The training "week"

It has been a good eight straight days on the bike, one to go. Maybe.

My training blocks have 9 days and not the normal 7. I've set them up this way because of my work roster-pattern (6 on/3 off) as it makes easier to schedule long rides and rest days. So, the training blocks ( Transition, Build 1 x2, Recovery, Build 2 x2, Recovery and Peak) are all longer than normal. It is an experiment and I am hoping that it will help me getting to Inverell next month.

The "week" went like this:

4th ride: Friday, a commute to work and crash on the way back.

See previous post.

Dist.: 24.4 km
Time: 0:59
AvSpeed: 29 km/h
MaxSpeed: 48.4 km/h


5th ride: Saturday, another commute and a couple of laps at Nundah with Sandra.

Another very early start and very cold morning to be on the bike (4:30 am). Still, it amazes me that it only takes a couple of minutes for me to start enjoying the ride. As I get closer to my destination I start wishing that I had another 25 km to go.

On the way home, I stopped at Nundah to meet Sandra. She was doing some tests with her Powertap. Tired, I ask her if it was OK to head straight home. Up since 3:50 am...

Dist.: 31.9
Time: 1:19
AvSpeed: 27.5 km/h
MaxSpeed: 47.9 km/h


6th ride: Sunday, Zupps Circuit with Sandra and commute to work.

The Zupps ride starts at 6:30 am every Sunday, it is a fast ride which normally becomes an unofficial race. As we are in the middle of winter, meaning cold mornings, we chose to sleep in and do the same route after 10:00 am. I used the ride to do some big ring efforts with a tail wind and some spinning on the way back with a couple of up hill sprints (also on big ring). A very nice ride with Sandra.

Then, a good lunch and a commute to work for an 8 hours shift, returning home at around 11:45 pm.

Dist.: 114.5
Time: 4:02
AvSpeed: 28.5 km/h
MaxSpeed: 54 km/h


7th ride: Monday, another commute to work.

No time to ride in the morning, I did a fast commute to work with a nice tail wind, averaging over 32 km/h.

Dist.: 26.7
Time: 0:55
AvSpeed: 29.1


8th ride: Tuesday, Clear Mountain/Bunia Road and commute to work.

Time to get a little serious. On the bike at 9ish and off to Clear Mountain. I wanted to ride around 80 kms for the day so I took Bunia Road to return home. That also meant more hills...

This ride is (can be) a hard one when you push all the way on the hilly terrain before hitting the bottom of the steep 2 km climb.

I ended up doing 60 km of hard riding and an easy commute to work. Coming back at 10:30 pm was probably the hardest thing. I had 4 layers on to keep me warm.

Dist.: 87
Time: 3:12
AvSpeed: 28.5 km/h
MaxSpeed: 69.5 km/h
AvHR: 131 bpm
MaxHR: 160


It has been a good "week" but also tough with the low temperatures in the mornings, and nights, plus the crash as a bonus. We had some strong winds as well so it was all a bit of hard work, which is good if you are training for road races, even in SE Queensland.

I wrote I had one more to go... No, I might not do that one and rest for the long ride tomorrow. The body is still sore (shoulder and neck) after the crash, it might be asking for a break. I will take the time to clean the bike, wash some cycling gear and... Guess what? Yes, watch some Olympic BMX races on the TV, hoping that the Australians do well.