On Friday nights the tweets pop up like dandelions:
"Meet at the BK bridge, 3 hours of gravel." Or maybe it's, "75 miles of Iowa gravel on tap. Who's in?"
Gravel is always involved, somehow, as are epic feats of strength. You know how epic those feats are because the follow-up tweets go like this: "3-plus hours of gravel, 15 degrees. 6 hours for the weekend. Hell yes!" There's almost always a picture of coffee, too.
Yay. Well done, boys. You got your work in.
Meanwhile, so did I. So did lots of people. And I didn't need to post pictures of coffee or complain about being cold or regaining feeling in my fingers/toes/ears/brain. Didn't you just brag about how awesome it was being outside?
Yes, I rode the trainer. I daresay it's a better and more focused workout than concentrating on not being cold for three hours. And yes, I'll be ready to go when it gets warm.
Just get your miles in. It doesn't matter how.
And nobody cares about your ice beard.
65 comments:
Really?
Maybe you should stop talking in hieroglyphs too. Z3, L5, TSS...blah, blah, blah...
:)
I think the trainer made you angry.
Lot of anger everywhere today.
My word verification is "muntal" like Munson and Mental. I see a new catch phrase coming on.
Muntal!
We need to work on a definition for "Muntal"
You're so muntal
Numbers quantify a ride between yourself and others if you choose to compare yourself to others. I can ride 3 hrs and so can you but at what intensity? Numbers are just a way to standardize a workout. Words are vague. As a coach, it's great people are starting to understand this system. Personally, every workout that I post is not about bragging. It's about teaching.
First and foremost I tell the athletes I coach, all this is about a healthy lifestyle. Secondly, posting is about accountability ( and so is paying my fee). Lastly, it's not about bragging.
I Know What You Did Last Summer. That doesn't matter.
Hmmm...Muntal. Could it be - so laid back that you just don't care? If so, Marc, you're post was very un-Muntal.
Or could it be - whatever is the norm, do the opposite? In that case, we're all Muntal since we ride bikes; on the trainer or outside.
I'll just sit this one out and let the definition develop on it's own.
Mark, isn't that what races are for, to test yourself against others. It's more dynamic than just numbers, no?
This thread is going muntal
I'm trying to quantify suffering. What's "harder": enduring 3 hours in 15-degree weather or 90 minutes of mindless trainer spinning?
I'm hoping that the trainer is harder because it's so isolating and solitary. I guess you and I could get together to do trainer rides, but that's just too Muntal.
Haters gonna hate.
And, ironically, my captcha for this post was "payoff". Intriguing.
Group trainer rides are definitely muntal.
in all fairness I'll put the ride info up on thursday for all to prepare. there will be coffee somewhere after....
this whole post is somewhat funny... oh happy MLK day, you know the day when we learn about accepting others even if they are different :D
That was by far the ballsiest(sp?) post you've submitted in awhile. I think you were watching Ricky Gervais on the Golden Globes or somebody just needs a hug.
I think the word you're looking for is "testicular."
As in, "That's the most testicular post you've written in a while."
Also, it doesn't matter which day it is. I do my best to accept everybody every day.
Eric-
Indoor group trainer rides are offered at many fitness centers in town. They're call Spin classes or Cycle classes at Lifetime. I joined 40 some other people Sunday for 2 hours and watched Slumdog Millionaire.
RD-
Well put!
MOD-
You are correct that is what races are for. We all get ready in different ways. Some people need power meters some don't even use a cycling computer.(Spence and the old school MOD)
(Mark has had a Bontrager Node 2 for the last year-plus.)
That MOD 2.0 not Old School MOD
He also told me how stupid someone was to be on a program and to watch what you eat just to race a bike back when I was getting started. Then there was Steel is Real Carbon Fiber sucks now look at him.
Not knocking him at all, he's just changed quite a bit. He's always been a great bike rider / handler.
So everybody in summation what we've learned today is: ride your bike.
Follow your program or not that's your call but chances are the more you ride the faster you'll likely be.
Trainers are good, gravel's good, spin bikes are even not too bad.
Thanks for making me laugh today and shake my head all at the same time.
We're a small community we should all get along without petty bickering.
Close, but I'd aim more toward this: shut up and ride your bike.
And I still don't give a crap about your ice beard.
For the record, I've always been pro carbon, but it has it's place. Frames, you bet. Cranks, stems and road bars...eh, maybe not.
Kev, correct me if I'm wrong here, but, you've never really been on a program, correct? You just ride a shit ton. Surprising as that may seem to some, you've been by far the most successful Sport rider to have upgraded to Expert. To all you rookies out there, you want to know how to get fast? Follow Eddy Merckxs advice "Ride lots."
As far as computers go, heart rate and time is still, and always will be the most efficient way to train your body. Power Meters are great, but to all you power junkies out there, when was the last time you sent it off to be calibrated? Do your numbers really compare to those from last year?
Now, let's get muntal...BLOG FIGHT!!!
Side note...22 comments and Shim hasn't even showed up yet, touche.
Mike you nailed it ... and I wasn't knocking anyone.
I even plan to ride my trainer this year as soon as my new road bike is together which is hopefully soon. I won't keep track of #'s but that's just because it not my thing, I tried it once.
I also started a diet because I'm 15+ lbs overweight.
I'd also prefer to be outdoors but I need to wait a bit longer. A friend pointed that out to me...Thanks Brady
You are correct MOD. No program ever and according to alot of people I don't even know how to ride a MTB or road bike but I've had decent results.
I ride a decent amount and ride hard. Same as Spence, and I believe Kent. If you don't think he's riding hard take a look at what gear he's pushing.
And I meant no offense to you, hope you didn't take it that way. You had a great season and I hope the best for you next year.
Wish I could have you diet but I like sweets and I have kids.
Savery,
Racing is a test of how well you've trained. If you've studied hard, trained, than it will show. Winning isn't everything. Time trials are the only race, that I can think of, that might be a "test" against others.
If you've ever been on a good program, and a good coach, you'll see the difference. Hey, it isn't all on the coaches shoulders either. I've dropped people for their lack of commitment.
As far as power goes, it can be a complicated way to train. It's not for everyone. There's lot of improvement and lots of failures. It's the failures that will bring you down without the right way to handle it. Will numbers win a race? Yes and no. Pacing in a TT or a break is great. It's not so good watching it all the time in a race. It's post race analysis that's key.
Local racing is good. Unless you race regionally don't get to high up on your horse. WIth a powermeter you can be sure of your training. Otherwise, your having faith/hope.
But all this distracted everyone from Brady's genius post. IT had pee in it!
Wouldn't you agree, though, that this has been a pretty solid pissing match?
Seriously Brian? Did you really write this? You gotta be kidding me. I guess since you didn't go outside the trainer must have been the superior choice.This from the guy who posts every workout ever, sad. Face facts Trainers Suck and should only be used in case of emergency. (Hi Mod).
P.S. I've got a nice photo of your bosses ice beard I can forward to you.
Haven't posted about a workout in almost a week. Thanks for stopping by, though.
And spell my name right next time, jackass.
Yes! Shim's here, Marc came back.
Kev, no offense taken.
31 comments and nobody's even got their feelings hurt yet, this has to be some kind of record.
There are more comments on this post than when I broke my back. Or when Jack was born. Or when I got canned.
Muntal!
People always bring up pros. Like we should mimic them. Ride your bike lots. We're amateurs with lives. This is where a structured program is important. Using a power meter is even more helpful. Smart training with the limited time we have. Most of us have no more than 15-20 hrs/wk to train.
If you're going to listen to what a pro says, I think Francesco Moser said it best " ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike. What did he mean by that? Not ride your bike a lot but be specific to working out on a bike. Don't weight train, run, xc ski, yoga ect.... Again, this can be taken wrongly by amateurs. Riding your bike is healthy but riding to much is unhealthy. To repetitious and injurious. We should be in it for the long run. Again, that's where knowing what you're doing will make you a healthier person.
I've been sitting back and watching this for years. People come and go and come back and go over and over when it comes to healthy lifestyles. People always bring up the pro's and how they train. That is just plain wrong when it comes to amateurs. You guys need to move out of the past.
By the way, I have great respect for amateurs and don't idolize pros.
Inside or outside, we're all on bikes and that makes us cooler than the other 99.9% of the population!
It's a dick measuring contest between people who ride long hours in the cold, and people who can tolerate any time on a trainer. I'm fairly impressed with both groups.
Except for Shim, if that is even his real name. I heard he has a short dick or maybe that he was a short dick. I don't remember. Either way I think we can all agree that Mod used to be fat and has made great strides. Bryan broke his back and it's awesome that he's even riding at all, much less steaming quickly towards fast as hell. Kev rides a lot and it shows. Brady is terrified of cold weather. And Shim is a short dick with a short dick.
That's a lotta posts without any mention of bike functionality and sustainability.
Well played, sirs.
All I know is when I was fast, I was riding 15-20 hrs a week. I have no desire to do that again. Therefore, I will not be as fast as I once was. All that racing and training made me go Muntal, so now I'm just fine with commuting and being a weekend warrior. Viva la laziness!!
15-20 hours a week = PRO in my book.
I did what I did last year on 8-12 (I think, wasn't really keeping track), to me, that's a lot.
15-20 hours would make me muntal, I'd be so fatigued I'd race like shit. You guys are rock stars!
Savery,
15-20hrs can be a lot for some. Maybe to much. With a good program and riding that amount you shouldn't be tired to race. It's called tapering and or peaking. I would say pro's can train to much because they have unlimited time. An amateur under-rests.
Also, how do you ever improve if you don't push your limits? Again, this is where a good program comes to play.
It's called non committal when you don't have goals or a plan. It's what gravel worlds is all about for example. I tell the athletes I coach that you should post and tell everyone your goals. That's called accountability. If we're going to talk results lets see them posted here. If we're going to talk results and competition then it's 1st place that only matters.
how is that for training,
a)ride with faster guys on heavier bike...
b)don't get dropped
if fail repeat
I like your plan Rafal, it's very 1985, which is about the same plan I've been on since 1985.
Marc, I have/had goals, one of which was a top 10 at nationals. My other was to stand on the podium at a USGP. I attained those, the next step is to win a USGP, go top 5 at nationals and top 10 at worlds.
I worry about those that live and die by there power meter. It's kind of like the race radio debate. Riders rely so much on hard numbers or being told what to do they never learn how to read perceived effort or what's happening with their surroundings.
For me to say that I don't have a plan is a false statement on my part. But it is vague and I adjust it so much you could barely call it a plan, but that's what it is.
What I see are very young riders trying to uphold a very rigid plan using hard numbers and have no sense of what there body is really telling them. I guess what am I saying is, learn your body, that is the ultimate plan. Not chasing numbers down the road, you're missing the beauty of cycling and racing.
Still going!
And at 15-20 on a bike you better be Pro. I may have 1 or 2 weeks out of the year I can get close to that.
Rafel, that's a great plan. That's how I started and still do it.
Without riding with Kent, Steve, Shim, MOD and other fast guys on the dirt when I was a sport rider I wouldn't be nearly as fast.
Without Wednesday night rides or other hard group rides I'd still be a Cat 4 instead I'll be a Cat 2 this season.
I'd take a nice set of wheels over a Power Meter any day.
I guess I should've said 10-20 hrs a week, with the bulk of the weeks being along the lower end. But when you do 4-5 hrs each weekend day, add an hour to the 2.5 hr Wednesday night ride, then do 1-2 hrs on 3 of the 4 remaining days, it's easy to hit those numbers.
However, I learned after all that time on the bike that I did go too far. Rather, I didn't train smart. Most of the miles were way too hard. After reading how pros' 5 hour rides would only be 70-80 miles it dawned on me shooting for 5 hour centuries was not wise. All the mid/high level riding was hindering my progress. I'd get burned out and take a few weeks easy, but never really recover.
If I get back into racing/training, I'm going the old school route. Hit so many hours during different parts of the year, do certain workouts that make you faster, and recover wisely.
I want a Stinger waffle when I show up for a Psycowpath race this summer. Thanks Bryan.
I'm terrified of riding in cold weather, Shim has a short dick, and Mod was a fat dick but is now a skinny dick. I'm not sure how they know that, but that's what Volfie and bredemske keep saying.
Now where's my stinger waffle?
Dang, I'm learing a lot more than I bargained for with this thread.
so far, this is my favorite quote
"I'd take a nice set of wheels over a Power Meter any day."
Just comparing $ spent for performance that I would get. I'm sure if used properly a power meter would have great benefits.
I still need to learn how to ride according to "short dick" I mean Shim so I'm sure I would have no idea how to read #'s from a power meter.
Someone else comment 2 more times so we can hit 50.
Powermeter used properly great training tool and more useful than $$$ wheels.
Powermeter used like a lot of people use it, a very expensive speedometer. If you don't know how to ride a bike and you are staring at the #'s you are gonna hit a trail post or something.
Whatever you choose commit to it, trust it, learn your body thru HR, power, or just PE by itself. Relying on anything other than yourself sets yourself up for failure. I can tell you stories about how little things have gone wrong and screwed me mentally in the past.
Above all, love riding the bike or its a chore and what's the point in that.
1 more post for ya Kev.
this was my first season riding with you guys. I kept up and hung on where and when I could. This past summer was the most painful....and fun I had in a long time.
My personal experience....if you want to go faster, forget power meters. HR and PE are good enough....and ride with those who will bury you. But that's just me.
There you have it! 50 posts! Can I have bacon with my waffle?
Yes, you all get waffles now. I'll have details in tomorrow's post.
Now ... seriously ... move on.
Bryan, sorry most of the successful people I know named Brian spell their name the other way. Not sure how I could have made that mistake? Please tell us more about how boring base 1 is (again).
Chris aka Single Speeder (the handle alone says douche bag)does your beard look that way in the morning or do you need to work on it to get that nice white trash look? Why don't you do a little manscaping and give us a good look at the mangina your hiding.
51
Wow. Look what I miss when I actually work all day. You guys are awesome and entertaining.
Bryan is so jealous of the ice beard. All of it's salty goodness.
Hey Bryan, a few Lincolnites are heading to Omaha this weekend to ride some Loess Hills gravel. It'd be great to have ya along.
BTW, I really like those Honey Stinger waffles.
I'll take the Power Meter discussion one step further. I would argue that the money would be better spent on higher quality food or going to more races. $1700-$3000 gets you to a ton of events and puts a lot higher quality fuel in the tank.
...and Corey, it's going to be sweet bacon this weekend, huh Shim?
Of course, no bacon for me, I can't let Brady pummel me like he did last January.
I just figured it out: Bryan's "I hate ice beards" sentiment arrived a week after he tried and FAILED to grow a beard.
It's all jealousy. He has no gravel bike, and he can't grow a beard.
Wait, that describes me, too.
Nevermind.
Savery et al,
I don't post to blog comments past 2-3 of my own comments. If you or anyone else want more info/advice on training, programs ect.... email me at marc@trainingtherightway.com. I'll be more than happy to help you out there
Good luck training and racing this year ( and here's to your health, also.)
Shim,
I spend about as much time on my beard as your birth parents took to decide that they should keep your twin and give you up. Which is very little. You're adopted Shim!!
If Shim is actually adopted can someone please tell me so that I can apologize for laughing that his parents didn't want him.
Chris Wolfe to Shim flow chart
Chris Wolfe -> wolf pack -> feral child -> Shim
Chris-
He's not adopted and I'm pretty sure he's one of a kind(no twin).
I've met his most of his family...really nice Mom, quiet Dad and nice siblings.
So you can laugh if you want.
My bike seat is covered with needle sharp nails, and I ride it back and forth over potholes in 2 degree weather while 3 rabid raccoons hang on by their teeth. Gravel? I choose quarry riding - 5foot boulders and toxic waste. In the summer I go stormchasing after tornadoes, riding right up to the funnel and throwing the vortex analysis device in. My indoor trainer has a 400hp motor built in, so if don't keep up it launches me across the room into the plasma tv.
And you call yourself a rock star...
Cat 12/WWE/TOEFL/49r/ Racer
Jens? Is that you, Jens?
So we kind of got off subject, let's get back to this Muntal thing.
Muntal: how my head feels after writing all morning.
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