Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Donut hole

That's the amount of training I've done this week..nada, zero.

On top of that, I've gone out drinking and gorging on grub both Monday and Tuesday. I'll chalk it up as the winter weight to get me through December through February...hey if bears do it, why not us? Plus it makes me feel all warm and soft in the middle.

The treadmill here at work is calling my name...30 minutes of suffering here I come.

This brings up the question of training in general though. Someone like myself spends at most 100 to 200 miles on the bike a week (100 or so on the weekends plus two or three 30ish mile days during the week if I'm lucky)...so why not take advantage and go hard all the time? Is getting 100 base miles a week in really getting yourself ready for the upcoming season? Or is it just wasting time?

I read about guys putting in 300 to 400+ miles a week and I can get how you wouldn't want to hammer every mile of it. Are those the guys snickering in the pack on group rides about "...it's only November and you're going how hard?" or "..it's a long season, don't peak too early...".

Someone out there that's smarter than me should post or write about this. I think us "part-timers" need validation on our training (or lack there-of) techniques.

Cheers...

6 comments:

RayMan AKA StingRay said...

Jesse, I just found your blog. Didn't realize you had one. Always cool to read about the "off-season" training methods of your fellow racers.

Good to see you on the BP Sunday Shop ride the other week.

Hope to see you this weekend on the road. Or, maybe I should start coming down to Haines Pt on a more routine basis. I've been pretty much riding everyday with Randy Thrasher and his gang.

RyaMan

Jesse said...

Was good riding with you too brother. Haines Pt is a blast but lately I've been a little soft on getting down there.

Where does Randy's 'Gang' ride? Is this post/pre work or lunch?

RayMan AKA StingRay said...

Comments about winter training.
I'm riding about 250-275 miles a week right now. About 25 miles a day and about 75 miles on Sat and Sunday.

I'm trying to go hard on Wed, Sat and Sun. Really easy on Mon and Fri in order to recover. Although, lately I've not been riding at all on Monday and doing really heavy leg workouts in the gym. The problem with this is that my legs are trashed Tuesday and still pretty sore for the Wed Hill Rd, when we do MntGate, Anglers, GFPark, Brickyard, Eggert Goldsboro.

Unfortunately, because of the guys I ride with during the week, there are no real easy days. There is always someone in the group that pushes the pace and makes everyone ride harder.

I truly believe the only way to do a recovery ride, like in Zone 1 or 2 is to do it solo.

RayMan AKA StingRay said...

Randy's ride leaves at 12:30 at the corner of Bradley Blvd and Goldsboro. The usually riders are Randy Thrasher and Paul Mittelstadt (DC Velo), Jay Ulfelder, Ad Bax (from Artemis) and Nick Bax (from the above category team). Harry Fang (Bicycle Place). James Wagner (unattached) usually comes out for the Hill Ride). Sometimes Adrian and Shawn Fenty come out with the mayor's police escort.

There are two routes: Normal and Hill

Normal route is N on Bradly, R onto Kentsdale, L onto Newbridge, R onto River, L onto Persimmon, R onto Oaklyn, L onto Falls, L down Angler along MacArthur, L up Goldsboro to Bradley. About 25 miles and takes about a hour.

Hill Ride include MntGate, Anglers, GF Park, Brickyard, Eggert and Goldsboro. Bring you snot rag cuz you'll need it. Super hard rider. My lungs are still burning from today's ride.

Bryan Vaughan said...

Jesse, welcome to blogland. We have the same "affliction" for wanting to ride hard and at the front. I decided to just run with it and enjoy it - both during the season and since then in traning. I'm riding a lot (320 miles a week) and hammering climbs and sprints on group rides; with long endurance rides during the week. It's going really well so far. I'm no coach and we have been exchanging opinions on this for months via blog, but I wanted to drop a lot of weight quickly, and second, I just can't keep myself low and slow all winter. So I'll have to see where it all ends up. Congrats on a good season btw. It was good to see you out on BP ride a couple of weeks ago. See you out on the road.

Bryan

Jesse said...

Ray..thanks for the info on the Hill ride. I've always wondered where it went. I may have to come out and join you guys one of these days...although it sounds like a brutal group.

Bryan..thanks bro. I followed your blog all last year and so far it sounds like your going to have a beast of a season in '08. Plus the mileage your putting in this winter is the stuff dreams are made of.

See you guys this weekend hopefully.