PeteSpeers.com

This year so far…

Pete — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:18:08 +0000

It’s been a while since I posted, so before I write too much about plans for the season, let’s see where I’ve been so far this year. Here are my stats on Garmin connect as of today. Keep in mind this is a mix of road, light trail, and snow riding. For a serious racer, these probably aren’t huge numbers, but for me, compared to years past, this is probably my strongest early-season ever.

Count:	41 Activities (rides)
Distance:	621.92 mi
Time:	46:25:01 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:	17,499 ft
Avg Speed:	13.4 mph
Avg HR:	153 bpm
Avg Run Cadence:	–
Avg Bike Cadence:	85 rpm
Calories:	25,118 C

Today was my first official mountain ride of the season over at Crystal Ridge. (NOTE: THE SOURCE for trail conditions for the Milwaukee area is the Metro Mountain Bikers group. Follow them on Twitter for the latest news.) I did one sloppy lap, and then my second time around, I bottomed out on a rock down by the Root River and pinch flatted my rear tire. It was a sloppy first ride with a sad ending, but it was great to get out to the trails!

Long Time No Blog – Big News!

Pete — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:30:15 +0000

I’ve completely disappeared from the blogosphere for the last two weeks because Trisha and I have been celebrating and spreading the good news – we’re having a baby!

We found out officially two weeks ago, and since then we’ve been touring the state announcing to our families in person. This week, we’re telling the world!

We are both extremely excited and eager to prepare for his (the Speers dads only have boys ) arrival, which should be sometime mid-September.

Meanwhile, we’re getting unseasonably warm temps in the 60′s this week, so I’m aching to get out for a ride. I’m also aching to try out my new toy & training partner – a Garmin Forerunner 405! More to come…

Gallery: Explosive Sunrise

Pete — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:04:51 +0000

A gallery: Explosive Sunrise – Bender Park, Oak Creek, WI

Busy Week

Pete — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:30:25 +0000

It’s been a busy week, but I should have some photos, ride reports, and weekly totals for you on Sunday. Until then, check out the re-broadcast of the US Cyclocross Nationals in Madison:

Cleaning House – Need Bike Parts?

Pete — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:07:55 +0000

Now that we’re getting closer to spring, it’s time to clean out the parts collection a bit. Check out eBay if you need any road, cyclcross, or triathlon stuff.

7 Rules for Snow Biking During Wisconsin Winters

Pete — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:32:59 +0000

I’m not sure why, but I couldn’t force myself to ride on the trainer today. I just had to get outside. So I layered on just about every piece of winter cycling equipment I own, and I hit the road. I ended up with about a 2 hour ride. My phone/GPS battery died about halfway through the ride, so I lost the GPS info, but I’m guessing it was about 15 miles, which makes it, well, pretty slow going.

Riding in this weather isn’t for everyone. You have to have the right mindset and the right equipment. You need to make some good decisions to have a good time.

Today’s starting temp:

1. Don’t worry about speed…at least until you get the hang of it. Battling the elements, especially as you approach sub-zero temperature, will drain your energy quickly. Pace yourself.

2. ”Layer up.” It’s a cliche, and it works. Especially your extremities. And your core. Oh and wear moisture-wicking fabrics. Sweat can be your worst enemy.

3. Manage your liquids. At these temperatures, your liquid nutrition won’t take long to freeze. You’ll need to carry your fluids in an insulated, cold-weather-specific pack like these Camelbaks. Even then, take frequent sips to keep your bite valve from freezing.

4. Hone your skills. Riding on snow and ice is a great chance to sharpen your bike handling skills. Unpredictable terrain forces you to be very conscious of your balance, cornering, and smooth pedal stroke.

5. Be realistic. You’ll hit a point, depending on your tire size, where snow wins and tires lose. I ran 2.1″ tires today, and found that limit at about 3-4 inch drifts. I haven’t had the pleasure of riding one of the “fat-tire” bikes that are gaining popularity recently, but I assume they’ll deal with another few inches. Either way, you won’t get far in a foot of snow.

6. Be prepared, and bring your phone. It’s always wise to bring tools, tubes, etc. I haven’t brought my cell phone along on every ride I’ve ever done, but in this weather it’s vital. The cold can have its way with you in minutes.

7. Have fun, and share. Post your photos, videos, and stories, too!

My New Favorite Exercise

Pete — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:02:10 +0000

Thursday’s back mobility and hamstring exercises are courtesy of JK Conditioning and Fitness Training at Home. So the second site looks kinda dumb, but I have to say the “Swiss Ball Butt and Hamstring Busters” are my new favorite exercise. Seriously.

Thoratic Spine Extension & Rotation
3×12 each side

Chest Stick Mobilization
3×12 each side

Wall Slides with Chin Tuck
3×12

Thoracic Spine Extension w/Roller
3×10

Bent Over Row Isometric Holds
3×10

Swiss Ball Butt and Hamstring Busters
2×10 (These are tough to do nice and slow!)

Road Bike, Road Tires, Road Pedals, Road Shoes, Clean Pavement.

Pete — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:14:07 +0000

Finally a few days of what feels like freedom. The snow, ice, and salt on the roads are gone, for the most part, so I could actually get a few decent road rides in without resorting to the mountain bike or keeping the cross tires on. I wasn’t really going for speed this weekend, but got some decent volume in, especially for this time of the year. Saturday was a nice 1:45 at about a 3.5 intensity, and Sunday was a nice recovery ride of about an hour at a 2.5-3.

Back to the Trails!

Pete — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:45:25 +0000

I put in two more “mini-rides” on Wednesday and Friday, just to keep the legs loose and focus on good technique while riding nice and easy from a fitness perspective. Wednesday I took the cross bike (and cross tires) through Bayview, and Friday I was finally able to get back out on the Grant Park & Seven Bridges mountain bike trails.

Bike grave?

This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip here instead.

Periodized Training for Mountain Bike and Cyclocross Seasons

Pete — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:30:34 +0000

I’ve been working quite a bit lately on developing a year-round training plan that will help me maintain fitness from year to year and keep me motivated during the off season to stay active. While training for Ironman, we did a lot of periodization, which essentially incorporates strategic amounts of volume and intensity, along with rest periods, with the intent of “peaking” for an especially important race, like Ironman was for me. We can apply some of the same principles to cyclocross and mountain bike training.

Key references:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/06/case-study-periodization-for-first-a-race-of-season.html
http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/11/preparing-for-2010-season-part-4.html
http://www.stage5cycling.com/news/periodization-indoor-cycling/
http://www.koolstofcoaching.com/articles/training/how-to-peak-for-cyclocross

I’ve selected one mtb race and one cyclocross race to “peak” for, although, my main goal is to have some overall performance gains for multiple races in each season. I won’t be close enough to the overall standings in either category to win races or win overall points…I’m just trying to survive here!

Here is what I’ve come up with so far. This includes some relative measures for volume and intensity. I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to control either of these aspects yet. The biggest challenge with volume is simply the fact that “real life” can very easily throw off a week my limiting my time. Intensity is tough because most of us amateurs can’t afford power meters. I’m going to try to measure some of this by heart rate, but heart rate has limitations.

I also acknowledge technique and strength pieces of this training, but I’m not sure yet exactly how to plan for these. I see bits and pieces of insight from Jeff Kerkove addicted to his blog archives right now) but not enough to pull together a comprehensive plan. I guess that’s why you hire a coach.

Here goes. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how to restructure more effectively or if you see any red flags.

Tuesday Core

My core workout is prescribed here, executed to the ‘T’:

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/core?page=0,0

PeteSpeers.com

This year so far…

Count:

41 Activities (rides)

Distance:

621.92 mi

Time:

46:25:01 h:m:s

Elevation Gain:

17,499 ft

Avg Speed:

13.4 mph

Avg HR:

153 bpm

Avg Run Cadence:

–

Avg Bike Cadence:

85 rpm

Calories:

25,118 C