Thresholders to watch for:

CAT 3 Field- (1) – Leo AKA “el Train”

CAT 4/5 Field – (13) – Michael, Victor, Shane, Ken, Curt, Matt, Jason G, Cory, Randall, Joe, Peter, Devin and Jason W

Course Map:

Race info: http://www.bikereg.com/events/Register.asp?EventID=7765

Where to find us: Look for the big red and yellow tent. If it’s not up, look for the red, yellow and black jerseys. Definitely come say hi, we won’t bite.

My FTP test, following my rest week at the end of Build 1.

The good:
-My BFF K-berry lending me his Powertap PRO
-Perfect calibration on the ‘tap—0 watts while coasting
-the new kit–rocking the WHITE leg warmers
-the weather–45 and cloudy, Belgian style, and my ideal ride temp
-my favorite TT loop around the Blue Hills, finish on the access road

The bad:
296 watts average, for 25 minutes at 97% of LTHR.
Normally, in a 20 min effort, you estimate this to be 95% of FT power (so, 296/68 kg x 0.95) yielding 4.14 watts/kg
However, since I went 25 minutes, the number slides to 97% of FT power (296/68 x .097) yielding 4.22 watts/kg
This is a CRITICAL difference, as that moves me from the high Cat 3 range to the lowest Cat 2. So, upgrade me Diane!!

I’m ugly:
-shaved 1:30+ off last weeks time by switching from my cross bike w/ 35 mm tires to the road rig
-I am roughly 30-45 seconds slower on this loop than my peak fitness last year (a week before GMSR)!!!!
-the gate was DOWN on the bloody access road! I had to dismount, go into the woods around it, and remount, starting the climb from a dead standstill after 18 min. at T-hold. Cranky!
-my power goes in the shitter when the pavement flattens out or slopes down…need to work on that

I am not sure that this will change anything for me…but good to have a number to chime in with when the power chat starts

I didn’t get a chance to squeak out a winter vacation so I decided to take yesterday and today off to get a mini-break. Figured Thursday was a good day to put in a long ride, with the option for another ride or recovery before the weekend.   After much deliberation, I decided to do the Climb to the Clouds route from Bolton.  My plan was to drive out there with my wife, and she dropped me off to give me the ability to do the ride and then ride home (for about 100) or cut it short when I returned to Bolton (for about 60).  Got a bit of a late start and didn’t roll out of Bolton until 12:30.

I did the full CTC once before from Concord but this Bolton route is slightly different.  Its around 20 miles to Wachusett then another 40 back to Bolton.  Its a nice route through farm country, mostly rolling or rather hilly.  It was a little colder than I expected since the forecast had been for sun and low 50s.  More like sub 50 and cloudy with occasional spitting.  I had set out looking forward to the Wachusett climb, but by the time I got to Mile Hill Rd I was slightly dreading it.  I was quickly reminded that this approach road is a pretty solid, steady, grade that feels like it will never end.  I saw two guys in kit coming downhill and figured they were on the same plan as me.  As I neared the park entrance one of the guys came past me and I realized that they were using Mile Hill for repeats.  “I’ll show them” I thought. “I’m headed for the top.” Unfortunately when I entered the park I learned that the mountain road was still closed for the season due to ice and snow. I guess I should have anticipated this when I saw people skiing on my way up. What a dope.  With another 40 miles to go and my legs already feeling like wood I left the park to return to Bolton. 

I fondly remembered the CTC return trip from Wachusett as mostly downhill but this proved to be a false, cruel  memory. I once again encountered many rollers and many hills, making my progress slow.  I stopped about 10 miles from the park to refuel and field a call from my wife.  She wanted to know if she should return to Bolton to meet me.  I was feeling good and still thinking I could make it all the way back to JP on two wheels, but it was getting close to 3:00 and I didn’t want to blow the evening by getting home too late.  We agreed she would meet me back in Bolton around 4:30 or so.  This proved to be a crucial decision and it is a humbling reminder of the need for a good exit strategy.  Because there were many hills to come.  And of course I got lost — maybe twice.  Even though the ride would have been shortened without the Wachusett climb by getting lost I managed to add another 10 miles.  Towards the end of the ride it began to rain once again, and I pressed on with the knowledge that a ride home was waiting for me if I could find my way back. 

I learned three things yesterday:

1. My wife is my savior.

2. Riding hills alone sucks.

3. Downhill sprints are fun.

Total ride time: 4.5 hours, 67.5 miles (yes, that is slow but a lot of it was uphill!)

I hope to do the group hill ride next week.

that is all.

I’m afraid, therefore I train.

that is all

Yesterday was some tempo work on the FG (my HR monitor decided it needed new battery, so it was 50 min of RPE). Today, Summit hill repeats.

30 min warm up out to Newton Center and over to Summit Ave. On the way out I saw L-Train on the Karate Monkey doing some Reservoir tempo loops. Seeing L-Train is like seeing a turkey walk across Beacon St – it is a sign of only good things to come (I think I may have misinterpreted this sign)

Two sets of five repeats. Starting from the island, up to the penultimate hydrant (the one with the yellow thingy sticking off it, after Jordan Rd and before it gets flat near the park and the last hydrant). Winchester recovery between sets. Here were my runs:

2:07, ? (missed the lap button), 2:20, 2:21, 2:20

6:50 full recovery on Winchester

2:22, 2:27, 2:34, 2:44 (Danger! Danger!), 2:31

As you can see, my performance degraded on the second set. This was about the time I started seeing dots and lost most of my motor skills. Surprisingly, my average HR was lower for the second set repeats. All repeats brought me into high 5b and tickled 5c. I think the last two were just survival. I experimented (to keep it interesting) with being seated, standing, spinning (I was running the rear Zipp, which I believe only has a 25, so my 39×27 was not available today) pushing and doing that magic gear thing. Without a power meter, standing is kind of cheating. I find it that it is easier to relax (and thus go slower) while standing. This is also why I stopped before the top. I’ve found that riding the flat section results in either: starting your recovery too soon or big gearing it to make some magic time. I was trying to focus on keeping things steady. Maybe for the first 7 this was true.

Yeah, that hurt.

On my warm down I rode by the Eagle Deli and dreamed of bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. I got home and pretended my whey protein and Shakley shake tasted like bacon.

One of our product sponsors for 2009 is Grease Monkey Wipes by Kong Concepts. Thresholders were lucky enough to get our hands on some of these and I decided to take them for a spin.

Grease Monkey Wipes are individually wrapped non-toxic 8”x 7” degreasing towels. They contain a citrus based degreaser which is both powerful, but in no way harsh against the skin or your bikes finish. The package is small enough to fit in your jersey pocket or saddle bag.

Unwrapping the wipes you notice the fabric is very similar to baby wipes or Clorox Cleaning wipes. They are very moist and smell, as you would expect, a little citrus-y. When unfolded, the wipe is bike enough to cover your entire hand (or at least mine – which are on the smaller side).

Being a condo dweller, I don’t have regular access to a garden house or a good place to clean by bike. Generally my winter bikes range from caked-with-sand to washed-off-by-rain. My beloved road steed sees better conditions so its general demeanor includes road grime, remnants of sugary drink and sweat. It gets the occasional washing, but is never really clean. The drive train gets a lot of love though.

The first thing you notice when using the wipes is just how moist they are. Even after rubbing down my frame, bottle cages and non-functional parts of my components, the wipe was ready for more. It didn’t dry out at all. The wipe got very dirty, which would probably lead someone to stop using it, but it just kept working. Road grime gone!

Last weekend a bunch of us rode the CRW 42 fitness ride. Toward the end of the ride, Peter got a flat. After a winter of training on New England roads, his tires were pretty dirty – leaving his hands a mess. After fixing the flat he broke out a Grease Monkey Wipe and suddenly had clean hands!

One thing to note is that these are degreasers. Meaning that they will remove grease and lubricant from whatever you are wiping down. For frames this is good! For chains – make sure you relube after ward.

Another awesome aspect about this product is how strong they are! I used one to clean my barnacle covered fixie chain. After getting it sparkly and ready for lube, the wipe didn’t rip or shred or anything.

If I had to point out one con, it would be the environmental impact of individually wrapped wipes. The target of this product is for on the go. However, it would be cool if they came in canister form too for home use. I’d imagine that this might reduce the performance of the product (whenever I use similar household cleaning wipes, the last few are pretty dry and stale). Some Simple Green and a rag may be a better alternative for home cleanup.

Solid product. Will be a mainstay for on the ride, in my gear bag and in my car.

Grease Monkey Wipes

• Finally took a look at my bottom bracket on the cross bike. Yup, not using the bike wash after Lowell has destroyed 60% of the bike! -s #

Louis Garneau delivered like a true champ…everything has arrived, looks wonderful and is a go for team distribution.

It's here!!!!

Downtown Tampa Crit – CAT 5 field

Short version: The weather was gorgeous. The field was huge (70!). I crashed about 10 laps in. I was given a free lap. I finished 36th out of 70.

Long version: They should have renamed this race to “The Bricks of Tampa Criterium” as half of each lap was done on cobblestone-like bricks. I got stuck lining up at the back of the pack, again…..I gotta work on that. Whistle blows, we’re off. So many turns (six 90 degree turns each lap) and the field is not exactly a field but a really really long paceline. Workin hard, learning really quick about cornering into a headwind. Here comes lap 10. The field had split into two main groups and alot of people off the back. I was in the 2nd group, staying at 3rd wheel. We came around turn 3 just fine when on the straight, the guy who was first wheel slows suddenly and swerves. This caused the front wheel of the 2nd guy to touch his back wheel and down the 2nd guy went. I had no way of avoiding contact. I had to make a decision, run over the guy that just tumbled, or run his bike over…..I chose his bike. I end up going over my handlebars and landing on my head/shoulder/back. Witness say they thought I would have had a broken collarbone with the way I landed. Helmets save lives, by the way. A race official comes running over and the first thing out of my mouth is “Do I get a free lap for that?” He tells me if I can make it to the start line, they will restart me. I do so and join back up with the second group. However, the damage was done. I hurt pretty phenominally after that and hung at the back of that group for the remainder of the race. I finished 36th out of 70.

• short recovery time on the trainer. trying to prevent the hurt that lasted for too long from last weekend from happening again. -s #