Preparing for the onslaught...

I can say with some confidence that I worked pretty hard riding the Bimble* on Sunday.  An very easy effort few hours out in the sun with Lorna - easy as in and Average HR of >100bpm and an average power of 116W - illustrated that I can still 'feel' my legs.

No soreness or anything silly like that, just the remnants of that 'worked hard' feeling in my Quads and Glutes.

I did also have a sore right SI joint -  from hitting an unexpected bump in the road at speed, slightly twisted and not absorbing it like I normally do - but that has, as expected eased up nicely.

I have spent the last few years (from the end of 2010) since cycling became my primary hobby/sport doing lots of miles and riding a few sportives.  And I still consider myself a relative novice at this game.

But I'm also nearly 48.

So when Lorna started talking about goals for next year I wasn't really sure what to do.

You see, running and long distance events was something that we did together - that was the point.
When I couldn't run anymore and started cycling, Lorna did too.  A little more reluctantly because at heart she's a runner and has the opportunity to race as a runner whereas there genuinely isn't that option for (her words) "a little old lady who can do endurance, but whose ablity to generate power is literally off the bottom of the charts"

She's right - there's hardly any facility for racing for women, let alone those in her demographic!
Shame on you cycling!!

But she suggested that it might be worth *me* having a season racing and seeing how I got on with it and if I enjoyed it.
At the same time she'll target some challenging running things.

For the last year I have been getting input from a coach at Dig Deep Coaching, and have seen some quantifiable improvements, and the focus had been on some selective spotives, endurance events and riding with Lorna, when I put it to him that I'd like to have a punt at racing next year, he didn't laugh me off Skype!

Obviously he already knows where my strengths and weaknesses lie - and in our discussion about how to approach next season, we agreed that it would make sense to hit the season running - "good legs will paper over the cracks in your lack of racecraft, and give you more opportunities in the early season to gain some decent racecraft without being blown out the back every race"

Makes sense to me.

So my winter is mostly going to be spent developing some top end strength.
A slightly unorthodox approach, but for good reason.
We will plan a mid season break too once I start to inevitably drop off, and then have a pop at the back end of the season.

This week has ALL been rest days and recovery rides.

The hard work starts tomorrow, and the next 2 weeks look quite..... err...... interesting.

Looking forward to it!!



*I have a tendency to understatement I'm told!