Aint from around here, are ya boy

So I dropped the truck off at Longshop Auto. A friend of mine from work said that they are good Dodge mechanics. He is a local so locals always know the best people for stuff.

If you weren't aware Blacksburg is this little oasis of cosmopolitan in SW Virginia. You get a college town in the middle of nowhere the attracts technology firms, and lots of international students and you get that. You know, some different kinds of food, a movie theater, etc.

Go outside by a few miles and you are in the sticks.

As you can imagine from my name, and picture I don't really fit in too well outside the main town. Ain't from around here, are you.

Know what I mean.

That's what's so funny about me in that truck. Big dodge dakota loud as shit, me so little in it. Must piss off lots of rednecks that I've got a bigger and louder truck then them.

So I plan to drop off the truck and ride home from there and get the other car and drive back to work to make a conference call.

I walk in wearing my tights, and cycling jacket. Now I really don't fit in.

It's always the same deal. Sort of cold shoulder, till I start talking with them, drop a name of who recommended them, talk truck talk, then they warm up. Though they always say yes sir at the beginning, even though you know they would rather lump me in with all the other terrorists of the world.

You know where the Southern politeness came from? Seemed way back when you were more likely to get killed by people you knew in the South, were in the North you were more likely to get killed by people you don't know. So the need to be polite became more important. Or something like that.

It's all about 'Sittin' a spell' got that from another guy. But around here, you don't just walk in an office and get down to business. You gotta sit a spell, talk about family, hunting, etc. Then you're in. It's funny to see people from other parts of the country, esp. cities come and try to get shit done by walking in and just expecting people to do stuff for you.

Certainly not about what you know but who you know.

Dropped the truck off and pull out the bike from the back and put on my booties, skull cap, helmet, etc, and rode off down a back country road.

You know those guys were saying, Who the hell is that guy.

You don't just drop off a big loud truck at one of those auto shops in the middle of the sticks and just ride your BI-see-cal away every day. Well, don't think they'll forget me, just hope they don't screw me.

Which is what you get when you go to the local autoshops in town. They know they are dealing with a transient population using Mom's money. Out in the sticks everyone knows everyone, so to stay in business they gotta be somewhat honest, at least I hope.

about a 50min easy ride back to the house, quick wash up then drove to work for a conference call.

Legs are hurting from that last lifting.

Tomorrow is day off, I think, then strength lifting.

Getting back into it

Lifted Sunday. Wasn't too bad. The leg press seems pretty easy. It is fun to rack lots of weight on it being such a small person. I am up to 4 plates a side. And next week my final set will be with 5 plates a side.

Did 3 hrs today. On the flat bar cross bike. that is a super fun bike. Faster than mtb on the road, but fun to take on gravel. Not as fast as road bike but with these cold endurance rides, I don't want to go that fast.

I only brought some gels with me. I need to bring some solid food on these rides, I think they'd be more enjoyable.

It was in the 40s. with the clouds and wind probably low 40s with the sun upper 40s. I seems to be dressed about right
-SS jersey
-LS jersey
-Power shield jacket (breathable under arms and on back
-thick tights
-socks
-shoes w/ neoprene booties
-skull cap
-liner gloves
-wind stopper shell gloves

Tomorrow will be at least 2hrs on the bike, then wed starts the last week of Strength phase. Weights go up again and sets come down to 5,4,3,2

It's always amazing that by this time I am doing sets of 2 reps at my original max that was set early on. I didn't actually set maxes this time, but it is still a lot of weight given my 132lbs of mass.

I will post some pics of that flat bar bike soon

I started working on my mtb again. Just haven't been into it. Have had my fork back from Answer for weeks now. Just pulled it out of the box yest.

I need to put all new cables on. plus some new koski breaks, and some Real levers. I tried to take my BB off. It is siezed on there. Well at least seized when trying to use just the one hook wrench to take off the cups.

It is a Real crankcase ti BB from more than 6 years ago. Been using the same one just putting some new bearings in now and then. each cup has 8 notches on it. I've always put them on and taken them off with the regular hook type of BB wrench. but it is on there but good now, and the cups are alloy. And the wrench is steel, so it started to slip and gouge out the alloy notches.

I need to try the park BBT-8 tool which will sit into all 8 notches rather than one. If that doesn't work I will take it to the shop to try.

I sprayed a ton of WD40 in through the little hole in the bottom of the BB. We'll see. But I don't want to mess around with it till I get a better tool.

Also need to remount some Stans tires on to those budget Weight weenie wheels I made many months ago.

I just want the MTB ready to go on Sundays for some easy longish off roading. It is hunting season here now, so I don't want to be out there except on Sunday.

later

Back from T-giving

Well, anything worth doing is worth doing to excess, right? Well it has been 1 entire week with NO excercise. No riding , no lifting weights, just sitting, eating drinking, play station, kids museums driving and family.

We went to Indiana to visit my sister. 8.5 hours driving each way. Rained buckets the whole way. New vehicle made life much easier.

Before leaving was a madhouse, wife had to work, no daycare, so I watch kidspart of day then go to work. no time to workout.

Oh well, fits with my all or nothing mindset. In Indianam didn't even try to go workout or run or whatever, Just hang out. It would have been much much better to just do a little activity to stay active rather than just hang it up totally.

Back home now. It's windy sort of wet/cold. Probably will go work out then go look at Xmas trees with the kids. Decorate and all that sort of stuff.

It's comical reading some of the pro riders' blogs. One dude said he had 14hrs on the bike, 17hrs on total training.

Well 0 hours is ok for a week. It's good to have goals you know.

Today I'll do my Strength phase workout and tomorrow I'll ride during lunch or something. Isn't worth the grief to try riding now with the kids all wound up, and stuck at home and the wife all pissed off that she has to watch them while I go ride for 2hrs+. Better to just do it at work. thankfully, I have the flexibility to do that

Hope everyone had a great Tgiving and is getting back on the training horse again.

Good day today

Good day today.

First had to do my non-paying job of Daddy fixer of things. Tried to fix my son's helicpoter that they broke the string on the winch. I took the things apart,something like 10 screws that holds two halves together only to find the winch mechanism as a sealed unit. This thing had several screws holding it together.

I decided that discretion was better here and put it back together before I really screwed it up.

Got a super fun ride in on the cross bike. It is set up with a 150mm stem and flat bars. It is still a little scrounched up but really fun.

3/4 on road, 1/4 on a fire rode. 2 hrs 20mins really fun.

Then I put in some shelves in the mud room. Turned out really nice. It is good to accomplish something project wise, as I haven't been doing too many projects lately.

Tomorrow it's travel 2.5 hrs each way to a meeting that really could have been done over the phone, then gotta come home so wife can go to work, than I will go back to work at night to get on the testbed road that I need to get on to finish some stuff and nights are the only available times.

First day of stength piece of cake

Got to the gym today. Did lower body strength phase.
Below is the plan for the first week. Which is one Heavy day and one light day. The second week goes to lower reps and higher weight.

Upper body is just lat pulls and dumbell chest press
LOWER BODY
HEAVY DAY LIGHT DAY
Exercise Set # Reps % of 1RM Weight % of 1RM Weight
Backsquat 1 5 85% 165 80% 155
2 4 90% 175 85% 165
3 3 95% 185 90% 175
4 2 100% 195 95% 185

Dead lift 1 8 75% 115 65% 100
2 8 75% 115 65% 100
3 8 75% 115 65% 100
4 8 75% 115 65% 100

Leg Press 1 5 85% 390 80% 365
2 4 90% 410 85% 390
3 3 95% 435 90% 410
4 2 100% 455 95% 435

Hamstring Curl 1 5 85% 85 80% 80
2 4 90% 90 85% 85
3 3 95% 95 90% 90
4 2 100% 100 95% 95

I'm always worried coming into this phase as the weights are heavy. Mostly with squats cause I am always scared I'm going to hurt myself. But as usual it was great. Surprisingly easy actually. Leg press was piece of cake. 4 plates a side at the lest set. It's fun to rack up so much weight on the machine being so small.

I also had several days more rest than planned due to circumstances too which helps.

So One more light day for upper and lower body, then next week probably nothing due to travel, then one week of the super heavy stuff. Then into power phase. And still getting in some riding during the non lifting days.


This is the weekly plan through strength week 1 and week 2
Week # Day Date Lower Upper Riding
1 M 3-4 hrs
Tue 2hrs or 1.5 trainer
Wed
Thur Heavy Heavy
F 3hr
Sat 1hr
Sun Light Light
2 M 3-4 hrs
Tue 2hrs or 1.5 trainer
Wed
Thur Heavy Heavy
F 3hr
Sat 1hr
Sun Light Light

Tomorrow I'll try and get out if it isn't pouring otherwise I will get on the trainer.

cya.

Darn Blogspot

typed up a whole entry, then submit it and my connection was lost for a sec, and the whole entry is lost.

I was in the habit of saving everything to the clipboard b4 submitting as Blogspot would sometimes hang up on the publishing.

Argh.

long story short

real life getting in the way of training. Meetings, errands, coaching soccer, didn't lift strength.

4:30am this morning Lucas, (4year old) wakes up crying, whimpering coughing so much he is gagging and throwing up.

Just matter of time till I get sick AGAIN.

Leaving for Indiana on wed. Hopefully can stay well for that.

Ahh well,

Roll with the punches and just keep trying. It's good to have a plan atleast. It's more of a compass than a road map. Kinda keeps you moving in the right direction.

Hats off to those people that are uber committed and can maintain focus through every day.

Froze my ass off today

Forecast said partly cloudy in the 50s
was overcast in the 40s. Totally underdressed
-SS jersey,LS jersey, powershield jacket
-light tights
-goretex oversocks, regular socks/shoes
-windblocker gloves no liners

-was cold from the start and never warmed up. Then it started to sprinkle and then rain. Only rode for 1:45 but that was enough for me. My feet were like blocks, and my thighs were starting to get cold. I took a quick shower when I got back to the office and the front of my thighs were bright red and my feet were thawing and hurt like hell

I'm such a fair weather rider.

Things to do
-Scotchguard jacket
-Bring energy drink
-Eat more

I am just not eating enough. I try to get out of the house ASAP in the morning to get away from the Mother in law, so I eat a small breakfast, and don't take the time to make a lunch, so I've got nothing with me at work, and don't eat until I get lunch, which is after I rode. So I go into the ride on empty, and into the cold.

Well I'm off to a drive through somewhere. Wendys or something to get some substance into me.

First ride of the endurance phase

Well, I did 2 3/4 hours on the road bike today. Longest ride since my last race in October. Not too cold, but a little chill. I've been losing weight and I am just cold all the time it seems.

I went very very slow. And sadly, this wasn't hard to do because it was as fast as I could muster. I lifted my last hypetrophy lift yesterday when it should have been Fri. So no rest for the legs and they were worked. I had to stand on almost every little hill.

Well I guess not riding and just lifting will do this to you. It's quite comical comparing my training to some of the other BLOGS I read like Jeff Kerkove's 2 hrs is a spin for his legs, while for me it's a long ride.
The goal for me is to work up to some 4-5 hr rides before the intervals start in January.

Had two gels and a cliff bar. Surprisingly, I'm not famished like I used to be after rides. This is the #1 reason I am losing weight compared to years ago when I rode 3x as much. Duh...just don't eat as much.

that plus my appetite just isn't very big with the stress of the in-laws. Even though there isn't that tension like earlier, I have just fucking had it with her. She just talks. Talks alll the time. She has a disease. She must fill any dead space in air time with her voice. A voice that goes to the deepest part of my spine and resonantes up to the bottom of my neck and then proceeds to migrate all over my brain.

She has to be part of every conversation. EVERY one. It makes me actually dislike her. I used to actually like her and could deal with her. But right now I hate her. Hate the whole situation. And she is going to be gone in less than two weeks. So even though there is a light at the end of the tunnel it doesn't seem to matter as my limit seems to be reached.

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Concentration

It's hard to focus on training when the races are so far away. When a race is coming up, it is easier for me to keep my eye on the prize and use the race as a focusing point to keep me moving forward.

With the first race in April it's hard to keep focus especially with sooo many other things going on around me

-I got that stomach bug that wife and kids had.
- Man, have't had cramps that bad in a while. Didn't go far from a toilet let me tell you
-still have that sinus infection some

-We made a decision and bought a vehicle. 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor. Found one for $18,200 (20kmiles) and he wasn't going to charge a high processing fee but I opted to spend aboug $1000 more and get on with 13kmiles and that came from a Mitsubishi Dealer that can do Certified Pre-owned vehicles. So this one comes with the 10year/100k warranty on the powertrain. Everything else is just the balance of the original warranty.

I don't know if I'd call it the best experience with this large dealer. I was always on edge just waiting for them to screw me. And the did a little. This Certified pre owned vehicle that has suppsoedly passed a 123 point inspection is overdo on the oil change as indicated by the service sticker in the corner of the windshield. They also didn't include floor mats or the tonneau cover that comes standard with this trim.

And they really didn't have a clue about Mitsubishi's Certified Pre-owned program as it just started last month. They kept saying 7 years/100 and they weren't giving me anything in writing that this exact vehicle is a certified pre-owned. He finally hand wrote on the Purhase order that it is certified. But I need to followup to make sure that it gets entered into Mitsubishi's system.

It is sure a nice vehicle, and Karen loves it more every day. I'm having issues with my own cheapness vs my desire to keep the truck.

I want to sell it because it I'm sort of over this truck, it is too loud, it prefers to be going fast and not slow around town, it's a gas guzzler, . and it is going to hold its value when I sell it. Where the subaru isn't worth crap.

And the subby is pretty beat up after 8 years and 2 kids. But it still is a fun car. I think I'll feel better after I get a chance to really clean up the subaru and make it look nicer.

I have been checking out the aftermarket mods that you can do to subarus just to have some fun possibly. This is the absolute base model with the smallest engine, but there is still some fun things I can do with the suspension and engine, to make it more enjoyable.

This is my decision to sell the truck and Karen isn't pressuring me at all. I hope I don't resent this too much, and try and hold it against her later. But I'll get another truck eventually.
Like I said, it's my cheapness making this decision. It's like getting 11k for the truck vs 2k for the subaru. And after just spending $19k for vehicle + the fees, I think I'll opt for the 11k for the truck and put maybe 1.5k into the subaru.

My 2 weeks of hypetrophy is done tomorrow. I am going to start strength phase which is 2x a week, and then start doing some longer easy rides.

PLEASE PLEASE let me motivate to get my ass out there.

I'll let you know how the first rides go.

My fork is on its way back from Manitou, so it will be good to get that bike back on the dirt and get some rides in.

cya

when it raints it pours

Well.

I am still sick, this is some head cold that is just lingering. All of us have it, Ansel, Lucas, and Karen and me. Lucas also got a double ear infection out of it. This like his 20th ear infection, and he's had tubes twice. We are talking to the ENT about getting is adenoids out.

On top of that, Karen and Ansel have some sort of mild stomach bug that is making them throw up a little and feel queasy. I have a touch of it.

Always something going on

I'm such a type A person when it comes to researching things. And the Internet only adds white gas to the flame. But when I get INTO something, I just get into it at the expense of everything else. This car purchase has been like that. First researching which car to get with all the reviews, etc. then when we finally picked the one we want after lots of test driving, then it's finding the exact vehicle with the right color, mileage, at the right price.

I've got a great price on one 1hr from here, but going to get a guy in Richmond with a vehicle with 10k less miles to see if he can match it. If he can we'll take the 3.5hr trip up there.

But we just want to be done with it soon.

But I was lifting last Fri, and I just couldn't get into it because my mind was going round and round over this car thing and haggling, etc. and I just bagged it.

I am into my second and last week of hypetrophy. Normally with more time I would do 4 weeks of it, but I am cutting it short so I can start doing some endurance rides in between lifting when in the Strength and Power phase.

It is gonna be interesting to motivate to get out an ride. I've got tons of vacation time, so I am going to take time out during the day to get some rides in, so that I don't have to take too much family time away on the weekends.

So far it hasn't been to cold or wet yet, but that will change next week I'm sure.

Just gotta stay focused. Keep the eye on the prize.... Be ready for April and the first race - Dragon's Back. I've never had a great race there, so I want to be ready for it this time.

Gotta keep remembering that the hard work now pays off months down the road and not tomorrow.

Hypertrophy

Well, I'm suprised that I was not too sore from starting my hypetrophy. I've been totally soar many times when just starting lifting or playing soccer for the first time, after a long layoff. I mean can't walk down stairs soar.

But now I'm just fatigued but not painfully sore like that. The 3 week easy prep phase really helps with that.

I like the Morris plan because it uses only a couple of excercises, and seems to go pretty fast from one period to the next.

Lower Body:
Squat
Leg Press
Hamstring Curl
Stiff legged dead lift

Upperbody
Dumbell chest press
Lat pulldown

that's it.

but take the lower body to 6 sets of 10-12 for Hypetrophy with 1.5-2mins rest between sets and it takes a fair amount of time to complete. The weights are based on a % of 1 rep maxes. And change according to the phase you are in.

It is definitely fatiguing, and I take an energy drink afterwards.
I like to use a weight belt for the squats and leg press

Morris Strength training

As you know from this BLOG, I am a complete zealot of the Dave Morris training program as outlined in his book, Performance Cycling.



Right now I have just started the HYPETROPHY phase. Prior to this I had been doing 3 weeks of very light transitional lifting.

When reading the book, the strength training part is a little hard to follow and can get confusing. I put the whole plan down on a spreadsheet and by just entering your 1 rep Max's the whole program falls out into several worksheets, making it a breeze to follow. hard to do, but easy to follow.

email me if you are on the plan and want a copy at ashwin@vtti.vt.edu

The Hypertrophy phase is designed to increase the size of muscle fibers. After this we go to strength, followed by power.

The exercises are pretty basic:
-Squat, Leg press, ham curl, dumbell press, lat pulldown
-Plus stiff legged dead lift, and ab work and back extension

I should stretch, but I rarely do.

Hypetrophy consists of 6 sets, and you increase your weight by 5% every other set.

And the Morris way, you work out in 2 back to back segments, where the first is a normal day, and the next is a light day where the weights are decreased by 5%.

It's a really draining phase. I'm not even worried about not riding during this phase. I'll do some recovery rides on Wed, and weekends, but it is too much to even consider doing real riding during this phase.

The book suggests 4 weeks of hypetrophy but I am cutting it to 2 weeks so I can start fitting in some endurance rides during the Strength and Power phases of lifting.

the weather here is freaking incredible now. almost 80 degrees on Nov 1.

Oh how I wish I could be in my endurance phase now. I bet that it will go back to normal crappy Southwest VA weather right when I need to get on the bike for 3-4 hours.