Tour de Garage

The days are shorter and the temperatures are getting colder. That means it is time to move inside for a lot of our rides. Like most of you I use videos that tell me exactly what to do and keep my motivation up. Also like most of you, I have limited number of those videos. Over the last few years I have done a lot of indoor workouts. At the fire station I would set up my bike or run on the treadmill for my workouts. Sometimes I had a TV/video access and sometimes not. Also our team regularly met for indoor group rides in which I would lead them through a workout. I have kept track of all these workouts, with the hope one day of maybe putting them in a book. I have 12 credits to complete for my degree in Exercise Science at ODU. I figured the degree might add credibility to a book. Its just something I have thought of over the years. Regardless, I thought I would share some of my workouts with everyone. You can try them and let me know what you think.

A lot of my trainer workouts are in modules. Meaning a warm up, then 2 or 3 modules that you can put together to form the full workout. So once a week I will post my warm up, a module then the cool down.

Here's the first one:

Warm up
(small ring/15) Start cadence at 80 rpm. Increase by 10 rpm every minute for a total of 5 minutes (120 rpm)

Rest 1 minute

(big ring/15) 30 seconds at a 90% effort, 30 seconds recovery for 3 sets

Rest 2 minutes

Crit finish module
(big ring/15) 40 seconds with cadence 100+ rpm with 20 seconds rest. Repeat 4 times. Rest 5 minutes. Repeat for another 4 reps.

Tip: This workout should burn your legs. If not move to a harder gear or increase your trainer setting.

Cool down:
(small ring/15) Start cadence at 120 rpm. Decrease by 10 rpm every 1 minute for 5 minutes.
Continue to soft pedal for another 2-5 minutes.
Stretch.

Hope you like the workout.

The right tool for the right job.

How did you spend your Thanksgiving weekend? I spent very little time on my bike, which was bad, but I did get a lot of work done. As you know from past post, we hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house (21 people), then two days later through my wife's parents a surprise anniversary party (45 people). We also managed to get the house decorated for the Christmas season, and I trimmed the hedges in my back yard. Those are the things I want to talk about.

On Friday I decided I needed to trim the hedges in my back yard. I consistently trimmed them through the summer to keep them from creeping into the yard to much, but I ignored the height. These things were like 20 feet tall and they should have been 8 feet max. So I got out my plug in hedger and went to town. That didn't last long when I realized I had the wrong tool. It just wasn't cutting it (literally). So I did what anyone would do, I gave up.

In place of cutting the hedges I decided to put up Christmas lights. This year I was going to run them all along the roof line. Which meant I needed to pull out my tall ladder. This ladder was one that came with the house and I had never used it. So I pulled it out and realized it didn't even have a haylard. I am so use to fire service ladders that these little commercial ones make me a little nervous. So I extended it by hand and laid it place. About half way up it was flexing so bad that I thought I was going through the window. So I climb down and through the ladder away. Wrong tool.

I finally used my little giant ladder, that although it wasn't quite tall enough, I felt better on that then I did off that other one. So my lights got put up, and I only had to exchange one strand after I had put them up because they suddenly stopped working.


I then called my friend and teammate Tim to get advice about landscaping. He works with Jon at Outdoor Impressions, a fine landscaping service (yes that was a cheap plug, I'll give you their phone number if you want it). He offered to lend me his hedger and razor saw to get the job done. I came home from church today and they were on my porch. A Stihl hedger, it doesn't get any better than that.


So I took this kick ass Stihl (another cheap plug) hedger out and trimmed through those hedges like nothing. I used the razor saw for those branches that were really thick. The hardest part was cleaning the debris afterwards.

Well by the end of the weekend I rode 3 fewer days than I had hoped to but I got a lot of much needed work done. Sorry for missing the ride Kevin. I was trimming bush when I lost track of time and decided to just keep going.

Now its back to work. See some of you at Velocity. Time to work off those turkeys.

Saturday Morning Stage Race

35 Degrees!!!! That's what my thermometer said when I woke up for the Saturday morning ride. Yikes, that is cold. But I am motivated to ride and I have time. This will be the first Saturday in like 4 weeks I wasn't busy with something else.

By the time the ride started it had warmed up to like 40 something. Still cold, pace pretty fast. I felt a little tired and uncomfortable, but John Grey and Kevin smack talked me into doing stage 2 of the ride.

I was glad I did, even though that was fast also. But I needed the speed training. When I got home, I was busy. We were throwing my in-laws a surprise 30th anniversary party. Everything went well with that....except the fact they showed up about an hour apart from each other.

For Sunday, all I want to do is chill around the house and watch football. This hosting large events (Thanksgiving and party) at my house is tiring.

New Sink

I'm thinking of putting in a new sink. What do think?

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

This is the day for food, family and friends. What are you doing on this holiday. As for me, my family and my wife's family will all be at my house starting around noon. Jenni has been very busy the last few days preparing. As for me, I have been working and am attempting to find something to do Thanksgiving morning to get me out of the house...just kidding honey.

Normally for me Thanksgiving is a running morning. I have done the Turkey Trot in the past, but last year we did the Turkey Derby sponsored by Gold's Gym in Virginia Beach. I would love to do the ride with Kevin and the gang, but 60 miles on the bike is a little too long when I should be home helping the misses.

So regardless what I decide, the day should go like this. Workout in the morning. Drink beer upon arrival at home (in preparation of the full house). Eat turkey. Fall asleep while watching the football games. Wake up for more beer and pie. Say good bye to the guest, turn to my wife and hear her say, "you get to clean up".

Happy Thanksgiving. Everyone be careful of kitchen mishaps. Did you see that Plaxico Burress of the Giants gave everyone in Twin Canal a free turkey and ham? I wish I was back at Station 18 this Thanksgiving, someone is burning down an apartment.

Who is that guy?

I was at work today at the Virginia Beach Fire Department Training Center and the fire recruits from Chesapeake came to learn about flashovers. Those that have read my blog know how much I love the flashover prop. Its hot, the fire is real and there is no other way to get that close to a flashover without dying.

Well as the day went on I thought one of the CFD recruits looked familiar. I just couldn't think of who he looked like. At the end of their visit, I had them line up to ask if anyone had any questions. That's when I heard someone say "hurry up Deaton, we're always waiting on you."

Deaton, huh? Jimmy Deaton's brother. Bingo. The dude looks just like him.

Now I leave you with this. Confused on who should be our next president. Chuck Norris knows who he will vote for.

Ride through the CX

Barrier, run ups, CX ride through, hills...this race had it all. Pictured here is Jon Nisbet flying through the barriers. Picture was taken by Brian from StormyWorld.net.
Good job to the folks at Tripower for putting on an awesome cyclocross race at Mt. Trashmore today. We were told to expect something special in place of the spiral. Riding through the giant CX was not only challenging but it was also very creative and interesting.

I think my cross season is done. I will be going to Disney World during the final race in the Virginia Series. I won't be giving up on the CX bike though. The burning daily at work will end soon (in about two weeks) and I will be able to put in some good training. I didn't realize how much being in that burn building at 300 degrees every day for two months was going to wear me out. It has sort of deconditioned me because I am just too tired when I get home to put in any real training. But no excuses. Those guys I have been racing with are fast and cross racing in hard...very hard.

Good job to all my teammates. Thank you to John Gray for relieving me of my medic duties so I could race. Thanks to the All About Bike guys for inviting us to the tent. Sorry I couldn't make it, in-laws were expecting me for dinner. Hope you had a good time.

OUCH!!

Monday was a kick-ass workout at Velocity. I'm sore again. Not as bad as the first two weeks, but worse then last week for sure. The Dirty Thirty really pushed my entire body. Then I did a hard trainer ride yesterday. Now its off to the burn building for the next three days.

Anyone else sore who did Velocity?

Those of you that haven't joined us yet, its not too late. Velocity will let you get in on a prorated price (I think). We've been having a good time and good training (at least that's my opinion.)

Veteran's Day Cross Ride

As the sun rises three guys from the Virginia Beach Wheelmen Cyclocross team take off on what was supposed to be a three hour tour of Virginia Beach. Leaving from Red Mill area, Jon, Tim and myself head down the newly expanded Nimmo Pkwy to some undiscovered trails.

After those trails we headed to Dam Neck to hit those trails. On the way there we discovered a potential place for a cross race next year...the area of Corporate Landing near the big fountain.
After Dam Neck we headed down General Booth to the boardwalk. Is it too early for Holiday Lights at the Beach?
Just fooling around with the camera.
Off to 64th street and onto Seashore State Park toward the boat landing. Almost all the way to the end and snap!...broken chain. Tim's power was no match for his chain and no one had a chain tool. What would we do?
Quick Jon, flag down that helicopter before it takes off. Too late, I can't believe it left without us. Well a phone call to my wife, Jenni, saved the day. She was not busy and would meet us at 64th street. Now how do we get Tim out of the woods. Dam that helicopter for leaving.

But who needs air transportation when you have teammates. Tim, just hold on while Jon pushes you out. A little bike handling training. Jon having to ride through the sand with one hand. And so do I. I had to get pictures of this.
For those of you ever in this situation, it is far easier to pull than to push. Now its, Tim's turn to ride with one hand.We made it out quickly and waited for Jenni. Nearly two hours. Not quite the ride we were looking for but it was good. And we have Velocity training tonight. Well now its time to meet everyone at Olive Garden for some soup, salad and breadsticks, and talk about who is going to buy a chain tool.

Bending Crank Arms

Today was one of the first days of the winter that I have done a trainer workout. I have gotten on the trainer on my fixed gear to spin but not a true workout yet. I didn't get to do the cross ride last night and felt I needed a hard workout. I bought a couple of videos before Bike Zone closed and decided to give it a shot.
Bending Crank Arms was the name of the Spinerval tape. Anyone do that one? A lot of the training was off the bike squats. Example: as many squats as you can do in 45 seconds, then hold the isometric squat in the down position for 1 minute. Rest and repeat. They hurt. All bike work was done in the Big Ring/11. My thighs were burning. But it felt real good. Gave me an excuse to go to Red Robins with the family and tear into a cheeseburger.
One thing I like about doing these trainer workouts is my kick ass trainer. Last year Kurt Kinetic gave our team a sponsorship Pro deal pricing. This trainer normally sells for like $700. Its worth it. Its called the Rock n Roll. You can stand and move your bike side to side. Even when seated you bike moves more like you were on the road. It also comes with an additional 12 lb flywheel you can put on for endurance trainer rides. I love it. I was thinking of starting a regular group trainer ride. Different people can host it each week and make up their own workouts or use a video. I have a small garage but I think I can squeeze at least 6-8 people. Anyone interested? Maybe Tuesday nights.

In case your wondering, the fridge in my garage is a beer fridge. Now who's interested?

Chuck talks, you listen

Have you ever heard those Chuck Norris quotes? I find them very funny for some reason. I have found the Chuck Norris Widget on my Mac. So the Motivational quote will change to the Motivational Chuck Norris Quote for a little while. Keep checking back, there funny. Here's one to leave you with.

If Chuck Norris had his own calendar every month would be named Chucktober and every day he would kick your ass.

Its time to PUMP you up!!

I have two gift certificates for 3 month memberships to Gold's Gym. They need to be redeemed by the end of December. I hate to see them go to waste. Does anyone want them? Post request to comments.

They were supposed to be prizes for our race we hosted last year, but most of the races didn't happen because of the storm that came through. I know a lot of us train in the gym during this time of year. If you know of anyone who wants them let me know please. They are good for any of the Gold's Gyms in the Tidewater area.

Leesburg Turkey Cross

One way to describe this race....awesome. This was the furthest north I had traveled. I got to the race just in time to watch the start of the CAT 4 men. 92 starters...wow, that was cool to watch. There was a very good and exciting emcee who kept everyone up to date on who was leading and who was chasing.

There were definitely fewer starters for the CAT 3/4 race, but it was still the largest field I had raced in. K-dawg and I represented the 757. Advice given to me by Kevin at the start "ride light". So I did. No mechanical problems, no crashes, no excuses. I didn't do well, but it was a fitness issue, that is fixable. My riding technique is improving. So I was very excited and happy at my outcome.

Then I sat around and drank a little beer out of a Bike Zone water bottle and watch the elite women race and then the elite men. Crazy had his work cut out for him. Although he didn't seem too happy about his results, he really picked up the pace in the second half and caught a number of places. Bishop tore that race apart, and I was exciting to watch those guys and how smooth they were over the transitions.

So bottom line, I suffered, had fun hanging around with friends, and finished without any issues..it was a great race. See you at Trashmore.