Training logs, you should be keeping one.

What a difference a week makes was going to be the title of this entry but I looked at last years training log this morning and that brought about the change.

Two weeks ago I had a couple of really solid rides and I was wondering how it was that I was riding so well. Friday I went out on the single speed cross bike and headed North on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A bunch of steady climbs, none that leave me over geared but they are just hard enough that I am getting a good work out. Today however I was turning the gear over easier than usual, on the last climb to the lookout I normally have to grind just a bit but today it almost felt like I had changed to an easier gear. On the way back more of the same, the last climb before the river is usually an out of the saddle effort as I get towards the top but today I stayed seated and felt like I floated up it.

The next week the Family and I headed to Disney for my daughter Ellie's 5th birthday. A week off the bike would probably do me good, I never take enough of a break after cross season and this would give me some rest.

So we get home and I head out for my easy spin ride on Fri. and every direction I go seems like a headwind. Each time I go up hill it feels like work, big difference from the previous Friday but I kinda expected it after not riding for a week, walking a ton and spending 12 hours in the car on Thurs. Never the less still not a fun ride.

The next day I decided to do the Bakery group ride. I hadn't been back after my first one last year but I wanted to ride with a group and figured it would also motivate me to stay on the bike longer in the cold weather. After an almost 3 hour ride I came home and felt trashed. Sure part of it was I went out on the road bike for the first time in about 6 months and that had my body tweaked from being more stretched out than I was used to but I wasn't going to let that bit of logic make me feel better.

I start thinking I am way behind where I want to be fitness wise, I haven't done a long ride in months and I am going to be in big trouble when mtn. bike season gets here. Of course reading about everyone else doing 15-20 hour training weeks doesn't help. So this morning I get out last years training log to see what I was doing at the same time in 2008. Turns out about what I am doing now, in fact I might be a bit ahead of where I was last year. Perfect example of why it is a good idea to keep track of what you do year to year.