Filed under: Uncategorized
9mos old now and loving the snow
Filed under: running, training update | Tags: FIRST 5K, running, training update
Time is slipping by… no posts since January, and it’s already March and Daylight Savings Time just kicked in (thank God!).
In this time, I’ve started playing [ahem...] learning guitar. I’ve done a heckuvalotta core work (I’ve got some abs under there!). We’ve decided to get a puppy. The litter just popped out, and we may be getting the little pup in mid May. We’re thinking the fat little guy on the right, but we won’t get to choose until after they open their eyes and the breeder picks (or foregoes) her first choice.
More importantly, this winter I’ve finished my first FIRST 5k program.
With some weather delays here in Portland, my 12 wk program stretched out to the end of February. I just recently ran my followup 5k time trial and logged 22:06 (7:08/mi)! …which is a 1:24/mi improvement! A successful winter effort that I can be proud of!
I’m going to repeat the training program this Spring and try to bump up my pace again. If I can get my 5k time under 20:00 (6:25/mi), that would be awesome! While I’m aware there’s going to be a diminishing return, I’m hopeful that, since I’m still not blowing anyone’s doors off, I can continue to improve my pace. After that, I will begin concentrating on my 10k efforts using the FIRST program again.
So, this week is the second week of restarting the FIRST 5k training program. The rhythm of it seems to work well with my schedule. I looked at starting the 10k program, but I wasn’t sure how I’d get the time to work out as the mid-week distances would guarantee 2hr lunch breaks without even eating. So, I figured: why not just try to push on the 5k efforts. Everything I’ve read says that speed is not built by running far. It’s all about running fast. So, “far” can come later for now.
I checked my new paces from the FIRST tables, and I definitely have some work to do. I’m going to push and see if I can hang on to the prescribed paces. They look hard!! My easy pace is now 8:57/mi. That used to be my fast pace just last summer! Shoot, 9:17/mi was my long tempo pace for this winter! And, my 400 pace is now 1:36 (was 1:58), which is fine for one lap, but doing repeats?!!? Well, one step at a time…it has worked before! :)
Without a goal race on the horizon, I’ve started my HIM program from last year, substituting the FIRST runs into my run workouts. The lack of a goal has left me a little complacent about getting all my workouts in. I’m tempted to just use them to supplement my running improvements and admit that I won’t be racing. [I really do want to race!] I do enjoy my pool time, but it’s been rough getting my ass out of bed at 5am. Each week I’ve said, “THIS WEEK I’ll get them all in.” My log begs to differ. A passing runner I chatted to briefly today suggested I just “bandit” a few races…hmmmm…tough to sneak into a tri, but maybe a 5k or 10k this Spring!
As a total aside…at risk of ruining future weather forecasts… most of my midweek runs this winter have been dry, if not sunny. The Snowpocalypse in December was the only real training killer. Today was no exception; sunny & 57! This weekend’s forecast is showing 100% chance of rain both days. Typical for the winter so far…I’m glad Spring’s almost here! 
I’m forced to pedal [who knew?!]
when slow
when fast
when turning
I’m forced to be “ambidexterous”
not being able to rotate my dominant starting leg forward whenever I stop
not necessarily being able to unclip my usual stopping leg whenever I stop
track stand with either foot forward (it just depends on the stop)
inching forward at lights (the cranks are never positioned where I’d like them to be)
inching around a tight U-turn
I have track nuts front and back, instead of quick release skewers
I’m a little worried about fixing a flat for the first time on the rear and re-intalling the wheel at the right position and tension
I need to get, and carry, a peanut butter wrench
I’m activating new muscles for controlling the bike (reverse pressure on the pedals)
Downhill riding is a challenge, balancing increasing pedal speed with my confidence to bring the bike to a stop. I haven’t gotten anywhere close to my max spinning speed yet because the whole stopping thing freaks me out a little right now. My confidence will grow with more time in the saddle.
On drop handlebars without STI brakes, hand position on the hoods is gone (there’s a different spot there now that almost begs for bullhorns).
Frame geometry is more compact fore/aft. And despite the spacers, my bars are lower than my roadie bars.
I’m definitely sweaty on my morning commute now. Coasting allowed me to wear work clothes on the bike…no more!
Filed under: Uncategorized
I took a solid week off from training. I even rode the bus to work instead of riding. So, this week I’m back at it with a thought to doing Hulaman August 17 (though I haven’t pulled the trigger and signed up yet). I started back up with my training plan 5 weeks out from race day, which conveniently is a recovery week, week 16. I actually feel a bit sluggish. I’ve struggled with getting up in the mornings and my run today was pretty heavy plus some ITBS pain. I think it may just be the break and lack of stretching. I’m going to monitor it. Maybe next time after a race, I do some light workouts just to keep the body moving.
Filed under: race wheels | Tags: flat, floor pump, gasket, race day wheels, race wheels
Part I here…
To be fair to Marc at Racedaywheels, he replied the next day (on July 4!) to my request for help on the extender valve, suggesting a “rebuild” (taking the tire off and redoing the valve extender connection to the tube valve). I didn’t go back to my email that day. But I did go get some extra CO2 so that I could try my inflator to see if it was going to work in case of trouble on the road. It worked: not by tight seal, but by force of effort. The CO2 blew all over in addition to down the valve throat. The valve nut froze in the open position, and I had to tap it with the broken-spoke poker I had fashioned to get it to close. Seeing that this new tool was indispensable for a potential flat, I cut the spoke down to a size that could fit in my blowout bag and added it to the tool essentials I would carry during my race. I also took my spare tube out and pre-wrapped the valve with plumber’s teflon thread tape, and, just for good measure, put the wheel of thread tape in my blowout bag too.
Sidebar rant: This year, I bought a floor pump at Performance Bike after some frustration with my last one. The rubber gasket that seals against the valve head had worn down to the point it was popping off the valve prior to coming up to pressure. When I went searching for a replacement valve, I found I could order a whole new hose and head complete (+/- $20), but not just the gasket. So, for $39 I bought a new Performance brand pump that had a head that could unscrew to access the gasket. In discussion with the salesperson, I thought I understood that replacement gaskets were available. So, I bought the pump. With this valve extender pump head seal problem, I thought I’d just get the gasket replacement and be back on track with my inflation issue. Well, apparently, Performance Bike USED TO SELL a $21 entire head replacement and not just the gasket. They’ve stopped making the replacement kit because it cost almost as much as a new pump! WHY CAN’T THEY JUST SELL THE $0.05 RUBBER GASKET IF THAT’S THE PART THAT WEARS OUT???? The pump is built to make that replacement easy. Just have a bucket of them at the front of the store…people would buy tons of them to keep their pumps at peak performance. THE REST OF THE PUMP IS PERFECTLY SERVICEABLE! As is the old one too; I still have that one for schrader valves and soccer balls and such. They’ve clearly made a business decision to be force people to buy whole pumps, when they could be far more sustainable and let people maintain the ones they own. [/rant]
The salesguys at the store were sympathetic and gave me two pump heads they had in the service area to try. (One of the salesmen even suggested looking at a Silca floor pump instead, even though they don’t sell them. What do you know? They produce parts too.) Unfortunately, the pump heads they gave me were not new and had the same seal issue. I decided to rely on the race bike service tent in transition instead of rebuilding the valve extender assembly on the tube. Surely they dealt with these valve extenders all the time. And I had a backup method with the CO2 if they couldn’t handle it. I didn’t particularly want to mess with the 808 assembly. I was taking a chance at maybe changing a tire with this setup for the first time on the road. “Nothing new on race day” is the mantra. Incidentally, I heard froma friend who owns 404’s that the smooth surface of the valve extenders is known for being a little difficult to deal with. He solved it with longer valve tubes. But for the 808’s, the valves extenders are essential.
I switched over my magnet to the front 808 and realized the spokes are blade-shaped, not round. So, I adjusted the position of my speed sensor on the fork and tested that it would pick up the magnet without trouble.
Race day came. I was able to get the wheels up to pressure with the help of the bike assist folks at the race. I had zero issues during the race. The magnet worked for my computer. The road was clean and smooth. I didn’t see nearly the debris I have to ride through around my town. The tires were new so a blowout was very unlikely anyway. I was a little apprehensive early because I saw quite a few people changing tires in the first 10 miles of the race. But there was nothing in the road, no potholes, nothing, so they were probably dealing with issues that arrived with their bikes at the race.
The wheels felt soft even though I was pretty sure they were close to my usual pressure. I’m attributing this to the carbon/alum rim section. Because I got clinchers, they have the aluminum rim for the tire bead retention and braking surface. No new brake pads were necessary because of the aluminum. They felt fast. I could hear a little whir as they spun. I could hear all my shifting, with a lovely hollow “clunk” sound reflecting off the rim. And they were noticeably unnoticeable weight-wise (if that makes any sense at all). To top it off, my bike did, in fact, look bad ass.
I ended up with a better than expected bike leg in my race (15mins better!), which I’m going to attribute to both my training AND my rented race wheels. Because if I don’t, my wife will not let me rent them ever again! At around $1200 for a 2007 USED pair of 808’s, this rental scheme is a pretty good deal. I could do this 6 times before even considering purchasing a set. If I wanted new wheels, I think it’s around $2k (10 rentals). And, the rental is for this year’s wheels. So, I was very happy with the experience, valve extender issues notwithstanding.
Returning the wheels was pretty easy. I received an email from Racedaywheels that gave me the contact info for the next renter. I had my LBS swap my cassette back to my old wheelset. I repackaged the wheels in the box they came in and took it to FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko’s, nee Kinko’s).
I hope the new guy likes my old wheelset!! 
I couldn’t sleep last night. I was sweating heavily on and off; tossing and turning. I just was ill at ease. My wife was subsequently grumpy this morning too for having been an unwilling witness to this night of torture. At first I was worried I might have the flu. I feel good, though, so that’s not it. I didn’t dream or talk in my sleep, my usual signs of stress. But I’m chalking this up to anxiety. I thought hard about sleeping in and not doing my tempo ride this morning. But I got up anyway and did it. I’ll catch up on my sleep tonight.
Bike goes in to LBS today for a prerace tuneup and race wheel cassette change . Zipp 808’s, I can’t wait to try those babies out! I hope they hum a little bit ( like a disc).
My thoughtful family got me “chariots of fire” for inspiration. I haven’t seen it since it came out. I’m hoping it has a hero ending (I just don’t remember).
