December 2009
48 posts
Post-IndoorCamp2009 Press Conference
Q: So, what were the past two days like?
A: Yesterday, 8 hours on the trainer, with multiple cycling videos (mostly Giro d'Italia and some Paris-Roubaix). Today, 6 hours on the trainer, with (guess what) multiple cycling videos (all Paris-Roubaix, plus Race Day with Robbie Ventura for the last hour or so). Yesterday went *very* well. Today was a struggle. Looking back on it, I should've had many more carbs with dinner last night, and I think my glycogen stores were still really depleted today. The first 2+ hours today were mostly bonk. Light-headed, cold sweats, you name it. An extra package of Gu plus the large can of Rockstar Juiced that Kathleen brought me about 90 minutes into the ride helped me get through it, though. I'd been planning on trying something special/crazy for the last hour of today's ride, especially since I know I have trouble mentally with maintaining pace late on in endurance events, so my plan was to do a high intensity race sim for the last hour or so. I ended up doing Race Day with Robbie Ventura, which for those of you that don't know, is a 15 minute warmup, 40 minutes of very high intensity intervals filmed at the National Criterium Championships, and 7-10 minutes of cooldown.
Q: How the hell do you do this and work for a living?
A: Priorities, priorities, priorities. The past two days have been *strongly recommended* days off for University employees, and I chose to take the days off as an opportunity to do IndoorCamp2009. That said, I've managed to do ~12 hours/week of training + full-time work + taking a graduate class. It's all a matter of priorities. During peak training weeks, I don't have much of a social life. I'm more focused on racing this season than ever before, so I'm making sacrifices.
Q: Isn't this too much training?
A: Not for base training it isn't. The vast majority of my training at this point is very low intensity training, focused on building my aerobic capacity. In terms of number of hours, I'm currently training on average about 11:45 per week. In terms of base training specified in Friel's Cyclist's Training Bible (3rd ed.), that places me around the 500 hour/year category, which is the high end for Cat 4 racers. One of my goals for this year is to upgrade, so I don't think that's an unrealistic training load.
Q: Don't professional athletes train less than that?
A: Not in the base period, they don't. Base training is boring, unsexy, and takes a long time.
Q: What races are you training for?
A: I'll let you know as soon as I finalize my schedule and talk to the managing director of my cycling team and my long-suffering spouse. I will say that I'm looking at focusing significantly more this year on shorter, higher-intensity events (ie, crits in terms of cycling, 5-10ks in terms of running).
Q: How are your testicles after 14+ hours of riding over two days?
A: Josh, what is your unholy obsession with my testicles? For the last time, I had them replaced with titanium - it's lighter weight, and more aerodynamic.
Q: Is there anyone you'd like to thank?
A: My wife, Kathleen - for bringing me burgers and energy drinks, and for being the prettiest soigneur in the world.
About to test batch of hard cider!
Done with Day 2, headed for dinner
90 minutes in, and I am *fried*. May need caffeine IV
Hi, I’m Shea, and I’m a Paris-Roubaixaholic…
“Put me back on my bike” - Tom Simpson
Seriously considering this for Saturday: http://j.mp/7WHCou
Apparently, 7+ hours on the trainer makes me smell like a dead goat.
Done - heading for dinner
5+ hours in, appear to have caught a second wind
“Only” 2 more hours on the trainer, then I’m going to eat a mess of BBQ
3 hours done!
4 hours done.
2 hours done!
And so it begins - IndoorCamp2009! At least 8 hours on the trainer today, at least 6 tomorrow
1 hour left. Am a bit fried, am taking one of my UMCA-allowed 5 minute breaks.
Done. Now it’s time for a nap
Note to self: listening to The Crystal Method at 4:30 into a training session may lead to sudden cadence increases
Almost 2 hours into trainer session. Just finished watching Thunderdome, starting remake of Get Carter.
Conan! What is best in life?
3:00 on the trainer this morning, short nap, now heading to The Blind Pig for the first of several Christmas parties
Ran a total of about 2.75 miles at the gym. A little bit of ankle pain, but nothing overwhelming. Heavy weight session at gym as well. Fried
About to start first run since tarsal tunnel diagnosis. It’ll be short and on a treadmill, but it’ll be a run!
Your mission for today? Buy Ghosts In A Burning City at http://www.redstatesoundsystem.com
RT @FakeAPStylebook: Add the suffix “-punk” to increase a subject’s pretensions of edginess: steampunk, splatterpunk, grammarpunk, etc.
not to sound like a broken record, but...
45min recovery cycling, work, 1:20 of high intensity cycling (peaking at 2 beats under max heart rate), make dinner (Carr Valley Cheese, Montaudon Brut NV Champagne, lamb + vadouvan burgers [yes, I’m on a lamb kick this week. leave me the hell alone!!!]). sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
Weight is down to 171 - race weight is within sight!
1 hour at the gym, work, haircut, 2 hours of cadence work on the bike, make dinner, start homebrew cider, dishes, laundry. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeep
Best album for high-cadence recovery cycling? Girl Talk’s Feed The Animals
In which the real world takes me offline for a...
Just finished classwork for the semester, am back online now…
Training load last week was 12:42:57 (time in the gym + time on the trainer). Will be upping that a little this week, most likely. I’ve got my weight down to about 174, so goal/racing weight is certainly within sight!
Currently doing the following plan in terms of training plan:
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
AM: 45:00...
Just finished 4 hours on the trainer while watching Il Pirata kick butt in the 1998 Giro.
Great photos from ‘84 and ‘85 Coors Classic: http://j.mp/8PMr7s
New favorite word - Kummerspeck (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Kummerspeck)
All base training and little sleep makes Homer something something
Day 2
Weighed in at 179 this morning, which is not unexpected - I usually drop about 3 pounds on the first day of any strict diet. This morning’s workout was about 50 minutes of easy spinning on the bike. Tonight was indoor bike training with the team - 1 hour of intense speedwork; I’m completely fried right now.
Breakfast was a bagel with scrambled egg and some of the leftover matambre.
...
First Day
Weighed in this morning at 182. By the start of racing season, am planning on being down around 165. Training this morning was as follows:
10:00 warmup
Dip x 12
Dip x 12
Squat x 20
Pullup x 15
Pullup x 15
Leg extension x 10
Leg extension x 10
Leg extension x 10
Incline Press x 10
GHD Sit-ups x 10
GHD Sit-ups x 10
GHD Sit-ups x 10
10:00 cooldown
Breakfast and lunch were both...