First winter training week over!

I have got the first week of winter training over with and a good mixture of structured bike training and a couple of runs under my belt.

As with any training plan, you have to adapt and move sessions around to fit in around life, Thursday for became my rest day (usually a run day and with the club...) and had to break up the cycling with runs, so jiggled the week up.

This is a breeze in TrainingPeaks as you just drag and drop sessions to fit, I wish I could overlay my iCloud calendar (which you can do the otherway round) 

On Monday run I went for a run 

It was pleasing to keep the pace up and a nice mixture of flat and climbing

On Tuesday I started the TrainingPeaks sessions and this one is called Lionel: The Generous

The text says:

"This workout is what Lionel Vujasin uses as a moderate interval session. So we call it "The Generous":

First, 4x4min Sweetspot at 90% with just 1min rest followed by 3x3min at 115%, where you will have to push your limits at the end!

Lionel's tip: Make sure that you don*t exceed target intensity during the Sweetspot efforts to have enough left in the for the hard stuff!

Let us know how generous you think he is at the end!"

The plan comes from Rhys Howell - Canyon eSports and takes sessions from well known Zwift racers and runs over 6 weeks, I will take these sessions and incorporate them into next years training plan.

There are Zwift plans and apparently, they can sync back up to TrainingPeaks in the same fashion iI sync it down! so will look at that over Christmas

On Wednesday I went for a run, my legs didn't feel too good so rather than a long loop I did several small loops, so if it all went bad I had a short walk home!

I did manage to move to 5th on my local "Oddies to the Haggate" segment, so not a bad session 

I was very welcome to the rest on Thursday, this allowed for recovery, cycling being my main way of keeping fit and not over doing it when running, but with the turbo trainer sessions coming in, they are more taxing than I am used to.

Friday night saw me back on the turbo and did this session:

James & Steve: The Killer Sprints

"Sprinting is hard.... and it gets even harder if you have to keep going afterwards.

Our sprint specialists James Philips and Steve Young aren't only dangerous when a race is comes down to a bunch sprint but they also compete in intermediate sprints along the way.

Unlike with a final sprint intermediates offer you no respite afterwards. If you aren't conditioned for such an effort, your body will collapse. Here is how they train to survive the repeated punishment.

3 Sets:

Two with 20s at 200% right into a 6min40s-Tempo-Threshold effort at 85-100%.

One with 1min at 140% right into a 6min-Tempo-Threshold effort at 80-98%.

And then we do the final sprint: 15s at 225% of FTP! Make sure that you anticipate the efforts: ramp up cadence before they begin and mental prepare yourself to keep pushing once the sprint is over. Do not stop pedalling - just breath and try to regather your composure. This is an essential skill for racing on Zwift.

It was a hard session but it is well structured with recovery, as you can see sometimes it builds sprint up and up and up.

There is an issue with the Power readings, I can be happily constant with cadence and it drops from 170w to 120w for a couple of seconds and then straight back up, this cannot be me doing that and have logged a support call with Wahoo. Out of 31 "stages" I lost 10 due to not keeping at the withing the required power zone

Saturday morning I went out to do 10K and instead did around 8 miles in the last couple of miles is the big hill of Rochdale Road, my legs felt super heavy and tried to keep my HR at 161 on the flats and downhill, no more than 170 on the uphill. It felt good to do a longer run and a good session.

I have now taken the Local Legend status for "Oddies to the Haggate" segment

Rather than do the prescribed Sunday session from TrainingPeaks, I opted to do a few laps of Watopias "Tempus Fugit" course, it is nice and flat and has two segments to challenge you, the first is a sprint and managed to knock some time of it, down to 41 seconds. The other is an endurence that last week I did in 11 minutes, my best today jusy over 12 minutes

So a nice easy 5k tomorrow!

I have to confess I have not run since I did a half marathon some weeks back, nor blogged!

Running has taken a back seat and the Kickr been my only training regime, I have got used to the setup and thought for this post talk about what I have found useful and how to structure my training now in the winter.

First of all, how to set up the bike in the room, it is mandatory to have a fan blowing at you, it is sweaty enough. I have bought a cradle for the iPad and have a phone holder on order, that will use the Garmin cradle (phone is for the Zwift companion app, more on that later).

I have subscribed to Zwift which makes the whole drudgery of turbo training actually fun, it was easy to setup to sync with TrainingPeaks, Garmin and Strava, annoyingly it doesn't just go into Garmin and then out to the other two like the Garmin gear does.

Zwift itself has a great interface and with the iPhone the "companion app" which is supposed to give a better view at your current speed, cadence, power and HR, however, it very rarely connects and I am not sure if it is a WIFI, Bluetooth or service issue, I do see other users complain from time to time so assume it is not me!

So after a trial ride on Friday 6th November (the day the Kickr arrived), I got to work trying the features out.

Zwift fundamentally is a game and virtual world, you ride in realtime with other users of smart trainers. There are events, training sessions and gear to unlock, the more you ride or complete certain segments/routes.

Strava shows you all the usual readings, now I have Power which is the best way to train on the bike, these power meters cost a small fortune to fit on bikes so never bothered. Now my bike training will be centred around power and the first job is to work out your Full Threshold Potential (FTP), happily, there is a training session to do this!

I chose to do the shorter version, FTP's are worked out using your best effort over 20 minutes (over more brutal ways are done by professionals) this one takes around 45 minutes, has a warm-up and down segments and the 20 minutes bit, slap in the middle.

It worked out my FTP was 191W which I then enter into TrainingPeaks so that planned sessions use this for %Max FTP and Strava so it knows how well I am performing, in 6-8 weeks I will perform the same FTP test and hopefully it will go up!

I have purchased ($9.99) a basic plan in TrainingPeaks and this automatically puts the sessions into Zwift on the day I am doing the workout. During the workout, it uses ERG mode which means you can still enjoy the scenery and company of other riders, but the trainer will disregard the hills etc and set the resistance on the trainer to ensure you are cycling whatever Wattage you are supposed to be training at. Whist you are riding, the game will give you a heads up to what is coming and encouragement to stick to the mission i.e. cadence and wattage which is super helpful.

So next week I start training in earnest and promise to get back running!

Laters

Mark
 

Run run run

This week was a very running centric plan, the cycling has taken a back seat and felt great to do a "regular' training week. Historically this was 2 x RRR training runs, a track session or pacey 5k and a Long Slow Run (LSR).

On the cycling front, I have a new profile picture which my son has crafted in photoshop (was hoping for a few pounds to be shaved off!) merging my two sport photos, the Bangor 10k (the one I had to run in shoes) and the first Sportive I did the other week.

So Monday started with a good training session with RRR group B, the route I had tried out on the Saturday before, this time though from the club and as we ran back, I could have peeled off home but felt strong and carried on to the club, a run just shy of 10 miles and 5th on the "Tiny Rebel" segment and a PR on the final sprint back to the club.

Most talk around the route was on the number of chippys open and how the smell is so good! 

 

Tuesday I had a jaunt around Royton and felt good to have a bit of pace in my legs, again 5th on "Tiny Rebel" some of the paths were dark and a reminder winter is coming!

After a nice rest day on Wednesday, it was back to training with the RRR on Thursday  

I move to 3rd on Tiny Rebel and a run just shy of 9 miles, this time the smell of chippys was too much and succumbed to pudding, chips and curry afterwards!

On Sunday I was originally going to cycle with the SIP on a nice hilly route but decided to do a Half Marathon instead

I had not really prepped, hydration or food so by mile 8 it was tough going and the route began to go uphill, I could happily have turned for home but wanted to complete a half marathon and pushed on.

The first half of the route does not need any stops for lights and so on, after Middleton, it was a regular stop and start which gives some rest for the chest, but the legs I kept having to swing to keep them from tightening up.

For some time I have been thinking of getting a "turbo trainer" and as the weather gets worse and the days shorter it pays dividends to turn to cycle on a trainer. So thankfully Wahoo has started to take orders again, the demand for any kind of training equipment is strong and the supply, patchy at best as the pandemic rolls on.

The model I have gone for is the Kickr and have friends with these and they speak very highly of the quality, it can simulate up to 20% hills which is plenty enough for me!

https://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/bike-trainers/kickr

Hopefully it will arrive in the next few weeks as it is a backorder.

Getting more running in my training

My "on route" photo from last Saturday's "Great Yorkshire Sportive" has now arrived and a big thanks to Richard Sharpe "SI Events" for taking a cool picture.

On Monday there was no RRR Group B training night as nobody could make it, I decided to do a 10k at a reasonable effort, the route is a regular for RRR and my calf was painful going up any hill. Overall I felt strong and got some good segment results.

I took a break from the gym, in training last week I overdid things and so gave myself a recovery window, the calf still is a struggle, the reason I switched to more cycling was to train whilst it healed, as I ramp the running back up it is haunting me.

On Thursday we merged the top two groups (staying under the rule of six) and did a 7.5 loop, with the run to the club and back it was around 8.9 miles.

The aim was 8:30 pace and the lads worked hard and we achieved it, running in the winter is borning as the lanes are dark and soggy so stuck on the roads. Having runners to chat with (Covid inevitably is on discussion, especially on how it affects races planned and the next year) so that does something to lessen the boring street running.

On Saturday Recce of the Middleton lollipop, or at least my version of it, in this case just shy of 6 miles from my house and back.

It has 3 miles downhill and then the hard work coming back, the calf is still tight but kept the HR down and apart from the people milling around the road parallel to Chadderton Hall park as they get in/out of cars.

There are two segments for this stretch:

Run to the Cafe! - I can smell the Bacon

And then for on the way back

Run away from the Bacon butties

I tried hard for this segment but dodging people and that put pay for a good result.

All in all a good run and the route will be okay with my group on Monday

On Sunday I went out for a ride with the SIP Cycling Club, low numbers this week... just the two of us but no bother and we have good weather and Tatton Park was full of cyclists, a testament to the nice climate.

I tried my Le Col knee warmers for the first time, did the job, once I got used to them and adjusted them correctly as they were riding up at first.

The route is a good one, once you get out of Manchester that is! We stopped for a bacon butty at the usual cafe in Knutsford and then headed around Mobberley to Wilmslow

So back on track and onto the next week!

A busy week culminating with the Great Yorkshire Sportive 2020

 As Covid continues to affect the world, it has been difficult for any person who loves sports and fitness to get out and do there “thing”.

Okay you can still go out for a run, cycle and swim (Oldham Council not blocked it again this week) but for group training, races and events it has been a massive blow.

That said as we enter a new “normal” I have returned to training with Royton Road Runners (RRR) and lead the 8:00 min/mile group out on Monday’s and Thursdays. We have not really got to 8:00 pace and numbers still low as people have got used to training alone, some folks quite rightly have reservations about mixing especially if they are vulnerable. That said it is picking up and as a club, we are adapting the process and dedicated to setting a framework that will mean there is something there for our members.

The difficulty is motivating people as no races are being held we would normally be getting to the close of the season and getting ready for Cross Country (running in muddy fields and woods a great experience).

I chose to cycle as there are still events happening and this week finally got to take part in a sportive, which is not quite a race but the next best thing, timed and friendly but more on that later.

I started this week on the back of some okay training and a Sunday 45 minute gruelling exercise bike session, averaging 20mph and sweating like a pig, the weather was so bad Saturday the great big ride planned by the SIP Cycling Club (SCC) was cancelled, perversely the Sunday morning was not so bad and by 10am pretty nice out. 

Monday - RRR group B

In a change of venue we went out as Group B, me and 3 others on the last trail run of the year, the nights are drawing in now and you need good light on the trails (There is usually a head torch run taking place so hopefully that will go ahead this year). 

We met at the (now closed) Yew Tree pub so we could access the lanes rather than the club and get as much done on the trail and canal towpath before it got too dark, it did, however, catch us a little and it was great to emerge from the farm tracks unscathed although the mud may never come out of my shoes! The foul weather of the last week had saturated all the paths but still fun to run through.

Tuesday - Run

I went for a run as the weather wasn’t great and didn’t fancy going out on the bike. I decided to do a test run on the proposed Hill Training I had planned for my group on Thursday, it went okay and my running mojo felt like it was being topped up nicely.

Wednesday - H.I.I.T

This was my first “First” of the week, High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) at the gym, I have often seen these on the timetable at Gym and thought not for me, but having done one now I think this will be a regular addition to my training plan. 30 Minutes of moving, weights and working on my rubbish shoulders will be a great way to exercise and takes little out of my day doing at lunchtime.

Thursday - RRR Group A+B

We met at the club and I was joined by Carls group "A" as they had low numbers and fancied the route and session I had planned, so following the “rule of 6” we set off towards Oldham and to the local famous Compton Street Hill. I have often commented as running up it, people living on the hill must burn out clutches and brake cables much more than everyone else. It is steep and goes on for a bit, perfect for running up as you can make a loop up to run around, recover and attack it again.

3 times we looped it and it gives you a fantastic feeling to finish it, people sometimes think that if you do hill training it improves your racing speed. This is not strictly true, it will make you stronger on hills and if the race is hilly then super, but if your race is mostly flat then don’t bother, you would be better off spending time training on the flat! 

As club runners we “normally” have races every other weekend and “up north” most races will have a hill or two so it makes sense to add some proper hill training in now and again.

The group did well and the route was designed to have a flat start, hills, downhill back to the club feel. When we got back everyone said it was great and so will pop this one in again in a couple of months!

Friday - Spin class

On Friday I had my second “First”, a spinning class at the gym, oh my lord it was tough! I had one eye on my main goal on Saturday so had to be a bit cautious. The session was quality but I died near the end, reduced the resistance on the bike and just free span my legs to stop them from seizing, looking around at all the “fit people, I was a bit shameful that I bowed out. 

That said they probably do this once, twice a week and if they tried to run 10 miles or cycle 40 miles they would struggle I suspect. So reset my thoughts and contented myself it was a good cardio workout, great for the legs and effectively “Miles in the bank”.

Saturday - The Great Yorkshire Sportive 2020

Last but not least my third “first”... The Great Yorkshire Sportive, a brand new event put on by Velo29 (the event company behind classics like the Cheshire Cat and the Beast of Yorkshire), was staged for Saturday 10th October.

I now have a roof rack and bike carrier to get around so going to events is a breeze, I stopped on route to York at the services and got a subway breakfast (extortionate prices).

I arrived on time and rolled up on the bike, nervous and excited all the same, I have run countless races, parkruns and the like, but never a cycling event.

The parking at the HQ was adequate if not a bit "Stoney" for road bikes to get to the start, once I got the bike of the route it was just enough time to attach my participant number, the timing chip to my helmet and head to the start.

Some more signage/ Marshalls around the start area would have been helpful but got to the queue to be checked in the event and crossed the line just a little earlier than my allotted zone but still in the "rule of 6"

My stupid Garmin edge yet again failed to just "hop" onto the course and kept insisting on going back, then all of a sudden it was fine until the first big junction where it said go right and the signs go left... so I assume either I got the route wrong when I manually had to create it in Strava... or there was a route change, I suspect I made a mistake!

The roads were a bit rubbish in some sections and the guy who "drafted" behind me from around mile 6 to 13... thanks and hope I got you a PR on a Strava, not however on the first hill where he could not keep up and never saw him again.

The biggest challenge on the route was shared by the short, medium and long route and is the form of "The Terrington Bank" a moderately steep hill and where the official photographer was camped, I was catching some of the Medium route riders and suspect they were conserving energy or not hill climbers so tried to move into some free space for a photo opportunity!

 

The new 28 cassette came in handy and managed the climb with the extra granny gears.

The feed stop was at around 20 miles and had a breather and a bit of pork pie and headed back out. In future, I will probably skip the feed stop as gels are adequate for a "short" route of 40 miles.

The short route cuts through Castle Howard and has stunning scenery, I think a future family trip to the castle and grounds are in order, my head was far too much in the "push" mode to appreciate it all.

Strava has new premium features and gives a very nice view of your effort:

I have created a route based on my ride so if I do the same route next year it might work!

https://www.strava.com/routes/2750396852043950452

I was one of the first to set off so when told I was second back and the fella before me was 10 minutes ago, I thought well that's okay and see how far I have slipped once everyone gets back.

As it turned out I was still second back which I super happy about

The sausage butty was very welcome and a cheeky beer to wash it down

So a very good week and a nice rest day on Sunday so welcome!

Cycling for now

As my running has faltered with my calf still not being right, I have taken the approach to cross-train and keep my fitness somewhere I can easily return to running proper!

Last time I blogged, my road bike had just been repaired and enjoyed a long ride with my mate Steve which has been great at keeping my morale up where it needs to be. Running Races are falling by the wayside and no real view as to when they return so trying to turn my attention to cycling and any events that I can enter.

On Sunday I went out for a ride with the local cycling club SIP CC, based out of my local craft ale pub The Secret SIP the pace was good and had good banter on the way round, we headed through Manchester, past Old Trafford and onto Altrincham.

We passed through Dunham Massey and Tatton Park, stopping off for a Bacon Butty and latte in Knutsford.

After the butty stop, we set off and went through Mobberley and Wilmslow and past the Etihad (two terrible Manchester football teams in one ride!)

I had a good sprint up the hill at woodhouses, out of the saddle the lot! and then through Oldham and back into Royton.

We arrived back at the pub and I had a refreshing pint of Hacker Weiss whilst chatting with the lads.

In August I plan to ride with Steve from Coniston (where he is doing a 1-mile swim in prep for his Ironman in October) the route I have made is around 90 miles so planning a break halfway at Lancaster.

So now focusing on cycling to keep my fitness up and have set a goal to complete the Tour De Manc and this I hope to keep me going whilst running races are still being postponed. It is 100 miles of all 10 boroughs of Manchester (and a bit of Cheshire) very hilly and very long.

The big challenge in the last two weeks was a ride with the club with hills and boy did this week have it.

As Garmin is offline due to hackers, life is tricky especially as it is my hub for syncing data to Strava and trainingpeaks, managing by digging the "fit" file from the device and manually uploading it.

We did a good route and was surprised we went up Lumbetts in Todmorden, I raced this back in 2010 when the "Hot Toddy" used to take place. This race was about 5.5 miles and on my birthday in December, setting off from the centre of town it featured "Old Lumbetts" as a hill that just keeps coming until you reach the Sheppard Rest pub, you then have the downhill to contend with which kills your knees!

On a bike this represents as bum clenching braking which the Cayo was struggling to do, the back wheel squirrelling as I tried to slow for sharp bends.

For some time I have wanted to do Cragg Vale which is a long constant climb from Mytholmroyd to the Blackstone Edge Reservoir and arguably the UK's longest climb at 5.5 miles, there are lines painted on the road, counting down the kilometres, for my first attempt, I clocked 30:05  

 

 

The route in full

One cool feature of TrainingPeaks is the ability to "normalise" the elevation, the raw data can sometimes be a bit misleading so this is the "fixed" view.

So with tired legs, I am finishing writing and no searching for better brakes for my bike... haha