My new thing to hold myself accountable will be to write my planned workouts and then post what I actually did at end of week. I am using the training peaks annual training plan as well as using the Cyclists Training Bible for reference material.
This week I am planned for 6:30. It is the base week, week 4. Perfect week to get back into after surgery.
I also hope to post any midweek musings as I go. My biggest issue is remembering to post more often.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
My bikes
The Giant is my new carbon princess. Her name is Aria. It is a thing of beauty. Handmade in Taiwan. It is the TCR Advanced SL4, comes with the Ultegra gruppo. The ride was a major upgrade to my old bike. The size is a small ~52. Bike is much smaller than the Allez and weighs a nudge below 16lbs. I am staying with the Giant PSL-0 for now as wheels. If I can get the wife to agree I will upgrade to Zipp 303.
My first road bike is the Specialized Allez Elite. Her name is Belle It came with the carbon fork and I made some upgrades to it. Got a Ritchey 90mm stem for fit issues. The size is a 54 and was way too big and I learned that lesson when I bought the Giant. The Allez weighs 20 lbs. Belle had upgraded wheels. Bontrager Race X Lite. A major upgrade to the Mavic CXP-22 I was running.
Some similarities are the color scheme. Black with red undertones. Belle has a bit more red to give some extra flair. I liked the Giant with a blacked out look. The rear wheel is a trainer tyre on the Giant.
Belle will now be used as my winter/rain bike. Aria is my Spring-Fall bike and will not see a crit.
With these two steeds I hope to stick with the groups I ride with from here on out. My goals for the 2013 race season are to stick with the main peloton until the finish. Not looking for top 5s as of yet need sticking around power.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Lance
A lot is being written about Lance Armstrong. As USADA confirmed that he is a doper and stripped all his titles. It is tough for me to feel bad for the man anymore. He was one of my heroes. I was a Lance guy until the end. I should have known what was coming down the pike. I kept hoping that his great exploits would be doping free. The climbs up Ventoux, Huez, the dominating time trials, and the parades down the Champs Elysees with the American flag.
We can all say well everyone else did it! Does that make it right? No. No one should have been doping. The UCI could have done more, the athletes could have done more, the fans could have demanded more. Instead everyone went all in on this farce of an era. There were only a few voices going against the grain. We cannot understand the decisions that all of these men made to dope. If I had that money dangled in front of me and all I needed to do was blood dope to be rich and famous, who know what I would have done. Maybe I would have turned it down or not.
All we can hope is that the peloton is clean and that the new cyclists do not need to make those horrible decisions. Of course there will always be idiots. How can there not be, the only hope is that the non dopers outweigh the dopers. We need to question more as well. We all think Wiggins was clean but how does he dominate from the Volta ao Algarve all the way into The Tour de France and into the Olympics. He had no valley just peaks throughout the season. Am I skeptical? Yes I am, sadly. I hope in a few years that it goes away but for now I will not get excited over these Champions.
Alas, the other shoe dropped and we knew it was all a farce. No one should feel bad for him anymore. He refuses to apologize to anyone for his wrongdoings. He should have confessed when he had the chance. Now there are news reports that he wants to confess. Too little, too late. That also must be a mirage. He has too much too lose to admit to doping. What would be the point this late in the game?
Give credit where credit is due, what he did with Livestrong to give cancer patients hope is a great thing and gave cancer survivors a sense of community. That we cannot take away. What we can take away is how much of the money that is funneled to Livestrong is taken away for administrative costs. How much was used to finance Lance's lavish lifestyle?
What I can do is continue to ride my bike. Love to ride my bike. Enjoy the community of cycling that I am a part of. I have made great friends that I never thought I would. I love this new world and want to continue to grow in this world.
We can all say well everyone else did it! Does that make it right? No. No one should have been doping. The UCI could have done more, the athletes could have done more, the fans could have demanded more. Instead everyone went all in on this farce of an era. There were only a few voices going against the grain. We cannot understand the decisions that all of these men made to dope. If I had that money dangled in front of me and all I needed to do was blood dope to be rich and famous, who know what I would have done. Maybe I would have turned it down or not.
All we can hope is that the peloton is clean and that the new cyclists do not need to make those horrible decisions. Of course there will always be idiots. How can there not be, the only hope is that the non dopers outweigh the dopers. We need to question more as well. We all think Wiggins was clean but how does he dominate from the Volta ao Algarve all the way into The Tour de France and into the Olympics. He had no valley just peaks throughout the season. Am I skeptical? Yes I am, sadly. I hope in a few years that it goes away but for now I will not get excited over these Champions.
Alas, the other shoe dropped and we knew it was all a farce. No one should feel bad for him anymore. He refuses to apologize to anyone for his wrongdoings. He should have confessed when he had the chance. Now there are news reports that he wants to confess. Too little, too late. That also must be a mirage. He has too much too lose to admit to doping. What would be the point this late in the game?
Give credit where credit is due, what he did with Livestrong to give cancer patients hope is a great thing and gave cancer survivors a sense of community. That we cannot take away. What we can take away is how much of the money that is funneled to Livestrong is taken away for administrative costs. How much was used to finance Lance's lavish lifestyle?
What I can do is continue to ride my bike. Love to ride my bike. Enjoy the community of cycling that I am a part of. I have made great friends that I never thought I would. I love this new world and want to continue to grow in this world.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Recovering
As I sit at home bored. I have been going back and forth bewtween multiple cycling sites.
Here are a few that I enjoy the most:
www.inrng.com
www.velominati.com
www.velonation.com
www.redkiteprayer.com
There are a few others that I peruse but those are my go to spots for original content. Velonation is mostly news and its good to get random cycling news throughout the day. I have been doing other things but I have been obsessed with cycling and cannot wait to get back onto the bike.
Just got in new bottle cages. They are pretty amazing. Carbon ones of course! They are Arundel side-loader/other side-loader combo.
I will have to post a picture of both my bikes! Just realized I do not have that up here! I will indulge you with my two beauties. My first road bike is named Belle. My new bike is named Aria (Casino in Vegas). Both have personal meanings to the names.
I am hoping to be on the trainer tomorrow for a light spin. Nothing fast or crazy. Just starting to spin up. I am able to walk much easier now. Still pain as I walk around but not nearly as much as I had when I started. Lifting is still a pain. I drove to the Supermarket today, felt awkward on that drive. This all takes time unfortunately and I just want to be on my bike!
Here are a few that I enjoy the most:
www.inrng.com
www.velominati.com
www.velonation.com
www.redkiteprayer.com
There are a few others that I peruse but those are my go to spots for original content. Velonation is mostly news and its good to get random cycling news throughout the day. I have been doing other things but I have been obsessed with cycling and cannot wait to get back onto the bike.
Just got in new bottle cages. They are pretty amazing. Carbon ones of course! They are Arundel side-loader/other side-loader combo.
I will have to post a picture of both my bikes! Just realized I do not have that up here! I will indulge you with my two beauties. My first road bike is named Belle. My new bike is named Aria (Casino in Vegas). Both have personal meanings to the names.
I am hoping to be on the trainer tomorrow for a light spin. Nothing fast or crazy. Just starting to spin up. I am able to walk much easier now. Still pain as I walk around but not nearly as much as I had when I started. Lifting is still a pain. I drove to the Supermarket today, felt awkward on that drive. This all takes time unfortunately and I just want to be on my bike!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Surgery
Well, I was hoping to start new year off strong. Trainer time with plenty of base rides. Last year I did too many long rides and no intensity. So throughout November and December I did pretty much easy rides with friends to not burn myself out. Then kick on the hard rides starting in January. I did 2-3 strength workouts in the gym a week throughout those two months.
That all got ruined when I was diagnosed with acute appendicitis on January 2 and got my appendix pulled that same day. Today is my first full day home and the pain is almost unbearable. It is tough to get up, using my core muscles are tough! Good thing I worked those out during off season! I hope to be back on bike light riding indoors next week. My next appointment is 1-17 and then I return to work shortly after that. Here's hoping this does not ruin my build up to Tour of the Dragons May 4-5. As I fill in my race calendar and vacations I'll add them in here. Still want to post weekly workout numbers on here.
My buddies Andy, Jay are also looking to do an Olympic distance relay. I would do the bike leg and hope to not be weak link. We did one last year, a sprint distance and came in second. Deeply disappointing result.
I will also be taking on applying to business schools for my MBA to start in fall/winter and get that over with in off season.
2012 was a great year for cycling. I rode plenty, enjoyed new cycling sites. I got married to the love of my life. 2013 starting off rough but I am optimistic!
Until next time. I'll write some goals for 2013 and get those up here!
That all got ruined when I was diagnosed with acute appendicitis on January 2 and got my appendix pulled that same day. Today is my first full day home and the pain is almost unbearable. It is tough to get up, using my core muscles are tough! Good thing I worked those out during off season! I hope to be back on bike light riding indoors next week. My next appointment is 1-17 and then I return to work shortly after that. Here's hoping this does not ruin my build up to Tour of the Dragons May 4-5. As I fill in my race calendar and vacations I'll add them in here. Still want to post weekly workout numbers on here.
My buddies Andy, Jay are also looking to do an Olympic distance relay. I would do the bike leg and hope to not be weak link. We did one last year, a sprint distance and came in second. Deeply disappointing result.
I will also be taking on applying to business schools for my MBA to start in fall/winter and get that over with in off season.
2012 was a great year for cycling. I rode plenty, enjoyed new cycling sites. I got married to the love of my life. 2013 starting off rough but I am optimistic!
Until next time. I'll write some goals for 2013 and get those up here!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Good riding
So far this winter we have been lucky in Massachusetts. Snowed only once and temps have been decent. My base is going to consist of longish rides with a a few of my riding partners to keep motivated along with trainer rides utilizing The Sufferfest and Spinervals DVDs. I have also been upping my time at the gym to increase my core strength, arms and back. Need to stay strong now so I can back off on weights throughout the main part of season.
My long rides have consisted of riding from my house to Norwell High School and doing a loop with the South Shore Bikers and then riding home; about 50 miles.
I also ride with a teammate Rick Russell who I meet in Needham and we go anywhere from 25-50 milers. Good to keep us both motivated.
My weight increased slightly to 157 lbs but I expected that. After Christmas I will be working to get down to 145.
I am also applying to get my MBA. Want to get that over with ASAP so I can stay strong with cycling. Try and do classes during fall, winter and spring and leave summer open for cycling.
Until next time!
My long rides have consisted of riding from my house to Norwell High School and doing a loop with the South Shore Bikers and then riding home; about 50 miles.
I also ride with a teammate Rick Russell who I meet in Needham and we go anywhere from 25-50 milers. Good to keep us both motivated.
My weight increased slightly to 157 lbs but I expected that. After Christmas I will be working to get down to 145.
I am also applying to get my MBA. Want to get that over with ASAP so I can stay strong with cycling. Try and do classes during fall, winter and spring and leave summer open for cycling.
Until next time!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Base Season
Now it is the start of my base season. Here is where I need to keep most of my strength I gained last season and keep a strong base so that I can be strong in Spring. Hoping to average 8+ hours a week.
Yard work pretty much done for the season. Just one more round of collecting leaves and I am done with major obligations and can focus on cycling.
Some bad news, one of our current members of our team had a major accident. Many fractures and broken bones. Saddens me deeply. I wish him a fast recovery and hope to ride with him in the spring.
My new bike arrived and I have about 300 miles on it. Feels great. Tweaking my fit on it with my cousin. Had some major right knee pain at first now it seems to be going away. Hoping it stays that way and I can keep on my training regimen.
Until next time!
Yard work pretty much done for the season. Just one more round of collecting leaves and I am done with major obligations and can focus on cycling.
Some bad news, one of our current members of our team had a major accident. Many fractures and broken bones. Saddens me deeply. I wish him a fast recovery and hope to ride with him in the spring.
My new bike arrived and I have about 300 miles on it. Feels great. Tweaking my fit on it with my cousin. Had some major right knee pain at first now it seems to be going away. Hoping it stays that way and I can keep on my training regimen.
Until next time!
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