Monday, December 26, 2011

Brewery to Euharlee 60

Garmin Connect Data
Ride with GPS Data
Training Peaks
Summary
Moving Time: 3:38:00
Distance: 59 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.2 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,740 ft

Group: Diane, Elizabeth, Rob, Joe and me

Goal: Enjoy the group ride.

The Ride:
Cycling with friends the day after Christmas.

I have to be honest that my attitude when I woke up this morning was really desiring to just lay there, but I know that I would have been really upset for missing the opportunity for this group ride with time off from work. When I stepped out of my truck at 9 am it felt colder than the previous days and once again my motivation took a hit. However, there was no turning back and I rolled out with the small group. I believe we were the only cyclists there.

I was rather surprised how well I held up on this rolling hill course and with this particular small group of strong cyclists. It was probably due to my friends taking it easy on me.

I am very happy to have finished the ride, overcome the negative feeling I had when I woke up and when I felt the cold air. Plus, my legs did quite well considering the rides we have done over the last several days. Another good day of adding to my yearly mileage as the 2011 season nears its end.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~24 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine (1) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram whey protein post ride recovery drink (1) left over chicken, dressing, biscuit about 60 minutes following the ride.

The Weather: Partly cloudy skies at the start @ 35 degrees, End sunny skies @ 50 degrees, breezy

Bike: Cannondale six13, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
 Entire workout (122 watts):
    Duration:      3:49:47 (4:00:59)
    Work:          1680 kJ
    TSS:           239.6 (intensity factor 0.792)
    Norm Power:    162
    VI:            1.33
    Distance:      58.89 mi
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    514    122     watts
    Cadence:         7    246    81     rpm
    Speed:           0    34.2    15.4     mph
    Pace             1:45    0:00    3:54     min/mi
    Altitude:        634    880    762     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1267    137     lb-in
    Temperature:     35.6    51.8    44.0     Fahrenheit

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve Ride

Joe, Diane, Craig and Rod

Garmin Connect Data
Ride with GPS Data
Training Peaks Data
Summary
Moving Time: 2:57:48
Distance: 50 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.8 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,119 ft

Group: Diane, Craig, Rob, Joe and me

Goal: Enjoy the group ride.

The Ride:
Great cycling day with friends this Christmas Eve.
May all my friends, family and those keeping up with my adventures this blog have a very Merry Christmas.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~24 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine (1) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram egg protein post ride recovery drink (1) tuna sandwich about 60 minutes following the ride.

The Weather: Dark skies at the start @ 38 degrees, End sunny skies @ 48 degrees, breezy

Bike: Cannondale six13, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (124 watts):
    Duration:      3:06:48
    Work:          1380 kJ
    TSS:           188.9 (intensity factor 0.783)
    Norm Power:    160
    VI:            1.3
    Distance:      49.921 mi
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    581    124     watts
    Cadence:         7    -    85     rpm
    Speed:           0    36.9    16.0     mph
    Pace             1:38    0:00    3:44     min/mi
    Altitude:        665    938    793     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1292    132     lb-in
    Temperature:     39.2    48.2    42.6     Fahrenheit

Friday, December 23, 2011

Brewery to Craneeater Road

Garmin Connect Data
Ride with GPS Data
Training Peaks
Summary
Moving Time: 3:40:50
Distance: 60 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.4 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,644 ft

Group: Diane, Mike R.,Ron, Steve, Elizabeth, Joe, Chick, Alek and me

Goal: Enjoy the group ride.

The Ride: My goal for today was to turn off training mode and turn on group ride mode and to have a good time riding with friends. Well, even when I am training I am having fun, but today the difference was to stick with the group for the duration of the ride and just forget about training data. I had a great time with friends. I had no clue of the route, distance or anything and for me that is huge as I typically get all crazy about having a route and a plan in advance.

Nine of us rolled out under dark breezy skies with the temperature low 40 degree (F), but it really did not feel that bad. Most of us were dressed light layers over summer wear. The pace was variable throughout the ride with moments of conversation to brisk surges. Diane had some new roads for us to try out and I thought they were a nice change. However, and unbeknownst to us, a tornado came through that area last night and we saw the carnage and the community rally at a couple locations to clean up some homes that were demolished by fallen trees. At one point we were diverted from our route by the police because of storm damage.

Even though it was for the most part a casual group ride my data still reflects a good amount of effort and I can remember those moments of pushing the pace or driving hard up a few rollers burning a few matches along the way. Best thing was getting to ride with a group of friends and not really worry about working on sustainable power. It is the hard work in training that makes these types of rides enjoyable.

Great cycling day with friends.
May all my friends, family and those keeping up with my adventures this blog have a very Merry Christmas.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~36 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine (1) Hammer gel  (1) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram egg protein post ride recovery drink (1) post ride chicken and rice about 60 minutes following the ride.

The Weather: Dark skies at the start @ 44 degrees, End sunny skies @ 50 degrees, breezy

Bike: Cannondale six13, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (122 watts):
    Duration:      3:57:50
    Work:          1740 kJ
    TSS:           272.2 (intensity factor 0.831)
    Norm Power:    170
    VI:            1.39
    Distance:      60.211 mi
    Elevation Gain:        1990 ft
    Elevation Loss:       2005 ft
    Grade:         -0.0 %  (-11 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    722    122     watts
    Cadence:         7    246    81     rpm
    Speed:           0    32.2    15.2     mph
    Pace             1:52    0:00    3:57     min/mi
    Altitude:        639    1025    790     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1527    135     lb-in
    Temperature:     44.6    53.6    47.9     Fahrenheit

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Cagle Alternate - 60 Miles

Garmin Connect Data
Ride with GPS Data
Summary
Moving Time: 3:22:44
Distance: 60 miles
Avg Moving Speed 17.8 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,142 ft

Sosbee Group: Diane, Mike R.,Craig, Ron, Steve, Mike Q., Joe and me

Goal: Keep a steady pace for the duration and finish with a 0.8 IF for 60 miles.

The Ride: At first light this morning the appearance was dark, dreary and windy. Not something that looked enticing and with the rain yesterday I knew it was going to be one of those mornings that can chill you to the bone. We had eight of us willing to tacking the headwinds as the course was due north toward Cagle Road, but not all of us had intention of going the distance of the prescribed route.

It was one of those days where I just wanted to buckled down and get this done and I heard Mike say the same thing before we rolled out. After a few miles the pace picked up and I suppose I was the guilty one at first. It did not take long to make it to Cash Road and do our first store stop at the Sunoco. Diane and Mike turned about the 23 mile mark and we pushed a few more miles to the 30 mile mark. Joe went on north solo with hope of finishing with 70 miles.

One the return it was me, Craig and Mike swapping turns at the front with a brisk pace, but it seemed like Craig was up in front the majority of the time with some really strong pulls. Next thing I know we are rolling back into the parking lot and the day is done for cycling. A very good day both in effort from everyone and with friendship out on the road. A great day of spinning the cranks.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~36 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine, egg protein (1) Hammer gel  (1) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram egg protein post ride recovery drink (1) post ride meatloaf, crackers and milk about 60 minutes following the ride.

The Weather: Dark skies at the start @ 37 degrees, End sunny skies @ 48 degrees, sustained 8+ mph headwinds on the way out and decent tailwind on the return.

Bike: Cannondale six13, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (146 watts):
    Duration:      3:28:01 (3:36:08)
    Work:          1816 kJ
    TSS:           252.5 (intensity factor 0.854)
    Norm Power:    175
    VI:            1.2
    Distance:      59.982 mi
    Elevation Gain:        1578 ft
    Elevation Loss:       1589 ft
    Grade:         -0.0 %  (-9 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    591    146     watts
    Cadence:         7    -    82     rpm
    Speed:           0    31.4    17.3     mph
    Pace             1:55    0:00    3:28     min/mi
    Altitude:        649    936    754     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1279    157     lb-in
    Temperature:     37.4    48.2    40.8     Fahrenheit

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Time For 20's

With December's calendar stacked up with social gatherings (many of them mandatory to attend) training time is taking a hit, but with the effectiveness of training at 20+ minute intervals at greater than 91% of FTP I can rest a little easier that my training stress load will not drop completely.

Actually I am quite happy of how my training went this week using the 20 minute intervals on a very limited time frame. Today (Saturday) I was not able to do my long endurance ride and I will have only an hour to train tomorrow morning.

The last blog entry was the 70 mile ride that took a lot out of me with the sustained headwinds on the return, but here is how the week has gone so far. Please note that I am classified as a recreational cyclists so my power output numbers are still low,  but that is why we train. I desire to be improved for next year.

Monday - trained legs at the gym
Tuesday - 60 minutes total (2 x 20 minute intervals @ > 95% FTP)
Wednesday - 60 minutes total (2 x 20 minute intervals @ > 95% FTP) Training Peaks Upload
Thursday - 60 minutes total (2 x 20 minute intervals @ > 95% FTP) Training Peaks Upload
Friday - Time off from cycling training
Saturday - 60 minutes total (2 x 20 minute intervals @ > 92% FTP) Training Peaks Upload
Sunday - 60 minutes total (2 x 20 minute intervals @ > 92% FTP) Training Peaks Upload

It looks like much of December will be like this, but to be honest I really like doing these short intense efforts. My hope is to keep my CTL from dropping below 70 through the cold months.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Sosbee Bike Park - Cagle Road

Garmin Connect Data
Ride with GPS Data
Summary
Moving Time: 4:20:42
Distance: 70 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.2 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,379 ft

Sosbee Group 1 (70 mile route):  Jesse (me)
Sosbee Group 2 (65 mile route): Diane, Jamie, Bill, Chuck, Peter, Craig, Ron, Chick and Richard 
Sosbee Group 3: Edgar

Goal: Keep a steady pace for the duration and finish with a 0.8 IF for 70 miles.

The Ride: We received news that the brewery was having their employee Christmas party and asked for cyclists to park elsewhere so a few of us used the Sosbee Bike Park on Simpson Road. It was my first time parking at this location and I am grateful for the property owners so I dropped a few bucks in the donation box.

My friends headed left and I went right out of the parking area, but we both had similar routes that went due north and then returned. Mine was an out and back, meaning I used the exact same path going north and south, but we all experienced the same brutal sustained headwinds on the return. That was the first time in a long time where I was actually ready to get the ride finished, but the only relief I would get was to keep pushing against the wind and finish. Battling that wind absolutely took everything out of me and there was literally no relief until I pulled into the parking area. Even though the wind beat me and my friends down today we will be ready for the next battle.

We train for endurance and we are tested with various attributes that challenge our forward movement. Today we were tested by the weather as the wind gave us plenty of resistance in the fight to get back to our cars. Even if it we were not always noble in the battle, we finished and to me that is victory for today. Tonight we rest up for tomorrow hopefully there will be another battle for some of us wage again.

I saw Edgar on my return and his plan was to get in 80 miles as he is training for an epic ride in Puerto Rico in January.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~36 oz. of water with Maltodextrin, BCAA's, Gluatamine  (1) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink (1) post ride tuna salad, toast,  about 60 minutes following the ride.

The Weather: Sunny sky @ 37 degrees, End @ 62 degrees, sustained 10+ mph headwinds on the return.

Bike: Cannondale six13, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (141 watts):
    Duration:      4:22:18 (4:26:56)
    Work:          2224 kJ
    TSS:           260.5 (intensity factor 0.773)
    Norm Power:    158
    VI:            1.12
    Distance:      70.397 mi
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    547    141     watts
    Speed:           0    32.1    16.1     mph
    Pace             1:52    0:00    3:43     min/mi
    Altitude:        626    979    734     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1231    161     lb-in


 Interval 1: (slight tailwind)
    Duration:      1:57:18 (2:00:52)
    Work:          1086 kJ
    TSS:           132.5 (intensity factor 0.825)
    Norm Power:    169
    VI:            1.1
    Distance:      35.169 mi
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    547    154     watts
    Speed:           0    32.1    18.0     mph
    Pace             1:52    0:00    3:20     min/mi
    Crank Torque:    0    986    173     lb-in


Interval 2: (sustained headwind)
    Duration:      2:24:56 (2:26:00)
    Work:          1138 kJ
    TSS:           125.6 (intensity factor 0.721)
    Norm Power:    148
    VI:            1.13
    Distance:      35.221 mi
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    455    131     watts
    Speed:           0    31.1    14.6     mph
    Pace             1:56    0:00    4:06     min/mi
    Altitude:        626    886    722     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1231    151     lb-in

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Cycling Near Seminole State Park

I had the opportunity to cycle the roads near Seminole State Park in southwest Georgia over the Thanksgiving holiday. I was very fortunate to be able to share the holiday with family and also get out to burn off a few calories on some very flat straight roads, but what a joy it was to get out and explore some of these rural roads in south Georgia. The temperatures were pleasant enough to wear summer gear, but with the open fields and some stiff wind it was an effort to hold speed at times. I cannot imagine how hot it must be to cycle these roads in the summer, but fall, winter and spring must be really sweet.

It did not take long to feel at ease with the roads and the drivers that I encountered were very friendly. When passing they gave me plenty of room. Perhaps flat roads are not everyone's sweet place to ride, but to me it is much like training indoors, but much more mentally stimulating. Certainly with the flat roads and winds at times there is plenty of opportunity to train at level for sustained periods of time.


Park Entrance
Lake Seminole within Seminole State Park
Highway 39
Highway 285
Harvested Cotton at Highway 39
Highway 39
Three Notch Road
Lake Seminole at Ray Landing

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Giordana Silverline Bib Tights with Pad

During the season changes one of the hardest decisions is what to wear. It doesn't matter if it is a new rider or a veteran of many years I can hear several comments or questions about the weather and about what a person intends to wear on the ride. When you have a day that starts in the 30's and warms up into the 50's or higher you certainly want to have layers on that can be removed as the body's core temperature and the day's temperature rises. The more years I ride the more refined my technical gear becomes. My gear bag during the fall and spring is full of options based on weather conditions. However, I felt as if I needed another addition with some mid weight bib tights. Something between wearing shorts with leg warmers and the Pearl Izumi Amfib bib tights that are for really cold days with cold winds. The Amfib tights are a thicker material with a wind front that to be honest seem to be restrictive to me, but again very good for very cold days.

With a lot of options for bib tights out there I did some web research and still could not decide so I rolled the dice and selected the Giordana Silverline Bib Tights with Pad. I wanted something that felt less restrictive and had a pad so that I did not have to double up and wear bib shorts underneath. I had the perfect weather to do my test as these bib tights are rated for weather in the 40's and 50's degree Fahrenheit and today's ride started in the low 40's. One of the general rules to selecting clothing for colder weather is to start the ride feeling cold because it will not take long before the body's core warms up and there is potential to get over heated and sweat heavily. I generally follow this rule and start my rides with the feeling of being uncomfortably cold. Sometimes to the point where I am almost shivering. A good many of my veteran friends prefer to dress warmer. Selecting clothing is a personal preference and what I can say as a review may be meaningless to the next person.

What I had hoped about the Giordana Bibs would be a mid weight material. The material is Super Roubaix, which is a light fleece-backed Lycra and it felt to me like it lightly hugged my legs and yet was not restrictive. They actually felt less restrictive than my favorite Desoto bib shorts combined with leg warmers. These particular line of bibs does not have a wind protection front and at these temperatures I want the cool air to slightly penetrate the fabric and cool my legs. During the ride with a cool winds in low 40 degree F temperature the amount of air that was able to pass through the fabric was almost perfect to me.

At times during the ride where a quick out of the saddle sprint up a hill there was no sensation of feeling restricted by the material like I have experienced with other bib tights. The pad that is used in this line is the OmniForm MC-3-O.F., which I have no idea what all that means other than does it work for me or not. The pad is thinner than my preferred "400 Mile" pad in my favorite Desoto shorts. I must have a more sensitive undercarriage than most because I cannot seem to adapt to the rigors of longer distance cycling and minimal pads. However, the pad held up okay for me on today's 60 mile course. I am not sure if it would be sufficient for me on a century, but I typically keep my miles shorter in the colder months anyway. Overall the fit and feel is excellent in the weather range between the 40'

Conclusion: I give these bib tights very high marks. Out of a 5 star high I would give them 4.75.

  • Giordana Silverline Bib Tights
  • OmniForm MC-3-O.F. pad (can be ordered without a pad)
  • Super Roubaix
  • Ankle zippers
  • Reflective highlights
  • Recommended for 40's and 50's degree Fahrenheit range (I could go into the 30's with these)

Lastly I purchased these bib tights from Classic Cycling in Harrisburg, North Carolina. This was my first order from this online reseller. I selected "free shipping" method and was not sure they would arrive in time for a review this weekend so I sent an email and the response was fast and friendly. The package was already underway and arrived on time. They have a nice selection of high quality cycling apparel and gear with good prices.

Modified Rose Pedal - 50

Ride With GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Summary
Moving Time: 3:39:53
Distance: 60 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.6 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,972 ft

Group:  Kit, Keith, Mike, Gary, Edgar and me

Goal: Enjoy a conversation paced ride with friends and spin a few miles.

The Ride: Thanks to Gary for creating a modified version of the marked 48 mile Rose Pedal route that had a couple new roads to try out. I started at 8  a.m. to get in a few extra miles and then joined the guys starting from Creekview High School for the 50 mile course at 9 a.m.. Even though the skies were looking dark grey and it had the appearance of a cold winter day the weather really wasn't that bad while we were moving. Once stopped and the cool wind blowing it felt a bit colder.


My preference is typically a flat type road that I can get into a steady pace and train. Rolling hills are typically the opposite for me as I struggle to get into a steady groove, but the rolling hills of the Rose Pedal route seem pleasurable to me. The rolling terrain also does not fit my typical style of training where I am supposed to hold near threshold type of power output for sustained periods, but again the rolling terrain is a nice test of the legs once in a while just to make sure they can deal with the quick out of the saddle efforts on some of the short steeper hills.


The best part of the day is riding with this group of guys. The pace was fairly calm. Calm enough to throw a few jabs of teasing back and forth, which happened to be Mike's day as we joked about him being our ride leader. But I think each of us received a jab at some point during the ride. Dark skies and cool wind, but still a great day to be out with friends on the bikes.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~26 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine  (1) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink (1) post ride tuna salad, toast, pita chips about 60 minutes following the ride.

The Weather: Heavy overcast sky @ 45 degrees, End @ 50 degrees, breezy conditions.

Bike: Cannondale six13, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (132 watts):
    Duration:      3:43:02 (4:04:22)
    Work:          1769 kJ
    TSS:           266.8 (intensity factor 0.848)
    Norm Power:    174
    VI:            1.32
    Distance:      60.869 mi
    Elevation Gain:        2360 ft
    Elevation Loss:       2346 ft
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    780    132     watts
    Speed:           0    36.8    16.4     mph
    Pace             1:38    0:00    3:40     min/mi
    Altitude:        1012    1292    1188     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1588    143     lb-in




Why do I have this image posted on this blog entry? We had two cars that not only appeared to be very close to us, but one actually looked to intentionally veer toward us while passing. Perhaps the general public does not realize that this is a new law. Perhaps there has not been enough public notice.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Brewery to Craneeater Road

Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Summary
Moving Time: 4:22:05
Distance: 70 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.2 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,800 ft

Group:  Too many to count or attempt to jot down names.

Goal: Keep a steady pace if possible

The Ride: Sometimes you just don't know until you go. Go out and see how the legs will do that is and I found out at some point that it was going to be a tough day for me. But I will get to that later.

My intuition was to go out on a solo ride and then at the last moment I changed to ride with Diane and friends on a route that she had planned. Thanks Diane for once again rallying the troops to a ride.The word must have spread quickly because this was probably the biggest group I have seen roll out in weeks and it was great to see some people like Jeff, Margaret, Nancy, Kit and some others that I have not seen in a while.

The group ride was starting at 9 a.m. so I went out 8 a.m. and did about 12 miles, returned to change to some lighter clothes and then rolled out with the group. Those first solo miles were brutal as I have not quite acclimated to the colder temperatures. A quick look at my phone it reported 27 degrees F. Just about everything felt uncomfortably cold except the air was stinging the exposed skin on my face. The last few miles I began to warm up enough to shed a few layers before the group ride.

I struggled to get into a groove while in the group. If I went off the front it seemed to cause a chase and mixed in the group I was feathering my brakes and coasting a lot. I knew that I needed to get in a position to get some steady time putting some constant torque on the pedals so I dropped off the back to ride solo. Plus it did not take long to figure out that my legs were fatigued from training this past week. Hindsight, I should have done less miles today or just taken the day off to rest, however, it was nice to get out on the bike regardless.

The big group that rolled out of the brewery split into about half early in the ride and I was with the front half some of the miles. It looked like they had a comfortable pace going. Since I was either off the back or at times out in front of the group I cannot testify as to how the ride went for them. It looked like they had a great time.

All I can think about now is taking a nap. Perhaps that is what I will do now.
I hope you had a great ride or training today and this week. Until the next one.......

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~26 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine  (1) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink (1) post ride chicken club sandwich on toast about 30 minutes following the ride.

The Weather: Sunny Start @ 27 degrees, End @ 60 degrees, calm air at the start with breezy conditions later in the ride.

Bike: LOOK 585, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (124 watts):
    Duration:      4:26:42 (4:52:55)
    Work:          1989 kJ
    TSS:           249.8 (intensity factor 0.75)
    Norm Power:    154
    VI:            1.24
    Distance:      70.919 mi
    Elevation Gain:        2073 ft
    Elevation Loss:       2072 ft
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    742    124     watts
    Cadence:         7    231    82     rpm
    Speed:           0    36    16.0     mph
    Pace             1:40    0:00    3:45     min/mi
    Altitude:        646    1019    808     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1088    135     lb-in

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Comet - Tempo

Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Goal: Tempo Effort for 2 x 60 minutes.

Ride Notes: I was not sure what to expect after having a near 300 TSS yesterday and how that would impact today's effort. Much to my surprise the first 60 minute interval went so well with a 0.9 IF that I gave my legs a break on the second interval and just enjoyed cruising back to the parking lot at a little easier pace.

It is pretty neat to begin figuring out how much load I can put on this body. Training is supposed to be progressive in nature. I think it was cycling coach, Ric Stern that used to always say, "you are either training or detraining." I want to push this body to the edge and when it adapts I am going to push it a bit more. I have to admit sometimes I push it a little too far and I need an extra day of rest, but I would rather flirt with that line than to go too easy. I have a long way to go and for now I doubt I could hold the wheel of a mediocre Cat 5, but maybe someday. Maybe someday!

Nutrition: ~26 oz water, BCAA's, Glutamine, (1) Hammer gel

Weather: Sunny 62, slight breeze

Training Summary:
Total Distance: 36 Miles
Total Moving Time: 2:01:38
Total Avg. Moving Speed: 17.9
Total TSS: 143.8 (0.82 IF)

Interval Power Summary 
Interval 1:    Duration:      1:00:07
    Work:          623 kJ
    TSS:           82 (intensity factor 0.909)
    Norm Power:    186
    VI:            1.08
    Distance:      17.847 mi
    Elevation Gain:        327 ft
    Elevation Loss:       208 ft
    Grade:         0.1 %  (129 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    590    173     watts
    Cadence:         7    -    83     rpm
    Speed:           0    25    17.8     mph
    Pace             2:24    0:00    3:22     min/mi
    Altitude:        494    649    584     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1680    181     lb-in


Interval 2:
    Duration:      1:02:46
    Work:          499 kJ
    TSS:           55.6 (intensity factor 0.729)
    Norm Power:    149
    VI:            1.13
    Distance:      17.933 mi
    Elevation Gain:        183 ft
    Elevation Loss:       372 ft
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    585    133     watts
    Cadence:         9    -    81     rpm
    Speed:           0    29.5    17.1     mph
    Pace             2:02    0:00    3:30     min/mi
    Altitude:        451    651    540     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1629    145     lb-in

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Brewery to Cagle Road - Steady Pace

Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Summary
Moving Time: 4:52:28
Distance: 80 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.5 mph
Elevation Gain: 3,000 ft

Group (headed toward Fort Mt.): Me :-)
Group (headed toward Horn Mt.):  Gary,  Mike Q., Neal, Keith, Jamie, Chuck Peter, Diane, Mike R., Craig, Joe, Elizabeth, Edgar and a few more I believe.

Goal: Keep a steady pace if possible and try to end with about 300 TSS and 0.8 IF

The Ride: It was a tough struggle for me to decide to go on a solo training ride and especially when my start time and location lined up with my group of friends. Part of me really wanted to hang with them and I followed them the first couple of miles until our routes parted ways. I do hope they had a great time. From that turn forward it is sort of hard to do much on color commentary about my ride. I will just note a few things.

I suppose the most unsettling thing about going solo this morning was how dense the fog was and how long it remained with me on the route. I had on my vibrant yellow Sugoi Helium jacket with a red flashing light on the saddle, but I know that cars are not expecting cyclists to be out on these rural roads in this condition. Fortunately I am here to write this so everything went okay. It was nice that I only saw a handful of cars on the way up and most of them were going the other direction. One sheriff passed me so I supposed I had his approval. Other than that I really enjoyed the route. I do this route quite often, but it does not get old to me and I really enjoy Cagle Road for some reason.

Performance and training wise my goal was not necessarily to go out and hammer an eighty mile route today. I just wanted to pedal at a steady state and end with something reasonable so I can train tomorrow. Also to minimize any coasting, drafting was not an option and basically just make my legs feel virtually every mile. Out of the 5 hours on the road I had about ten minutes stopped and most of that was unfortunately waiting for the restroom at the gas station / turning point and a couple of very brief stops along the road.

I ended just under my intended goal, but that is okay. It is close enough and if I had gone much harder I would have gone over and that would make the intervals tomorrow suffer. I have my wife's blessing to go out tomorrow after church for the 2 x 60 minute intervals. I hope the legs can recover quickly because tomorrow afternoon is hammer time.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~40 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine  (1) Cliff bar (1) Hammer Gel (1) 30 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink (1) post ride Tuna sandwich on whole grain toast about an hour following the ride.

The Weather: Very heavy fog to sun much later, Start @ 39 degrees, End @ 57 degrees, calm air at the start in the fog with breezy conditions later in the ride.

Bike: LOOK 585, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (138 watts):
    Duration:      4:58:29 (5:08:03)
    Work:          2471 kJ
    TSS:           295.9 (intensity factor 0.772)
    Norm Power:    158
    VI:            1.15
    Distance:      80.414 mi
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    581    138     watts
    Speed:           0    32.1    16.2     mph
    Pace             1:52    0:00    3:43     min/mi
    Altitude:        640    905    746     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1690    152     lb-in

Saturday, October 29, 2011

2011 3 State Fall Colors Ride



Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Summary
Moving Time: 5:27:59
Distance: 63 miles
Avg Moving Speed 14.5 mph
Elevation Gain: 5,682 ft

Group:  Gary,  Mike, Ron, Neal, Glenn, Keith, Alan, Jamie, Peter, Craig, Don, Bill, Joe, Elizabeth  and me
Goal: Enjoy riding with friends on this annual group ride at a fairly casual pace

The Ride: Each year a group ventures to north Georgia to do a recreational type ride starting from Mineral Bluff, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and back to get a view from the bike with the leaves changing color. I have not attended since 2008 and almost wondered if today would happen with a storm front moving through last evening and stiff winds in the morning as Gary drove Mike and me up to the ride. Thanks to Gary for getting the ride notice out and sticking with the plan despite how the weather appeared and it did not seem to scare off too many since we had 15 cyclists show up. Great to see a number of people that I have not seen for weeks and months for some. Glad to have Alan join us today.

The ride, the route and the people made this a memorable day. The ride did not disappoint for the color of leaves. I am not sure if we hit the absolute peak, but there were several spots that had the group slowing and taking it all in. The route has it's fair share of challenges with one hill after another and a few of them quite steep. The people? Well to me the gang that I am privileged to ride with are a great group of strong cyclists. For the most part we stayed together and at times had some spirited moments. It was a joy to share this day with this group. It was also a longer day away from home than our usual local rides and a bit slower, but well worth the trip and worth taking our time meandering through those back country roads.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~40 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine  (2) Cliff bar (1) 30 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink

The Weather: Sunny, Start @ 39 degrees, End @ 60 degrees, breezy to gusty wind at times

Bike: LOOK 585, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+, Contour GPS camera

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (127 watts):
    Duration:      4:28:12 (5:28:06)
    Work:          2047 kJ
    TSS:           325.1 (intensity factor 0.854)
    Norm Power:    175
    VI:            1.38
    Distance:      62.626 mi
    Elevation Gain:        4954 ft
    Elevation Loss:       4956 ft
    Grade:         -0.0 %  (-9 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    712    127     watts
    Cadence:         8    239    80     rpm
    Speed:           0    48.7    14.0     mph
    Pace             1:14    0:00    4:17     min/mi
    Altitude:        1459    2146    1702     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1323    145     lb-in
    Temperature:     35.6    62.6    46.7     Fahrenheit

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Comet - Tempo

Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Goal: Tempo Effort for 2 x 60 minutes.

Ride Notes: Very nice to be out on the bike and for various reasons, mainly tired from yesterday's ride, I did not hold my zones all that well. I saw Paula and David zip past me going the other way and they had big smiles. That is what biking can do for ya!! Big smiles even when training doesn't quite go the way I would have like it still brings big smiles. Perhaps my wife may not agree, but I think cycling is a good addiction.

Nutrition: ~30 oz water, BCAA's, Glutamine, (1) LaraBar

Weather: Sunny 70, slight breeze

Training Summary:
Total Distance: 40.6 Miles
Total Moving Time: 2:16:37
Total Avg. Moving Speed: 17.9
Total TSS: 142 (0.78 IF)

Interval Power Summary 
 Interval 1:
    Duration:      1:06:58
    Work:          647 kJ
    TSS:           76.9 (intensity factor 0.833)
    Norm Power:    171
    VI:            1.06
    Distance:      19.988 mi
    Elevation Gain:        394 ft
    Elevation Loss:       247 ft
    Grade:         0.1 %  (138 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    451    161     watts
    Cadence:         19    225    79     rpm
    Speed:           0    24    17.9     mph
    Pace             2:30    0:00    3:21     min/mi
    Altitude:        864    1073    971     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1459    178     lb-in
    Temperature:     60.8    68    64.2     Fahrenheit

Interval 2:
    Duration:      1:05:14
    Work:          558 kJ
    TSS:           60.8 (intensity factor 0.748)
    Norm Power:    153
    VI:            1.08
    Distance:      19.466 mi
    Elevation Gain:        211 ft
    Elevation Loss:       392 ft
    Grade:         -0.2 %  (-185 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    355    143     watts
    Cadence:         7    225    79     rpm
    Speed:           0    27.3    17.9     mph
    Pace             2:12    0:00    3:21     min/mi
    Altitude:        820    1073    936     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1171    160     lb-in
    Temperature:     62.6    75.2    65.0     Fahrenheit

Week Totals
Time Training: 9:14:43
Distance: 154 miles
TSS: 622
Kj: 4729

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Brewery to Salacoa with Johnson Mountain Road

Ride with GPS
Garmin Connect
Summary
Moving Time: 3:46:13
Distance: 60.8 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.1 mph
Elevation Gain: 3,287 ft

Group:  Gary,  Mike Q., Mike K., Keith, Jack, Edgar and me
Goal: Enjoy riding with friends

The Ride: Very nice to roll out with the guys on what was supposed to be more of a winter conversation group ride, but as things go with seven guys there were a few moments of chasing, sprinting small rollers and other shenanigans. Very enjoyable horse play on the bike and we pretty much held together as a group until the last few miles.


I was eager to see how responsive my legs would be doing the couple mile climb up Johnson Mountain since I have been training mostly flat roads lately. I really did not try to hammer up with the guys and just went my own pace. Everything felt okay and with the shorter hill sprints those felt okay as well. From my perspective it appeared that everyone had a solid ride. After a week of good training, today was a nice break and a fun day out on the bike with friends. I hope there is something left in my legs for tomorrow's intervals.

As a side note the area around Johnson Mountain Road looks so different now with many of the trees gone from the tornadoes.



Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~45 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine  (2) Cliff bar (1) 40 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink

The Weather: Sunny, Start @ 39 degrees, End @ 67 degrees, very mild wind later in the ride

Bike: LOOK 585, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (124 watts):
    Duration:      3:54:52 (4:12:12)
    Work:          1745 kJ
    TSS:           265.5 (intensity factor 0.825)
    Norm Power:    169
    VI:            1.36
    Distance:      60.756 mi
    Elevation Gain:        2669 ft
    Elevation Loss:       2677 ft
    Grade:         0.0 %  (2 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    757    124     watts
    Cadence:         7    246    82     rpm
    Speed:           0    40.9    15.5     mph
    Pace             1:28    0:00    3:52     min/mi
    Altitude:        691    1282    890     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1298    135     lb-in
    Temperature:     39.2    68    52.6     Fahrenheit

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Comet - Tempo

Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Goal: Tempo Effort for 2 x 60 minutes.

Ride Notes: Before I left the house I had almost talked myself into training indoors. The skies were dark and dreary looking and the tree tops were bending over from heavy gusts of wind. It looked as if the skies could break open at any moment with rain, but I loaded up my gear and rolled the dice. Between feeling very tired from yesterday's ride and thinking about having to battle the winds again I was not that excited.

Yesterday, and all week for that matter, I struggled in performance, but today oddly was quite different. What I thought was going to be a dreary performance to go along with the looks of the skies turned out to be an excellent day on the bike. I started from the zero marker and immediately had two guys on my wheel as we weaved our way around the slower foot traffic. I picked up the pace more and they were with me still. I thought maybe I should back off some because the pace may be too intense for the fatigue I was feeling so I signaled and they came around me.

Less than a minute and they were out of my sight, but I noticed the pace I was holding was above my normal for Sunday and it felt good. A few minutes later I spot those two guys in front of me and the next thing I am mixed in with them again. The three of us held between 22 to 27 mph until about Hiram (15 mile marker) and I dropped off again, but still ended the 20 mile, 1 hour interval at 19.2 mph for an average. Not too bad considering how tired I felt and how many intersections plus traffic killed our momentum at times.

Coming back was a different story. I used up most of what I had tagging along with the two guys and did not have much left for the return. I ended the second 60 minute interval with a 17.9 mph average. I was very happy how the day turned out and very surprised to boot.

Nutrition: ~30 oz water, BCAA's, Glutamine, (1) Honey Stinger waffle

Weather: Partly cloudy 70, Stiff winds but did not seem bothered by it for the most part

Training Summary:
Total Distance: 40.4 Miles
Total Moving Time: 2:13:32
Total Avg. Moving Speed: 18.2
Total TSS: 153.4 (0.83 IF)

Interval Power Summary 
 Interval 1:
    Duration:      1:02:30
    Work:          629 kJ
    TSS:           83.7 (intensity factor 0.9)
    Norm Power:    184
    VI:            1.1
    Distance:      19.984 mi
    Elevation Gain:        434 ft
    Elevation Loss:       242 ft
    Grade:         0.2 %  (188 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    622    168     watts
    Cadence:         11    231    85     rpm
    Speed:           0    29.8    19.2     mph
    Pace             2:01    0:00    3:08     min/mi
    Altitude:        748    1009    867     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1681    176     lb-in
    Temperature:     64.4    71.6    66.0     Fahrenheit



Interval 2:
    Duration:      1:04:35
    Work:          566 kJ
    TSS:           63.7 (intensity factor 0.77)
    Norm Power:    158
    VI:            1.08
    Distance:      19.257 mi
    Elevation Gain:        224 ft
    Elevation Loss:       336 ft
    Grade:         -0.1 %  (-120 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    463    146     watts
    Cadence:         14    239    80     rpm
    Speed:           0    29.2    17.9     mph
    Pace             2:03    0:00    3:21     min/mi
    Altitude:        838    1019    919     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1337    162     lb-in
    Temperature:     66.2    71.6    68.3     Fahrenheit



Week Totals
Time: 9:12:04
Distance: 154 miles
TSS: 593
Kj: 4705

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Brewery to Salacoa - Plus

Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Summary
Moving Time: 4:09:47
Distance: 67 miles
Avg Moving Speed 16.1 mph
Elevation Gain: 3,222 ft

Group:   Jamie, Chuck, Diane, Edgar, Tim, Peter, Gary, Rod and me
Goal: Enjoy riding with friends

The Ride: What a great surprise to see Peter back with us today. I wasn't expecting his return from a recent shoulder surgery for a few more weeks, but it was great to see him back with us. From what I could tell he did not look like he lost much fitness. Welcome back Peter!!

It was also great to roll out with the 8 cyclists this morning. We had a few stops along the way, but as usual the pace on Salacoa Valley was brisk. I was somewhere in between a group up front and a group behind. At the store stop I was hoping to get in more miles so I took off solo ahead of the group so I am not sure how the rest of the ride was for the gang. Except for dealing with another day of wind the weather felt perfect and it was good to be out on the bike. I did not hit the training goals I had for today, but that is okay. It was just nice to be out and enjoy the day before the weather changes.


Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~26 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine ~15 oz. water with BCAA's, Gluatamine (1) Cliff bar (2) Hammer gel(1) 40 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink

The Weather: Sunny, Start @ 57 degrees, End @ 82 degrees, 10- 15 mph winds from the east

Bike: LOOK 585, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
  Entire workout (124 watts):
    Duration:      4:15:21 (4:30:22)
    Work:          1891 kJ
    TSS:           248.4 (intensity factor 0.766)
    Norm Power:    157
    VI:            1.27
    Distance:      67.042 mi
    Elevation Gain:        2451 ft
    Elevation Loss:       2459 ft
    Grade:         -0.0 %  (-1 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    712    124     watts
    Cadence:         7    231    80     rpm
    Speed:           0    38.2    15.8     mph
    Pace             1:34    0:00    3:48     min/mi
    Altitude:        691    1205    867     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1543    139     lb-in
    Temperature:     57.2    82.4    68.2     Fahrenheit

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Comet - Tempo

Ride With GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Goal: Tempo Effort for 2 x 60 minutes.

Ride Notes:Felt pretty good considering how much the 80 mile yesterday took out of me.

Nutrition: ~35 oz water, BCAA's, Glutamine, (1) Honey Stinger waffle

Weather: Partly cloudy 66, Stiff wind but seemed protected at by the trees

Training Summary:
Total Distance: 40.32 Miles
Total Moving Time: 2:20:21
Total Avg. Moving Speed: 17.2
Total TSS: 133.8 (0.75 IF)

Interval Power Summary
Interval 1:
    Duration:      1:13:16 (1:21:45)
    Work:          632 kJ
    TSS:           73.7 (intensity factor 0.779)
    Norm Power:    160
    VI:            1.11
    Distance:      20.211 mi
    Elevation Gain:        400 ft
    Elevation Loss:       291 ft
    Grade:         0.1 %  (110 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    556    144     watts
    Cadence:         8    239    80     rpm
    Speed:           0    24.4    16.6     mph
    Pace             2:28    0:00    3:37     min/mi
    Altitude:        795    984    883     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1765    160     lb-in


Interval 2:
    Duration:      1:03:41
    Work:          520 kJ
    TSS:           56.7 (intensity factor 0.731)
    Norm Power:    150
    VI:            1.1
    Distance:      18.799 mi
    Elevation Gain:        240 ft
    Elevation Loss:       314 ft
    Grade:         -0.1 %  (-80 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    736    136     watts
    Cadence:         18    231    79     rpm
    Speed:           0    29.8    17.7     mph
    Pace             2:01    0:00    3:23     min/mi
    Altitude:        847    993    907     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1577    153     lb-in




Week Totals
Time: 9:15:30
Distance: 160 miles
TSS: 612
Kj: 4785

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Brewery to Cagle Road - Impressed, Impressed

Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Data
Summary
Moving Time: 4:39:47
Distance: 81.8 miles
Avg Moving Speed 17.5 mph
Elevation Gain: 3,166 ft

Group:   Jamie, Chuck, Diane, Mike, Tim, Bill, Craig, Michael, Alan and me
Goal: Enjoy riding with friends

The Ride: Generally speaking I am very fortunate to have a good number of impressive cycling friends and though it seems that some days I end up with a different mix of those friends I am impressed by all of them.

This week I was impressed when I received an email from Diane stating an interest in my 80 mile route because I knew there was a prediction of heavy winds coming from the north and it was going to be a cool start. Sure enough 10 of us rolled out this brisk feeling morning with the winds seeming to be stiff and sustained, but no one backed away or griped about  having to push against those winds for 40 solid miles. Another thing that impressed me was the speed the group was going against the winds. Most everyone took good turns at the front and I know my times up there it was some really good training time pushing and pushing against that wind. Impressed with the group!

We did a store stop at the Marathon and our 40th mile with just about everyone looking forward to the potential tailwind on the return south. For a few of those miles we were getting hammered by the cross winds. I felt as if my bike was heavily tilted to the right to compensate for the wind. It was almost like leaning my shoulder against a wall a couple of times.

By this point I needed to go ahead of the group and try to make it on home so I set out on a fairly solid pace and even though the tailwind was helping I was still maintaining a solid effort and putting some torque on the cranks. Alan and Craig caught up with me. Impressed! The three of us had a decent rotation and kept up the sustained effort until the Sunoco gas station where Alan and Craig peeled off to get their bottles refilled. I pushed on without stopping and again kept a decent pace in solo mode.

But here is where I was stunned an amazed because about 6 to 8 miles from the end I look back and see a cyclist coming. I just thought it was another solo rider, but then I looked again and then looked again. I had to do a triple take because it was Alan coming up on me. I was so impressed that he did a store stop and still caught up with me. He said he had to work hard to catch me, but believe me I was not really slacking around. Alan is 69 years old and probably one of the most amazing cyclist I know and get to ride with on occasion. The two of us continued to push those final miles just about all the way to the end and then we turned around and headed back out to let our legs cool off and spin easy. I am very impressed with how Alan was able to catch up to me. I was also impressed how Bill, now in his 70's, did on our ride today. It wasn't long before the rest of the group rolled in. Mike, Diane, Jamie and Chuck stretching out the miles each week and increasing their speed and endurance. Plus we had a couple new visitors riding with us today. Craig also did a good bit of time pulling in the wind and was there with me and Alan at the finish.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~48 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine ~10 oz. water with BCAA's, Gluatamine (1) Cliff bar (2) Honey Stinger gel(1) 40 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink , grilled chicken sandwich post ride meal (about 1 hour after the ride)

The Weather: Sunny, Start @ 50 degrees, End @ 63 degrees, 10- 15 mph winds from the north

Bike: LOOK 585, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
Entire workout (134 watts):
    Duration:      4:44:10 (5:04:40)
    Work:          2293 kJ
    TSS:           312.1 (intensity factor 0.812)
    Norm Power:    167
    VI:            1.24
    Distance:      81.812 mi
    Elevation Gain:        2255 ft
    Elevation Loss:       2240 ft
    Grade:         0.0 %  (21 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    688    134     watts
    Cadence:         7    246    84     rpm
    Speed:           0    35.1    17.3     mph
    Pace             1:43    0:00    3:28     min/mi
    Altitude:        657    923    767     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1398    145     lb-in

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Brewery to Cagle Road

Photo on Cagle Road courtesy of Gary

Jesse                   Edgar
Gary

 Ride with GPS Data
Garmin Connect Ride Data
Summary
Moving Time: 4:32:51
Distance: 79.8 miles
Avg Moving Speed 17.5 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,769 ft

Group:   Gary, Edgar and me
Goal: Enjoy riding with friends

The Ride: An awesome end to a rough start. Well it started rough because, though I woke up at 4 am, I was goofing around on the computer and lost track of time. Thankfully Gary and Edgar waited on my arrival at the brewery, but I felt all out of sorts and mentally had to pull it together because we were planning on an eighty mile ride.

I am not sure what time we actually rolled out. There was enough visibility to ride safely, but still a fair amount of fog that at least kept it cool until about 9:30. About 10 the sun was out and the rest of ride had perfect weather.

With just the three of we all had our share of training time and even when I was drafting behind Gary or Edgar I still felt like they were making me work hard to keep up. It did not seem long before we were at our turning point to come back and the ride back seemed rather fast as well even though we were approaching the five hour mark.It seems true that time flies when you are having fun. It was a great ride with just the three of us. Great day for a number of reasons.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course: ~52 oz. of water with Hammer Perpetuem, BCAA's, Gluatamine ~26 oz. water with BCAA's, Gluatamine (1) Cliff bar (1) Honey Stinger Waffle (1) 40 gram Whey protein post ride recovery drink .

The Weather: Heavy fog to Sunny, Start @ 54 degrees, End @ 77 degrees, slight breeze.

Bike: LOOK 585, Garmin 800, Powertap SL+

Overall Power Data:
 Entire workout (130 watts):
    Duration:      4:37:36 (5:13:43)
    Work:          2165 kJ
    TSS:           299.1 (intensity factor 0.804)
    Norm Power:    165
    VI:            1.27
    Distance:      79.791 mi
    Elevation Gain:        2026 ft
    Elevation Loss:       2049 ft
    Grade:         -0.0 %  (-21 ft)
        Min    Max    Avg
    Power:           0    774    130     watts
    Cadence:         9    246    83     rpm
    Speed:           0    32.4    17.3     mph
    Pace             1:51    0:00    3:28     min/mi
    Altitude:        661    909    757     ft
    Crank Torque:    0    1752    141     lb-in
    Temperature:     53.6    86    66.9     Fahrenheit