Road Racing and Training Thread. Week Ending May 6 2018

Lots of reading for me (I'm on page 27 of the massive training thread), but also some good running. Got 9 in this morning (at maybe 1/2 effort according to Lydiard). Longest since the race a couple weeks ago and things are still feeling pretty good.

All my runs have been in the morning this week, too. This morning was a chilly 48 when I got going, but most of the week has been hot and sticky. I got out of the habit of morning running in the spring when I was getting sick of the headlamp and struggling to see the frozen sidewalk, but it's good to be back. Something about knocking a good run out first thing just sets up the day. Of course, when I run later I just end up spending the day feeling excited for the run to come. So you can't go wrong either way, really.

Cool stuff on the new singlespeed RRR. My singlespeed mtb is the only way I roll.

Last Saturday night, ran a trail ridiculous with fireflies.

Tonight, pulled my wife and daughter from the couch, drove as close as possible to the spot, coaxed them out into the Nature (wife and daughter, I mean. The station is still there), and damn those fireflies lit the place up like Hephaestus pounding the anvil.

I'm a hero for an evening.

Fireflies, like all mythical beasties, defy cellphone appropriation, so no one is sure that it actually happened.

Beer. Beer. Beer.

Murakami.

My daughter is a firefly. She lights up under certain conditions, certain times of the year, between the hours of X and X.

You want to shine year round. You want your kids to sparkle.

Be a light.

Recognize the beauty of light.

If it's only a sparkle, treasure the rarity.

If it's a beam, follow it to its source.

Pray that the source is

a neon bar sign.

Beer.

Tomorrow morning's run ought to be enlightening.

Sub

mit

post

A single speed around here will def build strength w the amount of hills in spots (my 4mile commute is flat tho) My old one was a real cheap. But about 3500 miles on it until the crank broke off in middle of a ride. I but it in the nearest dumpster and jogged home.

I have ran 3 out of the last 4 days. Feeling good. Legs just a bit tired from the trail race. Slept 11 hours last night so topped of the energy stores.

Coach - glad I am not the only one that (on occasion) drinks and posts!

runrincerepeat wrote:

A single speed around here will def build strength w the amount of hills in spots ...

Any concern that the single-speed will put too much stress on your knees? What is the attraction for a single-speed bike -- simple, reliable, low-maintenance transportation? Fenders for more comfortable wet-weather riding? Are you still riding your classic steel-frame road bike?

The gearing on my road bike is set up for flat, fast riding. I was told the previous owner used it for criterium racing. No low gears. It's great for the flat roads where I live, but last summer I did an 80-mile ride with major climbs. And my knees were screaming afterwards.

I commute a lot and wanna save miles on my Raleigh bike. Single speeds are better XC for running imo. Can get a much better workout in an hour on a SS. I think that’s why my running progressed as it did w lack workouts. 3k+ miles on the SS in a year. It doesn’t bother my knees at all.

Hi Allen. I do think singlespeeds can hurt your knees. But I think they can hurt your knees in the way lots of other things can hurt your knees, like running or walking up stairs or squats. Basically if it is hurting your knees you are doing something wrong and/or you are not quite conditioned enough for the task you are attempting.

Singlespeeds are definitely not for everyone, but these are the attractions for me:

Slightly lighter, simpler bike that does make for a lot less maintenance.

Efficient direct drive feel. It's amazing how much power you lose when your long chain runs through the derailleur and doesn't fully wrap the cog/cassette.

The ride is so much simpler. I find it is much more like running. Want to go faster? Pedal faster. Things are getting hard? Stand and apply more force. I spent years racing road and mountain bikes, and now I just ride my singlespeed mountain bike for fun. I find I can settle into the enjoyment of the ride more. I just "ride" my bike, rather than "operate" it.

It also makes for a more full body workout. When I'm riding the singlespeed a lot, my leg, back, arm and grip strength all go up in a noticeable way.

If you have a chance to borrow one, I'd recommend it. If you rode bikes a lot as a kid, it will probably feel a lot like that.

Coach Jeff ROC wrote:

Welcome General!

I'm glad to have another HR guy. Am I reading that right? A triple on Tuesday? Is this week typical of your recent running? How long have you been at it?

Your climate resembles mine. Take care!

Thanks for the warm welcome. Haha, yes, a triple occured on Tuesday. I typically don't do those, but I was bored. I typically can recover from a run pretty quickly, so it wasn't a big deal. I do try to double as much as possible. Can't really go too far beyond 30-40 minutes without the cardiac drift setting in. I'm hoping as my fitness builds, I'll be able to run longer. Yep. Good ol' midwest. I think we had 1 week of spring between winter and summer here. Dew point is 65 where I'm at today. I guess August just decided to show up early.

Got in my run before the big temps hit. Still humid, though. Went 12 on my hilliest route, and am feeling a nice runner’s high. The last two miles were for toughening, as I knew I had 60 already...so, 62 for the week.

Happy running, all...

Got going by 8, but today was the first run of 2018 where heat/humidity made things noticeably more challenging (but not the major limiter).

Looking forward to another 6 months of swampy garbage! (It toughens you for fall marathons?)

Sub 6:00 wrote:

Got going by 8, but today was the first run of 2018 where heat/humidity made things noticeably more challenging (but not the major limiter).

Looking forward to another 6 months of swampy garbage! (It toughens you for fall marathons?)

Same here...

Yes, it definitely toughens me for a fall marathon. And with a temperature drop, the two go together nicely. But you have to get there first.

5:45am

75 degrees.

Dew point of 71.

88% humidity.

Can't wait till the sun gets a bit higher!

Intoxication mitigation. Out the door by 6am means last night's beers don't count. Cheers.

Coach Jeff ROC wrote:

5:45am

75 degrees.

Dew point of 71.

88% humidity.

Can't wait till the sun gets a bit higher!

Intoxication mitigation. Out the door by 6am means last night's beers don't count. Cheers.

Time to sweat it out!!!

75 + 71 = bad...or 146

150 - 159 = prelude to a bonk

160+ = a taste of Hell...or Smoove’s summer fun

I had a 148 just before the 10k, and a number of high 130s recently.

81 + 73 = 154 at the end.

But that's why I don't worry about paces during the summer months. I've planted my bad-ass seeds already this spring. Water that fitness with the sweat of the summer months. Reap the hell outta that stuff in the fall. Then...um...losing the metaphor here.... um... put up some fitness preserves in sterile glass jars for the winter... whatever... blame the heat stroke.

Planting your bad-ass seeds—well said, and I agree. Yes, summer is mostly about getting through it. If we do not reap anything in fall, then the pavement drenchers of summer would be wasted.