Commutes WE 14/08/11

Mon 8th August
To Work     Distance 21.5miles     Av Sp 17.7mph     Hr 121
To Home     Distance 20.5miles     Av Sp 18.2mph     Hr 138

Friday 12th August
To Work     Distance 21miles     Av Sp 18.7mph
To Home     Distance 20 miles     Av Sp 20.3mph

Saturday 13th August
To Work     Distance 20miles     Av Sp 18.4mph     Hr 132
To Home     Distance 25 miles     Av Sp 18.8mph     Hr 144 -Hilly

                  I am trying to save myself for a big ride on Sunday 21st August the Geoff Thomas Sportive but it is all going to be weather dependant. I was going to do the Tour of the Peak Sunday just gone and aim for the Gold time of 6hrs but with that wind I stood little chance so didn't bother.

Monday had the 70km/hr gusts and I was trying to keep the heart rate quite low which I achieved. Quite difficult when you have a constant force against you.

Tuesdays ride I have already written about and got a bit carried away and thought it wouldn't hamper my preparation.

 On Wednesday I ran to the gym and did my, now regular, weights session. Leg presses of 10x195kgs, 30x75, 25x85, 20x95kgs and various upper body and core as well as my normal stretching.

Thursday wasn't quite a rest day but a gentle amble in the water for 50mins to loosen up stiff muscles which worked wonders.

Fridays times look fast but still kept  Hr low aided by a Southerly wind but Saturday's wind was crap. I thought it would be a Southerly again but was WSW/SW which made my ride home hell. I planned the route to make the most of the wind and an easy ride home but got totally the opposite. Head/cross for the WHOLE journey. I now know what turbulance feels like if I was to pedal on the nose of an aeroplane and this was felt for the entire ride home. F$%^ing awful wind for 'only' 10mph. My heart rate reached 160 way too many times although the constant climbing for 17.5miles contributed to that. Managed to get my cadence quite high again without trying too hard as I let it drop the past few weeks.

Sunday 14th August -  I ran to the gym again and 1hr on the weights. Leg presses this times were:
20x195kg, 30x95kgs, 30x105kgs, 30x115kgs, 30x125kgs, 30x 135kgs. Needsless to say I was wrecked after the first 20mins and struggled on the uphill run home in a bleedin' head wind just like Saturday's.

Possibly do Birch TT again on Tuesday depending on how I feel after an easy commute, the wind and the rain then super easy til Sunday.

I was going to do an SQT at the track on Sunday just gone but a new stem I ordered hadn't arrived so didn't bother. New stem for TT bike too as I 'need' to get lower.