The Days Are Getting Longer - and so is my training

Still on the subject of power meters here.  For those who already use these, you already know, and sorry to belabor this.  For me, it's been such an eye opener.  I'm just so old school and would never have thought such a device could deliver up not only such information, but information that has actually been useful in an empirical manner.  I've already improved by over 10% from the initial start last November, and it's only now just the beginning of February.  My power to weight ratio, according to the chart in the book, Training And Racing With a Power Meter by Hunter Allen and Andrew Coogan, PhD has me in a pretty elevated category for a 62 year old man.  Given how hard my coach has me riding (threshold intervals that have more than doubled in time and number as well as at an increasingly higher level), I can honestly say I hardly trained at all these past nearly five years.  It's a wonder I've done as well as I have.  Chasing this power meter has given me a whole new focus.  I work on cadence (keeping it smooth and rapid), breathing, position, and ultimately gain the knowledge of just how hard I can go and for how long.  It translates into increased climbing ability as well.  Since my weight to height ratio is already good (remember, I lost 20 pounds in 2008... no, I wasn't over weight, I was 168 lbs at 5'9 1/2" and now I'm 148), so what's changing is I'm getting stronger and I know it; thus my confidence level has increased as well.  This is great.

When I went up to St. George, UT to train with my club, I went with the idea that I was going to ride conservatively, i.e., ride with the bunch and not show off.  I did a threshold test on Wednesday, and then drove up there after work.  The rides were all on the long side, so I didn't want to go out hard, blow up, and embarrass myself.  The first ride (for me) was from St. George to Zion and back for a total of 97 miles on Thursday.  I actually felt better the further into the ride we got.  We had upwards of 29 riders on the road, only a few of whom were in the Elite Master's wing of the club, the rest were Category 1 and Category 2 riders and a few hot juniors.  The following day was 78 miles through the Valley of Fire in Nevada, which features a lot of sharp short rolling climbs and one longer climb or two.  Again, I always felt I had plenty in reserve, even when the pace was really being pushed by the young ones.  On Saturday it rained all morning, so the nearly 100 mile ride to Mesquite, NV and back was cancelled.  Instead, a small group of us went out anyway and rode a hilly 57 mile course in the rain.  Again, I had plenty left after what had been a 355 mile week.  Something is working here.

And now for the golf ball contest.  Don't ask me why I do it, but I haven't broken the habit yet of picking up golf balls if I spot them while out on a ride.  This year's take was pretty small (maybe I'm getting closer to breaking the habit?).  Anyway, if you're interested, you're welcome to guess the number of balls in the basket.  Last year I sent five hand made cards on acid free paper with a selection of my photographs on them.  See Digital Existence; the pictures go back nearly three years now.  There's a lot to choose from.

Stats so far this year:
Miles ridden: 1329.5
Elevation gain: 74,797'
Life time (best estimate):  434,469 miles