Saturday, January 13, 2007

Finding My Limits

I went out for a 2.5 hour ride with Cory this morning. It was around 8 degrees when I started at 8 o'clock, and wasn't much warmer when I got done. Add an inch of snow and some wind to the mix, and you've got the makings for a fun day.

The conditions were right at the limits of my equipment, and my tolerance for cold. Riding into town wasn't too bad, but riding home into the wind was a real bitch. It hurt. But I got through it with all my digits intact. We did some urban riding around campus, bike paths, side streets, etc. until the snow started to make things a little slick.

If you believe the forecast, we've got more of the same (snow, cold, and wind) on the way. Even though it hurt, today's ride was probably the last chance for a while. I'm glad I got out while I could. There will be plenty of time for rollers later.

In other news, I'm been re-reading my Friels, and laying out a schedule for next season. I'm trying to tailor each day's schedule to the period (base 1, build 2, etc). I didn't get that specific last year (my first year of real training). I'm trying to put it all into a spreadsheet that I can use to schedule training and track progress. I'll keep you posted.

4 comments:

Pete Basso said...

Paul, go to www.trainingpeaks.com I think you'll find what you need already done there with much more helpful information

Paul Varnum said...

Thanks Pete. I'll check it out.

Paul said...

Paul, I really missed out on the ride. I wish I could have made it! Another day perhaps!

Paul Varnum said...

There will be another day, but for the next few rides, it looks like it's gonna be either sloppy or icy (or both).