It's been a couple of days since last post. A few good days training wise. Body is starting to respond well, but no sparkling legs yet. Friday I took a rest day. My girlfriend came home from a business trip to China, and I prepared some good and farily healthy food. Grilled lamb roast with potatoes and vegetables. Yummy! And could I keep away from a glass of red? No. Would that matter for the races - no chance. Saturday I had about 90 km. Decent pace and 2x6 intervals of 45/15. Good power and had energy to continue for a good trip at reasonable good pace afterwards. Sunday I did another 80 with a few accellerations in the climbs and a 20 minutes AT session.
Weather's been beautiful, so yesterday's restitution ride was magnificent. As I have entered the last week, I now take two restitution days in a row. Yesterday it was only 60 km at very slow speed and below 65% pulse. Today I keep off the bike. The plan for tomorrow is to have about 80-90 km. I will do an TT of about 20km, but will be right around AT and not take things beyond. This I hope sets the necessary kicker. It will be the last real ride before the Marmotte. I have plans on doing a shorter ride on Friday with some very short intervals either Friday morning in Como, or Friday evening in Alpe d'Huez.
Even after a couple of really good meals over the weekend, and a few glasses of wine (nothing I could feel), my weight is still at 71 - and it is close to dipping under... 71 mark... maybe tomorrow? Doubt I will see the 69 mark, but I feel it is more important now to have the body well fuelled. It wasn't the plan to eat too much over the weekend. But things can come as a surprise and I ended up at a great restaurant in Copenhagen with fabulous food ... and wine... Met up with a girl I went to high school with in the US, her husband and a couple they were vacationing with in Copenhagen. With 5 courses of Italian food at L'Altro, we had to have a bottle of red. It was fabulous. Could not feel anything on my performance the day after. And a couple of glasses of red wine - about 300 KCals are gone with 45 mins of calm biking...
...but what I have been feeling lately is either a mild cold or hayfewer/allergies. I'm usually not very bothered this time a year with allergies. But right now grass-pollen spread is at its peak, and I believe this is what I'm feeling these days. It is almost like the throat is sore and a cold is on the break out, but it's not getting any worse... So, let's hope this goes away.
Another slight downturn today was the message I got from Cicli Ferca in Italy regarding my Pinarello. Pinarello can't deliver - AGAIN! I ordered the bike March 13th (must have been that 13th date!). They promised delivery end of April, then end of May, then end of June. Now it is July 10!! This is ridiculous. I have called the dealer so many times. He must be fed up with this. But Roberto's at Cicli Ferca really is the best of guys. I value his service and can by full heart recommend him and Cicli Ferca. The problem is Pinarello. They don't care much. No firm information. No dedication to keep promises. No answers to mail. No calling back. Yes, I wonder why I'm accepting it and letting my money go to them... It's been tempting to wait for the Cervelo California or what maybe DeRosa has in their sleeve for next year. Oh well, let's see next Friday. I expect a great product with the Dogma. But as part of a great product Pinarello should - of any commanding such prices - care much about really delivering top tier customer service and be able to answer when the bike will be available. It's actually pretty scary that they don't have more control over their logistics. So, now the deal is: deliver by next Friday or I wait for something new to come around next year. At least they now have promised to Cicli Ferca - next week. OK - I'm eager to see that...
Also of disappointment today was that I can't get a hold of Clif bars in time for the races. I have had really good experience combining that GU-gels and Nuun for my long races. The gels give the necessary suger boost every 45th minute and the bars provide some more solid fuels for my stomach - and keeping it from gel-turmoil. During the Marmotte I eat a bar around every one to one and a half hour. For drinks? I stay away from energy drinks. Nuun is my friend. Keeps me hydrated with a great balance of minerals, potassium and elecrolytes. I will pack a tube of different flavored Nuun capsules in the back pocket of my shirt. The Nuun capsules are great in that you just drop them in the waterbottles after a fill. Fast too... water bottles full, leave cap open, jump on the bike, then add Nuuns. If it will be really warm I will carry a couple of salt tablettes just to make sure the body can bind enough fluids. This plan worked perfectly last year, and I will stick to it this year. Seems like tempearature this year will be a bit lower than the 36 degrees we had when we hit the Alpe d'Huez climb. 31 is what the forecast says now. But this year it may be rain. Nutrition wise the only one difference I will do this year is to have another gel or bar about 15 mins before hitting Alpe d'Huez.
Tomorrow I'll write more on packing up the bike and planning the trip. Keep rolling!
Ingen kommentarer:
Send en kommentar