Week 2 Update
Okay, so here is the update after my second week of 'formal training':
A. Even though I have a custom frame, professionally fitted by the guy who helped me define the custom spec's, it became apparent I had a fit issue. I was having soreness and tightness of the posterior (left) knee. That typically means the seat is too high, but when I had the issue on the right side back when I first got the bike, I had a lengthy discussion and fit-tweaking, and the fitter didn't think I should lower the seat. I rode through it and it went away. This time, I got fitter recommendations from a friend and my coach. Coach's #1 pick wasn't responsive to email. #2 pick was the same as the friend's recommendation, and someone who has a fit-studio at a respected LBS, and all the tools, including video capture. After treating me like a lab rat and doing a complete physiological/bio-mechanical check, he lowered my seat significantly, brought it back quite a bit, raised my bars, and extended my reach with a longer stem. Totally different feel. Totally NOT what I expected him to do. Definite improvement. I did 70 miles yesterday, and while there might be a slight touch of 'tightness', it is nothing like what I had been experiencing. He also gave me some exercises and stretches to improve specific areas of tightness or weakness affecting my riding posture. And he told me many many times: "chest up!". Apparently I tend to 'slouch' on the bike.
Good thing I'm fixing that before Coach comes to town next month.
B. I negotiated with Coach to increase the number of times I can commute on the bike. Well, okay, actually I begged her to let me ride a little more, if I promised to be a good boy and stay in recovery mode. But Hermes, I swear I never once used the word Mistress. Commuting less has too much affect on me and the family (no car available for the teenage stepdaughter) when I don't ride to work.
C. I realized that long base rides, staying in zones 1-3, can be very hard. I've found an area where I can go 2+ hours with no stoplights: no stopping unless I decide to. It was really hard not to "decide to". I finally found an exuse when I ran through some glass, and I stopped to wipe the tires. I've found that at about 2.5 hours, I start to really have to push myself to maintain pace. When I approach the 4 hour mark, my legs are pretty cooked.
D. I need a new saddle. I've given my Terry Fly thousands of miles, and there is just too much perineal pressure. Getting numb is a limiting factor for me, especially on flat routes where there is no need to stand up. The great saddle search is on for me, big time. I need a bigger and/or longer cutout. I'm looking at the Selle Italia SLC, and the Adamo Podium. I have a Terry Liberator I picked up on mega-sale and have never tried, and am going to throw that on and see how it feels. I compared measurements, and the cutout goes a bit further forward; even further than the SLC. The Liberator just may be too soft. The Adamo is just plain weird, but maybe weird is what I need.
E. At Coach's direction, I am tracking nutrition. She says it will be important later when we start analyzing results of harder training sessions, and it takes awhile to get your food library built and become used to doing the tracking. Training Peaks shows I am in a caloric deficit almost every day, and that is born out by a slight, gradual weight loss. I'm under 210# now, and think losing another 2-3 pounds may be perfect. 205 sounds good, but so does a weight that starts with a "1"!
It was a good week, with about 8 hours of riding, all done in accordance with Coach's master plan.