After considering Al's sage advice I came across a great quote
"Focus on the gain...not the pain!..."
That will be my mantra this OS.
I did try to jump out and do my 5K today as next week will be tough at work. I backed off my numbers from last season-but not enough. Getting the 5K test done tends to take me a couple of times to get it right. I'll try again later.
Good discussion on positive thinking and the mental six pack. Seeing as I will be hanging out for the run portion in the Jan OS here what I have been doing on the bike lately.
I bumped in to the 4 keys discussion on the blog earlier this week and focused in on the box part of the discussion. I found that in training I was not keeping things big enough. That's is keeping the box as big as possible as long as possible. I was focued on the FTP intervals 10, 12' ( the last 2-5' minutes as they got longer) or 5' secments of the 85% work, not on the whole FTP 2x15 or 25' at 85%. Now that we have gone in to the 30/30's this has made the box even smaller. So in building the menal six pack I have been trying to expand the box in training just like I am supposed to be doing on race day.
For the record I have not run more that 15'-20' minutes while looking forward to the test I really need to focus.
Decided to put my mouth where my money is and start calling the place where I do my interval bike training my "power penthouse". It is up on a second floor deck, and I am trying to become more powerful there.
Decided to put my mouth where my money is and start calling the place where I do my interval bike training my "power penthouse". It is up on a second floor deck, and I am trying to become more powerful there.
Al, I love it! I have been trying to think of something along those lines for me. Mine in my basement. I'll sleep on it. It is all about having fun
I like Power Penthouse Al. But with all the "I heart my Pain Cave" crap I have laying around I think I'll stick to Pain Cave
Much to my disappointment It seems I'll be doing my first FTP in the Pain Cave. Forecast for Monday is 29 with 20mph winds and the rest of the week doesn't look much better. That's just not good 2x20 weather! The worse part about it really is that I plan to do most of my riding outside this winter so I'm bummed I won't be able to establish the FTP outside.
Guess I need to spend some time this weekend on my 2x20 playlist!! Thanks for giving me a little head start with some new ideas Dan!
Now for me, it's all in good, goofy fun to hate testing- but at the same time get very excited about doing it. I finished the run challenge yesterday and was planning to take the weekend off from exercise to relax, shovel snow, and just be... But I am already bouncing off the walls. I am so darn excited about starting the OS. It means we are heading into a new year, new season. Clean slate and off we go!
Since I am driving myself crazy, I am planning to bike test tomorrow. I have my 2x20 music list ready to go. Can't get to it at the moment, but I have tried it out a few times and think it is going to be great. I'm going to try and have a new version for every test.
VDOT will have to wait a week, assuming we don't have another storm next weekend. I do not have access to a treadmill. In order to keep all of my tests consistent, I need a quiet Sunday morning to run in the road as the walkways do no get cleaned enough to be safe running all out.
Am I ready? I sure hope so...like some others here, I originally started with the NOV OS and life, travel and injury got in the way, so with the missed workouts, etc, decided best to set the reset button. But if I knew who was going to be in this group earlier, I would have never signed up for the NOV OS...this group is going to be a lot of fun!
I will be heading to the Power Cave -- seems better than Pain and I can't see calling it the Pleasure Cave -- tomorrow since I have to move the VDOT to Tuesday. It will be interesting to see if I had any improvement over my November test.
Looking forward to a fun packed 5 months with everyone!
totally bad 80's funked out song, I agree. That one is sort of a techno remix. I might have killed my mojo, I washed my ipod yesterday. I already ordered a new one. This is the second one I've ran through the washer
totally bad 80's funked out song, I agree. That one is sort of a techno remix.
I might have killed my mojo, I washed my ipod yesterday. I already ordered a new one. This is the second one I've ran through the washer
Washing the electronics sucks...I washed 2 BlackBerry Pearls a while back...two separate occasions, but both in a cycling jersey pocket...I check all pockets very carefully now!
I'm going to test on Tuesday. Works better for my schedule and since I'm not doing a VDOT test it doesn't matter. I'm going to be swimming masters on Monday and Wednesday for the time being until I get my running legs back.
Can't wait to see the FTP test results roll in tomorrow.
quote]Washing the electronics sucks...I washed 2 BlackBerry Pearls a while back...two separate occasions, but both in a cycling jersey pocket...I check all pockets very carefully now!
ChrisG Seattle, WA
Yeah pretty much does suck, I've washed a cell phone as well. I was able to get it to work again though. The good news; they keep getting cheaper. I got a 16 gb nano for pretty cheap. The ipods do keep getting a little cheaper each time....though I would spend less on them if I quit running them through the washing machine. I haven't told my wife yet, I think I'll let her figure it out. Good luck everyone tomorrow freaking crush it! I'm not sure when I'll test I'm working all day/night so I might need some rest though it will get done and I'll post results.
Matt & Dan- I'm also going to delay the FTP test. Looking at the Weather Chanel it seems the wind will calm down later this week and that would be better testing for me. Still only 38 degrees- but the wind will only be 7mph. I'll do the 2x6 tomorrow on the trainer based on my current estimated FTP and will do the vdot test on Tuesday (taking Wed off).
You all really didn't need to know all of that detail= but by putting it down here in writing it helps me commit to it!
Sorry to hear about your ipod. I dropped mine in a cup of coffee this fall so now I have an ipod touch!
Just did my FTP test on the trainer (a day early but I had the time today). I had to move into the house because the garage was to cold.....Actually I a'm hoping that I will be more likely to get the trainer work done in the am before work if I don't have to go out in the cold dark garage. Glad I don't live North of the Mason Dixie line.
The numbers are down from my testing in the fall outside. Today my FTP was 207 in OCT I maxed out at 240. I am sure that a lot of that is being out of shape but I am hoping that some of the decline is trainer related. No where to go but up!
Posted By Ralph Butler on 03 Jan 2010 04:00 PM rk if I don't have to go out in the cold dark garage. Glad I don't live North of the Mason Dixie line.
The numbers are down from my testing in the fall outside. Today my FTP was 207 in OCT I maxed out at 240. I am sure that a lot of that is being out of shape but I am hoping that some of the decline is trainer related. No where to go but up!
There is NO DOUBT it's trainer related. Rest easy on that one! Most people have a 10-15% FT drop on a trainer. I would say you are in terrific shape at the start of this season if you held 207 in your first test, compared to what you did outdoors! You'll only improve from here, no doubt, but pat yourself on the back for that one. Well done.
In the future if you do wash your ipod or anything else don't turn it on and throw it in a ziplock full of rice for a few days. DON'T TURN IT ON
Should survive just fine. You can also wash your keyboards in the washing machine (no heat cycle) and just let them dry for a few days. Basically as long as there isn't electricity flowing across stuff while wet you should be ok.
In the future if you do wash your ipod or anything else don't turn it on and throw it in a ziplock full of rice for a few days. DON'T TURN IT ON
Should survive just fine. You can also wash your keyboards in the washing machine (no heat cycle) and just let them dry for a few days. Basically as long as there isn't electricity flowing across stuff while wet you should be ok.
-Dave
Cool tip Dave! I gotta try that with the keyboard (it's disgusting). I had a Motorola Pager many years ago when I was managing a Help Desk and had to be On Call (yeah- way back before blackberries or cell phones). Anyway- I hated being on call- and one day the pager made it's way into the laundry. It went through the washer & the dryer before I realized what I'd done. I was all gitty thinking I had a great excuse for why I didn't hear a page only to find the damn thing started right up again when I turned it on!!!! Freakin Motorola and their Six Sigma quality processes!!!!!
ugh, sorry about the iPod! I agree that is a "break the glass" emergency.
I'm teleworking today so I'll do the bike test (again) during my lunch break on the trainer... I did it last week but that's where my week ended after my cat bit me and my hand got infected. It still hurts, hope I'll be able to run Wed. no power meter yet, we'll see if I'm a believer at the end of the year. Good luck and happy training!
Comments
"Focus on the gain...not the pain!..."
That will be my mantra this OS.
I did try to jump out and do my 5K today as next week will be tough at work. I backed off my numbers from last season-but not enough. Getting the 5K test done tends to take me a couple of times to get it right. I'll try again later.
Good discussion on positive thinking and the mental six pack. Seeing as I will be hanging out for the run portion in the Jan OS here what I have been doing on the bike lately.
I bumped in to the 4 keys discussion on the blog earlier this week and focused in on the box part of the discussion. I found that in training I was not keeping things big enough. That's is keeping the box as big as possible as long as possible. I was focued on the FTP intervals 10, 12' ( the last 2-5' minutes as they got longer) or 5' secments of the 85% work, not on the whole FTP 2x15 or 25' at 85%. Now that we have gone in to the 30/30's this has made the box even smaller. So in building the menal six pack I have been trying to expand the box in training just like I am supposed to be doing on race day.
For the record I have not run more that 15'-20' minutes while looking forward to the test I really need to focus.
Gordon
Decided to put my mouth where my money is and start calling the place where I do my interval bike training my "power penthouse". It is up on a second floor deck, and I am trying to become more powerful there.
Al, I love it! I have been trying to think of something along those lines for me. Mine in my basement. I'll sleep on it. It is all about having fun
Is Pain, in this context, really a bad thing? Seems like we are gluttons for it. I know I have to suffer in order to make gains and I'm OK with that.
Whatever works though!
I like Power Penthouse Al. But with all the "I heart my Pain Cave" crap I have laying around I think I'll stick to Pain Cave
Much to my disappointment It seems I'll be doing my first FTP in the Pain Cave. Forecast for Monday is 29 with 20mph winds and the rest of the week doesn't look much better. That's just not good 2x20 weather! The worse part about it really is that I plan to do most of my riding outside this winter so I'm bummed I won't be able to establish the FTP outside.
Guess I need to spend some time this weekend on my 2x20 playlist!! Thanks for giving me a little head start with some new ideas Dan!
Current temp: -13/High of 5
Sunday: -7/11
Monday: -4/14
Tuesday: 6/7
Wednesday: 5/17
Thursday: -5/11
Friday: 7/8
Saturday: 8/18
Sunday: 16/25 -- Yeah! HEAT WAVE!
I
Now for me, it's all in good, goofy fun to hate testing- but at the same time get very excited about doing it. I finished the run challenge yesterday and was planning to take the weekend off from exercise to relax, shovel snow, and just be... But I am already bouncing off the walls. I am so darn excited about starting the OS. It means we are heading into a new year, new season. Clean slate and off we go!
Since I am driving myself crazy, I am planning to bike test tomorrow. I have my 2x20 music list ready to go. Can't get to it at the moment, but I have tried it out a few times and think it is going to be great. I'm going to try and have a new version for every test.
VDOT will have to wait a week, assuming we don't have another storm next weekend. I do not have access to a treadmill. In order to keep all of my tests consistent, I need a quiet Sunday morning to run in the road as the walkways do no get cleaned enough to be safe running all out.
So psyched!!
Dan -- I can't believe you are RickRolling yourself! Isn't the FTP test suffering enuff?
I will be heading to the Power Cave -- seems better than Pain and I can't see calling it the Pleasure Cave
Looking forward to a fun packed 5 months with everyone!
ChrisG
Seattle, WA
I might have killed my mojo, I washed my ipod yesterday. I already ordered a new one. This is the second one I've ran through the washer
Washing the electronics sucks...I washed 2 BlackBerry Pearls a while back...two separate occasions, but both in a cycling jersey pocket...I check all pockets very carefully now!
ChrisG
Seattle, WA
Oh Man, thatt's "Break the Glass" kinda emergency!!! Head to the nearest electronics store and buy a new one fast!
Can't wait to see the FTP test results roll in tomorrow.
ChrisG
Seattle, WA
Yeah pretty much does suck, I've washed a cell phone as well. I was able to get it to work again though. The good news; they keep getting cheaper. I got a 16 gb nano for pretty cheap. The ipods do keep getting a little cheaper each time....though I would spend less on them if I quit running them through the washing machine. I haven't told my wife yet, I think I'll let her figure it out.
Good luck everyone tomorrow freaking crush it! I'm not sure when I'll test I'm working all day/night so I might need some rest though it will get done and I'll post results.
You all really didn't need to know all of that detail= but by putting it down here in writing it helps me commit to it!
Dan.
Sorry to hear about your ipod. I dropped mine in a cup of coffee this fall so now I have an ipod touch!
Just did my FTP test on the trainer (a day early but I had the time today). I had to move into the house because the garage was to cold.....Actually I a'm hoping that I will be more likely to get the trainer work done in the am before work if I don't have to go out in the cold dark garage. Glad I don't live North of the Mason Dixie line.
The numbers are down from my testing in the fall outside. Today my FTP was 207 in OCT I maxed out at 240. I am sure that a lot of that is being out of shape but I am hoping that some of the decline is trainer related. No where to go but up!
There is NO DOUBT it's trainer related. Rest easy on that one! Most people have a 10-15% FT drop on a trainer. I would say you are in terrific shape at the start of this season if you held 207 in your first test, compared to what you did outdoors! You'll only improve from here, no doubt, but pat yourself on the back for that one. Well done.
If I may say so interloping from the NOS.
That's right!
In the future if you do wash your ipod or anything else don't turn it on and throw it in a ziplock full of rice for a few days. DON'T TURN IT ON
Should survive just fine. You can also wash your keyboards in the washing machine (no heat cycle) and just let them dry for a few days. Basically as long as there isn't electricity flowing across stuff while wet you should be ok.
-Dave
Cool tip Dave! I gotta try that with the keyboard (it's disgusting). I had a Motorola Pager many years ago when I was managing a Help Desk and had to be On Call (yeah- way back before blackberries or cell phones). Anyway- I hated being on call- and one day the pager made it's way into the laundry. It went through the washer & the dryer before I realized what I'd done. I was all gitty thinking I had a great excuse for why I didn't hear a page only to find the damn thing started right up again when I turned it on!!!! Freakin Motorola and their Six Sigma quality processes!!!!!
I'm teleworking today so I'll do the bike test (again) during my lunch break on the trainer... I did it last week but that's where my week ended after my cat bit me and my hand got infected.
It still hurts, hope I'll be able to run Wed.
no power meter yet, we'll see if I'm a believer at the end of the year.
Good luck and happy training!