Just a day in the office
9 - 9:30 am - pack my bike/run/swim gear in the car.
10 am - start cycling
12:30 pm - got lost a few times and finally arrive at Cambridge
12:30 - 1 pm - enjoy the sights and had chili fries for lunch
1 - 1:30 pm - tired from all the sat fat eating..snooze
1:30 - 4:00 pm - head back home
4:30 - 5:30 pm - ran...first 1/2 brutal, last 1/2..."If you are happy and you know it clap your hands" ( Bold, what have you got me into.)
Biked 5 hr 21 min and ran for an hour. Rode 140 km (87.5 miles). Numbers cannot equate to the experience.
I had to cross a four lane highway (can you say frogger?).
Long quiet roads and warm weather, I can't ask for more.
A lot of long flat stretches where I was cycling at 32 kph (20 mph) at low HR (140s). I was working at hard at not pushing the HR. Sweet!
I did have a problem with my legs in the last hour on the ride. They were filled with latec acid. Oh the pain.
I rode the whole trip in mid ring and there were a few rollers along the way that I have to grind up (> 60 rpm). I also notice whenever I go uphill my HR will surge to 160-164.
Grinding it up killed my legs. I looked back at my training. When I did long rides with Darren, where I face climbs that were much tougher, I would spin with my granny gear. Few weeks ago, I stopped riding with granny gear. I guess my legs are not use to riding with the med ring up hill.
Once a week, I would go on the trainer and grind my way through. HR will be between 155-165. I suspect I am training too hard. My body is accustom to working at 160 + and grinding but that is where the latec acid build up.
If my legs felt like it was yesterday in Ironman next year, the run will be brutal.
My question is,
i) to improve my force and stay below LT threashold (and HR), does this mean I have to go back to my granny gear and work at it just below the LT threshold??
ii) can I spin up the hill in mid ring like I do with my granny? (I assume this is yes, just takes time to develop force).
Gonna ask Tammy for answers...
My calves were also close cramping after the run. I only took water in the last hr of the bike ride since my stomach wasn't settling well with the fries (obviously). Perhaps I need more electrolyte.
8 comments:
Sounds like a great ride!
And to answer your question...um..I dunno...I defer to Coach Metzger! :)
Great job on the ride, that's a very long ride!! I think I'd freak out if I felt like Frogger on a bike!
Those are two good questions. Be sure to post what Coach T has to say.
I use an electrolyte tablet and can say they help keep the cramps away.
Stay tuned...
Sounds like a great day indeed!!!
I don't now what it is like in the saddle for over 5 hours. If I ever get there I'll tell you all about it. Nice day at the office.
Hey- congrats on being registered for the Ironman. That's a huge first step! I'm so excited. And your progression, honestly, is insane. I look up to what you've done so much.
Hey Cliff,
Solid riding there! Re: the force issue, I think you need to do some solid big gear work to make gains there. When climbing in the big ring (during big ring workouts), you should concentrate on getting a muscular workout vs aerobic workout - ie keeping your HR down. Keep your cadence on the low side to keep the HR down...great workout...also pushing the big gear on the flats.
Also- be careful on the trainer- you shouldn't be hitting the same HR on the trainer as your seeing on the road- you'll burn yourself out! My trainer HR is about 10 beats lower for same effort level vs. road
Use what you've got. If your granny gear is comfortable and keeps you away from LT and moving well then that is the right gear.
As far as force, hit the weights this Nov, Dec, Jan to help build the muscle. Other than that, throwing in some hill bike repeats as sport specific weight training is supposed to help. Focus on keeping the HR in check.
The other thing I've mentioned before is your triple mid ring is larger than a doubles small ring so you really do need that granny gear on a triple.
Nice ride!!!
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