achieved a 35 watt average increase...I wasn't able to maintain wattage in the closing seconds...

I am not complaining!

Day 231: ".....More Than I Can Chew.."

My plan was to hit those 30 second sprints again today. I adjusted the load wattage upwards, by 150 watts on all reps. The result? I only made it to the 20-25 second mark before I began to blow up. Awesome! The push is on! I am confident that by next week I will be ready for another increase...no problem!

UPDATE: The new track wheels are nearly complete. Lyle has completed the rear wheel, and he started the front wheel today, so they should be done very soon...now I just have to decide on tires...

Pics very soon!

Day 230: "VO2 Intervals At Guantanamo?"

I did my VO2 interval workout today....and I kicked it's a**!!! I went through the entire workout, and yes it hurt...a lot. This was the same workout I was not able to finish on Saturday due to the power failure at the restaurant, although I probably would not have been able to finish it regardless...

The Zipp rims for my new track racing wheels arrived at the bike shop today. They are the Zipp 1080's. Lyle over at Spin Lite Cycles is building the wheels for me, using Dura Ace low flange track hubs...my old Campy high flange track hubs were not suitable for the build. This was largely due to the extreme spoke angle at the rim and the short length of the spokes required for high flange hubs.

I will post some pics as soon as the wheels are complete!

Day 229: "Bigger Gears?"

Today I raised the gear I have been training with by approximately 6 inches. After changing the gearing on my track bike I did a number of starts and mid range accelerations. I felt very slow. It is going to take some time to get strong enough to handle the increase.

Day 228: Misery, Pain, Heart Ache, Disease, Long Sprints..They All Go Together."

After my 20 minute warm-up program, I did my 30 second sprint routine. This program has gotten very easy so it is time to kick the load wattage up a few notches. I will be doing this workout again on Thursday so I will revise it for that session. I will probably increase the load for each rep by 150 watts. That should do the trick!

Day227: "Rest, I Have To Beat This Cold..."

Today, I was supposed to go on a road ride with the local club, but between the wind, the low temperature, and my lingering cold, I decided to pass this one up. I ended up resting most of the day with just a very brief ride on the Computrainer.

Day 226: Power Failures & VO2 Intervals (Thank You God!!

Yesterday was tough, but today was VO2 Interval day once again. No prob. I am starting to like these...at least that is what I have been telling myself. I am gullible, so it works.


Today was 4 sets of 3 reps.


After the first set, the load wattage jumps up by about 25 watts for each rep, so after the second set I was hurting. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish the workout.


Then I get the message.


The power is out in the kitchen of the restaurant. Apparently the main circuit breaker was blown, and for some reason, they could not reset it. So naturally I had to stop the workout and get down to the restaurant, pronto.


Thank God! No guilt.


By the time I arrived, at the restaurant, the problem was solved. Miracle?

Day 225: "Do I REALLY Want To Do This?"

These are nearly full track workouts...indoors. My Computrainer is held down to the ground with approximately 400 lbs of weight. The rolling resistance is set at 4.8 lbs...5.0 being maximum. I have my modified handlebars on the training bike today, for supreme pulling power and my hair is just right. Perfect.

I am ready.

I did starts, mid range accelerations, 30 second sprints at high rpm with high power, warm-up, warm-down, and then almost emptied out my stomach. Yuck!

While I was laying down on the carpet on the floor of the bathroom, in between the moments my head was buried deep withing the belly of the porcelain Buddha, I began to ponder some of Life's secrets and my place in the grand scheme.

Riding/racing bicycles...is it really worth all the pain, suffering, & sacrifice??

HELL YEAH!!!

Day 224: "I Hope It Warms Up Soon..."

I am an advocate of the Computrainer (CT). I absolutely love using/riding it, and believe it is a phenomenal training tool. But I have to admit... for the endurance type (levels 2 & 3) workouts, I would much rather be out on the road. These types of workouts require a few hours to complete, and 2- 3 hours on the CT is pure, unadulterated, mental torture.


Since I am trying to recover from a cold, and I am almost there, I am NOT going to ride in the cold. Not yet.


I don't want anymore setbacks.


I used the CT in 3d mode, so I would have some virtual scenery to look at, cranked up my mp3 player, closed my eyes, and rode for what seemed like hours. In terms of reality however, only 7 minutes had elapsed. It was a really long ride...even if it only lasted an hour.


I can't wait for it to warm up outside!

Day 223: Rest or "How Else Do I Beat This Cold Down?""

I had to take things easy today. My coughing during the evening was getting out of control. Soooo instead of getting up early and riding, I slept until it was time for me to get ready for work. Hopefully this will help get rid of the last remnants of my cold.

Day 222: "Can I Trade This In...?"

Sprints today. Starts today. Pain today.

I have a need to go faster. Not just faster on the top end, but faster in getting to the top end. Acceleration. The toughest part about doing these workouts is not the workout itself...don't misunderstand.. the workouts are tough, it is the after effects that are the most difficult to deal with.

My leg is the problem. The accident I had in Wildwood, NJ., back in 1979 still plagues me. Some of the details of that mishap are here: http://backonplanetearth.blogspot.com/2008/07/restart.html

Things like hard accelerations, or grinding away at low RPM in the hills, cause me a great amount of pain, both while riding and afterwards.

Like today. My knee gave out a number of times, and I have been limping around... more than usual...For track racing this year, I don't really have any options, unless I want to be on by back for 6 weeks, which I am not willing to do. I just have to make the best of the situation.

For the road, Lyle over at Spin Lite Cycling is going to hook me up with a very low gear combo...something like 34t rear sprocket for the low end. That should help on the real steep climbs in this area.

Day 221: Easy Day..."Is It Because I Am Old?...

Wow! I am feeling yesterday's ride, and I am feeling it in more ways than one. First, I am coughing a lot today, and I was coughing most of the night....although the symptoms of my cold have diminished, it is still expressing itself. Second, I am tired! I began the calibration ride on the Computrainer and I was exhausted. When I got to the actual training portion of the workout, my heart rate was up fairly high for the low wattage I was producing.

Did you hear that? That was me banging my spoon on my high chair...Waaah!

I joined FaceBook the other day...one of the popular social networking sites. I have belonged to MySpace for a few years, but I have to admit, FaceBook is much easier to use. I have been able to contact old high school friends as well as old cycling friends that I have not had contact with since the mid 1980's. Awesome! I will post link in the links section as soon as I get around to it.

Day 220:" Road Ride With The Guys..."

Sundays. I love Sundays. I love them because I do not have to work. Free time. It is the best!!

Today, I went on a road ride with some riders from the local club (SABA), and it was a total blast. I am not sure if I will ever look forward to riding alone again. My cold really has subsided into near nothingness, just a cough every now and then, although I was fatigued towards the end which is to be expected.

Monday I will begin (again) my gym training. I am really looking forward to it.

Later this evening I have to work through some of the security issues I am having with Vista, so that the TomMeeTom Show will be able to broadcast to blogTV...hopefully within the next week or so. Updates and show times will be available here: http://tommeetom.blogspot.com/ or you can catch a tweet here: https://twitter.com/tomkat4573.

If you would like to be part of the studio audience, send me a note and I will get you an invite.

Day 219: Valentines Day or "The Day The Earth Stood Still"

I did an easy ride on the Computrainer this morning...with just a few easy sprints...I did not feel all that bad, which is good. Since I have had this cold AGAIN, it seems I haven't lost all that much power..not like last time....It pays to keep riding somewhat, if it is possible, when you have a cold. Well, it did this time around.

Valentines Day. In the restaurant biz, this is a big one. Not the biggest, but a big day. This holiday is mostly about what guys have to do for the loved one. Mostly. Yes some girls do things for the guy, but lets face it..if you are guy and don't do something special, something..heroic, to show you care,...you are in the dog house. It is that simple.

With that thought in mind, my sister decided to make it simple for the guys. One phone call for a reservation at our restaurant, and you could have an awesome flower arrangement delivered to your table, with a card, & a musical tribute by the band, when you arrive for dinner. In short it could appear that a guy actually planned something to make his girl feel special. A guy could be a Hero for once...even for just a minute.

We had an ad blasting on the radio about the program, as well as advertised on our marquis. No brain needed.

I told my sister that although the idea is a good one, it would probably not work all that well. Guys by their very nature are not planners. They will not even think about Valentines Day until the morning of. Not because they don't care. X,Yers are only able to think about one thing at a time. It is the way males are wired. Women are the planners.

Result? Like clockwork 3 hours before show time on Valentines Day, that's when the reservations came spilling in, like water over Niagara. I could not have been more right. Guys are always last minute.

Mother's Day is when we should do the flowers thing, because women make most of the reservations for that holiday. They plan ahead, so if I am right the flowers should sell big.

Did I mention, I am a typical X,Yer?

Day 218: Takin' It Easy..."

I did not ride today...for some reason I was coughing way too much last night, so sleep was not great. My cold has eased up somewhat, but is still expressing itself. Surprise.

I have started another blog http://tommeetom.blogspot.com/. It has nothing to do with fitness or politics. It is going to be the official blog site for my upcoming blogtv show(http://www.blogtv.com/ )...The TomMeeTom show.

I know, I know,...."Why?" "Why are you doing this?"

History. Years ago, in the late 90's, I had purchased my first computer with a web cam. Back in those days, Yahoo Messenger allowed you to broadcast to other members. It was pretty cool, although with a dial-up connection, the view was not good at all. Sound was frequently non-existent, and video was like a still life. (Yahoo Messenger still has some cool broadcast features, but AIM's blogtv is definitely a cut above. So we will be broadcasting from blogtv.)

That was when the TomMeetom Show first began. I would broadcast on the fly with a talk show format,to some of my followers , and despite the technical issues, the show was hysterical. I still have some clips from the old TomMeeTom show on the hard drive of my ancient computer. I will post some from time to time on the TomMeeTom blog site.

I have already started writing material for the show, and although there will be a lot of ad-libs, we still want to have a definite format so each episode is entertaining. We?

I used the word "We" because some people have expressed an interest in being involved with the show, in fact we will even have a house band...plus a few other surprises. Awesome!

Day 217: "This COLD, I Hate It."

Is hate a strong enough word? I am still feeling the effects of this cold. I cough most of the day and night WAAAAAAH!

So I am a baby. I confess.

I rode my bicycle on the Computrainer today. Does that make me a hero? Hardly. HOWEVER, what is kinda cool is that I did 1 set of 3 reps of VO2 intervals, AND I increased average wattage for the "power on" interval by 30 watts.

Now I am beyond where I left off, when I had caught that last cold.

I can't wait to get over this one. My goal before this training phase is over is to gain another 50 watts on the VO2 intervals. It is not that far off.

Wish me luck!

Day 216: "My Head Is Clogged..."

The cold has moved from my throat and has evolved into a full blown head cold. My head feels like a ticking time bomb of mucous. This morning however, after I warmed up, my sinuses cleared up enough so I could breathe fairly well.

I had a decent workout considering I am ill. I am hoping I don't lose too much power while this cold lingers.

I am being optimistic. Did I mentionI turned 49 today? Where have all the years gone? I guess I am about to begin Tom Moschetto Part II.

Day 216 Part II: Nostalgic Moment or "I Really Loved That Car..."

Before I moved down to Georgia in February of 2004, I sold some of my toys..namely my 2001 Porsche. Here are some pics behind our building in Englewood, NJ.



This a front view with my 2004 Tahoe behind the Porsche. Ultimately I brought the Tahoe to Georgia.

Another side view of my car behind T&A Catering, Inc. in New Jersey.

The 996 was actually my second Porsche. My first was a 1999 Porsche Boxster, with two tops and the Tiptronic transmission. I traded that one in for the '01.

Day 215: I Have A Cold Again, But I Am Riding (Easy)..."

I rode easy today on the Computrainer. I did a brisk 20 minute warm up and then another 45 minutes with some 30 second, high rpm, low power sprints.

I have to keep riding through this illness, it took far too long to come back after the last cold.

Day 214: "No Riding...I Am Sick Again..."

No riding today and I can't talk about it.

Day 213: Sore throat?? NOT Again?

Can you believe my (expletive deleted), (expletive deleted), luck!!! I woke up this morning with a (expletive deleted), (expletive deleted), sore throat. I am getting another (expletive deleted), (expletive deleted), (expletive deleted), (expletive deleted) COLD!!! AAAAHHHHHHAHAHHHHHH!!!!!!

Day 212: "VO2: More Power?"

Wow! I increased another 10 watts average on the "power on" intervals of my VO2 workout. The cool thing about it is, I think I can bump it up another 10 watts without any problems.

I didn't do the full workout, as I did not have enough time, but the difficult reps & sets were not as rough as I thought they might be. I am finally back up to the wattage I was doing BEFORE I caught that cold...!

Day 211: "Starts, Starts, Starts..."

Today I did "starts". Now typically you do these from a complete stop, and then accelerate as fast as you can over a short distance. Usually somewhere between 50 - 60 metres on a velodrome or at least a straight, flat, road. That's typically.

This isn't typical.

I have to do these on the Computrainer (CT), indoors. The main issues are things like wheel slip, & the CT dancing across the floor.

For wheel slip I have the press on force set at near maximum (5lbs) usually around 4.5-4.95 lbs. Plus, I use the Continental Hometrainer tire. For gearing I am still using a 44x14. The next time I do starts I am going to raise it up...a lot!

As far as the issue of the CT bouncing across the basement floor, I have 400 lbs of weight holding it down. It still moves slightly, but it is manageable.

I do these in 3D mode which is supposed to be similar to riding in the real world. Feels much harder. I race against the pacer, and I have his wattage set at 1800W. He kicks my butt every time..but not by as much as he used to!

Day 210: Recover?

Usually when I do a recovery ride, it is always fun. Just time on the bike, nice and easy, enjoying the experience. It is outdoors, on the road. Great!

Not this time.

Because of my dog sitting duties, while my parents are in Florida, I don't have time to get out on the road. It is just not possible. So I have to do the ride on the Computrainer. Can you say BORING? Say it with me...BORING.

The hard workouts, whether a series of 20 minute intervals, or sets of VO2's, those are much easier mentally for 1-1.5 hours than just riding easy with no short term goal (ie., finishing the interval).

Music, movies,..doesn't help.

So I have an idea....using the blogtv function of AIM or perhaps the broadcast function of yahoo messenger, it may be possible for fellow indoor trainer users to ride together and at least "pretend" we are on a road ride together.

More on this as it develops.....

Day 209: VO2 Increase!

The funny thing about VO2 intervals, if in fact, something funny can be said about them, is that your power picks up fairly quickly. So even though they are on the painful side of life, the benefits build quickly. Immediate gratification. I like that.

I essentially increased each "power on: interval by 10 watts average. I use a declining power profile while doing these, so the power at the start of the interval is quite high. When I increase power, I maintain the same slope by increasing both the upper and lower limits. This is done using the Cycling Peaks ERG + software.

Day 208: "yA BABY!"

The following are some vids taken during my morning workout. Be kind.

Day 207: Monday Musings

Today was an easy day....so I decided to talk rather than type.

Day 206: Road Riding: "More Fun Than The Computrainer?"

Today I went on a ride with some fellow members of the local cycling club, the Southern Appalachian Bicycle Association (SABA). It was a lot of fun riding with people once again. Time absolutely flew by.

We met in North Carolina, close to the Georgia state line at a place called the John Campbell folk school, and from there we cruised around the area for a few hours. Awesome! I can't wait to do it again!

I need to change the gearing somewhat on my road bike. Originally my bike was equipped with a compact crank set-up with 34-50 chain ring combo, which provided some really low gear ratio's. With this set-up, I could maintain a fairly high cadence when climbing most hills. Since installing an SRM power meter, my chain rings are now 38-53. Not quite low enough.

My bicycle has a 10 speed cluster on the rear with a 27 tooth cog for the low end. If I can get a 29 tooth cog, for the low side, that may solve my issue. Hope so!

Day 205: Starts & Mid-Range

I did starts today, alternating between a seated position and a standing position.

I began with a 20 minute warm-up, hit the starts, then did a few sets of mid range acceleration, followed by a 20 minute wind down. I felt fairly good, and power has increased somewhat, but not as much as I would have liked.

Day 204: "It's Confirmed: I Am A Moron....Oh Did I Mention I Did VO2 Intervals Today..."

While at the restaurant, I had to do a number of errands to complete in a short amount of time. So I got in my truck and jumped to it. I noticed that my fuel was running low, but the fuel light had just come on, and the gas station is only 3-4 miles down the road. Besides, I have driven with the fuel light on for miles...I have never run out of gas.

After completing the "chores" rather than pull in to the fuel stop, I continued on to the restaurant...I could fill up on the way home...I wanted to make sure we were ready for the dinner rush.

The night is over, the party is over, the restaurant is closed. I have to walk the dogs

I start my truck, and begin to make my way home. Glancing at my fuel gauge,it appears to have an ominous, "out of gas" look to it. Undaunted, I plunge on ahead. One mile, two miles, three miles, almost there and then I feel the engine sputter...the glass is un full.

No problem because the gas station is just in front of me, I am on a down hill, and I have lots of momentum. I am going to roll right up to the pump and fill up. Shock.

The gas station is closed....or from the "glass is half full" perspective..the gas station is un open.

Closed, un-open, all means the same to me...NO gas.

So...being a non-cell phone kind of biped, I begin the walk back to the restaurant in total darkness. Young Harris truly is in, the middle of nowhere. I figure that I will grab one of our trucks, locate a gas can, drive to a gas station that should be open and.....problem solved. Right?

Not quite.

After 45 minutes of walking, I realize that I don't walk much. My hips are sore and injuries to my leg from the past have made me fairly lame. This is when I realized, that after getting gas and filling up my truck, and returning the other vehicle, I would have to walk BACK to my truck.

SO I called my sister...and she agreed to give me a ride, after I told her where my truck was beached. I hang up the phone and wait. After 20 minutes, I see my sister driving by the front of restaurant, and she is not slowing down... or stopping. She is driving to my truck WITHOUT ME.

WHY? WHY WOULD SHE DO THAT?

It's simple. I neglected to tell her that I was calling her from the restaurant. She thought I was calling from a pay phone. Realizing I was not with my truck, she ended up driving up and down the road looking for me. Finally after driving through a road block/check point a few times she went back to the restaurant...2 hours later.

I did VO2 intervals today.

Day 203: "Easy Does it,...Or Does It?"

Recently, I was in my storage garage looking for some wheels to take the Campagnolo Record hubs out of, to use on a new set of Zipp wheels I am having built. They are high flange track hubs which, although 30 years old, have only been used a handful of times. If we can get the correct spoke length for the Zipp 108 mm rim (620), we may be able to use them.

Anyway, I came across some boxes that had some mementos from my past cycling days...(almost at the beginning of my cycling history). Namely Official Race Programs of National Championship events. These were from the years that USA Cycling was called The Amateur Bicycle League of America (ABLof A)

1971 National Championships Portland, Oregon

Alpenrose

1972 National Championship Program Kenosha, Wisconsin

(My First Nationals Competition)

In the early 70's I was in the midget class (9-11 years old) and we competed on fixed gear, single speed track bikes with 24 inch wheels and at least one hand brake for when these bikes were used for road races or criteriums. In earlier posts I have some pics from the racing in those days. Many riders who are now considered legends, began their racing careers in the midget racing class.

I decided to scan a few of the covers of my early days of competition at the national championships...ironically I can no longer locate the programs from the latter years...especially 1984, the year I won a bronze medal.

Day 202: Mid Range Acceleration Revisited"

Today I did my mid range sprint workout. I am pleased because power is coming back. I am consistently reaching higher power outputs. Amen. These sprints require a lot of concentration, and they build explosive power. They really challenge me and at the end of each effort I am completely drained. Maybe I am just getting old, maybe the sprints aren't that tough at all. Maybe.
The above is a pic of me adjusting my seat position slightly upward. During the warm up, the seat clamp must have worked itself loose and the seat was starting to move around. Distractions.

Day 201: "Took The Day Off = Guilt!"

Guilt. I did not ride today. Guilt. When I don't ride I feel like I am missing something. In reality, I am missing something. Every training day is important. I must stay on the path and remain focused on the goal.

Did I mention I am feeling guilty?

Day 200: Easy Sprints, High RPM

It was crazy at work today...or should I say it was crazy during lunch at work today...dinner was SSSLLLLLLOOOOWWWWWWWW! Business has been extremely unpredictable these days. Some days it is so busy, I can't believe it could ever be slow, and at other times it is so slow I can't believe it could ever be busy. Weird.

Today I hit the High RPM sprints, at low, to moderate load. The sprint lasts for 30 seconds. I wasn't feeling too great doing these today. Not sure why.

Day 199: VO2 Intervals Revisited....

Today I ended up doing VO2 intervals on the Computrainer. I had planned on doing a 3-4 hour road ride at power levels 2-3, but it was overcast all day. I did not want to get caught in the rain in this cooler weather. I can't withstand another cold.

The workout lasted 1.5 hours and I have not raised power on the intervals since the last VO2 workout. After today I may bump up the "power on" avg about 10 watts more. I am somewhat apprehensive about doing this because I am just barely making it through each interval. Perhaps I will just increase the avg. power on 1 or 2 reps within each set, and build up each set gradually.

Sounds like a plan.

I also tinkered around with my track bike today. I am itching to get on it and see how it handles.

Day 198: "Why Is My Back Killing Me?"

Today I am supposed to be doing VO2 intervals, and it doesn't look like I am going to get to them. My back is in spasms, and I am not sure why. I didn't even really notice it until I stood this morning then WHAM!

I am going to give it a rest.

Day 197: "30 Second Sprints...High RPM"

Today was a good day. I was able to finish all reps and all sets of my 30 second, power on, sprints. I keep the RPM's over 150 for the duration and that kicks my heart rate way up. I am doing these on the Computrainer in ergo mode.

It is time to raise the resistance.

It is starting to get warm again so I will either shoot down to the track on some upcoming Sundays (Dick Lane Velo), or take my track bike out on the road. The indoor training is getting to me mentally. I want to be outside!!!!!

Day 196, Part 1: Supertuck On Planet X: "Possible?"

This is a pic of the Supertuck position on my Planet-X track bike, set-up on the Computrainer. As you can see it is very compact, and this position generated some very low aero numbers.

The following two pics are the Supertuck position on my old sprint bike, set-up on the Computrainer. In these pics I am sprinting at 150-160 RPM under load. The entire sprint lasted 30 seconds. The first pic was taken after approx. 10 seconds.

The last pic was taken after 20 seconds, but not quite 30 seconds. It is evident that at this point I am beginning to come out of the position. The more I practice sprinting in the Supertuck, the longer I will be able to hold it.

So far, what I have practiced on the road, is an acceleration up to speed out of the saddle, then sitting and continuing the acceleration phase, and then, tuck. It is taking some time to get used to, but the technique is coming together.

I can envision the Supertuck working in the flying 200, but I am not sure how stable it will be when elbows are being thrown in a sprint match. What is cool about the set-up is that I can go into the Supertuck at any time...or not depending on conditions.

Day 134-195: Back On Track & The Closet Is Cleaned Out

I am back from a long, depressing, silence. Since my last post I have been riding trying to stay on the program, but I have had 2 colds ( about a month apart) which really kicked my butt. Each time I cut down training, and coming back seemed like I was starting from square one.

During my absence I did achieve a couple of long awaited goals. First and foremost I completed the bulk of my aero testing. In doing so I nailed down my sprint position with a very low CdA. I have also completed (with the help of many friends) the equipment modifications and have been experimenting to determine the actual power increase. It has been difficult to determine because of illness, but I think I have it figured out. More on that later on...

My track bike is completely together now. I have training wheels on it but I am ordering a set of wheels that feature the rims used on the Zipp 1080. I believe the rims by themselves are designated 620 tubular. I will most likely be using hubs from the 50 or so sets of track wheels I have in storage from way back when...I have a lot of equipment from the old days.

Today was a good training day...I did VO2 intervals and I was able to push my avg wattage up for each 2.5 minute power on interval by 20 watts. This is the third 20 watt increase in the last 3 weeks. Hopefully, I will back to where I left off in another week or two.

Power on my sprints on the Computrainer has dropped somewhat, but I am confident it will come back, and then some. On a road ride 2 weeks ago, I had my all time highest 5 sec wattage (as measured by my SRM)...in fact all 6 of the sprints I did on the ride were above what my previous best was in 2008, by over 100 watts.

So I am back...sorry to have been away for so long!

Day 122-133 "The Cold That Took Over"

I am finally starting to feel better. After so many days my cough and cold have finally subsided. Although I ahaven't been riding, I have used this time to continue working on my aero position for sprinting.

Day 121: Cold Hostage Crisis...

This cold has really taken hold...I am going to sit this out for awhile.......

Day 120:" Damn This Cold Hostage Crisis......"

Sunday and I am going to sleep all of today. My head feels like it is about to detonate. I hate this.

Day 119: "DAMN THIS COLD!!!???"

It has finally hit me. Damn. More later...

Day 118: "45 Seconds, Last 5, Hell?"

These are what I envision to be similar to a flying 2 laps at T-Town. I use the Computrainer in Ergo Mode and crank up the load wattage for 45 seconds. The real work hits with about 5 -10 seconds to go, nearly detonating my legs. I am almost always sore the next day after doing a few sets of these.

Day 117: The Finish....

This was the last few seconds of a sprint I was doing...(I forgot to hit the the record button just before the interval started..I started the recording just before the sprint ended) I was using the Computrainers Ergo Mode and I had the load turned way up. My heart rate spikes really fast when doing these efforts..I go from 121 to 185-190 in about10-15 seconds.

Day 116: VO2 Intervals

What can I say? VO2 Intervals are probably one of my least favorite workouts. I know, I know, I have to do them, and I know I sound like I am whining...

I did them. Enough said!

Day 115: Mid Range Acceleration...

Today's workout was more Mid Range acceleration. I am seeing incremental improvements in all aspects of each interval..so I am pleased!

I am almost ready to increase my gearing, by approximately 2 more inches, I just need to squeeze a few more RPM's out of my legs before doing so. I jumped up a couple of rev's on today's workout so I am confident I can gain about 6-8 more.

Day 114: "Monday?...Again?"

I did my usual Monday routine which is about an hour and a half....the half being the warm up part of the workout. Did a few sprints at high rpm, for 30 seconds and to be honest, I am feeling the inconsistency of the last 2 weeks. I will get back on track!

In looking over my power spreadsheet for the last 2 months...I have noticed that my worst performances now.... are much better than my best back in September. I guess I am happy about that!

Tomorrow will be some Mid Range Acceleration!

Day 113: "Aero...Aero...Aero?"

I didn't do any riding today as far as training is concerned. Saturday was a late night at the restaurant and I still feel like a cold is coming on.

It was a beautiful day however so I decided to some more aero testing.

I wanted to check the aero of the Supertuck position on my track training bike, to attempt to dial in the best aero set up. The first few runs produced abysmal results...nothing close to what I was shooting for. CdA measurements ranged from .340 to .428. Horrible.

As a result I decided to double check the aero results of the "Supertuck" position on the road bike. I did over 20 trials using the iBike Aero, on the same stretch of road and then averaged the results after throwing out the high and low values.

Result? A very low CdA of .145 was obtained.

Realistic?

Not sure. Maybe.

I am going to do some field testing using a method that employs an SRM power meter as outlined by some of the guys on the Wattage forum.

Afterwards I compared my position on the road bike to to my position on the track bike. It is somewhat difficult because of the different geometries involved...but I did identify some significant differences.

After I iron out the differences between the two set ups, hopefully I will be able to bring the "Supertuck" position on the track in line with the road bike version....

to be continued....

Day 112: Quantum Leap Part II

Today I took it easy on the Computrainer and tweaked or I should say worked on the sprint position somewhat, but there is only so far I can go without making modifications. By modifications I have to alter existing equipment. Which I am prepared to do!

I was down at Spin Lite Cycling today and Lyle hooked me up with some steel tubing ..I just have to measure how much I am going to need. Another person Lyle introduced me to, indicated that he would do the welding for me to help create the prototype.

You are probably wondering what I am talking about. Sorry. I can't discuss what we are doing... until we can demonstrate that it works. The theory is very simple, so simple I am surprised to find that no one has attempted or utilized this design for sprinting...yet. As stated in an earlier post, a first approximation of the "position" kicked up my power by over 110 watts...I am hopeful that the final position yields greater results.

Day 111: "Rest Again...AAAGH!"

Felt that cold again. I was congested this morning so I am taking it easy.

Day 110: Quantum Leap

Today was a sprint workout day. I made some incremental changes to my position on my track bike as discussed in an earlier post...I utilized some old equipment to bring my position closer to what I feel may be the ultimate for producing acceleration power. This position will not yield a low CdA, but from what I can see at this stage, I should be able to still achieve a low CdA once I make some equipment modifications.

I am aiming for a CdA in the .190 realm for a track sprint position with no aero equipment added....any advantage disc wheels, shoe covers, helmet, etc. may provide ...will be a bonus.

So here is the news....I am at the halfway point in terms of where I can go with this new position. I am not going to say what I am doing exactly, but it has the potential to change how sprinters set their bikes up....I am in uncharted territory with this new position as my power output has spiked upwards once again, compared to less than a week ago. By uncharted territory I mean, I have never been able to ouput this kind of power before.

I think we do things just because "we have always done them that way" but if we take a fresh look from a slightly different perspective, sometimes we are able to see other possibilities. After looking at dozens of starts of World Championship events like the kilo, pursuit, etc. and then watching some BMX vids, I have had a flash of insight.

Once I get the position dialed in for both power production and aero, I will most likely head down to the velodrome to do some testing at speed. At that point I will post some pics as well as numbers.




To Be Continued...

Day 109: "Gettin' Back In The Groove.."

After being off for a few days due to potential illness I did some easy...20 minute intervals. I also Tweaked my track bike once again for tomorrow's workout...more on that tomorrow!

Day 108: Rest

Giving rest another chance ..I do not want that cold I thought I was getting a couple of days ago.

Day 107: Resting???

Today I rested once again...no riding....the cold I felt coming on yesterday seems to be under control...I feel GRRRRREAT!

Day 106: "I hate sore throats..."

I woke up this morning with a very sore throat. I feel like I am getting a cold....and it seems like it is going to be a rough one. Yuck.

Day 105: BADA! BING! BANG! BOOM!

I have been studying the position BMX riders utilize... as they make incredible amounts of power. In doing so I have experimented with changing my sprint position on my track bike to incorporate these findings with the new aero position I have been developing with Allyn. The aero is still being worked out...but with just a small change in positioning, my acceleration power jumped over 110 watts from one workout to the next. I am making another incremental change next week in my position and we will see what the results are!



I am also anticipating the new Trainer Race Platform (being developed by myself and an associate) for the Computrainer which will hopefully solve nearly all of my sprinting issues on a trainer. More on that topic as it develops!

Day 104: "Does it ever get any easier?"

WOW! Had a decent workout today but I felt tired. The sprint training is coming along yet lately I haven't felt very strong or powerful. I know that it is probably all in my mind, because my numbers have been improving steadily, but I feel I could do better.



I have to keep focus and stay on plan. Easier said than done.

Day 103: "High RPM, High Power..Or Just Wishful Thinking?"

These workouts are definitely a challenge.

Day 102: "It Is Coming....It Is Coming..."

Doing Mid Range Acceleration today, power jumped up by 25 watts. I felt very good. I hope the trend continues. I am going to change my position somewhat. I been looking at some other possibilities which I have picked up from looking at BMX positions. No results yet, but I will post info as soon as I get it figured out.

Day 101: High RPM... Low Power

Tomorrow is another Sprint day so I am just doing some high rpm work without much of a load. See how things turn out tomorrow!

Day 100: "Mondays??"

Today was my usual Monday morning workout which is always EASY!!!!! My legs were a little on the heavy side

Day 99: Road Ride..Tandem Sprints Revisited

I went on a road ride today, and did about 42 miles. Mostly rolling hills with some really cool decents. Added a few sprints into the mix toward the end and although I was somewhat fatigued, I had some good power numbers. Awesome!

I was thinking about the past again today and of course my mind always drifts towards all the tandem races we rode at T-Town way back when. Below is a pic of one night of tandem racing.

Tom Moschetto & Jim Alvord vs Daryl Benson & Allen Hunter
Tandem Match Sprint

1983

Trexlertown, Pennsylvania

I had a Schwinn Tandem in those days which was given to me by Syl Grieco. It was built for his son Allen for the 1964 Olympics. History.

Day 98: No Ride Today

Late night at the restaurant last night....took the day off from riding.

Day 97: "Easy Does It..."

I took it easy today.... only 45 minutes on the CT.

Day 96: Finishing Again...

Todays workout was once again done in ergo mode on the Computrainer. I was only able to do 2 sets of the 15 second efforts. I ran out of time!

Day 95: Mid Range Acceleration

Today was Mid-Range acceleration day. Power improved somewhat...but the increases are slow in coming. I take data from the file and place it in a spreadsheet to calculate acceleration from the start to max power, then from max power to max speed, over 150 metres. The spread sheet reveals some interesting results. Example: after max power is reached, speed still increases as power output declines....

Day 94: VO2 Intervals...Again...

Did VO2 Intervals today, and I felt GRRRRRRREAT!!!! ENough said!

Day 93: "The Beginning of The Week Again..."

Here is the new track bike with the new Dura Ace track cranks..I opted for Dura Ace so if I decide to put a track SRM on the bike...the switch will be easy...

I have an old wheel on the rear and a road wheel up front for now....I have nearly 30 sets of old track wheels in storage from my younger days ....they are all getting rusty......

Day 92: Aero Testing Track Position Part 1.....

Today was the day I was going to do some more aero testing..this time on my 30 year old track bike. The geometry is nearly identical to the new frame I just bought plus I have all kinds of bars and stems to do plenty of mix and matching. Once I get the right combo...I will copy the position to the new bike. That's the hope anyway!



We used an iBike Aero to measure CdA over the same course that my road bike CdA was measured. The weather conditions today were very windy...lots of gusts and cross winds. Bottom line is the data is suspect because the conditions were not optimum.



The data was all over the place....so I am not going to even report a figure...values ranged from .162 up to .249.



I will do some more testing another day!

Day 91: "Getting Old...WHY?

Long day at the restaurant yesterday. Took things easy today...45 minutes....EASY!easy

Day 90: "THe Lonnnnng Way..."

Today's workout consisted of sprints using the CT in Ergo mode...the efforts lasted between 10 seconds and 30 seconds in duration...After calibration the workout began with a 20 min. warm up and then I did 2 sets of 3 Reps at each level. Power levels for each of the efforts were based on 90% of 5 sec power for the sets at 10 seconds down to 75% of 5 sec power for the 30 second efforts.



Originally I was doing the efforts in this manner to improve my finish. Although I am getting stronger, and holding on longer following this protocol, my acceleration numbers do not indicate any improvement in slowing the rate of decay of my finishing sprint. My peak power goes up, my acceleration goes up, but my rate of decay in terms of wattage, still decreases at the same rate.



I do mid range acceleration workouts in 3D mode on the CT or on the road with my SRM.



To be continued!

Day 89: "Restin' up...."

I did an easy workout on the Computrainer today...so I will be fully recovered for the next sprint workout. Not all that much to report..other than I am still playing around with my position.

Day 88: VO2 Intervals...

Still using the same format as last time for these intervals...2.5 minutes power, 3.5 minutes power off...wattage has increased by 3%.

Day 87: 'Sprinting...Training....Whining?"

Cover of the Sports Section of The Allentown Morning Call after The Hamilton Mall Sprints

1983 Allentown, PA.

After the road ride on Sunday I am still feeling tired, and the results of today's sprint training indicate such. I was of by 80-100 watts on all aspects of my power output. I definitely need two days rest in between hard workouts.

I guess Sunday hurt more than I thought it would!

Day 86: Easy High RPM

Monday is always an easy day...so far at least. I did my lower load high rpm sprints today...they felt good even though I was a little tired from yesterday's road ride. Tomorrow I will be hitting a power workout.

Usually, when I wake up in the morning I check out a variety of news sources..to see what is going on in the world. By the time I get done reading all the headlines I am so stressed out and angered that I can't wait to get on the bike. I can't wait for the election to be over!

The crank set for my track bike should be in some time this week and hopefully, by the end of next week it should be ready to ride. Cool. I am still working on the position but things are in the fine tuning stage...just need to finish aero testing...

Until tomorrow...!

Day 85: Road Ride

I did a road ride today with Allyn, and although I felt fairly strong, the hills in the beginning of the ride made my knee hurt. I have been doing a lot of high RPM training so the grinding up the climbs was PAINFUL.



I injured my knee as well as most of the rest of my body in a racing accident way back when. You can read more about that here:

http://backonplanetearth.blogspot.com/2008/07/restart.html

Day 84: Rest

Had a long day at work yesterday and finished very late last night. Going to take the day off.



See you tomorrow!

Day 83: VO2 Intervals

I have started my VO2 intervals once again. I am building VO2 max for this next phase and beginning with 2.5 minute power on efforts with 3 minutes recovery between efforts. Workout consists of 4 sets of 3 reps, 6 minutes rest between sets. I use a declining power profile on these, average wattage for each effort is about 110% of threshold.



After the workout, I realize I can probably increase the intensity by about 3-5% across the entire workout. My goal is to increase load wattage first, then duration.

Day 82: "Sprints...The Finish"

I increased the load wattage yet again on the Sprint Finish workout I have been doing..I have also increased the duration, as well as the number, of efforts. My ability to hold high rpm (>170-185 rpm) at higher wattage is improving. A short while ago, sprinting at high RPM with little or no load wattage would cause me to fatigue very quickly...now I am not dropping off any where near as much under load, plus I am able to hold on for much longer.



Still a long way to go!

Day 81: "Rest?..Is it really necessary?"

Took the day off today, to catch up on some rest...power is increasing on all aspects of the sprint...slow but sure....so i want the trend to continue!

Day 80: Sprints..Again? Awesome!

1972

Kissena Cycling Club Labor Day Track Meet

Flushing, New York

Midget Event (10-12 yr old)

Left to Right: Italo Bastianelli (3rd), Chris Pavich (1st) Tom Moschetto (2nd

Day 79: "Two for One"

I am trying to get back into my groove this week...I rode this morning which was an easy recovery ride with a couple of easy high rpm sprints. I did the same workout this evening when I returned from work. I plan on riding twice a day at least 3X per week with one riding session on the other days.

It is difficult to maintain focus and concentration if the workouts are too long ...I end up just going through the motions towards the end of the routine. I am going to try to break them up so and keep them shorter to maintain quality.

I am also moving the iBike power meter to my track bike to continue testing my aero positioning. While on the trainer at least half of the sprints that I am doing have been in the Supertuck position...I will have some numbers for CdA later this week for my track position in Supertuck. If it works out and the numbers are as low or lower than on my road position ( which my track position appears to emulate) that will be amazing! I don't want to jinx myself, but I am aiming for .197 or lower with no aero equipment...yet.....just regular wheels etc as described in an earlier post.

As mentioned in an earlier post I did have some reading which were lower than .197 but I am not sure if I will be able to achieve that on the track bike, until we start testing....more to come!

Day 78: "Pain, Suffering, Disease, Heartache, Sprints...They all go together..."

I increased the gear ratio by 3 inches...which doesn't sound like much but, when trying to max out at rpm and power, it does make a difference. It will take a few workouts to adjust, then it will be time to kick up the gear once again.


Started out with a 30 minute warm-up and then, I did some low end accelerations which were 50 meters in length. I try to approach these at low speed and explode into them. Then I did mid range accelerations. On these I hit them between 20-25 mph and try to accelerate as fast as possible in 150 metres. These really push my heart rate into the stratosphere and blow out my legs.


I finished off with a 20 minute cool down.

Day 77: "Wagging the Dog?"

I did not ride today...had to get to work early to load the trucks for the Wagging The Dog fundraiser which was being produced by the volunteers of the local humane society. These trucks are very heavy, and they have mega miles on them. When we were just a catering company in New Jersey all of our vehicles were on the road nearly every day. At times our trucks were out 24/7 as they rolled from one job to the next...like for example doing a breakfast & lunch for 3 days in Philadelphia then rolling out to western New Jersey for a dinner, then rolling into NYC for another Breakfast & Lunch. Non stop action at times.

Needless to say our vehicles accumulated a lot of miles, but because they were out every day they were maintained. Now they are used infrequently and parts just break down without notice. Frustrating.

So besides loading and addressing last minute problems, it can take awhile to get loaded and out the door.

The party was a success, and we had fun!

Day 76: "I hope the backaches are a thing of the past...."

Today I rode for 90 minutes at L 2 power but with moderate RPM (105-130) range. Ride time after warm up was 45 minutes so total time was just over an hour. I am glad it was short!!!

At the restaurant we have a party...off premise tomorrow....it is a benefit for the humane society, and we are using our mobile kitchen units to cook and serve food on location. Every year the local division of the humane society runs a fundraiser which includes a silent auction, a regular auction, wine tasting, food, entertainment etc. The money helps to keep the organization going...plus the people involved are very nice and truly committed. We don't mind helping out!

Prepping the truck takes some extra time and it always seems to dig into MY riding time. That's the part that bothers me...

Day 75: "What was I thinkng?"

I was so involved with writing about CdA yesterday I neglected to mention anything about riding. Yesterday I did a full track workout after visiting our local MD. I had to get a prescription for an Epipen...just in case I have a serious reaction to bee/wasp/hornet stings while on the road...in the middle of nowhere.

Afterwards I hit the CT to do a track style workout. The entire program lasted nearly 2 hours, and I was exhausted when finished.

Today I did VO2 intervals...5 minutes on at Level 5 Power, 3 minutes off at Level 1. After the 20 minute warm up, the work out lasted 45 minutes...and it really kicked my butt. Am I getting too old for this?

NO!

Day 74: "CdA? Is that some kind of accountant?"

Today I got the iBike power meter installed and did some aero measurements of the Super tuck position. The iBike is unique because it can measure, as part of it's calibration procedure, the coefficient of aerodynamic drag (CdA) as well as the frictional coefficient (Crr). The newer iBike aero can measure CdA continuously while riding so you can determine which positions are the most aero.

In earlier posts I mentioned that I came across a riding position that appeared to be VERY aero, but I did not have the ability to measure the CdA of that position. That's changed. I know have a preliminary CdA. I say preliminary because I want to do at least 10 trials and average them to come up with the best value and final position.

A little history first. The Super tuck position was discovered while descending some of the many mountains here in N. Georgia. One of my fellow riders found that by actually sitting on his top tube while descending , would make him very fast on the downhill...so fast no one could stay with him. In trying to find a position that could keep up in these downhill races, I stumbled upon the Super tuck. In this position my friend could not even ride in my draft in his aero position and gain ground....I would still pull away.

There is more...

My friend while crouching on the top tube, is not in a good position for bike handling and you can forget about pedaling. In the "Super tuck, not only is handling a non issue...I can pedal as well. So here are some preliminary numbers...

My normal riding position CdA is .385. Racing position down on the bars CdA is .256.
The Super tuck CdA is .197.

Keep in mind those numbers are with no aero equipment whatsoever. No aero helmet, no aero wheels.....(32 spoke rims), no shoe covers...nothing. I wore a tight fitting t -shirt when doing the coast downs.

I am going to tweak the position a little more because I feel that I can knock off another 10% with some fine tuning...before aero equipment is added to the set-up. The reason I feel this way is due to achieving some CdA results which were actually lower than what I have reported. We will see!!!!!!

Day 73: "OHHHH MY ACHING BACK........"

I did a sprint workout today.....and I hurt my back.....just feeling a spasm in my lower back. I was hitting some high rpm's and when the load kicked in I dug down deep and BAM!!!! Back spasm. I had to take it easy after that. Getting old is taking it's toll.

Below is a pic from way back when...in my Midget(10-12 yrs old) racing days in 1972. We rode midget bikes which were fixed gear bicycles with 24 inch wheels and a 72" gear restriction. This was when the US Cycling Federation was known as the Amateur Bicycle League of America (ABLofA). I rode my first Nationals that year at Kenosha Wisconsin.

As you can see in the pic we only had one hand brake.

Italo Bastianelli Crossing the line in front of Tom Moschetto

1972 Tour of Westbury Long Island, NY.

Midget Race (10-12 yr olds)

Day 72: "25 Years Later?"

So Maybe I am going over board on the pics. Maybe. But I am intrigued. In this first photo is a pic of a banner that says "Tom All The Way LA". It was hanging on the back stretch by some fans during the 7/11 Bicycling Magazine Grand Prix in 1984. That was almost 25 years ago. I never saw that banner during the event....this is the first time I have seen it....25 years later!!!

25 years ago. Seems like yesterday and yet at other times it feels like it was someone else...someone I used to know. Until I saw the vids that are posted on this blog and elsewhere, I had never even seen myself ride, or what I looked like. Now after reviewing the vids there are so many things I would change or do differently. I now believe that every sprint ride should be recorded because of what can be learned tactically. Videos could be an awesome training tool.

The bike I am riding in this event, I now have set-up on the Computrainer. I have change the position somewhat, not a drastic change just tweaked, to facilitate more power/stability on the jump.

The next bridge is CdA. Results coming soon.

Day 71: "KAPOWWWWW, KABOOM!!!!!"

I just opened my eyes, and it is very early Sunday morning. I had the absolute coolest dream.....I was racing on some track...somewhere....but all the moves I made were accentuated by words like KAPOWWWW, or KABOOM flashing in the background. Think of the old 60's Batman TV show when the Dynamic Duo were engaged in fisticuffs with some type of arch villain. Imagine a racer trying to pass you in turn 3 on the local velodrome and you throw a hook at him and you see and hear an animated KAPOWWWW!!!! How cool would that be????

OK, I am fully awake now and I just read what I wrote. Do I have issues?

Down the backstretch (I am in front position)

Attempting to go over the top. (I am in 2nd position)

Into the boards! (still in 2nd position)

Day 70: "Is this going to be a problem....?"

Wow! Saturday morning and I am about to jump on my Computrainer. My leg is still swollen but not so much around the knee, so I am going to give it a go. The sting from that wasp generated a rather large reaction especially, since in the last few months I have been stung so many times. I am going to have to start carrying some type of Benedryl...it is always something.

I am going to do some 20 minute intervals today but I am going to turn the power down somewhat...not sure how my leg is going to feel. On the rest phase I am going to keep the power on the low side of Level 1.

Have a few things going on at the restaurant today...namely catering off premise. I have to fire up one of the Catering trucks, from our movie catering days. 100 gallon propane tanks....7.3 litre 8 cylinder diesel engine....4 cylinder 20KW diesel generator....yA Baby!!!!

When I traveled all over the USA working on TV Commercials, Movies, TV Shows, Sports Events..things like that, we would send one of our kitchen units as well as one of our support vehicles, which was a straight job, refrigerated (reefer) truck. When I moved from the NYC area to the mountains of North Georgia I brought one of the kitchen units and two of our reefers. We sold the other units....sort of...







Saturday PM:

The job we had today was VERY easy. The food was prepared at our restaurant and cooked "on location" like we used to do for the entertainment industry. Kind of makes me nostalgic.


My leg has swelled up once again to epic proportions....and my knee is beginning to hurt...I am going to pick up some Benedryl on the way home.


Hope I am able to ride tomorrow...

Day 69: Again???

Sad to say I was not able to ride today. My leg has swelled up quite a lot from yesterday's wasp sting....plus my knee is very sore.



I spent my training time at the Google Group known as "Wattage" doing some research on power and sprinting. I found a thread from a few years back where sprint power, CdA, speed, etc were discussed. Very interesting.



In fact there are a great many discussions taking place at Wattage which can illuminate many aspects of track and road cycling as pertains to training and racing with a power meter. Many knowledgeable people are members, so I believe Wattage is a fantastic resource.



Hopefully I will be able to bend my knee enough to ride tomorrow...hope so!

Day 68: "Do I Have A Bull's Eye Painted on Me?"...

Sprints. Everything is coming along fine. Acceleration is up. Speed is up. RPM's are up. Best of all power is up. No complaints. It is very early in the program, but I am working out the issues.



It was a mid range acceleration day and everything has improved. That's the good news.



The bad news?


Today in the afternoon while at work, I was once again stung by some insect..namely a wasp. Nailed me in my right knee. My injured right knee. My leg has begun to swell from the knee down.



Update tomorrow.

Day 67: Yes

Yes, I rode today. Yes, I am having trouble getting on the bike. Yes, I am having trouble sleeping the last few nights. Yes, my neck is bothering me. Yes, I think I am PMS ing or whatever the guy equivalent is.



But I did ride today.

Day 66: NO AGAIN?

Day 65: NO

No I did not ride today.

Day 64: "Ride Ride Ride..."

Today was 50 miler and it was FUNNNNNN. Probably should have gone farther but 50 was enough. I am having neck issues...my neck and upper shoulder blade have been in spasms. Kind of makes it tough to turn my head.....getting old.....

Day 63: Do Not Enter

No ride today!

Day 62: "Playin' It Cool..."

Today I did a L2 workout. It was moderate to high rev's with lower resistance....I felt GRRREAT. TOmorrow I am going to be off completely and Sunday I will hopefully get an endurance ride in.

Day 61: Sprint...The Finish

Today I worked on the my sprint finish..by that I mean the part after mid range acceleration to the finish....My weakest area. Start is fast...Mid range is fast....Finish (expletive deleted). The CT ergo mode may prove to be a very useful tool in developing this area.

So after a 10 min. calibration ride, and then a 20 minute warm up...Here is what I did:

Part 1: I am basing the load (resistance) wattage on 90% of my max. 5 second power and holding for 10-15 seconds. The target is 15 seconds in terms of time. RPM target is 150-175. I start the interval at 120-130 rpm, when the load kicks in I accelerate and hold for the duration..

Part 2: At 75% of max 5 second power, I do 30 seconds of power on....first 15 seconds are in the 130-140 RPM range...last 15 seconds accelerate to max RPM and hold to finish. Rest time between reps is 4.5 minutes.

Part 3 Is a 45 second effort although I did not do these today. After the all the sets and reps of Parts 1 & 2 I need to either do these first or throttle back somewhat in beginning.

Day 60: 2x 20's "Are these things getting longer?"

The indoor trainer. The Computrainer (CT). Time machine? I would almost swear in a court of law that the flow of time actually stops while I am riding indoors. Like today. I do the 2-3x20's, in ergo mode on the CT that is a 20 minute interval made up of smaller 2 minute intervals of 2 minutes high power, 2 minutes lower power, combined to yield the target avg wattage planned for the workout. Simple. Great.

Sometimes, however, it seems time just stops in the middle of a step. Many times I glance at my watch to make sure my computer hasn't frozen up, because it seems the seconds are going by verrrrrrryyyyyy slowwwwwwww.

Even though I was tired and only made it through 2 sets....I am happy with how things are progressing.....

Day 59: Tempo or The No Grind Zone

Had a moderate road ride in the rain this morning. I kept power at level 2 and level 3. Not too hard and rpm's were on the high side. Trying not to grind away I want to keep the rpm's upwards of 110.

Day 58 Track Workout 2.5 hours?

Today I did my first FULL indoor trainer track workout. Awesome! I worked on low end and mid range acceleration.

The whole workout took approx 2.5 hours, which sounds like a long time to sit on a trainer, but it went by really quick. I guess because I spent limited time on each workout program/course.

The goal on the mid range acceleration was to generate as much speed in 150 meters as possible. On the track we would ride at moderate speed, in single file in groups of 3 at the bottom or middle of the velodrome, and just coming out of the second turn explode down the back straight into the middle of next turn. The riders in 2nd and 3rd position would try to come around.

It is a little different on the computrainer but the principal is the same. The press on force for all of the acceleration workouts has to be near max (5 lbs) so I ususally have it cranked to about 4.75lbs of press on. This keeps tire slippage manageable...I think..LOL.

Acceleration is done in 3D mode so the resistance varies like it would in the "real world" although it is a little more difficult on the CT. I roll into the start of each effort at about 60 rpm, and accelerate to the finish trying to hit 150+ rpm. Once I go beyond 150 rpm I will raise the gear ratio. I alternate between seated and standing.

The low end accelerations or "Jumps" done on the track, start at low speed (<5 mph) with the riders lined up side by side. Coming out of the second turn you accelerate for approximately 50-75 metres.

The computrainer is similiar but on these you have to stay in the saddle or there is way too much tire slippage.

I finshed off with some high end sprints....which I will post the power profile for these when I post the plan. These are done in ergo mode.

Day 57 "Sunday Road Riding With A Direction...Sort Of....."

I finally downloaded all the info out of my SRM and I went on the road today and had a GRRRREAT ride. I felt good, and now I can look forward to training again. The last couple of weeks have crushed me.

When I was younger people believed that as you got older ( 40+ years) you were unable to perform, lose fitness, speed etc. To some small extent that may be true, but I think the bigger issue is life's distractions. When we get older we have more responsibilities, interests, duties etc. which take up our time. I need goals to hold my focus or I get pulled in to many directions.

So the plan is done, when I get the chance I will post

Day 56: "Do They Really Fix Themselves?" Part II

Got done with work a little late last night.... so this morning AGAIN I am not riding....trying to resolve this computer issue mentioned in Friday's post.

I figured out what happenned. I am using Windows Vista, and it updated itself automatically at some point Thursday/Friday morning. I checked the "updates" folder and system updates were downloaded and installed.

I rolled back the system to an earlier restore point, and BADA BING BANG BOOM, everything works again. I can even download files out of my SRM. Small mercies.

Other than restoring the system to an earlier point when everything worked, I still have no idea on how to resolve a Code 10 issue.

Day 55: "Do They Really Fix Themselves?"

I was on a tight schedule today...had some catering at the restaurant, so it was definitely an indoor day. Great.

My computer didn't see things that way. I am getting a "Code 10 Device Failed To Start" error in Device Manager for the COM ports. Nothing that plugs in is working.......I don't have time for this.

Day 54: Wednesday

No Ride

Day 53: "Do I like hills?"

Trying to get back in the groove...work has been killing me this week....so I have missed some training days this week. Life.

SO......I was able to try a workout suggested by a fellow rider who goes by name of "Badger." I found a fairly decent climb, only about 12 miles from home. It starts out somewhat steep and then has consitent grade to the top. It is a little shorter than I imagined but for a start it is cool. Takes about 5-6 minutes to reach the top.

The goal was to climb from top to bottom as fast as possible, at Level 5 power. I kept cadence between 100-120 rpm, (when I start grinding at low rpm my knee takes a beating...) After reaching the top, I turn around, ride to the bottom, and try again.

By the time I did the last interval of the last set...I was ready to vomit. Awesome.

Day 52:

Day 51: Labor Day

I didn't even THINK about riding today. The guilt. How will i deal with it???

Day 50: "Where am I again?"

The Plan. The most difficult part of writing this plan is factoring in just enough recovery time It would be much easier if I was just riding, but with being on my feet all day at work, makes it tough to schedule adequate rest. Sometimes work can really kick my butt. Ouch.

The first draft was definitely on the ambitious side. I broke my sprint into 3 areas: The start, the mid range acceleration and the finish. My focus in the first phase was to be on my finish, which has always been my weak point. I have always had a fast jump, an OK mid range but a terrible finish. Can only be as strong as the weakest link. Right?

To be continued...

Day 49: Tempo on The Computrainer

I did ride today...namely the Computrainer...just did some tempo for about 45 min. I was a little sunburned.

Day 48: Road Ride....

I went on a road ride today, which although I was tired, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Day 47: 2x20 Minute Intervals...This will Change Soon!

Still haven't worked out the details of the new plan. I am trying to establish specific, attainable goals within the plan to get the results that I desire. Training with power has given me an entirely new perspective on what needs to be done. In other words, it is easy to determine if an improvement has been made, and if a workout is effective.

Today I did 2x20 minute intervals on the CT. I felt really good, but I need to change things around. The plan. I need to get that done!

Day 46: August 27, 2008 "Whoa Wilbur.....Back 'em on down..."

"What's going on with these workouts???"

I ask myself that question everyday. The training plan I posted towards the beginning of this blog has expired. I should post the next phase of my training plan, and continue with what I started out to accomplish. I achieved my short term goals, and I am pleased with the way things progressed. Could I have done better?? Absolutely. That is part of the reason of why I am at this cross road.

"So why haven't you posted the next phase? What's the problem?"

My goals have changed. That is one of the issues. Type of training, intensity, volume...has to be different. Specificity. No secret there.

Yes, I rode today on the Computrainer and I did a tempo workout and I am not all that excited.

Day 45: August 26, 2008 Tuesday Intervals..."Now We're Talking...!"

Today was another Anaerobic Power/Interval workout and I have to admit...I blasted through it. I am raising the load wattage for the next time around. I was able to hit my target rpm's on the sprints..well... at least most of them... It looks like it is going to rain again tomorrow so I will most likely be on The Computrainer yet again.

Pictures taken during some of the "Power On" intervals.

Day 44: August 25, 2008 Monday

Today I rode an easy ride on the Computrainer. I felt ok and no sore throat .....so i am thankful for small mercies. Did a few light sprints. and I felt strong...tomorrow I will kick in some intervals and see what is up.

Day 43 August 24, 2008 Sunday

I feel a sore throat coming on.....I am sleeping today!

Day 42: August 23. 2008 Saturday

I did not ride today. Alot going on at the restaurant with a party and I am not feeling great.


To be continued!

Day 41 Friday

Today I was feeling the intervals. I did an easy workout on the Computrainer today using 3D mode. Kept my wattage at level 2 and rode only for an hour.

I didn't feel all that great.

I was finally was able to get down to the bike shop and pick up my new track frame today. The bike definitely looks space age. It is all carbon (my first) and I have to admit I like it so far. I compared the geometry to my old track bike, which is steel and 28 years old, and lo and behold the two are nearly identical. Same wheel base, same hangar clearance, same top tube and seat tube size.....I still have to measure and compare the rake and trail but from just looking they are not the same, although they are very close. Awesome. So now I can use the old bike just for training and tweaking my aero position before finalizing the set up on the NEW bike.

A link to a pic from the website:

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Planet-X_Pro_Carbon_Track_Frame.html

More to come on the bike set up!

Day 40; UHH Thursday......Anaerobic Power/Intervals

Intervals. 30 seconds power on, ranging between 200-300% of threshold, 4.5 minutes power off at Level 1 active recovery. I do this workout with a predefined program, written using Cycling Peaks ERG +2 software for ergo mode of the Computrainer. Each set consists of 5 efforts and I do 3 sets. Rest interval between sets is 6.5 minutes. Workout lasts a little over an hour plus warm-up and warm down so total time on the CT is between 1.5-2 hours.

My goal for the power on interval is to start out at 120 rpm for the first 15 seconds, then accelerate for the last 15 seconds to 150-175 rpm, and hold to the end of the effort. Initially it takes time to even come close to 150 but as I have gotten stronger I am approaching 175 on some of the reps. Midway through the second set however, I am trying to complete the interval anyway I can ......On the last set I am holding only 90 rpm by the very last few reps.. This workout is somewhat different than the sprint session on, Day 39 in that the power on wattage is less as well as the length of the rest interval.

Each effort really pushes my heart rate up when I kick up the RPM's. For example if I keep the rpm range in the low 120's my heart rate stays in the 170 bpm range. Same wattage load but increase rpm's to 160 and my heart rate is in the 185-190 range.

I am not sure what my max heart rate is...I believe it is in the 190 range. When I was a Junior rider back in the late 1970's I was at one of the first cycling training camps at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado. At that time they did not have a human performance lab. Consequently myself, Bill Watkins, Greg Lemond, Mark Gorski, and Mark Frise were tested at the Human Performance Lab at the US Air Force Academy. We did a VO2 max test on a treadmill (no cycling equipment) and the results of that test indicated my max heart rate was 193. I was 17 at the time, so I can't imagine that my max heart rate these days is more now than in my youth. Weird.

As I get stronger I will kick up the power across the workout 3-5%

Day 39: Track Workout Preliminary or "Was I always this slow...?

This was an early morning workout, and I was testing some ideas out on the Computrainer for track training. Workouts that will build sprint power utilizing 3D and ergo mode on the CT.

Standing starts are out of the question. Between tire slip (no matter what the press on force) and the CT dancing across the floor, it is not a viable way to really improve a start. I will save starts for outside.

Rolling accelerations in the saddle in 3D mode however, are awesome! I have courses ranging from 100 metres on up to 666.6 metres.

Ergo Mode is very useful because I can add the load resistance incrementally as I improve. The protocol I am using is to roll up to 100 rpm at a low wattage. Then when the interval starts, Load resistance spikes and I accelerate to 130 RPM for the first 15 seconds, then the load spikes upwards again then gradually increases for the next 15 seconds. During this period I am accelerating to 175 RPM...I hope....

When I am able to hit and hold 175RPM then I increase the resistances for the interval. These are for building sprint power so I take a 5.5 minute rest between sprints..so I am recovered enough to be able to do each sprint of which there are 5.

Today's workout consisted of a 10 min CT warm up for calibration. 20 Minute warm up with a 30 second spike in resistance every4 minutes (to simulate a pace line). Then 5 rolling accelerations for 100 metres. After the accelerations I rode at recovery wattage for 10 minute and then did the sprints mentioned above.

Doesn't sound like much but the workout kicked my butt. I am not used to track training I suppose.

Day 38: "Wah, Wah,....I am stuck at the same wattage as last time......."

Here is the deal. I am whining. I know it. I figured that today, I would be able to get through all sets on the 20 minute intervals and move up another 3-5% for the next workout of this type.
It didn't happen. Although I went a little further than last time I have to revisit this wattage later in the week. AGAIN!

Did I mention that I am impatient?

The intervals have been tough, but I can feel the difference when I am on the road. I really have nothing to complain about. I will just have to try harder next time!

Day 37: Easy...with sprints.....

I did my easy 30 second sprints this morning, and I felt really good. I hit high rpms (175+) so I am going to increase the load wattage once again. The high RPM's really kick up my heart rate, so although I am using it as a target, I think the most useful max RPM will be around 150, which will be what I adjust my gearing to at some point. I will know after some more fine tuning.

I am using one of my old track bikes for these workouts, as I want to simulate track conditions as best I can. Being 2.5 hours from the nearest velodrome (Dick Lane), and being in the restaurant biz doesn't afford me much time to get to the track...maybe on Sundays if it is open..I will have to check that out.

20 minute power has increased quite dramatically over the last few weeks. Now I have to build sprint power..at all levels. My start was always kind of quick, but my finish was/is terrible. I am determined to change that. I am currently outlining a plan for sprint power, which may be the answer I am looking for.....The big issue however, is factoring in enough rest and recovery so that my power can increase while still working a full schedule.

It is tough getting old.

Day 36: Rest..AGAIN!

Day 35: 20 Minute Intervals

Okay, I missed a couple of days. I needed the rest anyway I suppose. That said I increased the avg power on the 20 minute intervals by 5%. This was on the CT in ergo mode. Made it through 1.5 sets. Looks like I may make 2-2,5 by tuesday of next week which will put in line for another 5% increase by the end of next week. Awesome!

Resting may be making the difference. I am on my feet at work nearly 12 hours everyday with no rest break, so perhaps I don't rest enough.

Day 34 Rest No riding

Day 33: Rest No riding

Day32: Rain AGAIN???

I was going to try a workout that a reader suggested (Badger) in the comments section of Day 29. Namely hill repeats. The workout outlined sounded like a real leg breaker, and that it could yield some pretty good results.

SO it rained most of the day and I didn't do the prescribed workout .....so today was an indoor day on the CT. I am going to try Badger's suggestion perhaps on next Wednesday.

On the positive side however I was able to make 3x20 minutes on the intervals today... so now I am ready to increase average wattage once again. Saturday will be the next workout of this type ......going to try for another 5-7% increase on avg wattage for each interval.

Day 31: Sprint Workout. "Is this Helping?"

I did a sprint workout today on the CT. The same workout levels used on a previous sprint day. I was much stronger on this workout and I believe I am ready to increase power. The efforts are 30 seconds in length so next workout I will be looking for a 10% increase in load wattage.

Day 30: "Easy does it...!"

Today. Monday. Computrainer. Ergo mode. Recovery Wattage. Easy day. 1 hour. That's all.

Day 29: Road Ride or ..."do I have to climb these hills AGAIN?"

I have to admit, I am happy with the road ride today. Felt good and the power numbers are all up. I am still a trackie in the mountains, but I am getting better...a little at a time!

The descents on the ride are always a blast because I can catch all the cars and some of the motorcycles that pass me as I near the top of each climb. The turns are mainly sweepers which are a little on the tight side. Always fun!

Day 28: 20 Minute Interval..."and the hits just keep on coming...again...."

I have throttled back somewhat my Acute Training Load (ATL)* over the last 10 days. As a result I am feeling much better on the hard interval days...namely the 2x20's. On paper the higher Training Stress Scores (TSS)* looked good, but it is looking like , I was ramping up the training stress a little too quick. I was upwards of an ATL of 150 which was leaving me tired much of the week. I have cut it down somewhat and I am making gains on some of the workouts. Example: In an earlier post (Day 24) I thought it would be at least another week before i would be ready to increase average wattage on the 20 minute intervals. Well today I was able to jump up another 5% on avg power for the workout. Hopefully I may be able to make another jump by the end of next week. We shall see!!!

Recovery is difficult to for me to figure out because of my work situation. I am on my feet nearly 10-12 hours 6 days a week as a result of being in the restaurant biz. After a tough morning training session I wish I could lay down and relax, but that is when my workday begins.

In the upcoming weeks I will be directing my training schedule more towards sprinting. I will have to be very careful to allow for enough rest so I can consistently improve. What I have noticed now is that I need at least 2 days recovery between strenuous workouts.

Any comments or suggestions? I need some!

* From Cycling Peaks Training Software...see links!

Day 27: "Am I Sore From Working Out, Or Just Getting Old?"

I decided to take today off. My legs are really sore today, I guess from the sprints. 20 minute Intervals tomorrow.

Day 26: "Sprints for a Sprinter?"

Today was an easy ride day. Great...because I needed it! However I decided to mix in the easy ride with some sprints. The sprints themselves (each) were a total of 30 seconds in length. Here is the method: I wind up at recovery wattage to aprroximately 100 rpm. When the sprint starts load wattage spikes upwards 400% and remains at this level for 15 seconds. During this time I increase rpm from 100-130 rpm. At the end of the 15 seconds the wattage again ramps up another 75- 100% as I increase rpm from 130 to 150 + for the next 15 seconds. I am aiming for 175 rpm under load... (max rpm is 210+). 30 Seconds Total.

There is a 6.5 minute rest between each effort. Needless to say when I hit the 25 second mark, my legs are feeling blown apart....the last 26 - 30 seconds seems to take hours to complete! This workout was done in ergo mode.

After a rest I put the CT in 3D mode to some low end accelerations.....in the saddle rolling at 5 mph then all out for 150 meters. I did 7 efforts.

Day 25: Supertuck Musings & Road Riding

The road ride went well..about 3 hours of riding in the heat..which I like but today I think I actually began a meltdown. I may even be about 3 inches shorter.

I attempted some sprinting in the Supertuck position. By this I mean I accelerated from low speed, out of the saddle, sat down, tucked, and continued to accelerate. Result? Trial 1 = disaster. I was all over the place, not even sure if I was in the right position on the tuck.

No problem. Technique is always an issue and needs to be practiced....so Trial 2 was about 30 watts less on max power and 200 watts less on Avg. power for the duration of the sprint, yet the avg speed for the sprint was 3 mph faster than trial 1. Plus on trial 2 everything from start to finish was smoother.....and I know I achieved the Supertuck. (Power readings were taken with an SRM. after the file was downloaded). Results aren't conclusive but they do give hope!

Day 24; 20 Minute Intervals Again??????

The 20 minute interval. Level 4. Anaerobic Threshold. Improve FTP. Hate. Loathing. Hell. Lima beans.

These are all thoughts which come to mind when I have to do this workout. The good news is that I was scheduled for a 2X20 minute dose, and since raising the average wattage I completed 1 1/2 of these before I blew up, Compared to just one set of these the last time I did this routine. So next time (Sat) I am looking to complete the two sets and then hit 3 sets by mid week next week. That will put me on schedule for another 3-5% increase by the end of the week...Awesome!

Day 23: Sprints??? What's That????? Is that a Tri event????"

Today I designed a Sprint/Power workout for the Computrainer in Ergo Mode. The Sprint interval is designed to somewhat mimic an old motor pacing workout we used to perform on the track. In this workout on the track, we would wind up behind the motor, reach a moderately high cruising speed. Once we hit the back straight on the final lap we would accelerate hard behind the motor to the third turn. Between the 3rd and 4th turn we would close any distance between the motor and rider (taking a run), then just out of the 4th turn attempt to come around the motor. Very tough.

The workout on the CT is somewhat similar in that a moderate load is applied in the wind up, then a spike with a plateau (Hat)* for 15 seconds then another spike with a ramped load to max power for another 15 seconds(wedge)*. I have noticed that with accelerating that it takes the CT a few moments to adjust the perceived load to accommodate change in speed with load variation. That is why the sprint segments are 15 seconds.

In doing this workout, my legs feel very similar to how they felt when actually motor pacing and the cool part is I can make incremental improvements. My finish was always weak so hopefully this will be just one technique in the arsenal to improve my track sprint...time will tell!!!



* the workouts were created using Cycling Peaks ERG+2 software, the hat and the wedge are the shapes of some pre set power profiles

Day 22: Sunday? WOW!!!

WOW!

Day 21: More Power or "Who turned out the lights...?

I decided on doing 30 second sprints and although I did not finish the planned 1 hour workout, I did finish 2/3Rd's of it....which is a huge improvement over Thursday's effort. Plus, and read plus as BONUS!!!!!!! I was able to do it in Supertuck which has me really excited!!!! cDa's soon I promise!!!

Day 20: "Climbing The Ladder......

Today I substituted a 20 minute Intervals for the VO2 Intervals. I thought I could make a jump in wattage. I did. A big jump in average watts. Adonis?

Hardly. But I am happy about it....the gains are finally arriving!

Day 19: "Let The Games Begin..."

Today was a scheduled easy day. Two rides. One in the morning, one in the evening. The morning ride happened. The evening ride we have yet to see as I am writing this while on a break at work. OOPS!

So in between recovery wattage riding this morning I did some 30 second sprints on the computrainer, in the Supertuck position. Felt good, the Supertuck is a definite possibility. I have done it on the road, and it takes some getting used to the handling aspect, but the bike is controllable at speed. Awesome!

Not ready to post any pics of the position just yet, I want to get some cDa results first, to see if it truly is a very aero position.

Did I mention I ordered a new track frame today? OK so I ordered a new track frame today.

Day 18: Not Cycling Related..."The Dogs Have It..."

Here is a vid of my sister and friend playing with my dogs, Jake & Allie (Black dog). Nothing to do with training or using a power meter, but we all need a break ...right?

Day 18: "3x 20's? Some Ass Was Kicked...Amen."

Okay. I did the 3x20's today and I felt really good for a change. I need to factor a little more recovery time after the real long days. I am not that young, so I guess I don't recover like I used to. Big surprise there!

The pics are from the final recovery interval.

Day 17: "Not Yet....."

Today was a little bit of a disappointment. I started out to do my 3X20 minute intervals and I was still not recovered enough from Sunday's long road ride. I guess what I am going to do is NOT do the long road ride tomorrow (WED) and try the 3x20's once again. I know I can do it, I feel strong enough, so i will try again tomorrow.

Day 16: "Take it easy bro......"

After yesterday's lonnnnnnng road ride I took things very easy, 45 min on the Computrainer at recovery wattage with some 30 sec sprints at high rpm every 6 minutes.....My legs felt pretty good afterwards.

The sprints were at a higher wattage, and I was able to hold 150 rpm (max rpm is 200 +) for the 30 sec. in the "Supertuck" position. It is not the most comfortable position but in time I may get to like it...especially if it ends up being extremely aero,...which will be determined very soon.



Tomorrow: 3x20's.....I hope!

Day 15: Road Ride...Enter The No Sting Zone!!

Long road ride today, mostly level 2. Lots of climbing though, I believe that this route has nearly 8000 ft of climbing involved. If you were to ask my legs they would say it was closer to 80,000 ft of climbing, but they are always complaining.

Today was a bee sting free ride. First one in awhile, not sure what has been happening lately as I have been getting stung by wasps, hornets, bees, etc. way too often.

Felt good the whole ride. I am definitely getting stronger. Great. Hope I don't get sick.

Good night!

Day 14: Aero Musings/Level 4......

Today I did my 2x20 minute intervals...actually it was 2.5 ..I just wasn't able to finish set 3...when I do I get to kick up the wattage for the next workout..usually about a 3% increase does the trick although I am sometimes able to increase a little more (5%) and still be able to finish 2 sets. Tuesday I hope I will be able to complete a 3rd set at the current wattage, in ergo mode on the computrainer.

Over the last few weeks I have been experimenting with my tuck position on my road bike for coasting downhill. I found a position that seems to be extremely aero. People trying to draft on me, lose ground when I use this "supertuck" position. My max speed is consistently 3-6 mph faster on the same downhills against others when we start side by side and coast down hill. Interesting.

What is more interesting is that I am able to pedal in this position. So the thought occurred to me that it may be possible to sprint on the track in the supertuck. In other words, accelerate like normal out of the saddle, sit, tuck, and finish accelerating to speed and finish. Like in a match sprint.

I know what my old sprint position is.... so using my iBike I am going to measure the CdAof the Supertuck, then measure the CdA of my former sprint position. If the difference (if any) is significant I will then modify my sprint position to emulate the supertuck as much as possible and measure that CdA. What I don't have in power might be possible to make up for in aero, at least in theory. After all as you go faster the amount of power needed to go just a little faster grows exponentially, therefore a small decrease in CdA will yield a substantial result. I hope.

I will update as I get some results...stay tuned!

Day 13: Kaleidoscope?

I was scheduled to do the 2x20minute intervals today, on the Computrainer(CT). Wasn't able to do that, however, I was just too tired....so I rode the CT at recovery wattage. Tomorrow (Saturday), I will do the 2x20's.

Recently I have been talking with friends that I competed with/against many years ago, mainly on the track. After discussing old times and catching up on news, one thing leads to another and BAM! we are talking about competing in our age category at the Masters Nationals next year.
Something I hadn't considered a week ago. I have been training just so I could climb all the mountains around here and not emabarass myself.

Suddenly like when you twist a kaleidosope, the picture completely changes .

I have to think about this!

Day 12: "Days of Thunder?"

Today I took it easy I went on an easy 30 mile ride this morning and finished at work. This evening I was supposed to ride back home from work, but an old cycling friend called me and we ended up talking about the old Days of Thunder. By the time we got off the phone it was a little late to ride back....like 11:30 ish. No thanks.

That's cool because I was very tired anyway. My legs were just sore all day. It is tough getting old. Have to keep trying though. Tomorrow I will be stronger....I hope!

More to come!

Day 11 Revisited: "OK, I Went On The Road Ride...Am I A Moron?"

10:35PM: I decided to go out on the road and ride in some rain, rather then ride the Computrainer for "God only knows" how many hours. It didn't really rain all that much, in fact it didn't rain at all, at least not on me.

I got in 4 hours of riding, and although I am still sore from doing squats on Monday, all the climbing involved didn't hurt as much as it could have. Great.

But once again I was stung by some Raptorlike insects, a hornet inoculated me in the knee, and later on, some type of bee lanced me in the thigh. If this keeps up I may have to carry benedryl with me every time I go on the road. Geez.

Then 3/4's of the way through the ride my SRM shuts down because some moron who has a blog called "Back On Planet Earth" neglected to charge it up. Jackass.

I love riding.

Day 11: "What am I Still Doing Here?"

It is about 8:15 AM and I am still here...haven't left yet. I am hoping it will stop raining SOON!.

Consequences. There are always consequences, (good or bad) of every decision we make. I made a decision that I am not going to start a ride in the rain...if it starts raining while I am riding I will deal with it, but I am not going to start out and look forward to riding for 5 or 6 hours in foul weather. No way.

However, for me to stay on schedule then I would have to put all that time in on the Computrainer. Which as most of us know, riding on an indoor trainer is absolute mental torture once you reach the 1.5 hour mark. Consequences.

Maybe I will just go out on the road.

To be continued......

Day 10: Level 4, Anaerobic Threshold, 2x20's Road Ride, Rain, Blah Blah Blah....

On Monday, when I went to the gym, I did some leg exercises..namely Squats. I felt pretty good. So this morning, I do my warm up on the Computrainer for the 20 minute intervals and I didn't feel all that bad....in fact...I felt grrreat.

I did my two sets.

I was contemplating a third set, but I was just running out of time. So I jumped in the shower, got cleaned up, put my riding clothes back on and hopped on my road bike to ride to work. I was planning on riding back home from work, but the rain changed that plan. Anyway, those squats I did yesterday started "kicking" in. My legs totally siezed up while riding on the road. They are extemely sore as I write.

Tomorrow, if it is clear I am hoping to get some long mileage in.

Day 9: Monthly Plan Revised Version..."It's about time!!"

So here it is ...the plan for the next month or so.....the yearly plan.... I am not going to post it... at least not yet...just the monthly steps. This plan was revised due to my illness in the month of June.
Let me give you the abbreviation list:

AM: Morning
PM: Evening (after work usually except Sundays)
AT: Anaerobic Threshold (L4)
WT: Weight Training
VO2 Interval (L5)
CT: Computrainer

Andy Coggans Power Levels:

Level 1: Active Recovery, Average Power <55% of Threshold Power

Level 2: Endurance, Average Power 56%-75% of Threshold Power

Level 3: Tempo, Average Power 76%-90% of Threshold Power

Level 4: Lactate Threshold, Average Power 91%-105% of Threshold Power

Level 5: VO2 Max., Average Power 106%-120% of Threhold Power

Level 6: Anaerobic Power, Average Power >121% of Threhold Power

Level 7: Neuromuscular Power

These Power Levels and much more info can be found here:

http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411.html





So as you can see on the schedule Today's workouts consisted of 2 easy L2 workouts. Today I am doing them on the Computrainer in Ergo mode which keeps me at the prescribed wattage. Awesome.

To be continued:

Day 8: "I Am Definitely NOT Getting Any Younger...?"

Okay. So I did my 2X20 minute intervals today....and I did the road ride....and I am beat to hell. Plus, an added bonus..I am sunburn, especially on my head. Great.

Good news is that after all that time off in the month of June my Chronic Training Load (CTL-see link to cycling peaks for definitions) is climbing upwards slowly...trying to bring it back up to 100-120 range. Acute Training Load (ATL) is also climbing. Training Stress Score (TSS) for today was 325.

Needless to say I am cramping now.

Day 7: VO2 Intervals (Level 5)

Today is the day for VO2 intervals. I will be doing them once every one t0 two weeks, for maintenance. Mid August I will be going into a VO2 max rebuilding phase.

The VO2 intervals consisted of 3 sets of 3 repetitions. Each rep is 6 minutes power on (level 5)followed by 3 minutes power off (level 1). In between each set is 6minutes rest.

Finally finished...I am exhausted!!

Tomorrow is a 2x20's (Level 4 )with a long road ride (level 3)

Day 6: Recovery Revisited

Today was a very easy ride. Still feeling tired.

Day 5: RECOVER

Today was a recovery day, and although I was scheduled to do two very easy rides, I am taking the day off. My face is very swollen from the bee sting in my mouth yesterday, and I am very tired. Tomorrow I will also go easy, and do VO2 Intervals on Saturday

Sooooooo here is some other stuff to look at.

This is the cover of the July 1984 issue of Bicycling Magazine. Sean Wallace from England, and myself made the cover that month.

August 1984 issue Bicycling Magazine:

In this issue myself, Sean Wallace and Art McHugh "posed" for these shots.

Day 4: Long Road Ride, Level 2 & 3

Today I was on the road for a long ride... a little over 70 miles. There was going to be a part 2 to the ride with a ride back from work, but besides getting done late it was also raining so I ended up taking the motorcycle home. I was aiming for 85-95 miles but I guess I was being somewhat ambitious.

The route I chose typically has about 5000 ft of climbing. At the halfway mark I was doing some tempo work, breathing relatively hard when this big, furry, bee, flies into my mouth and stings me right in my lower lip, on the inside. AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH! THAT HURT! I am not allergic to bee stings...luckily...but lately I have been getting stung quite often. Well needless to say, my lip swelled up so much on one side, I couldn't close my mouth.

I continued to ride however, not because I am tough, I had no choice...I was in the middle of NOWHERE. By the end of the ride, the swelling went down so much that you couldn't tell by looking that anything had happened. Great.

Which brings me to the present moment. Why does my lip hurt more now then right after I was stung?

I felt good on the ride and I see and feel my power beginning to come back.

Tomorrow is a recovery day so I most likely will be on the Computrainer. Friday is my day for VO2 Intervals.

Day 3: Revisited "2 Road Rides Later..."

My road bike with a SRM Powermeter

It is about 10:30PM and I just finished up riding for the day...FINALLY! The ride this morning after the computrainer 2x20's wasn't too bad, and I actually felt pretty good. I was keeping my power output at level 2 for the most part.

The evening ride which features at least one decent climb, is another story. I felt tired the whole way back....plus my power output was low level 2...I guess being on my feet all day takes it's toll.

Tomorrow I am off from work until about 4:00PM at which time I have to be at the restaurant and get ready for the dinner hour. Sooooo I am planning on doing approx 70 miles before work with a short ride afterwards....total mileage will be 85-95miles or so. After the morning ride I am heading over to the gym for some weight training.

STAY TUNED!!!

Day 3 Continued: Finish of 20 Minute Interval 2

Now that the Interval (level 4, Anaerobic Threhold) part of today's workout is over, I am getting on the road to get some miles in.

To be continued:

Day 3: Warm -up

Early morning Tuesday......warming up.

Day 2: Morning Workout 1 Preliminary Video: "Is this going to work??"

This is a preliminary video to make sure everything is working properly. Don't pay too much attention to what I am saying, because I was really just trying to make sure the sound is up and running . The vid was taken during the warm down of this mornings Computrainer workout.

I will try to do a better job with the evening workout on the Computrainer.

Day One: Anaerobic Threshold (AT) 2x20's

Today it rained ALL day. So there was no long road ride...just the 2x20 intervals on the Computrainer. That's 20 minutes of "power on" efforts at Level 4 ,with 10 minutes "power off" (rest) at Level 1 wattage in between intervals. I am trying to increase my Functional Threshold Power (FTP). For those that are not familiar with terms you can get some info here: http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411/levels.asp I promise I will have a glossary of terms up soon ....so we will all be on the same page!

Here I am warming up the Computrainer for calibration before set number 1.

Just starting set number 1...did I mention that I hate doing these?

Starting set number 2....I look thrilled......

About halfway through set 2...notice the towel on the handlebars? I tend to lose between 2-4 lbs in water weight when I do this workout. Will there be a third set? Not today!
I had vids of todays session but somehow I screwed up the sound. Hopefully I will have the problem resolved for tomorrow's workouts.

This post will be short as I am still getting used to formatting all of this....this one took an inordinate amount of time...plus many subsequent posts will be in video...

Have a long day at the restaurant tomorrow. Lots of paperwork.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Prelude

I have the training plan finished which I will post sometime tomorrow. It is just the monthly outline..the yearly plan I am once again revising.

Sunday I have a long road ride scheduled as well as 20 minute intervals (2 or 3X20). The intervals I will more than likely do on the Computrainer in ergo mode. Computrainer? I will post some information very shortly on the Computrainer (CT), as well as SRM power meters, iBike power meters, Cycling Peaks software and lots of other useful info. about tools that can be used to achieve, and monitor performance.

I became primarily a track rider after the accident (see previous post) and late last year I had aspirations to get powerful enough to be able to compete at least at the Masters level in the Sprint event. Because of the way things turned out with the biz....racing just wasn't in the cards for me...The nearest velodrome (Dick Lane Velo) is about 3 hours from where I am located.

Earlier in the year I was focusing my efforts on 5 sec-1 min power. Consequently I was getting destroyed on all the mountain rides here in the North Georgia area. With no time for racing on the horizon I adjusted my workouts for endurance/road riding. (read as: got slowwwwww)

In the month of June I had a fairly severe cold and it is only now that I am able to begin riding hard again......I have also decided to include some sprint workouts in my training regimen.....just in case I can do some racing sometime.......who knows.....

After you take a look at the plan.....send me some comments let me now what yA think!