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Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan: the numbers

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
The Time-Crunched Cyclist

The Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan

The way I have measured my progress with the Time-Crunched Cylist Plan is to use the Carmichael Training Systems Field Test (CTS Field Test). Over the twelve week period of the training plan, I took the field test three times. Really, you typically should only need to complete it once — before you start the plan. There really is no need to take a test at the end of the plan unless you are a blogger and need something to write about!

I won’t go into a long explanation about the field test. You can read a blow-by-blow account in a previous post. I will point out that this “test” is not one you pass or fail. It is simply to give you a benchmark from which to work as you go through the plan. The below sets of numbers contain the data from each of the CTS Field Tests I completed. I hope you can see from the data that the plan really paid off!

February 12, 2012

This was the first test I took once I finally decided to get back on the bike after nearly two months off. I had only ridden a few hours on the trainer in the days leading up to this. Pretty much, I was at the lowest point of my fitness and motivation. The data clearly shows that! If you can fail a field test, this is one I failed!

To give you some comparison, up to this point my highest FTP results (on a 20 minute FTP test) was 305 watts in 2010. During my “comeback year” I had a high of 275 watts. So, I started the TCCP in a pretty bad frame of mind and just did not feel that the plan was pushing me hard enough.

	        Time	Power	Cadence	Heart Rate
Warmup	        5:00	56	85	99
Fast Pedal	1:01	193	140	132
Easy Spin	1:07	59	92	144
Fast Pedal	2:01	212	139	162
Easy Spin	1:01	59	83	166
Power Interval	1:00	345	102	165
Easy Spin	2:14	82	72	154
Power Interval	1:01	361	97	160
Recovery	4:15	63	73	147
First Effort	8:01	239	95	173 (178)
Recovery	11:01	63	79	139
Second Effort	8:00	251	95	171 (177)
Cooldown	15:11	35	80	125
Temperature	64
Result		251		        178

March 6, 2012

The only way to clear my mind and give me confidence in the plan was for me to trust that the data truly represented my potential. That led me to taking the CTS Field Test a couple weeks after the initial one. As I look back, this was the best decision I made during the training period. I’m sure that the three weeks of training on the plan helped me improve, but I’m convinced that the initial test was just the perfect storm of mental and physical “blah.” With this new data, I really started to feel the workouts and I could feel my body responding.

	        Time	Power	Cadence	Heart Rate
Warmup	        10:00	115	85	113
Fast Pedal	1:00	263	132	144
Easy Spin	1:01	93	88	153
Fast Pedal	2:00	245	125	155
Easy Spin	1:00	88	83	158
Power Interval	1:01	380	87	154
Easy Spin	2:02	92	76	149
Power Interval	1:01	409	95	151
Recovery	4:08	100	74	143
First Effort	8:01	296	95	173 (181)
Recovery	10:01	90	80	135
Second Effort	8:00	290	91	171 (178)
Cooldown	10:41	67	71	121
Temperature	66
Result		296		        181

May 18, 2012

Of course, I couldn’t stand it! I just had to complete the CTS Field Test to see what the numbers would show. So, last Saturday, I set up my trainer (to keep it consistent with the earlier tests) outside on my driveway. With the shade and a fan blowing on me, the temperature wasn’t too much above the earlier attempts. However, I have to admit that being outside improved my psyche.

There were a couple of other things I did differently. 1) I took a little more time warming up. 2) I lowered my Fast Pedal cadence to a more reasonable 125 rpm average.  3) I brought down my Power Interval average wattage to be more in line with what I had been doing in the plan. 4) In the First Effort, I settled into a gear that allowed me to pedal at a higher cadence than I had before.

I didn’t look at the time. I just watched my wattage and average wattage while listening to soundtracks. I knew that two songs would put me close to 8 minutes. I just tried to settle into a zone that would hold my first few minutes wattage average all the way to the end. By the time I neared the end of the second song, I was holding 327 watts.

Switching back to the time, I noticed I only had a minute left. It was getting harder to hold my higher cadence, but when I saw the clock I gritted my teeth and tried to push through to the 8 minute mark. I was more than pleased with the result!

On the Second Effort, I intentionally lowered my cadence in a bigger gear. Wow, that one really hurt! I was able to bring the wattage up over 330 watts for a bit, but then it started to drop and I ultimately switched back to the gearing and cadence of the first effort with about two minutes left.

	        Time	Power	Cadence	Heart Rate
Warmup	        15:01	121	97	118
Fast Pedal	1:00	283	125	148
Easy Spin	1:00	126	90	147
Fast Pedal	2:01	270	123	153
Easy Spin	1:01	132	91	156
Power Interval	1:01	312	106	152
Easy Spin	2:01	135	91	143
Power Interval	1:01	315	97	144
Recovery	4:00	142	93	139
First Effort	8:01	327	98	170 (180)
Recovery	10:00	100	80	140
Second Effort	8:03	323	89	170 (178)
Cooldown	5:45	65	67	133
Temperature	73
Result		327		        180

So, there you have it. Depending on how bad off you think I was in the beginning of the twelve week plan, I increased my average wattage from 252 watts or 296 watts to 327 watts. That places my Power-to-Weight ratio to around 4.3. That puts me solidly in the Category 3 field (and hanging with the 1/2 racers for a bit) which is consistent with my past performance.

Ultimately, the sterile numbers don’t really matter. What really matters is that I am now back on my bike holding my own with the guys. Thanks, Chris Carmichael, for the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan.

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Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan: the result

Monday, May 21st, 2012

I finished the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan about a week ago. You haven’t read too much about it here since then because I wanted to get some numerical results to compare with past numbers. Well, Saturday morning, I completed a third CTS Field Test to compare with my first one. I now have the numbers.

First some history. What brought me to this point that I would decide to use this plan?

Please support the 2012 Ride for Mike

Please support me in the Stars and Stripes Challenge on May 28, 2012. It is part of the 2012 Ride for Mike. Click the logo above and designate your donation in support of Jonathan Pait.

2007

This was the year I finally decided to race. I had accomplished my first goal in cycling by completing the Assault on Marion. This was all part of my plan to ride the Assault on Mt. Mitchell the year I turned 40. I had never raced before in my life until the September race Greenville Cycling Classic. I had no training plan at this point other than riding my bike.

2008

This was the year I turned 40 and I set my sights on my first Assault of Mt. Mitchell. Racing also started coming more into play as I raced as a Category 5 racer. I placed 3rd in the SC State Road Race. The year culminated with the first and only win of my racing “career.” Still, I had no training plan other than riding my bike.

2009

I still started the year without a training plan. I even wrote a post about my “training” up to that point. Then everything took a turn south when I broke my finger going down Paris Mountain. However, my focus for racing changed when I was invited to join the POA Cycling Team. Even with the slow start I completed my second Assault on Mt. Mitchell. I started getting in the swing of racing as a Category 4 racer. Still, I ended the year with no training plan.

2010

This was the year I started to get serious about trying to accomplish something as a racer. I knew I needed to have a plan, so I arranged with Jim Cunningham to be my cycling coach. What a difference it made! I came into the 2010 season on fire and had podium finishes in nearly every race I entered.

My last race as a Category 4 racer was a second place finish during Speedweeks. I also picked up a third place finish in the SC State Criterium Championship. Before spring was over, I was forced to move up to Category 3. Then in my first race in that category, I crashed and broke my neck. Even though I was back on the bike by late September and rode solo from Memphis to Raleigh in seven days, something had snapped inside.

2011

I tried to come back in 2011, but got a very late start with Jim. He did his best to get me ready and on paper it looked like I should have been mixing it up just fine. However, it was a very disappointing year. Early on I was dropped in nearly every race I attempted. The combination of the long period off racing coupled with learning to race in a stronger field left me dispirited.

My body was still not recovered from my 2010 accident. My neck was greatly improved, but I was in constant pain in my hip. The best way I know to describe how I felt is “hollow.” My body and my psyche just didn’t seem to have anything inside. I finally started to at least finish with the pack, but I began to question whether I even wanted to race.

2012

That brings us to this year. I figured it would be a waste for Jim to work with me again. He only has so many people he can work with, and I figured it would be best to open a slot for someone else. Jim is a great coach — the problem wasn’t with him, it was with me.

So, I began my season late — February is not the best time to get back on the bike for the first time since before Christmas when you plan to start racing the first of March! I knew even then that my racing would be limited this year. I had removed myself from the POA Cycling Team because I knew I would not be able to contribute.

John James had given me an extra copy of the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan. I knew if I didn’t have a plan, I would sink back into my pre-bicycling days fitness levels. I decided to give the plan a try. There would be no pressure to perform for my coach or the team. This was just for the fun of training — and to have something to write about here.

Results

I am very pleased with what has happened so far this year! I have only raced in one race up to this point, but I am having a great time on the bicycle! I beginning to feel less and less “hollow” and my numbers are also starting to rise. It will be interesting to see what happens when I do mount up for a race.

Much of this can be contributed to the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan. The low time demands removed some of the off-the-bike stress that comes with training. The plan is doable.

At the same time, the plan is intense. Almost every time you go out on the bike, you are going hard. I like that. It fits the way I like to ride.

Before you begin the plan, you complete the CTS Field Test. When I did so, the number I started with was 251 watts. Regular readers probably remember that I didn’t have much confidence in the result of that test. About three weeks into the plan, I completed the test again to alleviate my doubts. That test ended with a result of 296 watts.

From that point, I did my best to follow the plan faithfully. After finishing a week ago, I finally did a test just to compare with those earlier tests. The result seemed to match up with how I have been feeling lately. After 12+ weeks of work, the result came in at 327 watts.

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Coming back down to earth

Friday, May 18th, 2012

Saturday I am planning to undertake my third power test since starting the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan. The first one was to set a baseline. The second one was to confirm whether the baseline was accurate and to recalibrate my power zones for more effective training. This third one has only one purpose — to report here on Low Cadence if the TCCP made any measurable difference. Right now I’m just hoping that my power meter allows me to find that out.

Please support the 2012 Ride for Mike

Please support me in the Stars and Stripes Challenge on May 28, 2012. It is part of the 2012 Ride for Mike. Click the logo above and designate your donation in support of Jonathan Pait.

Back when I did the first 2012 Greenville Spinners Summer Time Trial Series attempt, I had the mechanic take a look at my bike. He looked at me in shock as he examined the chain rings. He pointed out to me the gap that was showing between the chain and the teeth. The chain was stretched and the teeth had been turned into shallow depressions. It was time to replace the rings.

I made the change and then went out to ride. At first it didn’t stand out to me, but then I went out to do some SteadyState and ClimbingRepeat work. Immediately I sensed something was wrong. I was producing 380 watts breathing through my nose. Still, when I got home I found that I was landing PRs right and left. Now my climbs up Paris Mountain were consistently 15 – 20 seconds less than they were before the chain ring change.

So, was I putting out more power and getting the faster times? Obviously I was, but the question was more was I producing that much MORE power? I was convinced after climbing Paris Mountain in 12:18 at 436 watts average that my meter was off. My best estimate is that it should have taken no more than a 350 watts average to get that time.

Well, today, I hope to have an answer. I’m taking the power meter to get calibrated. It would appear that several things could be in play here. First, the slack chain and shallow teeth could have affected the force I was able to apply. Second, the rings themselves may have began flexing. The new rings are now stiffer and the force is better applied with the new teeth and chain.

My guess is that the power meter was off from its original settings because of the wear on the rings. I’d be willing to bet that I was producing better watt averages than the meter was telling me. Now, the meter is thrown for a loop and with the ring changes is showing elevated averages. The truth I believe is probably somewhere in the middle — closer to the old ring averages.

All this means is that my FTP is going to have an asterisk beside it. A very important component of the measurement has altered. Still, I think it will be close enough to compare.

One thing I know for sure. It isn’t a question of whether the TCCP has helped. Just riding my bike convinces me of that! It is just a matter of measuring how much it has helped.

Another thing has come out of this. I believe the power meter lying to me actually has helped me ride faster. How could that be?

Whenever I see 350 watts or so on my meter while climbing warning bells go off in my head. I know I can only hold that for so long. However, I want the best time I can get, so I ride to the edge of that number. It gets me all worked up and I psyche myself out.

Well, when I look down at the computer and see 350 watts and I am feeling like I’m on top of the gears, I relax a bit more. Plus, at times when I would have been pushing myself and wearing myself down, I’m going slower (than I think I am) and have more left in the tank when it really matters. Before my power meter issues, I was consistently getting times in the 12:45 range up Paris Mountain. With my power meter issues, I am getting time consistently around 12:20. The meter might lie, but the clock doesn’t.

Thursday I took a different approach. I noticed on some of my recent better times that my cadence was around 85 rpm. Normally, my average cadence is in the mid-seventies. So, I decided not to pay attention at all to power and focus on holding 80+ rpm regardless of the slope. What do you know? I got a new 2012 Personal Record with a time of 12:18.

So, while it would be nice if my Strava.com 10 minute power was truly 433 watts. I have to tell you that is a lie. Knowing my power meter is off has certainly brought me back down to earth. However, I see a sub-twelve minute climb up Paris in my very near future… I’ll take that 370 watt average!

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Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan is over

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Now what? Saturday was my final official Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan workout. Well, the first thing for me to do is to look back on the affect the plan has had on my cycling.

The Time-Crunched Cyclist

The Time-Crunched Cyclist plan

The first obvious thing to me is that the plan rescued my cycling. This is attributed directly to the point that the plan is for the “Time-Crunched” cyclist. At a time when I felt I wouldn’t be able to ride my bicycle at the same level of years past, this plan gave me something to test. Perhaps it wouldn’t deliver. Perhaps it would. However, for at least 12 weeks, it gave me something to motivate me to go forward.

Regardless of how the plan might have improved my power, it was worth it. It got me through a time when I was thinking about hanging up the bike and got me back into the saddle. It didn’t take too long after that to have the thrill and love of the ride to return. To compound things the plan helped keep the training from becoming a burden and thus taking away what it gave.

But what about that power? Has the plan lived up to what Chris Carmichael says it can do? Well, I can share with you some initial anecdotal evidence of its success. I hope that within a week, I will be able to share more specific data that compares where I was at the start of the plan with where I am now and farther in the past.

On my last workout, I finished in shock and not sure I could really accept the data I was seeing. If it is accurate then there is no doubt that the plan has delivered, and I’ll be using it again. Here’s hoping that it is!

My plan called for an Over/Under workout. This is a part of the plan where the rider is to complete a SteadyState Interval at 254 to 266 watts (this is the Under portion). Then you do a ClimbingRepeat Interval at 288 to 296 watts (this is the Over portion). Finally, you finish things off with another SteadyState Interval.

I headed for the CVS side of Paris Mountain. This would be a challenge to keep the wattage low enough. I gingerly started the climb trying to keep the average at a manageable 270 watts. After 13 minutes, I pressed the lap button with an average of 277 watts. It is safe to say that it was pretty easy.

Returning to base of the mountain, I decided to extend the ClimbingRepeat Interval to go to the top of the mountain. If I was lucky, I might land a PR on the climb. That would put me at the top in about 15 minutes.

I decided to set 320 watts as my targeted average. No matter how I felt, I would keep it under control. Granted, that was well above the prescribed wattage target. However, I have been exceeding that direction for the entire time I’ve been using the plan.

Fifteen minutes and thirty-eight seconds later I reached the top. It was my fastest climb since I’ve made attempts on time. Not only that, it moved me up into the fourth fastest time on the Strava leader board. Beyond that? I reached the top with more left in the tank. That was after climbing for 15 minutes at 350 watts.

As I was finishing the climb, I heard Matt Jaeggli call my name on the tower road above me. I rode up and we spent a bit of time talking. It gave me an opportunity to recover farther. As we talked, I mentioned that I doubted I would make an attempt on the Furman side anytime soon.

We rode to the bottom and I turned right toward Travelers Rest and Matt turned left back toward Greenville. However, it wasn’t but a few yards from the turn that I felt the temptation to attempt another climb. I was feeling so very good, I thought I might as well go ahead and turn my final SteadyState Interval into a ClimbingRepeat.

My approach was to go up the Furman side the way I did the CVS side. I had climbed the CVS side at 350 watts. I would do the same here on the Furman side. Even at times when I felt I could push it, I would keep the wattage under control. Then, I would attack on The Wall with what I had left.

As I started spinning up the climb, I was amazed at how I was feeling. I kept glancing down and seeing the wattage staying above 300 watts. To my knowledge, it never dipped below that threshold. I can’t remember the time I’ve done that before.

I refused to look at the time. I just kept checking the power. Then I reached The Wall. I waited until my traditional starting point for the attack and then went at it. I was able to drive to the KOM line with power. Again, that is something I have not been able to do in many months.

I finished the climb in a time of 12:23 — 2 seconds slower than my PR for 2012 (which, by the way, I managed to reach on the previous Thursday). My average power was 380 watts. It was impossible to compare my wattage results this time with my PR because I did not use my power meter on the PR attempt.

Returning home, I had time to think about my experience of the day. I was left wondering if my power meter was off. I had reason to wonder because I had just had the chain rings replaced and this was the first climbing attempt since the replacement. What if the Quarq CinQo was knocked off its calibration when the chain ring it was integrated into was replaced?

The counter argument was the fact that my perceived exertion was surprisingly low for the efforts. I’m not saying the final climb was easy, but I kept looking down and feeling shocked that I was getting the wattage I was with the exertion I felt. However, a time of 12:23 was hard to argue. A Personal Record at a managed perceived exertion gave a bit of credence to numbers.

So, what to think… I think I am going to have to do a power test. That will give me something concrete to evaluate. If it is an unreasonable increase in power, then I’ll know the power meter is off. If it is a reasonable increase in power, then I’ll have reason to believe that the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan is something I’ll be using again.

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I am Yertle the Turtle

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Back at the turn of the 20th century, there was a resort in Taylors, South Carolina named Chick Springs. It got its name because of a mineral spring located on some land owned by a man named Chick. There was even a large hotel at which travelers from all over would come to and stay. Now, a factory stands where the hotel once stood. One of the last reminders of the heyday of the resort is a road named Chick Springs Road.

Now, that is over in Taylors, but about 15 minutes away by car you come to my neighborhood in Greenville. Only about 4 minutes from my house is a short road — just over a mile — named Chick Springs Road. There is no spring near by on land owned by a man named Chick. I’m not sure how the road ended up with the name. Could it be that back around 1900 Wade Hampton Blvd. was Chick Springs and this road in Greenville once connected with the road in Taylors?

I’m sure you could care less. You’re wondering what a road named Chick Springs has to do with Yertle the Turtle. Believe it or not, there is a connection.

My Chick Springs — as opposed to the Taylors’ Chick Springs — is home to the Strava segment named “Chick Springs TT.” The story I hear is that it was created by some guys who used the section of road to do team time trials when coming back toward Greenville after riding out beyond Paris Mountain. That team drafting led to a pretty low segment time of 2:05.

When I discovered that I was within 10 seconds of the mark after trying for it, I got a little obsessed with owning the KOM award for the segment. I tried and tried and kept coming up short by one or two seconds. Well, Tuesday, I tried once more.

Monday I played golf and I woke up on Tuesday hurting in places I’m not normally sore. The extent of me playing golf is one or two charity events a year. So, I measure success more by how many balls I have left at the end rather than my score.

I got off from work around lunch so that I could get home and start working on the house in anticipation of an appraisal. I was climbing up ladders trying to clean the mildew off of my gutters and preparing to paint some trim. Finally, around 5 PM I decided to straighten things up and go ride my bike.

The Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan called for me to do 6 x 2 minute Power Intervals. Ahhhh, the perfect opportunity to go attack Chick Springs. I would do like I did before and give one good all out effort to get the KOM. Then I would back off and do what I should be doing and keep the wattage between 300 and 320 for the other five intervals.

As I headed out onto Rutherford Road to warmup, I had a bit of excitement start creeping into my thoughts. The legs were feeling really good. I was making the first climb up to the Farmers Market without a problem. I knew I would be able to get a bit more out of my legs.

I’ve learned a bit about the technique I needed to get a good time. 1) go hard on the beginning downhill section, but not too hard, 2) keep it clean through the turns, and 3) don’t stay in the normal time trial position when the road begins to kick up.

That last idea I learned the last time I attempted the segment. I came within a second of a tie for the KOM even after I had to brake because of a car turning in front of me. After the car turned, I came out of the extended bars and grabbed the bars out too the side. However, I also lowered myself so that I was nearing touching the bars with my chin. I was able to produce more power this way on the upward grade.

So, with all this in mind, I came onto the road. The gearing was perfect. I was spinning at a high rate, but still was not spinning out. Traffic was perfect. There was just one car a distance ahead of me and I soon lost sight of it in the turns.

When I hit the upward grade, I stayed seated but adjusted my grip. I used my upper body along with my legs to squeeze a bit more power into the pedals. I tucked back down as I began to go into the last turn — which I finally made (along with the other turns) without altering my line.

Now I just had to climb the few meters up to the stop sign. It seemed like it would never come and I could feel myself losing momentum. I had a moment of panic and tried to kick start again. Finally, I threw the bike forward to the line and pressed the lap button on my Garmin.

At first I couldn’t see it clearly. The contacts had dried a bit from the wind. Was that a 2:08 or a 2:03? I blinked several times and finally got focused. 2:03! It was a 3! If Strava matched up with my Garmin time, then that would mean that I beat the current KOM time by 2 seconds.

I would have to wait, I still had five more intervals at power to do. However, the possibility that I would get the KOM made the bike seem lighter and I had no trouble wrapping up the intervals and then cooling down with a ride through town.

Sure enough, Strava showed me the crown. Now, I am king of my domain. Like Yertle the Turtle I am the king of all that I see.

Of course, that is until someone burps and I come crashing down! Without thinking very hard, I can count off on two hands some folks who could go out there and knock me off the top. The point is, it isn’t the fact that I’ve “beaten everyone” that makes the award mean something. It is the fact that I beat myself and reached a goal that I first questioned.

I’ll just enjoy it while I have it!

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Terminal Velocity

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Fans of Mythbusters are probably aware that the fastest a human being can fall belly first toward the earth is around 122 miles per hour. This is known as the terminal velocity of that object in that position. Basically, the force of the wind resistance against the body is equal to the force of gravity pulling said body to the earth. The equalization means that the skydiver can’t fall any faster or slower without changing his position or introducing another outside influence. Well, I think I’ve discovered my Chick Springs TT terminal velocity.

The Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan had me out doing 6 x 2 minute power intervals last night. I figured I might as well kill two birds with two stones and head over to Chick Springs for an attempt at breaking the 2:05 barrier. The last two times I attempted to get there I ended up with times of 2:06 and 2:09. That means that I would have no trouble getting my 2 minute power intervals in on that stretch of road.

Once again I was on my TT rig and I warmed up by going down Chick Springs to Rutherford Road using the larger road as an opportunity to loosen up as I headed toward Taylors and then returned. The bike was flying on my way out, but it was more of a struggle coming back. I was reminded once again of the importance of wind direction for a cyclist.

One fun part of the ride back was when I drafted off a scooter. I was pushing up a hill when I was passed by a scooter with a “moped” license plate on the back. The plate told me the rider had acquired it from “Freedom Mopeds.” My guess is that he was using it as transportation for the stereotypical reason for doing so.

We crested the hill and I was able to accelerate to get into his draft.  We continued that way to a traffic light and he would take off. I would catch back on and draft some more. We did that for several lights until we reached another incline where I would have had to work a little harder than I wanted to stay with him. The whole affair elicited a number of smiles from passing motorists.

Then it was time to put out my first effort on Chick Springs. My plan was to go all out on the first attempt and then settle into a more reasonable effort for the remaining five intervals. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to go this hard during the workout. Then again, it isn’t like I’m training for the Olympics.

This time I went a little harder than last time in the first portion of the segment. I pushed through on the middle portion, but once again let up coming around the final left turn due to an uneasy feeling on the bike. Instead of staying in the saddle like last time, I stood and gave it all I could to the line.

The computer showed 2:07. That gave me hope. Obviously, the computer wouldn’t exactly match the Strava points. It is true that I could be a second or two slower than my computer showed, but it is also true that the Strava time could be a second or two faster. I’d have to wait until I got home to find out.

I went ahead and finished the next four intervals at power ranges in the 310 to 320 watts range. However, I couldn’t resist giving it another go on the final one. This time I would experiment with a bigger gear. It seemed to be working as I was flying down the negative grade.

That all changed as soon as I hit the flat section. The earlier efforts combined with trying to turn over the bigger gear just sucked the momentum right out of my attempt. I shifted the gears to compensate and kept going for it.

On the positive side, I finally made that final left turn without washing out. It is funny how I find it very easy to confidently make a right turn, but on each of the left turns I get nervous. It is probably because they are blind turns and I have a fear that some driver is going to be coming around in my lane.

I didn’t quit and pushed right up to the line once again. This time the clock showed 2:14. I knew that one didn’t stand a chance, but it was a good education in gear selection. Lesson learned: on an undulated course it is almost always better to make your adjustments with cadence rather than with your shifter. Use gearing that allows you to get more power by pedaling faster. Avoid gearing that bogs you down.

The verdict? At home I found that Strava awarded me an “Accomplishment.” I received the medal for the second fastest time on the Chick Springs TT segment. Yes, that means I have two of them. My time was 2:06… the same as my previous best time and one second off the fastest time overall.

The funny thing is that I produced an average of 459 watts for last night’s effort. On my previous fastest time I only averaged 385 watts. There was some outside force that helped me on that initial attempt. I do recall that I was following behind two vehicles, but I never thought I was close enough to take advantage of their draft. Perhaps, unlike last night, the first attempt was made with the wind at my back. The only other variable is that I was on a road bike configuration and not a TT setup… but you would expect the opposite effect from that.

Either way, it appears that 32.5 mph is my terminal velocity on the Chick Springs TT segment.

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The trials of learning to time trial

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Time flies when you are having fun. This is even true for the time-crunched cyclist. Amazingly, I have only two weeks left to use the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan. I’d have to say that I’ve been pleased with the results so far.

The bottom line is I was able to compete in a criterium style race and mix it up. That is what the plan says it can do for you. It will be interesting to see where I am at when the full 12 weeks are complete.

Thursday night will be a new experience and we’ll see how the TCCP works out for me. It is time for the Greenville Spinnners’ Summer Time Trial series. I’ll be heading over to Donaldson Center to participate in a 10 mile out and back individual time trial.

I’ve got a goal to go after from last year. I think I’ve learned a little bit about making a time trial effort each time I have attempted one. With a little bit of mental discipline, I hope I can put it into practice and beat my PB of 23:08.

The TT cockpit helps cut down wind resistance

Yesterday, I rolled out the Felt with my time trial profile. The AR is a road bike with a lot of TT bike characteristics. It is very similar to some older Felt TT bike frames. So, by simply switching out the “cockpit” you can go from a road bike to a TT bike — with some compromises.

My plan was to get out and ride just to get comfortable with the position on the bike. Steering can be a nervous endeavor when your elbows are centered near the stem and you arms are stretched out in front of your shoulders. Speed wasn’t my goal. Confidence on the bike was the plan.

The TCCP called for me to put in 1:3o EnduranceMiles. There would be no need for intervals or hard efforts. I headed out to the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Normally, I don’t think the SRT is a good choice for a TT bike. You aren’t supposed to be riding at high speeds on the trail and when it is crowded, a TT setup can be quite dangerous. Of course, the SRT is still the best way to get out of town. If you are looking for a smooth, relatively flat surface, it is a good option.

Once I got out there I was feeling very comfortable and put out some bursts when I reached “The Swamp” — a long section with no stopping and where you can see for a distance. The thought came into my mind to go to the Chick Springs TT segment and attempt to move up on the Strava leader board.

I saw that Boyd Johnson had moved into third place with a time of 2:09. I knew that he was trying to see if he could take the top spot. Maybe I could get it before he did.

As I was riding back toward Greenville, I happened past the new location for Boyd Cycling — it is located right off the trail beside the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery. I saw Boyd’s van outside so I swung in for a look at the still under construction digs.

It is good to see the success that Boyd is having. I think the new location is going to be another step in the progression for his company. I’ve got a lot of respect for someone who takes a risk and works hard to turn that risk into success. I’m looking forward to the grand opening coming up in less than a month.

We talked about Chick Springs. Boyd said that the time that currently stands was part of a team time trial. That means it was going to be hard for an individual to take the top spot. He had tried it a day earlier on his time trial rig and came up about 4 seconds short.

I said goodbye to Boyd and headed for the segment. Knowing that I have a tendency to go too fast in the start and then fading toward the end, I determined I would keep myself under control for the downhill portion of the route. Then I would give what I had left when the road began to kick up. I was going to have to trust in the equipment and position to get me a good time.

I came into the segment with a rolling start. My goal of spinning my legs just under that point where I felt like I was pushing too hard seemed to be working. I was holding a speed of over 36 mph for much of this section.

The I reached the point where the road leveled a bit more. I started to feel the effort at that point. Still, I felt as though I was on top of it. Looking back, I realize that I could have pushed a bit more at that point. I still had the final kick up at the end in my mind. No use pushing hard just to lose time in the last few meters.

Then I went around the final left turn and a car was coming toward me in the turn. That sounds dangerous, but it wasn’t. I was well within my lane and he in his. However, it caused me to lose my concentration for just a moment and my bike washed toward to edge of the road. I let up to correct it and then got back into the effort.

Now I was climbing up the final little kick. I was debating with myself whether to stay in my position or stand up and attack. One would keep my momentum, but could possibly keep me from getting more power. The other would cause me to have a short drop in momentum, but with enough energy would allow me to increase my power. I stayed seated and pushed through to the end.

I got home hoping to to see a little crown beside the Chick Springs TT segment in my Strava profile. Instead, I saw that I had my second best time. Interestingly, it was the same time as Boyd’s last attempt at 2:09.

That time will fall. It might be today!

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Don’t let Strava go to your head

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Saturday I had a “free” day from training. It wasn’t a rest day, but a day without intervals. Typically, I was supposed to go out and ride. It was just a matter of figuring out what I wanted to do.

The ride got started late in the day due to an event I was in charge of earlier. After being on my feet all morning into the afternoon caused me to be a little down about the ride. Still, I didn’t hesitate. I got home, changed and rolled the bike out of the driveway.

Since I had some freedom in what I was doing, I decided to do a little Strava hunting. What better place to do so then in my old hunting grounds — the Sunshine Cycle Shop Hour of Power route. There were already several Strava segments created from the route. There was one more that I wanted to create. This ride would give me the data I needed as well as show me how I stacked up along the route.

We’re talking about a 30+ mile ride with over 2000 feet of climbing. Along the way would be several “sprint zones” that often culminated with a climb. Typically, I have made this ride in a group and as you approach the sprint zones the group rides very much as you would in a race to see who would reach the line first. The goal in the ride was to claim as many of the “wins” as you could.

Doing the route alone is a different experience. There is no hiding in the group. You are riding exposed and without the motivation of other riders around you. I set as my goal to average 17 mph for the ride and try to land in the top ten of the various Strava segments.

I was quite surprised by the results and it reminded me of something important to consider before you start going out and bragging about your Strava KOM awards!

  • The first segment is aptly named “HOP 1st KOM” and it starts on Tanner Road between Rutherford Road and Reid School Road. It has an average of a 6% grade for just under a half a mile. I scored a KOM with a time of 1:28.
  • The next segment is one I had created earlier and is one of my favorite ones on the ride — when we are in a group. When you are riding it alone, it isn’t quite as fun. Drafting plays a big role in the “HOP Meece Bridge Sprint Zone.” The overall grade is less at 2%, but the over mile long sprint zone has a long stretch of straight road perfect for a lead out. There would be no lead out today, but I still took the KOM with a time of 2:59.
  • Now it was on to another one of my favorite segments on this route: “Quarry Road Climb on Hour of Power Ride.” Oddly enough, the average grade at 1.7% is less than the previous segment, but it definitely feels like you are climbing more! Covering 1.3 miles, the segment as listed in Strava is slightly longer than the traditional zone for the Hour of Power. Still, it is close enough and once again I took the KOM by covering the distance in 3:54.
  • Next? “HOP 3rd KOM” (technically the HOP Meece Bridge Sprint Zone isn’t really a “KOM” but Strava doesn’t offer sprint points) so this is the third climb to contest. It is one that I typically have not participated in while doing the group ride. However, I gave it a shot over the short .3 mile segment with a 6.2% grade. I bagged another KOM with a time of 46 seconds.
  • The route is well into the second half by this time and I was having trouble maintaining my 17 mph average as I neared the segment I created called the “HOP State Park Gate Sprint Zone.” Ironically, on a segment that has an average grade of -1% it is the climbing that gets you! You have a long lead out on rolling terrain before you (almost literally) dive down to the bottom of the dam at the Paris Mountain State Park. At that point, you kick up over .2 miles on a 6% grade. Your legs go from wildly spinning to grinding it up in a matter of seconds. This segment also became mine with a time of 2:32.
  • You’re not finished yet! There is still “Oakleaf.” In Strava this “optional sprint zone” covers a little more road than we typically contest on the route. In Strava it is called, “White Oak on Hour of Power.” It culminates in a climb up an 8% grade. What makes it really hard is the fact that it comes after 20 miles of hard riding and other sprint zones. It is why some bypass this segment. I didn’t bypass it this time, but neither did I give it much of a go. I ended up 3rd with a time of 5:39 over the 1 mile segment.
  • Finally, there is the climb up “Nature Trail at Herdkoltz Park.” Since, I already owned that KOM, I took it easy up the 7% grade covering a half a mile. My time of 1:50 was still holding.

So, what was surprising? It was simply the fact that I got so many KOMs on this route. I didn’t expect that at all. Sure, I didn’t hang back, but neither did I give it all I had on each segment. Beyond a doubt, I have completed every single one of these segments faster than I did on that ride.

That leads me to the lesson to learn from Strava KOMs. If you get one, don’t be bragging about it! You may get embarrassed.

Take for instance the Meece Bridge Sprint Zone… I finished that segment on Saturday with a time of 2:59. George Hincapie is listed in 43rd place with a time of 4:07. Anybody out there think that I could beat George head-to-head on that segment? I didn’t think so.

The thing is that segments “important” to you are not so significant to others. Just because you are spilling your guts to get the KOM doesn’t mean that they guys in second place did. He could just be out there using that segment to get somewhere else. Should he decide to take your spot, he could do so with no trouble.

Having said that, Strava is still fun for “bragging rights” among your buddies. It can breathe new life into some old rides and give you something new to talk about. More than that, it can give you some motivation to improve yourself.

So, anyone ready to go out there and knock me off the top? Start at Sunshine Cycle Shop and follow the route from there. See if you can average 17 mph or more while getting your best times on the segments. No fair to go out and cherry pick! Let me know how you do.

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Be brave and take a rest day

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Today I’m off the bike. The schedule I have set for the Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan has me typically doing a workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The original plan is different with workouts scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. This is something I’ve had to do to fit into my lifestyle.

I imagine there are some disadvantages to not placing the rest days in the spots designated by Chris Carmichael. The two days he typically has set back-to-back are now split in my schedule. That cuts into any buildup he is trying to make. However, I don’t believe it has really hurt me.

Looking back and evaluating my performance with the plan, I’m pretty satisfied. I’ve met or exceeded every workout condition up to this point. The schedule has had to be adjusted from time-to-time, but all the workouts have been completed — until last night.

Sometimes you just have to let the wind win

I remember Jim Cunningham telling me that you have to listen to your body. Sure, there are plenty of times when you think to yourself, “I really don’t want to go ride today.” Even as you say it you know it is just because you are feeling lazy. If you just go start the workout, you find that you are just fine and end up enjoying the ride.

There are other times when you know your body is just tired and if you push it, you could end up with a setback. That is how I felt yesterday as I rolled the bike out for the workout. There was a little warning light blinking in the back of my mind.

I had already decided not to go to Donaldson Center. The wind was atrocious and I was still hacking a bit from the ride Monday evening. That tickling sensation in my bronchial tubes had bugged me all day.

Now I was supposed to go out and complete six 2-minute power intervals. Mounting the bike, I headed out to do the work. However, even the as I was warming up I could feel the air coming into my lungs and exposing the irritated tubes. I decided to forgo anything that would bring about heavy breathing.

It turns out it is what I needed. I felt pretty much like crud for the first 45 minutes or so (that could have partly been due to the fact that I was riding into the wind), but my body finally seemed to come around. By the time I neared home, I was starting to question whether I should go ahead and extend my ride and get in the intervals.

No. I closed things down after an hour and a half. My lungs thanked me. My hope is that tomorrow night my legs will thank me when I race in my first event of the year.

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Blood on the tongue

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Bleh! It has been awhile since I have had that metallic-blood-like taste in my mouth. Last night, I had the chance to experience it once again… and I liked it.

The Time-Crunched Cyclist Plan has one issue with it. Because the times are short — for instance, my workout last night was 1:30 — I only have so many options of routes to ride. If you see maps of the routes I have taken, you will see they look very similar and typically go over, around or in front of Paris Mountain. Mostly, my routes are some sort of clockwise loop following variations of the US Pro course.

Last night I decided to turn the clock around and do a counterclockwise loop. I had two things in mind. I wanted to go over Piney Mountain from the east side and then give Audubon another attempt while I was a little fresher. Both of these objectives revolved around Strava. First, I wanted to create a new segment that covered only the climbing portion on Piney Mountain. Second, I wanted to improve my disappointingly slow time climbing the Audubon Road Hill Jam segment.

Getting over Piney was easy enough. I really wasn’t going for speed — just fast enough to hopefully register on the first page of the Strava leaderboard. I just wanted to mark the way on my Garmin. This is a section of the road where I have often done repeats. It is just over a half a mile with an average grade of 5.4%. With that done, I headed toward my primary objective.

Audubon Road is tough. The road starts off easy enough as you turn onto it from Altamont Road. However, that isn’t where the segment starts. You have to wind your way around a bit until you start going downhill at partridge drive to a small creek at the bottom. At that point there is a left turn ahead that gives you no warning of what you are about to experience. That is the start of the Audubon Road Hill Jam segment.

For the next half mile you are on a 10% grade, but that is deceiving. It is only a 10% average because grade lets up a little at the top. Two switchbacks near the first half of the segment can suck any momentum you’ve created right out of your legs and things turn into a slog for the top.

Ironically, after writing about the need to be an efficient rider in yesterday’s post, I didn’t approach this climb with much efficiency. Looking back, I’m positive that I went too hard. For the first 30 seconds I was putting out over 700 watts until I hit the first switchback. I pushed my way through it and then through the second one. I realized at that point that I had definitely burned too much energy getting to that point.

Now it was a fight. I had made some pretty good time up to this point, but the question would be whether I could maintain it. At one point as I was standing and rocking the bike forward (in what seemed like an inch-by-inch endeavor) I almost called it. My breath was coming in gasps and my lungs were burning. My shoulders were sore from the tension caused by pulling and pushing on the handlebars.

Then I looked down at the computer. I saw that only 2:20 seconds had passed. The finish was coming up pretty soon. I tried to calm myself and push through once more. For a few seconds I got the power back up over 400 watts and then sat down with a “plop!”

My heart rate was sky high. I could tell because I actually got a bit light headed. Sitting down and bringing my breathe under control as best I could helped. Again, with the line in sight I wanted to just sit up. Still, I didn’t want all this to go to waste, so I gritted it out and pushed to the finish.

My Garmin showed 3:39. I knew that was a good time on the Strava leaderboard, but I wasn’t sure exactly where that put me. Plus, the Garmin lap wouldn’t necessarily match up with the Strava segment. It could possibly be faster or slower.

But that wasn’t what I was thinking about most. The overriding sensation was the metallic “blood” taste in my mouth. Of course, this wasn’t the first time I’ve had that taste, but it has been awhile. It was proof to me that I had given it everything I had.

At home I saw that my heart rate had peaked at 191 bpm and I had averaged 180 bpm for the Audubon segment. Sure enough, this was the biggest effort I had given in quite awhile. Even though it was an hour or so later, I was still coughing sporadically from the climb.

What causes this? Well, first of all, I need to assure my mother that it wasn’t chunks of my lungs and I’m not having heart failure. However, this is a common occurrence with athletes who go into deep anaerobic efforts. Anyone who has given an all out effort on Paris Mountain has probably experienced it.

I’m not a doctor, so I won’t make a diagnoses. However, I have tried to find the answer to what causes it and have come upon two commonly mentioned ideas. Perhaps you know which one it is?

1) The massive movement of air in the lungs — especially during cooler temperatures (as was last night) — combined with the extreme effort causes the blood capillaries in the lungs to “leak” out small amounts of blood. It isn’t as though you can see it, but it is enough to cause the taste. Coughing is also associated with this as it irritates your lungs.

2) The iron rich red blood cells are not able to keep up with the volume of oxygen/carbon dioxide processing and therefore release gases into the lungs that cause the metallic taste. This is similar to (1) except there is no actual blood involved.

Either way, all I know is that for the next twenty minutes I was spitting to try to clear the taste from my mouth. The coughing was a little more delayed — perhaps five minutes after the effort. By the time I was on the last stretch of the Swamp Rabbit Trail headed for home, I no longer had the taste and, frankly, was feeling pretty good.

Oh, and my time? I moved up on the Strava leaderboard from 10th to 2nd. Boyd Johnson still holds the top spot at 3:10. I ended up 22 seconds behind him at 3:32. Unless I can find a more efficient way up the segment, Boyd is safe for awhile!

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