andy: 2012年11月アーカイブ

It was supposed to be a beautiful day today. But about 20 km into today's ride I met heavy rain. I could have turned back. But sod it. I just went for it. Head down. Push on.

Friday's training: Road (70 km)

......

Picture this, a sky full of thunder, picture this, my telephone number, one and one is what I'm telling you, oh, yeah

...........

Still, she's no Shinobu....


Thursday's training:

1. Strength

• push ups (x 23, x 28, x 23, x 23, x 33)

2. Rollers - ride to the music - Blondie's parallel lines (40 mins)

• 45 kmph / 100 cadence (HR 140 ~ 150 Z3 muscular endurance zone)

I'm working in Nishiyama three days this week. Unfortunately today is the only rideable day on the forecast.

Futsal tonight. I can run around all night. But my positioning sense is not so good after a long break.

I can feel my touch coming back towards the end of the night though. Sealing the last game with an Andy Ritchie-style volley!

Wednesday's training:

Road (50 km)

Futsal (2h)

I marched into the pool today. First swim of the off season. I love swimming. Great cardiovascular training. A full body workout. Refreshing at the same time.

Keeping the nautical theme on the rollers tonight. Modest Mouse's maritime adventure.

Johnny Marr hit gold for a second time finding vocalist/lyricist Isaac Brock.

A wonderful record. A musical journey. Great for night time rollers.

The heart rate responds well today. Starting at an almost deep sleep like 45 HR, it is around 150 HR at 45 kmph and 160 HR for 50 kmph. It feels quite effortless and I enjoying spinning the pedals.

Tuesday's training:

1. Swim: 25 m x 80 laps (2 km)

2. Rollers: ride to the music -Modest Mouse's we were dead before the ship even sank (45 mins)

1."March into the Sea" 0:00 35 kmph

2."Dashboard" 3:30 40 kmph / 100 cadence

3."Fire It Up" 7:36 45 kmph / 100 cadence

4."Florida" 12:14 50 kmph / 100 cadence

5."Parting of the Sensory" 15:14 45 kmph / 100 cadence

6."Missed the Boat" 20:51 50 kmph / 100 cadence

7."We've Got Everything" 25:18 45 kmph / 100 cadence

8."Fly Trapped in a Jar" 29:01 50 kmph / 100 cadence

9."Education" 33:31 45 kmph / 100 cadence

10."Little Motel" 37:29 50 kmph / 100 cadence

11."Steam Engenius" 42:13 35 kmph

As a 16 year old school kid I bought the New Musical Express every Wednesday. First thing to check would be the new release singles and albums. I remember Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit being single of the week.

I rushed out and bought the 7 inch. The opening riff. The crashing drums. The drawn out vocals. I think I wore that single out.

Looking back the influence of the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr is obvious. Still sounds fabulous though. Especially on the rollers. In the dark. And in the rain...

Today I alternate between 45 and 50 kmph. It's interesting to see how the HR responds. Around 140 (45kmph) and 150 (50kmph) for the first set. Increasing a couple of beats per set. Around 152 (45kmph) and 162 (50kmph) for the last set.

Monday's training:

1. Rollers - ride to the music - Nirvana's nevermind (45 mins)

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit 35 kmph

2. In Bloom 40 kmph / 100 cadence

3. Come as You Are 45 kmph / 100 cadence

4. Breed 50 kmph / 100 cadence

5. Lithium 45 kmph / 100 cadence

6. Polly 50 kmph / 100 cadence

7. Territorial Pissings 45 kmph / 100 cadence

8. Drain You 50 kmph / 100 cadence

9. Lounge Act 45 kmph / 100 cadence

10.Stay Away 50 kmph / 100 cadence

11.On a Plain 45 kmph / 100 cadence

12.Something in the Way 50 kmph / 100 cadence

warm down x 5 mins

2. Strength

• push ups (x20, x25, x20, x20, x28)
• 1 legs squats 7.5kg DB x 10 each leg (3 sets)
• calf raise 7.5 kg DB x 50 (3 sets)

545 start at CS Enosan. The coldest morning this year. Still we are just glad to have the chance to ride...

In Nishiyama the morning mist is thick and cold...

40 km into the ride, the sun finally makes an appearance at Bunsui...

A chance for a bit of posing. Mt. Yahiko as the back drop...

The final climb of the day. Hold 170 HR for a while. Grind it up slowly. Drop a gear. Full gas at the top...

AJ in November...

Nishihiro san, いつもありがとうじょんのび！

Sunday's training:
Road (100 km, 31.6 kmph, 147/186 HR, 84 cadence, 2440 kcal)

On the balcony with the Manic Street Preachers this morning.

This album opens with 5 crackers. The first one, Elvis Impersonator, is my favorite.

20ft. high on Blackpool promenade
Fake royalty second hand sequin facade
Limited face paint and dyed black quiff
Overweight and out of date

An American Trilogy in Lancashire...

But like any good band, there are memorable lines in every song...

I feel motivated today and hit my targets easily.

Raise the speed and drop it. Full gas for "Australia". Recover. One last burst: "Further Away" at lactate threshold.

Saturday's training:

Rollers - ride to the music - Manic Street Preachers' everything must go (45 mins)

1. Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier (0:00) 35 kmph

2. A Design For Life (3:28) 40 kmph / 100 cadence

3. Kevin Carter (7:45) 45 kmph / 100 cadence

4. Enola/Alone (11:09) 50 kmph / 100 cadence

5. Everything Must Go (15:17) 45 kmph / 100 cadence

6. Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky (18:58) 50 kmph / 100 cadence

7. The Girl Who Wanted To Be God (22:01) 45 kmph / 100 cadence

8. Removables (25:37) 50 kmph / 100 cadence

9. Australia (29:07) 60 kmph / 100 cadence

10. Interiors (Song For Willem De Kooning) (33:13) 40 kmph / 100 cadence

11. Further Away (37:31) 58 kmph / 100 cadence

12. No Surface All Feeling (41:09) 35 kmph

There is rain on the forecast from 6am Friday through to Saturday night.

"If it's dry at 530, let's ride!"

A Takayanagi ~ Oguni loop. Three long climbs to test the legs and raise the heart rate. Cold on the descents. And pouring rain for the last 20 kms.

Still it was worth the effort!

Thursday: rest day

Friday's training:

Road (62 km, 30 kmph, 83 cadence, 137/178 HR, 1486 kcal)

Strength

•Push ups 5 sets (x20, x25, x20, x20, x28)
•Squats 7.5kg DB x 30 (3 sets)

A chance to ride to work by bike today.

Night time roller sessions have become part of my routine though. Some strength work too.

Wednesday's training:

Road (40 km)

Rollers (35 > 40 > 45 > 50 kmph) (40 mins)

Strength

•Push ups 5 sets (x18, x22, x16, x16, x25)
•Shoulder press 7.5kg DB x 15 (3 sets)
•Biceps curl 7.5kg DB x 20 (3 sets)
•Lunges 7.5kg DB x 15 (3 sets each leg)

I've been lucky to see a few amazing gigs over the years. One of those was Jeff Buckley at Manchester University Union on March 1st 1994.

He was an unknown. Making his UK debut. The first thing you notice is the voice. So beautiful. Yet so powerful. So powerful infact that I remember quite a few people fainting and being carried out.

I relived that night tonight on the balcony. The wind coming in off the Japan Sea makes it really cold. I can't believe it's 18 years ago...

Tuesday's training:

Rollers - ride to the music - Jeff Buckley's Grace (58 mins)

Mojo Pin 120 HR / 100 cadence

Grace 130 HR / 100 cadence

Last Goodbye 140 HR / 100 cadence

Lilac Wine 140 HR / 100 cadence

So Real 150 HR / 100 cadence

Hallelujah 140 HR / 100 cadence

Lover, You Should've Come Over 150 HR / 100 cadence

Corpus Christi Carol 140 HR / 100 cadence

Eternal Life 160 HR / 100 cadence

Dream Brother 160 HR / 100 cadence

Forget Her 120 HR / 100 cadence

Some on and off the bike strength training today. On the bike x 2 SFR climbs of Ishikawa Toge.

The pass is now closed for winter. Lots of leaves and debris on the road. Perhaps the last time to climb it this year?

At home tonight, some weights - light weights / high reps.

Monday's training:

Road - Ishikawa Toge SFR x 2 (50 km)

• Climb 1 50 × 21 (10 kmph, 128 HR, 38 cadence)
• Climb 2 50 × 21 (9.1 kmph, 116 HR, 36 cadence)

Strength

• Push ups 5 sets (x16, x21, x16, x16, x21)
• Shoulder press 7.5kg DB x 15 (3 sets)
• Biceps curl 7.5kg DB x 20 (3 sets)
• Lunges 7.5kg DB x 15 (3 sets each leg)
• Calf raises 7.5kg DB x 50 (3 sets)

You can tell it's getting cold when you can take the beer out of the fridge and keep it in the garage.

Too much beer for me this weekend. But a hangover is nothing the rollers can't cure....

Sunday's training: Rollers 150 HR / 100 cadence x 1h

This weekend in Niigata there is a small window of chance to ride on the road - early Saturday morning. A 545 start at CS ENOSAN. As the weeks pass it takes longer and longer to come light.

Cancellara? Nishihiro san! He's fast! My aerobars make him even faster!

In Teradomari the skies threaten rain. We are lucky to get a dry 100 km in today.

Back into Kashiwazaki. Mt Yoneyama has a layer of snow. People are busy changing their car tyres to "snow tyres". Winter is just around the corner.

We contest the last climb of the day as always. A long attack out of the saddle. 35 kmph / 183 HR. Is it really mid-November?

Nishihiro san, いつもありがとうじょんのび！

Saturday's training:

Road (100 km, 32.8 kmph, 144 / 183 HR, 2333 kcal, 86 cadence)

Second day of the push up challenge today. I did some shoulder presses and biceps curls too. The principle is the same for the upper body as the lower body:

• work the larger muscle groups first
• low weights / high reps at the beginning

Two sessions on the rollers today. Asaren and yoruren.

Lou Reed's Transformer is the back up. Now this is an album. I love the sound. Mick Ronson's touches. David Bowie and the Thunder Thighs' backing vocals. But above all the confidence of the delivery by Lou Reed.

Perfect Day, Satellite of Love and Walk on the Wild Side are the crowd pleasers but it's the lesser known tracks that really stand out for me...

Thursday's training:

1. Strength:

• Push ups 5 sets (x14, x 19, x14, x14, x 19)
• Shoulder press – DB 7.5kg x 20 (3 sets)
• Biceps curl – DB 7.5kg x 20 (3 sets)

2. Rollers – ride to the music – Lou Reed's transformer x 2 (1h 10 mins)

• warm up
• 50 kmph keep
• warm down

Another hour in the gym today. Concentrating on leg and core work. It's important not to go too heavy too soon. I aim for x 20 comfortable repetitions.

On the rollers tonight. Thunder and lightning. Time for a bit of Bruce!

For me, Thunder Road is one of the best songs ever written.

Roy Orbison singing for the lonely. Hey that's me! And I want you only....

The heart rate responds well today. I back off a bit to keep it in the muscular endurance zone 140 ~ 150 HR.

Wednesday's training:

1. Gym (1h)

Stepping machine L20 x 10 mins
Sit Ups x 40 (3 sets)
Leg press 100 kg x 20 (3 sets)
Leg extension 50 kg x 20 (3 sets)
Leg curl 50 kg x 20 (3 sets)
Back extension x 20 (3 sets)
Treadmill 10 kmph x 10 mins

2. Rollers - ride to the music - Bruce Springsteen's born to run (40 mins)

1.Thunder Road - 35 kmph

2.Tenth Avenue Freeze Out - 40 kmph

3.Night - 45 kmph

4.Backstreets - 50 kmph

5.Born To Run - 50 kmph

6.She's The One - 45 kmph

7.Meeting Across The River - 45 kmph

8.Jungleland - 45 kmph

Day 1 of the 100 push up challenge today. I start on Week 3, Day 1. The 5th set is paricularly tough.

Tonight, once the kids are asleep, a quick session on the rollers. Tonight's choice? The Shins. I know nothing about this band. But I liked the name. So I gave them a listen. Indie pop. Not bad.

A beer in the bath after a session on the rollers always feels great.....

Tuesday's training:

1.Strength

Push ups

• Set 1 × 12
• Set 2 × 17
• Set 3 × 13
• Set 4 × 13
• Set 5 × 17
  

2. Rollers - ride to the music - The Shins' port of morrow
(40 mins)

1. The Rifle's Spiral - 0:07 - 35 kmph

2. Simple Song - 3:33 - 40 kmph

3. It's Only Life - 7:45 - 45 kmph

4. Bait and Switch - 11:46 - 50 kmph

5. September - 15:10 - 50 kmph

6. No Way Down - 18:43 - 50 kmph

7. For a Fool - 21:59 - 50 kmph

8. Fall of '82 - 25:56 - 50 kmph

9. 40 Mark Strasse - 29:44 - 50 kmph

10. Port of Morrow - 34:22 - 35 kmph

The challenge is to do 100 press (push) ups in one go. I've been interested in this challenge for a while.

A six week plan to build to the goal. Today I did my test. I didn't push myself to failure. 25 press ups with good form. I can skip weeks 1 and 2 and start at week 3.

I think I'll do the 200 sit ups challenge too.

I was also contemplating the 200 squat challenge but I found I could do 100 squats quite easily. This highlights the misbalance of lower and upper body strength in cyclists.

Tonight on the balcony, a bit of Led Zeppelin. A selection of studio outtakes. Bonzo Montreux is worth a special mention...

Monday's training:

1. Gym (1h)

stepping machine x 10 mins
press ups x 25
squats x 100
stepping machine x 10 mins
press ups x 10
squats x 100
stepping machine x 10 mins
press ups x 10
squats x 50
stepping machine x 5 mins

2. Rollers (35 mins)
Ride to the music - Led Zeppelin's coda

1 - We're Gonna Groove- 0:00 - 35 kmph

2 - Poor Tom- 2:42 - 40 kmph

3 - I Can't Quit You Baby- 5:45 - 45 kmph

4 - Walter's Walk- 10:02 - 50 kmph

5 - Ozone Baby- 14:34 - 55 kmph

6 - Darlene- 18:10 - 45 kmph

7 - Bonzo's Montreux- 23:18 - 50 kmph

8 - Wearing and Tearing- 27:38 - 55 kmph

9 - Baby Come On Home- 33:09 - 35 kmph

545 start at CS Enosan.

Ishiji - first climb of the day

Bunsui - thick cold fog

Yahiko - above the clouds

Back home on the coast road.

The sun breaks through eventually.

Sunday's training: Road (100 km, 32.6 kmph, 142 / 181 HR, 2363 kcal, 84 cadence)

A chance to ride outside today.

Cold with strong winds and light rain. Hardly the weather to get excited about.

Still it's good to be on the road.

A Takayanagi ~ Oguni loop.

Friday's training: Road (70 km)

This week has been a winter like training week for me. Put the kids to bed. Hit the rollers on the balcony. However, I want to do more than this. Here are my winter training goals:

Ride when possible

In the winter, days when the roads are clear can be few and far between. My love is cycling. When I have a chance to ride outdoors I’ll take it.

Rollers

I use rollers to keep some bike specific training in my routine. The rollers help to keep the legs fast and keep bike skills intact. This is also my higher effort training. Push myself up to lactate threshold HR once or twice a week. A 45 minute session is good enough.

Snow shoes

This is where the fun training is. It’s also great base training and strength training to boot. Weekend asaren will be snowshoeing. 2 hours is plenty. Home before breakfast.

Swimming

Last year I swam twice a week. This is a full body workout. It’s great for your cardiovascular system and breathing technique. It’s also gentle on the body and can be refreshing after other hard training. I’ll aim for one swim a week this year.

Football

Since Luke was born 3 years ago, I’ve hardly gone to futsal training. The team meet on Monday and Wednesday nights. I aim to play a game each week.

Strength

“Do more with less” is my motto this year. Do a few exercises after each roller session. Work on different muscle groups each time. I aim to do the 100 press ups challenge (and maybe the squats and sit-ups challenges too).

Gym

It’s hard to get to the gym regularly. The stepping machine is my best friend here. Maybe some running too. And some free weights.

Above all keep active. Keep the training varied. Keep the motivation up.

The album opens, "I know when to go out, I know when to stay in..." Perhaps Bowie is singing about winter training in Niigata.

On Let's Dance "Put on your red shoes and dance the blues..." could well be "Put on your blue Sidis and ride the rollers..."

Cat People (Putting Out Fire) "putting out fire with gasoline", at 60 kmph that's how I feel as my heart rate goes into the red. A stronger wind? A colder wind? 5 minutes of burning up....

Thursday's training:

Rollers - ride tothe music - David Bowie's let's dance (40 mins)

1. Modern Love- 0:00 - 40 kmph
2. China Girl- 4:48 - 45 kmph
3. Let's Dance- 10:22 - 50 kmph
4. Without You- 17:59 - 55 kmph
5. Ricochet- 21:09 - 50 kmph
6. Criminal World- 26:22 - 55 kmph
7. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)- 30:47 - 60 kmph
8. Shake It- 35:57 - 35 kmph

Strength

• Shoulder press - 7.5 kg DB x 12 (3 sets)
• Sit ups x 10 (3 sets)

Riding the rollers. On the balcony. In the dark. Rain falling hard.

Flashes of lightning. Crashes of thunder.

It's great to listen to some atmospheric music. This LP is 2 sides of continuosus music. Each side starting and ending with a heart beat....

Wednesday's training:

1. Rollers - ride tothe music - Pink Floyd's dark side of the moon (40 mins)

• 100 HR x 10 mins
• 140 HR x 5 mins
• 145 HR x 5 mins
• 150 HR x 5 mins
• 155 HR x 5 mins
• 160 HR x 5 mins
• 120 HR x 5 mins

2. Strength:

• Lunges 7.5 kg DB x 12 (3 sets)
• Press Ups x 15 (3 sets)

I've always loved this album. Not a duff song on it. All songs written and composed by Marc Bolan. Is it really over 40 years old? Still sounds great today...

Tuesday's training: Rollers - ride to the music - T Rex's electric warrior (40 mins)

1. "Mambo Sun" 3:40 - 35 kmph
2. "Cosmic Dancer" 4:30 - 40 kmph
3. "Jeepster" 4:12 - 45 kmph
4. "Monolith" 3:49 - 50 kmph
5. "Lean Woman Blues" 3:02 - 55 kmph
6. "Get It On" 4:27 - 50 kmph
7. "Planet Queen" 3:13 - 55 kmph
8. "Girl" 2:32 - 50 kmph
9. "The Motivator" 4:00 - 60 kmph
10. "Life's a Gas" 2:24 - 40 kmph
11. "Rip Off" 3:40 - 40 kmph

I am sun, I am sky, in my mind's eye

Monday's training: Road (45 km)

530 start with Nishihiro san. We enjoy riding shoulder to shoulder, chatting away for 30 mins or so.

Push on for Teradomari. A can of Red Bull. Push on for Maze.

50 km on the clock we meet up with Tazaki San and Oono san. The fun starts here.

Tazaki san is getting ready for Okinawa and Saipan (!).

4 riders. Through and off. Maxing it each time on the front.

It's intense. HR above 170 HR each time. It's fast too. It takes a dig each time to get onto the back of the train each time your pull is finished.

The only real climb of the day is at Ishiji. I'm determined to be first over the top. It takes a really hard effort at 185 HR to keep them at bay.

This has been a really succesful year for Niigata cyclists. Much of this success is due to their weekly "dairo" asaren rides on Yahiko. To train like this each weekend would make me much stronger for sure. I'll try to get together more next year....

Sunday's taining: Road (110 km)

I packed up the car to go to the Giro de Hotaka this afternoon.

A quick look at Facebook and there's snow on the high pass.

Check Twitter, a decision whether or not to hold the race will be made at 5am tomorrow.

Check Yahoo Weather, snow, sleet and rain, 1,2 or 3 degrees C. The plan was to sleep in the car...

It's a tough choice but I decide to stay at home. It's always sad to miss a race and it's a bit of an anticlimax to end the racing season this way (one more race?!).

Still, there's nothing a bit of Jimi won't cure.

On the balcony. In the wind. Turn the lights down. Turn the music up. Of course the guitar. But the drums and the vocals too..."let Jimi take over baby!"

Friday's training:

Rollers - ride to the music - are you experienced? tempo x 1h

I'm accompanied by Band of Horses. A first listen of their new album. It's a bit softer than I expected. Not really training music. I was glad I picked out the stand out track Feud to ride at 60 kmph to.....

Wednesday: rest day

Thursday's training: Rollers - ride to the music - Band of Horses' Mirage Rock (43 mins)

1. "Knock Knock" 3:58 35kmph
2. "How to Live" 3:27 40kmph
3. "Slow Cruel Hands of Time" 3:50 45kmph
4. "A Little Biblical" 2:54 50kmph
5. "Shut-in Tourist" 4:09 55kmph
6. "Dumpster World" 3:43 50kmph
7. "Electric Music" 3:32 55kmph
8. "Everything's Gonna Be Undone" 3:19 50kmph
9. "Feud" 2:56 60kmph
10. "Long Vows" 3:43 40kmph
11. "Heartbreak on the 101" 4:01 40 kmph