So my Trek cycle computer has a heart rate monitor, I just never got around to using it until recently.  My realization that my lousy, undisciplined training regimen was totally ineffective has led me to rethink my strategy.  Key to this would be more objectivity and tracking.

Then the obvious question arises that everyone who goes down this road confronts: what heart rate do I use?  It doesn’t take long to realize no one can give you a straight answer, so you’re pretty much on your own.

The starting point: simple calc for max HR = 220 - age = 188 for me.  After one session though I realized this was way off - doing a hill sprint I easily maxed out at 220, so I’m setting that as my max.  This makes me strongly believe that a blend of the calculated zones and the subjective perceived effort index is the only way to go.  Using 220 as my max and then comparing the zones it suggests to my perceived effort actually yielded what feel like pretty good ranges.

For instance, I felt like around 150 BPM was a solid easy going, recovery type pace.  Which falls perfectly into the suggested Zone 2 “Base/Recovery” Zone.  Riding around also felt like 175-180 was the pace I felt I was really pushing myself but short of a max effort, I could maintain it for a while but it was tough.  This falls nicely into the Zone 3 range, or “Endurance” training range.

Frankly the suggested zones seem like overkill (6 in all).  My strategy will be to do longer rides in Zone 3 held as long as possible, with recovery in Zone 2 - rides in the 2-4 hour range.  Days when I do short intervals, say an hour, hit Zone 6 and recover again in Zone 2.

The last big question then, is how much is enough to start showing some improvement?  Hard to say.  I ran across Greg Lemonde’s “Law” of 10 hours per week for a serious amateur rider.  Many cyclists are obsessed with miles, his point was that can be misleading if you’re doing too many easy miles or too many hard miles, undertraining and overtraining are both bad.  Still that’s a tough number to hit.  Let’s say 3 1-hour interval days (probably during the work week for obvious reasons), 1 2-hour ride (maybe a weekend trail ride), and a 5-hour endurance ride (the typical Sunday morning ride).  So not impossible, but it would require some dedication.

In past years Maybury was a XC race, but this year it was changed to a TT format.  There are not many good passing areas on the course, so its a fairly understandable change - though predictably there are always plenty of whiners.  Especially for the riders in the higher classes, it does mean paying to race 1 lap instead of 3 or 4.  But hey, thats the way it goes.

Weather was great, humid with a high temp of about 90.  With no rain in what seems like weeks the trail was quite sandy and dusty.   I rode ok, though felt sluggish on every minor uphill like I had a flat tire or something.  In the end turned in another mediocre result of 9th out of 13, time of 46:04 which was 7:30 off the lead.  Eric was racing for the first time on his new Gary Fisher Ferrous 29er, and rolled in 2 places later, so wasn’t hurt at all by the fact that it was the first time he had ridden it on a trail.

Didn’t get any pictures of myself, but lots of other people, I put them up here.

Stuck in 4th place in the CPS standings with very little hope of cracking the top 3.   Need to turn in a seriously good race in one (or better yet both) of the last 2 events to even have a chance.

Theresa came out for a visit this weekend.  Found out T has been running so we went for a short jog on the Huron River Trail.  Made it out to Emily’s first birthday party in Warren, the weather did not cooperate but it was still a good time.  Visited with Dad and got to see Steve’s place as well as meet Blair.

Sunday big breakfast at our new favorite local joint.  Wandered around downtown A2 and did a little shopping, but had to cut that short to make it over to our favorite big family dinner restaurant Buca di Beppo.  Managed to take in a movie afterward, I won’t mention it by name although I will say it involved a lot of singing.

Monday, I manage to turn a planned short 4-miler into The Jog of Doom (TJOD).  Hey, she’s training for a race, gotta push yourself!  Plus I’m really bad at estimating distances,  even those I cover on a regular basis.  More downtown A2 to explore the shopping (there really isn’t any, it’s all restaurants).  Back home to cook dinner for the fam and Dave’s Autumn.

So that’s about everything.  T is back safe and sound in sunny California.  I posted a few pix although didn’t really take too many.