Training update: winter riding begins for another year

It's been a good week for training, or at least a good weekend to cap off a week that started slow in the riding department:

Thursday was an easy 1 hour spin on the trainer while catching up with some cross footage from earlier in the season.

Friday I had a VO2max test at U of Guelph for a study I will be participating in there, which is conducted by Heather Logan. This is going to be an interesting experience, as I always learn a lot being a lab rat. Numbers are ok - way up from last time I did this test about 1.5 years ago. The downside is my weight is up from the beginning of cross season by about 4 kg, so I'll try to lose that as soon as possible and then gradually drop from there into the race season. 80 kg by the first O-cup maybe?

Saturday was my first SCCC club ride in awhile, and the turnout was low to match the temperatures. 6 of us rode the usual Saturday route to Smithville. I think my forehead froze. When I heard that there was a mtb ride option for Sunday I decided this would be less cold and more fun, and borrowed a set of cross wheels from Shawn since the only bike I had with me was a cross bike with road tires.

Sunday's ride was a good one. A few hours in the usual trails around St Catharines, trying to keep up with some quick mtb riders on my cross bike. The single 42t was a bit much, but I made it up everything I realistically could have expected to. Maybe a bit too much intensity for the legs at this point, but it was worth it. A couple hours of nap time with the compression tights after has my legs feeling ok. I may get a short core session in today before bed.

Monday is off, dictated by Tuesday's dry run for the study at Guelph. I may do some more core work if I get bored. Tuesday will be the first run of the protocol for the study: 90 minutes at a fixed intensity (70% of VO2max power), followed by a 6kJ/kg TT. I'll be doing this weekly for a month in January, which should be good for the sum of my intensity for the week leaving me to do easy rides and hiking to make up the rest of my base in that time.