Road Bike Racing - The Pcad Master Plan Comes Together

While growing old does indeed suck, my cranky right knee has been assuaged by the Synvisc injections I got in early February. No problems since then, my joint responded about as good as my doctor said it might. I'm now in the best cycling shape in ten years and racing every weekend. Getting ready for the High Point hill climb TT in 8 days. I will crush that stupid friggin hill. Or hope to. Riding up there tomorrow for one more training ride. Approx 25 mins of fun, 175bpm HR, and lactic acid.

I am also down to 171 lbs, which is outstanding for late April. The lightest I've been as an amateur cyclist is 165-168lbs, so I'm close. The only hope I have of racing with the fast guys in the 35+ age group is to be a lean, mean cycling machine. I plan on getting down to 165lbs or less and staying there, hopefully getting no heavier each winter than 175 or so (winter weight gain is a given with me). That's the only game I have in bike racing: some aerobic mojo, a better than average climber (not great). I have no sprint at all (never have) compared to the fast guys unless it's going uphill.

I was hoping the racing would make me faster, leaner, fitter. It did all that, but also taught me something I had forgotten about: how to suffer. In my opinion one of the biggest lessons in competitive cycling is that you are more limited by your mind's ability to tolerate pain than your body's capacity to endure the physical stress of racing. Racing does teach you to expand those limits in your head, so you get physically but just as crucial mentally tougher. After a while 'I don't know if I can do this' becomes 'I've been pushed to this level 20x this season already, I'm not backing off this time either'. 7 road races (circuit races in NY City) and 1 TT already. Feeling better each week too.

Really hoping to do better at the aforementioned hill climb, my training ride time this year is over 4 minutes faster than last year's only 30 seconds slower than last year's actual race time. That is I came within 30 seconds of last year's TT result after riding all the way over there (33 miles of hilly terrain with a 20% crushing climb to get over to the race course), tired legs, heavier bike and wheels, no race adrenaline. Last year my race time was nearly five minutes faster than my training ride up that hill.

It's working. Lots of hard training, crappy race weather, pre-4AM wake up bells on weekends, but it's coming together. I am so friggin psyched. It's fun to be 50 and riding this good. And I will get faster. Oh yes. No results this year? Boys, those are results for me. Big time.

you need to take up meditation.

you need to take up meditation.

I'm too stressed out for that ****.

read this. it's about your life.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/apr08/lbl08/?id=/features/2008/woodland_lbl_apr08

While growing old does indeed suck, my cranky right knee has been assuaged by the Synvisc injections I got in early February. No problems since then, my joint responded about as good as my doctor said it might. I'm now in the best cycling shape in ten years and racing every weekend. Getting ready for the High Point hill climb TT in 8 days. I will crush that stupid friggin hill. Or hope to. Riding up there tomorrow for one more training ride. Approx 25 mins of fun, 175bpm HR, and lactic acid.

I am also down to 171 lbs, which is outstanding for late April. The lightest I've been as an amateur cyclist is 165-168lbs, so I'm close. The only hope I have of racing with the fast guys in the 35+ age group is to be a lean, mean cycling machine. I plan on getting down to 165lbs or less and staying there, hopefully getting no heavier each winter than 175 or so (winter weight gain is a given with me). That's the only game I have in bike racing: some aerobic mojo, a better than average climber (not great). I have no sprint at all (never have) compared to the fast guys unless it's going uphill.

I was hoping the racing would make me faster, leaner, fitter. It did all that, but also taught me something I had forgotten about: how to suffer. In my opinion one of the biggest lessons in competitive cycling is that you are more limited by your mind's ability to tolerate pain than your body's capacity to endure the physical stress of racing. Racing does teach you to expand those limits in your head, so you get physically but just as crucial mentally tougher. After a while 'I don't know if I can do this' becomes 'I've been pushed to this level 20x this season already, I'm not backing off this time either'. 7 road races (circuit races in NY City) and 1 TT already. Feeling better each week too.

Really hoping to do better at the aforementioned hill climb, my training ride time this year is over 4 minutes faster than last year's only 30 seconds slower than last year's actual race time. That is I came within 30 seconds of last year's TT result after riding all the way over there (33 miles of hilly terrain with a 20% crushing climb to get over to the race course), tired legs, heavier bike and wheels, no race adrenaline. Last year my race time was nearly five minutes faster than my training ride up that hill.

It's working. Lots of hard training, crappy race weather, pre-4AM wake up bells on weekends, but it's coming together. I am so friggin psyched. It's fun to be 50 and riding this good. And I will get faster. Oh yes. No results this year? Boys, those are results for me. Big time.

How is this working for you? My wife actually told me not to lose too much as she needs something to hold onto. Happened this afternoon. Before she went out with the ladies:eek:

I like to think that my avatars and frederful comments have helped you learn to suffer too.

Way to go fatty!

Way to go fatty!

I'm a fat fat fatty.

I'm a fat fat fatty.

only between the pita.

http://www.thespotfood.com/biggyros.gif

I'm a fat fat fatty.

Which means I should change my user name to Goodyear.

Even you cannot spark my normally ravenous appetite botto. Pcad is in the Friggin Zone. In fact I'm thinking I could have some potential as an anorexic. But only if every Dominos Pizza in North America closes.

I'm feeling it too. I got my racing license last year, for the first time in 12 years. It's changed me. I'm digging it. I just wish I could race more.

:beer:

Even you cannot spark my normally ravenous appetite botto. Pcad is in the Friggin Zone. In fact I'm thinking I could have some potential as an anorexic. But only if every Dominos Pizza in North America closes.

dominos? i thought you stopped smokin' doobies?

only between the pita.

http://www.thespotfood.com/biggyros.gif

that's hot

I remember back in my late 30's when I was racing this much, and I watched the video of that Steve McQueen movie LeMans where he says something to the effect of 'racing is life, everything else is just waiting'. At the time I really felt that way.

I'm not that gung ho now, but racing is big fun. I didn't expect to enjoy it quite this much, but I suppose there was a reason I did it so much in the 1990's. Actually enjoying it more now in some respects. I don't take it (or anything else) as seriously as I used to.

This thread is pointless without graphs.

-bullseye

In my opinion one of the biggest lessons in competitive cycling is that you are more limited by your mind's ability to tolerate pain than your body's capacity to endure the physical stress of racing. Racing does teach you to expand those limits in your head, so you get physically but just as crucial mentally tougher. After a while 'I don't know if I can do this' becomes 'I've been pushed to this level 20x this season already, I'm not backing off this time either'.

+1
It's all about the central governor.

I'm agreeing with the 'cad... is it possible he is getting smarter?

PCad. What time you gonna be there? If it is early enough, I will come up and we can climb together. Don't go to sleep yet! You have a response to make!

PCad. What time you gonna be there? If it is early enough, I will come up and we can climb together. Don't go to sleep yet! You have a response to make!

He's old. It's way past his bedtime.

This thread is pointless without graphs.

-bullseye

Fixed.

read this. it's about your life.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/apr08/lbl08/?id=/features/2008/woodland_lbl_apr08

Funniest part about this story is using LBL as training. Ahhh...for the good old days.

Belgian springs can be truly amazing...

I remember back in the 1930's when I was racing this much, and I watched Clark Gable on the big screen...


fixed ;)


I just hope I can stay stoked like you when I'm a little older.

Which means I should change my user name to Goodyear.

I call dibs on "Poppin' Fresh".

http://static.flickr.com/56/174976841_04cf9f4907_o.jpg

i think i'll have one of these for lunch.

http://www.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2030048/muffaletta_Full.jpg

While growing old does indeed suck, my cranky right knee has been assuaged by the Synvisc injections I got in early February. No problems since then, my joint responded about as good as my doctor said it might. I'm now in the best cycling shape in ten years and racing every weekend. Getting ready for the High Point hill climb TT in 8 days. I will crush that stupid friggin hill. Or hope to. Riding up there tomorrow for one more training ride. Approx 25 mins of fun, 175bpm HR, and lactic acid.

I am also down to 171 lbs, which is outstanding for late April. The lightest I've been as an amateur cyclist is 165-168lbs, so I'm close. The only hope I have of racing with the fast guys in the 35+ age group is to be a lean, mean cycling machine. I plan on getting down to 165lbs or less and staying there, hopefully getting no heavier each winter than 175 or so (winter weight gain is a given with me). That's the only game I have in bike racing: some aerobic mojo, a better than average climber (not great). I have no sprint at all (never have) compared to the fast guys unless it's going uphill.

I was hoping the racing would make me faster, leaner, fitter. It did all that, but also taught me something I had forgotten about: how to suffer. In my opinion one of the biggest lessons in competitive cycling is that you are more limited by your mind's ability to tolerate pain than your body's capacity to endure the physical stress of racing. Racing does teach you to expand those limits in your head, so you get physically but just as crucial mentally tougher. After a while 'I don't know if I can do this' becomes 'I've been pushed to this level 20x this season already, I'm not backing off this time either'. 7 road races (circuit races in NY City) and 1 TT already. Feeling better each week too.

Really hoping to do better at the aforementioned hill climb, my training ride time this year is over 4 minutes faster than last year's only 30 seconds slower than last year's actual race time. That is I came within 30 seconds of last year's TT result after riding all the way over there (33 miles of hilly terrain with a 20% crushing climb to get over to the race course), tired legs, heavier bike and wheels, no race adrenaline. Last year my race time was nearly five minutes faster than my training ride up that hill.

It's working. Lots of hard training, crappy race weather, pre-4AM wake up bells on weekends, but it's coming together. I am so friggin psyched. It's fun to be 50 and riding this good. And I will get faster. Oh yes. No results this year? Boys, those are results for me. Big time.

At 37, I hope to be riding just as hard at 50, perhaps even be in better shape with good health. Many a time I've had my arse handed to me by "old timers". Very motivational.Keep up the hard work

i think i'll have one of these for lunch.

http://www.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2030048/muffaletta_Full.jpg

Only in New Orleans... Gumba.

Here is a graph of what PCaddy likely did

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/DrWJODonnell/April25highpointsteady.jpg

And for anyone that thinks high point is a steady grade, it obviously is not. I will try to post a video later so that you can see PCaddy's route through his eyes (or the eyes of my windshield). All that should be missing is the suffering. Notie how steadily he holds that 300 watts. PCad is THAT good.

While growing old does indeed suck, my cranky right knee has been assuaged by the Synvisc injections I got in early February. No problems since then, my joint responded about as good as my doctor said it might. I'm now in the best cycling shape in ten years and racing every weekend. Getting ready for the High Point hill climb TT in 8 days. I will crush that stupid friggin hill. Or hope to. Riding up there tomorrow for one more training ride. Approx 25 mins of fun, 175bpm HR, and lactic acid.

I am also down to 171 lbs, which is outstanding for late April. The lightest I've been as an amateur cyclist is 165-168lbs, so I'm close. The only hope I have of racing with the fast guys in the 35+ age group is to be a lean, mean cycling machine. I plan on getting down to 165lbs or less and staying there, hopefully getting no heavier each winter than 175 or so (winter weight gain is a given with me). That's the only game I have in bike racing: some aerobic mojo, a better than average climber (not great). I have no sprint at all (never have) compared to the fast guys unless it's going uphill.

I was hoping the racing would make me faster, leaner, fitter. It did all that, but also taught me something I had forgotten about: how to suffer. In my opinion one of the biggest lessons in competitive cycling is that you are more limited by your mind's ability to tolerate pain than your body's capacity to endure the physical stress of racing. Racing does teach you to expand those limits in your head, so you get physically but just as crucial mentally tougher. After a while 'I don't know if I can do this' becomes 'I've been pushed to this level 20x this season already, I'm not backing off this time either'. 7 road races (circuit races in NY City) and 1 TT already. Feeling better each week too.

Really hoping to do better at the aforementioned hill climb, my training ride time this year is over 4 minutes faster than last year's only 30 seconds slower than last year's actual race time. That is I came within 30 seconds of last year's TT result after riding all the way over there (33 miles of hilly terrain with a 20% crushing climb to get over to the race course), tired legs, heavier bike and wheels, no race adrenaline. Last year my race time was nearly five minutes faster than my training ride up that hill.

It's working. Lots of hard training, crappy race weather, pre-4AM wake up bells on weekends, but it's coming together. I am so friggin psyched. It's fun to be 50 and riding this good. And I will get faster. Oh yes. No results this year? Boys, those are results for me. Big time.

i love it when PCad brings the truth.

hard work = results.

later.

Only in New Orleans... Gumba.

they also attempt them in memphis.

in the end, i went to Gus's Fried Chicken.

http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/leslie/archives/gus's.jpg

http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/leslie/archives/gus's.jpg

I would never brag that GQ thought I was good at something.

Actual Ptap #'s from today's High Point slog to follow later. I have work to do you friggin bike weenies.

I can assure you in advance, Pcad's toasted gams were not cranking 300 watts up that hill today. Remember the 33 mile hilly ride over there includes the 20% Rt. 23 friggin headwall, so you're not exactly doing it with TT fresh legs or anything. I can't believe they let semis drive over that stupid road.

73 miles, lots of hills, lots of calories burned. I am toast. If I ride tomorrow I will be in the 39 x 25.

maybe you should rest for Sunday, eh?

maybe you should rest for Sunday, eh?

Yes my Captain. Like I said if I ride it will be for 90 mins in a 39 x 25. I will go so far as to drive the car down Mt. Doom so as to avoid having to hump back at the end.

Ptap file from today's High Point interval below. 260 watt average. That's not bad all things considered. Still 2.5 mins. faster than last year's training ride up that hill, even with dead legs.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/patentcad/HighPointHill42508.jpg

And then there was the actual ride.

As seen on the internet, here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzr8aa2QsLE)