Sunday was great. I rode home from work (I commute year-round) and immediately got on the trainer. My commute home is about 15 minutes in winter and is just enough to get me warmed up for riding the trainer. I watched a bunch of the Yeti Team World Cup DH videos and had a blast.
Time: 60 minutes
Avg HR: 140 BPM
Stretched and felt great and then hit the wall. So I went with John and Cindy to Chipotle. Halfway into my burrito I felt better so I took the other half for lunch Monday.
And what a good call that was: Monday was a long day at work: 7am to 7:30pm. I got a lot done and it was worth the long day, but I was pretty fried by the end of it.
ride time: 45 minutes
Avg HR: 105 BPM.
100 sit-ups (1x40 and 2x30) and stretching.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
I touched the floor!
Today I could touch the floor with my fingertips while keeping my legs straight. This is a big accomplishment for the guy who could hardly reach beyond his knees four months ago. It's the sort of visible result that makes it all feel worthwhile.
For those who don't know, flexibility is very important in producing power. Tight hamstrings prevent one from achieving an aerodynamic riding position while maintaining high power output. My new-found flexibility means I can remove the 17 degree rise stem from my road bike and replace it with a 7 degree rise one. Perhaps in another few months I'll be able to invert the 7 degree.
Today my training movie was Snatch, which is one of my favorite movies ever. Not a minute goes by in which the language slows down. And Brad Pitt is just hilarious in it.
ride time: 1:24, mostly at 120 bpm, and then about 20 minutes at 140.
I stretched, did 100 sit-up (in two sets of 30 and one of 20, no less), and felt pretty good.
Friday I did not ride. Friday was not a day to ride bikes.
For those who don't know, flexibility is very important in producing power. Tight hamstrings prevent one from achieving an aerodynamic riding position while maintaining high power output. My new-found flexibility means I can remove the 17 degree rise stem from my road bike and replace it with a 7 degree rise one. Perhaps in another few months I'll be able to invert the 7 degree.
Today my training movie was Snatch, which is one of my favorite movies ever. Not a minute goes by in which the language slows down. And Brad Pitt is just hilarious in it.
ride time: 1:24, mostly at 120 bpm, and then about 20 minutes at 140.
I stretched, did 100 sit-up (in two sets of 30 and one of 20, no less), and felt pretty good.
Friday I did not ride. Friday was not a day to ride bikes.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
today was a 7 out of ten
Ride today: 70 minutes at 125 bpm avg.
Food: grilled veggie sandwich, coffee, latte, cornbread, breadsticks, V8. penne Rosa from noodles and Co.
I felt focused today. My legs felt okay, and I could keep riding at high cadence, low resistance, but I felt focused. Today I had the kind of focus where nothing else pops into your head and you only see the trail ahead. Even my bike was out of the picture on this ride.
Watching just the race portions of Off-Road to Athens made the movie WAY better. I'm not saying I don't care about the plot, just that the plot didn't offer as much as I would have liked.
In the tight hamstring dept. things are looking better.
Today I am grateful for my parents generosity in allowing me to live with them and train in their basement and eat everything in their kitchen.
Food: grilled veggie sandwich, coffee, latte, cornbread, breadsticks, V8. penne Rosa from noodles and Co.
I felt focused today. My legs felt okay, and I could keep riding at high cadence, low resistance, but I felt focused. Today I had the kind of focus where nothing else pops into your head and you only see the trail ahead. Even my bike was out of the picture on this ride.
Watching just the race portions of Off-Road to Athens made the movie WAY better. I'm not saying I don't care about the plot, just that the plot didn't offer as much as I would have liked.
In the tight hamstring dept. things are looking better.
Today I am grateful for my parents generosity in allowing me to live with them and train in their basement and eat everything in their kitchen.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
playing catch-up
Sunday 01-18-09: rode 74 minutes and watched 24 Solo. Good movie, legs felt fine while riding but tight while stretching afterward. Hamstrings were rough. 100 situps.
Monday 01-19-09: rode 51 minutes and watched Offroad to Athens. Not nearly as good as 24 Solo. Stretched, and the legs still felt tight.
Tuesday: OBAMA FTW! No riding, just chili, an Inter-Milan cake, and watching some inauguratin'.
Wednesday 01-21-09: Gehling and I were searching for a good cycling movie to watch, when we happened upon the BEST MOVIE EVER. 90 minutes and thousands of dead brain cells later, we'd gotten in a good spin and suddenly believed in hollow patriotism and deeply-rooted materialist values. 100 sit-ups, chili, apple, banana, oatmeal squares, a big yam, carrots, and a small chocolate shake with the ladyfriend.
Monday 01-19-09: rode 51 minutes and watched Offroad to Athens. Not nearly as good as 24 Solo. Stretched, and the legs still felt tight.
Tuesday: OBAMA FTW! No riding, just chili, an Inter-Milan cake, and watching some inauguratin'.
Wednesday 01-21-09: Gehling and I were searching for a good cycling movie to watch, when we happened upon the BEST MOVIE EVER. 90 minutes and thousands of dead brain cells later, we'd gotten in a good spin and suddenly believed in hollow patriotism and deeply-rooted materialist values. 100 sit-ups, chili, apple, banana, oatmeal squares, a big yam, carrots, and a small chocolate shake with the ladyfriend.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
oh, you said body AND mind?
Today I had a headache from the minute I woke up. I didn't have any coffee this morning so perhaps it was because of the lack of caffeine. After a night of sleeping on my side my back had a big knot in it which was not remedied until nearly nine at night. Fortunately, the ladyfriend sorted ti out. Mentally, I'm glad it wasn't race day. I had no focus for anything other than put it in gear and ride. I even spaced out during the big Zabel pile-up on stage two of the tour DVD I was watching. The legs were fine, but my head wasn't in it.
Riding:
1 hour at 140 bpm
15 minutes of stretching
Food:
Chicken salad with walnuts, corn, fetta, spinach, lettuce, and some light dressing. Apple juice.
Fetalicious pizza (2 slices), PBJ sammich, a Coke.
The trainer was down in the basement today and I think I might leave it there for the rest of my riding. My laptop plugs in and rests atop the freezer at just the right height and distance for watching DVDs. I've burned through most of the shop DVDs and now I'm going to order Off-road to Athens and 24/Solo to keep me entertained. Now is probably also a good time to order my 2ti Egg Beaters.
After some more thinking, It might be more realistic for me to get a Fisher Procaliber instead of the Top Fuel 9.8. In terms of availability there are more Procalibers in stock, and it's light enough at 22 lbs that I can't really complain. Seeing as how the Superfly weighed in at just under 20 with no suspension and tons of carbon parts, the Procaliber must be a pretty sweet ride for a full-sus.
Riding:
1 hour at 140 bpm
15 minutes of stretching
Food:
Chicken salad with walnuts, corn, fetta, spinach, lettuce, and some light dressing. Apple juice.
Fetalicious pizza (2 slices), PBJ sammich, a Coke.
The trainer was down in the basement today and I think I might leave it there for the rest of my riding. My laptop plugs in and rests atop the freezer at just the right height and distance for watching DVDs. I've burned through most of the shop DVDs and now I'm going to order Off-road to Athens and 24/Solo to keep me entertained. Now is probably also a good time to order my 2ti Egg Beaters.
After some more thinking, It might be more realistic for me to get a Fisher Procaliber instead of the Top Fuel 9.8. In terms of availability there are more Procalibers in stock, and it's light enough at 22 lbs that I can't really complain. Seeing as how the Superfly weighed in at just under 20 with no suspension and tons of carbon parts, the Procaliber must be a pretty sweet ride for a full-sus.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday through Friday
Wednesday night was the first indoor group ride with Gehling. Dave joined us for some 2000 Giro viewing and some easy spinning:
Wed 1-14-09: 1.5 hr at an easy pace
Thur. 1-15-09: off
Friday 1-16-09: 1 hour at 150BPM. 100 sit-ups.
Food: Two slices sourdough french toast w/2 tbsp peanut butter. coffee, water, chocolate soy milk. Ricotta cheese in pasta shells, Whole wheat bread, chocolate.
I'm looking for a full-sus XC race bike with Xt/XTR or XO/X-9.
Wed 1-14-09: 1.5 hr at an easy pace
Thur. 1-15-09: off
Friday 1-16-09: 1 hour at 150BPM. 100 sit-ups.
Food: Two slices sourdough french toast w/2 tbsp peanut butter. coffee, water, chocolate soy milk. Ricotta cheese in pasta shells, Whole wheat bread, chocolate.
I'm looking for a full-sus XC race bike with Xt/XTR or XO/X-9.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
training today
Time on bike: 1.5 hours
time stretching: .5 hours
Goal: touch my hands flat on the ground with my legs straight.
legs felt tight at work today. Going to wear better shoes to stand around all day and try stretching on arrival and at lunch.
time stretching: .5 hours
Goal: touch my hands flat on the ground with my legs straight.
legs felt tight at work today. Going to wear better shoes to stand around all day and try stretching on arrival and at lunch.
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