Training Review – How’s it going?

Review of the last 6 weeks

So, 6 weeks in.  How’s the basic week faring?  What’s working well, what’s not working, and what needs to change?

How am I feeling?

• Stronger – I feel the legs are starting to come back. The last few weeks have made a significant difference.
• I was feeling it on Thursday this week.  I was tired by the end of the commutes.  However, getting tired is the point of training.
• Motivated – yay I’ve got more green than red on my plan – more than normally.
• I’ve got some graphs going up, (ie 60 / 90min power is slowly going up)
• I’ve got some graphs that aren’t – MAF test done in March was a little inconclusive, but I am sticking with it, and April’s have moved in the right direction.

What’s working well

• The bike commute.
  I’ve hit every one (except for when I’ve had other commitments, or been impacted by snow).
• Turbos
  I’ve hit every one! This is somewhat surprising as historically these are the first things I drop.  I find it hard to turbo on an evening when I’ve just ridden home..  Its even harder when the wife is around, (as I feel guilty).I’ve started getting up ridiculously early 2 nights a week, and hit a turbo on one of these days – its easy.  However, only easy to get up as my wife is up at 5:00 am on these days as she is into work for 6am.

  I’ve also hit one turbo a week on a Tuesday at lunch at work.  I might have to skip 10 mins, but something is better than nothing.

• Weekend rides.
  They have mostly been on the turbo / Zwift.  This is due to really shit weather or support weeks I am covering for work.  I don’t fancy getting a call and having to fire up the laptop in the wilds of Essex when its raining, and there’s no 4g coverage.  I still need my job.
  However, a 5 hour ride on the turbo is still a 5 hr ride 🙂
• Lunchtime route planning sessions.
  At least route planning has started, but I am not sure it’s the best use of my time.

Whats not working

• Yoga
  I can’t get onto the power yoga classes I want to get on at work – they are really popular.  They have an evening one so I might try to hit that too.  I’ve skipped the solo Friday sessions as I’ve had team lunches or I’ve been hung over. 🙂
• Run / strength training
  Neither have happened. Lunchtime route planning sessions have taken priority.  However, I somehow have an entry into a half ironman distance triathlon so I better get out at lunch for a few runs.
• Evening Route Planning
  Cold dark evenings are supposed to be used for route planning.  I’ve done none then, so far.  The main reason is its easier with 2 screens, (one for ride with gps, one for strava heat maps)  My living room is currently full of bathroom furniture as we have the builders in. Hopefully that will be back to normal in a couple of weeks.
• Long rides
  These have to be starting to be done out side – starting this weekend 😉

Other ideas / changes

• Sort out the desk / spare screen in the living room at home so I can route plan easily
• Start route mapping in the evenings, once the facilities are sorted – see above
• 1-2 strength sessions a week, just 20 mins a go. Maybe one as soon as I get home before I get changed, maybe one at lunch.
• 1-2 runs, maybe one at lunch, maybe one in the evening as above.