Training Log Archive: veinbuster

Another -26C morning so I tried some cold weather gear adjustments.

Torso: traded the wind vest and down lined ski jacket for winter(ish) bike jacket under a ski shell. This give venting in two layers, but I didn’t really need it today. I would have if I had stayed out much longer because I could feel my base layer working some moisture.

Head: the bike jacket has a thin hood that i zipped up to my nose. This was much nicer than having to move the merino tube on and my face. It also added a layer between my head and the giant hat. But...it made my head slippery and the hat fell off. I didn’t notice for about 1/2 km so had to back track to collect it. It fell off more, but I usually caught it.

Eyes: I tried goggles but they tended to frost up. For the first half I moved them over my eyes while bushwhacking but then gave that up.

Phone died at about 2km. Garmin died a bit later - actual distance is about 1km more than recorded Garmin distance. I’ll add the map a bit later.

Some goals for 2018.

These will be mostly things not directly traceable in AP, but here it goes:

1 big multi day tour. Candidates before the olds dropped in were Natchez Trace, Rockies, a lap around PEI.

10 x 100km ride days.

Increase my Eddington Age (only rides since I got a Garmin count)

2 races. I don’t really care what discipline or even what sport. Probably a snow shoe event. I’m not trying to place, just finish. I decided not to wait until I’m 80.

200 non bike km seems doable.

530 total hours, just to give me visibility to my 10 hr a week average outside of special events.

6000 km might be a stretch with our current living environment, but I’ll put it out there anyway because I think it’s a good target for a normal year. I’ll probably monitor shorter term targets during cycling season.

I’ll also try for some new personal bests:
- elevation in a day
- fast forty or hour
- single day distance

C • Nice goals! 2

Sufferfest: half is easy

24 x 15 sec hard (300-350 Watts), 15 sec easy (150 Watts) in two clusters.

Average heart rate on the second cluster was 165. I pushed some of the later intervals a bit harder. A good workout in a short time.

Power: avg-202, max-362

Day 3 soloflex

Dips really good and pull ups decent even with a sore shoulder blade

I forgot my Garmin and my phone froze to zero battery, so the distance is short. It was probably closer to 2.3km.

I wanted to test dressing for real cold so went out in -26C. I was plenty warm, but will need to make some adjustments.

Legs: tights + 30 year old Goretex pants. This worked fine and could handle a bit colder.

Feet: mid weight socks and my light Sorels. The temperature warranted my heavy Sorels, but I didn’t want to refit my snow shoes to them because it would have meant longer straps all round. My toes would have started feeling the chill in another 30-45 minutes. Some thermal socks would be a good idea.

Torso: mid weight base layer, random light turtle neck, wind vest, down lined ski jacket. This was a bit more than I needed by the time I had been moving for 15 minutes. I’ll need to swap the 30 year old jacket for something with vents, which will mean another layer.

Hands: brand new Swany mitt/gloves. This are brilliant. The rewarmed my hands very quickly after taking them off a couple times to chat with Flight.

Head: brand new hat Mrs thought I needed, brand new merino neck warmer courtesy of Flight. I pulled out ski goggles, but abandoned them before going out because they didn’t get along with the hat - pinching the bridge of my nose too much to breathe well. Sunglasses froze up within minutes, so I stuffed them in my pocket. I pulled the neck warmer up over my nose part of the time trying to balance getting the warmer too wet with breath against freezing the tip of my nose.

The air was cold enough that early on it felt like a struggle to get enough oxygen, much more so than riding my bike in the Rockies. About half way through it didn’t seem like a problem any more. I’m not sure if it just got enough warmer or if my lungs got used to the air temperature.

Day 2 soloflex and free weights
A few bonus sets while it was quiet

Sufferfest: the rookie

3 intervals trying out for team Giant-Shimano: domestique, Kittel lead out, hilly stage win.

I mostly followed the cadence queues because I thought the intensity level was modest. Cadence drooped a bit in the last couple of minutes, but I did manage the finish sprints.

Power: avg-208, max-362

Day 1 soloflex and free weights
Alone with the olds for a couple of days

C • Merry Christmas! 2

A longish shovel session. The snow was dry, but the wind had packed some of it to igloo grade about 40 cm high. Beautiful morning so it was a refreshing outing. There is now a good snow shoe base out back.

As I was shoveling I thought I should go across and clear an older neighbours driveway, but he finished walking his dog and got his blower and did his driveway and both of his neighbours before I was finished mine.