My 2013 pre- and mid-season training/racing log...

colm_gti

....and other cycling related things.

Started this a few months ago, purely for my own benefit, to keep track of what I'm doing and how I was feeling when doing it, so that if it does/doesn't work in my favour this season, I can look back and see what I should repeat next year, or what I need to change.

I hadn't really intended on sharing it, but I enjoy reading other peoples logs, so may as well contribute

http://reflectionsofanaddictedbeginnerroadie.blogspot.ie/

G rock

colm_gti wrote: »

....and other cycling related things.

Started this a few months ago, purely for my own benefit, to keep track of what I'm doing and how I was feeling when doing it, so that if it does/doesn't work in my favour this season, I can look back and see what I should repeat next year, or what I need to change.

I hadn't really intended on sharing it, but I enjoy reading other peoples logs, so may as well contribute

http://reflectionsofanaddictedbeginnerroadie.blogspot.ie/

Some good reading. Glad to see you're enjoying the pomp!

colm_gti

G rock wrote: »

Some good reading. Glad to see you're enjoying the pomp!

It shows off how much of a nerd I really am :rolleyes:

Thanks again for pointing me in the direction of the pompino frame, wouldn't have known of its existence otherwise!

colm_gti

First week of Build 1 down, legs feeling a little tired now!

CaoimH_in

Had my first build week too. I have to say I really feel the winter training. Legs just aren't getting as fatigued. I managed to stay with the strongest of my group for a strong rolling-over session yesterday and all.

I have your blog favourited. I'll be very, very interested in how you get on! Best of luck, bud!

colm_gti

CaoimH_in wrote: »

Had my first build week too. I have to say I really feel the winter training. Legs just aren't getting as fatigued. I managed to stay with the strongest of my group for a strong rolling-over session yesterday and all.

I have your blog favourited. I'll be very, very interested in how you get on! Best of luck, bud!

Good stuff! Are you keeping track of your training anywhere?

CaoimH_in

No... I should, but I won't have anything this year I'd say. It's usually a simple formula though. I keep distance to around 400km per week, I have long and strong solo spins, rep. work, recovery days, off days, group days, and indoor trainer days. I'm pretty good at listening to how I feel and just try and make sensible decisions as regard efforts and recovery time. 400-450km seems to be my magic number for a week of training. More than this I can end up feeling a bit too tired.

I've read Mr Friel's book on your recommendation. I really want to understand the material before I start using it, because I feel it'll be ineffective and really make my training poor for the year if it is half-arsed. I'm just using some guidelines from it about correct training and rest, and the seasonal training format. What I really feel is important is making sure the big days of efforts are good and difficult. While the rest days I keep everything nice and moderate. Nothing difficult. It sounds silly, but I do feel there are gains to be had if you really make the effort to give your body everything it needs between big efforts consistently. Anyways,

I await an update!

CaoimH_in

Good mileage this week man! Keep it up.

colm_gti

CaoimH_in wrote: »

Good mileage this week man! Keep it up.

Thanks dude, enjoying an easy week this week

Coincided nicely with the snow!

Slo_Rida

Nice blog Colm. 2 things:
What do you mean by "build" session?
And
Can you change the background from white on black to black on white...it's hard on my eyes :-)
Slo..........

colm_gti

Slo_Rida wrote: »

Nice blog Colm. 2 things:
What do you mean by "build" session?
And
Can you change the background from white on black to black on white...it's hard on my eyes :-)
Slo..........

Read Joe Friels training bible, he talks about training periodically in blocks

The 'base' periods involve building up the low intensity miles in your legs. The 'build' periods start in the build up to racing.

I had planned to use 4 week blocks (3 weeks on, 1 week off), with the plan to peak by the easter weekend, but I found that 2 weeks on was tough, another week would probably have pushed me into overtraining, burning out and being forced to take longer off the bike, so I've switched to 2 weeks on, 1 week off.

An no, I like my black background :P

colm_gti

Suffering from a serious bout of alcohol/lack of exercise induced depression, not taking a full week off the bike ever again, regardless of conditions....

CaoimH_in

colm_gti wrote: »

Suffering from a serious bout of alcohol/lack of exercise induced depression, not taking a full week off the bike ever again, regardless of conditions....

You know it makes sense.

colm_gti

CaoimH_in wrote: »

You know it makes sense.

Recovery weeks make sense, not whole weeks off the bike

Plan was just to commute in recovery weeks, no hard efforts, but the weather last week didn't really allow for that.

ROK ON

Recovery week does not mean no effort at all.

You could just donehat Friel would suggest:
Cut back on amount of time, say prioritising easy efforts.
Then throw in a test, such as a 10k TT
Rest week is test week.

colm_gti

ROK ON wrote: »

Recovery week does not mean no effort at all.

You could just donehat Friel would suggest:
Cut back on amount of time, say prioritising easy efforts.
Then throw in a test, such as a 10k TT
Rest week is test week.

I know that, but it snowed on Monday and Tuesday, I went for a short spin on Wednesday, it lashed rain on Friday and I was too hungover on Saturday after a close friends housewarming. I felt like crap by Sunday, and was lacking in motivation so sat at home and moped around. Never taking that much time off again it messes with your mind!

ROK ON

It wasnt snowing Mon or Tues evening.
It wasn't snowing on the turbo.
Excuses :-)

colm_gti

ROK ON wrote: »

It wasnt snowing Mon or Tues evening.
It wasn't snowing on the turbo.
Excuses :-)

I got rid of my turbo because I hated it so much, though I'm looking at getting rollers. I would be less inclined to make excuses during an 'on' week.

colm_gti

Final figures for January 2013...

Distance: 1039kms
Time: 36h 50m
Elevation Gain: 6862m

Gives an average speed of about 28.2km/h....

Just shy of 900kms more than I covered in January of 2012. Not too bad considering I pretty much took all of last week off, when I had intended to commute 3 days that week, which would have added ~150kms to the above

CaoimH_in

Good stuff outta you again this week. How're the legs feelin?

colm_gti

CaoimH_in wrote: »

Good stuff outta you again this week. How're the legs feelin?

Cheers dude!

Legs feel a little tired, not the worst to be honest, wouldn't have minded going a bit harder yesterday, but my mate I was out with was also at the tail end of a similar two week block and suffering a bit more than I was, and his rear derailleur shift lever shat itself about 20km from home, leaving him with one gear. Either way a ~100km spin with ~1000m elevation gain at 27km/h isn't too bad, considering we were riding two abreast and chatting for a good bit of it.

Commuting tomorrow, away for the rest of the week, 1hr TT test on Saturday before a stag party and MAYBE the Ned Flanagan memorial race on Sunday if I'm not in bits...

CaoimH_in

Hopefully I'll see you at Ned Flanagan!

colm_gti

CaoimH_in wrote: »

Hopefully I'll see you at Ned Flanagan!

I'll see what state I'm in on Sunday morning

Plastik

Do it.

colm_gti

Plastik wrote: »

Do it.

You doing it?

Plastik

Damn right I'm doing it. Forking over €20 quid to be molested by a chasing A1/A2 bunch is my idea of a perfect Sunday :pac:

colm_gti

Final figures for February 2013...

Distance: 1113.1kms
Time: 37h 43m
Elevation Gain: 7520m

Gives an average speed of about 29.5km/h....probably helped mostly by the 2 races this month!

lennymc

colm_gti wrote: »

Final figures for February 2013...

Distance: 1113.1kms
Time: 37h 43m
Elevation Gain: 7520m

Gives an average speed of about 29.5km/h....probably helped mostly by the 2 races this month!

February isnt over yet!! Get out there and do 87kms to make a nice round even 1200....

colm_gti

lennymc wrote: »

February isnt over yet!! Get out there and do 87kms to make a nice round even 1200....

Haha nah, I've done my days training already, planning to sit on my ar$e for the rest of the day

CaoimH_in

Coming down to Broadford or are you heading to Navan? (Its Navan that's the other race, yeah?)

colm_gti

CaoimH_in wrote: »

Coming down to Broadford or are you heading to Navan? (Its Navan that's the other race, yeah?)

Navan is only 20 minutes up the road from me, so I'll be racing there this weekend. I might meet you at another race in the not so distant future I'm sure!

joxerjohn

Hi colm I was following your progress on your blog, but it doesn't seem to be available any more have you moved it or taken it down ?

colm_gti

joxerjohn wrote: »

Hi colm I was following your progress on your blog, but it doesn't seem to be available any more have you moved it or taken it down ?

Was messing around with the settings last week, must have messed up the link or something :rolleyes:

http://reflectionsofabeginnerroadie.blogspot.ie/