Happy New Year everyone.
Wow, how did it get to be 2007? The weather has been outstanding in November, December and this first part of January. It did rain hard on New Year's Day, washing out the traditional ride. However, we went straight to the beverages and refreshments. A picture from our new riding buddy, Eric shows the gang. Boy, that quart and a half of Finlandia went fast.
On the bike front, I have a new steed. The Raleigh is back, repaired by the greatest, Mr. Steve Willis. I destroyed the carbon seat stay catching a stick in the rear derailieur (snaping a nice Campy Record in half). If there was any good news, this happened on my own block returning from a very fast 80 mile training ride with Mike back in the Spring. Steve managed to get a new carbon wishbone seat stay, remove the old one and install the new one. Then Mike sold me his old Zipp wheels (tubulars, baby) for a song after we got back from Colorado. Then for my 50th birthday, I treated myself to the new SRAM Force groupo and Steve put it all together. The new groupo is the best. Pretty, light and functional. The bike weighs less than 18.5 lbs and is a rocket ship on the flats. Gearing is a 50/34 microdrive and is my first non-triple in many years. I've really enjoyed riding it and can't recommend the SRAM groupo enough.
I've been fighting a nasty chest/sinus infection since Christmas which has restricted the riding. Finally on antibiotics just in time to start Mike's 2007 training program. Here it is from his e-mail:
For the next 12 weeks we will be in the Base Period. The aim is to establish basic fitness for endurance, strength and speed in preparation for the real fun stuff that follows. The Base Period will be broken up into blocks of four weeks with a 3 week build-up followed by a reduced week for recovery purposes. Because I can't type for shit, I will mention the training zones for each part of the work out for the rest of the year. Below are the various training zones which are based upon a percentage of your maximum heart rate or your lactate threshold. John if your want some info on determining your lactate threshold , let me know.
Zone %of Lactate Threshold % of Maximum Heart Rate
1-Recovery 65-81 57-70
2-Aerobic 82-88 71-76
3-Tempo 89-93 77-80
4-Subthreshold 94-100 81-84
5A-Superthreshold 101-102 85-88
5B-Aerobic Capacity 103-105 89-91
5C-Anaerobic Capacity 106+ 92+
The week II workouts are
Tuesday - 5 minutes warm up, 2 five minute intervals Zone 1 with 2 minutes rest in between, then 3 five minute intervals in Zone 2 with 4 minutes in between, 5-10 minutes cool down.
Wednesday - 5 minutes warm-up. Then 5 spin intervals with 5 minutes in between. Heart rate is not important. To do a spin interval, put the trainer on light resistance then for 1 minute gradually increase your cadence to the maximum that you can maintain and still pedal circles and not bounce in the saddle and hold for as long as you can while still keeping form, 5-10 minute cool down.
Thursday - 5 minutes warm-up, 3 five minute intervals Zone 2 with 3 minutes rest in between, 2 two minute
intervals single leg pedaling Zone 1 (one minute rest before changing legs), 5-10 minutes cool down.
Friday - recovery
Saturday - ride 1&1/2 - 2 hours ( 1&1/4 if on trainer)
Sunday - ride 2-3 hours (1 & 3/4 if on trainer)
Mike and I are hoping for company in Colorado and John Martin is a strong possibility. The two Daves may also be enticed. We'll see in Dave N., the squirrel killer can get any to dive at his wheel at 10,000 feet.
