What's in a few numbers anyways?

At the beginning of last season I got tested for my VO2 max and power. I was given a few numbers to use for training such as functional threshold power, power zones, heart rate zones, and max heart rate. Pretty cool stuff to use, and good information at the beginning of a relatively serious training period of my life.

This morning - technically two seasons later - I got tested again by a completely different group to see what my VO2 max was. This was a much quicker test and it actually felt easier probably because I now knew what to expect.

The results were pretty nice although I am uncertain of the credibility of the tests. I just didn't get the feeling this test was very important to the people administering the tests.

I do feel good that every number increased 15 to 20% except my heart rate, where my threshold dropped from 185 to 180 ish. It's a sign of two things: getting old and my body adapting to training. I like the training part.

Next: Get tested by TOSH / Max Testa's group at the beginning of next season. I need to experience what test administered by a world class cycling specialty shop feels like.

LOTOJA v2.0

My first attempt at LOTOJA went well, reaching a great time of 9:59:45 despite working to catch the group much of the morning after a team mate flatted early.

This year I had a season goal of 9:40, a 20 minute improvement on my first year, which I felt was attainable but difficult to reach. I posted this goal in our "gym" so I can be reminded twice a week when we strength trained. I trained quite a bit more and more intelligently this year therefore I was feeling pretty confident about my chances. I wanted to win this race as I do for all my A races.

Thanx to the Spider Bait team for setting a high pace, thanx to favorable winds, and thanx to a nice yet cold day, I obliterated my season goal. I finished 206 miles in 9:05:28. Nine hours and five minutes. Crazy.

What's really crazy is that time only yielded me 5th place. Five of us worked together extremely well from the KOM all the way to the finish, and I didn't favor my chances sprinting so I attacked at 2k to go. It was all I had to get 1st place and wasn't successful so 5th place is what I end up with. I still don't have a win. But it feels pretty good to have 6th overall out of a thousand or more entries. We beat the Cat 1s! One person beat the group of five I was in. One. I am now within 3 minutes 44 seconds of the LOTOJA course record. THAT is pretty awesome.

Garmin data

Timing data