I've decided that I'm going to keep a diary of my thoughts in preparing for the year ahead. My last post or so was about the turbo over xmas. This week was my first back to work, so the first back on the road. Only Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so a short week.
The weather - Wed was dry, 3C, 8mph wind going to work, coming home was torrential. Thursday and Friday were around 9C and dry.
So how did it feel?
Well it was interesting because I felt ok on the bike, I did't seem too heavy or laboured, and I seemed to be going at a reasonable speed so I guess I wasn't damaged by the Christmas scoffing - but did the turbo sessions make a difference? I wondered this a few time on Wednesday's ride to work and when I arrived, and all things considered, I think I'm in a better place. The subsequent days were fine too, I didn't tire or ache and probably had the benefit of some freshness because I hadn't been on the road for a couple of weeks. That must have made a bit of a difference, but really the benefit was from the turbo.
I suppose first I should briefly describe the ride. It's a simple ride, with a few junctions at the start, then an 18 minute stretch of straight, gentle up hill ( highest 5%, lowest 1% typically about 2.5%) so it's a great road to get into an interrupted session. It's a bit rolling but that's good. After this section is a 5 minute uphill, of about 7 or 8%, there's one bit at 12%. After this, is a fast down hill, not too technical but often wet. So all in all I'm fortunate to have this ride every day. I can use the steep hill to gauge how the ride so far has taken from me and gauge my general fitness.
I can measure power and heart rate and I have in fact recorded all my ride data for many years, but for maybe a year I've gone all retro and prefer to rely on how I feel and just compare the time it took. So I wont have many metrics in these diary entries, instead I think I'll comment on my perception and how I work with that. Of course, if anyone is reading this, then please don't think that I think that I'm an expert. I'm not. I'm just trying to figure things out with the benefit of quite a few years of pondering about this stuff. In fact, I think its this big puzzle, the challenge of getting better and interpreting signs and ideas, that make s cycling such an interesting and challenging hobby. That and the expensive toys of course.
Anyway, how did I get on. Well the first thing I noticed was the improved peddling technique. I have worked on this before over the years but I'm sure that getting back on the turbo with the Carmichael DVDs has re-focussed my attention on this. It is pretty much second nature now and I wasn't thinking about it, but my usual big mashing press on the down-stroke seemed to have crept back into my stroke before Christmas. I was really pleased when I noticed my smooth stroke. So using this, a a steady heart rate in the Tempo region I did ok. The hill was a bit of a struggle. No where near as sprightly as last summer but then I am carrying a bit more kit. The ride him was bloody awful on Wednesday. So wet and hideous in the dark. Thursday and Friday were great and I think my fitness and energy levels didn't diminish.
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