number 44.

44 is my number for my 2011 Ontario Cup 'campaign' ( <---sounds legit). One up from last year. My biggest fear was that my number would be higher than last year; a proverbial slap in the face to my dismal results. Instead I got the absolute minimum achievement possible. lols.

In other news im posting this update mostly out of guilt for not updating recently.

With the temps being consistently above zero during the day, I have put my trainer on the wayside and have been squeezing in rides after work. Ive been focusing on both aerobic paced rides and Vo2 max interval rides.

The first few rides were brutal as the natural undulations of the road consistently made me push wattages that I hadnt touched in months. Last weekend I did a benchmark 2 hr ride to see how my body would handle a race effort. I gist of the ride was to keep a steady tempo pace and intersperse some 1-2 minute bursts that would simulate a race effort. The net result is that I cramped up fiercely at the 1h30 mark. My muscles werent use to the stress of the big gear,big wattages. Im definitely not ready to race hard for 2 hours right now.

In the week since then, I have incorporated some big gear low cadence drills on my endurance rides with the hope that I could recover some muscle memory in the next three weeks in time for OCup #1. To be honest it seems to be working very well. With one week of these drills under my belt ive already noticed huge increases in my muscular endurance. Due to the inclement weather today, my planned century ride was called off and I ended up doing a couple hours at endurance pace. Towards the end I felt strong and my legs didnt have the spongy feeling that they had only a week prior.

It is imperative that I am diligent with my training for the next three weeks. Otherwise a last place is a likely outcome for Mansfield.

Ive isolated three main aspects that HAVE to be fixed before May 1st.

1- Weight: Im sitting at 166lbs. No good. I should be at 155 ideally. Commuting over the next three weeks should take care of that.

2- Top End- Im still pretty deficient with my top end power. I dont handle the 3 min efforts well.

3- Endurance- I need to know that I can finish a 2hour race feeling 100% and not rapidly fade at the 1:30 mark.


So with three weeks and lots to do. I better not skip workouts. Its crunch time in the utmost sense.