Turbo week 3

Tuesday

Week three of the Chris Carmichael training plan introduces power intervals into the mix starting today. Thankfully they are kept short with just 2 sets of 3 x 3 minute intervals with 3 minutes rest between intervals and 8 minutes between sets. For me that means putting out a consistent power output of 206+ watts coming down to less than 150w between intervals.

Today I experimented with cadence, I tried to maintain a cadence of 90 at +206watts and although it was slightly easier on the legs I found my heart rate was a few beats higher than if I went up a gear and lowered my cadence to around 80 so down to 80 I went - just a little bit more comfortable. The workout called for 1 to 1.5 hrs but because of having to dash off to work I cut the workout a little short of the full 1.5 hours.

Power intervals at around 206 watts seemed to be about the right level for me, they were hard enough that during the intervals I had to constantly goad myself to keep the effort up esp when I got into the last minute of each set. They were hard but not so hard that when finished I got off the bike absolutely cream crackered. Carmichael knows how to put a good taxing but not overtaxing workout together, not only did my legs get a good workout but my willpower also, something that will be needed in bucket fulls come the end of March and come the sight of that hump called Mow Cop...

Thursday

Today's workout called for 27 minutes of over/unders incorporated within 75 to 90 minutes of Endurance Miles. Over/Under works out at 86-90% (under) and 95-100% (over) of the field test measured in watts, in my case that works out at 177-185w & 195-206w. So 15 minute warm up then into the 3 sets, each set comprised of 2 min under 1 min over repeated 3 times for the first set of 9 minutes, 6 min rest then repeat and then repeat again. All I can say is that they are bloody hard work but funnily enough I found that the Over with the higher wattage was just that little bit easier than the Under. What I was doing was upping the cadence to get to the +200 watts even though my HR upped slightly and that made a difference, not a lot but enough to take some pressure away from my thighs.

Again I am pleasantly surprised that the workout was hard but not so hard that after the workout I fell about with jelly legs and a foggy brain which i have done on occasion after an intense workout when I've been doing 'my own thing'. Completing the field test to get an accurate figure to base the workouts on is well worth the effort and anyone reading this contemplating following the TTCP would be well advised to do the test and not just guess your figures.

If you are wondering how I'm reading watts well I bought myself one of these. They are OK but nothing that cannot be done with a normal rear wheel reading bike computer and the speed to watts charts available from Kurt Kinetic, with the KK trainer any certain speed equates to a certain power just as long as you set up your bike on the trainer the same way every time. My advice? don't bother buying the KK computer unless if you are on the lookout for your first bike computer.

One thing I'm not sure about is Kurt Kinetic 'watts', are they the same as real watts the same as you would get from a 'proper' power meter? I hope not I hope that the KK watts are under reading and that my paltry 200 watts is really 250w because if they really are accurate to +/- 3% as KK say then I have a lot of work to do, I've got the power of an untrained pre-adolescent girl... no offence to any pre-adolescent girls reading this, unlikely I know but you just never know...

Saturday

An easy day today with Sundays club ride in mind so it was pure Endurance Miles and a DVD, just miles today, no intervals and nothing else... boring stuff...

My Turbo Stats for the week

Tuesday 1hr10min, 16.42 miles, Av Spd 14.1

Thursday 1hr30min, 21.75 miles Av Spd 14.5

Saturday 1hr 20min, 18.28 miles Av Spd 13.7

Total 56.37miles

New club kit

It has finally arrived, at long last we have our new colours, what do you think?

Quite distinctive isn't it? If you see us on the road give us a wave

PS that's not me ;)

North Cheshire Clarion Club Run 7 Feb 2010

First 50+ mile ride of the year and I lost a virginity...

It's Feb already and this is my first biggish ride of the year, this stinkin weather has a lot to answer for - keeping me cooped up inside on my turbo just ain't cricket!!!

Nine of us set out from Stretton on a pre-planned route that would take us around 52 miles of North Cheshire countryside with the climb of Artists lane being literally the highlight of the ride. Three punctures along the way (none of them mine) - it was just the one rider that had the misfortune of being singled out for special treatment by the puncture fairy, must have really took a fancy to Phil J the poor guy.

The route was fairly flat with just under 1400ft climbing according to Bikehike but there were a few hills to be found along the way and I'm glad to say that I enjoyed them all, I felt really good on them and unlike my last ride I was able to keep up with the stronger riders. Artist lane was a different story though, it was a 'proper' hill, not especially long or steep but it was winding and pretty and did give the old ticker a good working over, here my special tactics of slow plodding came into force, didn't matter what everyone else was doing I just went at my own pace just as fast as my desperate breathing would allow - thats my excuse and line of reasoning and I'm sticking to it!!!

I hope with the training regime I am following that my climbing ability will improve over the coming weeks, it especially needs to seeing as the Cheshire Cat is just 7 Sundays away. I need more POWER!!!. This week sees a ramp up in the Chris Carmichael training plan with the introduction of power intervals into the mix - gulp....

Oh yes the virginity bit, would you believe it I have never ever needed to traverse a cattle grid! but on todays route as we traveled through Tatton park we had to bounce over three of them!!! wasn't as uncomfortable as I tought it would be but there again these grids looked even and well maintained. Adopting a light but firm grip on the bike and approaching at 90' with a moderate speed was enough to do the buisiness. I wonder, was there a three theme on todays ride? three cattle grids, three punctures and three huge birds of prey (buzzards) spotted...

My Stats
52.8 miles, 3hrs 37min, Avg Sp 14.6mph, 1389 ft climbing

Total Mileage for the week
111 miles. My target of 100 miles has been achieved.

Turbo week 2

Tuesday
A full week since I started the Carmichael workout, today's session was upped from last week with a full 90 minute workout including 3 X 10 minute intervals at steady state intensity (up from 3 X 8). Last week I struggled to maintain the intensity, barely scratching the lower limits of the required wattage but today I was able to stay within the limits. It did require concentration as I was on the very edge of lactate build up so when I started to feel the pain in my thighs it was time to back off very slightly, rocking in and out of lactate build up. Steady state is all about maintaining an intensity that you can just keep up for the duration of the intervals, a total time of 30 minutes in today's workout. Today was a good but sweaty workout...

Thursday
Todays workout was a repeat of Tuesdays and with working an early shift I was feeling a little tired plus I had a little bit of a niggle in my left knee. Have I overdone it over the last week? Have I knocked it somehow?, I don't remember knocking it so I played it safe by having a nice long 15 minute warmup with a gradual ramp up to the first interval, so far so good no pains. Moving into the first 10 minute interval and the required 177 to 185 watts I eased in over the first 30 seconds into the lower regions of the wattage range, all was good and stayed good for the duration of the workout, a workout that required 75 to 90 minutes of endurance miles including 3 x 10 minute Steady State intervals. I decided not to push my luck and completed just the minimum time called for in todays workout. I'm aiming for a 200 watt Steady State by the end of this month, a big ask? time will tell...

Saturday
1hr 30 to 2 hrs at Endurance Miles intensity is the workout schedule for today with anything between 100 and 150 watts and 80 to 100 cadence, all very easy stuff. On my Kurt Kinetic turbo this works out at between 11.7 and 15.3 mph, in EM workouts I tend to spend my time in the 13 to 15 mph range occasionally venturing outside these speeds. EM intensity is for the purpose of building endurace as Chris Carmichael instructs

"This is your moderate-pace endurance intensity. While it has a wide range, keep your power and/or heart rate in the middle portion of your EM range"

As I said all easy stuff but thats going to change starting next week...

My Stats
Tuesday 1hr30min, 21.42 miles, Av Speed 14.3
Thursday 1hr15min, 17.66 miles, Av Speed 14.1
Sat 1hr30min, 20.06miles, Av Speed 13.4

Total millage for this week so far is 59 miles so I only need 41 miles from tomorrows ride to get me my 100...