Southern California - jschen's mid-year resolution

Thanks to not riding much so far this year (some good excuses mixed in with some terrible ones) my original goals for the year need to be reconsidered. To keep myself going and to give myself another seemingly far fetched goal to aim for (as far fetched as climbing Baldy seemed back when I first got a bike) to keep me motivated, I'm going to state for the record my goals for the next 3 months. The following are guidelines, meant to be flexible. For example, I obviously won't ride as much on the weekend I visit Boston.

Being healthy
No elevators unless carrying something
Avoid habitual overeating
Alcohol no more than once a week
Non-diet sodas only on big ride days

Riding regularly
5 rides per week
100+ miles per week
10,000+ vertical feet per week

Riding faster
Mt Soledad ride (16.5 miles, about 2000 vertical feet) in 1:10 (PR: 1:17)
Torrey Pines in under 8 minutes (PR: 8:58)

I believe those targets are realistic. I've been adhering to the Being healthy goals for the last two weeks now. The Riding regularly goals are targets I had set in my pre-Baldy days and managed to hit. As for Riding faster, I believe that with a bit of low hanging fruit (ie getting back in shape after having rode too little in recent months) available for the picking, those aren't too unrealistic, either. They'll take some work, but I've got three months. Finally...

Daring to dream
Mt Soledad ride in 1:05
Mt Baldy climb in 1:45 (PR: 1:56)
Torrey Pines Century (never done more than one climb)
Palomar Century (South, East, South, East) (PR: 3 climbs)

If I reach those goals that at the moment seem so far fetched, I'll sign up for Everest Challenge. Ultimately, though, failing at the performance goals is okay if I give it an honest effort. Admitting that I didn't try when someone points out this thread to me in a few months would be the real embarrassment.

10K vertical feet per week is in Vertical Bob territory...that's a lot of vertical.

That's what I did before I managed to climb Baldy. It's not too bad if four times a week I hit my local training loop, which back then had 1700 feet of climbing but now has 2000 feet of climbing. That's 8000 feet right there. Only 2000 needed in my fifth ride.

Of course, the big difference back then was that I had a big goal that I was passionate about to train for. That's what motivated me to keep climbing that many vertical feet, week in week out.

You need a new big goal then.

That's why Everest Challenge is there. If I hit those other goals, I'll sign up.

That's a pretty tough ride to be doing 4 times a week figuring the 5th ride would actually be the big ride. More power to ya though.

I hear ya on that... pre-Baldy, my Sunday ride was typically 50 miles, 3000 vertical feet. Nowadays, I'm a bit more ambitious with my Sunday rides, so I'm not too sure how that will work out. We'll see...

10K vertical feet per week is in Vertical Bob territory...that's a lot of vertical.I try to aveage at least 12,000ft. a weekend since in a normal year at least some weekends are rained out. This year I've been doing 60,000 a month. No work and no rain ,I've been able to get in a ride during the week . That helps. Keep at it Jason, it's those long rides that get you strong, and in my case, stupid.:o

Resolution? Heck I just feel that if I ride my bike, I'm doing good!:D

Resolution? Heck I just feel that if I ride my bike, I'm doing good!:DSame here. 10k ft per week? I'm too scared of flights to fly every week. :lol:

My new year resolution so far is still pretty off. Haven't met my sub-9min TP climb yet, didn't ride every day before work (though that's starting), haven't started running and haven't started to learn how to swim. Oh well.

That's why Everest Challenge is there. If I hit those other goals, I'll sign up.

I think you need to sign up first... then you'll really be motivated to keep to your goals :p and I agree that 10k per week is a lot of elevation and doesn't leave you much room for ride variety.... not that I'm any expert but you may wanna re-think that one or alternate w/a week w/less gain

Ride variety? I can learn to cruise faster on flat ground or descend faster, but that won't do nearly as much for my overall speed as simply climbing faster.

I think setting mid year goals is a great idea, Jason. Just striving to meet them is enough to make you feel better (especially the healthy ones). Posting them here is a good sticking post since I'm sure one or two of us will remind you of them from time to time. ;)

Ride variety? I can learn to cruise faster on flat ground or descend faster, but that won't do nearly as much for my overall speed as simply climbing faster.

Yes, but every once in a while you need some variety to keep from burning out or as a recovery ride... that's all I'm sayin'

I, personally look forward to reading you've met every goal and that I need to go cheer you on at the everest challenge!!! :D

That's what I did before I managed to climb Baldy. It's not too bad if four times a week I hit my local training loop, which back then had 1700 feet of climbing but now has 2000 feet of climbing. That's 8000 feet right there. Only 2000 needed in my fifth ride.

Of course, the big difference back then was that I had a big goal that I was passionate about to train for. That's what motivated me to keep climbing that many vertical feet, week in week out.


Not too tough at all Jason. Ive been doing atleast that when I ride 3 days a week. Being as my shortest weekend ride has 4500 ft in 32 miles, and the longer rides in the 7000ft + range. It leaves my mid week rides at a slower pace while still climbing, and then one ride where I just go out a punish my legs and lungs by pushing as hard as I can. ;) You can do it.

Riding faster
Mt Soledad ride (16.5 miles, about 2000 vertical feet) in 1:10 (PR: 1:17)

[...]

I believe that with a bit of low hanging fruit (ie getting back in shape after having rode too little in recent months) available for the picking, those aren't too unrealistic, either.

[...]

Daring to dream
Mt Soledad ride in 1:05

1:17:10 yesterday
1:11:39 today

I guess most of the low hanging fruit just got picked. Okay, to help keep me motivated, the new target for Riding faster is 1:08. As for Daring to dream, the thought of riding that ride in 1:05 still seems pretty outlandish to me.

Not too tough at all Jason. Ive been doing atleast that when I ride 3 days a week. Being as my shortest weekend ride has 4500 ft in 32 miles, and the longer rides in the 7000ft + range. It leaves my mid week rides at a slower pace while still climbing, and then one ride where I just go out a punish my legs and lungs by pushing as hard as I can. ;) You can do it.

Why do you hate your legs and lungs?

Why do you hate your legs and lungs?
I dont, but it makes them stronger by pushing em to failure.:eek: Well I guess the lungs dont fail.

Posting them here is a good sticking post since I'm sure one or two of us will remind you of them from time to time. ;)
That's the idea...

1:17:10 yesterday
1:11:39 today

I guess most of the low hanging fruit just got picked. Okay, to help keep me motivated, the new target for Riding faster is 1:08. As for Daring to dream, the thought of riding that ride in 1:05 still seems pretty outlandish to me.

just go for the full hr flat:D That would be a good average speed for that entire ride. Do some intervals on the hills to help your body recover faster while still climbing, it's gonna really hurt the first few time, but it starts to pay off.

I think I'll try and drop 30 pounds.

I think I'll try and drop 30 pounds.
:rolleyes: From where? Your earlobe? :p

I think I'll try and drop 30 pounds.Why?

I do have two earlobes.

I'm heavy for my height.

I do have two earlobes.

I'm heavy for my height.
I think you look good. And no, I'm not trying to get brownie points so you won't ban me. :p

I think you look good. And no, I'm not trying to get brownie points so you won't ban me. :p

I can't hear you. Try the other ear.

I can't hear you. Try the other ear.
:rolleyes: I'll just have to sign it the next time I see you. :D

:rolleyes: I'll just have to sign it the next time I see you. :D

With a sharpie?

With a sharpie?
permanent marker? Yeah, that'd work.

just go for the full hr flat:D That would be a good average speed for that entire ride. Do some intervals on the hills to help your body recover faster while still climbing, it's gonna really hurt the first few time, but it starts to pay off.
16.5 MPH, with about 120 vertical feet per mile and a double digit grade stretch thrown in? Umm... yeah, sure... not in 3 months' time. As for intervals, the core of the ride is hill intervals. A profile of my old Mt Soledad loop (courtesy of 1955) is attached. The new route is an out and back, turning around after the descent of the south side of Mt Soledad.

that profile looks punishing for sure.


Here are my lunch rides I like to do.
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Del-Dio-O-B
only 1300ft of climbing in 19 miles but hauling a$$ for sure.

10K vertical feet per week is in Vertical Bob territory...that's a lot of vertical.
Don't forget VB has been doing that much or more for at least 4 years, and he's almost 60.

A bit more low hanging fruit...

1:11:21 today, edging out my time of 1:11:39 on Friday. (I don't count time stopped on these short rides because I'm only stopped for traffic controls, and those stops are out of my control and too short to allow resting up anyway.) Considering that I was slower up Via Capri (my legs are still feeling Sunday's ride when they're put on double digit grades) and that I stopped on a downhill and backtracked a bit to give a fellow cyclist a tube, I'm very pleased with the incremental improvement. Aside from Via Capri, I did pretty well out there today. Indeed, after climbing Via Capri and descending the other side of Mt Soledad, I was at a personal record split time (better than all the times I rode out this way on my former Mt Soledad loop). I believe 1:10:xx is easily within my reach on a good day.

As for riding five times a week, I'm not sure that's going to happen... I suspect I'll often often feel a need for a second rest day after a hard Sunday ride, as I did yesterday. But we'll see... maybe with regular riding, I'll recover a bit more quickly from those Sunday rides.

I've been off the bike for a week thanks to an unusually busy week at work last week and my Boston trip last weekend. Gotta get back on the bike! Hopefully I'll be out there tomorrow morning.

This five times a week business isn't working too well. I think if I insist on five times a week, I'll end up riding short 6 mile cruises 2-3 times per week. Maybe I'll aim for 3-4 good rides per week.

I haven't been doing too well with riding regularly--watching le Tour often means some unstructured intervals in front of the TV, though, so at least I'm getting some "riding" in--but at least I am getting faster on Torrey Pines.

Previous best: 8:58
Today: 8:25

I think I held back a bit too much early in the climb. Low 8's should be doable. I'm not sure I can break 8 minutes yet. At least not without a good tailwind or a riding partner to draft off of.

are you getting any training tips from anyone, or are you just sort of doing the get faster by riding more plan?

Just going at it by trying to ride more. :o

i'm tellin' ya, 30 minutes in the gym a few times a week can make a world of difference.

i'm tellin' ya, 30 minutes in the gym a few times a week can make a world of difference.
Sounds like a good idea. I think I'll go now.

Previous best: 8:58
Today: 8:25

Congrats Jason. I tell ya, between you and Ovo, your Personal Records are falling left and right. You know, a lot of clubs have an annual uphill time trial sort of gathering... perhaps BF could find a benchmark location, even though we are scattered from San Diego to Malibu (and beyond).

i'm tellin' ya, 30 minutes in the gym a few times a week can make a world of difference.
I know. But I can't stand exercise. :o

i'm tellin' ya, 30 minutes in the gym a few times a week can make a world of difference.


And what should one do in the 30 minutes to get faster?

Will big gear intervals on a trainer do as a substitute for gym work? I found that I now can tolerate about 30 seconds of ~70 RPM in a 53/12 on a Kurt Kinetic road trainer. That works out to ~400 watts based on the power vs speed chart for the trainer, but at nearly twice the forces of when I might hit such wattage on the road since I'm not spinning up to 120+ RPM to do so.

And what should one do in the 30 minutes to get faster?

Leg press
hamstring curls
core motion stuff, sit ups, other stuff like that to strengthen the abs and lower back.

I agree with dog hair on this one.

I started doing some lifting about 4 weeks ago. I use a weight I can do 2 sets of 20 with. I'm already pushing bigger gears. A couple months ago, I got a bike with a compact setup moving from a bike with a triple setup. I'd been cross chaining most all the time on the new bike as I'd been used to my 42 middle ring. Today I noticed I spent most of the day in the middle of the cassette.

Previous personal best on my My Soledad out and back (16.5 miles, about 2000 vertical feet):
1:11:21

Today: 1:10:17 :) Having to stop for a red light while coasting downhill at 44 MPH didn't help. And I went out a bit too hard, fading a bit on the way home. Lastly, while I'm pleased that I'm getting faster overall, I'm getting relatively weak on the really steep stuff. I need to work on my leg strength a bit. All in all, though, with a bit of work, I think I can break into the 1:09's on a good day.

By the way, I haven't been riding nearly as much as I set out to ride, but I've been trying to make up for it with trainer riding. I don't ride for as long, but since I put in much harder efforts, it seems to be paying off. All except the fact that I'm getting a bit worse and mashing up steep hills... I guess I should hit some big steep hills sometime.