It's killing me but..........

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Quick report on the Mt. Charleston race (see pic below). It was a blustery day, with winds from the right at 15-20mph and gusts to 25mph. The start was very confusing. They said they were going to start the different categories with 5min gaps. My category (55+) was at the very back of the field (~400 riders). When I heard the first start signal, I thought, "Hell, it'll be 1/2 hr before we start. I'll be frozen stiff." But, as we moved up toward the start line, the whole field just kept moving. When we went through the timing trap, I figured it out. They started the entire field as a mass start, grouped by category!:eek: So, I had ~375 riders in front of me, with no way of knowing exactly where my group was. I moved up through the field quickly to be sure I was in front of everybody that started at the back (where we were supposed to). Then, I just started bridging gaps and picking off as many riders as I could. I felt great, and was prepared to put down some serious power if anybody came up on me from behind, but I had no way of being sure I was in front of my age group. What if some of the guys in my age group started with the Pro 1/2s at the front of the field? Anyway, once I got clear of everybody I started with, I just made sure nobody who looked over 35 passed me. When I got to the finish and checked the printout, I saw that there were 3 guys ahead of me in my category, so I took 4th. But, I beat my previous best time by 11 minutes and was ~50th out of ~400 riders. I sure wish I would have known where everybody was. I had more gas in the tank and I think I could have stayed with at least the guy who took 3rd place. All in all, I had a great ride (easy, actually) and preparing for it got me to a good level of fitness for my next 4 target races in the next few weeks. I can't wait for tomorrow so I can get back to 1200 TSS where I belong. Enough of this tapering bullshit! Thanks for the encouragement, guys.:D

Quick report on the Mt. Charleston race (see pic below). It was a blustery day, with winds from the right at 15-20mph and gusts to 25mph. The start was very confusing. They said they were going to start the different categories with 5min gaps. My category (55+) was at the very back of the field (~400 riders). When I heard the first start signal, I thought, "Hell, it'll be 1/2 hr before we start. I'll be frozen stiff." But, as we moved up toward the start line, the whole field just kept moving. When we went through the timing trap, I figured it out. They started the entire field as a mass start, grouped by category!:eek: So, I had ~375 riders in front of me, with no way of knowing exactly where my group was. I moved up through the field quickly to be sure I was in front of everybody that started at the back (where we were supposed to). Then, I just started bridging gaps and picking off as many riders as I could. I felt great, and was prepared to put down some serious power if anybody came up on me from behind, but I had no way of being sure I was in front of my age group. What if some of the guys in my age group started with the Pro 1/2s at the front of the field? Anyway, once I got clear of everybody I started with, I just made sure nobody who looked over 35 passed me. When I got to the finish and checked the printout, I saw that there were 3 guys ahead of me in my category, so I took 4th. But, I beat my previous best time by 11 minutes and was ~50th out of ~400 riders. I sure wish I would have known where everybody was. I had more gas in the tank and I think I could have stayed with at least the guy who took 3rd place. All in all, I had a great ride (easy, actually) and preparing for it got me to a good level of fitness for my next 4 target races in the next few weeks. I can't wait for tomorrow so I can get back to 1200 TSS where I belong. Enough of this tapering bullshit! Thanks for the encouragement, guys.:DLOL Sounds like a Japanese race - sheer chaos. Anyway well done RD. How many of the 400 riders would you say were serious riders? Next year when we do Mt C. we'll start at the front and see how it goes from there.

Btw, finishing with gas still left in the tank is not good enough, you should have been running on just about empty!;)

One final question - who is the fat guy in the picture?:D

LOL Sounds like a Japanese race - sheer chaos. Anyway well done RD. How many of the 400 riders would you say were serious riders? Next year when we do Mt C. we'll start at the front and see how it goes from there.LOL. I can't imagine the Japanese could screw up a race start this badly.

Btw, finishing with gas still left in the tank is not good enough, you should have been running on just about empty!;)I know. I felt guilty.

One final question - who is the fat guy in the picture?:DHe won't be that fat for long. I'm dropping 15 lbs, starting tomorrow.

LOL. I can't imagine the Japanese could screw up a race start this badly.

I know. I felt guilty.

He won't be that fat for long. I'm dropping 15 lbs, starting tomorrow.
15 POUNDS!!! :eek: RD how heavy are you for crikeys sake?

I'm heading towards 70Kilos at the mo. Hope to be under 70K for Biwa.;)

15 POUNDS!!! :eek: RD how heavy are you for crikeys sake?

I'm heading towards 70Kilos at the mo. Hope to be under 70K for Biwa.;)I weighed 178 lbs the morning of the race (having gained 5 lbs by tapering -- damn, how I hate tapering). And, my bike weighs 20 lbs without water bottles. By year-end, I plan to be 165 lbs max and my bike will be 15 lbs max. So, if you compare what I had to drag up that mountain (rider + bike), I will be going from 198 to 180, or 90 kg to 82 kg. At ~4 w/kg, that's the equivalent of gaining 32W! And, without doing a single interval. Magic!:D

RD! Congratulations. That was an unforgettable day to be able to have such a strong finish and place so highly on that course. I just noticed that the Mt. Charleston Race Website (http://mountcharlestonhillclimb.com/eventinfo.html) has a very interesting graphic where the Mt Charleston Hillclimb course profile is compared to the Alpe d'Huez. Both course profiles have a similar grade but when you get to the top of the Alpe d'Huez you are only 55% (halfway!) up Mt Charleston! Forgive me if you or others have already pointed this out, but the magnitude of what you guys are doing out there on those mountains always surprises (shocks?!) me when I see it clearly and pause to think about it.

A group of us were stopped on our group ride yesterday and I asked "Have you guys ever heard about those hill climb races that go on in the mountains out west?" Of course, I was just able to give them the barest outlines of the situation, 17.5 miles, straight up, over a mile of elevation gain, no flat or downhill sections for relief from the unrelenting grade, wind gusts over 20 mph and 2 hours to finish. But from this brief little sketch minds and bodies that rolled into that sag stop tired and numbed 80 miles into a century came alive. "No, that's insane! Those guys are crazy!" (said admiringly, of course). "Awesome!" "How do they do that????" Whether it was the right food or the right story at the right time, I am not sure but we rolled out of the rest stop re-energized and we flew those last 20 miles!

RD! Congratulations. That was an unforgettable day to be able to have such a strong finish and place so highly on that course. I just noticed that the Mt. Charleston Race Website (http://mountcharlestonhillclimb.com/eventinfo.html) has a very interesting graphic where the Mt Charleston Hillclimb course profile is compared to the Alpe d'Huez. Both course profiles have a similar grade but when you get to the top of the Alpe d'Huez you are only 55% (halfway!) up Mt Charleston! Forgive me if you or others have already pointed this out, but the magnitude of what you guys are doing out there on those mountains always surprises (shocks?!) me when I see it clearly and pause to think about it.You're right, Mt. Charleston is not as well known as Alpe d'Huez or Mont Ventoux, but it in fact exceeds both in total difficulty. I always smile when people talk about going to Europe just to climb Alpe d'Huez. My first reaction is, "Hey, save some money and come to Las Vegas, climb a tougher mountain and hit the shows that night."

A group of us were stopped on our group ride yesterday and I asked "Have you guys ever heard about those hill climb races that go on in the mountains out west?" Of course, I was just able to give them the barest outlines of the situation, 17.5 miles, straight up, over a mile of elevation gain, no flat or downhill sections for relief from the unrelenting grade, wind gusts over 20 mph and 2 hours to finish. But from this brief little sketch minds and bodies that rolled into that sag stop tired and numbed 80 miles into a century came alive. "No, that's insane! Those guys are crazy!" (said admiringly, of course). "Awesome!" "How do they do that????" Whether it was the right food or the right story at the right time, I am not sure but we rolled out of the rest stop re-energized and we flew those last 20 miles!Cool.:cool:

RD that photograph gave me nightmares last night (this morning actually).

This is true. Suddenly I'm back in England in a West Country town. Some guy rides into town on the weirdest looking bike, parks it against a wall and goes off.
I take a peek at the bike and enter a small cafe nearby and there you are sitting there. My obvious question - "What are you doing here RD?" Never mind about what I'm doing there 8000 miles away from home. You mumble a name of some guy in the forum who's invited you there for a race.
I rambled on about seeing the local tourist sites (Stonehenge) etc. Stonehenge is in the West Country; that's how I knew where we were. While we are talking, your face contorts exaggerating the features in the photo.

Daddy, daddy wake up it's 8 o'clock! Phew, my daughter had woken me up before things got any worse.:D TYSON

Hello all,
I just completed my first week of training with power on the bikes at the gym. I just completed

2x20 Tuesday @200W
2x30 Wednesday @200
1x30 and 1x40 on Friday @200W

and today I got to go for a 25mile ride with my father-in-law outside and just being able to know that I have the ability to ride at my FTP for at least 20 minutes at a time was great. One steep hill I was able to keep it at 12mph and the other large rolling hills 20mph.

After reading this thread for so long it I was inspired todo some formal training, because I just rode during my lunch hours at work. This thread is soooo great. I have also become very addicted to power, and I know that I want More.

I have gained sooooo much from this thread and I thank everyone that has made it such a success (RapDaddyO, Sillyoldtwit)


Long live the power of our legs and lungs and heart.


Jon

Quick report on the Mt. Charleston race (see pic below). It was a blustery day, with winds from the right at 15-20mph and gusts to 25mph. The start was very confusing. They said they were going to start the different categories with 5min gaps. My category (55+) was at the very back of the field (~400 riders). When I heard the first start signal, I thought, "Hell, it'll be 1/2 hr before we start. I'll be frozen stiff." But, as we moved up toward the start line, the whole field just kept moving. When we went through the timing trap, I figured it out. They started the entire field as a mass start, grouped by category!:eek: So, I had ~375 riders in front of me, with no way of knowing exactly where my group was. I moved up through the field quickly to be sure I was in front of everybody that started at the back (where we were supposed to). Then, I just started bridging gaps and picking off as many riders as I could. I felt great, and was prepared to put down some serious power if anybody came up on me from behind, but I had no way of being sure I was in front of my age group. What if some of the guys in my age group started with the Pro 1/2s at the front of the field? Anyway, once I got clear of everybody I started with, I just made sure nobody who looked over 35 passed me. When I got to the finish and checked the printout, I saw that there were 3 guys ahead of me in my category, so I took 4th. But, I beat my previous best time by 11 minutes and was ~50th out of ~400 riders. I sure wish I would have known where everybody was. I had more gas in the tank and I think I could have stayed with at least the guy who took 3rd place. All in all, I had a great ride (easy, actually) and preparing for it got me to a good level of fitness for my next 4 target races in the next few weeks. I can't wait for tomorrow so I can get back to 1200 TSS where I belong. Enough of this tapering bullshit! Thanks for the encouragement, guys.:DRD,
What a bummer about the start I would have been pissed. Good job getting 4th. Like you said, now you can get back to real work.

Jon

RD that photograph gave me nightmares last night (this morning actually).

This is true. Suddenly I'm back in England in a West Country town. Some guy rides into town on the weirdest looking bike, parks it against a wall and goes off.
I take a peek at the bike and enter a small cafe nearby and there you are sitting there. My obvious question - "What are you doing here RD?" Never mind about what I'm doing there 8000 miles away from home. You mumble a name of some guy in the forum who's invited you there for a race.
I rambled on about seeing the local tourist sites (Stonehenge) etc. Stonehenge is in the West Country; that's how I knew where we were. While we are talking, your face contorts exaggerating the features in the photo.

Daddy, daddy wake up it's 8 o'clock! Phew, my daughter had woken me up before things got any worse.:D TYSONTyson, you're a scream. BTW, how is the cycling in West Country? Maybe you're psychic.:D

After reading this thread for so long it I was inspired todo some formal training, because I just rode during my lunch hours at work. This thread is soooo great. I have also become very addicted to power, and I know that I want More.

I have gained sooooo much from this thread and I thank everyone that has made it such a success (RapDaddyO, Sillyoldtwit)


Long live the power of our legs and lungs and heart.


JonCool.:cool: Keep it up and you'll be charging up the hills like Tyson.:D

RD,
What a bummer about the start I would have been pissed. Good job getting 4th. Like you said, now you can get back to real work.Exactly! I sort of took out my annoyance today on my group ride. We rode a 50 mile out/back ride and the return was directly into a wind ~20mph. Every time I got to the front, they kept yelling, "Slow down, you're dropping everybody." After 2-3 pulls, I realized I was still pissed about the ridiculous start yesterday. But, starting tomorrow I can get back to some serious training.:D

Exactly! I sort of took out my annoyance today on my group ride. We rode a 50 mile out/back ride and the return was directly into a wind ~20mph. Every time I got to the front, they kept yelling, "Slow down, you're dropping everybody." After 2-3 pulls, I realized I was still pissed about the ridiculous start yesterday. But, starting tomorrow I can get back to some serious training.:DIf Daddy aint happy aint nobody happy :D

Tyson, you're a scream. BTW, how is the cycling in West Country? Maybe you're psychic.:DI've no idea, but if it's like their driving and way of speaking, it's verrrrrrrry slowwwww!:D

Having said that, Bath is the greatest city in the world and the nearby Cotswolds are out of this world - beauuuuutiful! ;) What am I doing in Japan?:(

Curlew would you like to come out here and take my place; you can cycle in Basho country to your hearts delight.
Yesterday I did 100km, a lot of it in typical Basho terrain. Narrow country roads with hardly any one or anything in sight. Climbing up through narrow wooded mountains with just the sound of the cascading streams - coming across the occasional house or small village in among the rice paddies. Oh, and also the swishing of the bamboo trees affected by a typhoon passing somewhat to the west.
Amazing things happen in Japan for no apparent reason. Get this - I was just leaving a small village with about 10 houses (it was 7am Sunday morning) I'd done about 50km and I nearly fell off my bike with shock. Suddenly Beethoven's music blasted out over the valley. :eek:
Oh, and I must tell you; I was within 1km of my house when this guy coming along the sidewalk towards me is practicing skiing with a couple of ski sticks (or whatever they're called - have never been skiing) at the beginning of Autumn! 27 degrees C. and on the sidewalk!!!!:D

Tyson, IIRC you are ~30 days from your target event, right? Anyway, it doesn't matter whether it's exactly 30 days. The point is that you are entering an important phase of preparation for your event. It all has to do with managing your total training stress to peak at exactly the right time. Now, I'm going to make a suggestion that you're not going to like. I recommend that you buy a copy of CyclingPeaks WKO+ (the latest version) http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/. This version has the much discussed Performance Manager as discussed here http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411/performancemanager.asp. This feature alone justifies buying CP. This isn't a small addition to the toolkit of the serious cyclist. This is huge! This feature takes the issue of managing one's training from anecdotes to science-based precision. And, just think how your cycling friends will swoon when you start throwing around your CTL and ATL numbers along with FTP, VO2MAX, AWC, et al.

Now, for your obvious questions. Question #1: But, I don't have a PM and CP is for those with a PM. Not true, all you need are the workout files. You can create these within CP or with a small console app that I built for precisely this purpose http://www.cyclingforums.com/t312293.html. I think my app is more powerful, but you can decide for yourself. BTW, I have a new and iimproved version of my app and I'll post it to that same thread later today (I have to contact PSUCycling and get his permission to replace the current version with the new version). Question #2: But, I'm not a math type. It doesn't matter. You don't have to be a math type to understand CTL and ATL. These terms will soon become a part of our daily vocabulary for those of us who train with power. This will put you on the leading edge of the power revolution.

Once you've installed WKO+ and created workout files for your training rides the last few months, we can talk seriously about your workouts during the next month.

Cheers.:D

Tyson, IIRC you are ~30 days from your target event, right? Anyway, it doesn't matter whether it's exactly 30 days. The point is that you are entering an important phase of preparation for your event. It all has to do with managing your total training stress to peak at exactly the right time. Now, I'm going to make a suggestion that you're not going to like. I recommend that you buy a copy of CyclingPeaks WKO+ (the latest version) http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/. This version has the much discussed Performance Manager as discussed here http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411/performancemanager.asp. This feature alone justifies buying CP. This isn't a small addition to the toolkit of the serious cyclist. This is huge! This feature takes the issue of managing one's training from anecdotes to science-based precision. And, just think how your cycling friends will swoon when you start throwing around your CTL and ATL numbers along with FTP, VO2MAX, AWC, et al.

Now, for your obvious questions. Question #1: But, I don't have a PM and CP is for those with a PM. Not true, all you need are the workout files. You can create these within CP or with a small console app that I built for precisely this purpose http://www.cyclingforums.com/t312293.html. I think my app is more powerful, but you can decide for yourself. BTW, I have a new and iimproved version of my app and I'll post it to that same thread later today (I have to contact PSUCycling and get his permission to replace the current version with the new version). Question #2: But, I'm not a math type. It doesn't matter. You don't have to be a math type to understand CTL and ATL. These terms will soon become a part of our daily vocabulary for those of us who train with power. This will put you on the leading edge of the power revolution.

Once you've installed WKO+ and created workout files for your training rides the last few months, we can talk seriously about your workouts during the next month.

Cheers.:D
Thanks for all that RD, but I've got all the answers from the Heart Zone Thread. :D :D :D

Thanks for all that RD, but I've got all the answers from the Heart Zone Thread. :D :D :DOh, right, I forgot all about that. Who needs CTL and ATL when one has HR data?:D

Oh, right, I forgot all about that. Who needs CTL and ATL when one has HR data?:D
RDO,

Every Pro Coach knows how to take a rider to peak form without all these charts, acronyms and numbers.

Why can't you?

BTW What is your CTL nowadays?

Jim

RDO,

Every Pro Coach knows how to take a rider to peak form without all these charts, acronyms and numbers.

Why can't you?

BTW What is your CTL nowadays?

JimHi Jim,

I'm working up a set of stats on my training leading up to the Mt. Charleston race as an FYI for those interested. It will include CTL and ATL plus duration and TSS by level (L1-L7) by week for the 11-12 weeks leading up to the race. It won't be posted as "the best way to train for an event," but rather "one athlete's approach to his training for a key event." I may be the only person in the world who knows my duration and TSS by level, so some may find the data interesting.