After last week's "rest" I was chomping at the bit to really push it this week. Monday was a short 1 hour ride to loosen the legs up and was followed by yesterday's painfest. Cody had set up a training day which included not just 1 x 10-20 minute interval, not only 2 x 10-20 minute intervals, nor even only 3 x 10-20 minute intervals, but a full 4 x 10-20 minute intervals. The goal was to hit between 84-94% of LT power and LT HR for the duration and take not more than 5 minutes of rest between each effort.

While he wanted me to try to find a climbing route on with to torture myself, this is Southern California, not Colorado, and there are limited opportunities for 20 minute + climbs; at least ones that I can get to before work. So, Fiesta Island was once again the ride of choice.

The Intervals broke down like this:

1. 20:05 min, 277 watts avg; 161 HR avg 93% LTpw
2.19:00 min, 282 watts avg; 172 HR avg 95% LTpw
3. 20:00 min, 279 watts avg; 172 HR avg 94% LTpw
4. 12:30 min, 234 watts avg; 158 HR avg 79% LTpw

And it looks like this:

Oops, interval 4 didn't go to well - lost all power, but it was still a valuable workout.

Today was the Cyclovet's Ride, no Arnie, but the Vets were out in force as well as a bunch of the Adams Avenue guys and the Jamba Juice crew. A long, slow ride out to Campo Road and then the charge up to Lyons Valley Road. A poorly time stop light split two of us off the front and made us rabbits for the rest of the group... so we made the most of it; a two up time trail. We got caught just before the junction by a group of three.

The second, longer section was a steady climb to Four Corners. Some effort, but not full out 29 minutes @ 288 watts. The ride back included a few sprints after the drop down Mexican Canyon, maxing out @ 1152 watts and 1178 watts. Those numbers have to get bigger.

Today was another ride on which we had a rider go down in a significant accident. This time the rider only cut up his hand somewhat and bruised his back (against a power pole), the time before a bruised and battered hip as well as another hand, the time before that a couple of fracture vertebrae, a punctured lung, and recovery complications due to pneumonia - not good. Descending quick is good for races, not so good for training rides.