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.
For reasons unknown, Training Peaks seems to really fudge up the import of walking activities. That means the stats from Tuesday’s big walk up and around Pendle Hill don’t have any impact on the weekly totals. A shame, but I know what I did, so not the end of the world.
Rides wise, I was tired after that walk on Tuesday, so Wednesday and Thursday were harder than they might have otherwise been.
- Wednesday – Hot, Sweaty, and Dead Legs (Outdoors)
- Thursday – My Day Was Just As Hard As Theirs (If not harder) (Outdoors)
- Saturday – It’s About To Get Roasting (Outdoors)
- Sunday – Bad Route Is Bad (Outdoors)
Due to my crash earlier in the year, things haven’t gone exactly how I planned these first six months.
Looking back, at the end of February this year, I was the fittest I have ever been. My performance on the bike was at its highest point, and then through March and early April things inevitably fell off a cliff. Nothing I can do about that, but it’s been a fairly long and slow process to build back up.
I’m now, roughly, where I was early in Febrary, I think.
What this says to me is it’s time to get in another FTP test. That means doing a few specific workouts ahead of the test itself, and that’s quite an ask at the moment as both the weather is so nice, and my time is so free, that outdoor rides are a mega pull.
I actually think the outdoor rides don’t do my the same kind of benefit that the structured indoor stuff does. For out and out fitness benefits, it seems the ERG mode / structured workouts are always going to be the better choice.
But it’s not just about the fitness / metrics. I love being out on the bike, even with the inevitable a-hole car users trying their best to knock me off.
Anyway, the gist of it is, I know I need to do an FTP test, so that’s now on the horizon.
Will it come out ahead of my last effort?
I hope so. And it won’t be a ramp test… heck, just looking at that I can’t believe it’s over 6 months since I last did a test. Time flies when you’re avoiding 20 minutes of pure suffering.
What else is there then?
Well, the weight chart is trending a little upwards. Not great. I suspect that’s partly to do with me drinking a bottle of beer far more frequently these last ~5 weeks, than I would otherwise do. I’ve gone from anxious to so chilled out right now that what the heck, why not have a beer, right?
Well, that an water retention. Had a pizza on Friday night and the weight chart jumped by 2 pounds overnight. Heck. Gotta have a bit of joy though, right? Cheese covered joy.
Throwing the walks into the mix is no doubt messing up the stats, particularly the training load. I am doing more than it suggests.
Right now it’s ridiculously hot. I got a ride in this morning (Monday) but I suspect I won’t be riding now till Wednesday, as tomorrow is forecast to hit 34c, which frankly, is just obscene.
If it does rain, as it’s expected to, on Wednesday then it will an indoor session. Not sure what yet, but with thoughts ahead to the FTP Test, it will no doubt be something fairly intensive. SST, anyone? What fun.
I’d also like to get in another climbing ride this week, if at all possible. Thoughts lately have been on the Alpe du Zwift… maybe I’m mad. Maybe it’s the Tours fault.