Training with Purpose

Prep Recap

2012-01-30T08:15:00.000-08:00

PHOTO OF THE MONTH: THE LONG ROAD AHEAD.

What I did: Two and half weeks of levels I and II endurance rides to reacquaint myself with cycling, ending this past weekend with a weigh-in and FTP and CP6 tests.

Total miles: 412

Total hours: 26

Weight: 138 pounds (62.7 kilos)

Functional Threshold Power (FTP): 205 watts

FTP/Weight: 3.27 watts per kilo

CP6 power: 248 watts

Chronic Training Load (CTL): 39.2

Thoughts from the saddle: I felt like I hadn't ridden in six weeks after that first ride on Jan. 14 because, well, I hadn't. That was my longest break ever. ... After about the first 200 miles, heartrate and RPE went down and power increased (110-115 watts), letting me know the training effect was taking place. ... I was holding back a lot after those initial miles, telling myself I have a long way to go and a long time to get there. Don't race. It's a hard habit to break. ... I rode once a week off-road, skipping some of the toughest, technical trails at Markham Park so I could keep a steady pace and get in a low-key 17-mile ride. ... I was really happy to get in that first three-hour solo road ride on Jan. 21. (The three-quarters-into-the-ride stop at Starbucks for a dopio was the carrot.) I was able to go two hours the next day, so I knew I didn't overdo it; I was comfortably tired. ... My FTP and CP6 tests were sobering. I paced both well and felt powerful -- until I looked at the average watts. Need to keep reminding myself I have a long way to go and a long time to get there. Maybe that should be my Base theme? ... Because I'm starting training much earlier than in the past, it's been really nice to ride in comfortable South Florida weather in the morning. I'm normally fighting high humidity in late May when I traditionally begin. This has been less taxing. So far.

Insane in the brain

2012-01-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

Einstein said doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result is insanity. If that's true, I've been insane for the past five years.

After enjoying my best cross-country racing season in 2006, when I finished fourth in the state in the 40+ Expert class, I got lazy and cut back on my volume. Who needs all of those "junk miles''? Instead of patiently rebuilding my base endurance in the spring of '07 -- like I had done the previous three years -- I felt so good I began riding harder at the expense of long steady distance. I thought I had reached a level of fitness that no longer needed a lot of LSD. Consequently, a season that began with such hope and confidence ended in supreme disappointment. I didn't even finish enough state races to qualify for a top-five finish.

For the next four years, partly because of work and partly because of laziness, I continued shortchanging my base training. Fewer hours in the saddle, more time hammering. When I wasn't getting the results, I continually tweaked the intensity, thinking that was the answer. And guess what? I managed to get slower each year. With the exception of a nice finish at ORAMM in 2010, my race results were terrible.

After feeling sorry for myself and suffering a severe lack of motivation all things training and cycling in the latter part of 2010, I'm back to end the insanity and do something to make me feel good about my sport again. I'm beginning an ambitious base building plan that if I succeed will be the foundation of rebuilding my fitness to my '06 level and hopefully beyond. This coming after studying Arthur Lydiard's training principles, which has been like finding the key to unlock my potential. He seems to think building a giant aerobic engine with lots of LSD is a pretty good thing before even thinking about sharpening your high-end. I'm going to put this to the test.

After annually only allowing 10 weeks of base, I'm planning for 24 this year. Eight weeks of lower level endurance miles with a small amount of speed-play, then adding some tempo and force intervals in the next eight followed by adding a final eight weeks of mid-level threshold intervals. Then I'll focus on sharpening with anaerobic capacity and Vo2max intervals and selected fast group rides that will in effect be C-priority races.

Add it up and I'm hoping to get 12+ hours and 180-225 miles a week. Of course, my work schedule could kill the best laid plans. I'm planning on racing ORAMM in July, giving me a not-too-distant target to shoot for, leading into the Florida State Championship Series in September.

I will update my progress monthly so come along for the ride to see if I can reclaim my race fitness.

Or go mad trying.

FSCS 4: Perspective

2010-10-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

Alafia River State Park is my off-road riding home away from home. I'm a Tampa native, so coming back to race is a highlight of this series.

Racing and riding at Alafia always brings back memories when signage, a paved parking lot and a bike wash station didn't exist.

The first time out here I encountered a gopher tortoise nearly the size of a treasure chest and a pack of wild boars carving some singletrack. I also remember getting lost and barely finding my way back to my truck before sundown.

I've never raced particularly well here. This is a difficult course with your heart rate at 130 beats per minute, let alone at 160. And every year the course is changed to keep you on your toes, which if you're not careful, will have you on your back. (More on this later.)

Anyway, I didn't have a great race Sunday. I was the last rider in my class to finish, but I did have a better start and overall raced better than in Gainesville. I still feel like I'm in way over my head and have to fight the mental battle not to quit. I had several riders from other classes pass me and that really gets me down.

Until I saw something else that left an impression.

Coming out of a very tricky section known as Rabbit Ears and feeling awful, I noticed a man in a wheelchair watching the race. Soon after, I stopped thinking about my pain and mentally took my butt out of the saddle and put it in that wheelchair.

Perspective.

Here I am upset at how slow I'm riding and I'm forgetting something more important.

How lucky I am.

I'm free to ride. To push the limits. To have full use of my body. To do the things some people can only dream of. Yeah, even to finish last. It's not that I felt sorry for the guy; he's out here on a wonderful day, surely being entertained by some crazies tear-assin' through the woods.

It's just ... damn, be thankful for what you have and can do.

"You better take a fool's advice, take care of your own. One day they're here; the next day they're gone. ...'' -- New York Minute, Don Henley.

Feeling better about my predicament on the final lap of three, all that good feeling came to an end with an endo and landing on my back. I keep a multi-tool in my middle jersey pocket and I landed on that denting me good at the waistline. Took me a few minutes to recover -- and another rider passed me -- but I managed to finish the race.

Perspective. At least I'm able to ride. At least I'm able to roll up to the starting line. At least I'm able to experience the good, bad and the painful.

FSCS 3: Blank!

2010-10-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

It's October and the weather's slowly getting less oppressive, which means it's great to be on the bike. On Sunday, the weather was glorious for the third race of the Florida State Championship Series in Gainesville.

Then my 40-plus Expert race began and thoughts quickly went from glorious to gory.

Here's what went right:

Here's what went wrong: Let's see, should said list be done alphabetically or order of importance? Never mind. I won't bore you.

If I was a horse, I'd been shot. I quit after three laps, completely broken by the demanding Hailes Trails. My poor effort has made me realize whatever I'm doing in training isn't adequately preparing me for the stresses of these races. I'm not sure if my volume and/or intensity is too low. Am I in such poor race shape that I need to give this more time to come around? I know I'm not overtrained. I go into all my breakthrough workouts fresh and ready to ride hard. This has been a problem in the past; on non-racing weeks, I ride four days a week, averaging 10 1/2 hours/160-175 miles.

But when the races begin, the pace feels over my head, incendiary. I have to cut my effort to avoid blowing up.

I've trained consistently since April, never missing a single workout because of sickness. My Functional Threshold Power is at an all-time high (245 watts). I'm lean (134 pounds).

But when I get on my mountain bike, I turn into Jelly. I'm likely not riding enough off-road (violating the specificity training principal) but that wouldn't completely explain my inability to compete to stay out of last place.

It's time to reflect and re-evaluate. At least the weather's turning and it's pleasant to be on the bike. Even if that bike isn't going very fast.

Addendum: On Friday, Joe Friel tweeted a line that I and others should remember when things aren't going as planned:

"Good or bad, you are not your last race. Let it go.''

FSCS 2: Forward momentum

2010-09-29T08:25:00.001-07:00

If progress can be measured in meeting little goals along the path to a quest, then you can say I'm finally on the right course.

I finished 14th out of 16 in the 28-mile second race of the Florida State Championship Series in Fernandina Beach on Sunday. While that pedestrian placing would make only a mother proud, I did accomplish a few things:

Nobody from classes starting behind me caught me.

I passed a few riders from other classes, including one from mine. Break out the champagne, hookers and call Moe Greene. The party's startin'.

My splits improved slightly from the last race: 31:46, 33:09, 33:33, 34:93--132.81.

The last time I raced at Fort Clinch Park about a year ago, I DNF'd (actually, quit) after two miserable laps and everyone from my class leaving me for dead in the woods. This year, with super dry trail conditions looking more suited for beach volleyball or a large litter-box expo, I rode a lot more like a racer. I had more of a high gear and pushed through the pain easier, especially on the final two laps.

I still have a long way to go, but a long time to get there.

Next up is Gainesville this weekend, and a trail that, mile for mile, might be the toughest in the state. I only hope I can continue to improve and have a good time along the way.

FSCS 1: Starting over

2010-09-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

When the main goal heading into a cross-country race is to simply finish, you know you have low expectations.

I had low expectations Sunday in Tallahassee at Tom Brown Park in the opening of the Florida State Championship Series.

Rising to the "challenge,'' I finished my four laps in the 40+ Expert Class. It was the first Expert race I've finished in nearly two years. That's a lot of DNFs and frustration.

Let's be serious. With the training I've done since April, I had other goals.

Compete.

Don't embarrass myself.

Didn't and did.

I finished 16th out of 21, a staggering 23-plus minutes behind the winner who could've in that time, according to one website:

Cleaned the oven.

Walked the dog.

Did a "quickie'' cleaning job on the bathroom.

Found a new recipe to try.

Another website proclaimed: How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes.

Quickie cleaning job on the bathroom aside, finding your life's purpose would seem to be a worthwhile way to spend that time.

I was passed by so many riders from other classes that started two, four, six and eight minutes after mine that I felt like a hemorrhaging swimmer dog-paddling in a shark tank. With each pass and attempt to catch the wheel, a bit of ego was ripped away, leaving me red with embarrassment.

I heard "on your left'' so many times I thought I was picking up MSNBC on my heart-rate monitor. It was one of those races where you know very early you don't have the legs. I was constantly trying to find the right gear to get into rhythm. By the middle of the first lap, my legs felt like glass. My lap times point out someone who's not in race shape: 31:73, 33:67, 37:00, 37:17--139.57. Nearly 2 1/2 hours to ride 27.2 miles? Let's see, in 2 1/2 hours you could've ...

At least I'm finished. I mean, I finished.

There was a time in 2006 when I did compete in this class and never embarrassed myself. Then, because of training mistakes and lack of focus, I went from racer to recreation cyclist. I put in too many junk road miles at the expense of intensity needed to compete. And before I knew it, I went from shark to bait fish.

I think my training plan for this year is solid. I am getting in more intensity. I am allowing for more recovery. I'm less of a slave to mileage and hours. But, if this latest race proved anything, besides the fact I'm in way over my head right now, it's that I'm starting over. And unless the subject is history, nobody wants to go back to the beginning.

I'm hoping with much-needed race time in the next month, I can regain what's been lost. If not, maybe I'll take some time to try a new recipe.

The key to success

2010-09-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

Joe Friel's latest blog post How to Recover reveals the key to training -- and getting faster -- and should not be ignored:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/

Striking a balance

2010-08-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

There's yin and yang, black and white, cats and dogs and on and off.

The world is about balance. So should your life as a cyclist.

Competitive cycling can turn into an obsession. Quickly. I'm not sure what feeds it more: success or failure. When things are rolling, many get too excited and start riding and training more. When things aren't, many get too worried and start riding and training more.

The key is moderation. It really is. What helps are hobbies. If you don't have many other interests, developing one can help your cycling in the long run.

Playing guitar is the perfect yang to my cycling yin. Maybe it's the rhythm thing. When you're out on your bike, either in training or racing, having a good day, you're definitely in a rhythm. Things are flowing, just like when you're hitting the note playing guitar. It's zen-like.

But if your hobby is rock collecting, it's all good. Because you're thinking about rock collecting at those times and not cycling or your fitness or your numbers.

Time away makes the heart grow fonder. Sometimes, a little physical or mental diversion from the bike can make your fitness grow stronger and your cycling more fulfilling.

Play1ng 8 numb3rs gam3

2010-08-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

I'll admit I'm a slave to numbers. I guess most competitive cyclists are. I can't help analyzing data immediately after a ride, poring over it like a treasure map leading to pirate's gold. And if you train with power and have the TrainingPeaks WKO+ program, you've died and gone to 7th Heaven.

Distance covered: 100.30 miles.

Elapsed time: 5:16.20.

Fast-finds: 116.

Normalized power: 148 watts.

Average watts: 127.

Average speed: 19.0.

Maximum heart rate: 172.

Average cadence: 95.

Intensity factor: 0.628.

Total Stress Score: 205.4.

Times mowed the grass in the past 30 days: 1.

Yeah, amassing numbers and then crunching them leaves little time for chores. Sometimes I try to ride without concern to statistics, to rely only on RPE, to just enjoy the scenery. I just can't. I'm either pressing buttons on my cyclocomputer or doing fast calculations in my head to figure out how well the ride's going. In fact, I could use a cyclocomputer with an actual computer built in to add/subtract/multiply/divide quicker.

This coming from a guy who's never liked or been proficient in mathematics. Then again, I wasn't immersed in cycling back when. This is a great little hobby for the math whiz who just happens to have a VO2max of 85.

Another measurement that will stamp you an elite cyclist: Ride 40k (24.8 miles) in 60 or fewer minutes. Which leads me to: How many roadies does it take to change a flat?

3.

One to take the wheel off, another to block the right lane and a third to yell at the first vehicle to come within 15 feet.

I kid.

Converting pounds into kilos? Divide by 2.2.

Figuring functional threshold power? Take your 20-minute field test wattage and subtract 5 percent.

Kilometers in a mile? .62.

Grams in a pound? 454.

Words in this blog post? 533.

Two 5's are the same as one 10? Maybe for some.

The number I dislike most? Zero. It's always staring at me at the beginning of a training week. I can't wait to get that goose egg off my WKO+ program and from my mind. After getting that first ride in, those first miles, watts and speeds catalogued, all is right in my simple little 2 + 2 = 4 world.

Is 1 the loneliest number you'll ever do, as Three Dog Night proclaimed? I wouldn't know. I've never been No. 1 in anything, but I do enjoy riding my single-speed now and again.

The most comforting number is 12, as in 12 mph. If you're averaging 12 mph for most expert cross-country races in Florida, you're riding a lot with the leaders. And that means you're doing something right in training and you're having some fun racing.

Number to hate? Most ending in 9, as in averaging 11.9 mph. Only one-tenth more and it's that desirable 12.

99 miles. One more and it's an even 100. Can't end a ride at 99.

239 average watts. It looks the way an out-of-tune guitar sounds. But 240 watts is Eric Clapton soloing through a Fender Tweed Twin on 11.

13, 19, 28, 33, 41, 49. Jackpot! My Lotto numbers came in!

Who else is plagued by their numbers?

Why do you ride?

2010-08-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

For the competition? The exercise? To escape? To commute?

All of the above?

For me, it's always been a moving target. When I began cycling as a teenager in the '70s, it was all about BMX racing, hanging out at the local bike shop and trying to win Florida Bicycle Motocross Association medals.

I didn't win many. But after watching On Any Sunday and being mesmerized by the opening bicycle scene, BMX was the thing. At least until I could talk my parents into a dirt bike.

Then I began "jumping,'' which my buddies and I called it then, now called "freestyle'' or "vert'' among the X Games generation; my crew was way ahead of the curve. That's when I found something I was really good at on two wheels. It was all about showing off. I generally soared the highest, furthest and with more style than most, all from dirt jumps we meticulously built with Army shovels and a little mud. And we never wore helmets or had second thoughts about trying just about anything while in the air.

Jimi put it best. "Freedom, that's what I want now. Freedom, that's what I need now.''

But after tweaking one too many goose necks, forks and wheels -- but never my body -- and discovering girls, alcohol and Van Halen, I retired, never to give a serious thought to owning or riding another bicycle until my early 20s.

Along with a good friend and fellow BMXer, we decided to buy beach cruisers in the early '80s to turn cycling into a more grounded, leisurely activity, complete with pub stops. That is, on the few occasions we weren't drinking while pedaling.

From Tampa, where we lived, we'd dress in our swim trunks and ride our cruisers, equipped with mini-coolers fitted to our handlebars, over the Gandy Bridge to the pink Don Cesar beach resort on St. Petersburg Beach. Round trip: a little more than 50 miles. Beers consumed: at least 12 apiece. Even then, I knew the importance of proper hydration.

How we made it back alive from more than 20 trips I'll never know.

It's now 1999. Christmas Day, to be exact. My cruiser is rusting in the garage and Charmain and I have been living in South Florida for six months. I step on the bathroom scale and receive a yuletide wake-up call.

One-hundred and sixty-six pounds.

166?

75.5 kilos?

Hanging on my 5-foot-4 frame?

In January, I began a lifestyle change. I watched what I ate and started jogging and lifting weights again. By mid year, I had dropped about 20 pounds. Jogging was getting boring and I felt myself slipping from my new healthy state of mind.

Fortunately, I saw an ad in Sports Illustrated about a giveaway for a Specialized Enduro mountain bike, sort of a grown-up BMX bike, I thought.

Well, I didn't win the Enduro, but Charmain gave me a Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike that Christmas. I was a mountain biker, soon to buy a helmet, clipless pedals and Ned Overend's book Mountain Bike Like a Champion. Most importantly, never to become fat again.

Talk about lifestyle changes, I even quit drinking.

So why do you ride?

Taking a bite out of the dog days

2010-08-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I completed maybe my single best week of training. The 11 1/12-hour 175-mile microcycle included an hour kundalini yoga workout, the rest cycling.

Following a transition week after ORAMM, I began the Build I mesocycle with two sessions of lactate tolerance intervals (3 sets of 4 30 seconds on -- 350+ watts -- 15 off, separated by five minutes recovery between sets). These really develop race fitness for fast starts, bridging gaps and finding that "extra'' gear.

For the first time in more than a month, I rode at Markham Park (16 miles). That place, sitting on the edge of the Everglades, normally is a graveyard for me during the dog days. On Wednesday afternoon though, I had my strongest August ride out there ever. I felt powerful and had a low RPE. I averaged nearly 11 mph. Normally, I'm at about 10 mph at this time of the year.

And then on Saturday, I did the group ride with the Memorial Hospital gang. It was another ferocious ride, but I managed to hang, get in some good pulls and basically hammer for 2 1/2 hours and 53 miles. I tacked on 24 miles before and 23 after to complete a 5 1/2-hour 100-mile workout and actually had a little left in the tank. Normally, I'm as dead as Dillinger.

Add it up, and I definitely received a fitness boost from completing ORAMM. The trick is building on it so I can raise my game higher in time for the start of the Florida State Championship Series beginning in just about a month in Tallahassee.

Doing hard time at ORAMM

2010-07-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

In the course of seven-plus hours, covering 63 miles in the woods of western North Carolina on Sunday July 25 during the Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell, I experienced:

1. The feeling I was making a prison escape as I left the last trail in the 60th mile.

2. Butterflies mocking me as they danced uphill, dropping me like an express elevator headed to the basement.

3. Hugging a tree in the middle of a narrow ridge line in Heartbreak Ridge to keep from tumbling down the mountain.

4. Actually finishing ORAMM.

5. A naked cowgirl dancing across a mountain peak.

Eight days after this epic adventure in self-mutilation -- I hesitate to call it a race -- I'm now certain only No. 5 was a figment of my imagination.

Yes, ORAMM was all that and a helluva lot more. It was 400 cyclists dumped into the woods with only 276 coming out the other end.

The other 124?

Maybe the bears got some of 'em. Maybe the heat. And a few are at the bottom of Heartbreak Ridge, which I thought should've been named Heartattack Ridge. Never been so happy to get out of an area since I left the frenetic local DMV last year after getting my license renewed.

I didn't ride any of these trails beforehand. Had I, I would've questioned my sanity for doing them at "race pace.'' My only off-road experience in western North Carolina was Bent Creek, which is like a stroll on a beach cruiser to Starbucks compared to this ORAMM course bathed in mid-90s heat.

Or as someone smartly summed up: When you're climbing, you wish you were descending; when you're descending, you wish you were climbing.

So true.

Crossing the line in officially 7 hours, 39 minutes and 11 seconds for 13th out of 73 finishers in the 40-49 class (75th overall) was an achievement for me, an ORAMM rookie, that I won't soon forget. This was as much a mental test as a physical one. And while I can measure the physical strain with calories burned (nearly 5,000), average speed (a pedestrian 8.8 mph), average heart rate (146 bpm) and one cramp in my left leg that felt like a stiletto being plunged repeatedly, what was going on in my head was harder to analyze.

For example, the 9-mile climb up Curtis Creek Road.

This broke a lot of riders. It nearly broke me. I was warned about this beast. Still, I began the climb in my big ring, feeling great, mimicking the numerous butterflies about. That lasted about 4 miles.

Twice I got off my bike and said, basically, "This place has beaten me. I'm cooked. Mommy?! Mommy?!''

Twice I somehow got back on my bike -- barely steadying myself to get going again -- and promising I'd surrender at the rest stop at the top of the climb. Meanwhile, I saw a few riders simply turn around and ride down the climb, succumbing to the torture.

At the time, I was so envious. How nice that looked to glide downhill, to no longer suffer. After all, misery certainly loves company.

Oh, how I couldn't wait to pull the plug.

And then I reached the rest stop. I was thirsty as hell and mixed a bottle of half water, half cola. Just like that, I was jolted out of my malaise. At that point, quitting wasn't an option; it was a cop out. What the hell, I'll keep going, I thought. Only about 30 more miles of jagged trails, endless climbs and numerous switchbacks to navigate.

Whoever said cola is poison hasn't attempted ORAMM. A miracle drug poured into a can and wrapped in global marketing campaign designed to hook us at a young age on high fructose corn syrup. And something to completely avoid the other 364 days of the year.

Then it was on to Black Mountain, Heartattack Ridge, Mill Creek Road, a nearly 4-mile gravel climb that felt like the sun was just above me -- taunting me -- Kitsuma Part II, where on the first time through I went over the bars trying to clear a large downed tree that had no place in the middle of singletrack.

That kicked you out to more gravel roads and finally a hilly paved road that we took at the beginning of the race. This was the final 3 miles. When my knobbies began to buzz like angry bees, the sting of ORAMM began to fade, as did my disappointment of not meeting my goal of breaking seven hours. I was free. It was basically over, and I survived with barely a scratch on my body. I felt like a combination of Billy Hayes running out of that prison in Midnight Express and Andy Dufresne emerging from the prison sewer pipe in Shawshank Redemption. And like Hayes walking fast and then sprinting down the road, I shifted up to my big ring and blasted down another road, never looking back to consider how close I came to turning around on Curtis Creek.

A few twists and turns and I neared the finish line to enthusiastic applause from well-wishers lining the last 50 feet to the line, including my wife Charmain, whom I'm sure was just thankful I found my way back to civilization with all four limbs apparently functioning at least well enough to ride a bike. Honey, I can't express how happy I was to see you and how understanding you've been with my crazy training for this undertaking.

I would be remiss not to give a debt of gratitude to all the volunteers at the rest stops. These people were great and invaluable, especially at one when I realized I lost the top of my empty bottle from my jersey pocket. A volunteer found another. At one of the last rest stops, I was briefly complaining to one as I refilled my bottles, lamenting how slow I was riding and how bad I was suffering. He smiled and said, "Yeah, but no more than a quarter of the field has come by this rest stop.'' I can't tell you how much better that made me feel. He could've been fibbing to make me feel better, but looking over the results, I think he was 100 percent accurate.

So, was finishing ORAMM like escaping from a Turkish prison or crawling through 500 yards of prison sewage to reach freedom?

No. Of course not.

But I swear, at the time, it sure felt like it was.

http://www.blueridgeadventures.net/oramm/

The ORAMM challenge

2010-07-13T08:55:00.001-07:00

I'm returning to western North Carolina next week for vacation, but unlike previous visits, this time I'm going to do some racing.

I'm entered to compete in the Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell (ORAMM), a 63-mile endurance challenge that includes 11,000 feet of climbing on July 25. It's a race I became aware of a couple years ago and it intrigued me because of its endless climbing and dangerous descents.

Or, as it says on the ORAMM website: "Do not underestimate the extreme difficulty and danger of this event.'' The toothy course profile above seems to bear that out, don't you think?

Ridin' or hidin'? I'm ridin'.

Racing in this event also forced me to start training much earlier than usual. The Florida State Series begins in September, so I normally begin my training in late May. This year, I began on April 2, in order to peak for ORAMM. Because I wasn't able to race much last season, but did maintain decent Base fitness, I didn't need to take a complete break off the bike. So I hit the ground running in April and feel strong and light (134 pounds), especially for so early in my season.

The key component to my training for ORAMM has been riding a lot at Vista View Park in Davie. This use to be a dump, and its elevation -- by South Florida standards -- is ideal to work on climbing. Although not long, the climbs, especially on the South face, can build force skills. Hitting this 1 1/2-mile loop at full speed is also a terrific anaerobic workout, especially if you shift up after cresting.

I began modestly there at endurance pace, riding for an hour, then 90 minutes, then two hours and eventually building to 2 1/2 hours, which is about 25 miles (17 laps). First couple times at that distance, I was completely spent, dismounting unsteadily, head on the tailgate of my truck, tongue wagging. With no shade out there, if the heat and humidity don't nail you, the steeps will.

In past three weeks, I've added a second ride at Vista View, this one a 1 1/2-hour anaerobic test. I do one warm-up lap on the double-track, then a full lap as fast as I can up all the climbs. Lap times have been anywhere from 6:38 to 7:38. Basically, it's an off-road time trial that I repeat four times with an easy double-track lap in between. This is wicked hard.

In between, I've done endurance road rides and a fast group road ride that leaves from Memorial Hospital Miramar. This Saturday group ride, led by a few real hammerheads who attack repeatedly, is a serious challenge for me just to hang on. But I've done well recently, when I've made it the meat and potatoes of a weekly 100-mile epic.

I've done all I can to be ready for ORAMM. I'm going into it with a goal of finishing under 7 hours. It's time to climb like a goat and descend like an anvil.

Vacation Ride 4: Blue Ridge Parkway

2009-06-27T22:52:00.000-07:00

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.

Vacation Rides 2 and 3: Bent Creek

2009-06-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

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.

Vacation Ride 1: Blankets Creek

2009-06-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

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.

Keeping a training diary

2009-06-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

"...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.

Hitting the ground rolling

2009-05-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

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.

The fog of training

2009-04-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

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.

FSC 4: I hate times like these

2008-10-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, this state series is going down hill faster than an acorn rolling off a tin roof. Sunday's race at what I consider my home away from home (Alafia River State Park) because I'm a Tampa native was an unmitigated disaster.

I probably was stale coming into the race because my wife Charmain and I drove to Tampa on Thursday in order to spend a few extra days in our former hometown. I rode Tuesday (2 hours consisting of a Functional Threshold Power time trial) and Wednesday (2 hours off-road at Markham) and planned to ride Friday at Alafia. However, it rained a lot on Friday and decided against going out there.

Riding so little before a race is not good for me and I felt stale when doing my preride Saturday on a wet and demanding course. Then, when I awoke Sunday morning, I had the dreaded "mild sore throat.'' It never got better but I raced anyway and never got comfortable on the bike.

I raced fairly strong on the first lap, but beginning on the second lap, I became a turnstile. Seemed like everyone from classes starting behind passed me like I was a statue. It's times like these when I wonder what the F am I doing out here.

I finished 8th out of 9. Pitiful.

So, now on top of a truly forgettable effort, I'm battling a virus and feeling my fitness dropping lower than the stack of tissues I need to keep close by. Oleta River State Park is hosting the FSC 5 this weekend, and it looks like I won't be there.

It's really hard to handle times like these. You train, suffer and plan with a single purpose: To do your best. When you fall short, it's difficult to handle. Then you start dissecting your plan, looking to see where you messed up. It's times like these when you just need some time to sort through it all. I guess I have that time now.

FSC 3: Risk with no reward

2008-10-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

I gambled early in Sunday's Florida State Championship Series race in Tallahassee at the beautiful Tom Brown Park. I felt like I had great legs and really pushed the pace in the first lap and a half of the four-lap 27-mile race. But I paid mightily.

I was among the top quarter of the field after the first 30-minute lap and felt great going into the single-track for lap two. I was with two other racers, and I decided to try and drop them. I got rid of one but not the other. We were in sixth and seventh place. A short while later, I knew I was in trouble. The other guy built a gap and I started that slow drift back.

I ended the second lap nearly two minutes slower and knew I was in big trouble. I couldn't power up the climbs like before and my descending got sloppy. Halfway through the third lap, two guys from my class passed me, and as much as I wanted to get on their wheels, I couldn't. Then in the final lap, I was passed by another fellow racer. I crossed the line 10th out of 14 and was cursing my flawed strategy.

My final two laps were nearly five minutes slower than the first. Obviously, I rode way above my fitness. In other words, I blew myself up. A lot of times, I ride too conservatively. This was one time where I rode too aggressively. Well, sometimes you need to take a chance. This was not one of them.

One other factor that could've gone against me was the riding I did Saturday, when the team time trial took place. I raced for one of the On Your Mark teams and put out a lot of effort. I also rode fairly hard on the trail earlier in the day. All told, I turned 21 miles and that's a lot more than I usually do the day before the race. I'll never know how much that played a role in my performance Sunday, but I won't use it as an excuse.

I feel like my fitness is really improving. I'm building a strong engine that just needs more time to evolve. It might not be in time to do my best in the state series, but I think my second half of the season, consisting of the Coconut Cup in South Florida, will be really strong.

FSC 2: A breakthrough of sorts

2008-10-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

I had my best race in two years Sunday in Fernandina Beach at Fort Clinch State Park. I was sixth out of 11, which doesn't sound all that great, but it was more about my effort than final placing.

I rode 2 1/2 laps with the racers who would fill out final positions 2 through 4, but I lost fifth near the end of the race when I was on empty. I also was passed again shortly thereafter but surged back into sixth near the line. That took every fiber of my legs and I felt like I was at death's door after crossing the line.

So how did I make this improvement from my flame-out in FSC 1? I simply started riding faster in training, paying as much attention to miles per hour as watts. I did a few rides in the 2 1/2 to 3 hour range, basically riding an hour or more in high endurance/low tempo range (19-20 mph on average). When I finished, my legs were heavy and sore into the next day, when I would rest or do a recovery ride. Also, I was in my Peak period, in which I reduced my volume but included high-intensity race-pace efforts.

Sunday's race began with about a mile asphalt road start that felt more like a road race than off-road race. We'd take that same long cruise to the finish line. The trails were dry and super fast. The whole race felt like a 28-mile short track race. The trails weren't technical and begged you to go as fast as you could. Which is what my 40-plus Expert Class did the whole race.

I made too many huge efforts on the long road sections early on and I paid for it in the final lap. In fact, in the second of the four laps, I actually felt like upping the pace while I was fourth (fifth overall) among the four-man convoy. As good as I felt then, it went downhill suddenly at the end, so it was wise I didn't attack then. Unofficially, my splits were 29:24, 29:40, 30:20, 31:38.

I have a long way to go to contend for a top-five position, but I'm closer than I was two weeks ago. Steady progress is all you can hope for in endurance sports. You can't rush it, as much as I'd like to. I'm back to rebuilding my base this week, upping my volume and miles in the next three weeks.

Hopefully, the best is still to come.

FSC 1: A weekend to forget

2008-09-21T19:21:00.001-07:00

The opener of the Florida State Championship Series last Saturday and Sunday in Gainesville at Hailes Trails couldn't have gone worse for me. I brought a slingshot to a gunfight on both days.

The Saturday time trial went great for me as far as riding technically smooth, pacing my effort and saving enough for a burst at the end of the 4-mile test. Unfortunately, I just wasn't going fast enough. I was caught by the guy who started a minute behind me near the end. My time was 19:55, good for last place in the 40-plus Expert Class.

That set an ominous tone.

I got a great sleep Saturday night, awoke Sunday morning feeling ready to race. I had a good warm-up and went to the line feeling loose and calm. We blast from the line and I'm near the middle to back of the 16-rider field going into the singletrack.

I could tell early on I wasn't going to challenge the top quarter of the field. I had labored breathing and was riding above my fitness. I kept pressing until I finished the first of four laps in a pedestrian 25.02.

I knew I had to back off. That's when I began getting passed by a few riders and basically felt helpless. I brought the second lap in at 26.95. In the third lap, I began feeling much better and upped the pace. I found a rhythm climbing and I hammered the straights. I began catching some of the riders who passed me earlier. I finished Lap 3 in 26.31 and began the final lap invigorated. I ended up passing five riders during my last two laps. I passed the final guy to climb into 10th place right before a steep climb about two miles before the finish line. While beginning that climb, I snapped my chain while standing.

That's racing. And that was it for me. A DNF. I didn't bring a chain tool with me because I've never broke a chain in training or in a race.

I wasn't ready to race in Gainesville. I have plenty of miles in my legs, but not enough at race-pace. To go faster, you need to ride faster. It's really that simple, and I haven't been riding fast enough in training and haven't ridden off-road enough. That will have to change for me to improve.

Getting embarrassed like I did can do one of two things: cause you to focus or fold.

I'm focusing on getting faster.

The time is here

2008-09-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, the Florida State Series officially opens in Gainesville. But on Saturday, there's a short time trial that gives racers the opportunity to secure up to 5 bonus points for each class. The event was started last year, and many racers seemed to enjoy it, but some skipped it, fearful of expending too much energy the day before the cross-country race.

I wanted to compete in it. I never had done a road time trial and always have been intrigued by the discipline. I did pretty well, finishing third in the Expert 40-plus class.

To do well in a steady-state event, you need to proportion your energy by using the 51-49 principal. TrainingBible Coaching founder Joe Friel, who has coached endurance athletes since 1980, writes at length about this in a Feb. 12, 2008, blog post http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2008/02/negative-splits.html. Simply, you want to complete the first half of the time trial in 51 percent of the total time and the second half in 49 percent. It's the old negative-split theory. You want the second half of your distance to be covered faster than the first half.

Easier said than done of course. How many times have you gone out too hard during a ride, race or interval session only to blow up before the end? Proportioning your energy is key and no more so than in a time trial.

So good luck this weekend to all the State Series racers. And in the time trial, hold back a little in the first half so you can give back even more at the end.

Are you a big fish or a little fish?

2008-08-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

It was at the beginning of my weekly group road ride on Saturday -- the call going out, "Fast group leaving'' -- when a question hit me: When you ride in a group, are you normally the big fish in the little pond or the little fish in the big pond?

Too few cyclists on these Saturday rides elect to ride with the first group. Sure, some are just weekend warriors and don't race, so it's not worth it to them. Others, by the looks of their physiques, do a lot of riding and could stand a challenge but elect to take the safe route and avoid the possibility of being just another rider in the group, or heaven forbid, dropped.

This is a key choice that can either sharpen your fitness or massage your ego. In general, you should bury your ego and choose to ride in a group that's pushing the pace over your comfort level, i.e, be the little fish in the big pond. Nothing -- and I mean nothing -- will motivate you more and bring out your best than the fear of being dropped.

If you get dropped, you must resolve yourself to try and stick next week. That can be difficult; nobody enjoys getting their ass kicked and it's human nature to avoid uncomfortable situations. Confidence is mainly about ego, the thought that, hey, I'm one fast dude. There's nothing wrong with a heaping dose of it. Just don't let it get in the way of a nice challenge. Getting humbled now and then is healthy for a competitive cyclist.

Therefore, always electing to ride in a group where you're among the fastest, will massage your ego, but will it make you faster? If you train to successfully race a bike, you should begin every ride asking yourself, "How will this workout make me faster?'' not "How will this workout boost my ego?''

I like to be the little fish. If I had a nickel for all the times I've been dropped ... well, you get the idea. But when I'm able to finally stick, well, that's a real boost to my ego.

So next time you saddle up for a group ride, throw caution into the wind and join the fast guys. And if you become their equal eventually? Well, there's always someone faster in the group up ahead.

The perfect fit

2008-08-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

Few bicycle purchases can make a profound difference in your performance and enjoyment of the sport. Buy a new crankset, and sure, the bling factor is nice and maybe there's a weight savings, but does it really make a difference? Same with a wheelset, bars, seatpost, stem and the like.

I made a purchase last month that has made a huge difference in my comfort and enjoyment. It's not something I can show off to the world, but most importantly, it is something I can feel: I received a Wobble-Naught bike fitting by Matt Goforth of On Your Mark in Palm Beach Gardens.

While I had no physical issues like knee or back pain and felt comfortable on my road and mountain bikes, I always had the suspicion that I wasn't lined up properly. And I wondered if that was costing me watts and forcing me to work harder.

I can't say for certain that I'm faster now, but I can proclaim I'm more comfortable and feel more powerful after letting Matt do his thing recently. After taking numerous physical measurements and running them through a program, he dialed in my position. Basically, in both instances, he lowered my position to get me more aerodynamic.

I feel much more "at the ready'' and both positions have me wanting to hammer. It's hard to put into words, but it's a comfort level I haven't had before. On both my road and mountain bikes, my feet are playing a bigger role in power transfer.

"The fit pays close attention to your feet and their ability to perform work,'' Matt said. "Many fitting styles out there are based on leg angles, which means very little, in my opinion. I've seen many different angles in legs (due to different leg dimensions) and the client is still super happy. Your feet are the foundation to your house; we must build them strong and able to play all day!''

Along those lines, Matt recommends SOLE footbeds. I was surprised at the difference they made in both my road and mountain shoes. After an initial break-in, these beds are extremely comfortable while snugly keeping your feet poised to mash.

On my road bike, where I've been spending most of my training time on so far, I have equal comfort in the drops, on the tops and on the hoods. One other nice benefit: I don't have sit-bone discomfort or saddle sores anymore. It's like my seat is more comfortable.

I related this to Matt and he made an astute observation: "Instead of sitting on the saddle, you were hanging from it. It's amazing what 10-15mm will do, huh?''

Indeed. But, I have to say, that first road ride was strange at first. My seat felt way too low, but after about 25 miles, everything felt right again. Only better.

My new position on the mountain bike wasn't as big of an adjustment, just a bit more aggressive. Matt also adjusted the sweep on my bars to turn my wrists downward. Like the road bike, I feel like going hard from the get-go. While sit-bone discomfort was the main issue on the road bike, left-hand numbness was my chief complaint on the mountain bike. Well, so far, so good.

Now, if I could find the magic bullet to produce more watts with my limited genetics ...

While spending money on getting your position dialed in by a real professional like Matt might not be as sexy as that new crankset or lightweight wheelset, I guarantee having Matt fit you will be the best investment in bicycling you can make.

To read more about Matt's service, go to http://www.laserbikefit.com/. To read more about the Wobble-Naught process, go to http://www.wobblenaught.com/.

Random thoughts from the saddle

2008-07-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

I completed Base training on Sunday. Some numbers and observations.

I got in 97 hours, turning 1,820.28 miles (124 off-road). I consistently averaged more than 200 miles a week during the eight weeks. This is very close to the Base I laid down when I had my best season in 2006.

I improved my limiters and enhanced my aerobic system.

I regressed in completing chores around the house.

I dodged rain, roadkill and vehicles.

I ran into rain, waves of gnats, and once, a wayward dragonfly that wouldn't get out of my jersey.

I lost weight, from 142.4 pounds to 135.2.

I gained knowledge on what a difference proper bike fit makes. More on this later.

I saw my Functional Threshold Power go from 201 to 228 watts.

And I saw a boy on a bike crossing a busy street nearly get creamed by a car; about a mile away, a mockingbird cheated a similar mechanized death when returning to her nest in a tree in a median. Within five minutes, I witnessed the razor-thin difference between just another day and end of days.

I missed Hillary's big announcement. I was out riding.

I barely hung on to wheels on some group rides, an engine in the red, but ultimately getting saved by a well-timed red light.

I lost wheels and began that terrible drift backward, bleeding sweat like a blown engine spewing oil and realizing I'm not fast enough.

In summary, I'm in better shape to build my high-end fitness than I was a year ago. It's in these next eight weeks where I will enhance Vo2Max, anaerobic fitness and continue improving muscular endurance. And that spells race shape. How good? I'll let you know.

Riding for a purpose

2008-07-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you come across opportunities you can’t pass. That occurred to me last month, when I was approached about helping a group of cyclists prepare for a charity ride to raise awareness about breast cancer.

The Ride to Empower, organized by the Breast Cancer Network of Strength, will take place Oct. 23-26 in Solvang, Calif. If that town sounds familiar, it’s where Lance Armstrong and his Discovery Channel teammates trained in the winter. This is hardcore, mountainous cycling territory.

I won’t lie. The chance to ride 100 miles in Northern California, Wine Country, intrigues me. As does helping cyclists prepare for the demands of that and shorter routes throughout such beautiful countryside. But the main attraction is doing something to help breast cancer survivors and their families.

My mom, Cassie Yobbi, was a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in the early ‘80s, had a mastectomy and ultimately beat cancer. It wasn’t easy, however, on her and the family. It terrified us at first but drew us closer. What cancer couldn’t do heart disease did in 2006 at age 78.

She instilled many things in me -- respect all living things, treat others as you would like to be treated and stand up for what you believe in. She was physically and mentally tough and a sage giver of advice to friends and family. Though only a cassette-tooth over 5-foot, she never backed down, fearing no one or no thing. That’s why cancer never stood a chance against her. It’s that toughness every breast cancer patient needs to draw upon or build. Families, too.

Cancer has touched just about everyone. Take it from my mom: Don’t fear it. Stand up to it. Securing pledges and getting on your bike to celebrate life and remember loved ones is a tremendous first step. Go to www.networkofstrength.org/ride to get more information and register. If you can’t ride in the event but would like to make a pledge, go to http://ride.y-me.org/site/TR?px=2286413&pg=personal&fr_id=1319

The pledges fund YourShoes, outreach programs, breast health awareness workshops, wigs and prostheses banks for women with limited resources, and advocacy on breast cancer related policies.

Remember, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can make a difference.

The invisible foe

2008-06-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

In the past week, I've been made fully aware of how training and emotional stress leaves you vulnerable to illness.

I just completed my Base 2 mesocycle, where I averaged over 200 miles a week. Little intensity but a lot of volume. Then it hit last Wednesday during the rest week: the beginning of a sore throat. Remembering the last time this happened and my persistence to train through it that made it worse, I got off the bike, determined to get well.

Five days later, I got back on the bike, surprised how long it took to get right again.

When you push your body to its physical and emotional limits, you leave yourself susceptible to illness. That's when proper recovery nutrition can play such a vital role. Still, even if you do everything right following a workout, you can still get sick. And when you do, especially if the illness is at the neck or below, your best course of action is rest and possibly antibiotics.

Here are a few tips that can help you avoid getting a virus when your training volume and/or intensity increases:

1) Following either a high-intensity workout or high-volume workout, limit your interaction with other people. You don't necessarily have to become anti-social, but be careful who you come in contact with. For example, this is not the best time to go to a movie theater, get on an airplane or go to a party.

2) Be careful eating someone else's home-cooked food. For much of the same reasons as above, it's not worth the risk of inviting something foreign into your depressed immune system.

3) If you do any of the above, you might want to consider taking the Airbourne tablets that are becoming popular for cold prevention. I'm not totally sold on these but they won't hurt. Prevention, I believe, is best accomplished by limiting who you come in contact with. Better still, eat nutritious meals and snacks you've prepared that contain antioxidants to help rebuild your immune system.

Fortunately for me, my illness came during a rest week. Still, this will set me back some. If this would've happened during a race week, it would've been disastrous. So, be careful out there and realize that sometimes your most formidable opponent is something you can't see.

In The Paceline With ... TBC's Bryan Hoskinson

2008-05-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

This is a feature I hope to run periodically, spotlighting TrainingBible Coaching associates and their athletes. I'll ask 10 questions and post their answers.

For the inaugural one, we'll talk with Bryan Hoskinson, 45, who has been coaching full time for six years, specializing in triathlon, functional strength training and nutrition. He competes in triathlon, cycling, open-water swimming and adventure racing.

1) Best aspect of coaching?

Simple, helping people meet and exceed their goals.

2) Most frustrating aspect?

People not sharing what their goals are.

3) What makes an ideal client?

Anyone with a committed desire to improve, in any domain of their life.

4) What's more exciting about an athlete's makeup: genetics or drive?

Drive, without question.

5) Strangest thing you heard or saw an athlete do or consume in order to perform better?

Good question, nothing really jumps out. Too many people like to listen to others right before a race and change their fuel source and amount with out testing in training. A sure recipe for disaster.

6) Best advice to calm race-day jitters?

Don’t get them! OK, use them to your advantage by expecting them and going over everything in training so you are ready for anything that could happen.

7) The best cross-training activity you endorse?

Functional strength training, yoga, mountain biking, kayaking. Anything that keeps them moving, sports like tennis are great.

8) The quickest way to get faster is ...?

1. Build Endurance 2. Improve Form 3. (A distant No. 3) Speed drills and racing.

9) The best piece of equipment an endurance athlete can purchase to go faster?

Power meter and heart rate monitor.

10) Most common training mistake you see endurance athletes make?

Too much, too fast, too often.

On the Menu: Get Up & Go Muffins

2008-05-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

I came across this recipe from my wife's Cooking Light magazine, submitted by Toronto pediatrician Charlotte Moore. These moist, delectable muffins taste good, are healthy and easy to make. They're perfect if you're time-strapped in the morning and need to hustle to eat something before hitting the trail or road. One of these guys makes the perfect before-ride fuel , after-ride snack or between-meal snack. You can sub raisins for the dates, but I have to say, the dates-pineapple combo works. Also, to balance the flaxseed flavor, you can add a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes if desired.

Treat yourself. You've earned it.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 all-purpose flour

1 cup regular oats (don't use instant)

3/4 cup brown sugar packed

1 tablespoon wheat bran

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup fat-free plain yogurt

1 cup mashed banana (about 2 should do it)

1 large egg

1 cup chopped pitted dates

3/4 cup toasted walnuts (chopped)

1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed (grind about 2 tablespoons whole flaxseed)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place 12 muffin cups (I like the foil ones) in a pan and lightly coat with cooking spray.

3. Lightly spoon flours into measuring cups and level with knife. Combine flours and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir with whisk. Make a well in the center of mix. In another bowl, mash the bananas and add the yogurt and egg, mixing until combined. Add to flour mixture until just moist. Fold in dates, pineapple and walnuts. Spoon batter into cups, filling about 3/4 to top. Sprinkle each muffin with ground flaxseed.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Slightly underbaking will make them more moist. Remove from pan immediately, cooling on wire rack.

NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN

Serving size: 1 muffin.

Calories: 186

Fat: 4.4 grams (less than a gram of saturated fat)

Protein: 4.2 grams

Carbs: 35.2 grams

Fiber: 3.4 grams

Sodium: 190 milligrams

Calcium: 42 milligrams

Testing, 1-2-3

2008-05-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

Field testing to establish training zones for endurance athletes makes up the backbone of the annual training plan. This is when you establish your zones and measure fitness gains or losses.

Most use a 30-minute time trial and measure average heart-rate for the last 20 minutes. A more precise way is training with power and using watts to track an average output over a 20-minute time trial.

But to get a definitive snapshot of your fitness, any serious endurance athlete should consider expired-gas testing. Not only will it help define your zones, it can give you a glimpse into your endurance potential (Vo2Max) and measure the amount of fat vs. carbohydrate used at difference intensities. The more your body can be trained to use fat at increasing intensities (increasing aerobic threshold), the harder and longer it can go.

It used to be you needed to go into a lab and get hooked up to various bits of uncomfortable equipment-measuring devices. Not anymore. Now a specialist can come to your nearest bike shop and test you on your own bike placed on a trainer.

The test is painless -- except for the final moments of the Vo2Max test when you're trying to go 100 percent -- and equipment-measuring devices are more comfortable. The test last between 8-10 minutes.

It's best to be tested twice a year, the second time when you notice RPE changes in your training zones, i.e., your Zone 4 now feels too easy. A really cool benefit of expired-gas testing is that it can help you determine the number of calories needed for a race.

Perhaps the most important fact that expired-gas testing confirms is that most endurance athletes are training too hard for any given zone. This can lead to underperforming during training and worst of all, overtraining. If you think you're doing a Zone 2 ride but your body is actually in Zone 3, you're beginning to burn carbs and not only fat. This can lead to failing to build your aerobic base sufficiently and increased recovery time for any given workout.

If you live in South Florida and are interested in scheduling an expired-gas test, contact me. Prices range from $130-$150 for a single test. If you're a multi-sport athlete, it's best to be tested on your bike and for running. Combo rates are from $220-$250.

Expired-gas testing is one test you're guaranteed to like the results.

On the Menu: Recovery Smoothie

2008-05-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

I modified this original Emeril Lagasse smoothie recipe to kick up the recovery quotient. I love milkshakes, and this is the closest to mimicking their silky consistency. But, of course, this one is a whole lot better for you.

One 12-ounce glass packs 125 grams of carbs and 21 1/4 grams of leg-healing protein. In all, it's 570 calories guaranteed to help you recover from today's ride and shred the roads or trails tomorrow.

1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/8 cup fat-free yogurt
1/8 cup orange juice
1 frozen banana*
2 cups fresh strawberries
2 scoops Hammer Nutrition Recoverite (with this, you're also getting 3 grams of immune-system-boosting Glutamine). If you don't have Recoverite, sub your favorite vanilla protein powder.

Combine all in blender at high speed. Garnish with whole strawberry.

*Cutting up a banana and freezing it overnight eliminates the need for smoothie-diluting ice.

Here's to going faster. Cheers.

A return to basics

2008-05-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

It’s easy to skimp on Base training. Long solo rides at the beginning of an annual training plan quickly get boring, but don’t forget their importance, even if you forget to charge the iPod beforehand.

Being impatient and failing to build a sufficient base -- consisting of Long Steady Distance rides followed by force, speed and muscular endurance intervals -- can shorten your season. Even after building it in 8-12 weeks, without going back to Base during the season, you risk seeing your race fitness quickly dissolve.

Like mine did last year during the Florida State Championship Series.

I built a good base in 10 weeks going into the series and completed nine weeks of discipline-specific intensity, otherwise known as Build training. But because the state series had its eight races spread over 13 weeks, I worried about accumulated fatigue and staying fresh. So I cut my volume, doing only a few 2 ½ to 3-hour rides, and focused primarily on intensity. I didn’t realize it then, but I was trying to hold a peak for 3 1/2 months.

Consequently, my base eroded and my series went with it after a decent first three races. At the time – and this is common for athletes who train themselves – I misdiagnosed the problem. Later it dawned on me that I needed a high-volume block of some LSD rides. This would’ve enhanced my endurance, which would’ve boosted fitness when combined with some intensity.

LSD rides help the aerobic engine become a more efficient fat-burner. During races, that helps spare glycogen, which is the primary race-pace fuel that’s available in limited quantity. Run out of glycogen and the body turns to burning fat and you bonk. I bonked in Races 4, 5, 6 and 7. I had brief periods of good power, but nothing I could sustain. Of those forgettable four, I DNF’d twice.

I bring up Base training because for the past week and a half, I’ve been getting in some LSD road miles and a low-keyed 45-mile group road ride to prep for Base. I began these low-intensity workouts grossly out of riding shape.

With just a few LSD miles – 153 to be exact – I noticed a huge difference riding my single-speed off-road at Markham Park on Wednesday. My off-season lap times have been predictably slow there, anywhere from 36-41 minutes a lap, with a very high RPE. And until Wednesday, I couldn’t turn more than two back-to-back laps on either my geared or single-speed bikes. While not concerned with speed right now, I do want some off-road volume. So on Wednesday, I was able to turn three consecutive laps (22 miles) and just as importantly did them at a much lower RPE.

The morale here: Don’t underestimate the need for and importance of Base in your annual training plan. Go long and steady now in order to go faster later.

Set the controls for the heart of the sun

2008-05-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

Summer is here in South Florida. Last week included a couple days with record highs, and this makes training a challenge. Not only can it zap enthusiasm, it can be dangerous. It doesn’t have to be. Here are a few facts and tips to help you make the best of it.

Easy does it: Let your body acclimate to the heat gradually. Closely monitor your rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Stay below race pace until RPE lowers. Don't plan your toughest or longest workouts in the heat of the day. Try to avoid the 1-4 p.m. hours when it's hotest.

Here’s to your performance: It’s not enough to drink on the morning/day of a ride or race. Proper hydration should be practiced at all waking hours. You’re drinking enough water daily when your urine is straw-colored. However, be careful not to over-hydrate while training/racing, which can lead to hyponatremia (water intoxication).

Sip before thirsty: If you begin a ride or other workout properly hydrated, you might not drink until you’re well into the activity. That can lead to dehydration. Grab for the bottle before getting thirsty.

Replenish, don’t try to replace: You can't replace all the electrolytes and fluids you lose. You can't prevent fatigue; you can only delay it. Work with the body's chemistry, don't override it. Less is better (and cheaper) with supplements during training and competition.

Avoid that tell-tale sign: Salt stains on clothing do not indicate a deficiency in sodium; it illustrates an excess. And that leads us to …

Shake free from the shaker: A low-sodium diet is imperative for an endurance athlete. Don’t be misled into thinking you need more sodium while training and racing. All things equal, consuming less salt will keep you from feeling as thirsty during training/racing.

Downsize expectations: Your heart needs to shuttle more blood to the skin’s surface to aid in cooling, so less will be available for the working muscles. Therefore, lap times/splits will be slower than in optimum conditions. That will be true for everyone, so accept it and work on being as efficient as possible.

Rehydrate afterward: Continue drinking water after a workout/race until your urine returns to being straw-colored.

Wear sunscreen: While this won’t necessarily improve performance, it will save your skin. Get into the habit of using enough of it.

Max your Mo

2008-05-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

Want to go faster on your mountain bike? This won’t require hellish intervals or even purchasing the lastest and lightest equipment.

Now that I have your attention, here’s the scoop: Use your brakes less.

Riding a single-speed teaches you to keep the digits off the levers out of necessity to make it up inclines and over obstacles. This aggressiveness should be carried over to the geared bike. A fear of crashing makes most of us a little careful riding in the woods. Likely, though, you’re clutching the blades too often and zapping momentum needlessly. Keeping your head up and looking farther down the trail can be the first step toward breaking this habit.

If you’re chasing faster riders, chances are they’re braking less. They’re feathering into sweeping turns, carving and carrying speed out of them like a slingshot. They’re supple while attacking obstacles at speed, flattening them like a wave crashing the beach. That’s momentum unleashed and also one facet of riding economically.

Trust your balance.

Relax.

Remember, momentum is precious.

Maximize it.

The Plan

2008-05-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

When I begin my 450-hour macrocycle on May 19, there will be 17 weeks until the first race, the Florida State Championship opener on Sept. 13-14.

I’ll use a PowerTap SL on the road bike, so most workouts will be measured by watts. Off-road, I’ll measure with lap times, perceived exertion and heart rate. I’ll download the power files to a TrainingPeaks WKO+ program.

My natural abilities profile shows weakness in speed skills (ability to pedal and ride with more economy) and force-generating skills (strength to power up short steep hills, turn a bigger gear quicker). I didn’t work on those limiters enough last season. I tend to ride big gears and mash at low cadence. The other training goal is to increase my threshold power to weight ratio to 4 watts per kilo.

To reach race shape, a minimum of 16 weeks will be required, broken down thusly:

8 weeks of Base training (long steady distance, speed skills and force work followed by tempo and muscular endurance work).
8 weeks of Build training (lactate threshold, Vo2Max and anaerobic work).
I’ll also weight train once weekly for a half hour.

To get ready to train again, I’ll spend 2 weeks doing easy endurance rides on the road bike and off-road single-speed and geared riding.

It’s hot out, there’s traffic on the roads and the trails are dusty and jagged. Time to train.

Is there anybody alive out there?

2008-05-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. Clip in and get on my wheel. While in my draft, you'll benefit from some knowledge and insights gained from seven years of training and competing in mountain bike racing. I'm detail-oriented and believe that in order to compete, you need a plan of attack -- but always be ready to alter it if necessary.

In other words, we'll plan in pencil, not ink.

In 2008, I'm beginning my part-time endurance training business, dedicated to helping other athletes. This blog is one means to that end. Being afiliated with TrainingBible Coaching gives me a vast resource pool from which to draw. With TrainingBible, you're not hiring one coach; you're hiring a team.

For the last couple of months, I've been enjoying the off-season after my disappointing '07-08 season ended in March. More on that in subsequent posts. You can't hold form all year, and after putting in 5,000 or so road and off-road training and racing miles, a break from steady riding is needed. I know my season is near when I begin getting itchy to ride regularly again. The itch will be scratched in a couple of weeks when I start my '08'-09 macrocycle (training year), leading up to the Florida State Championship Series. I won't detail every facet of my training, but I will use examples of what I do, when I do it and why I do it.

I hope you find these postings helpful while we train with a purpose.