Solid Days Training

I kicked things off with a 30k chase race on Zwift. I've not ridden one before and it was good fun. Being a C category we set off 5 minutes after the D's and similar amount ahead of the B's, with the A's a further five minutes back.

We stayed well grouped for the first 4-5k before hitting the first climb. I was working hard to stay in the group and we had good speed but I couldn't keep the power high enough and got dropped. From there it was always going to be near impossible to prevent myself getting caught by the B's and A's.

I managed to keep the B's at bay until about 12k in, where upon they came firing past in a good sized group and I held off the A's until about 5k to go. I managed to catch most of the D's. It helped that I was able to stay with a smaller group of B's that caught me late on. I had to work really hard to stay there, almost begin dropped twice, but keeping in that group meant some good speed. I even held my own in the final sprint to the line, losing out to three of them but holding off the other two. Bloody good work out.

After a bit of recuperation I hit the treadmill for some hill intervals. 8 reps of 250-350m at 6-8% elevation. I kind of made it up as I went along but it was good solid effort.

It Was Very Hot...

as ventured out into the sun for a run. Too hot for me really but on the plus side I did feel less fatigued than of late. That feeling of less fatigued was more than offset by the heat. It was another slow one and only 7.5k but better than nothing. And what is it with Blaisdon Wood? The ground all around is parched - but it was still bloody boggy on the top path! How is that even possible?

Another Not Great One

I really didn't feel like it this evening it in terms that I'm still feeling I'm in a bit of a dip. I did it anyway because I need to ride - or in the case of tonight - run through it. I can't justify another week of rest so I'm sticking to the weeks target TSS (Training Stress Score) of 340. So far I'm still on target.

I've another run planned for tomorrow because I feel I need to start stringing some back to backs together before hopefully getting in a longer run on the weekend...

Channelled The Exasperation...

So I found my 'racing' against the D's this evening, and I'm a C category rider. True, I wasn't feeling the power, riding towards the bottom end category power but still, I felt I should be able to get clear and despite a few bursts, I wasn't able to pull away from the group. The exasperation built.

Tonight's race was 31k on one of the flatter routes and by midway I was solidly stuck in a group of six and despite them not technically being in my 'race' I did, however, really want to kick their asses...

Thoughts turned to how, when, where I'd make my move. Leave it to the sprint? But maybe they'd have enough of kick for it to be a gamble. Leave it till a kilometer out and then hit FTP and beyond... Go at 5k to go? I wasn't feeling hugely strong, perhaps I'd blow up. I still seem to be in the (probably overtraining) doldrums.

In the end it all unfolded by itself. When we hit the slightly undulating section, with about 10k to go one of the riders made a break for it and I went with him. Very quickly we got the break and being a duo we were able to share the load and keep the speed up.

Coming into the last 6k the guy I was with made a break on a short steep bit and found me napping. He very quickly got 40-50m ahead and that's normally game over but I wasn't prepared to let it go and started to crank it up. My legs were burning but I could see the gap coming down. I caught him with about 4k to go and just kept on with the hurt. Once I got my nose ahead I wasn't in the mood to let it slip and kept the hammer down through to the line.

Probably shouldn't have got carried away with the racing...

50,000m Above The Sea

Slight change of training plan today. I swapped out the row for a bike but kept the run. Being so close to the magic 50,000m total climb in #Zwift I decided to get the job done. And a group ride on the Bologna TT route, with its 236m of ascent per lap, was the perfect fit. At 2-2.5W/kg it also fitted with the easier week plan - although it hasn't really been that easy, or at least hasn't felt that easy. Anyway, I hit the magic number half way up the climb on the second (and final) lap. Job done. Ready the Tron bike...

After a 2 hour rest I fired up the running shoes for a jog round the village. It didn't go fantastically well. It was slow and too hard work. On the up side my heart rate didn't go sky high, it was more down to the legs. With hindsight I should probably have gone for the run before the ride...

Still Feeling Off Form...

It was a run day today but it was just too hot for me. I do not like the heat and today was excessively hot. I'm still feeling fatigued despite the easier week and a run in this would make things worse so I changed the plan. Instead I did a hill ride. Not a specific training session, just a steady, medium power hill climb, 20k, 570m. Hopefully it will be a bit cooler tomorrow...

Harder Than It Should've Been

So my easy week continues but tonight's easy jog was harder effort than it should've been. My legs felt okay but my heart rate was higher than it should've been for the pace. I even got a stitch half way through. Not ideal for an easy week. I was a bit dehydrated before hand and I did take a big drink only a few minutes before hand which might help to explain things - well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. 

Keeping It Easy

Well I've had a couple of days off so it was time to get back on the case - albeit at low intensity. Yes, I'm not intending to hammer any session this week. It's easy, easy, easy all week long. I started back with a steady 2000m row - finally managed to get the heart rate monitor working with it. After that it was an easy 30 minutes on the bike, power less than 70% ftp. More easy stuff up tomorrow...

It's Been Surprisingly Difficult...

...to not do any training and give myself a rest yesterday and today. I very nearly gave in this evening and did a short bike session but managed to hold resolute. Roll it back six months and I'd have not needed any excuse. Doing nothing was the norm. I'm going to be back on it tomorrow but I'm keeping the week easy. My target TSS is low.

One Word, Knackered

Today's race was hard from the off. Within minutes my legs were shot and pretty much the entire almost 12k was just plain pain. The few flat bits offered some respite and I did enjoy the rough-ish descent where I managed to actually overtake a few people rather than being the overtaken. Other than that it was kilometres of hurt - and I paid a few quid for the privilege!

To be fair it was quite a good route and were I fit I would probably have enjoyed it. What I've learnt from today's outing is that I need a good couple of days rest and an easy week. I've adjusted my plan accordingly as I need to recharge the batteries... 

Another Good Effort

After yesterday's rest day it was a run and bike session today. The run was just a steady one but even so I found it hard going. The bike session was even harder effort. Pretty sure I've ridden the Triple Bumps session before - and I found it hard going. The final ramp of each of the three sections was a real leg burner. I think I'm going to take another rest day tomorrow ahead of Sunday's race, Myndd Twyn Glas, and even then I'm pretty sure I'm not going to feel fresh for it.

Next week I start into a more planned phase of training - rather than going at it randomly and potentially over egging it. I'm setting a proper plan on a four weekly rota, setting a weekly target TSS (training stress score). Every fourth week will be a recovery/easy week. I'm going to set the sessions a week at a time with the aim of meeting the TSS target and fitting it around 'racing'. Here goes nothing....

On Plan But Hard Work

I found tonight's session hard going. Seven 500m's off 300m recovery. I just made it through each one but it was hard. My legs really wanting to give way under me in the last few metres each time. Still it's another session done. Might need to change tomorrow's plan, row intervals and a steady state bike session. I'll see how it goes....

Wasn't Feeling It...

But I stayed on plan to put away a medium effort row and easy recovery bike session. The 2000m started steady, building each 500m faster than the preceding one. The bike was 30 minutes at medium power. I didn't push it as my legs felt a bit dead. All set for a higher effort run tomorrow.

And Today A Recovery Run

My legs felt a bit stiff today. The achilles is okay though so tonight it was an easy 30 minute jog. I'll be cranking up the effort from tomorrow with a bike and row and then some running intervals Wednesday. And that's it.