Beer Drinker Appreciation Society - Open For Business (Page 75)

I actually use the cadence/speed sensors on my bike and love it. Have been considering using the Tickr. When they originally came out with it, there was supposed to be swim metrics included...not sure how that works but...

http://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/wahoo-blue-sc-speed-and-cadence-sensor.html

Originally posted by Qua17

Originally posted by adempsey10

Originally posted by mirthfuldragon

In Chicago, we got 4" of snow today.  Wet, sloppy, horrible snow.

In other news today, FTP test #2 of the year, yielding five new PRs on Trainer Road and 260w 20min power, for an FTP of 247, which is up ~23w from a month ago, and a gain of 10%.  Luckily, I'm still waiting for the first FTP test that actually does make me throw up - which also means I'm probably leaving a few watts on the table.

I also had a second-round interview today for a job that I really, really want - and now that I know more, I want it even more.  I have a phone interview tomorrow with their NY department head as well, so we'll see what happens.

Nice work! 10% gain is pretty significant. I've never felt like puking after the 20min test but I definitely have for the 5 minute test. And last year 2 days before IM, I was in the IM village and they computrainers set up so people could compete in a simulated ride to win a pair of sunglasses. I pushed so hard that I did in fact throw up. Twice. 

And you somehow still managed to beat me

Adam, the real question is - did you win the sunglasses?

I'm skeptical of the two higher end models of the tickr because they seem just a tad gimmicky. But the basic HRM strap tickr is all you need if you have a phone. With Bluetooth and ANT+ it will pair up with whatever head unit you choose to use. If down the road you decide to get a Garmin, it'll send HR to that too. I currently use Garmin's proprietary HRM and Spd/Cad sensor but if I could go back now, I would buy wahoo for the Bluetooth capability. 

Originally posted by mirthfuldragon

Originally posted by Qua17

Originally posted by adempsey10

Originally posted by mirthfuldragon

In Chicago, we got 4" of snow today.  Wet, sloppy, horrible snow.

In other news today, FTP test #2 of the year, yielding five new PRs on Trainer Road and 260w 20min power, for an FTP of 247, which is up ~23w from a month ago, and a gain of 10%.  Luckily, I'm still waiting for the first FTP test that actually does make me throw up - which also means I'm probably leaving a few watts on the table.

I also had a second-round interview today for a job that I really, really want - and now that I know more, I want it even more.  I have a phone interview tomorrow with their NY department head as well, so we'll see what happens.

Nice work! 10% gain is pretty significant. I've never felt like puking after the 20min test but I definitely have for the 5 minute test. And last year 2 days before IM, I was in the IM village and they computrainers set up so people could compete in a simulated ride to win a pair of sunglasses. I pushed so hard that I did in fact throw up. Twice. 

And you somehow still managed to beat me

Adam, the real question is - did you win the sunglasses?

Dammit man! It's Alan!. lol. 

And no, I didn't. I had the best time and then one of the pros came along and beat me by 3 seconds without even breaking a sweat. What does he need free glasses for? He's probably got a sponsorship deal.. :P

I'll start with the more important question:

I've always been a fan of the Beatles. They do something more with their music that the Stones just can't seem to grasp. That being said, Gimme Shelter and Sympathy for the Devil are up there in my favourite Rock songs of all time. 

Nutrition

Generally I go with a scoop of whey isolate protein and a banana for workouts of 1-1.5 hrs. If it's a longer workout or very high intensity, I'll make myself a meal. One thing that I've overhauled completely with respect to food is my preconceived notions about when to eat certain meals. I no longer necessarily make dinner the biggest most important meal. If I do a big 2.5-3 hour ride in the morning, I'll eat 'dinner' in the morning within an hour after the ride. Sometimes, If I've burned enough calories, I'll eat two 'dinners' in one day. Post workout food is super important especially if you do morning workouts. It can be the difference between feeling good in the late afternoon/evening and feeling like a zombie. 

Everything Adam said is spot-on.  Garmin Connect and Training Peaks have almost three years of my training data, and those objective measures yield so much more to training.  Personally, I used a powermeter, speed and cadence sensors, GPS, heart rate, and running footpod to track, well, everything . . .

For recommendations, the first stop is the Tech Gospel According to Ray, DC Rainmaker's website.  Your wishlist includes pretty much everything that is trackable.

For me personally, I use a Garmin 910xt for most of  my workouts.  On the bike, I use a Garmin Edge 800 that I got on the cheap when the 810 came out, since it has navigation and is easier to read on the fly, and doesn't make me look like a trigeek when riding with the group.  For running, I also have a Garmin footpod, since with a proper calibration, it's 95% accurate indoors on the treadmill (it doesn't quite figure out walk breaks; it reports walks as slower than normal) and it gives run cadence data.  I also use the 910xt for swimming, where it is also about 95% accurate for stroke tracking.  I also have a Garmin Vivofit activity tracker for steps and sleep.  You can also program workout alerts (i.e., "Warumup 10 minutes", "Run 2min at X HR or Y pace", "recovery Z") with surprising depth.

My recommendation would be to buy a 920xt and be done with it.  Yes, it is $450.  But, it does everything my 910xt does, plus it does everything my Vivofit does, plus it has bluetooth and wifi connectivity (it'll display your texts on your wrist while you run).  Also, it is actually a useable as a watch, which the Vivofit (no backlight) and the 910xt (no "standby" watchmode) sorta fail at.  

But if you add up a Vivofit ($80) plus a Garmin Swim ($150) plus a 310xt ($150), you're spending close to the same amount, getting the same basic functionality, and still missing features.  

If you're only going to buy one thing, get a TICKR or TICKR run.  It is probably the better HR strap, since it has Bluetooth and ANT+ broadcasting, and that's a good place to start before dropping down a lot of money, since it will talk to the apps you already run on your phone.  Personally, I don't run with my phone on, but that's just me preference.  

My wife and I both have 910xts, and mine's been through over two years of training with a major problem.  Rather, I'm on my second, since the altimeter stopped working and Garmin sent me a new one (a 4 mile run didn't have 100,000 fee of elevation change).

I don't think an Edge unit is necessary on the bike, but I like mine for the navigation (I tend to ride a lot in Wisconsin and away from home, so programming a course helps) and it's just easier to read.  I ran both the 910xt and the Edge 800 at IMWI.

If/when my job situation finally shakes out, I'm going to buy a 920xt and that should be the end of it for me.

That is, until something newer and shinier comes out . . .

My Cycleops Fluid 2 has over 250 hours on it and I have had zero problems with it.  It does tick a little bit until it's warmed up, and Cycleops offered to replace it, but I never did both to pack it up when they sent me the RMA.  That was 18 months ago.

What do you mean by "lockring skewer"?  A training skewer is $10, and I think I have like 5 of them sitting around.  If it is the quick release handle, you can probably get a piece of threaded rod or a long carriage bolt from Home Depot to fix it for $2 or less.  If it's the retaining lock nut on the non-QR mounting side of the trainer, a $4 nut from Home Depot should also fix it.  Also, Cycleops will probably sell you whatever is needed to fix it, that is, if they don't just give it to you for free.  Their warranty service if fantastic.

I'm using the HIM plan, high volume.  I like TR because it's cheap, and really just the "follow the bouncing ball" display lets me focus and keeps me on track.  Tuesday are typically short intervals at >110% FTP, Thursdays are longer intervals (3-5 x 8-20min at ~90% FTP), Fridays are recovery workouts, and Saturday and Sunday are monsters like 7x20min at 90%.  I usually try to ride outside on the weekends, or with the group, if only to avoid that kind of suffering (like McKinley:  "Following 5x1-minute efforts at 120% FTP with 1-minute recoveries between each, you'll face 2 hours at 75-90% FTP with no full rest."  Or Pendleton "7x20-minute intervals at 88-94% FTP wtih brief, 3-minute recoveries between intervals.").  

Pendleton is the devil. I've done it a few times and it wrecks me every time. But I get an amazing adaptation from it. 

I think I'm just going to quote ALAN from here on out  

Fat Free Chocolate milk:  1c 8oz, 140cal, 2.5g fat, 8g of protein.  

Chocolate whey isoloate: 130cal, 1g fat, 30g protein.  I mix it with 2c of water, otherwise it's too thick.  The macro ratios of whey (and especially whey isolate, which is more expensive but better) just destroy most other foods.  I use the cheap stuff (Bodyfortress isolate, from Walmart, $22 for 25 servings) but the Optimum Nutrition stuff tastes even better.

Also, the most protein you can effectively absorb is ~30g per meal.  So, a post-work scoop of whey isolate gives you everything you need and nothing you don't.

For me, protein is what matters, the the rest of my nutrition just falls into place.  I try to avoid fat, but not to excess - just to avoid the excess fat (i.e., 1t of oil to stir fry, or using a quick spritz of cooking spray instead of a tablespoon of butter).  Carbs are easy to find and happen automatically in most diets.

Also, the answer is Nirvana.  Followed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  And then the Stones, and then the Beetles.  The Beetles, like Elvis, were in the right place at the right time, and even if they didn't do what they did, someone else would have filled the void - they were the product of an already-existing cultural revolution.  In the UK and the US, the children of the "greatest generation" from WWII were looking for a voice, and someone found it.  The Beetles did great things and wrote great music, but they were riding the wave, not creating it.  The Stones arose largely to continue on where the Beetles left off musically, bringing something new to the mainstream, and then doing the same thing for decades.  

Nirvana didn't ride a wave - they started it.  They gave a voice to the post-80s excess, to the rejection of the malls and suburban sprawl of the Generation Xers and millennial who were given everything from their parents and grandparents - crushing debt, largely-bloodless cold wars, second and third mortgages, board games where the objective is to run up credit cards, and a life where serving the crushing corporate machine was the pinnacle of society.

The RHCP get mentioned simply because they have been riding and adapting to cultural and musical waves for over thirty years, while still rocking and while staying together.  

Adam, the real question is - did you win the sunglasses?

Safe travels!

I finally have a moment and at least catch up with the last page of the thread. Wow this is an active group this year! Great discussions on gear and nutrition.

The last few weekends I've made it out on my new SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) as cross-training and acting as "paddle support" for the local open water swimming group. The first trip on the water had perfect conditions, smooth as glass. Second trip on the water there was a little bit of wind and chop on the water, giving me an extra workout trying to keep my balance.