Asphalt Junkies CLOSED AND GETTING OUR FIX (Page 164)

x3 on having  a good workout on days I don't want to go. Sometimes the battle is just getting out the door. Or putting your face in the water. Our Y pool water has been warm this fall. Not good for long swims but very nice on those cold days when you dread putting your face in the water for the first time.

Thanksgiving put me over the edge with poor eating habits. Way too much pie, and too many cookies! My relatives are really good cooks! So, I think I decided today to go no sweets until Christmas. Anyone else feel food logged after the holiday?

Thanks for the trainer tire info Jeff. I'll see what I can find for cheap.

Tony, congrats on your workout!

Dina, yes I'm food logged. It seems the more sweets I eat, the more I want to eat...

Well i got the KK trainer (thanks Tony) but I can't officially get it until Christmas.  I guess that will be good practice changing tires...

Thanks for this info Dirk. So far my search has not turned up much. I think I'll call the local bike shops and see if they have anything.

I have a credit at The and they have this tire for $20 so it wouldn't cost me anything extra. Then I could just leave it on the bike if I want to get out in the winter. Should I keep looking or does that sound reasonable?

 http://www..com/brand-event/101199/show-product/156331?f=mi

Dina I couldn't get to that link but I am sure that would probably be fine. I was thinking of getting the Kurt Kinetic trainer tire. It's like $60 but my bike shop Sunrise Tri has it on sale for $40. If the trainer tire is that good then it should last for a while. The debate now is whether to go get a cheap wheel and cassette. That would make life so much easier but I think my wife is going to kill me if I mention this to her LOL.

X3 on the holiday food, I did really well this year in keeping my weight in check but yeah I think I over indulged with all the baked goods and sweets. This is the last week of my offseason so come next week will be the first phase of getting ready for IMWI starting with Jorge's winter cycling program.

I didn't eat any pie over Thanksgiving! 

Please don't hate me. 

I only ate one plate of food.  I took a little of everything and enjoyed every bite.  Honestly, I forgot to take a slice of pie home from the in-laws.  I realized the next day.

Tracy now that is what I call discipline! I tried really hard to be good this year but I couldn't pass it up. However I did keep my slices of pie small for what it is worth although the cool whip and ice cream probably didn't help.

Well phooey on the link, that is supposed to say The . I don't weigh myself very often- maybe 3 or 4 times a year but I'm not going to look right now!

Agree! I think my problem is I don't usually eat that stuff so then it really does not sit very well when I do. I had stomach trouble for a couple of days after Thanksgiving.

Dina, these are some tires that are cheap.  I don't know anything about tires designed to be quiet or that avoid flaking rubber, so I am hoping Dirk can elaborate on that.

$12.99  http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_546491_-1___

$11.99  http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_545189_-1___

Wow!  I had the pool all to myself today!  I was shocked!

I did another T-Pace test today.  My coach has me do a 1 X 1000 to get my T-Pace after a good warm up.  I was a little faster this month!  Not much faster, though.  I think I could have gone faster, however, I've been fighting some nasty sinus congestion this week.  I'm pleased with the result! I did it in 17:21!  Next time, I want to get it into the 16s!

Wow those are cheap - thanks! I guess BT does not like the other site, I can't even type the name of it!

Matt that really stinks about the pool. I'd be cussing too.

Now I'm dying to know what the site is!!!! 

Ha ha ha, well it rhymes with blymb but the first letter is a c . Now I'm afraid that whole sentence will be one big blank!

The trainer tires are designed to allow the heat to disperse more rapidly than a road tire.  The increased heat is from the friction of the tire and the metal on the trainer that doesn't occur on the road.  (I would also say that riding on the road allow the tire to cool more quickly because of the constant air movement that doesn't exist on the trainer.)  The added heat generated by the friction on the trainer causes the rubber to heat up and peel off in small pieces that can create a mess over time. 

Some of this can be reduced or practically eliminated by dialing the tension in.  Once proper tension is achieved there seems to be less heat retained in the tire and much less chance of the tire creating the rubbery mess.  My first winter on the bike I thoroughly trashed a tire so that there was always rubber on the floor and anything around the bike.  My second winter season, which was last year, I dialed the tension in much better and I am still riding that tire now.  It has such as grievous flat spot on it that there's no way I would take it on the road but it is a great trainer tire.

The quietness from a trainer tire is, I believe, because the tire is a heavier, more stable "rubber" compound that has virtually no tread or a tread that runs in completely around the tire's circumference rather than crisscrossing patterns that allow for traction on the road.  As I a have beaten my current tire down it has gotten quieter because it has become bald.

That's very funny!  I remember trying post something from that site on here some time ago and it wouldn't allow it then either.  You must be right, BT doesn't like "The ."

Wow!  That's really interesting.  LOL!!!!!! 

Great discussion about trainer riding and tires.  I actually have a small fan pointed at my tire/roller interface – not sure if it really helps but I have very little rubber spray.  I do have a trainer tire, but I don’t put it on until I’m sure I won’t be back on the road for the winter.

That brings up another point about trainer riding.  If at all possible, make sure to have a fan cooling you off.  It’s tempting to just ride hard with no fan, and since you sweat like crazy there’s a belief you are a getting a better workout.  However, since your core temp is higher with less work, your legs are actually not getting as much work as they would if you have a fan and your temp stays lower.  Outside you have the natural fan on of the wind due to your speed.

Also, if you are a heavy sweater even with the fan, be sure to protect your bikes parts if the sweat drips onto them.  Though there are expensive toys to do this (of course), a well placed and tied off t-shirt does the job just as well without getting in your way.

Warren, those are good points.  Most of the bike's parts are non-ferrous metals and plastics.  Aluminum and titanium and stainless steel shouldn't rust but most middle-tier components use carbon steel bolts.  These would be the bolts at the seat tube, the stem, the top cap...they become an ugly rusted mess on an otherwise pristine bike. 

Even if you protect your bike you won't succeed 100% so it might be a good idea to cover these bolts with something to protect them from your sweat for the winter.  How about something that stays put and isn't messy?  maybe wax?

Also, sweat contains lots of salt which is corrosive so even steel that's painted won't be protected for long because the salt will eventually eat off the paint unless you are careful to wipe it down immediately.

As for the cooling, you hit the nail on the head.  There have been studies done that prove that cyclists put out 10% more power in lab tests during endurance efforts when they have a fan trained on their HEAD.  It doesn't seem to be an issue of cooling the whole body, just the head!

Howdy all.  Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  We were very busy as we hosted at our house.  Everything went well.  We left early Friday morning for a backpacking trip in Northern New Hampshire, a little North of Mount Washington.  We were prepared, but it got really chilly on Saturday and into the night and Sunday morning was windy as heck!  We had to make a special little shelter for the dogs while we were starting the fire.  The snow was actually blowing into my tent.  

Everyone had a blast, except I came back with some really nasty blisters on my left heal.  I'm not sure if it was the inserts that I put in the boots or what, but the blisters are still oozing and bleeding today.  I was able to get my run in today, but it wasn't much fun.  The issue I'm having is that I was supposed to get my 8 mile run in on Monday when I got back...obviously didn't do that.  Should I just put my schedule out and do the 8 mile this weekend or go back to 7?  I'm ramping up to half marathon in January (not an actual race, just doing the distance).

Here are some photos from the hike:

Those are some beautiful pics!  The change in scenery when the snow showed up makes for some really picturesque views.  It looks like it would have been an incredible hike.

I would go ahead and run the 8 miles this weekend.  I don't think one week away from a long run is going to have any adverse affect as long as the rest of your volume is in line with where it should be.

Is there a reason you are doing the HM distance in January?

I just decided about a month ago to run a half marathon...so I built a little training plan and the end just happens to be in January.  I'm calling it the 2012 Jonathan Gerbode-Grant Inaugural Half Marathon Challenge.  My buddy Ian is doing the training and running the "half" with me.  I'm signed up for a couple HIM's this year and want to get this under my belt.  It will ensure I have a solid base to run the training plan for the HIM.