res firma mitescere nescit

A firm resolve is not easily broken” or “Once you get it up, keep it up.”

I’ll leave the translation to the reader. It’s May 2021 and it has been over two years since I was in race shape from a power or weight perspective.

It’s been a ridiculous two years from moving across country, to the pandemic to a job that gets crazy. Then early this year something changed.

In January I listed to “Quit Like a Woman” and stopped drinking for the second time in my life. The first time lasted a bit over five years. I replaced alchohol with high sugar and high fat foods and my weight went up to a peak near or at 190lb’s perhaps more as the scale became hard to see. Okay, that’s not true, but I didn’t like looking anymore!

By mid February I started riding again, a little. Mid March I started riding more and the first of April I was back on a training plan. Eating whole foods, little meat and fasting 13 hours a day. I’m down 17 lb’s and my power is starting to come back up, slowly. Most of all, I am enjoying the process of training, eating healthy and riding.

I’m also enjoying following the Classic Cycling B-line team Please join me in following them and giving them a thumbs up!

Shane Martin and Classic Cycling have been supportive of me over the years and I am enjoying following these riders as they follow their own path to success, no matter how it is defined.

In a few weeks as I turn 48, here is to hoping res firma mitescere nescit!

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Birthday Bonus Race

Occasionally I used to be able to compete in two races in a single day, when the events would line up. I also have had the chance to do a few races in a weekend by participating in an Omnium, often 3 races over three days. Friday night time trial, Saturday Road race, Sunday Criterium.

Next weekend I am heading to Bend Oregon for the High Desert Omnium, three events in two days. Saturday morning Time Trial, Saturday afternoon Criterium, Sunday Road Race.

As a bonus, it looks like I can do two Criteriums on Saturday. And since I am travelling over just for the race and can maximize my race time, I’m in for four events in two days!

Added bonus, because I am taking the Travel Trailer and it’s just a one or two night event, I’m going to be staying on BLM dispersed camping… for free.

Double bonus, Strava says my fitness is approaching the best I have seen in 5 years or more. And doing the four races in two days should further bump that up!

A better monthly update January 2018

BONUS: 10% FTP increase over the previous month with no testing required.

I wasn’t particularly looking forward to  this months power test. Rather than taking it easy on Friday before the test, I tried a Zwift race. By luck, I went hard for the first 30 minutes of the race and was notified of an increased FTP.

That opened Sunday up for another Sauvie Shootout / smash ride. So I put some fenders on the rain / cross bike and headed out for my first group ride in the new kit.

My buddy John joined the ride which makes it more fun, and I managed to hang on to the sprint group until halfway through the second lap. That’s not bad considering how hard I hit training doing interval sessions Thursday and Friday.

Pretty Awesome all the way around!

Monthly check-in

By the numbers, I don’t have outstanding results for my first four-week training block.

  • Weight – Down 1 lb
  • Power – Up 4%
  • Watts per Kilo – Up modestly

Not terrible, but you know I expected more. It’s a reminder we can try to control the inputs, the outcomes follow. These aren’t always tightly aligned.

So, if I just finished a four-week block, that means I start a new one next week,  and here it is. Continuing with the Zwift theme, I’m going to do the 4 week FTP boost.

Except, I’ll only be riding four days a week, and adding two days of strength and a day of running. I’m sticking with my Racing Weight programt combined with the increased training load.

With Christmas next week, what could possibly go wrong!