Long Tempo Inside

The file shows my early morning ride while I read my newspapers followed later in the morning by the one hour tempo at 296 watts, 146 avg HR and 80 rpm. Thats a long grind inside!

Some Strength Training Exercises

I use these and many others in my classes and personal training and in my own training. These are not just for the winter months but for year-round fitness. Strength Training for Endurance Athletes Squat combo: weights by side, squat to floor, bring up to shoulders and then press while going up on toes; 2-3 sets of 12 or 2-3 one minute efforts Pushups with rows (also getting a plank): 15-20 pushups and rows to each side, 2-3 sets or 2-3 one minute efforts Side lung with a curl: either in place going side to side and dropping weight with the lunge or lunge across the room and back; 12-15 to each side Forward/backward lunge with weights on shoulder: stay to one side as you lunge forward, come back to the center to a point of balance and then go backwards, then come forward while always balancing in the center; 8-10 per side, 2 sets Bicycles: on your back, hands behind head, opposite elbow/knee meeting as other leg is fully extended; one minute effort x 2 Fun run: on back, legs extended, hands locked underneath, big range of motion as legs alternate up and down, 60 seconds x 2 Side plank with leg raise, 30 seconds each side Side plank with top leg going forward, wide arc back over center to other side and repeat; 30 seconds each side Single leg squats, 12-15 each side, 2 sets Single leg squats with curls, 12-15 each side, 2 sets Machines: leg press, 12 reps, 2 sets Pull ups and chin ups, 12, 10, 8 reps Dips: 2 sets of 12-15 Incline bench sit ups: 3 sets of 15-25, max incline Step/box: step ups, lean into box with full extension on back leg, bring knee all the way up, 12-15 each side, 2 sets; consider doing to a press also with two weights Plyo: squat jumps, in/out squat jumps, lunge jumps, ski jumps (feet together, side to side), speed skater (feet apart, side to side); any combination, 30 seconds on each, 5-10 minutes total mixed in with the lifting

4x12 tempo

Used the Ault Park course for these and held 322, 22, 321 and 323 with HR in the the mid 130's to low 140's. Did one hour circuit training last night and will do the same tomorrow preceded by one hour spin class.

Strength Training Options

Strength Training for Endurance Athletes I use these in my classes twice a week. I generally avoid machines as they target specific muscles and these work several muscle groups at once. Squat combo: weights by side, squat to floor, bring up to shoulders and then press while going up on toes; 2-3 sets of 12 or 2-3 one minute efforts Pushups with rows (also getting a plank): 15-20 pushups and rows to each side, 2-3 sets or 2-3 one minute efforts Side lung with a curl: either in place going side to side and dropping weight with the lunge or lunge across the room and back; 12-15 to each side Forward/backward lunge with weights on shoulder: stay to one side as you lunge forward, come back to the center to a point of balance and then go backwards, then come forward while always balancing in the center; 8-10 per side, 2 sets Bicycles: on your back, hands behind head, opposite elbow/knee meeting as other leg is fully extended; one minute effort x 2 Fun run: on back, legs extended, hands locked underneath, big range of motion as legs alternate up and down, 60 seconds x 2 Side plank with leg raise, 30 seconds each side Side plank with top leg going forward, wide arc back over center to other side and repeat; 30 seconds each side Single leg squats, 12-15 each side, 2 sets Single leg squats with curls, 12-15 each side, 2 sets Machines: leg press, 12 reps, 2 sets Pull ups and chin ups, 12, 10, 8 reps Dips: 2 sets of 12-15 Incline bench sit ups: 3 sets of 15-25, max incline Step/box: step ups, lean into box with full extension on back leg, bring knee all the way up, 12-15 each side, 2 sets; consider doing to a press also with two weights Plyo: squat jumps, in/out squat jumps, lunge jumps, ski jumps (feet together, side to side), speed skater (feet apart, side to side); any combination, 30 seconds on each, 5-10 minutes total mixed in with the lifting

3x30= 1x90

Given my schedule tomorrow and Saturday (out oftown) I did the 3x30 today. Actually made it more of a non-stop effort. Avg power for the entire ride, 1:49, was 301, NP was 311. The 90 minutes was likely around 313-315. Only stopped for lights on he ride to downtown and then out to 9 mile and back.

Off Day

I watched a couple dozen people work out today in my classes but other than that it was an off day. Walking the dog was about it. ready to get back on it tomorrow.

3x30 tempo

I did the 3x30 tempo's today as my Tuesday schedule is full and its going to rain most of the day. The first 30 minute effort was inside as it was raining today. I held 286 watts. It cleared so I headed out and did 1x60 at 312. Will do some lifting later today in my 55 minute circuit class and be off tomorrow.

Century Ride #16 of 2014

100 miles plus today with Sean McGrory. Started in Point Pleasant (where Chris Carville saw my truck along the river across from Grants Birthplace and sent me photo's…is he stalking me?), took the ferry to Augusta, headed south on 435 before going northeast into Maysville, across the Simon Kenton Bridge to Aberdeen, north on 41 to 763 all the way to 125, west to Georgetown, south on 221 to Higginsport and back on 52 to Point Pleasant. We were chased by no fewer than 20 dogs and that is not an exaggeration. At least three times we were stopped by groups of three dogs and over the course of the ride by every breed from Bull Mastif to Golden Retriever to Black Labs to a Brindle Boxer. Also saw a fox run across 125. He did not try to chase us. And rescued one box turtle on 221. Both 435 and 763 are outstanding roads with lots of climbing, great sections of woods and creeks and big views from the ridges.

3x20 minute tempo

Due to the cloudy, drizzling weather, I did these inside today. Averaged 293, 294, 295 each of the 20 minutes with HR at 139. 144 and 145. All in all, everything pretty much right in the zones. Will get that power up to 310-315 soon enough.

Why You Shouldn't Hire A Coach

This is the time of the year when athletes start to consider hiring a coach. They've wrapped up their season, unless doing 'cross, and want to improve their results in the upcoming year. I've been coached now for over 12 years and have been coaching others for 7 and there is a pattern I see for those who don't stick with the training. Here are some reasons that you may not want to hire a coach. You're a poor communicator: You're coach can't comment on your training unless you provide feedback whether in the form of uploaded files and/or comments. Something is always better than nothing. Someone providing zero feedback is not going to stick with the program. And for some reason, they always feel cheated given what they spent on the plan. Feedback has to come from you first. You can't stand training alone: Group rides are great and very necessary for those doing crits, road races, etc., but you have to be able to train solo quite often. Trying to do your intervals during a group ride while drafting off others just isn't going to provide the needed data unless that group ride is the recommended training ride that day. Learning to push yourself without others riding with you is a valuable training tool and will pay off in the long run. You just can't take an off day: Training more often is always better, right? Riding kind of hard every day is better than not, right? Wrong! Easy days have to be easy and hard days have to be hard. Too many people train in that in-between zone. Its ok, but not great for improvement or certainly not as recovery. Off days aren't on the bike chasing riders on the local bike trail who pass you. If you can't tolerate being passed, ride inside or just don't ride on the off days. Walk your dog. Don't have a dog? Come walk one of mine. Hard days have to be in the recommended zones for the recommended times and recovery days just that, recovery. Improvements only come when we allow our muscles, and minds, to rejuvenate. You expect immediate results: 'I want to increase my FTP 10%. Can I do that in three months?' 'Why am I not winning all of my races? We've been working together for 6 months.' 'I rode my same route and I was slower than two months ago. I thought I would get faster' If you want immediate results, save your money because it just wont happen. If you're not patient and if you truly don't enjoy working through a process and seeing gradual improvement, save your money. It is possible for some young riders to see dramatic improvements. It's also possible for new riders of any age to see big leaps in fitness under certain circumstances. For the rider with already many years under their belt the improvements will take some time and possibly be less earth shattering. That's not to say it can't be the opposite. It depends on too many factors to get into here from the type of event(s)you're training for, to how much and how hard you're willing to train, to genetics, etc. The point is, give the program some time to work. What's reasonable? I think a year at the very least. I started drum lessons when I 10 and took up piano at 39. A year into each I was pretty marginal. Forty two years later I can hold my own on the drums but I wouldn't want to play piano on stage in front of 5000 people. I still enjoy practicing and the process of getting better. I still enjoy training on my bike and still think I can ride faster, even at 52. I may be wrong but still believing is better than not. Only hire a coach if you feel the same way about your riding. It took me 10 years to break into the 21 minute range at our local time trial. I enjoyed (almost) every training ride and tt that it took to get there. You really have no intention of doing the training but hiring a coach feels good: Once again, don't waste your money and the coaches time. You have to be committed. You have to want to make the time. You have to want it, whatever that 'it' is in relation to your physical health and athletic goals. This is why most gyms have turnover rates of 35-50%. People think they want to get in shape. It takes more than just thinking about it. It takes doing it. Most great things don't come easy in life and never think that the great athletes, artists, musicians, etc., were just born the talent and went at it. They put in the 10,000 hours and more to get where they are. Ask yourself if you're truly committed first.

Last Blue Streak TT

Rode a 22:11, 27 mph, at 364 watts avg with a 20 minute at 368 avg. Not bad for late in the year on another very windy evening. Will start working with my coach on setting up the winter training program with the idea of maximizing the power over the shorter courses for the state and national senior olympics in 2015. Also will ramp up the weight training a little although I never stopped. Instead of two hours per week may add another 30-40 minutes. Also, will hone in on the nutrition (sold on the Isagenix products) and recovery. Have reduced overall mileage this year compared to the last 5. Those are the three components that most endurance athletes are missing: strength training, nutrition and recovery.

response to 'how hard should I ride these intervals' question

Good question from an athlete I work with her in Cincinnati re how hard should I go in my training. My goal asa coach is to find those limits and push you beyond them. Looks like you had some fun with those! It does take some time to leaner what you can push for the various time frames that we'll work through from 30 seconds to 90 minutes. I'd rather have you push a little too hard that not hard enough. in fit, its ok to fail on some of these by just going too hard but for the most part we want to work right on that edge of failure in every time frame and given the number of efforts in the training. In other words, I ride 10 x 1's a little different than 15x1's although it's subtle. I'm not talking a 10% difference, maybe 3-5% if I were to average them. So much of cycling is about pacing. If we think of the energy we have for any given ride and we want to empty that tank, whether its a 5 miles time trial or a hundred mile ride, we learn how hard we can ride within every distance. Takes time to know where we can push nd how long we can keep it going without failing but riding right at the edge.

two days of tempo

due to scheduling issues I wont be riding tomorrow so I did the 3x20 at tempo today and actually kind of made it a 1x60; had a few breaks for lights but that was about it. Avg for 1:02 was 310, NP was 329, 60 minutes at 316, 40 minutes at 325, 30 at 328, 20 at 330, 15 at 340....felt good! did 4x15 at tempo inside yesterday and held right around 300; efforts were actually 30, 15 and 15 minutes

Training Zones

Based on the Field test I did two weeks ago, 2x8 minutes, at an average of 390 watts these are the new training zones. Not looking forward to holding these inside this winter on the longer tempo and steady state. Interval Low High EM 180 301 Tempo 321 341 SS 345 361 CR 381 401 Max 405 MAX