4/27/2011

Spring Training#3 Sore!

Ok, so this site has lot's of links on the right side of page, and various posts of info below. Keeping with my promise I will continue to share this year's spring training thoughts, plan.

Last post shared plan was to basically abuse myself with a big multiday phase. I found over the years once I work through "kinks" prepared for hard exercise, I can hit it.

"Kinks:" yeah every year during base volume period I seem to have ass, elbow, knee, back, shoulder, nuts, mental pains you name it pains...gingerly I recover and ease through it. The more i age the more doubt and suspect...but this last phase proved I coached myself into another good season start.

RECENT PHASE EFFORT DETAIL:
Thurs-  2 hr z2/3 respectable SS 44x16 cx tires flat gravel path effort
Friday-  1/2 hour misc trainer & gym. Gym, couldn't run because back tight from moving bro, but moderate leg work. Played it safe as I knew big Sunday coming.
Saturday-  first day on dirt!! SS 34x18 on hilly course 1.5 hrs. Many Z2 to VOMax efforts. Awesome fun.
Sunday-  Hard one way into wind solo SS effort on complete gravel flats 4.5 hours, felt strong but got beat down!
Monday-  trainer 30 min at lunch to flush, light effort. Hate trainer.
Tuesday-  Gym, running varied 20min and hard leg work. Now I hurt!
Wednesday-  recover, nothing

NEXT:
Thursday- I hope to glide trough a 2 hour SS roadie type effort
Friday- transition day, ride to how I feel. Evening fun ride planned.
Saturday- hope to find time to hit the hills, or hard 3 hrs, at leadst 2.
Sunday- bonus day if i can get out. Set the alarm, race on. motivate.
Monday- make it hurt to make up for whatever this phase didn't offer.

FUTURE:
Concerned- Vo2 Max train? make mid-May race season hurt less.
Recover, more training for 100mi MTB race in Mid-may
Kinks out, basically base trained+, ready for xc race abuse

later

4/22/2011

Spring Training #2

Ok, so this site has lot's of links on the right side of page, and various posts of info below. Keeping with my promise I will continue to share this year's spring training thoughts, plan.

Last post I explained my thoughts on phases, pulses and cycles. We'll I've had interesting things happen since. I was in the hospital on a Tuesday before a 111mi Saturday gravel race. Stomach pain galore, like a kidney stone. I don't frequent the hospital and let's hope that never happens again. Anyway, it messed up my week and that training race. I had enough power to get 5th in KOM points at beginning of race but had issues remainder of race. It's that time of year when odd body pain, adaption and funk happens in older fools! :) Anyway that hospital thing was weird. This spring has been a snowy hard one to bag base miles.

Generally I still need base miles (for all these reasons), but also have a 100mile "MTB" race coming in May. The point is I'm always thinking about what type of training I need and recovery. It's a tough time of year, base miles needed but eager to start training on the MTB frame.....and dirt. Push but recover and not get hurt...

MINDSET backwards: I was in the hospital for a day. Related mindset and life kept me off the bike for a week! I had a bad 111mi gravel race. The xc season is screaming nearer. Its's all fun, no panic as I've had big breaks in spring before (all tracked on my old logs).

MINDSET forward: It appears I ussually get 30 hours on bike in April. I can do it(mental boost!!)   I still need base, need MTB body position for 100mi MTB race sustianability, need to build on base with force soon, eventually need intensity efforts.

PLAN (phase needed): Back on bike between busy family schedule. Getting two hour shots in on the MTN frame, 44x16 SS CX tires at steady gravel/road pathways work pace, some hills and push efforts. Want 30 bike hours this month. Have a 5 hour ride w/heavey pack on planned. Big Phase (multi-day) workouts weekend will end with base ride. 1 moderate gym session (not a build, not to get sore) during 4 day phase for extra volume. This phase will push my body a bit but I won't hurt myself!!

NEXT: Once a week races start two weeks into May the 100mi MTB race is mid May too.... So after April phase recovery....with spring weather to motivate, will fit in some hill/intesity effort. I want to feel some vo2 max pain and force then recover before May races. Intensity build, and real xc race abilities will come by just racing and "after" the May beat down recovery.... July I always reap benifits and peak....later on that plan. Also in the back of my mind is CX season peak.

??

4/03/2011

Thinking - Cycle, Phase and/or Pulses?

So this year I'll try to actually post up my training thoughts through the year. I can't promise I'll respond to comments quickly, but I enjoy so will when I can.

Caution: if your not a seasoned trainee use periodization (see below text or blog posts).

Bullets related to below paragraphs:
-My Winter is all about fun, staying in shape and trying to not get too fat
-This Winter raced/rode the Pug for fun, did gym work with short treadmill running
-Thinking about long rides and events coming up with CYCLES, PHASES and PULSES
-PHASES & PULSES are like the long ride events coming up, all part of CYCLES
-Periodization taking back burner as I'm in shape- big CYCLE blocks worked well last year
-Goal block-n-tackle 5 wks long ride vol. eventually riding like mid-May 100mi MTB race
-Sneak rest week in before mid-May 100mi MTB race (have a better race!)
-Injury Concern: shorter xc racing season needed intensity PULSE/PHASES begin mid-May!
-July and ~Oct/Nov peaks


Below (Early March post) I rambled about CYCLES. It's been a long snowy winter. I rode the Pug 1-3 times a week 1.5-3 hours commuting and/or woods mtb trails (Pug: it's 4 inch ballon tire beach/snow bike). I also did three Pug races Jan & Feb (fun). The bike is heavey, goes over anything and really works the core and upper body while having fun balancing through varied snow conditions. Through Winter I also hit the gym ussually once a week, teadmill and leg exercise maintainance. Winter is all play, fun without focused training thoughts. So by March my goal and thoughts are around longer rides and future plans.

Long rides are totally do-able for me. 2-3 hours good. 4-6+ awesome but harder to find time. 5 years ago a two hour ride hurt like heck early season, now no big deal.

I have a 111 mile hilly gravel race early April (cx bike). I also have a 100 mile mtb race mid-May. The long training rides will get my circulation pathways re-mapped. Also said rides will teach my body how to burn fat, lactate and prepare for harder training. I'm doing another du-athelon late this year and would like to have a better run portion too. The April 111 mi race is about fun yet in itself endurance and force training. A PULSE.

Last year by mid May had had great CYCLES. What I mean is big hours in saddle multiple weeks then a volume rest week or period. This year I'm getting in a few long rides and some good PHASE efforts. PHASE is a multi-day effort where you feel taxed afterward. Last year I think the PHASE kicked my body into toughness, helped me push harder. I worry about injury often and rest thoughout. Prior years perhaps too safe with early season periodization methods. After years of racing I can handle more. Last year I had a good 5 week CYCLE of riding 9+ hours each week ending with mid-May race inclusive. The 5 week period had some good PHASE efforts and two 100 mile PULSE efforts.

Anyway, the point is I'm thinking about CYCLES and when to rest within. Thinking about PHASES of multi-day abuse (gym inclusive, running introduced) and PULSES (which will later go from real long rides to intensity/race pace PULSES). My efforts are related to the long events. I guess the periodization method of i.e. 4, 6, 8 rest, then 6, 8, 10 rest repeat is taking a back burner until race season peak needed. I'll peak compensate mid-season then cx season.

I'll have a few 1 hour races coming up mid-May. They will hurt - injury risk races as not ready and may not be recovered. But the races will introduce intensity pain. The race pace is a bit different than force training (hills and SS) efforts done in later weeks of long ride base.....  that's it for now...