The rain is supposed to let up by early AM.

What's the plan for the week?

Repeat last week. Try to improve your times a little bit.

I arrived 5 mins late didn't see anyone at GAP --it was drizzling rain, I was in a rush... so I did the workout on my own, hoping to catch others out there.

Same times as last week: low of 2:09, high 2:15, estimated avg 2:13. Those are with a rolling start at the Start/Finish --cruising at about 13-15mph and stopping the clock at the 25mph sign after swinging around by GAP entrance. About 6min (luxurious) rest between the 6 intervals.

Saw Jeff W. & Jules out there... and I think Murray was doing hill repeats on the interior, so he and I were doing figure 8s.

Don't think I can ride the morning tomorrow, so see you guys Thursday.

There was a group of about 8 of us. Jeff C, Jeff K, David, Richard, Joji, Nathaniel, Eric M, and myself (sorry if I forgot anyone).

Norm, we must have been rolling just opposite you.

I had times of 2:11 to 2:22 with the exception of one really crappy one at 2:29. Anyone else have times to post?

See you all tomorrow.

I accidentally deleted my first interval (of course that was my fastest one), but the others were 2:14 (4.3 watts/kg), 2:16 (4.2 watts/kg), 2:24(4.2 watts/kg), 2:25 (3.8 watts/kg). I've got funky things going on with my meter so I wouldn't count on those power numbers. Could be the reason the 2:16 and 2:24 are the same.

At this rate it looks like I'll get fit just in time for my favorite activity: cross. Cross hates me.

Compare your times to your bottom of hill to 25mph sign efforts in April. How long does it take to get from Finish line to bottom of hill?

I for one applaud the new climate. 20 degrees cooler and I feel like I have a new set of legs...

@Jim > Sorry I missed you guys... I should have done the counter-clock ride to rendezvous.

@Jules > Absolutely! However, my interval times suggest I didn't have new legs afterall (though, I guess some Hilltowns hurt was still hanging with me, so getting same times as last week may be good).

I made it out this morning afterall... only to see my 2lap+hilltop finish times explode by 30secs (1st TT) and 1min (2nd TT) over the prior 2 weeks. The wind didn't seem strong, but I felt like I was battling it. I didn't feel like I was staying on top of the pedals and unable to keep my heartrate up on the last lap of the 2nd TT. These hurt as they should, but with significantly slower times, I suppose I was not well-rested. Slow recovery doesn't bode well for Catskills.

I started one at about 5:35 and then met Norm, Eric, Joji for the second one.

My first one was 20 seconds faster than my first one last week but my second one was 20 seconds slower than my second one last week. I think there was some wind along the bottom side, especially as we swung around and started heading north by the parking lot. Maybe that breeze from the north is why it felt cool out this morning. Such a relief from last week.

See you all tomorrow for some easier miles.

Sorry I missed you guys. I started a little early and didn't cycle through to meet up with anyone. My first one was faster than my second but they were both still a little off from last week. I thought it was because I was alone and didn't get the psychological push from others. I also tried out my new aero bars (purchased for Catskills) so I thought that would shave some seconds but alas no.

See you in the morning.

I tried to get an early start today, too. 100% agree with you, Jeff C: TT'ing solo just doesn't have the same psychological push to it as with the whole group. I "Schleck'd" my way thru both efforts / it wasn't pretty.

@ JEf K - that's the way you have to do it if you solo - on your own. mental toughness is often overlooked as part of racing - you have to turn off your brain and just hurt sometimes.

Cycleops just sent an email about mental toughness ...
go here: http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=preview_message&fn=Link&t=1&ssid=9243&id=9g27siw92hx8asvato9iun9gynt7g&id2=&subscriber_id=60194099&messageversion_id=8963224&delivery_id=17636832&tid=3.JBs.A5Z9Mw.Cb9-.iMSY..AQ0d4A.b..l.AiPT.a.TjCUWQ.TjCz_Q.W-zL9A

I agree. Hurting in a race is one thing - nothing beats pinning on a number for motivation - but being able to suffer on my own, on a random weekday (or weekend) morning leaves me with a great feeling of accomplishment, and that confidence carries through the season. All my hardest days on the bike have been alone, with nobody watching.

@ eric & jules - thank you for reminding me to maintain a positive mental outlook / stay mentally strong.

Eric. Any morning training suggestions for us Catskillers tapering off this week?

i'm also wondering what to do this week training-wise.

For Catskills racing.

Tuesday should have some efforts like two one lap tt's.
Wednesday. Easy.
Thursday is openers for the tt.
Friday is race day.

Rest hard this week.

Good luck all.

Ok folks one more week.
Tuesday finish to 25 mph sign 6times.

Wednesday is two lap tts.

Thursday is steady group.

Next week is a rest week and the you'll be working on sprints and tempo.

@ eric – thank you very much.

Ok.
Now your seasons will diverge.
those continuing with road
Tuesday is sprint day 9-12 5-8 second sprints either stopped or rolling. Literally, knock yourself out.
easy in between.

Wed tt day again. Keep up 2 2 lap tt efforts with 20 min recovery.
Thurs easy
Friday easy with openers.
Sat sun. Race and or ride hard and long.

Cx riders do the same, but keep the rpms below 9 for all your efforts.

E

Coach E:

I thought this was a rest week?

Did I mess that up?

If this is rest, the easy until Wednesday then do two tw
Two lap tt efforts.

Thurs is easy again.

Ha, too late. We did sprints this morning. Felt great!

Assuming you mean under 90 rpms for Wednesday TT for CXers.

Yes on the rpms.

four of us showed up for these (with Clayton joining for our warm up lap since he was on his way out of the park).

Rich showed us what was what with a blistering pace. Joji, Jim and I were all within a handful of seconds of each other for both. Jim decided to sprint out the 2nd one and OUCH that hurt. My legs are feeling crispy today, especially that slow RPM thing was hard. <90 RPM feels sluggish, but I am sure I'll spend most of my cross seasons mashing through at 70-80 RPM

Running into Clayton was a nice surprise this morning. Haven't seen him in ages.

Nice work by all this morning, and echo Dan's sentiments of crispy legs afterward [and continuing]. It was quite difficult to push such a big gear at low RPM and stay on top of it, even if I do fancy myself a bit of a masher. And don't let him fool you -- they weren't too far back at the end of that first effort.

Come time for the second one, I was determined to best the first so just kept an eye on average speed and rode the phantom aerobars. Thought I went out too hard and blew it but turned out to be good for 30+ seconds off.

In the interest of full disclosure, park traffic was getting kinda rowdy, disrupting the boys' efforts to chase me down during the second one.

Great day for a ride.

I had to mess with my gearing a bit, (80x3) but I did the workout as written @ 9 RPMs. I guess I'm just. That strong.

Posted By: mperlbergI had to mess with my gearing a bit, (80x3) but I did the workout as written @ 9 RPMs. I guess I'm just. That strong.

That's pretty sick. You were going so fast we couldn't even see you!

Edit: there is a pic floating around the webbernet of an old-school track star riding some _massive_ ratio, but I cannot find it and my Google-Fu is failing. JP might know of the photo.

http://jalopnik.com/5680450/bikes-and-porsches-getting-along