Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Frank's Images and FTSoft's Website
Here it is November already! The leaves are down, it's windy and cold, I feel utterly weak on the trainer. Time to get moving on winter projects.
1. A new web site for yours truly.
2. Read a new photoshop book and learn something.
3. Clean the telescope mirror.
4. Cut a ski trail in the woods.
The cycling year wasn't bad. I rode reasonably well and finished up with a very strong ride at the Hilly (mostly because of the compact crank I think). I think I was about as fast as last year, so the aging process isn't accelerating at least. Fred's ride is down a little. The hotshots took there ride to another location for some reason, so there are less riders and the buzz before and after the ride isn't as good. I miss them. Still, good friends and riding buddies are still active and riding well. Maybe there will be less politics with the ride now.
That's all for now.
Frank
Friday, June 30, 2006
Frank's Web page
I did the Miller's Fork loop ( 40 miles) today, even though I probably have too many miles this week. It was such a nice morning I just had to do it. I felt good and was rolling pretty well into the wind without working too hard. I saw Joan Rudy at the top of the Wolf Creek bike path with a large group and said hi. Once I was through Verona and turning North onto Miller's Fork, I picked up the tailwind and had a nice fast cruise home. My average was pretty pathetic at 17, but I didn't want to leave it out there in case Steve and nick want to do some epic ride tomorrow. I'm still feeling great, but I really ought to do some threshhold work or else my time trialing will get even worse. Maybe next week. Oh wait! next week is a rest week.
It's gonna be hot tomorrow, so I will suffer.
HillMaster out.
I did the Miller's Fork loop ( 40 miles) today, even though I probably have too many miles this week. It was such a nice morning I just had to do it. I felt good and was rolling pretty well into the wind without working too hard. I saw Joan Rudy at the top of the Wolf Creek bike path with a large group and said hi. Once I was through Verona and turning North onto Miller's Fork, I picked up the tailwind and had a nice fast cruise home. My average was pretty pathetic at 17, but I didn't want to leave it out there in case Steve and nick want to do some epic ride tomorrow. I'm still feeling great, but I really ought to do some threshhold work or else my time trialing will get even worse. Maybe next week. Oh wait! next week is a rest week.
It's gonna be hot tomorrow, so I will suffer.
HillMaster out.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Frank's Web page
I'm back! It's been a busy Spring. Terry and I went to Texas for Hellweek in March and this gave me a nice jump start on the year. I've been riding a lot, with around 4000 miles so far this year. I try to do 3 200 mile weeks followed by a "rest" week of 120 miles or so.
I can't say that I'm really doing any serious training, although I ride hard on Wednesday and Saturday. Terry and I have been taking the tandem to Fred's on Mondays and sometimes this can be a hard ride for me, especially if Terry gets hammered and stops contributing. I just can't bring myself to do intervals or train on the TT bike.
I have started lifting again as preparation for heavy lifting in the Winter. At Rick Toler's suggestion I have been doing individual legs instead of lifting with both legs.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Frank's Web page
I've been doing spinning class at the Y for about a month. While not a great prep for the road, it does serve the function of getting my HR up on T/TH, so combined with a long spinerval video on Saturday and 2 easy days I will be pretty fit by mid march (just in time for Hellweek). I'm averaging about 135 BPM in the class, which is respectable and getting around 160 as a max. My easy days I have gotten back to doing the 207 watts intervals. I can do 4 minutes and would like to get up to 10 minutes. On the other hand, I've struggled with the Spinervals Totally Time Trial video. I find the 4th long TT rep to be very difficult and am not really going that fast in the other reps. Hopefully things will improve.
I've been doing spinning class at the Y for about a month. While not a great prep for the road, it does serve the function of getting my HR up on T/TH, so combined with a long spinerval video on Saturday and 2 easy days I will be pretty fit by mid march (just in time for Hellweek). I'm averaging about 135 BPM in the class, which is respectable and getting around 160 as a max. My easy days I have gotten back to doing the 207 watts intervals. I can do 4 minutes and would like to get up to 10 minutes. On the other hand, I've struggled with the Spinervals Totally Time Trial video. I find the 4th long TT rep to be very difficult and am not really going that fast in the other reps. Hopefully things will improve.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Frank's Web page
After taking Friday off, I tried the same Spinervals video that I did last week, Time Trial. My legs were still a little weak from Thursday, but as the video went on I got better and did about the same average watts as last week. I've set the Bianchi up with a converted 9sp wheel, using the 9spd cogs and the green 8spd to 9spd conversion washeres. This setup works somewhat but breaks down in a few places, so I had a little adventure trying to get some of the gears. All in alll, it was a good workout. I averaged 133 with a max of 153, obviously still recovering. Later.
After taking Friday off, I tried the same Spinervals video that I did last week, Time Trial. My legs were still a little weak from Thursday, but as the video went on I got better and did about the same average watts as last week. I've set the Bianchi up with a converted 9sp wheel, using the 9spd cogs and the green 8spd to 9spd conversion washeres. This setup works somewhat but breaks down in a few places, so I had a little adventure trying to get some of the gears. All in alll, it was a good workout. I averaged 133 with a max of 153, obviously still recovering. Later.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Frank's Web page
January has yielded 4 days of outdoor cycling here in West Central Ohio. That's pretty unusual. Some years I don't get outside at all in January. It felt awesome yesterday to be riding in the Sun, never mind the 20 mph winds (someone once said that in Winter in Ohio, the wind speed is half the temperature). So I did 25 miles, then went to my spinning class. Boy was I drained afterward. The spinning classes around here aren't that great for road cyclists. They either aren't hard enough or are too hard. My Thursday class is a good example. A lot of standing and quick up and down moves (totally useless for cycling) and the standing sets go on for too long, so you can't treat them like LT intervals unless you cut them short. I have to say that the class has been good for me though. I wouldn't be working hard this early otherwise. I saw 2 riders on Horseshoe Bend on saturday. Pretty unusual for January.
January has yielded 4 days of outdoor cycling here in West Central Ohio. That's pretty unusual. Some years I don't get outside at all in January. It felt awesome yesterday to be riding in the Sun, never mind the 20 mph winds (someone once said that in Winter in Ohio, the wind speed is half the temperature). So I did 25 miles, then went to my spinning class. Boy was I drained afterward. The spinning classes around here aren't that great for road cyclists. They either aren't hard enough or are too hard. My Thursday class is a good example. A lot of standing and quick up and down moves (totally useless for cycling) and the standing sets go on for too long, so you can't treat them like LT intervals unless you cut them short. I have to say that the class has been good for me though. I wouldn't be working hard this early otherwise. I saw 2 riders on Horseshoe Bend on saturday. Pretty unusual for January.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Frank's Web page
The Mum ride. We all agreed to ride at a "reasonable" pace, but I knew that would eventually dissipate. We had some of the elite riders with us (they wanted a break from there 25mph rides), so we let them pull a lot. We mostly regrouped as people were shelled out the back, except for the last couple of miles where about 10 of us were lining up for the sprint and a few who just couldn't handle the modest 20mph pace for the distance. Once again Heck Hill proved to be decisive and we would have been away with 5 or 6 if we hadn't sat up. I attacked the hill and stayed in contact for about 3/4 of the way and then my legs just collapsed and I had to chase back on the downhill. Luckily they sat up.
I'm packing up the Bianchi today for it's trip to california, so will just do easy rides all week on the fixed and maybe a good blow on the TT bike just for laughs.
The season here in the midwest is starting to wind down. Riding is more mellow, teststerone levels are down. It's a great time of year. Oh yeah, we got wet yesterday. The remains of Hurricane Rita worked its way into Indiana and we got the overflow here in Ohio (it rained all night last night). HilMaster out.
The Mum ride. We all agreed to ride at a "reasonable" pace, but I knew that would eventually dissipate. We had some of the elite riders with us (they wanted a break from there 25mph rides), so we let them pull a lot. We mostly regrouped as people were shelled out the back, except for the last couple of miles where about 10 of us were lining up for the sprint and a few who just couldn't handle the modest 20mph pace for the distance. Once again Heck Hill proved to be decisive and we would have been away with 5 or 6 if we hadn't sat up. I attacked the hill and stayed in contact for about 3/4 of the way and then my legs just collapsed and I had to chase back on the downhill. Luckily they sat up.
I'm packing up the Bianchi today for it's trip to california, so will just do easy rides all week on the fixed and maybe a good blow on the TT bike just for laughs.
The season here in the midwest is starting to wind down. Riding is more mellow, teststerone levels are down. It's a great time of year. Oh yeah, we got wet yesterday. The remains of Hurricane Rita worked its way into Indiana and we got the overflow here in Ohio (it rained all night last night). HilMaster out.
