Ohhhh-this guys Da Man!!

Amgen Tour Prologue, picture from Velo News
Why wouldnt I be gaga over a Time Trial superstar!! Way to go Fabian!! Now, why isnt he using a Sub 9 rear disc? Looks like last years 999 combo. Now also what front tire is he running? Looks like a Vittoria, but is it s stock or a CSC only tire? And look at that aero bar from 3T!! Its whicked fast in the windtunnel and you can see why.

Does anyone want to loan me a few grand?? I need some new things for me TT bike!! hahaha!!

Ray

define out of shape

I finally got outside on my bike today. What a great feeling it was too with mid 20's, sunshine the whole ride and I nailed the clothing perfectly. I have realized theres just no warming up the right fingers-it has almost nothing to do with gloves. Must be a 40 something thing. $7 polypro glove liners helped though.

So there I am riding (a bit hungover too on rich handmade and Belgian brews like Saint Bernadus #6 and #12) and trying to asses my knee and my fitness. My legs burn while my cardio feels unworked. I can easily believe I am this out of shape, even though two weeks ago I was doing some XC Skiing and feeling really strong.

As I burn off the ill effects of a night of drinking and a low grade hangover I also start to feel how different the changes in fit I am experimenting with are. I honestly feel like I am spinning better circles and though I feel weak in power I also feel like I can push into the threshold power band easier. Its hard to describe, but it feels good and right, kind of.

I would say I am really behind the other serious racers I will compete against and its hard to not be self critical and a bit freaked out. Racing starts in a few weeks, but my seasons 10 months long. Its really not going to matter come July and August what I did now unless I were to freak out and burn myself playing catch-up. Of course Sean wouldn't let that happen so no worries there.

I have also invested 7 to 10 hours a week, waking up at 6am every day for months doing off the bike exercises. I am stabilizing the core, working hip flexors, etc. and trying to make sure I recruit all the right muscles in the right ways. I have always thought I am pretty in tune with my body so with this recent knee bang-up I am really amazed at how much stability you lose and how your whole body compensates for any injury. I had to pedal a bit differently today and be very conscious of how I ankled with my left foot or I would get a shooting pain from my knee. So its not 100% so I am putting off any hard efforts a few more days.

As I went past the 1.5 hour mark I could feel the beers effects fading away as I drank my electrolyte drink and ate a Cliff bar. I didnt want to push too hard and I didnt have my Power Tap on this bike, but I know when I am hitting 300, 350 watts so thats what I held up the rollers or climbs. I wasnt trying to go hard, but more to push into that envelope a bit and see how it felt. With the new position my pedal stroke felt really good, smooth. Maybe its partly from riding rollers and some form transferring over from riding a fixie. I dont know, but theres a tough thing going on here thats hard to come to grips with.

While I feel like weve made positive gains everywhere this winter, I felt dog slow out there today. Its always tough when you ride and dont feel strong. Or at least stronger then what the roads and wind dish out. Like every false flat was a bit too hard and every climb was a few degrees steeper. But on the flip side though I felt slow, I felt smoother, more efficient. Maybe thats just a byproduct of not going hard (nor having the fitness to go hard) or maybe some cool stuff has happened to me biomechanically. But when you make changes in fit, at least I am a little scared if I should have messed with it at all.

So I dont know, am I just out of shape or have a I built a strong foundation to work from? So starting from scratch (if not a month behind) will actually build me up stronger? For sure the knees not ready for anything more then what I am asking of it. I can definitely feel how unstable the knee is when I ride out of the saddle or don't pedal smoothly. It lets me know in no uncertain terms!!

So again, whats out of shape? For me right now I would say its being that few percent off and not being ready physically to start pushing hard. Mentally I am dialed, poised for take-off, eye of the tiger and all that stuff. Well, its a good excuse to get in those base miles, even if everyone else (at least in my mind) is pounding out intervals already. Or maybe it was just too much beer!! Wouldnt that be funny.

This really bites!

Why oh why am I such an idiot? Why did I have to push so hard in PA, like when you push hard in cyclocross and start to make mistakes because your so tired. Muscles not firing correctly, balance off, arms too tired to correct, mind mushy form the effort. Same deal when descending in PA last weekend. Old news , I know and I am not whining about it really. Its just theres all this snow outside and I cant ski!!!

I can pretty much guarantee that the day my knee feels healed I wont have time to ski, but the very next day it will be 50 degrees and all the snow will melt!!

ARRRRRGGHHHH!!!

Better rollers.

Home made!! anyone have a resistance unit they are not using? WOuld be fun to do if youve got some cheap rollers. I dont think I want to hack on my Kreitlers just yet.I also just read on WW a guy who bought the Inside Ride rollers and after 26 years he was finally able to stand up on rollers. I did it in a week or two...hahaha!!

Going Nuts!!

First the great big news today. My beautiful daughter (beautiful in every way) turns 6 today!!! Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you!!! Wheeee!! My how time flies.

So I am still limping a bit. Tuesday I thought I'd give riding a try so in jeans I rode for 7 minutes. Much later that night my knee felt worse. Wednesday, knee feels different, maybe a bit better I ride 37 minutes at a whopping 50 watts!! 39/25 baby!! Beat that. I feel fine that night, but the next day my knee feels tight. Less acute pain, but hurts. I bet if I didn't do those two rides I'd be better off. So Thursday and today-no riding. Beg and plead with Sean (my coach), can I ride, come on, NO better to rest up now then fight a knee problem the next few months!! Hes right and my initial impressions, one heck of a coach. In case you were wondering. He's purty smart.

I am jonesing to ride!! Like a smoker trying to quit, my wife asks me the other day, "whats wrong, you look pissed off". I don't "think" theres anything going on, but I think I just want to exercise.

I want to push on the trainer till it hurts then hold it, rest and repeat and sweat like mad!! I want to go out for 4 hours, ride some hills and come home tired and ready to pass out on the couch!! I want to ride my TT bike, do some intervals and see if my new, disgustingly aero position also makes good power.

COME ON!!! I'm going crazy and theres only so many crunches and so much stretching you can do in a day. Come on Ray-its only February 8th!! Which, did I tell you is Audrey's Birthday?? HA HA!!

The flying mile.

On the 27th of January I did my first XC ski race. I was really sore for 3 days from the 28 minute effort. Hip flexors and thigh muscles mostly. The next weekend while up in PA I did a longer and tougher loop of 5.5k. I went all out again, but this time it took 32 minutes.

But the amazing thing to me was I wasnt sore in the least the following day. I even crashed twice. One not worthy of mention, but one would have been a good one for the sport bloopers!! Endoed, skis flying up and over my head, landed on my back. Somehow I had the ability to tuck the skis up as I flipped so that they did not dig in.

Too bad on Sunday I wasnt as quick, but it was just a whole different kind of crash. But this got me thinking that Classic skiing has a running type gate, especially uphill and I have gone uphill as hard as I can for a few miles now. I think I am ready for my next ridiculous endeavor. You know as if learning to Classic, Skate and be half way decent at it all in a couple months isnt enough.

I want to see how fast I can run one mile all out. I have recruited a very fast running friend to pace me, now I just need to get over this knee pain and get back to a steady training plan. Then boom baby!! Run a mile all out with my friend as the rabbit.

Why? Well, I know I run pretty slow. So it wont hurt to run faster for next Psycho cross season. I also have one Biathlon on my schedule this year and I'd like to be top 3 in my first ever solo effort. So to have a realistic idea of what pace I can possibly shoot for I'll need to know what kind of pace I am capable of.

Plus it just sort of fits the whole "why the hell not" attitude I seem to have these days. Am I old enough for a mid life crises? Some guys get divorced,some buy a Corvette and buy or build a trophy wife. I just find new ways to physically punish myself I guess. It just aint natural I tell you, but it is fun!!

I am going to totally guess and say I'll finish in 7:31 seconds. Why? I have no idea. Regardless you know I'll have something to say about it when I do.

ooops!!

Up to the loft



Well, its Monday and my daughters sick and I am limping badly. We and the Hilltoppers spent 3 great days in the beautiful Laurel Ridge Cross Country center near Somerset, PA. We spent our morning and evenings staying in 70 year old Cabins at Kooser State Park where I attempted to make fire in the stove. Me make FIRE!!

Audrey competed in 3 races throughout the weekend!! She did a 4 person relay, 2k Classic race (solo) and finished in 21:39 and a Family Enduro. I so wished I could have seen her finish the 2k Classic, but I was the caboose of the field and was cheering and encouraging on another bunny rabbit skier. I heard Audrey descended fast, made the last corner smooth and skied up to the start finish like a veteran. I am so proud!!

Way to finish


During the Family Enduro teams would take turns on a short loop (0.5k?) that was half up and half down with some fun corners. They made a really short loop for Audrey to do, but after 3 laps (while I alternated and did 3 regular loops) she decided shed rather play with Kara I went on and rode the loop a total of 11 times in a row. Almost at the end I lost my balance on the descent trying to double pole and pick up speed (more speed, more speed-always more speed!!), fell and twisted my left knee hardcore. As soon as I fell and my knee got wrenched I knew I was gonna be in a lot of hurt today. I finished another lap or two and then kneeled with me knee in the snow after the race. Natures ice pack. It was a 45 minute race and the best were doing the loop in 2 minutes flat. I was probably closer to 3:30.

beautiful


So that was that. My knee is screwed up royally and I am off the bike for awhile. Luckily its not swollen, it just hurts a lot. Someday I'll learn I am not 20 anymore and to take new things slower. Good thing its only February!!