My post-workout breakfast was ready. My kit was ready, my water was ready, i checked TR for updates it was ready, I pumped up the rear wheel on Dire Wolf, it was ready. Question, was I ready?
I woke up at around my usual time (when I was young no alarm clock was loud enough now no alarm clock is required) and kinda dreaded and kinda anticipated the start of structured training. I had been free-lancing a “pre-season” by working out endurance and tempo workouts for about one month. I had good consistency. Still, ramp tests are scary affairs – those last few minutes really suck but the payoff is a feeling of shine (regardless of the inevitable disappointment) and that is worth something, right?
Since I did all of that work I got up, weighed myself and took an HRV reading. I felt well, HRV said I was a touch too chill but good to go, There was no excuse NOT to proceed. So I got up, ate a bit of fuel, kitted up, and thew over.
I nearly finished Drawn by Quest for Fire – which if I can get to the start of that song indicates an increased ramp test result. I did not reach my goal of busting an HR of 170 but hitting that number was probably only achievable at the start of my “pre-season”. Power is what matters, right?
When it was done TR reported a +12% bump in result and Golden Cheetah showed a good efficiency value. Admittedly, this bump was due to my previous test coming on the heals of a three month cycling hiatus and this value is right in line with the start of training in previous years. Still, increases are good!
The March from 1941 came on and the shine really amped up.
Overall it has not been a good year, with a lot of international travel, and the death of my father, all of which has taken an emotional toll, and certainly not been good for consistent training. I guess I am happy to finish the year stronger than where I started.
AT had faith I could do it, and it was dead right.
I’d have almost marked it Moderate but for the final 15min trying to bring my Power Average up. I ended with my Power exactly meeting the Target, but there was an app crash at about 35min into the interval which I suspect dropped the average a smidge (though it can’t have been massive), and I re-calibrated five minutes after that to be safe.
Steamboat +2 was in my calendar and to have something to look at I took it to a virtual Germany (Lol now the Rapha 500 includes virtual rides I thought I’d take it to the course where I’d rack up most mileage or is that kilometreage). You might be able to see a power drop on one of the blocks. Lol, that is when I went for an inride sprint forgetting I was in ERG, spinning out, slowing for a second and then having to grind my way out
First workout of structured training goaling for a decent performances in Wisconsin Cycling Association Crits, TOAD, and CX. Even though I previous had my endurance level nearly to 7 that was with my old ramp test result. So TR categorized the WOTD as a stretch ride. I scoffed at that, knowing I’ve done this before but I still took it seriously. I prepared carbohydrate beverages and cut up and pitted five dates. I got my kit ready and went to bed.
I woke up and did my routine. Kissed my wife bye on her way out the door and procrastinated. Instead of getting to it dark and early I got at it dark and not so early. However, threw over I did and spun this one out. The two hour set list I made for this WOTD was one maybe two songs short of two hours.
Last ride of 2021, Zwift C crit race, got a 7th place, managed to keep with pack to the end. x76 (2021)PRs with a 400w 2 min effort at end before a damp squid sprint! Hard when on a MTB with no gear range and having to rely on the TR resistance setting
Gute Rutsch!
