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

[PaulMD]

P.S. Back after 2 hours. Unbelievable - after an L4 workout yesterday, I blasted it all the way from start to finish, and wherever the road permitted it, I was doing 36-40kmph. I'm expecting a quantum leap in power soon - I feel it coming. Give me, give me, I've just got to have more power before I'm too old. Tyson

Wooohaaa!! Put the power to the wheels! When are going for a powermeter on your roadbike? Just don't tell the wife your new rear wheel is $$$$.

Today I did my third timetrial. Last few weeks my CTL dropped from 85 to 60tss/day due to lack of motivation (the summer is over and it's getting cold and early dark) and my girlfriend hit the road hard with her head last week (45min amnesia and a broken radius). So I can be very proud about the results:

9.8km in 12:57 (45.4km/hour or 28.2MPH) with 342 watts at 66.7kg (180cm).

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

Wooohaaa!! Put the power to the wheels! When are going for a powermeter on your roadbike? Just don't tell the wife your new rear wheel is $$$$.

Today I did my third timetrial. Last few weeks my CTL dropped from 85 to 60tss/day due to lack of motivation (the summer is over and it's getting cold and early dark) and my girlfriend hit the road hard with her head last week (45min amnesia and a broken radius). So I can be very proud about the results:

9.8km in 12:57 (45.4km/hour or 28.2MPH) with 342 watts at 66.7kg (180cm).

Sorry to hear about your girlfriend Paul , sounds nasty, hope she has fully recovered. It will probably put her off riding for a while.

Don't think I could get anywhere near your TT figures, but maybe with a TT bike, who knows. Anyway, well done!

For those who have been following this thread from the beginning, you will remember my first "cycling" dream with the naked maiden beckoning me off my bike, and the guy hammering downhill with the brakes on and flames belching out from his back tyre. Well this morning had "cycling" dream No. 3.
Sorry to disappoint you if you are expecting naked nymphs.
Back to the dream. I was leading the field with no one in sight behind me, when just before the finish I came to house, but unlike the first dream I didn't have to cycle through the house.
You're not going to believe this!
I had to lean my bike against the outer wall of the house and scale the wall to a point where my head was just under the eaves. Then, employing a series of footholds, drainpipes and grabbing on to the eaves, I had to work my way around the outer wall looking for an open window to climb in through, rush down the stairs and get back on the bike to the finish. I remember looking down at the concrete ground below and thinking, there's going to be a few cracked heads today.
Anyway, after navigating around to the other side of the house, I could see that the race organisers had forgotten to leave a window open. I thought sod this, slid down a drainpipe, got back on the bike and raced off to the finish.
There were a few welcoming beauties at the finish, so I slowed right down and pretended my quads were in agony from the effort of demolishing the field A few minutes later the 'Smoker' and another guy came in and said well done, and the 'Smoker' had the exact same smile on his face to the one he wore the other day when he said he was going to kick my butt at Biwa.

Anyone care to analyse that dream? Tyson

 

[Alex Simmons]

Anyone care to analyse that dream? Tyson

What happened to the toolkit?

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

What happened to the toolkit?

LOL It was RapDaddyo's toolkit - he probably took it with him when he left the forum.

 

[Ade Merckx]

So Ade, stop worrying - what ever will be will be. Who cares, at my age it's just fun to be up there. Am now setting off to climb the 15% and come back. Short of time today. Tyson

P.S. Back after 2 hours. Unbelievable - after an L4 workout yesterday, I blasted it all the way from start to finish, and wherever the road permitted it, I was doing 36-40kmph. I'm expecting a quantum leap in power soon - I feel it coming. Give me, give me, I've just got to have more power before I'm too old. Tyson

Cool, I'm loving your swagger and I hope everything goes alright on the night. Can you smoke the smoker? I guess we'll have to see?

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

Cool, I'm loving your swagger and I hope everything goes alright on the night. Can you smoke the smoker? I guess we'll have to see?

Swagger? Moi?!? It's actually what I think the Americans call 'trash talk' or something to that effect. To give you an example: I could smoke the 'Smoker' on my shopping bike with the basket full of groceries, my daughter on the back, and wearing slippers.

 

[wiredued]

Maybe... if you don't get lost this time.

Swagger? Moi?!? It's actually what I think the Americans call 'trash talk' or something to that effect. To give you an example: I could smoke the 'Smoker' on my shopping bike with the basket full of groceries, my daughter on the back, and wearing slippers.

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

Maybe... if you don't get lost this time.

I never get lost - I just go the wrong way!

 

[Alex Simmons]

I rode the track again yesterday. Three main things happened:

- the polyurethane spacer I put between the cycling cleat and adapter plate on my prosthetic cycling leg attachment worked a treat. I was able to rock the bike side to side as normal when sprinting out of saddle.

- That meant I was much more confident of jumping out of saddle for accelerations, which I did a few of down the banking to chase down riders doing efforts. On one fly from the top of banking in an 80" gear (49x16) I peaked at 55kph and 142 rpm.

- I cracked the kilowatt on my third standing start with a peak of 1053W and a 5-sec MMP of 1020 W


This week I do some aerobic power testing with a TT and a MAP test.

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

I rode the track again yesterday. Three main things happened:

- the polyurethane spacer I put between the cycling cleat and adapter plate on my prosthetic cycling leg attachment worked a treat. I was able to rock the bike side to side as normal when sprinting out of saddle.

- That meant I was much more confident of jumping out of saddle for accelerations, which I did a few of down the banking to chase down riders doing efforts. On one fly from the top of banking in an 80" gear (49x16) I peaked at 55kph and 142 rpm.

- I cracked the kilowatt on my third standing start with a peak of 1053W and a 5-sec MMP of 1020 W


This week I do some aerobic power testing with a TT and a MAP test.

I used to think you were mad, but now I know you are completely insane.
I admire how you overcome each (of many) problem as it arises. Keep up the good work!

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

I now have a confession to make.

After an L4 workout on the 15th of July, because of the mercury reaching 38C, I lost interest in cycling and laziness feeds on laziness. I didn't (couldn't) shake myself out of it until the 2nd of August. 18 days off!
After that I was getting back to my old self when disaster struck. I attempted to lift my daughter and the futon matress from the floor with straight legs and body at an angle. Another 10 days off with a bad back.

The reason I recently felt excited was because I was almost back to where I was and I felt I was going to be stronger than before. My L4 workouts are now better than they were and my L5s are 10 watts away from what they used to be. That will be rectified by the end of this week, then I start to taper for Biwa.
However, I'm going to try something next Tuesday in an attempt to equal RapDaddyo's best ever at said. Next Thursday will be the last L4 workout - probably only 20 minutes at 290 or 300 watts, then unlike some guys in this forum, will rest completely on Friday and Saturday getting as much afternoon napping as I can in the afternoons and to bed at 8pm Friday night.
I must admit I'm a little apprehensive about Sunday, because I just don't know if my extra power compared to last year will transfer to the 'race'.
One indication that it might is:- Last Saturday I did a completely flat 57km ride along the river bank, and kept the pace relatively steady, never sprinting even for 5 metres. When I got home and checked my computer, I discovered my top speed had been 41.7kmph 26mph.Of course that was solo, and with drafting next Sunday.........................

 

[Ade Merckx]

I Next Thursday will be the last L4 workout - probably only 20 minutes at 290 or 300 watts, then unlike some guys in this forum, will rest completely on Friday and Saturday getting as much afternoon napping as I can in the afternoons and to bed at 8pm Friday night.

Are you saying two complete days off the bike before your big ride? I would feel slighty blocked if I didn't ride the day before? So at least 40 mins - 5min warm up 20mins L3 and 10 in L4, 5 min cool down the day before the ride. But hey thats me. I hope you have a good ride

 

[Steve_B]

then unlike some guys in this forum, will rest completely on Friday and Saturday getting as much afternoon napping as I can in the afternoons and to bed at 8pm Friday night.

You know, that might just work for you. If you have tried it before and it worked then do it. Myself, I find that if I'm fit and have been training a lot, when I take a day or two off the bike completely, I can really rock the day that I do get back on the bike. It only lasts that day or so but it works. More than two days might be a problem though.

 

[Steve_B]

Anyone care to analyse that dream?

I'm just wondering what sort of mind-altering supplements you might have been taking. I took this stuff called DMAE for a while years ago and it didn't do what it was supposed to do but it gave me the wildest dreams I've ever had in my life.

 

[Alex Simmons]

OK, not long off trainer. Today the weather was **** so my 16km TT test was done on the indoor ergo. I don't have speed/distance data so decided to make it a 25-min test. That's probably a bit short for a 10-mile effort at my current fitness but it'll do for the purpose.

Average Power of 248 watts for the 25-min and a 20-min power of 252 W.

Not quite sure how hard to go, I went for 220+ W to start with and then just rode by feel.

Not too bad all things considered. MAP test later this week.

 

[Steve_B]

Average Power of 248 watts for the 25-min and a 20-min power of 252 W.

Progress. Big progress.

 

[Bailsibub]

Tyson,

I, too, had to contend with the hot weather last month over here in Seoul. Problem is, I do my workouts on the Cycleops in the mornings before work. And my apartment is the size of a normal room! To deal with it, I had to crank up the little AC unit here all night to get the place as cool as the little unit would get it. I even had to block the living room window with one of those car windshield protectors to keep the hot morning sun out. My skinny wife was freezing! But it still wasn't that cool in here.

During the 3x20s, I still had sweat pouring off! But anytime I wanted to slow down or stop, I remembered everything I had to go through just to get my apartment cool enough to do that workout. That made me forge ahead.

Anyway, tear it up at Biwa. I'm really looking forward to your report on it. Have fun!

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

Tyson,

I, too, had to contend with the hot weather last month over here in Seoul. Problem is, I do my workouts on the Cycleops in the mornings before work. And my apartment is the size of a normal room! To deal with it, I had to crank up the little AC unit here all night to get the place as cool as the little unit would get it. I even had to block the living room window with one of those car windshield protectors to keep the hot morning sun out. My skinny wife was freezing! But it still wasn't that cool in here.

During the 3x20s, I still had sweat pouring off! But anytime I wanted to slow down or stop, I remembered everything I had to go through just to get my apartment cool enough to do that workout. That made me forge ahead.

Anyway, tear it up at Biwa. I'm really looking forward to your report on it. Have fun!

Reading the above, I don't really have anything to complain about. I set the room temperature at 19c with the aircon and in 20 minutes or so I'm ready to go, plus I have a fan going at full speed to create a wind.
It's not the heat so much that gets you in Nagoya, but the accompanying 98% humidity - it completely drains you. Unfortunately I feel drained before I even get into the cold room.
Anyway the temp is dropping nicely now and the humidity is down to 48% at times. If you don't hear from me, you'll know I flunked at Biwa.

Have just spotted your post Alex - great stuff. How long do you think before you exceed my FTP - 1,2,3 months? When you do, I shall then retire as a hopeless case. Tyson

 

[Alex Simmons]

Have just spotted your post Alex - great stuff. How long do you think before you exceed my FTP - 1,2,3 months? When you do, I shall then retire as a hopeless case. Tyson

Well since you are likely already higher than I was before my accident, I'd say that will be a very long time and you are safe from the need to retire early.

I have to say I was pretty pleased with the result. As you know, the largest gains come early on. The work required per watt gained ratio starts going up significantly now.

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

Well since you are likely already higher than I was before my accident, I'd say that will be a very long time and you are safe from the need to retire early.

Phew!!

I have to say I was pretty pleased with the result. As you know, the largest gains come early on. The work required per watt gained ratio starts going up significantly now.

So bloody true, however, you do get the occasional quantum leap after seemingly stagnating. I feel I'm on the verge of one of these 'leaps'. Intend to do an FTP test after 4 days rest following the Lake Biwa ride.