Mi CTL (o la evolución de mi estado de forma) en los últimos 365 días

Pues aquí va el gráfico de mi CTL (Chronical Training Load). Por explicarlo de alguna manera, cada vez que sales tienes un valor de "entrenamiento" (TSS, Training Stress Score).

El CTL, la línea azul, es la media de TSS diario en las últimas seis semanas. La idea es que es estado de forma es cuanto has entrenado (lo alto que sea tu CTL) más lo descansado que estés. Por aquello de simplificar el gráfico he eliminado la parte de lo cansado que estas y podemos hacer una aproximación CTL = estado de forma. Podéis encontrar información más detallada, en inglés, en el artículo What is the Performance Management Chart? 

El gráfico es de los últimos 365 días para poder poner perspectiva al asunto.

Os cuento lo que he señalado en el gráfico:

1. Esto son las vacaciones de navidad en Asturias. 11 días seguidos montando en bicicleta me dieron un buen empuje al estado de forma, Una pena que la semana siguiente a volver de las vacaciones tuve que viajar y no pude tocar la bici. Perdí casi todo lo ganado. El llano argandiano que hay después del punto 1 son los meses que me dediqué a competir. Como era un cuarta categoría eran carreras muy cortas por lo que mi CTL nunca llegaba a subir. No me importaba porque estaba entrenando más intensidad que otra cosa. 
2. El Man of Kent 200 hecho a toda pastilla 
3. El Oast and Coasts 300 hecho a toda pastilla hasta que me quedé sin gasolina. 
4. El Severn Across 400 (acabo de darme cuenta que en su día no escribí la crónica) hecho a toda pastilla los 200 primeros km y luego bastante dignamente 
5. El Brian Chapman 600 Los 200 primeros km a toda leche (los más rápidos que he hecho nunca) los otros 400 arrastrándome 
6. El Diching Devil 200 el 9 de Junio, perfecto para llegar en buena forma a la Quebrantahuesos. 
7. Lamentablemente después del Diching Devil tuve que viajar dos semanas seguidas por lo que cuando llegué a la Quebrantahuesos no estaba precisamente en mi mejor estado de forma (eso si, estaba muy, muy descansado). No pude batir mi tiempo del año pasado por 3 minutos 25 segundos. Hice examen de conciencia y le eché la culpa a esas dos semanas, al calor y a no se cuantas cosas más. No me faltaron excusas. 
8. Tres semanas de vacaciones en Asturias rodando como un campeón, incluídas dos subidas al Angliru, una a los Lagos, una a San Lorenzo, la leche bendita. Nótesen los rellanos de los días de descanso activo. Estoy muy orgulloso de esas tres semanas, no sólo por lo mucho que disfruté de la bici estando en tan buen estado de forma, sino por lo bien que me gestioné el cansancio y el descanso. Cuando volví de vacaciones era competitivo en las carreras de tercera categoría e incluso me animé a apuntarme a las carreras que combinaban corredores de las categorías élite, primera, segunda y tercera (e/1/2/3), me descolgaban rápido, pero estaba en la forma de mi vida. Una forma de verlo es saber que la LEL me creó un pico de CTL en 121, pero al acabarla tuve que descansar una semana y cuando volví a la bici tenía un CTL de 97 (lo que sube rápido baja rápido). En este verano había conseguido mantenerme un mes con una media de 107 TSS y dos meses seguidos por encima de 97 TSS 
9. Aquí se me acabó la tontería, a partir de este punto me toca viajar tres semanas seguidas y sólo puedo salir uno o dos días entre semana y los domingos. La caída hasta el punto 10 es rápida de 102 a 85.3 Casi un 20% de pérdida en 3 semanas sin haber estado parado del todo. A pesar de lo rápido que perdía forma todavía estaba en una forma más que decente, al mismo nivel de la que tenía cuando hice la Quebrantahuesos... 
10. Ese es el punto donde me rompí la clavícula. Era una carrera e/1/2/3 y había conseguido aguantar más de la mitad de la carrera en el grupo principal. Estaba contento con el resultado; hasta que me la pegué claro. 
11. Marca el punto donde estaba hace justo un año 56.2 TSS 
12. Marca como estoy hoy 44 TSS Una bajada desde 85.3 que tenía el día que me caí. Un 20% menos que el año pasado por estas fechas 

Si os fijáis la caída entre 11 y 12 no es una recta, tiene algunas pequeñas llanuras. Esas son las sesiones de rodillo que he hecho. Como véis al principio pocas, espaciadas y muy ligeras y luego más concentradas hasta el fin de semana pasada que hice una sesión un poquito más intensa dos días seguidos.

Viendo como ha caído mi nivel de forma y haciendo una estimación a volapluma yo diría que empezaré el año más o menos al mismo nivel que el año pasado. Lo cual es un tanto decepcionante porque otros años había conseguido empezar el año un poco mejor que el anterior. De todas formas la parte llana entre el punto 1 y 2 me da mucho margen para intentar conseguir un mejor estado de forma en 2015. "Solo" tengo que asegurarme de empezar a subir el CTL a finales de Enero, principios de Febrero.

A cuidarse
Javier Arias González

Back on the bicycle

Before:

And, after six long weeks, the doctors gave me green light to go back on the bicycle

Happy!!!!!

Take care

Javier Arias González

Surrey League Ottershaw Series #3

After another week travelling and last week's result I wasn't expecting much from this race, but I wasn't really prepared for the outcome either.

Everything went pretty much as last week at the beginning. No idea when the race really started but really noticed the first big push, and that was when we were about to cross the line for second time, 12 to go (the race was thirteen and a half laps).

The problem I have with a "500m to go signal" before a line that is at the top of "a climb" is that even if we still have 11 to go everyone sprints like crazy to the line... and they drop me.

Luckily this time I was well positioned; when the push came I was fifth or sixth position. Pretty much everyone passed me and before we crossed the line (with 11 to go!!!) I had a gap of around 20 meters with the rider that was in front of me. I tried to push it to get on his wheel but it was too much for me. I gave up, at least mentally. But another rider passed me, he wasn't riding that fast so I decided to jump on his wheel. The group eased a bit later and that rider took me to the back of the peloton. Literally, saved by the bell.

Pretty much same history in every single lap; surviving, but constantly at the limit of being dropped.

When I saw the 6 to go I almost raised my hands in celebration. I was really really happy. I had survived more than half of the race.

Happiness didn't last very long though, I was dropped in the following lap. Nothing brutal, just a bunch that pedals away while you say goodbye and mumble your frustration. A bit more than 4 laps to go so I decided to keep riding and finish the race.

Very soon a WyndyMilla rider rider caught me. Not sure by which mechanism but I felt relived finding out I was not the the first nor the only one dropped. Jumped on his wheel and soon I took a turn as a sign that we could work together. I guess he agreed because we started to take turns keeping a fair pace.

A lap later we saw a lonely rider in front of us and in one of the turns we got him. It was a Pedal Heaven rider, and again I found comfort in the fact that elite riders also get dropped. Silly, I know, but that's how I felt.

We worked well together until one turn that the Pedal Heaven rider instead of waiting for me to pass him he moved to the right. I thought it was weird but accelerated a bit to pass him just to realize he was moving to the right to turn left. Not having time to turn left I went straight, stopped and turned back.

When I was back on route they had quite a gap. I tried to keep a sustainable pace and I think they were waiting for me but still took me five or six minutes to catch them. At the left turn just after crossing the line with 3 to go.

That was a descend so I was sitting at the back recovering. Suddenly they broke and I broke but probably too late and too hard. I fell off the bicycle hitting the tarmac quite hard. A few cars stopped to help me and it took me about a minute to recover from the shock before I could stand up.

The pain in my shoulder and a bulge that was not there in the morning reminded me this tweet from David Lloyd and I figured I had broken my right collarbone.

It was also the time to realize how nice everyone was. The driver and his wife that stopped, called the ambulance and stayed with me until I was taken to the hospital. The personal from the two ambulances that showed up. Paul Altorf, from the Twickenham CC, that offered himself to take care of my bike (It is a huge relief to know your bike is going to be safe when your are taken to the hospital). The Commissaire, Tom McCaw, that got my car key, assured me he would move my car with the bike in it to a public parking and that allowed me to call my wife before he tried (in these cases it makes a world of a different to talk to the husband directly). And last, but not least, the lady from the organization, unfortunately I don't remember her name (update 13/Nov/2014 - It turns out her name is Susan), that came to visit me at the hospital, offered herself to coordinate with Tom to collect my car key and bring it back to me at the hospital and charge my mobile in the meantime (the crash, somehow, drained the battery). Not to mention the sympathy from NHS personal at the St Peter's hospital.

It is in moments like this when you are reminded how fortunate we are enjoying organizations like Twickenham CC, British Cycling and the NHS. I feel extremely grateful for all the help and support received and really sorry for all the hassle I have caused to everyone.

At the beginning the doctor thought it was going to be just a dislocated shoulder but the X rays confirmed it was a broken collarbone.

From that moment a rollercoaster of feelings. Wondering how soon I will be able to jump on the turbo, asking myself how I'm going to make it to not gain weight, despairing at the thought of many weeks (always too many) out of the bike, questioning where bad luck ends and clumsiness begins, struggling to convince myself this is not the right moment to decide to quit racing or even cycling altogether. Finding comfort in the idea that, at the end of the day, this is the best moment to get injured... I'm sure tomorrow I'll have a better day.

The ride in Strava

Take care (something I obviously failed to do today)
Javier Arias González

Surrey League Ottershaw Series #2

First act
I showed up with two right hand gloves (I have two pairs of the same model). I also forgot to remove my saddle bag. A Twickenham rider noticed it when we were lining up at the start and couldn't resist the temptation of making me know. Two more riders commented on my saddle bag during the ride adding to the embarrassment..

Second act
I was wondering why we were riding so slow for three entire laps. I couldn't even tell when the race really started, after the neutralized ride to the circuit. It was only when I saw the lap count twice that I realized the race was really on.

Third act
In the fourth lap I thought, if this goes like this I will do well at the end. That was just a minute before the first big push in the race. It burned my first match but I survived. A second push in the fifth lap, "only" five minutes later, and a second match is gone and with it, Javier is gone. 500w for a minute is more than enough to drop like a stone. End of the race.

Excuses
Still hesitant between two consecutive weeks travelling (and next week I'm also travelling) and the idea that I feel like my body is shutting down, I wasn't there today. Not sure which one will be more convincing.

ps. Or maybe swimming lessons on Friday evenings are not a good idea after all...

Penalty
Post the ride for public embarrassment (here), one hour on the trainer tonight and try the same race next week. Hopefully I won't be that lame...

Take care

Javier Arias González

My PBP 2015 Qualifiers plan

I have checked my dates for next year and these are the four events I have in my plan as qualifiers for PBP 2015.

Sunday - 22nd March - Man of Kent 200
Saturday - 25th April - Oasts and Coasts 300
Saturday - 9th May - Severn Across 400
Saturday - 23rd May - Bryan Chapman Memorial 600

These dates should leave enough room to enter alternative rides if for any reasons I can't ride any of them.

Funny enough these are the same rides I have ridden in the 2014. But I would consider that an advantage, I don't want to mess my PBP 2015 qualification.

Take care
Javier Arias González

Surrey League Road Race (VC Meudon) 3rds - Cutmill

[a quick/short one because I was watching the world champs]

A complicated week at work meant I couldn't ride until Friday. That, added to my crash in last week, meaning only 45 km ride on Sunday, meant my TSS sank from 108 to 96 in just a week.

I should not complain though. Had a hard ride on Friday and an easy one on Saturday and today I definitively felt really fresh.

Cutmill is supposed to be a challenging course so my objective for today was to hang on and try to finish on the bunch. As I said driving there "I would be happy finishing in the bunch".

I was expecting a hard first few laps. But it didn't happen. We were riding fast up the hill, but nothing mad.

Half way through the race I was trying to put the bottle back in the bottle cage and somehow it slippered off my fingers. "F**** stupid" shouted a rider. Half way through the race and I only had a quarter of a bottle of water. I couldn't agree more with him.

When we crossed the line and I saw 5 to go I got that weird feeling of this can't be possible, it seems we have been riding for ages!!!

With three to go I was drinking small sips to make the most out of the water I had. Got a get a gel and had it in my mouth when I had to get the handle bar with two hands, somehow I managed to drop it. I took a laugh of myself, but only because I had another gel!!!!

With two to go I was "comfortably" in the top five climbing the hill. I was happy because I figured I was going to be able to finish on the bunch.

At the bell I was again well positioned in the bunch, but looking at the numbers now I see I was hitting the max HR of the race so far.

At the final climb I positioned myself very well, I was even thinking about placing. Kept my position in the flat part of the climb and when the last bit of climb came I tried to keep up with the pace.

I managed for about 250m, a shame there were another 250m to the finish line!!!

The definition of being a crap rider

250m that I rode full of disappointment. What a crap rider was the nicest thought I was having.

But hey! as soon as I crossed the line and had a second to think I realized that finishing in the bunch was what I was happy with before the race. I know, I'm to easy on myself, but that thought made me forget my anger.

And here I am, thinking about next race. 

Take care

Javier Arias González

Surrey League Handicap Championship (Norwood Paragon)

This is a E/1/2/3/4 handicap race. My first handicap race.

I'm not sure about the criteria the organizers followed to create the groups and the order in which they were sent. But I was a bit surprised so see a few Kingston Wheelers definitively stronger than me way before my group was called.

Still I was happy with my group out of about 10 riders 5 were Kingston Wheelers and that meant we had good chances of ride in good order taking proper turns.

Well that lasted for about 1:30 minutes (and I'm actually looking my power profile). That was the time that took my turn to come and at that time I already was at my limit. 4:40 into the race, only 2.8 kilometers and I was thinking "there is no way I can keep with this pace, I'm not finishing this race".

And here is the thing, we were not riding that fast. It wasn't a mental pace. I think I still need to work a bit more in my warmup. Because after the first 5 or 6 minutes we entered in a phase of 50 minutes where the pace was totally fine for me. Yes, we had a few pushes but nothing that took me close to the limit. It is just the first push that I need to be better prepared for.

With about an hour into the race we were caught by a faster group and that was the signal to jump on their group and stop taking any turns. The game was now a matter of survival.

A bit messy at the beginning, a couple of Wheelers went away with a third rider and the peloton looked all spattered in small groups. I knew there were still one or two groups ahead because I was missing a few Wheelers, but at some point it was impossible to know how many people had ridden away from the group. A feeling I don't like because it leaves me not knowing what to do. Should I try to bridge to the next group? sit and wait?

About 10 minutes later the scratch group caught us. I knew because I saw a Wheeler that is 1st cat. That was a good signal because now I knew to which group I had to try to stick to.

And honestly it didn't felt that difficult. I could even move up a few positions to be better positioned for the "climb" that was coming. Funny enough when I look at the numbers those were my peak 10 minutes in terms of average power. But the point is I passed the climb without a problem and by that point I was already feeling that I was going to finish in the bunch.

Well that was until 5 minutes later the guy riding ahead of me lost the grip on his front wheel and went down. Without any hope I went down as well and the guy behind me. And that was it. My heart rate jumped 10bpm in one second, my speed went from 40km/h to 0 in the same second and the race was over.

Luckily I didn't hurt myself, just a few scratches, my helmet got an impact (I'm in the market for a new helmet, again) and my front wheel twisted a couple of spokes. Time to call it a day and head to the finish line. 1:18:55, 52.5km, not exactly the kind of workout I was expecting (Is it too geek if I mention that I was worried about not hitting my target TSS for the week?).

I have a few more that I shouldn't post pictures of

Not much more to add. Made it to the finish line and relaxed there in the sun watching the rest racing and taking a video of each time they crossed the line.

The ride in Strava

Take care
Javier Arias González