Training Log Archive: igoup

First CO gravel ride. Out Middle Creek Rd and back. With Sam. Very easy and that's what I needed. Very pleasant and enjoyable.

Up at 0500, driving by 0520, stop at McD for sausage biscuit, Pagosa Springs at 0805. 15min delay for a work call and associated email. Riding by 0830.

PMS to Wolf Creek Pass
2017 = 2:04:--
2018 = 2:09:38
2019 = 2:11:09
2020 = 2:16:05

PS to Treasure Falls Parking
2017 = ?
2018 = 1:04:59
2019 = 1:01:24
2020 = 1:00:05

Wolf Creek Pass (from Pagosa Springs)
2017 = 1:05:--
2018 = 1:02:47
2019 = 1:01:39
2020 = 1:07:16

Max speed = 86.2kph

I set strava segment PRs on the way to Treasure Falls AND on the way back from Treasure Falls. The climb itself did not agree with me.

The ride:
* Started about an hour later than I would prefer but it couldn't be helped.
* Easy out to Treasure Falls. Since I didn't have the opportunity to stash fluids at the pass, I wore a camelbak, drank from that on the way out and stashed it in some bushes for my resupply on the way back.
* My goal was to break an hour on the climb proper. I was doing well on the switchbacks up to the overlook. I had my garmin showing speed and HR. I could keep my HR ~155ish without too much stress but 160 was no bueno. I found myself slowing down and having to use my granny gear that I had hoped to save for PP. I thought that maybe I had my calculations wrong because I couldn't be going this slow. Just keep at it. I tried to look around but most of my attention was on managing the effort.
* About 2.5k from the top my hands started getting shaky and I had two headaches behind each eyeball. My neck and right tri-cep were very achy, which was annoying. I tried to focus on my breath counting them from 1 to 5 then repeating. I always have dreams of hitting the last km and being able to attack the last part; this dream has never come true.
* The pass had the most cars I've ever seen. Treasure Falls too. NM may be quiet but CO is busy with tourists with full campgrounds.
* I thought about immediately heading back but I had stopped shaking, had a bar and felt a little better. I descended still heading east to above the lake. This was fun because the the road is a little twisty, there is a tunnel, and I'm just as fast as the cars. Hit 78kph.
* Turning around I was dismayed to find I was not recovered at all. My HR would climb as I worked and then I'd poop out. Two years ago I really had trouble. Last year I was able to go up this section without stopping. Today was in between. I stopped 5 times to recover. Each time would then pick a new land mark to get too.
* Back up on the top I took a break and had a gel. It felt good to sit and I had to kick myself to get going before I got too stiff.
* I decided to just enjoy the ride down and not worry about speed. My neck wasn't up to holding the tuck for long periods. Still passed two semis though. In the last third in steepens a bit and my speed picked up nicely. Since there wasn't any traffic I decided to hit it and crank. This was when I hit 86kph. Zing! With no traffic I was able to take the switchback turns at speed and that's fun.
* Stopped at Treasure Falls, recovered my camelbak and filled bottles. Carried good speed going home. I don't know why. Tailwind?
* In the evening, I'm still bloated with a headache. Boo.


Why did I suck on the climb?
* I trained hills more than ever before. On the other hand, I haven't had any ass kicking group rides.
* Both my digestion and sleep have been out of sorts the last couple of weeks. I don't think that helped.
* Usually, I fly to Albuquerque or Durango, drive to Sam's, assemble my bike, and go for an easy 1 hour ride. Perhaps that prepares my body a bit for what is about to come the next day.
* Probably 10+ hours of driving the day before is not helpful.

Oh well. I will be back again to spar with Wolf Creek Pass in 2021. And I sure hope I accomplish some world class altitude acclimatizing in the next week or I could be in a world of hurt.

10hrs 15min from 615 Monte Vista Dr to Hotel Santa Fe. Includes two drive throughs for food and a few stretch & pee stops.

Full race WU through to the piece at 34. Nice to put down some power.

Nice morning and nice row.

A rowing poem by Famelicose

A Slight East Wind
mmmmmmm__________
------mmmm_______MMM
MMM________________
mmmmMMMmmmmMMM
__________mmmm_____
_____________________
Sometimes wavy
Sometimes not

A poem by Famelicose

Up and Down

Down, flat, up, down, up, down, up, down, flat
Then, up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down
Up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down
Up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down
Then, flat, up, flat, down, flat
Down, up, flat, down, flat, up, down, up
Flat, down, up
Sometimes spinning and sometimes standing

Cloudy is good. Humidity is not as fun. I was a soggy noodle when i finished.

Yogamatazz!

WR Lake loop: WRC200 start & finish = time trial around the lake.

Results are as follows:
2015-09-16: 33.9kph, HR_ave: 150-160
2015-09-23: 35.6kph, HR_ave: 150-160
2020-04-22: 32.8kph, HR_ave: 140-145. (17.5k in 32:06)
2020-06-24: 34.4kph, HR_ave: 146ish for first half, 153ish for second half. (18.07 in 31;32)
2020-07-21: 34.3kph, HR_ave: mid 150s throughout. (18.07 in 31;35)

A little slower than June until the last 3k when I was faster. I kind of made dumb move coming off the trail onto Winsted; squeaked in front of a pickup who was luckily paying attention.

Hard work. Pain is merely fear of expectations. Just keep riding.

Expanded version:
Rolling start at the WRC200 sign. It is very slightly up hill so it feels a touch hard and is a little slow. Some guy was being indecisive over by FPH and that caused a very slight pause. Traffic pauses don't cause so much lost time in and off themselves but the effort of getting momentum back is fatiguing. Passed one dopey car just before Mockingbird because I'm so fast. Spun up Bathhouse hill; in a TT situation I figure it is better to keep the effort level consistent overall rather than trying to slam it to keep speed up. I was temped to ease a bit off the top because I was guessed and it is slightly downhill but on a TT you have to resist that urge and keep the pressure on. Around Pelican Cove my mind drifted to feeling slow, feeling tired, and not meeting expectations. Doubts accentuate the pain. So i tried not to think about results and finishing and just keep riding. Along the Arboretum I was a touch aggressive in squeaking through some traffic. That's the problem with doing TTs on a non-closed course. Coming off Winsted there was a pickup truck coming from my left and I merged in front with sufficient but not plenty of room. That wouldn't be a maneuver I normally made. I'm being a little stupid. Again with spinning up the Dollies and then picking up speed on the back side, which felt good. Stand to get up TP hill; it's not pain just sensation. The Fisher Rd detour is a speed killer and also comes with it's share of sensation. Plus, there is an intersection at the bottom so you don't get to carry the speed. After that it's a flat 2.5k back to the WRC200 sign. Started to increase pressure with about a km to go and got over 40kph for the last 500m. Ouch, cough, heave, done. Easy around the lake again but behaving myself then home.

ps: I'm not copy editing this so my mistakes will stay.

It was a winter like 90F in the afternoon so ran a little, pullups, pushups, situps, bridges, run repeat, run repeat then home.

Strong steady row. I still don't like the pitch on the starboard side.

Got up to go rowing my the right side of my face is swollen and I can't open my right eye. I went back to bed. Here's the suffering on my face.

Cross sym, MP A&B, short run, physioball, lift. My face is still swollen but i can see with 1 2/3 eyes.

We were supposed to be on our way to CO today but that will be delayed. Long story. I decided that I needed to get out of D for a ride so got up at 0500 to drive to Muenster and do the 100k Germanfest route.

When I put my bike in the car I noticed the rear tire was flat. Back to the garage. The leak was a little slice and since there was no debris I figured it was a pinch flat. Changed the tube and got back on the road. A mile down the road, PTSSSSSSS! I didn't want to head out of town for a long ride having to use my spare and ride with just a patch kit so back home. At this point I decided that by the time I got riding it would be too hot. The new plan was to ride from home or, if that wasn't possible, just go row. A more thorough investigation discovered that the rim tape had shifted so that a spoke hole was uncovered. At 100psi the edge was causing the flat. Luckily, I had a spare role of tape. Fixed that and put in a new tube. Grrr....

Now to get riding. Oops, one of my rear blinkers was dead; pulled that off.
Put chamois buttr where chamois buttr goes. Got distracted and instead of picking up the sunscreen grabbed the buttr again. I proceed to spread that all over my face, ears and neck before I noticed. Grrrr....

Finally got going. About a half hour out on Galloway Rd my insides decided that last night's Velvet Tacos needed to be outside. There wasn't a convenient port-a-john much less a clean one around so I found a field where I could hide in the bushes; glad I was carrying TP. Grrrrr....

Once I got riding again there was much scratching. Luckily it was still so early there weren't passer-byers out to see me picking little grass burrs out of my jersey, chamois and butt. Grrr....

My legs hadn't been feeling flat. However, about the 2hr mark south of I20 my speed picked up. Don't know why but it felt good. Stopped at the Velero on Barnes Bridge for more fluids. By the end of the ride I went through 6 bottles.

To get a little more climb I took the bike trail that cuts across Barnes Bridge. Coming up the "Alpe D'Huez" hill (because of the switchbacks not because of the altitude) I wasp flew into my face and stung me above the right eye. Washed it with water and felt it swelling. Grrrr....

Back to the lake I was feeling pretty decent and I have no idea why. Maybe the wasp sting gave me super powers. Did a lap, some hills and went home.

Showered, took a benydryl, went to lunch, came home and lay on the couch for a couple of hours.

Event: Rescheduled - BAOC: California Orienteering Festival
 

Easy-ish with Tony