[PCannell]

This weekend was a quiet one around these parts and thank goodness- because just a few hours north was the "snopocalypse". For once we just got a little rain and that was it. Today (sunday) was sunny and dry, and I'm thankful for that.

Saturday AM I did a "tune up ride". The tune up ride is a special type of workout in my mind - one that is not really a rest day, not really a solid workout but more of a test of your threshold and anaerobic capabilities wrapped into one ride that is fun, hard but not grueling. Usually for my guys and myself I prescribe the following:

10 easy
5:00 at 95 to 100% FTP
5:00 easy
5:00 at 100+%
5:00 easy
2x2:00 at 120+% with 5:00 rest
1x1:00 all out with 5:00 rest
Cooldown


This gives you a nice opener with the 5:00 effort - and then some solid hard efforts but not so long, not so hard that it impacts your ability to race or ride hard the next day. The idea with a tune up ride is to open up the legs, get things rolling the day after a rest day and before a race or such.

SO my tune up ride yesterday went very well, surprised me actually. So the power was pretty good considering my inconsistent and not terribly hard training lately. More on why that is later on (not today).

Saturday afternoon my client Marc Warner and his wife Marnie came down from richmond to stay with us for dinner, drinks and then some riding sunday. We had a nice meal with them, some fantastic wine from their recent trip to Napa and good company. Even though Marc is a left-leaning type, we get along very well and I really enjoy discussing politics with someone who is well informed and intelligent. Thought provoking for both of us for sure. I look forward to many more discussions with him over a good drink.

The best story hands down of 2010 has to be about Hannibal the rooster. I won't go into all the hillarious detail here, but the short of it is - Marc and Marnie order 10 chicks for their farm. Overnight USPS. Marnie gets the box - the dog takes one sniff and runs off. She opens expecting fuzzy, cute chicks. What is really in the box is a single, highly irritated rooster. A rooster who wants to peck, claw and kill. The sellers accidentally shipped a prized "show cock" (who knew?) instead of the chicks. So this angry rooster spend a lonley cold weekend on the patio while the warner's were down here with us. Hannibal is going back to where he came tomorrow, assuming he doesn't get loose or otherwise take over the household.

Today - a sunny 40 degree day with no ice or snow on the roads was the annual super secret "january nationals". A chapel hill tradition that I will not divulge too much detail on. Basically a group ride with a few bucks on the line and the dubious title of being the January world champion.

This was my 3rd time doing the "ride" - and this year had a large showing (75ish) including my client and his wife. I wasn't originally planning on doing the race, but I figured it would be fun to go over with Marc and also debut my new team kit.

The race didn't work out too well for marc - sadly the really bad condition roads gave him a double flat and a cracked rim in the first 3 miles. I was wondering why he wasn't at the front ripping legs from the get-go - and a number of other folks got flats as well.

I felt good, and I was happy with the fitness compared to the rest of the crew out there with the usual suspects present - but I only did the first 6 of 7 laps. Good workout but a tad too far for me at the moment - again, reasons later, but I was happy to get out in the sun and get a nice workout.

Back to the usual this week - early AM ride tomorrow, quick day and a half trip up to Philly - then local the rest of the week.

Next weekend is the real season opener around here, two road races, the "wolfpack classic". Looking forward to the overnight visit of another great client from south carolina and another fun filled weekend.

Cheers,
Pete