Weigh in day today, 187.4 Up .4 , down 1.6 overall, 4 weeks.

My goal for this week is to do a 30 minute fitness test, which is essentially a 30 minute time trial on the bike. This will allow me to set my appropriate training levels. The goal is to ride as hard as you can without dying for the 30 minutes. Some plans do 20 minute tests, Carmichael has you do 2 8 minute max efforts, but I'm going to try to do the whole 30 minute test. The problem with that is finding a road free of stops or major hills for 30 minutes, but I think I know a spot.

afaik the usual training protocol (at least friel's way) is to do a 30 min (constant) all out ride. but only use power/hr of the last 20min. (and then subtract 5% to get "real" FTP). but as you said, there are different protocols, just make sure you follow yours to the point (and always use the same "version" to get comparable data).
(i just mention this, cause i've never heard of a real 30min test. it was always either 20min (but during a 30min ride) or 60min (or 2x8min from cts.).

What trontron said.

I did the 2x8 minute test on the road because it's easy to find a clear 8 minute stretch. But I did the 30 minute FTP test indoors, using the Sufferfest video intended for testing your FTP. Doing it indoors does kinda suck, but at least it's very consistent and repeatable.

yeah, but don't mix the outdoor and indoor measurements. (as discussed either here on in rusty's thread, they give you different values). just try to create a testing protocol that you can recreate as consistently as possible.

Yeah, I contemplated trying it indoors on my bike using my trainer, but I really hate that thing. I looked up Friel's test protocol, it makes sense. I'm going to give it a try on the road. If I get a little east of here there are some open roads that I think I can use to do a decent test. Today I turn 55. I'm not as good (shape) as I'd like to be, but I'm better than I used to be, so I guess that is what matters.

I've made my "resolutions" for this year to be more oriented around "attempt these things" rather than "achieve these things". Mostly it's about saying "yes" to stuff that sounds hard instead of "no". I've just realized that I can't really control what I can achieve, but I CAN control what I attempt to achieve.

I understand what you mean by the above, but of course we have some control of what we can achieve. That is what I've been struggling with the last year, lol. Losing weight + better fitness = achieving TBP.

I know you know that, so I take your other meaning of not being so afraid of failure that we don't even try. Which is something I struggle with. I am a bit of a pessimist and self confidence hasn't been a real strong suit in my life. But I'm not so far below the average bar in those, so I guess I consider myself someone with a realistic assessment of my abilities.

When I first started posting here the Moneymaker effect was in full swing. Every other person that had won a $10 sit N go was talking about going "pro" and quitting their day job. I was appalled at their over confidence in their abilities and never even considered it. Of course, I'm sure my skepticism was well founded for the majority of the posters.

I think there are some goals where, short of some kind of massive bad luck, you can achieve them. But there are others that you just can't WIM your way into. If I set a goal of "win a race", well, I can try. But I can't force my way into it. If my real mental goal is to win a race the best kind of goal I can set for myself is to train a lot and enter a lot of races.

So a goal of achieving calorie goals 14/15 days or something like that is good, it's something you can control. A goal of "lose X pounds by Y date" is something you can hope for, but in the end, sticking to your diet might not get you there. Either goal is fine, but I'm trying to choose things that I can rightly chastise myself for not accomplishing.

Not going on an epic long hill ride is MY failure. Not getting my FTP up to 300 watts is ???

Good points. There was a weight loss thread where I tried to talk about goal setting to the op. You have much better examples than I gave. I could do a lot better on my own goal setting.

Weigh in day today, 187.4 even this week. Down 1.6 overall, 5 weeks.

Having a tough time getting that downward momentum going, pretty much a continuation of late last year. It's definitely on the input side, as I've been pretty active. I take a 15 minute break at work most days and walk close to a mile, and I've been cycling / working out 4 to 5 days a week as well.
My food logging has been in fits and spurts. Lots of personal stuff going on that has been making it harder to eat really good, though I'm not eating really bad. I'm eating 187 pounds good, I guess.

I've been reading Joe Friel's blog recently, even a lot of the archived posts. Came across this today:
"There is little in the way of research on this, especially with truly “old” athletes, by which I mean over age 55. "
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2013/06/index.html

Ouch, that is me. I am "truly old". I guess its better to be a truly old recreational athlete than a truly old couch potato.

I had already been thinking that I'm fighting more of a battle than most of the posters here with the performance decay curve vs. the fitness curve, this didn't help much.

He writes a lot about the changes you should make as you get older. One that I'm trying to follow is about sleep. Definitely trying to turn the TV off earlier and get that extra hour of sleep more often.

Weigh in day today, 186.4 down 1 this week. Down 2.6 overall, 6 weeks.

I feel more fit than I did before Christmas when I was previously at this weight. It's hard to quantify but I think I'm carrying a little less fat, and hopefully a little more muscle than I was then. Still want to get below 180 in the next month or so.

I've been pretty much following my base training plan. It will ramp up a little this week. This week looks like this:
Mon rest
Tue Cross Train (XT) + strength training (for cross train I'm doing elliptical or stair stepper) ~ 60 minutes
Wed 90 min level 1-2 bike ride
Thu repeat Tuesday
Fri Rest
Sat 2 hour Bike level 1-2, with 3x5x5 fast spinning
Sun 2 hour bike level 1-2

I thought trontron's post in another thread was worthy of a link and perhaps more discussion. I didn't want to clutter up the other log.
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...&postcount=336

"to train the aerobic system, you do low to mid+ intensity cardio (and you do a lot of it, because the biggest factor for improving the aerobic system is by far the invested time and not the chosen intensity [as long as you meet a minimum threshold]). the potential of the aerobic system is nearly unlimited. one can train and improve his aerobic system for ~10 years until you reach your max potential. "


This is really the first time I've applied this from the aerobic system side. I've either done my own thing, which was essentially to ride pretty much as hard as I could for as long as I could pretty much each ride, and then tried to go a little further next time, or tried the Time Crunched Cyclist plan, of which this is a really good description:
"to train the anaerobic system, you do high intensity stuff. the nice thing about HIIT is that it takes a lot less time. it takes less training time and it also works faster. you see training effects in weeks (or even days) instead of months or years"

At first I hated riding so "slow", but I've come to like training in zone 2. I'm enjoying riding more because, well its easier. And, with a few weeks of rides in that zone I feel a little more efficient and I believe I'm getting a little faster while still staying in the zone. Hopefully that continues as I get deeper into the base training.

Weigh in day today, 186.8 up .4 this week. Down 2.2 overall, 7 weeks.

Weigh in day today, 188 up 1.2 this week. Down 1 overall, 8 weeks. That's all I have to say bout that.

I read an article here:
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/a...le-baking-soda
There is a link to part 2 in part 1.

The basic theory is you drink some baking soda 30 minutes prior to a ride. There is a formula in the article, but for me I tried a tablespoon in 12 ounces of water. Not the best tasting stuff, made me a little queasy, but that went away about 10 minutes after drinking. The baking soda makes your blood more base and this will draw lactic acid from your muscles easier under load.
I then rode the 29 mile group ride from my LBS. This is a ride that I've struggled with in the past. Certainly at this point of the year I wouldn't have tried it or if I did I would have been dropped on the northern loop that has a few small hills close enough together to cause a bit of a selection. This time I went up those hills with the front group, which I have never done. Was it the baking soda or better fitness? Probably a little of both. Ideally I would have tried this ride without BS first, and then tried it with, but this ride is really over my zone 2 endurance level, so I won't do it again for a while.
Do I think the baking soda helped? I do think it helped lower my perception of how hard a given effort was, because I didn't feel the "burn" as quick. I think it allowed me to more easily go that extra 10% harder that enabled me to stay with the front riders.
Will I use it again? I probably won't use it that much. Most of my rides should be in a lower level, low enough that lactic acid build up shouldn't be a limiter. If I was racing crits there is no doubt I would try it again. I think for relatively short, hard efforts it works. If anyone tries it, let me know what you think.

Also, I commuted to work last Wednesday and should be able to do it again tomorrow. Yea (sp?) ya yeah me. Yay me?

Weigh in day today, 185.8 down 2.2 this week. Down 3.2 overall, 9 weeks.

This is my "rest" week on my base training plan. Rest week is:
Mon: Off
Tue: x-train aerobic + strength workout
Wed: 90 min level 2 cycling
Thu: Off
Fri: Off
Sat: 12 min TT test which includes 60 min warm-up and 15 min cool down.
Sun: 90 min level 2

Weigh in day today, 184.4 down 1.4 this week. Down 4.6 overall, 10 weeks.

Pretty happy with that. This week starts my 4 week mid base period on my 12 week base training plan. Lots of rain for the next few days, so into the gym.

I still stink at goal setting, but let me try. From my opening post So, I made the 200 pound weight. I did not ride in the Santa Fe Half century due to circumstances beyond my control. Number 3 became the Enchanted Circle Century, which I rode 92 of the 100 miles. I give myself a C- on that one.

The 180 weight goal is well within reach. It probably wouldn't hurt if I was down to 175 by May, then try to stabilize there until July.

My goal events for this year are number 4 and 5 above, as well as the Texas Time Trial 12 hour event.
1. 5/2106 Santa Fe Century
2. July 2016 Triple Bypass
3. Texas Time Trials 9/24 12 hour. My goal would be 132.5 miles, 5 laps

To accomplish those goals I need more endurance. I would also like to increase my speed / power at my lower threshold, ie "all day pace". Here is where I am supposed to set very specific goals to accomplish the bigger goals, but I'm not sure what those are, exactly. I know I'm going to ride much longer EM rides than I did last year, more often. I'm also going to do some tempo zone rides to try to up threshold power. Putting specific numbers on it is where it gets tough. I'm going to think about it some more and hopefully come up with some tough but manageable specific goals.

Hey, I'm doing the Easter Hill Country Tour (on, uh, Easter weekend). You interested at all? 3 days in the hill country, varying length, no set start time, well supported.

ehct.com

Day 1: 35, 50 or 65 miles
Day 2: 33, 51, 61 or 80 miles
Day 3: 20 or 30 miles (unsupported this year I think)

I've done it 3 times before, generally enjoyed it.

In a vacuum I would be very interested. In the real world, with a wife and family (in-laws), Easter is pretty much a non starter for a bike riding weekend, I believe. If anything changes I'll let you know, but probably out of the question. We need to find an event to meet at, though. I've done some rides west of here but haven't ventured all that far south.

I'd be willing to travel some, probably. I've been thinking about doing the texas time trials this year also (they're out nearish Dallas I think)

There is also some fantastic riding in the far west. Some actual climbs - not triple bypass levels, but pretty good. I wonder if there's anything organized out there.

I found this:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-...16224455136683

Only problem with this is it is too close to the TTT for me to do both:
Saturday, September 17, 2016 - Sunday, September 18, 2016

It does look like a fantastic place to ride, though. The TTT is the following weekend at Glen Rose. Glen Rose is probably 2 hours from my house.

/thumbs up icon thingy

I keep having to go back to first post to confirm that the triple bypass is some sort of race and not a surgery.

Lol. For me it is definitely a ride, not a race!

I will be quite happy if I can just make it to the end.

I like the part where they charge you $15 extra if you want to throw in the hill climb. I've never been out there but I really want to be. I assume the "7 mile hill climb" is up to the McDonnell (sp?) observatory, i.e. the tighest paved road in texas.

There's a race out there every year, Hammerfest, and I'm too scared to go to it. It is ****ing brutal. The first race is 18 miles straight up the observatory. Imagine this grueling race up a long climb culminating in a 20 degree incline or whatever it is. Just the worst. Even when I was 165 (basically my lowest weight in years) I was no climber.

Those are pretty close together, esp since the travel time to west texas is pretty brutal.

you're talking about https://www.strava.com/segments/675555 , right? (the whole stage is ~ https://www.strava.com/segments/1304074 it misses the first few km, but they are nearly flat anyway).
i'm not trying to be an "internet tough guy" or "blabla, european climbs are so hard", but it just doesn't seem overly tough, so i was surprised by your comment (because you are surely a stronger rider than i am). so i am looking to understand better.
yes, the last 1.5km are 9-10% gradient, but you can nicely recover before that. (of course, in a race the course is tough, just because you go to your limit. but that's the case for every mountain top finish...)
what gear ratio do you ride? i assume compact cassettes are useless for you in general?