People Get Ready

 

Ahhh, race weekend is here.  And the weather looks like, well, crap.  A high of 62 both Saturday and Sunday with a 70% chance of rain.  Oh this should be fun!  I'm being sarcastic, I've never raced a MTB in the rain.  Looks like I'll get a chance this weekend.  On the positive side I feel like the trail will drain well unless it gets a flood.  There are a couple of low places along the pond dam that will hold water.  We'll just have to see.  I'll forgo a practice lap Saturday if it's raining and just take my chances on Sunday.

As far as bike prep the only thing I think I'll do is put in new rear break pads, mine are getting worn and I'd hate to grind them down to metal (again).  That and some tackier chain lube should do it.  Unless you can think of something else?

Zone 2

For 2 hours was the OMTP prescription for last Sunday.  Big Jim and I tackled what I call the Amsterdam loop up in Decatur Co. Ga. on our cross bikes.  We only had a couple of bad mud holes to traverse so it was a pleasant ride.  You wouldn't think a zone 2 heart rate would be difficult but it did wear me down a bit.  Of course Big Jim was just cruising.  My zone 2 is his recovery pace.  We enjoyed beers on the porch at Joanies in beautiful downtown Havana afterwards.

 

 

"Why is that guy behind me going so slow?"

 

 

Sick Days

I managed to avoid the disease that has attacked my household during the past week.  First my Lovely Wife started coughing, then The Kid had a little fever.  I wore latex gloves the whole week and made sure I didn't touch anything after they did.  I may have taken this a little too far by requiring the Lovely Wife to only enter the kitchen after I was through and to not face my direction while sitting at the table.  I just locked The Kid upstairs in his room.  Can you see now why I'm such an amazing husband and father?  By focusing only on myself, I was able to keep them from feeling guilty about giving me their disease.  Hey, it's just the kind of guy I am.

Nothing New

I have discovered that I don't particularly enjoy riding with a large group on the road.  It makes me nervous.  Big Worm tells me I'll get used to it with experience but I have my doubts.  Like at the Heartbreaker in Gainesville, I stayed tense right up until the time I got dropped, then I started to enjoy the ride.  Granted the amount of effort I was putting out dropped also but I could feel my shoulders and neck get loose as soon as the pack pulled away. 

Maybe it's from seeing so many people doing really stupid stuff at the start of a hare scrambles, or worse, off the gate at a motocross race.  I don't mind taking chances with my skills and reaction time but I have a problem trusting someone I don't know.  I guess I'll never make it as a roadie.

After the Heartbreaker Jim said that I must be sticking to the plan because I rode so slow.  I assume he was alluding to the fact that on that day the OMTP called for 45 min. at zone 5 and that was all I did (or could do) while they went at that pace for 2 hours.  I have excuses.

No a drinking cat is not my excuse.  I just like cat pictures.

After that particular ride we stopped in for a bite at a Mexican restaurant and being all thirsty we ordered a beer.  "Would zoo like de leetle one or de beg one?" our waiter asked Tim.  "Oh bring me the big one" he announced with a swagger.  So Jim and I, not wanting to look like wimps, said "yea, we want a big one too".  We managed to force it down.  Hey I didn't want to get dropped on the beer and the ride.

 

Racing

Less than 2 weeks until GSC #2.  My weight is 1 pound over my goal, which is 3 pounds under where I was at race 2 last year.  I still fear I haven't put in enough long hard efforts.  The only comfort I find in this is that this is a "B" race as far as the plan goes.  I don't know exactly what that means but it makes me comfortable so don't tell me.

A Quick Interview With Stormin Norman After The Heartbreaker Gravel Grinder

With apologies to Tom Petty.

                                           http://ridewithgps.com/ruter/2269983/full.png

Mr. Norman, you just finished the 66 mile gravel grinder in Gainesville Fl. called the Heartbreaker, how did you feel as the ride rolled out?

It's alright if you love me
It's alright if you don't
I'm not afraid of you running away
Honey, I get the feeling you won't

What were you thinking when the first attacked occurred?

Don't do me like that
Don't do me like that

And when they attacked again in the sand section?

Well I won't back down
No I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of Hell
But I won't back down

When you first realized you were getting dropped what thoughts went through your head?

I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Comin down is the hardest thing

As they disappeared ahead of you what were you thinking?

God it's so painful
Something that's so close
And still so far out of reach

And when you finally got to the finish?

Oh my my, oh hell yes

So Big Jim got second.  How did he act?

It's good to be king and have your own way
Get a feeling of peace at the end of the day
And when your bulldog barks and your canary sings
You're out there with the winners, it's good to be king

Any last thoughts?

I don't know what I've been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

But you finished well behind the main group

Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes
Even the losers keep a little bit of pride
They get lucky sometimes

 

A Rainy Night in Havana

It's getting old, these weekly deluges.  What happened to the nice springtime shower, why 4+" every time?  It's cramping my training plans.

The OMTP

Ah the training plan.  I'm in my second week of the Build, Peak, and Race phase.  I've gotten to where I enjoy the planning and the training almost as much as the racing.  It was getting confusing having the plan in Adobe on the computer, my riding stuff on Garmin Connect and Strava, and the daily stuff written in a running journal by my sink in the bathroom.  So I printed the whole plan, dated the workouts (which was a mistake), printed off calendars with the races and other events, and put it all in an old school notebook.

I have no idea why it's upside down.  You get the idea.

I know, I know, that's so 1977, but it works for me.  I can now look ahead and see what's coming up and when I need to start pre race workouts. 

I've even gotten The Kid starting to follow a plan.  Just to prove one size doesn't fit all, he was doing intervals with me last night at Forest Meadows and I noticed he wasn't breathing hard.  I however, was heaving like a water buffalo.  "Go around!" I gasped.  "Okay" was the reply, he stood on the pedals and disappeared up the hill, leaving me alone in my misery.  He needs to train with somebody who can beat him down.  I'm afraid those days are gone as far as me doing the beating.

 

 

 

 

The Trick

As I document the RPE (rate of perceived exertion) and the average HR (heart rate) from the various rides I'm finding that on certain days my RPE is low, even though my HR is up and I cover just as much ground, and on other days I can't get my HR into the recommended zone.  You've all experienced it, some days just seem easy, and some days the legs feel like lead.  I guess the trick is to get the easy feeling on race day.  Sounds pretty simple huh?

Tom Petty

I assume the ride I plan on doing in Gainesville this weekend is named after his band, the Heartbreakers.  I've never done it before, it's a 65 mile dirt and paved road ride/race around the country side in Alachua County Florida.  It's got me a little nervous because of all the roadie crap that these type of rides sometimes require.  You know, following close, squeezing in and out of a group, etc.  There's no trophies, no support, and very few rules. 

 

The group I'm going with are all stud muffins when it comes to doing this stuff and are all set on destroying the local's sense of self worth regarding their ability to ride their bikes.  Should be fun.  I'll let you know how it goes.