Showcase Showdown … Winning!

So for the last couple of months, Coach has had me on a strict HR leash where the long bike is concerned.  With little exception, I have not been allowed over 131 bpm.  I started calling these the Showcase Showdowns....as in 'as close as I can get to the HR ceiling without going over'.  ;)  It’s been hard.  And it’s taken a lot of discipline.  Because let’s be clear – that translates to some pretty slow riding. What's actually been amazing is to see and experience even from week to week how much easier it has become to actually be able to execute that.  I've had my own targets that look something like 'no more than 5 minutes in a 4 hr workout over the target'.  For the most part I've been pretty successful at executing these.

The premise is this – I was supposed to be building my base.  Moving that curve to the right.  It’s clear from my lactate tests that in the past I have overworked my Z3.  It’s big.  My Z2, ummmm... not so much.  So we’ve spent a considerable amount of time growing that.  We’ll test again after next weekend’s race, but I suspect it has worked.  My speed and associated power at that heart rate have definitely increased.  And I’ve learned a lot of discipline on the bike, which I have definitely needed.  I’ve become SO very familiar with what 130bpm feels like on the bike. 

Of course, me and my type AAA challenges have been freaking out behind the scenes over the speed, but I’ve come to accept that it is what it is, and as we move into the Build phase, this discipline will reap the expected benefits.  As Coach said to me a week or so ago, “I’ve Z2-ed you to death.  Now we see what we have.”  So here we are at the end of the first Build set.

And don’t you know, it’s starting to happen.  Rode 120 miles on Sunday, and felt amazing.  With some good speed.  (no, still not where I want to be, but c'est la vie...patience girl, patience).  And that was still mostly Z2, although I was allowed to Z3/4 power the hills.  Well, ok, the first 110 miles were great anyway.  A little miscalc’ed math in my head, and I was 5 miles shorter than I needed to be, which mentally after 7 hrs on the bike is tough to take, and I was out of water.  I FOOLISHLY thought I’d be fine for 7 more miles.  Bad Idea.  Let me repeat, for any of you that haven’t already learned this lesson yourself – BAD IDEA.  Mentally I was ready to be done, which undoubtedly was the bigger issue, and then I also managed to dehydrate myself.  Did I mention it was a cloudless, humid 95 degrees?  I sometimes wonder about myself.  I am a smart girl.  Goes to show what 110 miles of hot riding will do to your decision making ability – hence why you have a plan and just stick to it when it comes to nutrition.  So the last 7 miles sucked, but that was my own fault.  The rest was great, and probably the best I’ve felt on a ride that long, ever.  And that was preceded by a pretty intense power workout the day before, which seemed almost easy.

So, comes as no surprise really, but his plan is working.  I’m liking what I’m seeing.  The race on Saturday will be exciting.  Can’t wait to see what I’ve got. 

Happy Training!

Kat