Comet - 2 x 60

 

The screenshot is from the new Strava layout. This is a view of my typical Sunday place, which is a Rails to Trails MUP (Multi Use Path) called the Silver Comet to those not familiar to the Atlanta area. It is actually one of the worst places for an upper level cyclist (I am a recreational level cyclist and not even at a Cat 5 level) to train and perhaps one of the most dangerous as well. I think I have seen more crashes on the Comet than any other place around the Atlanta metro area. The reason being is the amount of people that walk, run, rollerblade, walk dogs, teach their kids how to bike, etc. and all of this creates a somewhat unpredictable place for a cyclist to be traveling at speeds over 20 mph.

On this particular day there was a little less activity on the path so I was able to pick up the speed a bit more, but there are still quite a few road crossings that demand a stop. You can see the amount of stops that I had to make in the graphs above with the dip. Each dip in data reflects a stop and then an attempt to get right back up to speed. There are not too many places that I know around the metro area that will not have long stretches of uninterrupted pavement and traffics stops are just part of the normal. My route at the brewery north of Atlanta has a couple of long stretches that allow for up to 20 minutes of sustained effort.

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40.6 miles

Avg. Moving Speed:  19.3 mph

Moving Time: 2:06:01

Total Time: 2:08:09 

Ride Total TSS: 130.7 (0.788 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Increase the intensity a little

Ride Description:                                                            

I just keep missing the mark and without making excuses I know I could have 20 miles in 60 minutes if it were not the multitude of traffic stops and navigating around foot traffic. Oh well it was a good day out on the bike with nice weather.

Lap 1: Time 62 minutes, Distance 20 miles, Avg Speed 19.4 mph, IF 0.83
Lap 2: Time 63 minutes, Distance 20 miles, Avg Speed 19.3 mph, IF 0.74

Weather:                                                                          
cloudy, low 60's (F), slight headwind going out and slight tailwind coming back

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 Chews
Home | Chicken Parmesan, skim milk, veggies

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 98 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (164 watts):
Duration: 2:07:42 (2:08:13)
Work: 1254 kJ
TSS: 131.7 (intensity factor 0.788)
Norm Power: 173
VI: 1.06
Distance: 40.612 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 497 164 watts
Cadence: 5 101 79 rpm
Speed: 0 26.2 19.2 mph
Pace 2:17 0:00 3:08 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1605 179 lb-in
Temperature: 57.2 64.4 59.7 Fahrenheit

Total Ride Minutes:             126.52
Total Ride TSS:                 130.85
Summary Table
  Level   Minutes       TSS
      1      0.10            0.00
      2     11.72           9.21
      3    114.70      121.63
      4      0.00            0.00
      5      0.00            0.00
      6      0.00            0.00
      7      0.00            0.00

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Brewery to Cagle

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 71 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17 mph

Moving Time: 4:10:59

Total Time: 4:27:32 

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Steady pace

Ride Description:                                                            

Chilly start and just a couple others at the brewery when I started. Not much to say other than it was a bit hard to get up to speed with it being that cold at the start. Later some guys from DePaula Bike caught up with me. I stayed near them for a little while until they eventually pulled away.

It is always frustrating when the power meter battery dies during a ride, but as a friend says the ride is more importantly recorded in the legs. 

Weather:                                                                          
 29 (F) start, 50 end, calm air to breezy on the return, sunny

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Cliff Bar @ mile 35
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink
Home | Turkey wrap, skim milk

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 98 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Quarq battery died at the 2:30 mark

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Comet Endurance Pace 2x60

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 19.3 mph

Moving Time: 2:06:20

Total Time: 2:12:21 

Ride Total TSS: 137.5 (0.8 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Steady pace as best possible with regards to traffic stops and obstacles

Ride Description:                                                            

Kind of an interesting day and though I believe I had it in me to set some new PB's there were just to many times I had to slow down for safety's sake with a few longer traffic stops and navigating around slower people. As I got further out where there are less people I found myself pushing almost like going for the FTP test and then that made me push a little harder just to see. I checked WKO+ and had a solid L4 for 30 minutes and I had some good volume of time sustained in L3. Considering how my legs felt after yesterday's group ride I was really happy how the legs were willing to put up with me pushing them. My legs were screaming in discomfort in that 30 minutes of L4 and that is why it felt like an authentic FTP test, but still not worthy of a true test.

After being in a slump for a few months the ride today was encouraging.

Not counting warm up and cool down time and miles
Lap 1: Time 64 minutes, Distance 20 miles, Avg Speed 19 mph, IF 0.84
Lap 2: Time 62 minutes, Distance 20 miles, Avg Speed 19.3 mph, IF 0.76

Weather:                                                                          
Sunny, Mid 60's (F), calm air

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, PowerBar Gel Chews
Home | Not sure what's for dinner :-)

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 98 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (165 watts):
Duration: 2:08:38 (2:12:24)
Work: 1274 kJ
TSS: 138.4 (intensity factor 0.805)
Norm Power: 177
VI: 1.07
Distance: 40.55 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 458 165 watts
Cadence: 6 98 77 rpm
Speed: 0 26.9 19.0 mph
Pace 2:14 0:00 3:10 min/mi
Altitude: 878 1119 1018 ft
Crank Torque: 0 1704 189 lb-in
Temperature: 60.8 75.2 62.9 Fahrenheit
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DPR 61 - Group Ride

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance:  61 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 16.8  mph

Moving Time: 3:39:49

Total Time: 4:17:28 

Ride Total TSS: 218.4 (0.752 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Gary, Mike, Nancy and Me 

Goal:                                                                                 

Group ride

Ride Description:                                                            

What a pleasure to see Nancy and get to ride with her, Gary and Mike today. Plus I got to see Diane, Jamie, Bill, Gloria, Derek and some other cycling friends out on the road doing their own group ride.

This route has a lot of hills so we did not have too many opportunities for a long steady pace except on Wayside Road and maybe a couple of other times. I usually do not like routes with rolling hills, but this particular routes is one my favorites.

Weather:                                                                          
 Cloudy, humid, random rain drops, 53(F) start, 59(F) finish, calm air 

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
24 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Cliff Bar @ mile 25
Hammer gel @ mile 48
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, PowerBar Gel Chews
Home | 2 lean hamburger patties in flour wraps, cheese and skim milk

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, Powertap G3

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (119 watts):
Duration: 3:46:09 (4:17:32)
Work: 1613 kJ
TSS: 216 (intensity factor 0.759)
Norm Power: 167
VI: 1.4
Distance: 60.982 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 619 119 watts
Cadence: 1 207 69 rpm
Speed: 0 33.9 16.3 mph
Pace 1:46 0:00 3:42 min/mi
Altitude: 673 990 813 ft
Crank Torque: 0 1752 148 lb-in
Temperature: 53.6 59 56.5 Fahrenheit
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Comet - Not So Easy Spin

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17.5 mph

Moving Time: 2:19:12

Total Time:  2:26:08

Ride Total TSS: 121 (0.719 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Spin the cranks

Ride Description:                                                            

Beautiful day to be out on the bike and perhaps the only reason for me to be out on the bike. My legs felt cooked last night after the 82 mile ride yesterday and the first low watt revolutions of the crank today was discomforting enough to remind me. But it was just way to nice to sit indoors and let this Sunday pass by looking out the window. Besides I need for my legs to understand that as time passes I am going to increase the load either by volume, intensity or both.

Wouldn't ya know that on the day my legs are fried a guy messes with me on the way out. Well messes with me probably is not true. I am not exactly sure what he was doing all dressed up in his Livestrong kit. I was in a mix of two other guys that seemed to be riding a bit more reasonable, but the guy in the Livestrong kit I don't think was with those two. About three times he sprinted around the three of us and then blew up right in front of me. So I would come around holding my same steady pace and the two guys in my draft and there come Livestrong guy again just to blow up in front of me again. This went on a couple more times, but eventually I did not see him again. The other two guys went on with a pace that I could not hold with my legs being so sore. I would have dug a deep recovery hole if I had tried to keep their pace.

On the way back my legs actually felt a little better, but I was well under my usual performance even for my typical Sunday easy spin. Even when it should have felt like an easy spin my legs were aching. Glad I got to go and enjoy this great day regardless of how I fatigued I felt. In my normal condition I could easily pulled away from that guy, but today I was like a wounded gazelle in the eyes of the lions. :-)
 

Weather:                                                                          
 Awesome!

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine
24 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink
Home | Beef and veggies

Bike:                                                                                  

LOOK 585,  Garmin 800, PowerTap G3, HED Belgium/Conti 4000s @ 98 psi 

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (145 watts):
Duration: 2:22:11 (2:26:11)
Work: 1237 kJ
TSS: 121.9 (intensity factor 0.719)
Norm Power: 158
VI: 1.09
Distance: 40.702 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 539 145 watts
Cadence: 1 166 74 rpm
Speed: 0 25.8 17.2 mph
Pace 2:19 0:00 3:29 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1739 169 lb-in
Temperature: 69.8 78.8 73.6 Fahrenheit
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Brewery to 411 - Endurance Day

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance:  82.3 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 18 mph

Moving Time: 4:33:30

Total Time: 4:42:10 

Ride Total TSS: 234.4 (0.717 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Endurance Ride - mainly in the .7 to .8 IF range

Ride Description:                                                            

Nice day to be out on the bike. Very enjoyable ride. I've had better performance days, but I am still very pleased with how things went this week and today. I hope to be back out tomorrow afternoon for another round.

Not counting warm up and cool down time and miles
Lap 1: Time 60 minutes, Distance 18.2 miles, Avg Speed 19.2 mph, IF 0.77
Lap 2: Time 60 minutes, Distance 18.2 miles, Avg Speed 18.2 mph, IF 0.75
Lap 3: Time 60 minutes, Distance 18.2 miles, Avg Speed 18.2 mph, IF 0.67
Lap 4: Time 60 minutes, Distance 17.2 miles, Avg Speed 17.2 mph, IF 0.75
Lap 5: Time 29 minutes, Distance   8.6 miles, Avg Speed 17.5 mph, IF 0.61

Weather:                                                                          
53 (F) start,  77(F) finish, sunny, heavy fog in some spots, slight breeze later

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
24 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Cliff Bar @ mile 40
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Powerbar Gel Chews
Home | grilled chicken breast on a wrap

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 98 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (142 watts):
Duration: 4:35:44 (4:42:12)
Work: 2348 kJ
TSS: 236.1 (intensity factor 0.717)
Norm Power: 158
VI: 1.11
Distance: 82.331 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 457 142 watts
Cadence: 5 112 78 rpm
Speed: 0 39 18.0 mph
Pace 1:32 0:00 3:20 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1321 155 lb-in
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Comet Sunday Spin

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance: 40 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 18.8 mph

Moving Time: 2:09:20

Total Time: 2:10:51 

Ride Total TSS: 120.6 (0.746 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Steady pace if possible

Ride Description:                                                            

Not a bad day consider the TSS racked up yesterday in the long ride. I am pretty happy with today's effort.

Lap 1: Time 65 minutes, Distance 20.2 miles, Avg Speed 18.6 mph, IF 0.77
Lap 2: Time 62 minutes, Distance 19.8 miles, Avg Speed 19.0 mph, IF 0.71
 

Weather:                                                                          
Partly cloudy, breezy 81 (F)

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
24 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink, Powerbar gel chews
Home | beef and bean casserole

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 95 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (153 watts):
Duration: 2:11:00 (2:15:55)
Work: 1199 kJ
TSS: 121.1 (intensity factor 0.746)
Norm Power: 164
VI: 1.08
Distance: 40.547 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 538 153 watts
Cadence: 7 121 78 rpm
Speed: 0 26.8 18.6 mph
Pace 2:14 0:00 3:13 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1677 171 lb-in
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Brewery to Cagle - Endurance Day

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

Overall Ride Metrics:                                                       

Distance:  84.67 miles

Avg. Moving Speed: 17.2 mph

Moving Time: 4:54:50

Total Time: 5:06:05 

Ride Total TSS: 228.9 (0.681 IF)

Group or Solo:                                                                  

Solo

Goal:                                                                                 

Steady endurance pace and intensity

Ride Description:                                                            

Beautiful day for a tough ride and being that the weather was nice it kind of offsets the rest of it. This past week I failed to hit target intensities in every session. Based on a few things like a swollen gland under my left arm I believe my body is fighting off an infection. My body also seemed to dump a huge amount of fluid through the night and continued dumping fluid up to the start of the ride. Starting off a five hour ride already dehydrated is not a cool thing, but I made it through to the end and that is the good thing.

Tracking each 60 minute mark I was certainly fading fast and the last 60 minutes I was struggling in some ways, but lying beneath this trouble is the endurance that has been built up that pulled through despite whatever is going on inside me. I rarely finish off three full bottles for these endurance rides and sometimes never even get to the third bottle, but today every drop from the three were gone by the last mile.

I have to say though it is a pretty cool feeling to have a rough week and a tough day in cycling and still enjoy it very much at the same time. Love Cycling......Love it!!

Even love the headwind hitting me on those last miles just to add a little more salt to the wound.....love that too.

Lap 1: Time 60 minutes, Distance 18.3 miles, Avg Speed 18.3 mph, IF 0.70
Lap 2: Time 60 minutes, Distance 18.7 miles, Avg Speed 18.7 mph, IF 0.72
Lap 3: Time 60 minutes, Distance 17.4 miles, Avg Speed 17.4 mph, IF 0.67
Lap 4: Time 61 minutes, Distance 16.8 miles, Avg Speed 16.4 mph, IF 0.65
Lap 5: Time 54 minutes, Distance 13.4 miles, Avg Speed 15.0 mph, IF 0.63
 

Weather:                                                                          
Sunny, 68(F) start, 87(F) finish, headwind on the return 

Nutrition Intake During and after the Course:             

24 oz from Bottle #1 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
24 oz from Bottle #2 water, BCAA, Glutamine, maltodextrin
24 oz from Bottle #3 water
Hammer gel @ mile 20
Cliff Bar @ mile 40
Post Ride | 30 gram protein drink
Home | Chicken wrap

Bike:                                                                                  

Felt B10, Garmin 800, Quarq, Flo 60's/Michelin Pro 4's @ 95 psi

Overall Power Data:                                                        
Entire workout (133 watts):
Duration: 4:58:15 (5:06:13)
Work: 2379 kJ
TSS: 230.4 (intensity factor 0.681)
Norm Power: 150
VI: 1.13
Distance: 84.669 mi
Elevation Gain: 2265 ft
Elevation Loss: 2260 ft
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 450 133 watts
Cadence: 5 103 79 rpm
Speed: 0 35.4 17.1 mph
Pace 1:42 0:00 3:30 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 1474 145 lb-in
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