Of Mice and Marathons

AM: 67' on the trainer. 207W. HR 132.

Openers on Zwift. Packed up my stuff to head to Traverse City for Iceman. Saw Ted King at the expo, which was pretty cool. The boys were a little wild, but we eventually got them to settle down. Feeling pretty ready to race.

AM: ~2.5 hours total. 215W. HR 166.

ICEMAN!

I first did this race in 2019 on a borrowed fat bike. Did it in 2021. 2022 I was rehabbing my elbow and could have raced but decided not to. I raced last year and had a pretty good race. I am down about 8-10 lbs from last year and in better shape overall, so I figured I could place fairly high in my division. Usually there aren't too many (30-40), but it is highly competitive. I had the goal to try to break 2 hours, but with the changing distance of the course this mark is even more arbitary than usual. 

I was extremely nervous in the morning. I do not recall if I am typically that nervous, but it felt more intense than normal. I tried to eat, but struggled. I think I got down two Honey Stinger waffles and 17 oz of Maurten, so about 620 calories, which isn't too bad. I only got in about 10 minutes of warmup. I really wanted at least 30 but it just didn't happen. Got out at the start okay, maybe a little too conservative. I wanted to be at least 18 MPH going into the single track. I think I was about that for the first few minutes at the airport.

Hit a large sandy section and a guy went down. I braked a bit (I think) avoided him. I cannot recall if I temporarily unclipped or not. Got going without much further issue. I got ahead of some of my teammates and then I went down on a section of single track, sliding out, thankfully just into the grass. I wanted to get back up and go, but I also didn't want to jump in front of the line of people coming, so I had to wait a few seconds.

I felt like I had a better handle on the single track this year. People were definitely holding me up, more so than I was holding others up. I smashed the two-track when I needed to, but could have been a bit more aggressive here too. The hills were not too bad this year, but maybe that is because I would pass a bunch of people going into them and it helped not having as many people in front of me. I don't think I got passed on any of the hills. 

I would like to have been closer to 2:08-2:10 or faster but knew low-2:00 would be hard given that the course was longer. My overall time was similar to last year, but I think I was almost a MPH faster. I was outside of the top three in my category by about 12-13 minutes, which is a ton. Next year I move the the 40-49 category, which is even more competitive. I'd love to have a hardtail to see what I could do on a regular mountain bike, but I don't think that will be in the budget for a bit just yet.

I feel like I had a decent race. Satisfied with the effort. Power could have been a lot higher. Seemed very low. HR was decent, though that could have been in the upper-160s or even low-170s.

I am already looking forward to the race next year. I am not really energized by the prospect of running races, though I am enjoying running and training still. I think I will do a little more of an emphasis on bike stuff for the first six months of the year, while working on bringing my 5k time back down and then transition too more of a running emphasis the second six months of the year, while still riding a bit and racing bikes, but with the A race being a running race. I don't know if or how it will work, but it is more or less what I am currently doing now, but with a bit more focus and planning.

Lunch/PM: 4 hours 11'. 190W. HR 127. 

It was way too nice not to get a long ride in. Legs felt decent actually. Much better really than I would have hoped. I kept the effort easy but not doddling. Roads were in great shape. 

AM: 8 miles, averaged 8:13. HR 146.

Legs didn't have much pop, but that was to be expected for a 2 hour bike race followed by a 4+ hour ride. 

PM: 60' on the trainer. 226W. HR 128.

PM: 180' on the trainer. 227. HR 138.

Needed to get in some saddle time with the election stuff. Had an okay day with the boys, but it was hard to be patient and focus. 

AM: 8.1 miles, averaged 8:00. HR 150.

I am not sure why I thought the election would go differently than it did. The boys have picked up on the election stuff, so we have tried to explain it to them a bit.

Morning run was pleasant. Quite humid and warm, but not complaining.

PM: 4.1 miles, averaged 8:51. HR 137.

PM: 60' on the trainer. 228W. HR 130. 

Lunch/PM: 120'+ on the trainer. 269W. HR 151. + Warm Up/Down.

Slept until 10:30, which was absolutely glorious. Megan is headed to a girls weekend, so I have the boys for the night and all day Saturday. 

Did a group ride, or most of it. I thought I was getting dropped, but I was actually chasing the group ahead of me I think. I don't know. Pushed solid tempo for 2 hours with a decent HR. 7' up/10' down.

Lunch: 90' on the trainer. 213W. HR 117.

Got this in while the boys napped. 

PM: 180'+ on the trainer. 224W. HR 130.

5' up, group ride of about 2:40, then zone 2 for the balance of 3 hours. Megan got home at lunch time. I didn't feel like running. Running motivation is a little low. Running feels good, but without much on the calendar and not a strong desire to do workouts, I just sat on the trainer. 

I signed up for Barry Roubaix, which dI haven't done since 2019. I have been signed up a few times and bailed. I signed up for the 63 miler, so I really need to train my butt off as the longer distance is much more competitive. The top 30 pace is usually the same speed as the 36 miler. 

AM: 8.3 miles, averaged 7:52. HR 145.

Good run. Last few miles in the low-7:30s with HR around 150 BPM or just above, which is good. Effort was very comfortable throughout.

PM: 60' on the trainer. 230W. HR 131. 

Decided to do a ride on the trainer. Doubles just haven't felt that great lately. I think I need more time between runs. Likely getting more out of a zone 2 ride for an hour than a 40-45' shakeout anyway. 

Lunch/PM: ~90' on the trainer. 

Dirty Mitten Racing League Time Trial Race in 16:14. 317 watts @ 171 BPM

~13' up/60' down @ zone 2 (221W HR 132)

Got in a short warm-up and changed out from the time trial bike as there were some hills. I got out pretty hard thinking I could hold 330-335. I was not able to and that is really the top of my threshold zone, so I suppose that makes sense. I don't imagine this will place me too well overall (it didn't). Need to get the weight down. It is coming down, but slowly. Need to increase power as well, though that is coming along. 

AM: 90' on the trainer. 201W. HR 122.

PM: 90' on the trainer. 227W. HR 135. 

Canceled classes as I have a ton of work to do and I was feeling my cold a bit. You'll notice that I still managed to exercise. Felt okay, but not great. Much easier on the system than running. I think I am taking the week off from running to finally let the stone bruise on my right foot heal. It has been nagging off and on for 6-8 weeks. I've had it before and it takes a long time to go away, but I don't recall it taking this long. 

Lunch/PM: 120' on the trainer. 205W. HR 126.

Planned on three hours, but I forgot I had scheduled a haircut. 

PM: 2:45 on the trainer. 203W. HR 127. 

Did a 100k group ride out of Japan. Those Japanese folks keep an orderly group ride. The last race in the preseason of the Dirty Mitten Racing League tomorrow morning. I think the time should be 80-90'.

AM: ~2:40 on the trainer. 

Zwift Race 3rd of 4 for the Dirty Mitten Racing League Preseason 

Decent race, though I should have covered the gaps a little better. Just not very good at doing that. 85' @ 275 watts @ 163 BPM. 

AM: 90' on the trainer. 225W. HR 136.

Lunch/PM: 90'+ on the trainer. 36' @ 241W. HR 145 + 60' @ 250W. HR 154.

Did one warmup lap of the Volcano Circuit and then planned on as many tempo laps as I could fit while the boys were napping. The trainer disconnected and it took me a few minutes to realize that I had kicked the cord and nothing was actually broken. Got back on and restarted a different course and pressed tempo for 52 minutes. Power was around 265/266 and ~159 BPM. Did a short cool down to round out the hour. 

AM: 75' on the trainer. 218W. HR 131. 

AM: 80' on the trainer. 225W. HR 134.

Got up early (5:20ish) for once. Took a little bit to get on the trainer, but I was glad to fit something in. I cannot say as I have ever exercised before an 8:00AM class. Did a few sprints and somehow took 10 overall on a Zwift segment. Clearly, this one is not well travelled and apparently rarely sprinted, but need to see pop up on the Strava list of trophies. I need a lot more sprint power than I have, but I also haven't really taken the time to develop it either. 

I was going to run yesterday afternoon to test my foot, but it was cold, windy, and raining and I didn't want to run on the treadmill either. I think I will try a short run tomorrow afternoon and ride for a bit in the morning. 

Weight and appetite are shifting oddly. I am not sure if it is stress (which tends to make me eat more) or if they keytones I have been taking have greatly shifted my metabolism. 

AM: 2 hours 35' on the trainer. 223W. HR 135.

Rolled out of bed early, had coffee in the dark, fed the cats, and got on the trainer before 6:00. Felt good. Solid group ride. Nice to long a good deal of time before everyone is up.

PM: 6 miles, averaged 10:30. HR 125. 

Felt good to jog. I guess it has been about 10-11 days. Foot felt mostly mine. I ran by the condo complex that had a gas explosion this week. It rattled the house. Scary stuff. 

AM: 60' on the trainer. 228W. HR 129.

PM: 8 miles, averaged 9:30. HR 133. 

Got up early again but didn't get on the trainer until a bit after 6. Charlie was stirring a bit around 7 or so, so I just ended it at an hour, had some more coffee and got him so Sawyer could sleep.

Solid easy run in the evening. Foot was achy but not bad. The time off didn't do a whole lot and I think I will just jog as long as it is not painful and remains intermittent. Going to be a bit more aggressive in rehabbing it and get a referral for a podiatrist if I can't get it sorted.

AM: 90' on the trainer.

Dirty Mitten Racing League Winter Is Coming Opener

We had the first Zwift race in the regular series. Some guys I know, some I don't. They put us on teams, which is kind of fun. Still trying to figure out Discord and all the other tech crap. Got in a short warmup and the race went off at 8. I was racing in the C group as I got demoted, which was humbling but correct. Need to weigh less or put out more power or both, so I figured I would do more than earn my spot. 

Race has a neutral start, which is weird for a virtual race, but it was kind of neat. I was behind the lead group when the offical start went and it felt like I was way off the front of the B and C group, so I slowed down and then put it in a zone 2, only belatedly realizig that there were Bs and Cs in the lead group, which eventually broke up. I then chased for a long time to close a gap. I finally did and then sat in for a bit. I saw some Cs about 90"-120" ahead (in the lead), so I just figured they were going. Rode with the chase group for a while, then at 45' I made a move to gap them over a short climb with a downhill. I got 5-7 seconds on them and then increased that gap to 15-20 seconds or so and increased it, thinking they would bring me back, but I continued to press and dropped them all pretty hard (both Bs and Cs) and kept increasing my lead and working on cutting the gap to the top C spots, some Bs and even a lagging A. I caught them around 67' or thereabouts and tried to work to break them. They repassed me with a power up move that I thought I wouldn't cover, but did, they sat on my wheel, then I put in a few more efforts, and I dropped them. Finished on a tough climb up the volcano and held off third place for second (I was in the top half of the Bs by time as well). I was pretty pleased to get second, a much better showing than the preseason. By the end of the day I ended up in first as someone else got disqualified for some reason. So I am now wearing the yellow jersey.

I feel like I raced much better than I have been, had fun, and got in a good effort. Looking forward to this series and seeing what happens. Our team is currently in the lead for points as well. 88' @ 281 Watts @ 168 BPM

AM/Lunch: 8 miles, averaged 9:38. HR 135. 

I took the boys for a bit, had some coffee, caught up on the Discord banter, and didn't feel like getting back on the trainer to cool down, so I got in a run, which felt good.

Picked my Mom, Katie, and Delia up at the airport in the evening.

AM: 8 miles, averaged 9:05. HR 134.

PM: 60' on the trainer. 228W. HR 133.

AM: 10 miles, averaged 8:59. HR 133.

5-Mile MAF Test

A rare AM run on a Tuesday. Decided to do a MAF test as I think any time I have started this process I have only ever done the protocol once, so I figured start with it, see where it goes, try not to get bored. Results 8:32.6/8:33.2 @ 140.2 BPM. Apparently your first mile is supposed to be your fastest, but when you are decently fit I guess you tend to get faster as you go at the same effort, which makes sense given that this is how my easy runs are and this is on the steadier but very easy end of easy. I did it on one of my workout loops which is about a long kilometer and it worked well other than wanting to speed up because that is usually what I do there. 

Upper 30s. Decent wind on the loop. A bit of a headwind, a bit of a tailwind.

For posterity (although Strava gives slightly different splits phone versus computer)

Mile 1 = 8:41/8:43 (140)

Mile 2 = 8:35/8:36 (140)

Mile 3 = 8:40/8:41 (140)

Mile 4 = 8:22/8:23 (140)

Mile 5 = 8:22/8:23 (141)

PM: 80' on the trainer. 222W. HR 133.

Planned on an hour, but wanted to finish the full course in case it isn't available again until the race on Sunday. Quite hilly with some serious short grades in there around 20%. Going to benefit the skinnies. I think I'm probably on the lighter end of the Cs but I would have to look at the data.

AM: 8 miles, averaged 9:14. HR 129.

PM: 76' ride outside. 24.7 miles @ 17.2 MPH. 206W. HR 133.

Decided to do a quick outside ride rather than doing the time trial today. It was chilly but almost no wind. I don't expect that I will get outside many more times before the turn of the new year. It got dark, but my light worked perfectly.

Mom, Katie, and Delia are flying out tomorrow morning. It has been a good trip, mostly just hanging out. 

AM: 120' on the trainer. 236W. HR 137.

Took my Mom, Katie, and Delia to the airport. Jumped on the trainer before heading to Toledo. Megan's Dad is in the hospital, but we went to see her Mom and we had dinner at Chas's. We hung out and the boys watched a fair amount of Mary Poppins, which they enjoyed. 

PM: 90' on the trainer. 

Dirty Mitten Racing League Stage 2 Time Trial

Warmed up about 20, did the time trial, and cooled down for 45'. I figured based on some other times, around 24-25' was about the length given the course. I wanted to start easier than the last time trial, but it didn't work that way. I am not great at these short time trials. Need to do more of them or figure them out better. 25:02 @ 304 watts. HR 175, peaking at 184. I was pretty disappointed as I can generally do 10-20' intervals at the same power. Did set a 20' power PR @ 309 watts. 

I hope to have a better showing on Sunday. I got bumped to B group, so I am hoping I am able to validate my spot.

AM: 120' on the trainer. 219W. HR 129. 

Earliest I have gotten up on a Saturday in a while. I wanted to get in some time before getting up with the boys. They slept in, so I kept going. 

PM: 4 miles on the treadmill, averaged 10:10. HR 133.