Each week I try to review and reflect on my previous week on the bike. This allows me to see how my fitness and ability is progressing on a wider timescale than day to day. For previous weekly reviews please click here.
This week consisted of 5 consecutive days riding, with a single indoor active recovery ride (due to rain), and the rest being outdoor rides which was something of an unexpected treat, given I had to have the week off work.
This week’s exercises was as follows:
- Monday – A Second Time Visiting Jeffrey Hill (Outdoor)
- Tuesday – Four Tens Are Forty (Indoor / Zwift)
- Wednesday – I’m Climbing In The Rain (Outdoor)
- Thursday – Trail Blazin’ (Outdoor)
- Sunday – The Mean Streets of Preston (Outdoor)
I tried to pace myself this week.
I had grand ambitions of getting out on some longer rides – 2 hour+ efforts – but sadly, the rain kinda curtailed those plans.
Instead, I ended up getting out most days, but on shorter rides. Still, better than nothing – or at least, better than a week indoors on the turbo – but I am somewhat sad that I didn’t make more of the unexpected longer riding days.
What I am happy about is keeping the average ride around 1,000 calories. I feel like I’ve pushed my overall effort up a touch lately. I’m happy around 600, but getting to 1,000 is definitely helping me keep in shape – and allowing me to have a little more freedom in pigging out on junk every now and again.
I managed to get in two climbing rides during the week. Neither huge climbs. No Ventoux-style climbs or anything, but then, I don’t live near any mountains like that.
Instead, I climbed both Jeffrey Hill, and Oakenclough again. I don’t think I PB’d on either, but as above, I felt like I paced my week well enough. It’s just such a pity the weather didn’t hold out to allow me more time on the roads.
It’s interesting to look at the above graph – ignore the “Unproductive” training status (for the moment) and see that after several weeks of being off work, the intensity over the past couple of weeks has dipped or gone choppy. I suspect this trend will continue, and I’d expect a slight down turn in trend as I can’t be so consistent with my riding whilst working.
With regards to the unproductive training, that is, I believe, as a result of this mornings stop / start largely garbage ride. Hey, it is what it is. In my opinion a day riding is more productive than a day not riding, even if it’s not the best ride in the world.
Whilst my unplanned week off work comes to an end today, I am looking forward too getting back on Zwift and getting back to some sweet spot sessions. Its been a while since I’ve done these regularly, and I do believe they really are the best bang for your buck 40 minutes in a bike.
With the weather looking pretty pants over the next week, and having to work 8.5 hours a day, it’s unlikely I’ll get much outdoors time again for the foreseeable. I need to get some lights sorted, too, before the winter truly creeps in. Not that I plan to ride outdoors in the dark, but I think as a safety measure, and given they can incorporate cameras, it seems like a good shout for my next bike purchase.
Whilst not following any strict regime for doing so, the one other thing I’ve tried to throw in a little more of as of late have been anaerobic efforts. Or, in words I understand : sprints.
I’m definitely weakest in this area, and likely it will always be my least effective skill, but it’s no less useful to practice and so I’m trying to remember to do it more and more.
The one thing I did manage to get done that’s bike related but not related to this site is to have added site search to my other site, bikeclimbs.com. I’ve one other thing I’d like to add now, but largely I’m happy with how it’s coming along.
OK, so no huge plans for the week ahead. I’ll be happy with at least a couple of SST sessions and, hopefully, a long ride out next Sunday.
Do you have any plans for the week ahead? Feel free to share in the comments.
Until then, have a good week and thanks for reading.