DOS Bike Week 7
Would I lie to you? This week is going to be easy, it's just a little bit harder than last week. Last week was a piece of cake right? Would I lie to you?
OK, now that I got your attention it's time for week 7 which is the week before our mid-OS testing week! WOW!!! We're almost half way through the OS, can you believe that? Are your legs complaining yet? This week is just another incremental build but as your posts told us last week it's getting just that much tougher mentally, if not physically, to get them done. Keep it up and keep it going. I'm thinking that you're going to see a bump in those FTP numbers next week.
Since next week is testing week you might want to think about that this week and cut back on any extra curricular activity. For instance, you might want to get the main sets in and then cool down and don't get that extra Z3 work to give your legs a little break.
Alright, here's a go to song that always gets me going on the bike. https://play.spotify.com/track/1Oj78eYpzCEDL9sTiCoDGN
Have a good week all!
Comments
I only have one more week of OS as I switch out to train for IM Texas which is in April.
If you haven't tried the live Zwift races I highly recommend them.
TS - I need to get with the program soon and try ZWIFT! Good luck with transition out of the OS, you should be in a great place for the next phase!
MM - damn nice work on those sets!
Rough Tues morning bike for me but I got through it anyway: https://www.strava.com/activities/834908140
SS
Here's how I mentally get through a threshold interval, and it is 90% mental. Let's say I have a 15 minute interval I am going after, my legs are not fresh from the week's cumulative fatigue, it is early in the morning and I know if it is going to get done it will have be at the beginning of the day.
First I warm up those large muscles well which includes 12 or more minutes at Z3 effort.
I drink well before and go in hydrated and I use a small bit of coffee before the Z4 intervals begins.
Then, as I begin the set, I don't think about 15 minutes, I focus in the first 5 minute block and mentally tell myself I can do 2 minutes, then 3, then only 2 minutes left to hit the 5. Once I hit the 5, I am feeling the work and I am mentally telling myself I need to get to the 10 minute mark. I am focused on form, cadence, and the number (for me 300 or better). Then I tell myself that when I get to 8:30 I only have 90 seconds to the 10 minute mark. I push through to 10 and tell myself I can to anything for 5 more minutes. I break the 5 minutes left down to 1 minute intervals. At this point, things are and should be tough. But I dig through it, I fight for each of those minutes, I arrive to 13:30 and get it done for the next 90 seconds and it is over.......
My point is, break it down to manageable pieces, mentally play tricks on your body by doing so, go in hydrated, use some caffeine if needed, and celebrate your accomplishment, then move forward to the next block....
Thursday threshold work early: https://www.strava.com/activities/837095832
@SS Good advice. I have a tv in the cave with early news on. They do weather and traffic every 10', don't even look at the time til that segment comes back on-clock watching kills me.
Tues. bike done at .96 and .97. Did not get the run in.
Thurs. bike done. I like the 30/30's. Run done as a brick.
im a day or two behind but should be all caught up by the weekend. IF of .99 and 1.01.
for sure gonna stick this OS out to the end as I still can't run and Galveston 70.3 on April 2 ain't gonna happen.
Did a couple I IM watts intervals this morning - semi recovery set myself: https://www.strava.com/activities/838092844
Good luck with the Sat Gorilla all!
SS
Today I did the Thursday 30/30's. While they do slowly wear me down, I don't feel the fatigue in my legs really when I am doing them. Maybe it is that my "roof" is just way higher than my "ceiling" (FTP work) or maybe I can just mentally swallow the work in 30 second intervals a lot better than the longer mental drains of the FTP work. Either way, it is in the books. Have a good one and get ready for tomorrow, that ride looks like a monster!
Run done as a brick outdoors.
I suffered through mine: https://www.strava.com/activities/839452925
SS