An update before the new year

after having a great block of training done, I'm now currently on a recovery period before i am re-tested to see what my new wattage is.
This block consisted of a lot of time on the turbo with an option of doing an hour to three on the road after (which i did every time except twice). but roughly at the start of my turbo training I must of sat down too aggressively, the reason why I'm saying this is because for the entire last two or so weeks I have had this bruise on my bum! and it kills! :( its made my 4 hour rides a pain. Even though I did get through all my training I probably pro-longed the bruising. but thankfully I'm resting up i had a rest day yesterday and my coach has told me to take today off as well as these two days would just be recovery rides. Tomorrow I have an hour just to see if the pain has gone (oh i hope so!) but if I feel any pain even after 10-30 mins I'll turn around and go home, just to let it recover a bit more before the weekend. then I'll have a couple of zone 1 - zone 2 rides then my re-test!

im a bit nervous but really excited. Its almost as if its a race... doesn't sound right but since I have no races until at least mid march this'll do. my coach reckons I'll be stronger by around 10 watts but I'd love to really really push myself and get between 15-20 watts which would be incredible as I have an extra 2 months after! but I know I must not overdue it like i have done so many times in the past and dip half way through the test. This happens all the time when riders become too enthusiastic. an example I can think off the top of my head is at this years Vuelta (2011) at the TT Tony Martin was the clear power house and kept a strong wattage the whole way, but Wiggins aiming for overall thinking he could get a big gap over his rivals went too hard and was even going faster than Martin for the first dozen Kilometres. Obviously he dipped and then the amazing breakthrough of Chris Froome came to place. so yea, that's why I'll aim to go harder by about 10 watts then if i still have some kick in the legs and step it up last time I got my heart rate to 211 beats per minute on my 20 minute test..
its a bit scary but I know I'm going to be so much stronger at the start of the season. Hoping to be around 50-60 watts stronger than I was at the start point in march this year to next.

looking to head out to Majorca too. i would love to go as when i went this year it was such a success and went really well. also you kinda feel like you miss out if you done go. its basically the cliché for winter training for competitive cycling.

I have a TT bike now which I cant wait to use come the new year and have big ambitions on the TT bike this coming year.

that's pretty much all the news from me for now...

Elliott

testing over now the proper stuff

first of all just like to say 'hi' and thank you very much for even clicking onto my blog. Im new to this and seen that quite a few other riders do this, so why not?

After my break in October my coach Adrian Timmis told me to take 2-3 weeks of getting back into the swings of things. i found it funny yet a bit nerve racking how sluggish i was in the first couple of days. I was worried that i lost power, i was assured that was not the case by my coach and my mother who was once a very successful pro rider. as the bundle of rides and the odd club ride i could start to feel 'me' again!

But, just when i was about to get onto the fitness test.Bang. i was sick and didn't want to believe it but before I went for another ride i called Adrian and he was very wise to tell me to stop and wait. a very frustrating couple of days past and i was feeling better heart rate getting back to the usual but not perfect around 49-53bpm. A few soft rides just to get the legs ready and moving. At least it was only November! 

First test. 

didn't do as well as I planned and wanted to get. I probably went to hard at the start

second test.

was feeling great and in a good mood and felt like i did ok.

third test.

most intimidating test but made sure I didn't over due it but still really knackered myself!

happy that their over but also happy that I did them lots to work on and lots to improve. found a new Max heart rate of 213 beats per minute during my test as well! scary stuff!

did a nice solid long ride yesterday and really excited with how well things are going I have a really tough week next week. 

'train hard so racing is easier'

thanks for reading, if anybody has! :) 

Elliott Porter