In early November, when I was able to start training again after taking a month plus off due to mono, Scott and I had a long discussion (over email, as he was already in Norway with Torin) about how best to proceed with getting me back to race shape. I had already started enthusiastically planning on racing by early December, and wanted to plan whatever rebuilding schedule we devised around those hopes. Scott knew me too well, though. He proposed a more appropriate, progressive approach to the training, focusing first on re-establishing a good base before methodically adding in strength, then threshold intensity, and so forth. Finally, he suggested that as a litmus test for my race readiness, I perform a sprint simulation time trial on the C2 double pole ergometer. We liked this idea for two reasons: one, it's objective and quantifiable. In contrast to a skiing time trial, we can monitor time, power output and recovery in a controlled environment. And second, we already had a data point. Last November just before we left for West Yellowstone I did a 1km time trial on the C2. At that point I was already falling prey to the overtraining which would hinder further racing in the season, but I managed a 3:09.05min 1km. Granted, I was positively WRECKED for the rest of the day. But either way, we figured we could use that as a marker for this year's effort. If I could hit a time close to that and maintain it through four "heats", we could safely assume I was race ready. However, if we saw a large drop off (10%+) in time and/or power output, we could figure I still need more work.
This morning was the time trial which, in honor of Ruff and the Dartmouth team's Oak Hill TT, I dubbed the C2 World Championships of the World. Being the sole competitor, I was feeling confident in my abilities to qualify for the rounds and emerge from the "A" final victorious.
It hurt quite a bit, but I think it went well. Here are the stats from the day:
(*I set the C2 to its maximum resistance; after the first heat it was questionable whether this was smartest but I opted to stay with it for continuity.)
11am "Qualifier": 3:13.06min, average watts 382
12:05pm "Quarterfinal": 3:16.06, average watts 368
12:50pm "Semi-final": 3:16.02, average watts 370
1:15pm "A Final": 3:20.01, average watts 349
I definitely felt the hurt on the last one, but was pleased with the small margins between the first and last effort: 3.3% increase in time, and 8% decrease in power output in the last versus first effort.
Race-ready? Perhaps!
Some pics:
Nikki checking to make sure I'll survive, following the "A" Final
Nikki checking to make sure I'll survive, following the "A" Final
