No More Excuses...

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

No More Excuses...

Postby inaminit » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:25 pm

Well here goes...

As you may have read in some other threads, I've only been back on the bike for a couple of months after a 10 year + hiatus.

So I decided I need to stop making excuses and set some targets and figured that If I put them into the public arena it's another incentive to achieve them. I'm not the type of guy who kids himself, so there'll be no fiddling of the progress.

So anyway, I have made my first target the Wilson HTM Southbank to Southport ride on the 7th October. It's 100km and they expect about 5000 riders, so should be fun. It's not a race, but I have set myself the goal of completing it in 4 hours.

I started training 2 weeks ago and am gradually building on my distances. I've also included a weekly group training ride every Saturday morning on the Luke Harrop Circuit at Runaway Bay to get some experience in a bunch. It's a graded training ride on a 1.9km closed circuit for 40 minutes + 3 laps.

So here goes...the rest of the schedule leading up to October:
Week 3: 3 x 20km + 1 x 50km (that's this week)
Week 4: 4 x 20km + 1 x 60km
Week 5: 3 x 40km + 1 x 70km
Week 6: 3 x 50km + 1 x 80km
Week 7: 3 x 50km + 1 x 90km
Week 8: 3 x 40km (very easy) + The Event 100km

So there it is...for everyone to see, and to bag me if I slacken off!
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Postby toolonglegs » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:03 pm

If you can do all that the 100k will be easy!!! :D ...go for it.

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:10 pm

That's what I'm hoping for!!! And with a bit of luck I'll do better than the 4 hours I'm aiming at.
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Postby toolonglegs » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:20 pm

Is this a fairly flat ride or are there hills in this 100k's?...if you are riding in a bunch you will see your average speed go up quite alot.
After doing 4 rides a week for 6 weeks you will be feeling like a different person....

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:40 pm

Thanks Toolong, gotta say I'm about the unfittest person I know, but I can't believe how good I feel and I am noticing the strength gains every day.

There are some hills but nothing too serious or long. Here's the ride profile from bikely:

Image

I have at least 3 rather steep hills from 50 - 300m long which I do each ride. I've also scheduled some rides out to Currumbin Valley which have some long climbs.
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
Aushiker
Posts: 22395
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
Location: Walyalup land
Contact:

Postby Aushiker » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:41 pm

G'day

Good luck. Avanti have some training guides. They might give you some other ideas.

Regards
Andrew

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:46 pm

Thanks Andrew, just had a quick look and it looks good.

Interesting how they base the training on minutes as opposed to km's.
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
Bnej
Posts: 2880
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:43 pm
Location: Katoomba, NSW

Postby Bnej » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:54 pm

That's a very heavy training regime, don't overdo it. You need adequate recovery time between rides to build strength. Make sure you listen to your body while you do this.

If you pace yourself well you'll be able to do the 100km. If your 25km/h isn't happening, don't force it.

User avatar
europa
Posts: 7334
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:51 am
Location: southern end of Adelaide - home of hills, fixies and drop bears

Postby europa » Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:29 pm

Most people talk about a 10% increase per week - you're sort of pushing beyond that. Don't forget to allow for recovery too, both recovery time off the bike and very gentle, very flat recovery rides. Your body is going to be going through a lot so give it a chance.

Then again, bull at a gate works for some. It nearly killed me :roll:

Richard
I had a good bike ... so I fixed it

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:08 pm

Thanks guys,

I'm going to be take it pretty easy. Only one of the short rides each week will be moderate/hard. The rest will be a mix of easy and easy/moderate. The aim is to increase not only increase fitness, but to get my butt used to being in the saddle for a long time.
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
Aushiker
Posts: 22395
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
Location: Walyalup land
Contact:

Postby Aushiker » Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:17 pm

inaminit wrote:Interesting how they base the training on minutes as opposed to km's.
Yes, noticed that. Not sure why they do this. Maybe someone has an idea.

Andrew

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Postby toolonglegs » Thu Aug 30, 2007 6:50 am

Aushiker wrote:
inaminit wrote:Interesting how they base the training on minutes as opposed to km's.
Yes, noticed that. Not sure why they do this. Maybe someone has an idea.

Andrew
It is the same way that your weekly total should be looked at in time rather than km's.
If you did a week in the mountains you might only do 200k's but the time on the bike would be equal to 4-500k's on the flats.If you go by time then average speed/terrain dosen't come into the equation.
Personally I use everything (I like numbers) including Kcals...

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:01 am

I've been recording everything in a training log (distance, time, effort, terrain, conditions, how I felt, etc) for a few weeks now.

As I'm really trying to build up to being in the saddle for 4+ hours, maybe I should modify the schedule and focus on time spent riding and just let the Km's build themselves?
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
Aushiker
Posts: 22395
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
Location: Walyalup land
Contact:

Postby Aushiker » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:00 am

toolonglegs wrote:If you did a week in the mountains you might only do 200k's but the time on the bike would be equal to 4-500k's on the flats.
Yeah, I understand what you are saying. In the bushwalking club we used to give distances for walks that we where leading where we equated every 100 metres of climb to an additional 1.5 km of walking.

I am like you know recording everything.

Regards
Andrew

Bluerider
Posts: 412
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:34 pm
Location: Sydney

Postby Bluerider » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:54 am

WOW pretty awesum training schedule !
You'll be as fit as a bull by October ready to take it on, good luck and will be watching this thread.
His Felt Carbon F5C ' 07.....
Giant MTB
Hers Cell MTB
Kids Mongoose x 2 Tricycle x 1

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Sat Sep 01, 2007 6:23 pm

Right, here's the first update... a day early but having tomorrow as a "recovery day", i.e. doing what every father should do tomorrow...making a pig of himself at the local pancake house for breaky!!!!

Week 3:
Target: 3 x 20km + 1x 50km = Total 110km

Rides:
10km - test ride on new bike flat, easy/moderate

32.2km - very very easy out, moderate/hard intervals home

51.1km - My first 1/2 century!!!! easy/moderate...then the insanity took over. Absolutely flogged myself over the last 12km....not a good idea! Come 3pm could barely walk. Lots and Lots of stretching, fluid and food fixed the pain.

25.2 km - Group training ride at Luke Harrop Circuit. Moderate - didn't push too hard after the 50k's even though the legs felt great.

Total acheved = 118.5km

Looking forward to next weeks 4 x 20km + 1 x 60km (and tomorrow's pancakes :lol: )
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

Bluerider
Posts: 412
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:34 pm
Location: Sydney

Postby Bluerider » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:01 pm

:lol: know about the leg soreness but as they say "no pain no gain" :wink:
You'll have to burn off those extras kilos after the pancakes :lol:
Well done with the above.
His Felt Carbon F5C ' 07.....
Giant MTB
Hers Cell MTB
Kids Mongoose x 2 Tricycle x 1

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:29 pm

Bluerider wrote:You'll have to burn off those extras kilos after the pancakes :lol:
Well done with the above.
Good thing I'm not actually trying to loose any weight. My wife & I took up rock n roll dancing lessons almost 2 years ago, and since moving into the intermediate/advanced stuff about 12 months ago, my weight dropped from about 99kg to about 86kg about 2 months ago. In this 2 months I've been back on the bike & my weight has gone up to 92kg (pre pancake weight).

The good news is it seems that cycling appears to increases the effect of gravity - the top half is getting thinner, but the bottom half is getting bigger. Then again I was just a big fat bloke with really skinny legs!!! :lol:
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:33 pm

Well week 4 has been a very dissapointing week. Actually more frustrating than dissapointing due to the rain for most of the week.

My target for this week was 4 rides of 20km and 1 of 60km for a total of 140km. Unfortunately I only managed to rack up 100.9 km.

Monday went out for a 20km and finished up with 21.1km (the extra 1.1 for the fathers day pancakes)

Saturday was another group training ride at Luke Harrop Circuit. could only get in 16.2km as I got there 20 minutes late. Was at a wedding in Byron Bay on Friday night and slept through the alarm, and they brought the start time forward from 7:30 to 7am. But I managed to push hard and was happy with the effort.

This morning went from home (Elanora) up the beach front to the Southport Seaway and back (63.6 km). Had a great ride up there until I hit Seaworld then the rest of the road was closed for a fun run. the policeman at the intersection was good enough to let me go through, but told me to take it easy and stay out of the runners way.

That 5 -6 km was pretty slow at about 15 - 18kph, but was a good recovery at the half way mark.

The return trip was absolutely hell with a nice southerly headwind the whole way. The worst part was I couldn't get into a decent rythym as there were short strong wind gusts about every 500m that made me feel like I'd hit the brakes.

All in all I was pretty happy, I did my longest ride yet, 63.6km in 2:35:16 with an average speed of 24.6kph. I made sure I kept well hydrated and snacked about every 10k's from 30k onward and got off the bike feeling good.

I started getting a bit of pain behind my left knee this afternoon, but been stretching and it doesn't seem to be getting any worse.

Hopefully the rain will stay away next week and I can get in 190k's (3x40 +1x70).
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
mikesbytes
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 22159
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:42 pm
Location: Tempe, Sydney
Contact:

Postby mikesbytes » Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:41 pm

inaminit wrote:I only managed to rack up 100.9 km
Great riding

BTW 100.9k is 15.9k more than I did this week :D
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

User avatar
Bnej
Posts: 2880
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:43 pm
Location: Katoomba, NSW

Postby Bnej » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:01 pm

Nothing "only" about 100km. ;)

Be prepared for your 190 week, it's a very big ramp. When you go to do your 70 have plenty of water and some energy food just in case.

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:23 pm

Bnej wrote:
Be prepared for your 190 week, it's a very big ramp. When you go to do your 70 have plenty of water and some energy food just in case.
Thanks Bnej, I found on my 50k in week 3 I started "loosing it" at about the 47k mark. Made sure I snacked regularly on Sunday's 63k and it made the world of difference.
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:58 am

Well, I'm pretty happy with this weeks efforts. I managed to get in all my scheduled rides for this week, but even though I fell short of the 190km total target by 4.4km, I more than made up for it in increased intensity.

I still can't get my head around the gains I'm seeing. In particular the reduction in recovery times, and less soreness the day after a ride. Looks like scheduling actual recovery days is doing the job, even though I find it hard and have to force myself not to ride on them!

So here are the numbers:
WEEK 5
Target: 3 x 40km + 1 x 70km

Rides:
Tuesday: 43.9km in 1:38:55 avg speed of 26.6kph a good moderate intensity ride through from home through Palm Beach down to South Tweed and back.

Thursday: 40.0km in 1:28:54 avg speed of 27.0 kph - Went out for dinner on Wednesday night and woke up feeling terrible. I bit the bullet and got on the bike with no warm up or breakky. The first 8km or so I just plodded along feeling tired, lethargic and my legs just didn't want to move. Was almost going to turn around and go home, but started feeling pretty good, so decided to ramp up the intensity and have a crack at it...glad I did!

Saturday: 29.5km. Did the training ride at Luke Harrop Circuit in Runaway Bay again. Decided to park the car at a shopping centre nearby and the plan was to ride to the circuit, do the group training ride then finish off with a leisurley 10-15km. I was absolutely knackered after the session...30minutes+3 laps at an average over 30 kph (a big effort for me) and I got dropped on the second last lap, so instead of the extra km's I just rode back to the shopping centre for breakky with some of the other guys.

Yesterday: Another milestone for me... 72.2km in 2:45:56 (riding time) at an average speed of 26.1kph. Went from home up to the Southport Seaway, down to Coolangatta (about 60km) met up with the family for a choccy milkshake and a coffee, then back home.

I'll have to be waking up even earlier this week with 3 x 50km + 1 x 80km rides as the target. :lol:
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

User avatar
europa
Posts: 7334
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:51 am
Location: southern end of Adelaide - home of hills, fixies and drop bears

Postby europa » Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:01 am

Pah! How dare you set targets and meet them. That's going against everything we stand for :evil:

Good onya mate.

A good ride is a great way to recover from the night before, but you need about 10km to realise it's not a stupid idea. Well done there too.

Do you have a warm up routine? It may not be as noticeable for you youngsters, but I know that I can't just leap on the bike, ramp the heart rate up to 140 and expect to perform - if I do that, the old legs feel like lumps of wood and I have all the power of a sick kitten. This little routine was given to me by a bloke in England who nicked it off someone else, but it works (works better if you've got a HRM btw, but if not, you can sort something out).

I start off just spinning and build the HR to 120. Then I back off and let it drop back to 110 or until I get bored (whichever comes first), then I build it up to 130, and let it drop back to 120, then I build to 140 and let it drop back to 120, then 150 and let it drop back to 120. This takes about 5km and works better if the hills are in the right place, but after that, your body is warm, awake and you can power off putting full power into the pedals. If I don't do this, it can be anything up to 10km before I come on song - the bit about allowing the HR to drop back is important.

Richard
I had a good bike ... so I fixed it

inaminit
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:09 pm
Location: Gold Coast QLD

Postby inaminit » Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:54 am

Thanks Richard,

My usual warm up is about 10-25 mins of stretching, then I jump on the bike and from the driveway I have about a 15 metre flat ride to a nice little climb for the first Km. (tried to insert the route profile but the image was too big so gave up) The first 100m or so is very steep, but I've managed to now get up it without gasping too much!

Thankfully this first km is followed by a descent of about 800m then onto the flats for a proper warm up.

It's the only way out of my street, unless I carry the bike up an embankment in the park.

I tried using the windtrainer to warm up, but the missus put a stop top that. For some reason she thought it was a bit noisy at 5:30 am.
Anthony
Image
08 Avanti Quantum Team
LeMond Tourmalet
Giant Kronos
Trek 4300 MTB

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users