Saturday, January 11, 2014

Building Strength

Wow!  A month since the last post.  When I put this blog together I wasn't sure what I wanted it to be other than a repository other than facebook for my cycling blather.  Seems like a plan to me...

I've spent the last month mostly off the bike.  Checking Strava, I've ridden 215 miles and climbed 16,500ft in a month.  Not a whole lot.  I have been in the gym quite a bit.  I've been doing lunges, leg press, all kinds of core and arm work, and rowing on the damn erg more enough that I'm starting to feel like a galley slave. Jamie says this is the time to build muscle, listen to the body, eat a little more than I usually do, and make sure I hit the season with zero "cycling fatigue".  

As always with Jamie the wizard, it seems to be working.  I'm able to lift more weight, but more importantly for me, I'm also able to climb with less effort, and pour on the Watts when in spin class.  I'm now able to sustain about 3.9W/kg, compared to about 2.9W/kg about a year ago.  Not exactly world class, but I do start to register on the charts now.

I think I've got a decent set of goals for the year as well.  I'm very happy to say I'm past survival mode, and I'm going for speed.  Speed that will make plenty of people turn their heads, and speed that lets me claim "trail cred" for some time.  Going for 3:30 at the McDowell 40, 4:15 at the Whiskey, 2:10 at Iceman (Dave, Conrad, I'm going to beat you finally...I am), 8:30 at Barn Burner, and 8:50 at that little race in Colorado.   We'll see how it all works out.

For now, I'm spending time watching my girls make like dolphins in the pool (seriously, how can they be my kids...I'm a freakin' boat anchor in the water), trying my best to be a supportive Dentist's husband, and be a dedicated servant leader for the folks at work.  In between their are trails to ride, weights to move, and excitement to build for another race season.  I want to be on my bike these days, and am almost mentally and emotionally ready to think about training on the bike vs blasting around the dirt for fun.  Shotgun blast on Whiskey Row in about 13 weeks...