MSers In Training 2011

[Stella]

Hi there, that is so wonderful to see your progress. I watch this thread with interest and wish you lots of luck. I will keep my fingers crossed that the big storms stay away from you in the south. I saw the devastation they have left on Thursday's news. So sad.

[pawpaw]

We aren't too bad

We have done 2 group rides now. This morning we went out with the fast crowd and averaged 19MPH- wind assist- for about 15 miles before we dropped back. We were able to keep pace with them on the hills, but the hills were not steep or long. Most of the hills were in the roller range. I did wear myself out doing that, so we slowed down for the rest of the ride. We hit some bigger hills (still not Colorado quality) and slowed to 8mph on some. We finished at 18mph for 33 miles.
The biggest challenge for us is the downhills. We can really move and we need to be in the front. It doesn't quite work- front for downhills, back for uphill.
We hit 34.7mph on a relative flat run yesterday!
Observations for the first week on the tandem-
It is really fun
I ride harder because I don't have to worry about blowing up and being dropped
I haven't been angry while cycling because I am not always chasing and trying to hang on.
Even though I am riding harder, I don't burn as many calories. Too bad- I like eating those calories.

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

We have now managed to dodge the storms twice and ride some of our usual routes around Lexington. We are fast! We are averaging around 19mph without really killing ourselves and it is fun.

Pell

Pell – I was afraid of that, that bike just looks fast. Guess my only chance now is to catch you on the big hills. Pretty cool Pell.

We haven’t had the dicey weather you guys have but I tried to get out on Saturday for a little climbing and got shut down by snow. It wasn’t sticking and I had enough clothes but I just couldn’t convince myself that it was going to be much fun. I did get a little less than an hour and a half in on Monday though and averaged 15.5 for 22 miles at an avg. HR of 146. That’s a first for this season!

The rest of this week is an off week for me. I’ve got the bike on the trainer and am shooting for about 5 easy hours. I’m afraid I’ve become quite and endorphin junkie. It’s kind of like the more I ride the better I feel. I really have to force myself to limit my time and take it easy on these off weeks. Fortunately the weather is cooperating with plenty of rain and snow.

Very interested to hear how the climbing goes on the tandem.

L

[pawpaw]

Smoking on our tandem

We have now managed to dodge the storms twice and ride some of our usual routes around Lexington. We are fast! We are averaging around 19mph without really killing ourselves and it is fun.
I am still trying to get out often on my single bike because I don't seem to be working hard enough on the tandem. My average HR yesterday on the tandem was 124. Today I did threshold efforts ( 6 efforts of 4 min submax effort/ 4 min easy riding) today with an average HR 135. This ic certainly not on the level of what you can do Larry. I may try an hour ride pushing as hard as I can, just to see what I can do.
The weather must be soon to break. Everything is flooding around here.

Pell

[pawpaw]

I tried to post a photo of the tandem without much success. It is really fun to ride and it will be great on long rides where I tend to get dropped. Now I have to figure out how to tell when I am weak before the ride starts so we will be on the right bike.
Larry- good articles!

Pell
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php...type=1&theater

[AMFADVENTURES]

1000 Miles YTD

Got 9.75 hours in this week, didn’t seem like that much. Still couldn’t get my HR up when I did the interval work on Tuesday but did manage to get a good workout. I think I might be in need of a rest week. One more climb tomorrow then take it pretty easy for 6 or 7 days.

Went out with my yoga instructor today. Wind was blowing 20 mph when we left and never stopped. Of course it was on the nose going uphill but what a ride back down!!! Anyway, she passed “Riding in the Wind: 101” with flying colors.

Pell, I’ll send you my VO2 results, I do it a week from Monday, should be interesting. Love the colors on the tandem.

Spring issue of the ACSM newsletter is out. There are 2 must read articles on Endurance Exercise. “Preventing the ‘Low Fuel Light’ in Endurance Exercise” and “Sports Nutrition Guidelines”, really really good summaries on these topics.
http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?...ONTENTID=15867

Keep the rubber side down,

[pawpaw]

Marina- We have had pretty crazy wind here as well. You will get out soon. It finally calmed a bit this evening so I managed a short interval ride. I hit my highest heart rate since starting Gilenya- 156. I was much slower on this interval ride. Not sure why. I did stop a few times to take photos, so that may be it.

We are off tomorrow to pick up our new tandem. This will be interesting to see how we do with it. We are also changing the type of pedal/clipless system we use. We have been using PDFs and mountain bike shoes. We now have Speedplay and fancy carbon sole road shoes. I am too scared that I can't unclip from them, so I have only worn them on the trainer in the basement.

Larry- pulmonary and cardiac limitations can be overcome with training, so there is hope. I will be very interested to hear what your VO2 max is. I think it will be high.

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

4/18/2011

Pell, I was surprised I could hold my HR that high that long too. My speed only averaged 5.6 on the climb, my buddy’s was 8.6 which probably points to a more significant limitation than strength. I’ve long suspected marginal pulmonary or cardiac capability. I’m going to do a VO2 test in a couple of weeks, maybe that will shed some light on things. I’m not complaining anyway, it’s day and night from where I was 7 or 8 years ago. Regrets on being dropped on your own ride, who knows, hydration, diet, limited recovery, phase of the moon, at least you made the best out of it. Interesting, the concern the AAN is showing regarding Gilenya.

Marina, sorry the wind shut you down but like Pell, at least you made the best of it. It was windy here too. I didn’t go out but my brother, a 20+ year cycling veteran, did and called me afterwards to just to complain about the wind.

“You never get off the ride. You just learn to hold on a different way.” From True Blue by David Baldacci, whose sister has MS.

Stay safe,

[Marinadca]

Couldn't ride outside today - sustained winds of 25 mph + and strong gusts... I chickened out.

So did an hour on the indoor trainer. Bringing the total to 2 hours and 45 minutes on the trainer this week - and no time outside. Not good!

Pell and AMF - thanks for the tips again, especially on hydrating, it has really helped. Good to hear you're getting out there!

[pawpaw]

Larry, I really think you don't realize how much the climbing you are doing is making you stronger. It is very impressive that you can hold a zone 4 heart rate for nearly an hour. My threshold drills are only 5 minutes. I know you could do 16 mph on the flat routes we do around here.
I didn't get my standing power efforts in yesterday during the ride. It is hard to do that in a group. I am getting a bit better with the standing stuff.
Tomorrow we are doing a 31 mile ride with 10-15 mph wind. We will be exhausted but it will be a good exercise in threshold work.

Marina- Let us know how your Sunday ride turns out. I bet you are stronger this week. I have noticed that the hills don't seem to mind the swearing.

Pell

PS. Sunday- was dropped on my own ride. I just couldn't keep up and there were weaker riders in the group. Don't know what the problem was. I was short of breath if I pushed. I turned around and rode alone. I ended up covering nearly the same mileage, just at a bit slower pace- less than 15mph.

[AMFADVENTURES]

4/16/2011

Only got 6 hours in for the week through Friday, pretty disappointing because except for the climb last Saturday, the hours were not the high intensity hours I had hoped for. One or two things might have gotten to me. Fatigue from the climb last Saturday may have lasted quite a bit longer than I had hoped and/or a half gallon of ice cream, that DW and I discovered in the freezer and consumed throughout the week, might have been a poor dietary choice for trying to do interval and sprint drills.

Anyway, I did much better today, 2.5 hours, 27 miles and 2,450 ft. of ascent. Held my avg. heart rate in the top of zone 4 for 55 minutes on the climb. I’m going to lay off the ice cream and see if I can resume interval and sprint drills next Tuesday, that should give me an answer one way or the other.

Pell, you're light years ahead of me right now, at least in terms of speed. I think you had a fantastic plan for the off season and you carried it out very well too. This could really be a banner year for you, Gilenya handicap and all.

Marina, cussing, spitting and hissing is how I get up the hills around here. Seems to work pretty dang well. You're doing great. Hope to hear how your ride this weekend goes.

Stay safe,

[pawpaw]

That should help tons. I plan to hit the trainer tomorrow as well. Outside is so much more fun.
Pell

[Marinadca]

Pell - I am on the trainer for 30 minutes at 12-15 mph Wed/Thurs and 45 minutes on Saturday (it has rained heavily/thunderstormed for the past 2-3 Saturdays...tomorro included!). I hope it helps.

[pawpaw]

I bet your Sunday ride is a bit easier this time. Can you fit any short rides in during the week?
Even a few miles during the week may make your Sunday rides a bit easier.

I logged 5.5 hours on the bike this week, and I may spend some time on the trainer tomorrow. We rode 26 miles today and I felt pretty strong. We were just with a group of 4 but I had no problem keeping up. We averaged a bit over 16mph but there were no serious hills. Not comparable to the rides you do Larry.
On Sunday we are leading a 31 mile ride from our house. The forecast looks decent, so we will probably have over 20 riders again.
Next weekend we hope to pick up our tandem, but we haven't received notification that it has shipped.
I seem to be able to do about the same exercise that I could last year. I didn't gain anything with an aggressive off season training plan, but I guess I didn't lose much either.

Pell

[Marinadca]

Thanks AMF - I am going to try that, I have really been paying more attention to hydration this week and I hope it pays off - it couldn't hurt of course!

This Sunday we face 15 miles again....I'm sure I will cursing and quitting the whole way