8/20/11- Another attempt at "The Great White Buffalo" route

A few weeks ago, a friend/teammate/training partner and I came up with a route that looked and sounded like a good ride. We took a ride that he has done in the past, that is very scenic, and winds through some of the nicest back roads in the county, then we added a loop that I ride sometimes, through some of the back roads in the southern end of our county. The total course is just over 60 miles. In theory, it's a great ride. I say that because, in 3 attempts, we still haven't been able to complete the route in it's entirety! During our attempts, we've amassed 2 flats, 1 crash (with a broken derailleur hanger), and 1 "bonk. Yesterday, I figured I'd give it another try...solo this time. I ended up running out of fluids around mile 47, and had to shorten the ride and head for home. So it still hasn't been finished!

Since I got my power meter, nearly a month ago, I've been collecting and evaluating as much data as I can. Slowly, I'm learning some of the more technical things, such as TSS, ATL, CTL, Intensity Factor, etc. Here's a few things that I found interesting from yesterday's ride (and my fitness).

Using PowerAgent software (which I LOVE and is FREE, downloaded from CycleOps website), I'm able to "segment" any part of my ride and save it as a new interval. I compared my last attempt (with a total group of 3 riders to share the work load), with my solo ride yesterday until the same spot where the crash occurred. Here is a chart with the interesting facts:

So, basically, in order to do the same work alone, my HR was nearly 20bpm higher, I had to maintain a higher average power (although I had some more powerful bursts with the group, as evidenced by my normalized power...which is what I think drove up my TSS and Intensity Factor). Just goes to show how much working as a group and drafting really does save energy. With a group of 3, my HR was 11% lower, and my Norm. Power was 4% higher. So, in short, I did more work with less energy.

I love seeing this raw data, because the numbers always tell the truth. I can't tell you how much material I've read about riding, racing, and training, but it's nice to see the numbers for myself...from rides that I personally did. I'm not sure when The Great White Buffalo will finally get slayed, but it's already proven to be a useful route.

Training with my Cycleops Power Meter and using PowerAgent software

Since starting my adventure into competitive cycling, I have read just about every bit of material in regards to training that I could get my hands (or eyes) on. I've also had many conversations with "elite" or "experienced" racers, and I've bought quite a few books. I even participated in a performance-cycling based study on caffeine, that took place in a performance lab, complete with blood draws and VO2 max testing. I knew, early on, that the ultimate method of training was with a power meter. According to many of the online forums and local cycling communities, you're simply not training efficiently, or to your maximum potential...unless you have a power meter. I think I made the common progression during my training, going from riding a lot, then adding a heart rate monitor, then GPS, then cadence, and finally power. What I didn't know, was how much of a difference it would actually make in my training, and how fun it would be to evaluate the data. 

When I first got my power meter (Cycleops Elite+ hub in a DT450 wheel), I linked it with my Garmin Edge500 (which was easy enough...just find the Garmin owner's manual online and follow the instructions) and got to work. My wife bought me the book "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" by Allen and Cogan, and although some of the material is quite scientific, I've managed to decipher a good bit of it. I immediately performed my FTP test (Functional Threshold Power), which basically tells you how much power you should be able to maintain over the course of an hour. It's an interesting number, but it doesn't tell the entire story. From that number, you can determine your power "zones" for training...you can also draw from it your LTHR (Lactate Threshold Heart Rate).  (I should mention here that I think it's important to train throughout the year using periodization, so that you have some meaning to your training, that is...a method to your madness). After that, it's necessary to determine your "power profile". This is interesting, because it's where you learn your average power outputs for various increments (15 sec., 1 min., 5 min., etc.). THEN, you need to go one step further and learn your power to weight ratio. First, convert your body weight into kg's (divide your weight in lbs. by 2.2), and then divide the average power numbers by your weight in kg. After doing this, I made a chart in excel. It looks like this:

This way, when I retest each month, I can see where I've made my gains. Knowing the numbers in your power profile is crucial, in my opinion, because I know where my strengths are, and which type of rider I am (all-rounder, sprinter, climber, TT specialist, etc.). In my case, this is a classic presentation for an all-rounder. You can see that my numbers aren't amazingly spectacular, but I've finished as high as 6th at the local Cat 4 races, which means that I've at least learned some tactics along the way. At any rate, knowing these numbers allows me to either exploit my strengths (for me, this would be my 5 min. effort), or work on my weaknesses (my sprint and 1 minute efforts). Working with power has also taught me to better push power all the way around my pedal stroke, and I'm looking forward to my next test. 

The next thing I'd like to mention is training software. I've tried quite a few. I have a Garmin, so I actually do like Garmin Training Center (which came with my device), and there's always Garmin Connect which is free online. It allows you to see the basics like average and maximums for power, heart rate, cadence, speed, elevation, etc. It also shows the map and distance for your ride, which I like. I've tried Strava, which I can't get the hang of, and doesn't seem to have the amount of displayable data that it's Garmin counterparts have. I've also toyed with mapmyride and ridewithgps, which I think are great for ride-mapping and route-finding, but little else. I had a trainingpeaks account for a while (the premium version) which was great, but it's tough to justify another monthly payment to use it. The free version of trainingpeaks works well, but there's limited features. A software that I have really begun to enjoy is PowerAgent, which is downloadable for free on the Cycleops website. What I've been doing for the past few weeks is downloading my training file into both Garmin Training Center (for the mapping, etc), and then into PowerAgent for the detailed analysis of my intervals, etc. What's GREAT about PowerAgent, is that I can look at a number that's called "Normalized Power". Average power is ok, but it's not completely honest. Sure, if you perform 500w (watts) for 30 seconds, then 1000w for 30 seconds, you average would be 750w. HOWEVER, because of the amount of work that you did to maintain the 1000w, you body may have done the same amount of work that it would take to maintain, say, 800w for that minute. Confusing? Think of it in terms of a car: if you drive your car around the city, there are many points of acceleration, cruising, braking, whatever. You may average 25mpg over the course of that tank of gas, but there were times when your car did more work and probably only averaged 20mpg, and then times when it cruised and did less work, maybe maintaining 28mpg. In the end, although you averaged 25mpg, you placed additional "wear and tear" on your car when you accelerated or stomped it through the city. So, "Normalized Power" is more valuable than average power, especially since it's impossible to maintain a perfectly steady output of power throughout your ride. Also, something that I recently discovered with PowerAgent, is the ability to "segment" or isolate a portion of your ride. If you click and drag on any portion of the detailed graph, the software will figure out your numbers for that section that you chose. Pretty awesome. This means that if I wanted to see my averages, etc, for a certain part of my interval, I can get it...even if I didn't hit the "Lap" button on my Garmin.  PowerAgent has far more data than I'll probably ever use, but it's nice that if I decide to learn it, it's there. And for free.

I can't wait to continue learning...and training. 

I increased my training, and all I got was this stupid saddle sore.

With the World Police and Fire Games just around the corner (8/26-9/5), to say that I've stepped up my training would be an understatement. After taking a 6th place Cat 4 finish at my last crit, I decided that my training has been working, and my confidence was starting to solidify. Following that race, I was left with a 6 week "build" period to get me ready for the games. I've added roughly 50 miles per week to my training, and I've structured my weeks much more than previously this year. My typical week, now, looks like this: Sunday- 3hr. Tempo ride, Monday- Anaerobic (superthreshold) intervals, Tuesday- Recovery Ride, Wednesday- Group Ride or Race Pace Ride, Thursday- Threshold Intervals, Friday- Juniors Practice, Saturday- Long Ride or Rest. 

The extra time in the saddle has been great for my legs, but unfortunately, not so good for my "nether" region. I've developed a small "saddle sore" that I think has the potential to be rather bothersome. Luckily, it seems like they are very easily treated. Basically, keep it clean, dry, and rub some Oxy10 on it. Maybe some chamois lube for the ride to reduce friction...and the best part of all...sleep in the nude!!! 

I've learned several secrets so far along the way during my cycling endeavors, and it looks like I'm going to have more soon.

2011 MABRA Age Graded Criterium Championships

Chasing up the hill

7/9/11 - Raced at the MABRA Age Graded Championships. I was a bit nervous for this race since I am a brand new Cat 4 this year, and this race was 35+ Cat 3/4. I  knew the field was going to be fast. Just prior to the start, after warming up on the trainer, I did a few laps on the course to keep my legs warm and to check out the turns. The course looked great. Nice and smooth, not many obstacles (potholes, sewers, etc), nice clean turns, and an uphill that seemed like it was going to be just steep enough to be tough.
From the start, the pace was high. The first 2 laps averaged over 27 mph. After having such a poor performance at the Tour of Washington County, my strategy was to sit in the pack as much as I could, and conserve energy.  With the speeds of the group, there wasn't much conserving going on, and my HR stayed in the 170's most of the time! I did manage to find a spot that didn't seem to move backwards often, and I managed to hold my ground fairly well. in the latter half of the race, on a tight left hand turn, one rider misjudged and hit the outside curb, cartwheeling into the grass. The pace quickened on the final lap (over 28mph average)...and my top speed hit over 37mph! After the final turn, I stood up and sprinted past a few guys and finished 22nd overall. After checking the results, I was the 6th placed Cat 4. I'm definitely pleased with that result.

Post-race analysis: recently, I've been focusing on my diet BIG TIME. After performing poorly at the Tour of Washington County, I was pretty pissed off. It seems the fruits and veggies, and increased protein intake is working well. Also, in the training regimen, I added more interval rides which have been awesome. Also, about a week ago, I tore my wheel hubs apart and cleaned and lubed the bearings (after about 4500 miles) as well as the bottom bracket, and it seems like I can truly feel a difference (maybe it's all psychological, who knows).

Looking forward now, it's time to set my sights on the World Police and Fire Games at the end of August. I'm going to stick with my current training regimen and diet, and hopefully continue to feel this good.

Memorial Day weekend/BikeJam 2011 (Patterson Park, Baltimore)

Well, despite how many crashes there were throughout the day of racing, despite myself and 2 of my teammates getting shelled off the back (for different reasons, but off the back, nonetheless...) and our 4th man getting wrapped up in a nasty little crash himself, our junior's team getting a flat, a crash, and a DQ for gearing...today was pretty awesome.
I know...I know....this is a blog about racing, but indirectly, it's because of the racing that the day was so good. If it weren't for going racing today, my son never would have had the chance to hang out with this guy, who gave him a hat, signed it, and gave multiple high-fives and even took a picture with him. Without going racing today, our juniors team wouldn't have gotten all those free Slurpees, made their own stickers, played on the moonbounce slide, watched the trials riders, or listened to the live bands. We wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to walk up in the pagoda at Patterson Park, and check out the 360 degree panoramic view of Baltimore, including the Inner Harbor.
And, without going racing today, I never would have parked behind a Marine Corp veteran of the war in Iraq. A veteran who I've seen on multiple occasions throughout the Mid-Atlantic circuit. A veteran who continues to race, despite having lost his leg during the second taking of Fallujah (read this...skip to the Iraq War 2003). A veteran who took the time to walk up to me, introduce himself, and begin a conversation. Of course, we began with talking about the day's race and what happened. He candidly joked about his prosthetic, and let me hold the "racing leg". And then he shared with me the story of how he arrived at the point in his life where he needs to wear the above mentioned prosthetic. The story, and his willingness to tell me (a complete stranger) about it, was amazing. In a 20 minute conversation, I learned that he was in the "passenger" seat in a humvee, as his platoon was leading the way, and that not only did they drive over the explosive device that took his leg (and  his platoon leader's life...in the same vehicle), but that they also were ambushed TWO MORE TIMES as they tried to evacuate themselves (and other wounded) from the city. Amazing. I didn't really know what to say. We made small talk for a few more minutes, and then I politely thanked him and we agreed that we'd probably see each other next weekend at the race, and we went our separate ways.
As I drove away, I thought about the conversation. I went over almost every word in my mind. I know it's memorial day weekend, and I've ALWAYS been a HUGE fan of our military (in fact, had I not been DQ'd during my entrance physical, I probably would have made it my career), but today really made me think about our guys (and gals) that fight for our country every day. Maybe they're fighting for our freedom, and maybe it's some political bullshit (or as Carlin would say a "prick measuring contest"), but it doesn't really matter. The fact is, that we have the bravest people on the planet fighting for and protecting the USA. It's a thankless job, and you can guarantee that our government doesn't show them the respect that they deserve. The guy that parked in front of me today get's to sport a Purple Heart license plate, but I wonder what else he got in return for his leg? I'll bet it wasn't much. And today, he continued to give...so to him, and everyone else that either is currently serving or has served in our armed forces....THANK YOU....seriously.

Fort Ritchie Crit 5/7/2011

Yesterday was the 2011 Fort Ritchie Crit in Cascade, MD. The weather was nice and sunny by the time the Men's Cat4 started at 3:30 in the afternoon. There was a little wind, but certainly nothing like what we saw at the Carl Dolan and Chantilly races. I haven't seen the race results yet, so I'm not sure how many started in the field. For our team (Capital Region Fire and Police Cycling), we actually had 3 of us there. It's not much compared to teams like NCVC or SynFit, but considering we're only in our second year as a team, I'm glad to see that we're getting out there. In the above picture, that's me chewing on my earphones cord (really, just keeping it out of the way of my hands), Dennis in the middle, and Steve on the far end. Dennis raced the 3/4 earlier in the morning and took 8th, and this is Steve's first year back racing after a few years off. Both are normally very strong. My strategy for this race was simply to keep touch with the pack. After getting completely dropped in Chantilly, I figured it was a good goal. Overall, the race was pretty quick-paced and the competition good. Of course, I could point out several guys that need to do some serious work on holding their lines, or having better spacial-awareness, but it wasn't overly treacherous. I managed to hang on throughout the race, sometimes finding myself sitting in the top five or so, and then going all the way to the back...but I never lost touch. Steve flatted maybe on lap 5 of the 60 minute race, and by the end, Dennis had nothing left in the tank (after racing earlier). I could have pushed a little harder and finished a little higher at the line, but with the Richmond crash still fresh in my mind, I'm still getting used to fighting for my position. It was a fun race, with music playing all day, and the occasional announcing by Joe. Next on the schedule is BikeJam on 5/28, followed by Ride Sally Ride, and the Tour of Washington County.

**edit** Just looked at the results, and I finished 26th out of the 40 that started. I'll take that at this stage of my Cat4-ness.

2011 Carl Dolan Memorial Race (Cat4/5 field)

Today was my second race as a Cat 4. After yesterday's performance in Chantilly, I set 2 simple goals. 1) Stay upright. 2)Stay with the pack. Both missions were accomplished. We started out with a full group of 75 (per the official at the start line). From the "go", we settled pretty quickly into "group mentality". I would have liked to have seen it string out a little more, but I won't complain. The wind was brutal, probably gusting in the 30-40mph range. There was also a hill just prior to the start/finish, which was both a help and a hinderance. It sure sucked to race up that thing every lap, but if nothing else, it also prevented anybody from getting away. The picture above is from our first "Prime" lap (about 3 laps in). That's me in the red and black jersey on the left, in front of the group. I didn't stay in that position long. Most of the race, I managed to stay in the top 30% or so. On the final lap, I hung with the leaders, but had to jam the brakes to avoid what I thought was going to be a crash, so I lost momentum going into the hill. It actually probably only lost me 2 or 3 positions, and I finished 28th overall.

The course was good, open, and fast. there was only one real turn, which was a fast right hander. If it weren't for the small patch of wet gravel on the inside of the turn, it would have been perfect. Maybe next year it will be completely dry...and without all the wind.