If you like climbing, there's nothing else better than getting your road bike and finding a mountain to scale.
Like the western end of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville.
I had the pleasure of getting in a 42-mile ride on this scenic roadway on an early Saturday morning. I parked at Mile Marker 394, right by the North Carolina Arboretum, elevation about 2,100 feet. When I began, it was immediate up hill and the realization I didn't have the proper gearing for this ride. I had a double chain ring and a Florida cassette, 11-21.
This would be a low-cadence grind up the hill.
I did get into rhythm and enjoyed the sites, Elk Pasture Gap, Mount Pisgah and Tunnel Gap. Speaking of tunnels, it's quite a trip going into and out of the numerous tunnels. There's a something a little unnerving about going from sunshine to darkness and not being able to see anything in front of you for about 20 seconds.
I wanted to go all the way up to the highest point (Richland Balsam at 6,047) but I didn't have the time. My legs said it was more because of my high gearing. Anyway, I turned around just past Pounding Mill Overlook (elev. 4,700).
It was pretty much all downhill from there. If I thought going downhill on the mountain bike was fun, this was better. I was constantly hitting speeds in the 40s and feathering the brakes around sweeping turns, the wind whistling through my helmet and going long stretches without turning the cranks. It's the most exhilarating feeling in the world but slightly scary, too.
Before I knew it, I was back at my truck. And just like that, my vacation was over. The memories of riding in Asheville will live with me forever. I leave but not before getting a RIDE ASHEVILLE sticker for my truck.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Vacation Rides 2 and 3: Bent Creek
This is what mountain biking is all about. Well, for a native Floridian, anyway. The Bent Creek trails are in the beautiful Pisgah mountain range in western North Carolina. If you've never ridden here, you need to experience what riding your bike in the mountains is all about.
I came out here first on June 24 and hooked up with a couple others who were more familiar with the trails. We rode in the late afternoon for about an hour and a half. We didn't climb as much as I would've liked because one of the riders was a beginner. No problem. I'm here to experience everything, not race.
I returned two days later, armed with a route I got off the SORBA website and determined to ride a lot more. I got out to the Ledford parking area at around 7 a.m. There was only one other car in the lot. I was a little nervous going out on my own, but I figured a challenge is what makes us all feel alive. Then, of course, there was the cool mountain air that greeted me. This was an environment in which to hammer, not to play it safe.
The route I would more or less follow would have me doing about 3,800 feet in climbing. I could hardly wait. Then there would be the downhills. More fun. The route included the very popular Greens Lick Trail. After a nice fire-road climb, the real work began up Ingles Field Gap Trail. This is a long climb, but I got into a rhythm and spun up it without pause, past 5 points intersection and up to Greens Lick for the ride down.
I'm a wuss on descents so I brake more than necessary. You really have to concentrate going downhill, but it sure is fun. There's lots of berms and little jumps to hit. I had BMX flashbacks to my days of racing in the '70s, only this was a much longer interval.
I climbed and descended a lot more before I clocked out at 2 hours, 12 minutes and turned 21.8 miles.
In my training diary about this ride, I wrote, in part, "Wish I could train here. This is paradise. Lucky to have experienced this. I'm thankful.''
Indeed. Sometimes we all forget to stop and smell the roses. Well, on this day, I seized the moment.
On to the Blue Ridge Parkway and some asphalt.
I came out here first on June 24 and hooked up with a couple others who were more familiar with the trails. We rode in the late afternoon for about an hour and a half. We didn't climb as much as I would've liked because one of the riders was a beginner. No problem. I'm here to experience everything, not race.
I returned two days later, armed with a route I got off the SORBA website and determined to ride a lot more. I got out to the Ledford parking area at around 7 a.m. There was only one other car in the lot. I was a little nervous going out on my own, but I figured a challenge is what makes us all feel alive. Then, of course, there was the cool mountain air that greeted me. This was an environment in which to hammer, not to play it safe.
The route I would more or less follow would have me doing about 3,800 feet in climbing. I could hardly wait. Then there would be the downhills. More fun. The route included the very popular Greens Lick Trail. After a nice fire-road climb, the real work began up Ingles Field Gap Trail. This is a long climb, but I got into a rhythm and spun up it without pause, past 5 points intersection and up to Greens Lick for the ride down.
I'm a wuss on descents so I brake more than necessary. You really have to concentrate going downhill, but it sure is fun. There's lots of berms and little jumps to hit. I had BMX flashbacks to my days of racing in the '70s, only this was a much longer interval.
I climbed and descended a lot more before I clocked out at 2 hours, 12 minutes and turned 21.8 miles.
In my training diary about this ride, I wrote, in part, "Wish I could train here. This is paradise. Lucky to have experienced this. I'm thankful.''
Indeed. Sometimes we all forget to stop and smell the roses. Well, on this day, I seized the moment.
On to the Blue Ridge Parkway and some asphalt.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Vacation Ride 1: Blankets Creek
There's nothing like riding out-of-state to get your blood pumping. My wife Charmain and I took a trip to North Carolina (by way of Woodstock, Ga., to visit friends) to look at buying a mountain cabin. And, of course, I snuck out for a few rides that I'll share in this and my next two posts.
First stop was Blankets Creek near Woodstock. This is an urban trail located around a lake. It's a beautiful trail system, about 13 miles. There are some decent climbs that can have you gasping if you push the pace, which I did on my two early morning laps on a cool (by South Florida standards) Tuesday.
I rode the four main trails: Mosquito Bite, Van Michael, Dwelling and South loops. Mosquito warms you up some for Van Michael, which is a fairly new trail and is probably the toughest because of the climbs, especially Hurl Hill. The downhills are fun for someone used to the flats of South Florida. But to be honest, I love to climb more, so I enjoyed the challenge of going uphill here better.
I clocked a 1:32.46 and a 1:30.49 for a nice three-hour ride that ended with the humidity and temperature steadily rising. I got my first taste of clay of my vacation and I dug it. If you're in the area, I recommend this trail. Beginners and experienced riders, young and old, will find it fun and challenging.
First stop was Blankets Creek near Woodstock. This is an urban trail located around a lake. It's a beautiful trail system, about 13 miles. There are some decent climbs that can have you gasping if you push the pace, which I did on my two early morning laps on a cool (by South Florida standards) Tuesday.
I rode the four main trails: Mosquito Bite, Van Michael, Dwelling and South loops. Mosquito warms you up some for Van Michael, which is a fairly new trail and is probably the toughest because of the climbs, especially Hurl Hill. The downhills are fun for someone used to the flats of South Florida. But to be honest, I love to climb more, so I enjoyed the challenge of going uphill here better.
I clocked a 1:32.46 and a 1:30.49 for a nice three-hour ride that ended with the humidity and temperature steadily rising. I got my first taste of clay of my vacation and I dug it. If you're in the area, I recommend this trail. Beginners and experienced riders, young and old, will find it fun and challenging.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Keeping a training diary
"...I had outstanding splits and unbelievable horsepower on the flats. Went up everything like it wasn't there. This is the feeling of power. ...''
That was a sample from a race report I wrote in my training diary from Sunday Oct. 29, 2006, detailing a third-place finish in an Expert class state series race at Alafia River State Park.
When I read it, it brings me right back to that race and how great I felt. Sure, reliving good memories is a fun advantage to writing down race details in a training diary. But the most important advantage to keeping a training diary is to chronicle what's working and what isn't in training.
As the saying goes, "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.''
A diary is your history. And you can learn from it.
It doesn't have to be well-written, witty or shared with anyone. But it needs details.
"...1 1/2 HRs at Markham. Forgettable outing. This place punched me in the mouth again. Could only do 2 laps. Hot as hell and I didn't handle the conditions very well. ...''
That depressing entry was from Wednesday Aug. 27, 2008. And if I was paying attention, I would've realized this was another warning sign among many that I was doing too much and needed more rest.
Entries should include date, type of ride, where you rode, weather conditions, ride time, mileage, hours of sleep that night and anything else of interest. Details, details, details.
Your training diary can be written in any composition-type notebook. I favor the 9 1/2x6-inch variety. With 108 pages (216 if using both sides), you should have plenty of space to pour out your thoughts.
The following is a complete entry from May 20, 2009.
"2 1/2 HRs M2 Cruise Intervals/E2 Endurance Ride. Did 4x6 intervals and kicked ass. Avg. 225 watts over the 4 ints. Couldn't ride at Markham; did next best thing. 8 HRs sleep, 135 avg. watts. 41.7 miles, 138 bpm, 92 rpms, 16.8 mph.''
Keeping a training diary can help you spot good and bad trends and can allow you to make important changes. However, as I noted above, you need to frequently re-read entries so you can see when you're veering off course.
Like a power meter, heart-rate monitor and hiring a coach, keeping a training diary is another important tool that can help you achieve your endurance sport's goals.
That was a sample from a race report I wrote in my training diary from Sunday Oct. 29, 2006, detailing a third-place finish in an Expert class state series race at Alafia River State Park.
When I read it, it brings me right back to that race and how great I felt. Sure, reliving good memories is a fun advantage to writing down race details in a training diary. But the most important advantage to keeping a training diary is to chronicle what's working and what isn't in training.
As the saying goes, "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.''
A diary is your history. And you can learn from it.
It doesn't have to be well-written, witty or shared with anyone. But it needs details.
"...1 1/2 HRs at Markham. Forgettable outing. This place punched me in the mouth again. Could only do 2 laps. Hot as hell and I didn't handle the conditions very well. ...''
That depressing entry was from Wednesday Aug. 27, 2008. And if I was paying attention, I would've realized this was another warning sign among many that I was doing too much and needed more rest.
Entries should include date, type of ride, where you rode, weather conditions, ride time, mileage, hours of sleep that night and anything else of interest. Details, details, details.
Your training diary can be written in any composition-type notebook. I favor the 9 1/2x6-inch variety. With 108 pages (216 if using both sides), you should have plenty of space to pour out your thoughts.
The following is a complete entry from May 20, 2009.
"2 1/2 HRs M2 Cruise Intervals/E2 Endurance Ride. Did 4x6 intervals and kicked ass. Avg. 225 watts over the 4 ints. Couldn't ride at Markham; did next best thing. 8 HRs sleep, 135 avg. watts. 41.7 miles, 138 bpm, 92 rpms, 16.8 mph.''
Keeping a training diary can help you spot good and bad trends and can allow you to make important changes. However, as I noted above, you need to frequently re-read entries so you can see when you're veering off course.
Like a power meter, heart-rate monitor and hiring a coach, keeping a training diary is another important tool that can help you achieve your endurance sport's goals.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Hitting the ground rolling
I did my first Functional Threshold Test of the macrocycle Sunday and was really pleased with the result. I put up 233 watts over the 20-minute time trial, giving me a starting FTP of 221.
A year ago, my starting FTP was 201.
Two years ago in May, it was 224, when I was killing it early in the season.
I try not to get too excited either way about this early snapshot into my fitness, but I have to say I was surprised and happy with Sunday's number. I tried a couple things different during my off-season, which began in mid-January this year, much earlier than previous years.
Instead of cross-training by running, I rode off-road more, mixing it up with my single-speed and geared race bike. I know I opened myself up for burnout staying on the bike more, but I thought I needed to regain my passion for riding.
Running 3 miles 3-4 times a week wasn't going to do that. Besides, I just don't like to run. But I know the benefits of weight-bearing activities. I figured my weight training could give me enough of that.
My 32 miles a week off-road at lactate threshold might have been a little too much intensity, but I allowed complete recovery between my twice-weekly rides. I never felt tired, and I believe I'm seeing the benefits now, coming into my season in much better shape and mind-set.
A year ago, my starting FTP was 201.
Two years ago in May, it was 224, when I was killing it early in the season.
I try not to get too excited either way about this early snapshot into my fitness, but I have to say I was surprised and happy with Sunday's number. I tried a couple things different during my off-season, which began in mid-January this year, much earlier than previous years.
Instead of cross-training by running, I rode off-road more, mixing it up with my single-speed and geared race bike. I know I opened myself up for burnout staying on the bike more, but I thought I needed to regain my passion for riding.
Running 3 miles 3-4 times a week wasn't going to do that. Besides, I just don't like to run. But I know the benefits of weight-bearing activities. I figured my weight training could give me enough of that.
My 32 miles a week off-road at lactate threshold might have been a little too much intensity, but I allowed complete recovery between my twice-weekly rides. I never felt tired, and I believe I'm seeing the benefits now, coming into my season in much better shape and mind-set.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The fog of training
Giving up is something I don't like to do. However, everyone has a breaking point. I reached mine in January after another lackluster race.
I pitched the rest of my season, determined to take some time off, ride for fun and rediscover my passion while attempting to explain how a cyclist with more than 4,000 miles in his legs could have the worst season of his life.
It wasn't until I read this April 24 posting, "Fatigue Indicators'' http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/blog.html on Joe Friel's blog, that I understood what happened.
I was pretty sure I overtrained -- getting sick twice in 21 weeks sort of indicates that -- but that wasn't the complete answer because I did reduce my volume in November and December without a boost in fitness. No, the answer was deeper than that.
The main thing I got from Friel's post is this: It's not just the overtraining that does you in; it's what it prevents you from doing. Mainly, being able to ride enough in the high training zones -- lactate threshold, Vo2Max, anaerobic capacity -- to develop racing fitness.
I was a victim of the Zone 3 Syndrome.
This is the no-man's land of training. And I was living in it during my racing season. When you're afflicted with the Zone 3 Syndrome, you struggle to get your power and heart rate at or near the lactate threshold because you're tired. Any reaction to this other than a diet of recovery rides prolongs this condition. When you can't train sufficiently in these higher levels, you can't develop race fitness.
Every "hard'' ride, in effect, becomes a Level 3 Tempo ride. Not hard enough to induce the desired training effect and too hard to allow for necessary recovery. It's an endless spiral.
I researched some of my WKO+ data and it shows I spent too much time in Zones 2 and 3 and very little in the higher zones. Specifically, during my four-week Base 3 and eight-week Build periods -- the time when you should be developing LT, Vo2Max and anaerobic capacity -- I spent only 1.5 percent of my road training at LT, 0.8 percent at Vo2Max and 1 percent at anaerobic capacity. I spent 15.4 percent in Level 3 Tempo and 43.7 at Level 2 Endurance.
I think I'm on to something.
While I train with power on the road, I don't have a power meter on my off-road bike. So, researching my average heart rate numbers showed I was consistently 5+ beats lower than my LT average. My tired body was trying to tell me that I needed rest, but my Type-A personality was determined to "fight through'' this dead phase.
It all looks so clear now, outside the fog of training.
My advice to anyone out there who has suffered through the Zone 3 Syndrome would be to hire a coach to prevent this. Like most, I'm great at giving advice but bad at following my own. A coach likely would've seen what I was doing and corrected it long before I dug my hole. However, Friel's athlete fell victim to it, so nothing's guaranteed. But, Friel noticed the warning signs early enough to salvage his season.
I'm going to begin my '09-10 annual training plan May 4. Rest assured, I'll be following this advice: When it's time to ride slow, ride really, really slow. When it's time to ride hard, ride really, really hard.
I pitched the rest of my season, determined to take some time off, ride for fun and rediscover my passion while attempting to explain how a cyclist with more than 4,000 miles in his legs could have the worst season of his life.
It wasn't until I read this April 24 posting, "Fatigue Indicators'' http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/blog.html on Joe Friel's blog, that I understood what happened.
I was pretty sure I overtrained -- getting sick twice in 21 weeks sort of indicates that -- but that wasn't the complete answer because I did reduce my volume in November and December without a boost in fitness. No, the answer was deeper than that.
The main thing I got from Friel's post is this: It's not just the overtraining that does you in; it's what it prevents you from doing. Mainly, being able to ride enough in the high training zones -- lactate threshold, Vo2Max, anaerobic capacity -- to develop racing fitness.
I was a victim of the Zone 3 Syndrome.
This is the no-man's land of training. And I was living in it during my racing season. When you're afflicted with the Zone 3 Syndrome, you struggle to get your power and heart rate at or near the lactate threshold because you're tired. Any reaction to this other than a diet of recovery rides prolongs this condition. When you can't train sufficiently in these higher levels, you can't develop race fitness.
Every "hard'' ride, in effect, becomes a Level 3 Tempo ride. Not hard enough to induce the desired training effect and too hard to allow for necessary recovery. It's an endless spiral.
I researched some of my WKO+ data and it shows I spent too much time in Zones 2 and 3 and very little in the higher zones. Specifically, during my four-week Base 3 and eight-week Build periods -- the time when you should be developing LT, Vo2Max and anaerobic capacity -- I spent only 1.5 percent of my road training at LT, 0.8 percent at Vo2Max and 1 percent at anaerobic capacity. I spent 15.4 percent in Level 3 Tempo and 43.7 at Level 2 Endurance.
I think I'm on to something.
While I train with power on the road, I don't have a power meter on my off-road bike. So, researching my average heart rate numbers showed I was consistently 5+ beats lower than my LT average. My tired body was trying to tell me that I needed rest, but my Type-A personality was determined to "fight through'' this dead phase.
It all looks so clear now, outside the fog of training.
My advice to anyone out there who has suffered through the Zone 3 Syndrome would be to hire a coach to prevent this. Like most, I'm great at giving advice but bad at following my own. A coach likely would've seen what I was doing and corrected it long before I dug my hole. However, Friel's athlete fell victim to it, so nothing's guaranteed. But, Friel noticed the warning signs early enough to salvage his season.
I'm going to begin my '09-10 annual training plan May 4. Rest assured, I'll be following this advice: When it's time to ride slow, ride really, really slow. When it's time to ride hard, ride really, really hard.
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