Saturday at work, rather be riding!

That's life!


It has been a good week. The weather has been close to perfect with temperatures dropping just a couple of degrees in the mornings. Still, during the days we can ride our bikes without any base layers or arm/leg warmers.


Training has been sort of OK. I finished the training week on Wednesday with a Mixed Effort workout. Not my favourite, I must say. Firstly, I left home just before 5 pm for the ride, a little late when I had to do 50+ kms. It meant taking lights and coming back just before 7. Secondly, those workouts are always frustrating! I can't get my HR high enough (E3) and I end up feeling like if I am not training hard enough, or that this is not the right type of training for me.


Going back a couple of years, when all I did was get on the bike and ride hard somewhere and then harder back home, race as much as possible and not do any recovery rides, I felt better and now wonder if that type of training works better for me. In fact, this type of training is recognised by some trainers as an effective way for some people to stay in race form all year around.


It did work for me, until I got burnt out and started loosing interest. I started a 12 week base training and gym in September 2006, started racing in November through to January and had a short break in February. Back racing in March, I raced over 50 races until September 2007. Then, I had enough. But I had planned a holiday overseas in October so that helped me thinking that it was OK to stop. But in reality, I was tired.


Now, I am doing this specific training program with expectations of peaking at the right time for a chosen event. Until then, it is like: is this working for me, I can't finish a race in top 5. I must admit, I also went up a grade and I am now racing the best Masters (35 +) in the SE Queensland region.


Well, too late to be having those thoughts as we have three weeks before the Tour de Tablelands, one of my main events for 2008.


I had an Easy session on the trainer last night, taking advantage of it by trying out my new shoes. I got a new pair of SIDI 5.5 with carbon soles, which has a different shape plate from my old SIDI, so fixing the cleats to them is a bit of a mission.

I still can't get into the pro look

thing and wear white shoes...

Tomorrow, we will drive to the Sunshine Coast for an Interclub road race with the local club and with the Ipswich riders. I will race A Grade on a hilly course which hopefully will give me a good indication on how my form is...

I will do an Easy ride this afternoon, perhaps have a coffee in town and then get the bike ready for tomorrow. Time to get back to work!