Tuesday, December 31, 2019

2019 Year End Review

If I could just start with a quick summary it would be, "It wasn't a banner year in terms of performance." January started with the flu and that was a week of just lying in bed looking up at the ceiling. That was probably the worst I have ever felt in my life and the effects to my lungs had an impact for many weeks. Not to mention that 2018 was a decline in fitness that carried through 2019 as well. As I reflect back it was a year of hit and miss. Every time I would get into a block of training something came up. Without the consistency and the lowered volume of hours trained I never was able to achieve my goal for 2019.

Some of the early highlights was updating the Felt IA16 with the TriRig Alpha One bars and SRAM etap wireless drive train. The stock IA16 with a mechanical group was an upgrade from the Felt B10, but this upgrade just made time on the bike more pleasant and it seems to be a faster bike. 

The finish of the season is much like the beginning. I started feeling symptoms of bronchitis on December 19th and I am still in this illness as it has morphed over the past week. I did not have the energy to get on the bike. I tried a light spin and it made me feel worse afterwards. A friend that owns several vitamin stores offered some advice to use N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and more specifically, N-A-C Sustained distributed by Jarrow. I am on the second day of using, but I can say without a doubt this stuff works to clear out chest and sinus mucous. I had been using OTC cold medicine, sinus relief and Mucinex for over a week and the NAC seems to work as well if not better than the medicine. Each person needs to take a careful look at this supplement before using. There are a number of medical studies available as well. 

I know what I need to do for 2020. Now I just need to do it. 
As it has been said, "consistency is king" in context to training principles. We can talk about a lot of ways to skin this cat in terms of different training approaches, but talk doesn't achieve the goal. If one is down low in terms of being untrained than "ride lots" is pretty decent start. 

Because this blog is pretty much cycling specific, I rarely mention strength training, which is actually my primary training. I am consistent with strength training and it is going well for my age. 

The charts for year review show a lot of inconsistency. 

from Strava



from WKO5




2016 - Model Year: My goal for 2020 would be to get in at least 40 hours of saddle time each month. In that mix of time would be structured intervals with long endurance miles on the weekends. I also need to lose about 10 pounds. ugh. 


Sunday, December 15, 2019

Abundant Fatigue

Route and Ride Data Links:

Strava - Today's Route

Ride Metrics:

Time Total: 1:15:49
Time Moving: 1:14:27
Distance (mile): 20.9
VI: 
1.17
IF: 0.64
TSS: 53
Work (kj): 472
Average Power: 104
Max Power: 
333
Normal Power: 121
Cadence (rpm): 70
Speed Avg (mph): 16

Ride Description:

I felt a lot of fatigue at the start and realized soon that I would need to cut this one short. No sense in digging a deeper hole and I will be training legs tomorrow. 

Weather:

Temperature Start (F): 56
Temperature Finish (F): 56
Wind: Calm
Sky: Sunny

Nutrition Intake During and Immediately After:

Bottle #1 24oz. Water, Aminos, Maltodextrin
Post Ride: 30 gram protein drink

Gear:

 Felt  IA16 


Saturday, December 14, 2019

Group Ride 47






Route and Ride Data Links:

Strava - Part 1
Strava - Part 2

Goal:

Enjoy a winter pace ride with friends

Ride Description:

47 mile loop from Sosebee Bike Park with 8 of my cycling friends. It was a cool, damp and breezy start, but ended up being fairly nice. I had some issues with the Garmin today, but managed to get the ride in two parts. With the data split in half and needing to go to a Christmas presentation I am going to make this ride post brief.

Weather:

Temperature Start (F): 48
Temperature Finish (F): 55
Wind: Light winds
Sky: Very to partly cloudy.

Nutrition Intake During and Immediately After:

Bottle #1 24oz. Water, Aminos, Maltodextrin
Clif Bar at mile 25
Post Ride: 30 gram protein drink

Gear:

 LOOK  585 

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Sunday Time Crunched

Route and Ride Data Links:

Strava - Today's Route

Ride Metrics:

Time Total: 1:11:04
Time Moving: 1:10:02
Distance (mile): 20.2
VI: 
1.12
IF: 0.64
TSS: 48
Work (kj): 459
Average Power: 108
Max Power: 
287
Normal Power: 120
Cadence (rpm): 68
Speed Avg (mph): 17

Goal:

Build Endurance

Ride Description:

Out and back and spin

Weather:

Temperature Start (F): 58
Temperature Finish (F): 58
Wind: 20mph SW
Sky: Partly cloudy

Nutrition Intake During and Immediately After:

Bottle #1 24oz. Water, Aminos, Maltodextrin, Trace Mineral Drops
Post Ride: 30 gram protein drink

Gear:

 Felt  IA16 

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Winter Group Ride



Route and Ride Data Links:

Strava - Today's Route

Ride Metrics:

Time Total: 2:56:50
Time Moving: 2:52:56
Distance (mile): 46.7
VI: 
1.44
IF: 0.81
TSS: 193
Work (kj): 1,117
Average Power: 105
Max Power: 
699
Normal Power: 152
Cadence (rpm): 66
Speed Avg (mph): 16

Goal:

Just ride

Ride Description:

Great route and ride with the group. Very nice to see several cycling friends that I have not seen in a while.

Weather:

Temperature Start (F): 50
Temperature Finish (F): 60
Wind: Calm
Sky: Sunny

Nutrition Intake During and Immediately After:

Bottle #1 24oz. Water, Aminos, Maltodextrin, Trace Mineral Drops
2 GU gels at mile 30
Post Ride: 30 gram protein drink

Gear:

 LOOK  585 

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Windy Solo Cruise

Route and Ride Data Links:

Strava - Today's Route

Ride Metrics:

Time Total: 1:50:26
Time Moving: 1:48:58
Distance (mile): 31.0
VI: 
1.10
IF: 0.63
TSS: 74
Work (kj): 717
Average Power: 108
Max Power: 
365
Normal Power: 119
Cadence (rpm): 69
Speed Avg (mph): 17

Goal:

Just ride

Ride Description:

Out and back and spin on a very windy day. I was a bit late starting so the miles were reduced. Despite a lot of debris on the path and difficult wind this was a good day on the bike and I was about to train inside because of the wind. Glad I went. In a summer kit no less. 

Weather:

Temperature Start (F): 67
Temperature Finish (F): 62
Wind: 20mph W
Sky: Partly cloudy

Nutrition Intake During and Immediately After:

Bottle #1 24oz. Water, Aminos, Maltodextrin
Post Ride: 30 gram protein drink

Gear:

 Felt  IA16