A Tale of Three Flats...

After 8 days off the bike during holiday(totally euro slang), legs have come around. Last week I got in two workouts then got some hotel trainer time in while I was in Long Beach. After taking Monday off as usual, I hit it hard on Tuesday with some low-cadence, high wattage intervals. These are great strength building workouts which should pay dividends later on in the season. The first one I thought I was absolutely flying then I looked at the final number and it was on par with what I did right before holiday. A little bummed but somedays the legs just aren't there. I did the next two intervals and saw substantial power decay. Some was attributed being sketched out by a van whose *ssh*** driver blew his horn at me and nearly ran me off the road when I was on the edge of the road not wanting to go in the ditch. There was no oncoming traffic either. Every cyclist knows that every ride presents danger and the threat of getting annihalated by a vehicle, case in point, me =) Just this week, 2007 UCI ProTour winner and TDF Runner-Up, Cadel Evans, talked about the dangers of training on his home roads in Australia. He said Australian and US drivers just feel that anything aside from their own vehicle on the road is a nuisance which makes training here and in Australia increasingly more dangerous than Europe. In 2006, the Australian Women's national team was struck and Amy Gillett was killed. I could have been handed the same card but fortunately I was given a second chance. I encourage all of you to check out the site that was put up to tribute her and also helps raise awareness for cyclists. When I was struck and laid up in the hospital, I had a similar idea of starting a site/non-profit that helps raise awareness and provide legal and hopefully financial support to victims of such tragedies. I know I can lend quite a bit of experience to others so they don't have to deal with the issues I have dealt with so far. I am sure I can get some pros on board to help support it.

http://www.amygillet.org.au

Now back to wheels of training...My Wednesday high cadence workout was really good. Legs felt supple and were spinning like a mcdonnell-douglas turbine. If you are in need of some good drills, I highly recommend high cadence intervals. The form and technique you gain from these workouts translates nicely into pro smoothness on the pedals and better sprinting. It also devastates the competition when you are spinning high and looking smooth and they are questioning why they do this. Thursday was strength and plyo day. If people in the neighborhood saw me through the window they had to be wondering what the hell I was doing. "But officer, I was just doing some power jumps and box jumps =) " This is also the day where I work on my sprints. After my first set I was totally blown away by my numbers. I was over 100watts better! This is huge. I'm talking taking it to the mattresses huge. I was getting 12-16% more out of my legs. Shawn has been working me hard on the strength and explosive stuff. With continued work, I should see increased improvement and more arrows in my quiver come race time.

After just a one hour easy spin on Friday to push the lactic out, I was ready for the low-cadence, high wattage workout on Saturday. After thoroughly amping myself on New Mexico Piñon Coffee, I was ready to go. I first had this delectable treat while I was in Silver City, NM for the Tour of the Gila. I highly recommend it. On the way down through Golden Gate Park, I punctured. No worries, I will fix it and be on my way. Fixed on and the way I went. On the first interval, I just felt like I was flying and the SRM said I was too. Over 40 watts higher than on Tuesday! A 14% jump! I was so stoked about it. I did a 10min recovery and puntured again as I was heading to the starting area and this time i busted the valve. No worries, I have an extra tube. Now I am fixed and a little more rested. It would have been very easy to get frustrated and just bag the whole day, but thats not pro right? So I banged out the 2nd interval and was again 15% higher on the my 2nd one as compared to on Tuesday. What was it? I have a few ideas...So after pumping my fists in the air after finishing my 2nd one, I headed back for my 3rd and final one. I pushed with everything I had and tried to leave all the cards on the table. SRM check: 19% higher than Tuesday and over 15% higher than before holiday! So I am getting faster and I have more endurance...boom shackalacka! On the descent down Mt. Tamalpais, I punctured again. After finally getting home after spending way too much time working on flat tyres I had the appetite of a great white(because they can eat an enormous amount of kilos per day and they are my favorite animal in the world) =)

Today was the big endurance day, 100mi. There is something that has always appealed to me about long efforts. I guess its the feeling of accomplishment at the end as well as the intense hunger and fatigue. Feeling fatigued after a big workout is quite satisfying. I google map'd out my course which took me out to Nicasio in Marin County then up to the Cheese Factory and then onto Marshall along Tomales Bay. In all the 2.5 years I have been here, at the junction in Nicasio I had never gone to the Cheese Factory. I must say that the roads back there are quite nice and quiet. Some steep climbs too. I started out before the ride with ample coffee, a huge bowl of rolled oats with wheat germ, flax seed and pecans and a little maple syrup. Then hunter's eggs and a piece of whole grain toast with soybean butter(kind of like peanut butter but not). A long day in the saddle needs a proper breakfast. Then I packed the jersey pocket with ample ammunition, a banana and 3 nature valley bars. This is a lot for me but I always seem to bring less than I need and arrive back at home only by a miracle. Not today, i felt pretty good the entire time and put in some nice efforts on the flats and on the climbs. SRM stats: 6hr 25min, 161km, 4100kj. This is definitely the longest day I have had since La Vaujany in France. 4100kj is a big day by yourself. When I got home I was quite famished so I made a grilled cheese sandwich, a piece of toast with honey and soybean butter and a cooked a can of black beans and a cup of jasmine rice. Beans and rice are great after workout foods b/c they pack on serious carbs and the beans are non fat and contain a good source of protein and fiber. They also fill you up so you can still eat and be a weight weenie =)

So a big week is behind me, and I am pretty jazzed about my form. Everything that I have been working on is finally coming together and translating into some good power numbers. Now I just have to put it all together for the Valley of the Sun Stage Race in mid-Feb in Tempe, AZ. Should be a fun weekend and great way to bang out the beginning of the season.

Chow,
Matthew

Another shameless plug...
http://www.nmpinoncoffee.com