TheKillerPenguin

For me it depends. During base I can go really really deep into the tsb hole and be fine. During race season or build it simply does not work, and there have been times where I have come into a race with positive TSB and still not felt right. I'm trying a new approach this year, which involved not renewing my premium TP so I'm not keeping strict track of CTL/ATL/TSB or anything. If I feel fresh I assume I'm fresh, and if I don't then I'm not. So far it seems to be working, though I am admittedly still finding the balance between maintaining fitness and how far out before a race I need to taper.

TMonk

2x20's at ~95% this morning, based upon my new FTP that I set last week. I wanted to hit higher numbers (~98-100%) but didn't have it this morning. Next time!

I also realize that I have a hard time not going for 'breakthrough' level workouts every time I do intervals on the bike - I need to learn to aim lower sometimes and not feel like I have to set a PR or something each time I go out.

hack

I struggle with this, too. I usually get a target power range when doing intervals and feel like I have to be at or above the high number. Have been working on the self control though.

TMonk

#overachievers

caloso

6x3' @ 120%. Actually averaged 122% and didn't feel like death, so I'm very encouraged. Not quite a "breakthrough" but more like a confirmation that everything's coming up Milhouse.

hubcyclist

another 2hrs, 97tss for me today (8hrs so far this week)

Wylde06

There are times when I set a target for myself and then have had a hard time getting over that number.

rideaz

Really enjoying that fact that race season is over for me (it wasn't my best)...coffee rides, no HR monitor, no worries :-) I have a century gravel race in a couple weeks, BWR and then Crusher and Big Bear later this summer.

miyata man

First ride this week felt pretty great by the end. Three days of rain, snow, and wind were hard to sit through for me. A leading factor in not enjoying good company on pleasant Summer days in recent years because it just felt so dull. Dull and plain.

Putting health above fitness the last month and a half or so is starting to pay off. At least part of which was decreased morale while I fought off residual sickness of flat prairie landscape. Hit a very low point yesterday that saw me succumb to a personal weakness. Instantly felt better and glad I got it out of my system earlyish in the year.

scheibo

did the same ride last night as 2 weeks ago in the same conditions with the same deep front wheel and was in the sticks pretty much the whole time (and rode for an hour). some bits were still sketchy, but it was a night and day difference. i also rode the TT bike yesterday morning, and the first hour felt a bit weird, but then the next half hour and afternoon ride felt great. i don't know if the afternoon ride was better because i had just practiced it in the morning or because my legs always feel better in the afternoon, but either way it was probably the best ive ever felt on the TT rig. i want to try a hard 2x20 on it on Saturday, despite the fact that i'm racing Sunday morning in a RR (2x20 is going to end up being like less than 100 TSS, ive often done 150-200 TSS before races, I should be fine...)

want to do a 4-6x5' VO2 workout this afternoon, but I just did a tempo run at lunch (which went surprisingly well!) so I'm not confident how well it will go. i will just go by feel and aim for FTP pace for the first repeat, in the past I've then usually been able to improve from there. i have the same problem as TMonk/hack , but I find that if i've already "ruined" the workout by going "slow" on the first repeat then im less likely to be disappointed when my average isn't as high. we'll see.

moving offices tomorrow at work so i'm forced to go home @ 3pm. most of my coworkers are going to the bar next door but im planning on going for a ride in the mountains. because bikes. as im typing all of this up it really seems as if i'm taking on a lot, which is especially concerning leading into a race, but i'll just see how my body feels and adjust if necessary.

Ttoc6

Yesterday we got into Grand Junction for Nationals after a lot of driving. Picked u pnumbers and went and rode up this sweet climb to a place called the Monument. Great views of canyons and such. The descent was a bit hiary as it's been a while since I've (i) ridden in strong cross winds and (ii) ridden "mountain" descents. As we got furhter down, definitely was feelin better about the whole thing.

Today, we went out and pre-road the RR course. Gonna be a fast race with a field >120 people. Descent is really long and easy with a ton of cross-wind false flat stuff.

My ATL did not get as low as I wanted this week due to the fact that the last two days ended up being a bit harder than I had planned. Oh well, it'll all be okay. The altitude also isn't affecting me as much as I thought it would. Which means one of my major concerns is out of the way. Good sleep tonight and race in the biggest race of my life tomorrow.

aaronmcd

Did some random riding today. Did 2x3 up a climb, 3 at 122% (ouch) then 2.5 minutes low tempo, then 3 at only 113% cuz pain.
Added on 15' and 10' low zone 4

caloso

No structure, just riding around looking at herons, egrets, and red-winged blackbirds.

TMonk

herons and egrets are beautiful birds. don't forget cranes too!

TMonk

headed out in a couple min for a hot lap (~10 min z4) on Fiesta before the Chili's ride. After that I may climb Clairemont Mesa for a little more - should only be ~2.5 hrs in total as the ride is short.

this afternoon I'm headed up to Mount Laguna for a MTB camping weekend. Should get another 1.5-2 hrs of riding in the later afternoon. Tomorrow a Noble Canyon run.

No Dana Point for me!

grolby

Fffff I tweaked my right knee on a long ride last Sunday, seemed fine but started getting grouchy on the trainer on Tuesday. Tried to head out yesterday, had to turn around 25 minutes in. Tried to head out this morning, made it one street away from my house, had to come home. Sigh. Seems like it might be an irritated IT band, manifests as front/outer knee pain, but when moving around house I can feel some tightness up to my hip. Prescribing myself rest and foam rolling. Super frustrated, though. This seems to happen sometimes when I'm ramping back up from time off. It'll resolve just fine in a week or two, but I'm tired of all the setbacks.

miyata man

On a group ride this morning I exposed a rather large flaw. That I'm capable of seeing it is of little consequence if I fail to correct it. I'm ashamed at becoming a prickly overly sensitive person when bikes are involved. Flashing back I see a very distinct progression of unrequited anger taking root over the course of a couple years. Somewhere in there my bubble disappeared, broad inconsistencies swept away positivity, started withdrawing further and further from what mattered.

Instead of apologizing, I plan to thank that person for being good natured.

hubcyclist

got outside on my road bike for the first time since sept. 2:15 and 137 TSS, was trying to keep it around 2hrs and 100tss, as per my other base workouts this week, but i tend to get a little stupid outside. 28 CTL (was 19 last Sat), at this rate I should be fit enough for cross season

wktmeow

Went out to do a 1 min and 20 min test. Did the 1 min test and felt a bit nauseous for a while after. Waited about 15 mins and then started the 20 min effort. The power felt harder than I thought it should have at about 5 mins in, didn't think I could sustain it, and just gave up. Also didn't help that I ran out of water and it was hot and dry out. Lingering expectations from my old power meter are still screwing me up in terms of pacing and motivation, I suspect. At least the 1 min test wasn't too far off the mark, only 23w lower than with the Stages (and I suspect I could make up that difference if properly motivated). Going to need to get over this somehow, and remind myself that no, I haven't actually gotten slower, despite the numbers being lower. Maybe I need a couple of group rides or races where I actually do well and am able to put the hammer down a bit.

Motivation is a funny thing. The whole drive back from the test I was thinking about my own perceived mediocrity and wondering if I should just give up the pursuit entirely. But that'd be a shame, and a waste of years of trying, so I suppose I'll stick with it unless I really start to get fed up. I suspect I just need to change my mental approach a bit, but it's easier said than done.

miyata man

Ate lunch and took a short nap before heading out again to see how my legs felt on a couple hills. Surprised myself by improving on a wide range of efforts and, I try to avoid this as much the bar is usually set to high anyways, accidentally sent a teammate "the email". Ended up crawling back home into a strong wind completely spent and feeling just a hair better.

scheibo

some good (but not too much) VO2 work thursday, a ride in the mountains yesterday and then today i was planning to just go for an easy spin on the TT bike to recover a bit before a RR tomorrow. 5 miles into the ride i went down hard, tearing through my skin suit/shoes and a losing a bunch of skin. i am not sure what happened - i think one big factor was that some of the roads on my way out were newly paved, with 'fresh oil' signs. i think my tires were a little slick from that, and then i was switching from the sticks to the brakes for a stoplight, and there was some crosswinds and maybe i hit a manhole cover or bump or something. i'm not sure, it happened very quickly (one of the downsides of crashing on a TT bike is you tend to be going fast when they happen...). large chunk taken out of my knee, normal road rash on one arm and bad road rash where i hit my hip pretty hard. didn't hit my head, and my new bike also had mostly superficial wounds (scuffed QR/brake lever/pedal etc), so it could have been worse.

im pretty bummed - i was having a killer week (going to hit my 15hrs riding/5hrs running/3hrs strength target for a 'perfect' training week), and had just gained confidence on my TT bike. i also think i won't be doing my race tomorrow, as while everything mostly just stings now, i have a feeling i'll be very sore when i wake up, and riding 3hrs and opening up fresh wounds doesn't sound like a super great idea. if i was in the middle of a stage race then sure, but for a one off race i'm not sure its worth it. bummer.

revchuck 

Bummer indeed. Heal quickly and well!

scheibo

yeah... i've made the mistake before of trying to do two tests in one ride. it always seems like 'oh its just 1 minute i should be fine', but it definitely takes it out of you. im not surprised at all that you couldnt make it through the 20 minutes afterwards.

i've always liked the quote 'it never gets any easier you just go faster'. i don't think that quote is 100% true (things are easier at least relatively), but i think it applies in this scenario. theres always going to be someone with better power numbers or results than you, and they probably also feel mediocre compared to someone else. in the end, the only solution is to embrace the process and enjoy whatever progress you can make

rubiksoval

I have this mental conversation a couple of times a year, at least.

Keep pushing. Takes just one good ride/race to turn it all around.

hack

A 100% 1 minute effort wrecks me. Like, on the ground for an hour. There's no way I could put out anything close to a reasonable 20 min effort in after that. Motivation is an odd one, one bad day can kill you ... but one good day can change all that