I'm back

Wham! I'm back over here.

I can't believe I haven't posted here since before I moved out of Japan. But as the season finishes off this year in Washington, D.C., I'm refocusing and reworking.

I would say a lot has changed, but really - very little changed. I raced a lot more this year than I did in two years in Japan. I won absolutely none of the events I raced in, placed top 10 once or twice, top 15 a bunch, and a lot of unmentionable finishes.

Racing in the states has been a whole new world of experiences. The talent pool is significantly more diverse. The sheer addition of people at the top end of the fitness scale changes the odds. Added to that is a much larger employment of team tactics and I've had a lot to learn.

All that said, the racing season was what it was. I don't intend to re-hash any of it here or attempt to sum up how each race went. They'll get mentioned as I roll into the next year and race many of the same events again. My intention is to pick up essentially as if I hadn't stopped writing here at all.

So, with that: August was a good month of training. I rode a lot of hours this month. 75 hours on the bike with two taper weeks in the mix for the two races in Page Valley. I wrapped up this weekend with 5 hours on the bike yesterday and 4 hours today.

Based on the power files from this weekend and the work on the Wakefield group rides this past week, I might need to re-evaluate what I am calling threshold power. I still have it set @ 345 in Cyclingpeaks. After a two hour "warm up" of endurance time on Tuesday, I still rode 55 minutes in the group ride @ 351 - with some left in the bank even. This would be logical difference between where I was at last year, as I'm sitting 2 kg heavier, so it's just about the same W/kg.

I have three more races in two weekends this month. Turkey Day race has two events, M30+ and the Cat 3/4. The following weekend is the inaugural Capital Criterium in downtown D.C. racing the M35+.

In the next month, a few changes will take place for me.

First, after a quick transition week following the races, I'm going to make a concerted focus shift to time trial training. I hope to have a dedicated TT frame by then and for every two days of threshold training through the winter, one of those days will be on that TT bike.

Second, a team change. I raced with Westwood Velo - a fantastic team out of Northern NJ. But the reality of gas and travel will probably keep me racing the primary MABRA schedule instead of the PA, NJ, NY road races next year. So, after some good riding at the Wakefield rides with Whole Wheel Velo Club guys over the last two months, I'm heading in their direction. I'll ride these last two weekends with the Westwood Velo jersey and then hang that one up next year for the WWVC jersey.

I'm holding my highest training load since about last October and feel great on the bike, around the bike, and thinking about the bike. Even with tomorrow's scheduled day off I'm already looking forward to getting back on the bike Tuesday.

Ride safe, ride often.

VW