2007 Lessons learned

okay there's a Goals Galore v2.008 already started. How about a retrospective of the good/bad/ugly or plain mystifying from 2007?

My first thoughts: pay attention to food intake while tapering!

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rmur

Stop following the "Training Bible".

Don't fall off

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Training Log

Stop following any "bible".

The power meter (if calibrated) never lies. I sadly learn the lesson I already know that poorly managed time equals poor performance.

Don't take 6 months off the bike (who'd a thunk?).

Obviously, don't mistake L5 intensity for L4 during the first 8 minutes of a 40 km TT.

+1 on this post!

I thought I knew how to pace a 40km TT but the power meter showed me the error of my ways and now I'm repeating Rick's mantra:

VO2 Max is not FTP, VO2 Max is not FTP, VO2 Max...........

You don't need to ride long distances to compete at long distances.

BUILD A BIGGER ONE OF THESE INSTEAD!

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I'm a relatively newbie to competitive cycling, but I've found there to be truth in the statement "go slow to go fast". However, it specifically applies to cyclists such as myself who have a greater proportion of fast twitch muscle fibers to slow twitch. For cyclists that already have a greater percentage of slow twitch to fast twitch fibers, going slow will be of much less benefit to increasing aerobic speed.

There are more important things than bike racing.

Can't wait to race in earnest in 2008.

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We are all made of stars.

With one race and half a season of real training under my belt, I now know:

Hills are not HILLS (bumps in Louisville won't prepare you for a race with a cat 3 climb and 3 cat 4s)
Don't ride to another city and back, covering considerably more distance than you ever have before... on a dare.
When turning left at an intersection, don't look over your right shoulder.

All's well that ends well. I'm looking forward to 2008, my first whole season as a competitor

The sweet zone is truly sweet.

Another: dieting and good racing results are mutually exclusive...

You mean poor dieting?

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