Early Season Out-O-Shape Blues . . .

[BumbleBeeDave]

OK, so I started actually riding two weeks ago. And this past weekend I finally went out on a ride with some regular riding buddies.

Saturday was fine--deliberately dogged it for 32 miles so as to not drop a friend who doesn’t ride much and was really hurtin’--it was his very first ride.

Sunday I went out for 45 with 5 others guys and was dropped like the anchor on an ocean liner on the first long hill. Split up from them after about mile 35 and headed back in--good thing because I bonked totally and was down to 12mph by the time I limped into a mini-mart about five miles later for some Gatorade and Fig Newtons. (OK, so I’m not a gourmet--desperation does that to a guy.)

But as I was going on home I was thinking--as I had been while watching butts recede up the road on the rt. 159 hill--about how exactly to judge my early season conditioning THIS year vs. LAST year.

How do you guys do it? Is there some common yardstick if I don’t keep detailed heart rate logs, etc. How do you figure out how you’re doing so far?

BTW, pay no attention to ANYTHING Tom says on here about his fitness, “suffering like a dog,” etc . . . He’s lying to be polite. He’s in shape--no, he’s a MONSTER . . . :rolleyes:

BBDave . . . aka “The Incredible Hurtin’ Man” :(

[cs124]

Once a week I ride a small hill near my house. When I _can_ do it in the big ring I know the form is coming along. When I _want_ to do it in the big ring I know the form has really arrived. Then I just look at last year's diary and compare the dates.

[e-RICHIE]

3KMan axed (snipped, as in "cut & pasted...):
"How do you guys do it?"



post less. ride more.
bananas.
e-RICHIE
8 hours this weekend

[Too Tall]

It's an adaptive thing Dave. Indoor workouts typically are not the equal of a decent weekend ride. Ramp it up slowly.

9 hr.s Twizzlehead. Don't ask :rolleyes:

[Tom]

is that I've been out a bunch more times than he has this year because I steal the time from the things I oughta be doing. Even though I holed up in the basement for 6-7 hours a week on the trainer all winter, those first road rides were at such a higher level of effort I was somewhat chagrined. Fortunately, they were by myself so I could sit at threshhold and not worry about the strength of the people I was with.

[sspielman]

Lacking form in the early season is ALOT better than lacking form IN season....or getting stale halfway through. There is a real tendency to rush the season. Alo of cyclists seem to think that they need to be in top form for early april....only to burn out by August. My goal has always been to have a good season and to arrive at september fresh. If you start the season a little behind, you have no place to go but up....

[csb]

10 hrs

[jeffg]

I rode outside for the first time in a few months (new job, baby, country of residence) and I was a bit apprehensive since it was basically climbs of 12 and 8.5 km (about 750m vertical each).

I actually did fine, but I also rode at my own pace. My HR was a little higher than indoors for the same "perceived effort," but nothing major.

Ask yourself what your goals are for the season and then evaluate your fitness. Personally, I would love to ride April 30 in CA, but I can't really see that happening now. Therefore, it doesn't matter that I don't feel quite ready for an intense DC, and am thus "behind" compared to last year. For my other rides (a Mont Ventoux "century" in early June and a gran fondo in the Dolomites in early July), I am right on track. I will also do more high intensity work than I would if I were training for a DC since these rides are quite a bit shorter. The most important thing is to have fun and keep safe!

:banana: :banana: :banana:

[mad_mark]

10 hrs

There's a word for people like you! :bike:

Mark <-hours of riding the couch.

[jeffg]

It's an adaptive thing Dave. Indoor workouts typically are not the equal of a decent weekend ride. Ramp it up slowly.

9 hr.s Twizzlehead. Don't ask :rolleyes:


TT: Fine, Mr. Smarty pants ;) I aspire to 20 hours this week, most of it indoors.

[Dr. Doofus]

12 hrs for the week (should have been 14)...sunday was fun...3 x 15 LT ints on 5 min rest...the middle hour of a three hour ride...then an hour of cutting the freakin grass

looking forward to going 3 x 20 on 5 min this week...if doof can't do a decent crit after an hour at threshold three times in one week, he should sell carpet as a hobby instead

[csb]

i thought this was an auction

[mad_mark]

i thought this was an auction

Not a problem :beer:

In couch miles I have you all beat.

Mark.

[M_A_Martin]

I'm glad it's not just me.

I can do workouts on the bike to nowhere and where they keep my legs moving they don't compare to the outside stuff. Although I will admit that I haven't been able to push much on the bike to nowhere...that new ACL thingy kept me on the spin side of the equation...

1 hour Friday...whopping 15 miles...not bad for 9 weeks out of surgery

5 hours in MMBA Trail Coordinator training on Saturday, hiked the trail about a mile...that was enough to do in the knee for the rest of the day...no riding.

Sunday 8 miles on fresh crushed limestone rail trail...Not as bad as sand, but almost...Probably took an hour...once again...enough for the knee.

Today I'll ride after PT...probably something easy that will get me back in an hour...

[CNY rider]

Will anyone else here fess up and admit that they hadn't touched a bike for 5 months, and just started up again 2 weeks ago?

I spend my winter skiing and playing hockey on our outdoor pond. I know I'm slow as sh1t as I get back on the bike in spring, but I actually enjoy seeing myself get back into biking shape.


For the record: Total of 60 miles this weekend, felt like it took about 8 hours of pedaling.

[M_A_Martin]

Yeah....October 22 I tore my MCL/ACL No sports of any kind all winter long.

IT sucked.

[Too Tall]

Good to hear you are doing better MAM.

Nooooo, 20 hrs. indoors requires a pre-frontal lobotomy!!! I'll light a candle ;)

Honest, this was a tough winter...thought it would never end.

ALL FEAR DOOF. RUN HIDE.