Two Wheel Blogs

This is pretty cool for anyone who races and understands, or wants to better understand, the power requirements of a criterium bicycle race. Team Clif Bar Midwest created a criterium video shot from a handlebar mounted camera. What's so cool about it is they overlaid it with the PowerTap power meter file, synchronized with the race.

The video runs a little over 9 minutes from start to finish. But unlike most internet videos you see, this one seems like it's over before it starts. It's exciting to watch. Kraftwerk's a decent choice of music too. The only real drawback is internet resolution doesn't let you see the criterium powertap file better.

I was up late last night getting my geek on with a new power tool. Golden Cheetah is a new software application currently under development which intends to make some form of bicycle powermeter analysis software functionality to the good people out there who don't do Windows.

From the Golden Cheetah web site:

Golden Cheetah is a Free/Open Source (FOSS) power training software application. Wow, this is great and they are already far enough along to provide some usability it seems. Check out screen shots. I have been dreaming of something like this for some time. Unfortunately my C skills are pretty weak right now so I don't think I can help directly. But mucho ataboys for these guys attempting to do this.

I had a hard race last Sunday. I was pretty tired and although I finshed well back, I worked it pretty hard. Took Monday off and did more fitness intervals Tuesday morning. I was surprised that I hit my target wattage with ease and even reduced recovery time between the 4 minute intervals by a few seconds. My HR was coming down nicely during the rest periods. Did 7 intervals without much trouble. That was encouraging. TSS of around 80 for the whole workout.

Wednesday did a moderate workout and today did some VO2 max intervals in a descending fashion. 3, 3, 2, 2, and 1 minute intervals with equal length rest periods in between. Wattage could have been higher but it was in between my cp 12 to cp 6 range of average power so I think it was a good session.

We will be back at Jefferson Barracks on Sunday. It should be fun. Let's hope the weather holds out!

For lack of a better term, Fitness Intervals is what I call them. The idea comes from Coach Ric Stearn's article which describes these as short interval sessions to improve fitness. 4 minutes is a time length that is easy for me to get a handle on, especially on a trainer. And there are several parameters that can be adjusted to give more challenge or to just give an indication of improvement. Rest interval and wattage level to name just two important ones. I have been doing 6 at a time with slightly less than two minute rests. Here's my session from yesterday morning:

Power-Tap #3:
	Duration:  	4:04
	Work:      	58 kJ
	TSS:       	7.5 (intensity factor 1.05)
	Norm Power:	n/a
	VI:        	n/a
	Distance:  	1.478 mi
		        Min	Max	Avg
	Power:       	211	264	236 	watts
	Heart rate:  	109	168	155 	bpm
	Cadence:     	83	93	90 	rpm
	Speed:       	16.6	22.4	21.8 	mph
	Pace         	2:40	3:37	2:45 	min/mi
	Hub Torque:  	67	92	74 	lb-in
	Crank Torque:	201	243	221 	lb-in

Power-Tap #4:
	Duration:  	1:56
	Work:      	9 kJ
	TSS:       	0.4 (intensity factor 0.372)
	Norm Power:	n/a Read more...

And the bike won. Well, at least I couldn't get the PT working. It would start to work and then drop after only a couple of seconds. I didn't have time to fiddle with it so I just went out and did my workout. I am hoping the battery is going south and I will try to pick up some new ones tonight (I didn't have a spare with me Saturday).

But a good racer should be able to get in the ballpark when doing longer intervals. Saturday, my goal was to go to the local park and do a 2x20 around the ball field there. I put my cross clincher tires on my PT wheel and used an old front wheel. I inflated the tires to around 60 which is quite firm for these tires. Noticeably more firm than the Tufos that I have on my racing wheels (I inflate these to around 45 to 50). One lap consisted of heading down the right field line all the way out to outfield fence, riding along the fence and turning left down the left field line and then completing the lap after going behind home plate. You might think this course would be pretty smooth but the high pressure clinchers made it kind of rough. My HR got up to 170 after about half way and I had a high of 175. I was pretty tired afterwards. This