Mike's Bike Blog

I had a light week on the bike, that was to lead up to a Tempo Time Trial test of 3 miles on Saturday. The rides I had scheduled were short hour long rides in zone 1 with comfortably high RPMs. I had 2 weight sessions as well.

I did skip out on 2 rides, one being after the Thursday weights and Friday. The Friday workout was put on hold due to the weather. On Friday I decided to switch my workouts up and do my testing ride after work instead of Saturday. I was going to do a complete FTP test since it had been about a month since I last tested and in February when I did the test it wasn't on fresh legs so I was looking forward to the test and had high hopes. With the rain and inclement weather it didn't make it conducive to do a FTP test, so I decided to do it on Saturday and then I got busy with the family after work and didn't get on the bike in the evening.

The plan for Saturday was suppose to be the Spoke'n Spurs event ride with the 2 older boys and then I'd do my test afterwards. Ethan was going to make his event ride debut in the 6 mile route and Jack was going to do the 14 mile route this year. The weather had other plans, early Friday evening I got word that the ride was postponed for the next weekend due to the muddy conditions at the Spirt Reins Ranch. We won't be able to ride it that weekend as I'll be racing in Fayetteville on Saturday and Sunday. We'll have to sign up for another ride.

Saturday was a bit chilly, but it was dry and the wind wasn't going to be a factor so I went out to do my test. Like I said I had high hopes, I wanted to see my FTP between 290-300 watts. As I was going I just didn't feel it, I felt flat, not sure if that was partialy because I missed Friday's workout or what. I was still expecting to better my previous effort, but when I looked at the numbers I was actually 7 watts less than my February effort, plus I was slower overall. It really put a damper on the rest of my ride.

For Sunday I was planning on riding with the Austin Road Riders in the afternoon, but Saturday night we got a call from Jennifer's Aunt telling her that on Sunday was the memorial service for a 2nd cousin in Georgetown that passed away earlier in the month. I instead rode Sunday morning in the rain and drizzle for 2 1/2 hours. I did come up with a new twist on Parmer. I rode down Parmer just before Hwy 29 and turned left at the Camp Tejas route. Instead of going all the way around back to Parmer I turned left on CR 213 and right on 29. Hwy 29 has a big shoulder all the way into Liberty Hill, it's just as wide as the Parmer shoulder. From Liberty Hill I went back to Cedar Park via 332/Bagdad Road. I liked this option and it opens up more potential to have a safe route to cut across to Liberty Hill. The next option is to go further up Parmer to 3405 and then CR 256 to 183. The problem with going on 183 is that even though it's short there's not much of a shoulder and the little stretch is uphill. I don't have a problem going the opposite way, going down 183 to 256 isn't as scary. A third option is to go all the way to Andice and cut over via 970, this crosses 183 then then into Liberty Hill on the back country roads. Route I took down Parmer: http://www.roadbikerides.com/ride/view/parmer__liberty_hill/5389

I've also been fighting a little knee pain. It's not my usual pain on the side of the knee that flares up on occasion while riding. This time it seems to be in the front of the knee and is only noticable on the bike on the down stroke when starting off from a track stand. Its more noticeable when I walk, nothing that causes me to limp, but just a low grade pain. I should get it looked at and maybe get a look at my bike fit to make sure nothing has slipped over the past 4 months.