27 Days Till First Race! Training is Rolling.

It is hard to believe that my first race on the bike is just 27 days away. With the weather improving and following the "classics" on the computer and Versus TV, motivation has never been higher! Watching these races will always get the competitive juices flowing. Today, Phillipe Gilbert completed a three wins in a row by winning the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race, out sprinting the Schleck brothers. Next month, the Giro d'Italia and Tour of California are on the calendar.

This week's training was enhanced by getting outside more often. With the season winding down and the end of the school year near, getting outside everyday is sometimes tough but soon getting outside everyday will not be a problem. I also need to get some more gear to ride in some nasty rainy days. The forecast is also looking better and will allow for more outside days.

In preparation for the 75 mile race, I have been choosing routes that have included some good hills. I will have to say that choosing a flat route around here is pretty much impossible other that riding an out and back on 11/15. I find myself, when mapping out routes, looking for as many hills as possible. This week one of my goals will be to get another 50 miler. Today, I rode a hilly 31 miler at 20.2mph and felt like I could have gone another hour or so at the same rate. The hill climbing has been relatively easy given the amount of time I have spent on the trainer. I guess the workouts have been working!

New training totals:
Week - 7 rides/ 231 miles/ 10hours 50minutes/21.50 mph
Month - 24 rides/ 819 miles/ 38hours 17minutes/ 21.60mph
Year - 114 rides/ 3799 miles/ 172hours 40minutes/ 22.10mph

This week was also nice as I was able to get a ride with some of staff/faculty at the school. We have a group called "Isle of Q" Cycling Club and many of us will be competing at the Mont Tour. They will be doing the 45 mile version of the race. It was a fun ride and awesome to have company. We will be unveiling our cool kits at the Mont Tour. My next project will be to find USA Cycling Races so I can move up from Cat 5 standing! I am still very excited for the ultimate goal on the bike: CYCLOCROSS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_W8AsilPMM

TdO '11 - Training has never been better!

What A Difference A Year Makes!!

It finally hit me when I got to our track & field meet today at Moravian College. This time last year, I was 2-3 days out from my surgery to remove my squamous cell cancer in my lip. I know everyone one says they can't tell the difference, but at that time over half my bottom lip was removed to get all the cancer. Well, here it is 1 year later and I am still clear! I still have some check-ups every 3 months but I have passed the 1 year mark, which my doctor says is the key! Not that I am no longer in danger but for now I can breath a small sigh of relief! I could go on for a while about some of the changes in my perspective on life or my coaching ways but I rather take this moment to thank all those that were so supportive during that time!

Today was the finish of a crazy three days of track and field between two meets and two different locations. Once again, it was not the best weekend for weather for track & field. This has to be one of the toughest seasons for weather in all my years at Susquehanna University. Despite the weather, the team is doing very well and excited for our championships in two weeks.

The weather during the week was pretty good and I was able to get outside for more cycling around my crazy coaching schedule. Preparations for the race on May 21st are going extremely well. The rides I have done around here are hilly and that should have me we prepared for this course. I still need to add some more hills into the training but the past two rides I have felt incredibly strong bouncing up the hills at a high cadence. I know I have said it in previous post, but I really need to stop being lazy about the weight training and get back on it!!! (Hopefully this week!)

This past week, on the bike, was another strong week. With the crazy schedule this weekend, I was not at the same time and mileage as last week but still a big week none the less. I am enjoying the weather change (slowly) and getting outside as , while productive, the indoor trainer is getting BORING!!!! I am amazed how much I have been able to mentally handle this winter. New training totals:

Week - 7 rides/ 238 miles/ 11hours 04 minutes/ 21.60mph
Month - 17 rides/ 588 miles/ 27hours 27 minutes/ 21.70mph
Year - 107 rides/ 3568 miles/ 161hours 50minutes/ 22.10mph

The weather break is also good for helping my athlete train for his cross-country trek from Baltimore to Portland with 4K for Cancer! What an admirable thing for anyone to do.

https://4kforcancer.donortools.com/my/funds/15114-Rider-Fund-Nate-Wineland

It is a win-win situation as I get good time in the saddle and I help Nate prepare for his selfless act of generosity. Please check his link out above and help Nate in any way you can.

TdO 2011 - The Epic Event Looms!!

100 Rides in 2011 Done!! 41 Days to 1st Race

The end of week 14 of my training on the bike is now in the books, as I get ready for my first season of bike races. Today was a hilly ride through the hills of Central PA. It also marked the first ride with one of athletes, Nate Wineland, who is training for a ride across the United States on behalf of cancer awareness. Please check out his website, it is a very good cause:

https://4kforcancer.donortools.com/my/funds/15114-Rider-Fund-Nate-Wineland

Today marked the first time I have been on the bike for 3 hours. It also was the first time that it got above 50 degrees for a ride. This week the weather finally seems to be breaking for the better. I am hoping to get some good rides outside this week. I will need to continue to get more hill work as the Danville course is very hilly and difficult. I did felt very strong on all hills today. I know these hills will also help me in my preparations for the TdO 11 as I know there are no hills like this in South Jersey.

This week was my biggest week in terms of time on the bike of all my 14 weeks on the bike. Every week, I feel stronger on the bike and today was surprised how quickly I was able to bounce up all the hills. I can notice a difference in my bike handling skills and gear changing timing going up the hill. This will come into play a lot in Danville with the number of ups and downs so I can keep my cadence consistent throughout the race .

New training totals:
Week - 7 rides/ 255 miles/ 12 hours 2 minutes/ 21.60mph
Month - 10 rides/ 350 miles/ 16 hours 23 minutes/ 21.70mph
Year - 100 rides/ 3330 miles/ 150 hours 46 minute/ 22.10mph

I am so motivated for this race season after today. As I write this blog, I am motivated by watching the Paris-Roubaix Race. What an amazing event to watch with the combination of roads and cobblestone roads. It is a 160 mile one day event nicknamed the "Hell of the North". Pretty sure I will never get to that level of riding to race it but damn it always good to dream.

TdO 2011!!!

Outside For Today! Could The Weather Finally Be Breaking??

Wow!! It felt so good to get outside today and ride! This past week was another crazy one for weather. We had no temperatures above 45 degrees and several days of snow and rain. We even had a coating of snow for a little bit on April Fools Day. Sometimes, I wonder if the weather will ever get back to normal. Today was the first nice day in quite some time. It was about 44 degrees at the beginning of my ride and probably was about 48 when I finished. It was not a difficult course to ride today with some flat sections and some hills but no major hills today. There was a decent breeze today out of the WNW at 14-15MPH with gust close 20. It was not bad but riding solo, it got annoying at times. Today's route:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/30878422/

I was able to stay in the big chain ring the entire ride and maintain a cadence of 94-95. I was able to finish the ride in 1 hour 45 minutes or just slightly over 21MPH. It was best ride outside in my training this year. The weather looks as though it is improving so hopefully will be able to get outside more often and tackle the hills. I am looking forward to tackling Dam Hill soon on the Cannondale!

This past week was a solid week on the bike. With meets on the weekends, it makes it tough to get longer rides on Saturdays but with the improving weather I should be able to get longer rides during the week. I did manage to get close to 10 hours 30 minutes of riding this week. New training totals:

Week: 7 rides/ 232 miles/ 10 hours 25 minutes/ 22.30mph
Month: 3 rides/ 95 miles/ 4 hours 21 minutes/ 22.00mph
Year: 93 rides/ 3075 miles/ 138hours 44 minutes/ 22.20 mph

This week's goal is get back closer to 11 or 11.5 hours of riding. I also want to continue to get outside and tackle the hills and like to incorporate Dam Hill in a ride or two. I figure climbing Dam Hill and many of the other hills around here will have me well prepared for the race in Danville. Also this week is Paris-Roubaix, a famous one day classic bicycle race!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/new-cobblestones-for-paris-roubaix-2011

TdO 11!

Training continues.......