Comet - Easy Spin

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 41 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17.6  mph

Moving Time: 2:20:36

Total Time: 2:25:13 

Ride Total TSS:112.5 (0.695 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Spin easy and steady

Ride Description:                                                            

Easy Spin and with lots of people out today I just kept a steady pace as best possible.

Weather:                                                                          
 Sunny, 84 degrees (F), calm air

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
15 oz from Bottle #2 water
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Powerbar Gel
Home |

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 110 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (139 watts):
Duration: 2:22:31 (2:25:14)
Work: 1176 kJ
TSS: 112.1 (intensity factor 0.696)
Norm Power: 153
VI: 1.1
Distance: 41.128 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 515 139 watts
Cadence: 6 101 72 rpm
Speed: 0 25.3 17.3 mph
Pace 2:22 0:00 3:28 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1474 166 lb-in
Temperature: 75.2 87.8 81.1 Fahrenheit
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Brewery 60 - Splits

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 60.7 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17.9  mph

Moving Time: 3:23:28

Total Time:  3:29:43

Ride Total TSS: 175.5 (0.72 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Endurance ride with lower intensity

Ride Description:                                                            

It's been a few weeks since my last time out on the TT bike. I had another opportunity to join friends on a group ride, but with limited time and a desire to get back to a focus on training endurance it was nice to dust off the Felt B10 and see if I could knock some more rust off the ole legs. In fact I am now in week six of slowly ramping back up and it seems like I am starting to feel like the legs want to be a willing participant in logging some miles. My fitness level and endurance needs some focused work with weekday intervals and weekend endurance rides.

I had planned on doing my 80 mile route, but this is our 15th wedding anniversary so I thought it best to shorten to 60 miles with 3 x 60 minute splits. The first split went well as expected, the second I struggled and the third I was starting to fade and lose focus. I also struggled a bit more on some of those later uphill gradients. Proof that I need more endurance training. This wasn't all out efforts because my goal was endurance intensity for the overall TSS (Training Stress Score). The fun started with Split 2 just after a brief warm up.

Split 4 I had mechanical issues when the chain was thrown off to the inside on three occasions when shifting to the small ring. I could not get the chain back on by using the shifter so I lost significant time stopping to put the chain back on. Plus I was fading in those last miles.

Split 2: Time: 57 minutes, 19 miles, 19.8 mph avg., IF 0.79
Split 3: Time: 60 minutes, 18.5 miles, 18.5 mph avg., IF 0.70
Split 4: Time: 78 minutes, 21 miles, 16.4 mph avg., IF 0.69
 

Weather:                                                                          
 Low 70's (F), dark to partly cloudy skies, calm air

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin, Beta-Alanine
24 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin, Beta-Alanine
0 oz from Bottle #3 water
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink , Powerbar gel chews
Home | Baked spaghetti

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 100 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (138 watts):
Duration: 3:27:42 (3:29:42)
Work: 1685 kJ
TSS: 175 (intensity factor 0.723)
Norm Power: 159
VI: 1.15
Distance: 60.757 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 422 138 watts
Cadence: 8 100 76 rpm
Speed: 0 36 17.6 mph
Pace 1:40 0:00 3:25 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1292 155 lb-in
Temperature: 66.2 73.4 69.1 Fahrenheit
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Comet - Easy Spin, Not

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40 miles

Avg. Moving Speed:  17 mph

Moving Time: 2:21:01

Total Time:  2:27:15

Ride Total TSS: 109.3 (0.676 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Build up saddle time and put a little more stress on the legs

Ride Description:                                                            

I wish I could say this poor effort and longer span of time to do forty miles was due to a detour that I had to dismount the bike and walk several hundred feet or that it was due to bad timing of traffic stops or even people that were in the way. Yes, all of those things happened during the course of time going out and back, but there was no doubt my legs were not going to put out any more effort than necessary. They were still reeling from yesterday's ride and I am still down in the 60's for CTL, which indicates low fitness.

But all is not lost because the only way to go up from here to dig hard to get out of this training slump and even if today was a struggle they at least had to work some. In other words I ain't about to sit on the couch, eat chips and whine about being in better shape back in January. The legs are once again going to taste a relentless push week after week until I am back in condition. Get used to it legs. Get used to it!!
 

Weather:                                                                          
 Partly cloudy to dark skies at the start, slight breeze, 86 degrees (F)

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
10 oz from Bottle #2 water
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Frozen drink from QT
Home | Chicken

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, Powertap SL+ /Michelin Pro 4's @ 110 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (133 watts):
Duration: 2:24:33 (2:27:17)
Work: 1151 kJ
TSS: 109.7 (intensity factor 0.676)
Norm Power: 149
VI: 1.12
Distance: 40.698 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 654 133 watts
Cadence: 12 246 80 rpm
Speed: 0 25.8 16.9 mph
Pace 2:20 0:00 3:33 min/mi
Altitude: 878 1107 988 ft
Crank Torque: 0 1679 147 lb-in
Temperature: 75.2 84.2 79.6 Fahrenheit
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Armuchee - Fouche Gap with Friends

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 67 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17.8  mph

Moving Time: 3:45:22

Total Time:  4:12:18

Ride Total TSS: 199.4 (0.72 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Group: Mike, Craig and me

Goal:                                                                                 

Group ride and enjoy the route

Ride Description:                                                            

It's been a while since venturing over to the Armuchee area and it did not take much to convince Mike and Craig to join me on the Armuchee-Fouche Gap 67 mile route. Whoever came up with that course has made an exceptional course. If you want to give it a try you can download the course from the Garmin link above.

This may not have been my fastest time around this loop, but it wasn't far off and Craig was helping us keep the pace up. Since there were only three of us we each got long turns at the front that equates into some good sustained efforts, but even in the draft I felt like I was working. The course has a nice mix ranging from rolling hills, long stretches with an upward gradient, long stretches of road that are near flat or downward and then a short one mile climb up Fouche Gap Road. For the most part vehicle traffic was low for an early morning, but did increase a little toward the end and as we were entering more populated areas. Haywood Road is another fun road, but by the time we got to the road I was starting to feel worn out. I noticed that each of us were standing up on the pedals to stretch our backs in those last miles. It's a great route, but with a good pace it can start to wear on you.

Great route, great ride, great riding with friends!!

Weather:                                                                          
Mild weather for this time of the year, calm air, 90 degree (F)

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
20 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Cliff Bar @ mile 40
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink
Home | Oven roasted chicken sandwich

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, Powertap SL+ /Michelin Pro 4's @ 110 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        

Entire workout (122 watts):

Duration: 4:07:29 (4:30:02)

Work: 1804 kJ

TSS: 216 (intensity factor 0.724)

Norm Power: 159

VI: 1.28

Distance: 67.017 mi

Min Max Avg

Power: 0 481 125 watts

Cadence: 9 246 83 rpm

Speed: 0 34.4 17.6 mph

Pace 1:45 0:00 3:25 min/mi

Crank Torque: 0 968 136 lb-in

Temperature: 66.2 91.4 76.1 Fahrenheit

Fouche Gap Climb
Duration: 9:14
Work: 118 kJ
TSS: 15.2 (intensity factor 0.995)
Norm Power: 219
VI: 1.02
Distance: 1.049 mi
Grade: 7.4 % (409 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 68 391 214 watts
Cadence: 52 144 63 rpm
Speed: 5.4 12.2 6.8 mph
Pace 4:54 11:06 8:48 min/mi
Crank Torque: 73 524 291 lb-in
Temperature: 66.2 68 66.3 Fahrenheit

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Comet - Easy Spin

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17.4 mpg

Moving Time: 2:19:38

Total Time: 2:22:46 

Ride Total TSS: 110.6 (0.683 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Active recovery

Ride Description:                                                            

The best thing about today is seeing he sun while getting in a steady ride at the Comet.

There were a lot of momentum killers today like a big tree down across the path, the detours that will be there for a long time while the surrounding roads are being upgraded and the usual pedestrian traffic. Even though there were distractions and obstacles it was quite alright since my legs were fatigued from yesterday and I could have gone somewhere else if I needed to hammer without distractions.

Weather:                                                                          
 86 degree (F) Winds from the east (headwind on the return), Partly cloudy, drizzle rain once

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine
10 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Powerbar Gel Chews
Home | Chicken Salad

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, Powertap SL+, Michelin Pro 4's @ 110 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (137 watts):
Duration: 2:23:47 (2:26:41)
Work: 1181 kJ
TSS: 111.3 (intensity factor 0.683)
Norm Power: 150
VI: 1.1
Distance: 40.542 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 424 137 watts
Cadence: 8 239 79 rpm
Speed: 0 24.2 17.0 mph
Pace 2:29 0:00 3:32 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1428 154 lb-in
Temperature: 73.4 86 79.2 Fahrenheit
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Brewery Group Ride - The Switch

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance:  56.7 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 18 mph

Moving Time: 3:09:09

Total Time:  3:36:47

Ride Total TSS: 217.7 ( 0.803 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Group ride with Glenn, Neal, Mike, Craig and me 

Goal:                                                                                 

Group ride

Ride Description:                                                            

The day started out with me thinking I would be on my TT bike solo for my usual 80 mile course, but after trading some emails very early in the morning I saw that Mike wanted to join me at 7:30 and got my road bike loaded instead of the Felt B10. Driving in to the brewery parking I saw Mike rolling out with some guys. For a few seconds I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but I continued on with getting prepared for a solo ride. Mike came back with Glenn, Neal and Craig so it turned out to be a nice small group.

In the scramble to get ready and just about a mile out I looked down and noticed no bottles so I had to hammer back to the car while the guys continue to soft pedal forward toward the town of White. I was able to catch up, but really used up some energy in the process.

With Neal and Glenn about a week out from their Pikes Peak ride they were supposedly tapering. Between the pace held by Glenn and Craig for most of the ride it was certainly a task to keep up with them. All I can say is it is a good thing Glenn was in a "taper" and wasn't pushing hard.

It was a very pleasant change of my day going from what I thought would be a solo training ride on the TT bike to riding with these four guys. It has been many months since I've been in a ride with Neal, Glenn and Craig and it is always a joy to ride with Mike.

Good times spinning the cranks!
 

Weather:                                                                          
 Low 70 degree (F) at the start, wind 10 mph sustained at times, dark skies to partly cloudy.

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
15 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Hammer gel @ mile 20
1/2 Cliff Bar @ mile 30
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Powerbar Gel chews
Home | Beef burrito and turkey wrap with tomatoes, 16 oz skim milk

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, Powertap SL+, Michelin Pro 4's @ 110 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (139 watts):
Duration: 3:18:11 (3:36:48)
Work: 1656 kJ
TSS: 215.1 (intensity factor 0.808)
Norm Power: 178
VI: 1.28
Distance: 56.729 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 684 139 watts
Cadence: 7 246 87 rpm
Speed: 0 38.2 17.2 mph
Pace 1:34 0:00 3:29 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1510 146 lb-in
Temperature: 68 75.2 70.4 Fahrenheit
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Neal



Mike (post ride)



Neal and Mike



Neal and Mike at the store stop



Neal ready for Pikes Peak and Colorado Mountains next week



Craig



Glenn ready for Pikes Peak and Colorado Mountains next week

Comet - Last of the Rainy Ride Series?

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17 mph

Moving Time: 2:22:26

Total Time:  2:34:30

Ride Total TSS: 116.4 (0.697 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Keep a steady lower intensity pace if possible

Ride Description:                                                            

Another nasty start with everything very saturated following several days of rain. It was still raining when I was prepping for the ride, but starting to taper off. At the rest room I saw a triathlete that appeared to have just finished and he was showing the extents of his road rash. He must have laid his bike down since the road rash was all of his right arm and down his right leg and was bleeding pretty bad in some of the areas. Being that this was my third day on the path over the weekend I knew it was slick in some of the areas.

Going out on the first lap I really did not push it hard and stopped to help a guy by loaning him my mini tool to fix his bike and a few other distractions. On the way back I had some opportunities to pick up the pace a little.

This concludes my rainy holiday weekend attempt to get in some miles. Nothing big and no intense goals to meet. Just get out and put time on the saddle. Mission accomplished.

Weather:                                                                          
rain changing to partly cloudy skies later, very wet pavement

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine
15 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine
Cliff Bar @ mile 30
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Powerbar gel chews
Home | beef and pasta

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, Powertap SL+ , Michelin Pro 4's @ 110 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (138 watts):
Duration: 2:26:10 (2:34:31)
Work: 1210 kJ
TSS: 117.9 (intensity factor 0.697)
Norm Power: 153
VI: 1.11
Distance: 40.346 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 493 138 watts
Cadence: 10 201 77 rpm
Speed: 0 24.4 16.7 mph
Pace 2:28 0:00 3:36 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 990 157 lb-in
Temperature: 73.4 80.6 76.3 Fahrenheit
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Comet - Wet Easy Spin

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 16.7 mph

Moving Time: 2:25:37

Total Time:  2:30:10

Ride Total TSS: 110.5 (0.672 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Keep adding to the weekly TSS but not with a high IF

Ride Description:                                                            

Nothing but rain the last consecutive days with more to come. My goal today was just get out and add some miles, but with the conditions and surprisingly the amount of people on the Comet my intensity was lower. But no matter I got in my time and miles for the day.

Weather:                                                                          
 drizzle and very high humidity

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Powerbar gel bites
Home | homemade pizza with chicken

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, Powertap SL+  

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (134 watts):
Duration: 2:28:25 (2:37:13)
Work: 1189 kJ
TSS: 111.3 (intensity factor 0.671)
Norm Power: 148
VI: 1.1
Distance: 40.476 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 413 134 watts
Cadence: 8 218 79 rpm
Speed: 0 23.2 16.4 mph
Pace 2:35 0:00 3:39 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1774 150 lb-in
Temperature: 66.2 71.6 68.9 Fahrenheit
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Rainy 4th of July Solo Ride

Pictures:                                                                           

 

Route and Ride Data Links:                                           
Garmin - Ride Data
Stava    - Ride Data

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 41.3 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17.6  mph

Moving Time: 2:20:54

Total Time:  2:28:52

Ride Total TSS: 123.6 ( 0.7 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Just ride

Ride Description:                                                            

This has been the wettest summer that I can remember since living in the Atlanta area and today's ride was in the rain from start to finish even though it is hard to see the rain coming down in the pictures above.

Sitting at home this morning and contemplating training inside again or going I thought why not just get wet since no lightning was predicted. My intensity levels were not as high riding in the rain. It was a balance between staying at a safe speed and not hitting a slick patch of mud on the path and keeping some speed. The good thing about picking the Comet was not having to worry about cars and there were just a couple of other cyclists on the path.

Not much else to say, but I am glad I went.

Weather:                                                                          
 

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 20 gram protein drink
Home | Turkey wrap with spinach leaves

Bike:                                                                                  

Cannondale six13 (the rain bike), Garmin 800, Powertap SL+ 

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (138 watts):
Duration: 2:28:52
Work: 1232 kJ
TSS: 123.9 (intensity factor 0.708)
Norm Power: 156
VI: 1.13
Distance: 41.342 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 622 138 watts
Cadence: 8 212 78 rpm
Speed: 0 26.7 16.7 mph
Pace 2:15 0:00 3:36 min/mi
Altitude: 951 1117 1015 ft
Crank Torque: 0 1228 156 lb-in
Temperature: 71.6 73.4 72.4 Fahrenheit

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