So today is the 28th of December, the Christmas feasting over, and a good time for a bit of a review after 4 weeks of training. Some interesting things come out of undertaking someone else's program. For instance, Josh says "don't worry to much about the kms, it's more about how you do them than how many". Well, I've just finished the third consecutive biggest volume week since I first began cycling in the late '80s! My rolling 7 day total is consistently in the 410 to 420 km range, which is massive for a guy who is usually in the 190 to 230 km range! Add the intervals and power sessions and it's no wonder I feel knackered all the time. I'm hoping some adaptation starts to take place before the workload goes up again!
Some highlights and low lights of the first 4 weeks:
No better place to start than this morning! First up on the trainer I did 3 X 2'/4' big gear/low cadence strength/endurance intervals, followed by 4 X 1'/4' of the same. The rest is long (TQM!), although it should have been 5' but I was going to be short of time. I rode a heavier gear than ever before, with the 2' intervals on 53/15 on resistance 10 (max) on the trainer, and the 1' intervals on 53/14 and setting 10. After that it was out with the Point Lonsdale group, for the first time on the single speed. The goal was to do 65 km and completed this averaging about 32 km/h. The group split mid way through when three of us went back to pick a first timer who had been dropped. The pace picked up and we couldn't ride back to the group. The limitations of the single speed became obvious (riding 44 and 17), as I couldn't spin fast enough to do a turn as we tried to ride back. In the end I was dropped from the chase as we got the tail wind and I ran out of rpms!! All in all it was a sobering, 85 km, morning, and made me realise I need a 15 on the freewheel side of my single speed! I also still have to do my gym work today.
There is certainly a part of me wondering if this whole thing is a bit ridiculous. In the group this morning, after everyone had a laugh at me on my single speed, a guy asked what I was aiming for in South Africa. My response was to say the goal was to make the last selection and be in the group at the 100 km mark (11 km to go). He smiled and asked politely how much weight I was planning to lose - whack, I thought, right between the eyes!!
In the last post, I referred to measuring progress. There will no doubt be other measurements, but the Strava segments are showing my improvement consistently. I am riding PB's for segments, particularly climbs, when I am really worn down with training, which has to be a good thing. On Sunday there will be a good test too. I will ride Ocean Grove to Torquay and back with the Hendry's Cycles group which is very competitive on the return. It is only 12 months since I first rode with the "A" Grade group and stayed on all the way back. This week it will be interesting to see how I stand in that group. In the summer, lots of young fit holidayers ride in it, so the standard tends to go up a bit. I will blog the result on Sunday.
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