The Cop Rides the Tour de Pig

Yes, I admit it, this might just be a little bit heavy handed.  I'm a cop, and I'm riding in a ride called Tour de Pig (no relation).  This is actually part of the Lexington BBQ Festival, and is sponsored by Novant Health.  The money raised for this ride goes to support the Davidson County Mental Health program.  I have been looking for a charity ride that benefits the mental health field or suicide prevention for a few months now.  There are just not that many out there.  I just happened to stumble upon the Tour de Pig shortly after riding in the Tour of Farmington.  Since I had enjoyed myself so much on that ride, I went ahead and signed up for this one with the intention of doing the 100K route.  It was a happy coincidence to find out that this was the type of ride I had been looking for.

I didn't know much about this ride other than it covered the Northern part of Davidson County.  I had ridden several of the roads on the route both in my own personal training rides and during the Tour to Tanglewood.  I wasn't all that concerned at all since this was just a 100K, or 62 mile route.  There were no major obstacles either, so this was just going to be a ride for fun without the need for any specific training at all.  Much like Farmington had been, the Tour de Pig was going to be about how fast could I ride the course.

In the week leading up to the ride, the weather forecast was looking like rain for Saturday.  I wasn't too upset about that since I didn't really have much invested in the ride itself.  Either I would go, or I would pass, and go to work (I had to take a vacation day for this ride).  On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which I had to jump on since it was likely my only chance at this destination for the remainder of the year.  I ended up riding 70 miles with some intense climbs thrown in to the mix.  I felt really good the next day so I went out for another 50 miles close to home and pushed hard the whole way.  The following day, I went out once again to ride another 50 mile route close to home. This one was supposed to be a little bit less intense, but my legs were feeling good once again and I hammered it.  that left me with Friday to use as a rest day.

Typically, I like about two to three rest days before an event ride to make sure I'm in top form for the route.  This time, the route didn't really cause any concern for me, and there was still the question if I would take a rain check.  I spent the vast majority of Friday looking at the weather and pondering the chances of rain.  It looked like the ride would be starting in a light rain, with heavier rain coming in around lunch time.  I could deal with that, I suppose.

Before going to bed, I had loaded up my bike and all the assorted goodies I have to take on these rides, but I still wasn't sure if I would be going.  I did know that I was going to keep the vacation day from work though, and that also played into my potential guilt for not going in the morning.  I had pretty much made up my mind that if the weather didn't look any worse, I would put on my big boy Lycra and go get rained on.

When the alarm rang in the morning, I checked the weather first, before even getting out of the bed.  The hourly was still looking the same, and the minute cast had the rain starting in about a hour and a half in Thomasville.  I could live with that, but there was a huge blob of orange and red coming up the Appalachian chain from Georgia that looked to be aimed right for Davidson County.  The radar image concerned me, and I thought about rolling over and going back to sleep.  But...I had made peace with having to wash the bike when I was done, so a little rain, or a lot of rain really didn't matter.  I had taken the time off of work for this ride, and it was for a cause that I really believed in.  OK, I'll get up and go do it.

I left the house at 7am and pulled into Davidson Community College at 7:30, right when the registration tents opened up.  I went ahead and got signed in, and got my bag of goodies before the lines got long.  I wasn't sure how many would show up today, but for right now there was no rain.  I was quietly hoping for that to continue.

I went back to the truck and pulled my bike out of the bed and finally got to use my bike stand thanks to parking on the asphalt.  The lights, Garmin, and bottles were all put on.  I then got myself dressed out and ready for the ride.  I still had about 30 minutes before the ride started, but I like to have that time to get my mind calmed down, and get into my personal zone.

Some of the things that I was thinking about were pretty typical of these rides.  As always, I found myself wondering if I would ride with a group or not?  Actually, that was a pretty short internal discussion.  With the rain in the forecast, and the wet roads, I would not feel comfortable in a group at all.  The decision was made very quick that I would ride this one solo.  The next question was what kind of pace would I try for?  Again with the wet roads, and potential for rain, I decided that I would keep speeds reasonable and not worry about setting any speed records for myself.  The final question was where did I want to start?  That was a no brainer...I would start at the front as I have grown accustomed to.  I'm much happier out there, and don't feel overly crowded.

As I waited up front by the exit, I watched the riders come into the parking lot in a steady stream.  There were quite a few riders in fact.  I guess it still amazes me how many riders are willing to ride in poor weather.  Speaking of which, there was still no rain falling, and I was seeing dry patches on the pavement.  This might not be all that bad at all.  I know that there were quite a few who were planning on having a grand time with this ride.  I could see pig costumes on some riders, and tutus on others.  This was not a surprise as I had seen pictures from past years with just this type of "fun riding".  In addition to these folks, I also saw what I could only assume were serious racers lining up at the front.  They were a bit more serious, and had expressions on their faces that I recognized in my own face. There are different types of fun to be had at these rides, that is for sure!

Well, it was about 8:30, and that was the time when the 100K folks would be heading out.  I had my place at the front of the line, my Garmin was on, Live Track started, and lights turned on.  I was all ready.  Oddly enough though, they had us lined up at the head of the parking lot which dictated that we follow the lot to the left, around the tents, and then onto the road that would lead us out of the college.  That seemed like a lot of twisting and turning considering the hundred or so riders that were bunched up behind me ready to head out. Oh well, I had my place at the front and I was prepared.  The MC was on the loudspeaker getting everyone corralled  that was riding the long route.  I'm really pretty sure that he was still communicating with people in the lot and getting barricades set up for our exit, but I saw riders to my right starting out.  Well, with that, everyone was off, and I was now an island in a swarm of twisting and turning bikes as everyone pushed off and started out.  Well nuts, there went my first plan for the day.  I wasn't going to be out first today.  In fact, I had to sit and wait until things cleared out a little bit before I could safely get started.  One of these days I'll get more confident in mass starts...maybe.

I was finally off, and on my way.  the weather was still holding which I was very thankful for.  The roads were mostly dry at this point with just some dampness in areas.  I was in my easy gears warming up as I always do.  Since I had made the decision to take this one easy, I wasn't at all concerned with pushing the speed.  I just sat back and pedaled as other riders passed me and pulled away.  This worked out because nobody wanted to get on my wheel which meant that I would be staying solo today.  It was going to be a good day!

Then it happened, I came up on a cyclist and passed them.  Then there was a group...passed as well.  My speeds were climbing, but my legs were not feeling all that great.  I was still very fatigued from the earlier rides in the week.  Nevertheless, I was accelerating and overtaking more and more riders.  The pavement was still mostly dry, and there was nothing kicking up affecting my braking performance.  I decided to see what my legs had in them.  I started to keep my power output at that point where I could feel the tension in my legs, which I have come to really enjoy.  I wasn't as fast as I've been, but I was a lot faster than I expected.  After the first 10 miles, I was switching into the big ring, and really started to find my groove.  It was also at this point that I realized that the fatigue I was feeling in my legs was more due to the headwind that I was fighting than anything else.  Once I turned out of the wind, the bike was sailing effortlessly across the pavement.  I played my little cat and mouse game with cyclists I could find in front of me which really kept me motivated.  I had no idea where in the pack I was, but I knew that I was now holding my own, and I was still solo.

The 100K route was set up as two different loops that ultimately made a

figure 8.  The first loop was the one to the right and was ridden counterclockwise.  The second loop was to the left and ridden clockwise.  The wind was coming from the Northeast, so it took quite a while to get out of the wind.  By the time we turned to the South in Walburg, I was really starting to enjoy myself.  There was a little bit of drizzle, and there were wet patches of roadway, but nothing so severe as to impact my brakes.

Before I knew it, I was half way through with the ride and had really only dealt with the wind.  The rain had been insignificant at best.  Coming down Ridge Rd (for the first time) we were given the option of turning onto Yokely Rd and ending at the college for a 50K, or 31 mile ride.  Some riders had been debating about doing that if the weather had gotten bad.  I hadn't really given it any thought, especially at this point.  My bike was already dirty from the road grit and would need to be washed.  Might as well carry on with the full route.  The weather seemed to be holding as well which made the decision very easy.  However, within a mile of passing the turn off, the rain drops got bigger and more frequent.  Was this going to be my clue that I was in for some less than favorable weather?  It didn't matter, I was going to do the full route, wet or dry.

As I approached the town of Arnold, I was back into the wind again.  It had not relaxed any at all I'm afraid.  I kicked down a gear or two and trudged on.  I also realized that this second loop was full of deep rollers which were starting to try my climbing legs.  They had not fully recovered from the previous rides, and I was starting to have to will them to turn the pedals.  They did continue to turn the pedals without too much fuss, and for that I was happy.

When I got to Arcadia, I was fully in the wind once more, and I started to consider easing off of my pace.  Currently, I was averaging in the upper 19 mph range.  While not a spectacular pace for me, it was very respectable, and one that I could ease off of considering the weather.  Well, that was a nice thought, but no sooner than I had thought it, I saw another rider up ahead.  OK legs, go and play.  It wasn't long before I was saying "on your left" and passing by, only to see another cyclist in the distance.  This was my game, and I enjoyed it.

After a handful of place changes, I passed another cyclist coming into Midway.  I didn't think much about it since like the others, he had fallen behind.  However, I had to stop at a stop sign not far down the road which delayed me long enough for the other cyclist to catch up with me.  We turned on the road together and he stayed on my rear wheel.  I wasn't watching behind me, but I could hear the freewheel spinning every so often and the gears changing behind me.  It looked like he was there to stay.  We came up to a left turn with railroad tracks which we both had to slow for.  He came out in front, and as if second nature, I sprinted back out in front.  I could have just let him go on ahead, but what fun was there in that?

I decided that I was going to use his presence to keep me motivated to finish strong.  My speeds were creeping up, and I was putting some serious work in at this point.  I could still hear the freewheel and gears changing behind me, but now I was also hearing some sounds of stress and fatigue.  He was holding my wheel, but it was hurting it seemed.  Whether he wanted to or not, he got to take part in my little game which was back in full swing again.  "On your left!" was said more than a couple of times as my two man paceline moved down Ridge Rd.  I was still making excellent time, but I was really starting to get tired at this point.  I remember looking at my mileage several times and doing the math for what was left.  I was going to have a hard time keeping this pace all the way to the finish, but I was pretty sure that I could.  I made a mad dash down the hill to Lake Thom-a-Lex and pushed very hard climbing back to Old Greensboro Rd.  At the top of the climb, I had very little left in my legs, but we were also just a couple of miles from the finish.  I had made it.

At 61.6 miles, I saw the sign for the college, and could see the parking lot where we started.  Hmmmm, that is not 62 miles.  Well, I could finish with about 61.8 miles and a 20.0 mph average (I told you, I was hammering the last bit), or I could risk dropping my average speed and wheel around the parking lot to get 62 miles.  Well, for me, if it isn't 62+ miles, it isn't a 100K route, so I had to explore the parking lot for a few minutes.  I saw my Garmin register 19.9 mph for an average which took a little out of my sails, but I also saw an even 62 miles register which made me happy.

I was done, and for the most part I had stayed dry.  There were brief showers that I rode though, but nothing that I would consider significant to the ride.  There was enough water on the road that I was going to need to do a little bike washing when I got home, but I had already made my peace with that.  I had set out to ride a moderate paced ride that I figured would be in the neighborhood of 19-19.5 mph depending on the rain.  The rain had held off, and I had a bit more gas in my legs than I had thought to boot.  My official moving average according to the Garmin was, in fact, 20.0 mph.  I had ridden the 100K route in 3:06:35 which is on par with what I did the Tour of Farmington in.  The difference was the wind and rain for this ride.  I gave up about 10 seconds between the two rides, but this one was much harder to ride fast I thought.

It wasn't but a few seconds after I stopped the computer and officially ended my ride that I felt the big rain drops once again.  There wasn't any need in

delaying putting the bike back in the truck and heading home.  I got everything secured, and got out of my wet jersey in favor of a dry t shirt.  All of my associated equipment was tossed in my cycling bag and put back in the truck.  It was a wrap.  There was a BBQ lunch available for the riders, and I had considered partaking, but with the threat of rain, I decided it was best that I just head home.  Plus, Toni would be getting up soon before going to work and I wanted to say hi to her, and visit for a bit before she had to leave.

Before I got my truck out of the parking lot, the rain was coming harder and faster than it had on any portion of the route.  I was very thankful that I had made it when I did.  As I was exiting the college, I went past several cyclists still coming in from their routes.  They were fighting the rain that I had missed.  At least they were about done.  I'm not sure how many were still out on the course, and I don't know how many of the 100K riders had opted to cut the day in half.  I do know that there were still a good many riders coming in.

Once I got home, the rain was pretty steady.  I opted to wait on cleaning the bike until Toni left for work in hopes that the rain would stop long enough for me to give it a much needed wash.  According to the hourly forecast, that was a pretty good possibility.  However, when she left at 4, the rain felt like it was getting heavier.  This was just not going to work out at all.

I decided to back the truck out of the garage, and wash the bike in the rain.  I could then bring it in to dry off and get lubed up.  I'm sure the neighbors got a laugh at me out in the driveway in a steady rain with hose and bucket washing a bicycle.  I will say this though, Flo cleans up nice after a bath.  I made sure that everything worked and was lubricated before putting her back in the wheel stand.  After about 2.5 hours of work, she is all ready for the next ride which hopefully will be on my next off day.

With that, my sixth event ride of 2015 has come to a close.  This has been a year full of event rides when compared to previous years.  I don't know if it is because I'm just so happy to be riding again, or if I have just decided to explore this end of cycling more.  Either way, I've been having a great time doing charity event rides this year.  Ironically, the shorter rides (the 100K ones) have been some of the more fun for me.  I might be looking into doing more of these rides instead of just waiting on the century rides to come around.  Who knows, there might be another one of these shorter rides in the future for 2015.  Time will tell.

Garmin Data

My Return to the Blue Ridge Parkway

It has been about two full years since I've visited the Blue Ridge Parkway by bicycle.  What had started out as an annual excursion in the Fall, fell by the wayside last year due to a series of events.  The plan had been for a return to America's Favorite Drive (Ride) again this year to hopefully make up for the omission last year.  Scheduling was becoming an issue for me starting in September since I had promised Toni that I would not ride on the Parkway alone.  It is difficult to plan a trip to the mountains taking into account several people's schedules, weather, and dodging other riding commitments.  As October arrived, NC found itself in a long term weather system that had daily rain and storms.  The first week of the month brought flooding in many areas across the state, and days upon days of high winds.  All of this wonderful weather prevented one trip to the Parkway that I had been invited on, and it had been rescheduled for Oct 6th, in hopes of better weather.

The forecast kept adding days of rain as we moved through the first week of October.  What had been a clear window, was now right on the edge of a rainy week.  It wasn't until the afternoon leading up to the 6th that we started to

"Reliable", Mabry Mill as shot in 2010

feel comfortable that the weather would hold for us, and be dry for the first time in several weeks.  The plan was to meet in the small town of Mt Airy at Riverside Park and start riding Northeast, turning onto Squirrel Spur Rd, leading up to the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, and ultimately ending at Mabry Mill.  This was a little bit different from my previous rides on the Parkway since a large chunk of the route would not be on the actual Parkway.  Another difference was the route was only about 50 miles.  My previous three trips up to the mountains had all be metric centuries of 62 miles or more.  The shorter distance was fine by me though because there was a really nice climb on Squirrel Spur Rd that was promising to be an attention getter.

One thing that I noticed about the route was that the particular section of the Parkway that we would be on, I had done in the past.  Actually, this was part of the route that I had done on my first ride on the Parkway in 2012.  While exciting, that ride was a little disappointing overall because it marked the first time that I had to throw in the towel and accept defeat on a climb.  It was the category 4 climb up to Rocky Knob.  To be honest, it was my first ever, real climb and I wasn't prepared for it at all.  I had no idea how to properly climb a long duration grade.  That day the Parkway beat me, and I never forgot it.  As luck would have it though, this route that my friend Phil was telling me about (created by Adrian) was going to stop at Mabry Mill, as the halfway point of a 50 mile ride.  That was the same setup that the original ride had, and the bonus miles to make it a full metric century included the climb up to Rocky Knob which was about 6 more miles down the road from the Mill.  Unless the math had changed, that simple addition would make this route a metric century as well.

I made the suggestion that we go ahead and stretch it out to include Rocky Knob.  Phil said that he would see how he was feeling and make a decision then.  I figured that it might work out.  As we got closer, Phil said that he and Adrian were planning on stopping at the Mill for pancakes.  Well, that would give me enough time to roll out the extra 12 miles, including the climb that beat me before.  So, either we all would go, or I would go it alone.  Either way, the plan became to get another metric century in the mountains, and conquer the climb that bested me several years before.

Rocky Knob in 2012

Yeah, I know that there is no real "need" for me to climb this stretch of the Parkway to prove anything.  I've done much longer and steeper grades since then with no problem.  In fact, to get to this climb, I would have to climb Squirrel Spur Rd which was twice the length, and twice the vertical ascent.  No, I wasn't doing it as an accomplishment, or goal.  This was a grudge climb for me.  I wanted to get back at the Parkway and make it "my bitch!"

The morning of the 6th finally rolled around and I looked at the weather, juuussst to make sure that the rain was really over.  Looking at key points along the route, there was not a chance of rain anywhere in the forecast, and the sun would be out in all of its glory.  As an added bonus, the winds would be negligible, especially compared to the 20-30 mph winds we had been seeing for the past 3 days.  The temperature did catch my attention though with lows starting out the day at about 47* or so.  The high would be in the upper 60's it appeared.  This meant that I needed to dress accordingly, which meant arm warmers and leg warmers.  It would be the first time since early Spring I had worn those extra items, but I wanted to be comfortable.

Phil grabbed this shot later in the day

Phil, Adrian, and I arrived just before 8am at the Riverside Park in Mt Airy.  We all did what cyclists do before a ride.  Almost like clockwork, at 8 we were lined up in the parking lot turning on our bike computers with the symphony of beeps and buzzes that accompany this act.  It was cold, and I was thinking I had underprepared for the weather, but knew that it wouldn't take too long to warm up pedaling through town.  We exited the park, and made a right onto Riverside Dr and worked our way through Mt Airy with the morning traffic.  The sun was low, but I have to admit it was sure nice to see it shining again after so long under cloud cover.

It wasn't but a few miles and we hit the Virginia border.  We stopped for a moment while Adrian grabbed a couple shots at the sign.  We were back on our way again and doing some nice and gentle rollers heading Northeast.  My legs were feeling really good this morning despite the cold weather which would normally keep me from warming up.  The bike was working flawlessly, but I happened to notice that due to the lack of humidity, and my lack of sweating, my heart rate monitor and power sensor combo was not registering at all through my Garmin.  I tried to move it around a little bit, but nothing would make it work.  Oh well, it was not the end of the world not to have it.  It would come on occasionally, but usually with numbers that I knew were not accurate.

I had looked at the elevation profile and route for the ride the night before and I knew that shortly after turning onto Squirrel Spur Rd the biggest climb of the day would start.  It just happened to be just after the 12 mile mark.  Normally, by this point, I would have switched into the big ring as my warm up would have been done.  With the climb looming in the near future, I just left the chain on the little ring and prepared for a nice 4 mile climb of about 1000 feet gain in elevation.

As happens so often on my rides, I would hear Phil's voice telling me to ride my ride.  He had already said not to wait for him on some of the smaller climbs of the day, so I decided that I would find my groove and work this climb out.  The next turn would be onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, and that was were we would regroup.

This climb reminded me a little bit of Caesar's Head in SC.  It was about the same grade, and it called for my lowest gear at about 8-9 mph.  The steepest sections of it were at the beginning though which was nice, and it was nowhere near as long a climb as Caesar's Head.  It was that length that made the difference between a category 1 and a category 2 climb.  Today was the lesser of the two.  The climb went off without a hitch and I realized the biggest difference between the two climbs.  Squirrel Spur Rd is long enough to be interesting, but not so long to be boring.  Caesar's Head gets rather boring in the last third of the climb.  I found myself actually wanting more of the Spur.  Yes, I am seeking psychological help for this.

Phil's Specialized at the entrance to the Parkway

There are times that karma bites you in the butt.  Today happened to be one of those days.  As usual, I made a comment about Phil and his uncanny ability to get lost on a ride.  Well, the route sheet, as well as the map made it look like Squirrel Spur Rd followed beside the Parkway for a bit before turning to the left to intersect with a "T".  This was what I was looking for as I came to the Parkway.  I could see several places to enter the Parkway, but none of them were as I was expecting.  Eventually, I could tell that I was moving away from the Parkway and heading more West than I thought I should be.  It was time to pull the phone out and check the cue sheet.  I was past the mileage where I should have made the turn, but I had not come to that "T" intersection yet.  I looked at the GPS map and found that I was, in fact, moving away from the Parkway at this point.  I decided to turn around and access the first entrance to the Parkway that I could find.  Fortunately, I was only a couple miles beyond the turn, so it didn't take me long to get back.

Once I got back to the entrance, I saw no signs of Adrian or Phil.  Since I didn't know what their pace was, I had no idea how far behind they were from me.  Had they been through here already, thinking that I had kept on going?  Should I still wait for them?  I decided to go ahead and wait....and

wait.....and....wait.  Just as I was about to give up and call Phil to see where they were, I see a couple of cyclists coming up the hill.  One of them was brighter than the sun...that had to be Phil.  They were here!  I had not been left behind due to my missed turn.  We were all back together again and after a brief break, we made out turn onto the Parkway and outran a friendly dog that had come to say hi.  I had finally made it, I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway once again riding my bike.  It was a wonderful feeling, and one that I had missed for far too long.

While we were done with the big climb of the day, there were still going to be a lot of rollers to deal with on the Parkway.  It is in the mountains after all.  The climbs that we came to caused us to separate as we each went at our own pace.  I would surge ahead and work my way to the top and wait.  Adrian would be the next in line shortly after I stopped.  Seizing the photo opportunity on one of the climbs, he let go of his handle bar (something I still can't do!) and framed his Selma Cyclepaths jersey.  I could almost hear him say "Hey Ma, look, no hands."  OK, so I might be a little jealous of his bike handling skills.

Phil was not far behind Adrian and came up the mountain in typical Phil fashion...strong and steady.  That is one thing I have come to expect from Phil, he might not be the fastest out there, but he is as consistent as a German clock.  When he is climbing, he finds his pace and will stick to it for the entire climb.  I honestly think that if given the opportunity, he could climb a telephone pole that went to the moon without changing his cadence.

We continued on along the Parkway in this same fashion for about seven miles or so from where we had entered.  This brought us to the Mabry Mill.  We had discussed the plans in the last few miles and it was determined that Phil and Adrian were still not interested in going on to Rocky Knob.  I made sure it would not hold them up too long if I went ahead and stretched out the route.  Phil assured me that I had all the time I needed, he and Adrian were going to get breakfast.

The time was finally here, the moment I had been waiting for over three years.  It was my chance at redemption.  I know, it is rather silly, and I freely admit that.  However, it was something that was important to me on an emotional level, and I wasn't going to be able to let it go until I had my "do over".

So, while Phil and Adrian rested and ate a special mountain breakfast, I continued toward Rocky Knob.  My riding style changed slightly at this point since I no longer had to worry about the overall pace of a group, I could settle into my own cruising speed.  I remember feeling exhilarated as I was starting to feel the tension in my legs, and my heart start beating at a more "normal" pace.  Yeah, this was what I was looking forward to.  But...I needed to watch myself because my first attempt at this climb failed because I had gone in too hot, too early, and ran out of steam before I ran out of climb.  I had no doubt that I would make it to the top this time, but I still didn't want to fall victim to overconfidence.  I kept my pace reasonable, but still let my legs enjoy the ride.  My destination was only about 6 miles from the Mill, so I was at the base of the climb in no time at all.

Immediately, I recognized the climb.  I had replayed it so many times in my head.  I started shift down, and then moved the chain into the little ring.  I found a nice pace that I could keep up with for the two miles I would be climbing.  It happened to be about the same pace that I had used climbing Squirrel Spur Rd.  I remembered how I had started the climb before, choosing to stay in the big ring and muscle through.  This had lasted just under a mile, and then I started dropping gears and eventually running out of lower gears.  That would not be the case today.  I was comfortable, and the climb seemed quite easy on my legs today.  In no time at all, I found myself at the very spot I had cracked.  I remember barely being able to stand after bringing my barely moving bike to a stop.  Here I was passing that by, still at about 9 mph, sitting, and barely breaking a sweat.  I crested the climb in the same shape as I had started, and actually felt bad that it was over.  After all the mental energy I had exerted on this single climb, the success of the climb was very anti-climactic.  But in my mind, that failure has now been corrected!

I was planning on recreating the original shot that I took with my other bike three years ago, but there was a little bit of a breeze that made me a little hesitant to stand this bike up on the curb.  As light as it is, it is not all that stable standing up on its own.  In lieu of that picture, I opted for a selfie in the overlook parking lot.  Yep, it was a small accomplishment, but an important one.  In the excitement, I forgot to eat my lunch which had been my plan.  I had packed one of my now famous waffle and nutella sandwiches and with this being the halfway point, I figured that would be the perfect time.  However, I wasn't hungry and forgot all about eating.

After a few minutes at the overlook, I saddled back up and headed back down the mountain to the Mill.  I remember this descent all too well from the last time.  It was reasonably straight and pretty fast.  Since traffic wasn't bad, I decided to press it just a bit.  I ended up with a top speed of just under 43 mph on the descent.  For me, that is pretty quick, because I am just not a fan of the descents at all.  Just like last time, the return six miles goes by in just a few minutes.  It seemed that by the time my heart rate had stabilized, I was back at the mill again.

Adrian's and Phil's bikes doing the lean

My timing was perfect, they were just coming out of the Mill happy and fed.  It was time to get a few pictures at this point.  While they were doing that, remembered that I had a sandwich in my jersey pocket that wanted to be eaten.  It wasn't pancakes and ham, but it was a proven cycling fuel, and one that I was suspecting I needed about now.  There was still about 25 miles left to go, and even if they were mostly downhill, I didn't want to be running on empty.

Adrian standing by while I ate real quick

With everyone's bellies filled again, we got the bikes back out on the road and headed back to Mt Airy.  For the most part we stayed together for this leg.  It didn't take long before we were at Squirrel Spur Rd again, and exiting the Parkway.  Phil and Adrian had spent about 16 miles on the Parkway, and even with my added leg, I only at about 28 miles.  That was just enough to give me a taste for the rolling hills and fresh smells of the Appalachian Mountains. I really hated to be turning off of the Parkway so soon after getting here.  I'm going to have to figure out how to get back here again soon, and more often!

From this point on, most of the route would be downhill with just a few small climbs thrown in for fun.  The biggest descent was just a few miles ahead.  That category 2 climb that we had to dispatch on the way up, was now going to be a twisty, fast descent.  Unlike most cyclists, I don't much care for descents.  Ironically though, I found that both Phil and Adrian shared my disdain for them citing similar reasons.  However, whether we liked descents or not, we were at a certain elevation, and we needed to lose altitude somehow.  that somehow was going to be going back down Squirrel Spur Rd.

This one wasn't that bad considering the grade and curves.  The road was in decent shape, and the traffic was light.  This was a good thing, because we were all using every bit of the lane as we swooped around the corners.  Since I don't really consider myself a seasoned descender, I chose to stay behind either Phil or Adrian to force me to keep my speed in check.  This was a very good thing, because even doing that, I overcooked a couple of corners and had to really get on the brakes.  There is just nothing quite like the sound of carbon fiber screaming against brake pads...just think grinding teeth, or fingernails on a chalk board.  Not pleasant, not pleasant at all.

Just like with Rocky Knob, the descent was over in just a few minutes.  What had taken 30 minutes to climb, passed by with a blink of an eye.  We were now on the road that would carry us back to Riverside Park.  There were not many significant climbs, but there were plenty of rollers as we made out way back to NC.  The earlier pattern repeated itself and I would either soft pedal or wait at the top of the climbs in order to regroup.  Seeing this as a potential photo opportunity, I decided to surge ahead and get to the NC/VA border where Adrian had got a picture earlier.  I figured that it would be really cool to get the guys passing the state line sign.  I had enough lead that I wouldn't have a problem getting in position to grab the shot.

I went ahead and hopped off of the bike and stumbled over onto the shoulder of the road.  Riding shoes are not meant for any amount of hiking, and I had a hard time getting where I wanted to be.  However, I had a great position that allowed me to see the road for quite a distance which would allow me to plan my shot.  I had everything set up, and looking back on other times I had surged ahead, I knew that I had about 2 more minutes before they would show up.  After about 5 minutes, I started to wonder just how quickly I had gotten here.  I was seeing no signs of either of my companions.  I knew I hadn't missed a turn at this point.  What I didn't know was whether or not something had happened to either of them.  After what seemed like about 10 minutes, I decided to get back out in the road and retrace my steps.  I wanted to make sure that they were ok wherever they were.  I guess it was about a mile to a mile and a half that I found them both rolling down the road.

I shouted out a quick hello as they passed me and I stopped to get turned around.  It was then a quick sprint to catch up with them again.  I found out that they had made a quick side trip to see a historical site.  I was glad that there had not been a problem, and we were back together once again.  We weren't far at all from the park where we had started, and we made the rest of the trip pretty much together.

We pulled into Riverside Park shortly after 1pm.  We were done for the day.  I had just shy of 70 miles, and Phil and Adrian had about 52 miles.  It had been an outstanding day to be on a bike.  The weather couldn't have been better (maybe warmer), the route was awesome, and the company was great as always.  I really enjoyed having this reunion on the Parkway with Phil and Adrian since this was the same crew I had ridden with the last time I had been on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  My year was now complete, and the icing on the cake...I had shown Rocky Knob who was boss after three years!

Out of all of my rides this year, my time on the Parkway really stands out.  Even in past years, no matter what rides I do, it has always been the Fall ride in the mountains that turns into the reward for a year well ridden.  I had a lot of time to think on this ride, and what I thought about was next year.  I have been tossing around the idea of riding in the Six Gap Century, which is a 100 mile ride with about 11,400 feet of climbing.  If I were to commit to this ride, I would have to work a lot on my climbing next year.  I can do the distance all day long, but my climbing legs are not quite as long lived.  For the kind of training that I would need, I could really get into riding the Parkway at least once a month.  Heck, even if I don't take part in Six Gap, I think I would like to spend more time riding the Parkway in 2016.  I just have to find a way around the need for the buddy system on these rides.  It is quite cumbersome to find other's to ride with, especially the way I like to plan training rides.  I'm kind of a spur of the moment kind of kid when it comes to picking and choosing my routes.  That might have to change to make this happen though.  Time will tell, but I know that I am really enjoying climbing for the first time in my cycling career.  I want to foster that as much as possible since it is one of my weaknesses.

Garmin Data From the Ride

Stationary Trainers:Yes, you are that crazy!

In this blog I've talked a lot about endurance rides, bouncing back from extended time off the bike, and my personal accomplishments.  I've touched on the importance of my stationary trainer in several different entries, but I have not really done an entry dedicated completely to the dreaded stationary trainer.  With Fall here, and cooler weather just around the corner, it is time to start thinking about your riding options.  If you happen to live in NC, we have now been a rainy mess for a solid week, with no real break in sight.  Since I am a self proclaimed weather weenie, that means that I have not been riding outside for that whole week.  However, I have been riding...just on a stationary trainer in my home office.  I have also been noticing that many folks have been starting to think about pulling theirs out as well, or going to buy one.  I've fielded questions and concerns about stationary trainers in bits and pieces, but realize that most of the basic concerns are pretty much the same.  I figure that I might as well put together a dedicated entry that addresses some of the most common questions about riding your bike indoors.

The first question that everyone is thinking, but nobody really asks is..."Why in the hell would you subject yourself to an endless barrage of pedal strokes inside, while not actually going anywhere?"  OK, that is a valid question, and one that I still ask myself to this day.  Yes, it sucks, especially when you are doing an intensive workout.  There is no scenery to watch, usually very little company to be had, and you sweat....a lot!  In general, it is not fun.  That is why so many riders decide to dress up in cold weather gear and go outside to continue riding their road bikes.  A good share also move into cyclocross and mountain bike disciplines.  This latter option may very well be the best one as it will confuse your muscles and force you to ride in different ways than you have for the warmer months.  For me though, I have little to no interest in mountain bike trails, and cyclocross holds an equal place for me.  I am a true roadie.  For me, nothing compares to the speed and grace of a road bike as it glides across the asphalt, or grinds up an incline to a distant summit.  This is where my passion is, and what I enjoy about cycling.

For those like me, you have two options....well three, I guess.  The first is to layer up and head out into the cold.  In some areas of the globe, this isn't that bad as winter temperatures don't dip below 50.  In other areas, the eight feet of snow makes winter cycling difficult at best.  Here in NC, we fall somewhere in the middle.  Our days are are typically in the 30's during the winter, and there are times we see them climb into the 50's.  I can ride in that, but freezing isn't that much fun for me.  The other option is to mount a bike up to an indoor trainer, or rollers, which will allow you to pedal in the warmth of your home, basement, shed, whatever.  There are advantages and disadvantages to this plan as we will get into shortly.  The third option, is to tuck your bike in for the winter, and do another activity, like running (not unless somebody is chasing me).  You could also catch up on all that high quality television you missed while achieving your current level of fitness. Yeah, I didn't think that sounded like a good plan either.

What Will a Stationary Trainer Do For Me?

Lets talk about that indoor cycling option.  What can it do for you?  Well, the

possibilities are endless, but simply put, you can build fitness where there was none, you can maintain your fitness, or you can actually improve it.  It all comes down to how much effort you want to put into your time indoors.  Over the years, I have used an indoor trainer for each of these functions with great success.  I don't, however, recommend doing sprints down the hall.

If you are starting from square one, using an indoor trainer is a great way to get conditioned in order to start out strong when Spring hits.  If you are new to clipless pedals, you can use the trainer to get used to the motions associated with clipping in and out without fear of falling.  Speaking of clipless pedals, you can learn a whole new method of pedaling which is specific to having your feet surgically attached to your cranks.  By pulling up on the pedal in addition to the standard pushing down, you can engage your hamstrings in order to assist, and take the load off of your quads.  You can also engage the glutes more effectively with this type of pedaling.  Essentially, you can learn to pedal in circles rather than in straight lines, or boxes.  To do this on a trainer is simple, and safe.  Start easy, by unclipping on foot and pedaling for 30 seconds at a moderate tension with the remaining foot.  Pay attention to your pedal stroke, you should be able to pedal at a smooth rate all the way around the stroke.  At the end of that 30 seconds, swap feet and repeat.  Do this for about 5 minutes or so total and then pedal easy to recover. Repeat as you deem necessary to train the muscles.  When you master the 30 second repeats, move it up to a minute on each side for a total of 6 minutes.  The more you do it, the better you will get at it.

As you are mastering the pedal stroke, you will be becoming more and more efficient with your pedaling as a whole.  This will help you be able to increase your cadence.  Some might not need to worry about increasing their cadence, but I would suspect that most cyclists start out pedaling way too slow.  By too slow, I mean below 70rpms.  I was guilty of that for a very long time, and I've seen it with many other newbie cyclists...and some seasoned ones as well.  It might feel good to push the big gears and feel the muscles in your legs swell with power.  It won't feel good for long though.  Your muscles are what burns the calories, and create heat.  This means that you aren't going to be able to ride for a long period of time before getting fatigued, and slowing down substantially.  With a higher cadence, you are actually doing the same amount of work, but taxing the muscles only a fraction as much.  Power is just work over time.  By increasing the pedal strokes, you are reducing the work per stroke while achieving the same power.  The faster you pedal, the less fatigued you get over the course of a ride.  Ideally, the average cyclist will want to maintain an average cadence between 85-95 rpms for the course of a "normal" ride.

In addition to getting some of the basics down, an indoor trainer can also be used to maintain your fitness in the "off season."  This might be the most useful function for this piece of equipment.  The time that you can ride outside in the Winter might be limited due to weather and shorter days, so you can easily supplement those rides with a few rides indoors each week.  Depending on what you are able to do outside, you might just need to get on the trainer and spin for a bit to keep the legs fresh, or to recover from an all out effort on the road the day before.  If your outdoor rides are limited to a few per month, you will need to add some higher intensity workouts to your plan indoors.

Don't let the term "high intensity" scare you.  It is just a natural replacement for volume.  Trust me, you don't want to sit on a trainer for 50-60 miles...well, you might, I have, but I can't recommend it.  For those of you who are still sane, the replacement for volume of workouts is the intensity of the workout.  A good rule of thumb for an indoor trainer is that every hour spent on a trainer is equal to approximately 1.5 hours on the road.  That makes complete sense when you think about it.  There is no coasting, no stop signs, no traffic, just no interruptions.  Once you start, you will pedal at your target until it is time to change it up.  That means right off the bat, you are getting more bang for your buck.  Now, lets add in what is known as High Intensity Interval Training.  That will step things up quite a bit.

HIIT is where the love/hate relationship with a trainer is rooted.  Again, you are trying to replace volume of your rides (workouts) with intensity.  When I go out for a road ride, I am typically out for over an hour, up to 6 hours.  I'm not going to dedicate that kind of time to riding indoors, and that is fine. Using intervals, I can hit all my target zones in a shorter amount of time, and get my metabolism racing.  I can also keep my muscles active at a level that will keep me from losing my fitness from the previous season.

So what exactly are intervals?  This is a form of workout that includes segments of intense riding, followed by active recovery periods.  They are repeated throughout the workout.  For example, a simple interval workout would include a warm up phase at the start that is pretty much easy pedaling for 10 minutes or so.  Then you would step into three sets of max efforts that last one minute each, followed by a one minute easy pedal to catch your breath.  Then you move into three more sets of threshold output (anaerobic level) for eight minutes each followed by a four minute recovery period between each set.  The end of the workout is a cool down segment to bring your heart rate back to normal.  This workout would last an hour, and in that hour, your body has done an incredible amount of work.

A graph of my heart rate for the above interval workout

There are many different types of interval programs out there.  This is only a basic one.  There are ones that simulate hill climbs, work on sprinting, and others that can help train for the fast changes of a criterium race.  Whatever you are wanting to focus on, there are interval programs for you.  If you don't have an hour, there are even shorter ones out there. The simplest is called pyramids.  Essentially, you can do a single repeat of this, or as many as your time allows. You would start out with a warm up, of at least five minutes.  After that warm up, you would do this workout.

3 minutes zone 3 (aerobic)
3 minutes easy spin
2 minutes zone 4 (anaerobic/threshold)
2 minutes easy spin
1 minute zone 5 (max effort)
1 minute easy spin
2 minutes zone 4 (anaerobic/threshold)
2 minutes easy spin
3 minutes zone 3 (aerobic)
3 minutes easy spin
repeat or cool down for 5 minutes

This interval set could be done in a lunch hour at the office, or at home after work.  It doesn't have to take long, but you can go until you have had enough, and make it as long as you would like.  It is very effective, and simple to execute.

The last scenario I want to talk about is improving your fitness levels.  Yes, you can grow as a cyclist in the off season if you so wish to do so. Whether you are at the top of your game, or have lost a lot of your previous fitness due to a crash, or just time away from riding, you can actually increase your base fitness on a trainer.  This is exactly where I fell last winter after 10 months off of the bike.

Using those same HIIT workouts, but at a higher volume, you can improve your fitness from whatever level you started from.  Personally, I was going from a condition that took 10 months away from riding to achieve.  I was overweight and out of shape.  By sticking to a program that had me on the bike between 30 minutes and 2.5 hours at a time for six days a week, I had both the intensity and the volume needed to not only achieve my previous level of fitness, but to exceed it before the next cycling season.  I credit most of my success with following a plan I found through Bicycling Magazine called Fat Frying Intervals.  This is a five week long program that is an adaptation from a nine week program created by James Hererra.  It is too involved to list it here, but I can say it will kick your butt, and bring quick results.  In just a matter of months, I was near to my former performance, and my body was getting back to its riding weight.  I can only imagine what would have happened if I had put this much energy into the trainer sessions at a top level of fitness.  This is where riders come back after the winter stronger and faster than they were before.  Even if you can ride outside in your neck of the woods, it is a great idea to incorporate some HIIT sessions into your weeks for this very reason.

This is also a time when you can work on your riding weaknesses.  Everyone has their niche on a bike.  Some are sprinters, some love the climbs, some go that extra mile, but it is rare to find a cyclist that can do it all well.  Using a trainer, you can pick and choose your interval program (a Google search away) to address your weaknesses.  For instance, I have never been a great climber, and have always felt very uncomfortable standing out of the saddle.  I was able to locate two different hill workouts that incorporated standing intervals, as well as a lot of tempo work.  True, I wasn't actually climbing, but I was stressing my muscles as if I were.  I learned to stand more confidently, as well as put power down for longer periods of time under strain.  Doing these workouts once a week each, for a month really made a difference in my climbing times.  I was actually able to sprint up hills that I had formally had to drop into the little ring to climb up.  That is a huge difference!


What do you need?

Well, you need a bike obviously.  Ideally, you don't want to put a carbon fiber bike on a trainer because it is just a little too rigid for the fibers. But there are times you have to do what you have to do.  I've put thousands of miles on carbon bikes mounted to trainers with no ill effects.  Your experience might be different though.

OK, you have the bike.  You also need a trainer.  There are many different types of trainers available out there.  Some are even computer based and hook up to a laptop.  The basic types are wind, magnetic, and fluid.  They each have their pros and cons.  The wind and magnetic are the cheaper options, but they lack a road feel, and are very noisy.  The fluid ones are much quieter, have a progressive resistance, and feel very close to the road.  The computer based ones are the most expensive and can either be fluid or magnetic based. The program will adjust the resistance in most cases to match the workout.  Of course, for these, you will pay a premium.  They are usually used by pros.  For the average rider, magnetic or fluid will be the way to go.

I am currently using a Cycleops Fluid II stationary trainer, which is a fluid based trainer.  As you can see from the picture above, it has a nice footprint, and attaches to the bike by way of a skewer through the rear hub that mounts to clamps on either side.  This is a very secure way to attach the bike.  There is a flywheel that is then pressed up against the rear wheel which turns the impeller through the viscous fluid.  The faster you pedal, the more resistance it gives, just like pedaling on the road.  This is essentially all you need, but there are quite a few accessories that will make this trainer more functional and dare I say...fun.

Here you see some triangle shaped blocks under the front wheel.  These are riser blocks and come in some different styles. I like the Cycleops versions the best because you can stack them to simulate climbing (engages muscles differently).  Typically, you would just use one of these blocks.  It is designed to get the bike level since the rear wheel is lifted while attached to the trainer.  There are three different degrees of lift you can choose from.  I prefer the biggest lift because it tends to take some of the pressure off of the soft tissue that you are sitting on, as well as reducing the strain on your hands.

The mat under the bike is also a nice bit of equipment, especially for those working out inside the living area of your home.  This mat keeps some of the noise down, but more importantly, it helps to collect the sweat that pours off of you while doing your HIIT workouts.  You will be sweating...A LOT!  If not, you are doing it wrong.  The mat will also help to save your carpet, or hard wood floors from the constant movement of the trainer and riser blocks due to the force you are applying.

Speaking of sweat....if you are like me and find that you are actually raining on the floor after about 20 minutes, you should invest in a sweat shield like this one.  It is also a Cyclops product, but similar ones can be found by other companies and are just as effective.  They are designed to stay out of the way of you working the bike, but don't try to use it while riding outside as it does attach to the handlebars and restricts the movement.  For inside, however, it is nearly perfect.  It will protect the frame from your salty drips, and will keep a large portion of your sweat from getting into the bearings, but you should still wipe the bike down after your rides if you see that your sweat has made it near those sensitive areas.

You will also need a fan.  It is very easy to get overheated while doing intervals.  You don't have the advantage of the breeze drying your wicking clothing off, so you should manufacture your own breeze.  It isn't as effective, but it does help. Keep the fan close and don't skimp on the speed.  It will be chilly to start with, but after about 15 minutes it will feel great.  By the end, you will want to be immersed in ice.

Something else you might be noticing in this picture is the red tire on the rear wheel.  This is not a fashion statement by any stretch.  Actually, it looks a little tacky.  That is a good thing because this tire is not meant for road use, and the color is a readily identifiable warning to that fact.  This is a trainer tire and it is specifically designed for use on a stationary trainer.  It is a much harder compound than a road tire, and there is a tread pattern on it that is designed to dissipate the heat buildup that is caused from the tire rolling on the drum of the trainer.  In many cases, they are also quieter than a road tire would be.  This one is a Vittoria tire, but most tire manufacturers make their own version of a trainer tire.  Pick the one at the price point you can afford.  Since the compound is harder on these tires, they will last a nice long time.  A road tire will be torn to shreds long before it would wear out being used on the road.  This tire will save your expensive road tires for your road rides.

Garmin Edge 500 Computer mounted in front of the bars

Garmin GSC-10 Speed/Cadence Sensor mounted to the chain stay

Cycleops Powercal heart rate monitor mounted to me

I've been doing a lot of talking about measuring cadence and heart rate while on the trainer.  These are the hard training numbers that you need when working on an interval plan. Sure, you can get on the bike and spin for a certain amount of time, and just "wing it," but that really won't cut it if you are serious enough to own a trainer.  You need a way of keeping track of what your body is doing in order to make the most of your time.  Pictured above are some examples of what you should be considering.  I am a fan of the Garmin electronics, but there are other options out there, and many are at a lower price point.  You will need a head unit, the cyclometer.  This will display and record the metrics that you produce.  When on the road, a GPS enabled unit, like the Garmin ones will track distance and speed based on the satellite signal.  When indoors on a trainer, or rollers, this obviously won't work.  You aren't moving, and the computer will see no activity unless you add some sensors in.

At the very minimum, you will need a speed and cadence sensor.  What typically comes bundled with the Garmin units is their GSC-10 all in one unit.  It works off of magnets which are mounted to both the rear wheel (the only one rotating when on a trainer), and the crank arm.  This allows the head unit to see how fast the rear wheel is moving which gives you speed and distance.  It also allows you to see exactly what your cadence (pedal stroke) is at any time.  Garmin has recently come out with a magnetless set that I think works much better overall, and is easier to switch between bikes.  The speed sensor mounts to the rear hub with a rubber strap.  The cadence sensor mounts to the crank arm with another rubber strap.  There is no receiver unit with this and that cleans up the chain stay quite nicely.  Either way, you will have the same information going to the head unit.  Any sensor will work as long as they are Ant+ compatible.  Other units use Bluetooth, or other connectivity.  Just check to make sure that all of your equipment will talk to each other before deciding to purchase.

Another piece that comes bundled with the Garmin units is a heart rate strap.  This is a great way to keep track of what your heart is doing while working out.  It also gives you a very good target to set for your intervals.  There are many straps out there that will work, again, just make sure that they are compatible with your head unit.  I have replaced the standard Garmin strap with a new Cycleops Powercal monitor that not only monitors my heart rate, but also gives an estimate of my power output.  This is reportedly fairly accurate over a long ride, but is not of much use for short, hard efforts.  However, for about $60.00, I can live with that versus $500+ for a dedicated power meter.  That would be a much better option honestly, but I haven't made the plunge just yet.

That should be pretty much everything that you need to get the bike set up for your indoor trainer workouts.  The nice thing about the Garmin units is that if you get the bundles, you have all the sensors included to make the unit effective for indoor training.  Of course, all of the sensors are still very useful for road riding too, so don't think that that extra money is just for trainer season.

Setting Up Your Training Environment

Short of actually doing the intervals, this might be the most complex part of getting things ready.  You have to set up your training zones, or the environment that you are going to be working in.  Well, you don't really have to, but in order to actually reap the benefits from doing intervals, this is the best way to make it happen.  Essentially, you are setting your personal zones based on your own level of fitness, and needs.  Most websites that are designed around the hardware (bike computers) have their own zone maps available during the initial setup.

Since I have only used Garmin equipment, what I will be talking about directly applies to them.  I would assume that other websites would be about the same.  When you purchase your Garmin device and set it up through the Garmin website www.connect.garmin.com, you are asked several biographical questions.  Based on the answers to your age, weight, height, and activity level, Garmin assigns a max heart rate which is an average for your group.  Averages are only right occasionally, and more often wrong.  I think that based on my age, my max heart rate should be 184 bpm.  Well, my own testing has put it 199 bpm, which is significantly different.  On the other hand, I've seen the Garmin data way over the max heart rate of others.  While this won't affect your riding, and you can still look at the numbers after a ride, if you are targeting a certain training zone, this will cause you to either not push enough, or push too hard.  Your best bet is to establish your own training zones.

It is easier than it sounds, but will take a bit of effort in the saddle.  You can Google "setting training zones" for different methods of getting the right numbers.  Most are based on FTP, which is your functional threshold power.  What I have done is to do my own field test on the trainer.  After a brief warm up, I will have three different max intervals of 2 minutes each.  I don't expect to stay in that max effort for all of that time, but I do want to go as hard as I can until I start to get dizzy and loose the ability to see clearly.  Obviously, this is best done on the trainer.  Out of the three intervals, I should be able to get to that point at least once, and that should be my max heart rate.  When I start to get dizzy, that means that I am no longer able to pump enough blood to keep my brain fueled.  I don't need to go any harder than that.  After a brief recovery period, I will then do a 30 minute interval as hard as I can go for that time period.  Essentially, this is a time trial pace for 30 minutes.  The idea is to have a constant output for the entire 30 minutes.  After the first 10 minutes, my body should have calmed down and settled into a steady rhythm.  That is when I press the lap button resulting in a 20 minute segment that I can record an average heart rate.  That is the number that I am interested in.  I want to see that number equal to zone 4.4 or 4.5 when I get my zone map created.  That is my threshold power, right between aerobic and anaerobic.

Once I have these numbers, I will input my max heart rate into the grid (pictured above, from Garmin's website).  It will automatically fill in the remainder of the zones based on Garmin's percentages.  Since I was setting up my heart rate map for use with the James Herrera interval sessions I had mentioned before, I decided to go with his percentages instead of Garmin's.  Essentially, I can set the percentages to what I want them to be and Garmin will fill in the actual heart rate numbers in the left column.  I've found that they work perfectly, not only for the intervals, but also on the road.  It's nice to keep an accurate idea of how hard I'm working on the bike.

Once you have your heart rate map completed, you are all set to create your interval workouts with target heart rate zones.  You will know exactly where you need to be for each workout, and if you have it programmed into your Garmin, it will alert you if you are outside of your intended zone.

For those training with power, you can also do similar things with the power map (pictured above).  It is a little more intensive to get the zones created, and you have to adjust it regularly through the season as your fitness changes.  While I have a power map completed, I use it primarily for intensity and training stress of my workouts.  For these to be as accurate as possible, I do have to keep my functional threshold power (FTP) updated.  For simplicity, not accuracy, I pay attention to my max average power over 20 minutes which is a metric available when recording power through the Garmin head unit.  This will fluctuate according to my effort on a ride.  When I know I've had a hard ride, and have pushed myself to the breaking point, I will see what that number is.  That becomes my new FTP number.

Since I am using a heart rate based power meter and not a dedicated power meter, I don't put a lot of weight on these numbers, but they are good for comparison.  With a dedicated power meter, you could be doing intervals based on power instead of heart rate.  That is the most accurate way of doing intervals because it takes the variable of how you are feeling out of the equation.  300 watts is 300 watts no matter what you feel like.  Heart rate can fluctuate with stress and illness, and is not always the best indicator of the work you are actually doing.


Conclusion

As the saying goes, "I'm not Willy Wonka, I don't sugar coat shit!"  What I have outlined here is going to hurt.  You are going to say all sorts of words that will make your loved ones think you need an exorcism.  You will hate your bike, you will want to quit.  You will feel beat down, no matter how far you can ride on the road.  You will be bored, your butt will hurt, and you will question why you have decided to embark on this self imposed torture.  If done right though, you will have your answer in the Spring when all of your friend's bikes are being dusted off and put back on the road.  You will already be in much better shape than you finished the season in.  You will be ready to accomplish bigger and better goals than ever before.  You will be more confident on the bike, and you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that limitations are in your mind, not in your body.  You will have learned how to push your body well past its comfort zone, and know that your body thrives on that feeling.  It is only your mind that balks at the concept.

You can opt to spin on your trainer, and you will still burn calories, but you will be missing out on all the benefits from intervals.  Plus, by doing intervals, you will be burning those calories much faster than by just spinning, so even if that is your only goal, you have the option of spending less time on the trainer with the same benefits.  If you are not fond of just listening to music and letting a workout program guide you in your intervals, you do have other options.  There are spin classes out there where you can do a veritable group ride indoors.  You can also buy videos, much like any workout video, but directed at cyclists on their bikes.  There are Internet subscriptions to web based workouts you can do.  There is also an interactive "game" that can be played with virtual or real opponents called Zwift.  All of these are designed to make the time pass quicker, and guide you through a workout in a pleasant way.  Personally, I tend to lose my focus and can't hit my zones when I am watching a video.  I like to embrace the suck and wait for the Garmin to beep at me and tell me what to do next for the workout.  But then again, I am a glutton for punishment.  However you make it work, if you can stick with an interval plan, you will be much stronger, or at the very least won't have lost any fitness from the previous year.

One last thought....if you are crazy enough to have read all of this, then you are crazy enough to create your own pain cave and suffer.  ENJOY!!!