I’m not a Rams fan but you can’t extrapolate anything from this game. Aaron Donald didn’t even play, and the rest of the team experimented with an overnight flight to Australia while the 49ers had already been there for a week.
It’s a long season. Let’s see how they do when they’re back in the US and Donald is getting snaps before we call them a bust.
I should probably add my own context here if I'm expecting others to contribute their stories.
I bought a Motobecane Mirage S from BikesDirect a few years ago, and its been fine as I start to ramp up my training. It's a road bike with aluminum frame and steel components. No carbon fiber to be seen. I think I got it for about $600 when it was new.
I figure its enough for me to complete a sprint, an oly, and maybe a 70.3, but if I wanted to keep doing 70.3 distances, I'd probably reach the point where investing made more sense. $4k and above for a proper time trial bike seems obscene to me at this moment, but so many others barely bat an eye when showing theirs off online.
So however you got the bike you race with, which of these routes was the closest?
Saved for months to buy it outright
Financed it (credit or loan of some kind)
Found used for significantly less than the thousands I've seen
Bought on impulse and now regret it (or not regretting it)
Something else entirely
I don't care as much about the specific cost of the bike; I'm more interested in the route that it took to acquire it.
The Pogi reference was more for the American friends, but I did ask a French cab driver about the tour (late June this year) and he was more interested in talking about indoor soccer/football than cycling.
I’ve gotten into pro cycling in the last few years. But living in the US, I haven’t met anyone in person who has any idea what I’m talking about when I go on about Tadej Pogacar.
In fact, I’ve met a few people visiting from Europe this year (Netherlands and France) and they didn’t seem to follow cycling that much either.
Probably was the right call for them to shorten it. I bet the reason why it was shifted later was because of broadcasting slots that were already agreed upon. At least I got the entire stage on broadcast this time.
I really don’t understand Vismas strategy there. Wout is clearly strongest on the attack and breakaway and Brennan is one of the best in the Vuelta in a sprint. Why did they suddenly decide to swap them?
I’m following a similar path by default. Right now I’m doing broad “zone 2” work to build my base and keep the load light enough to avoid injury. I’m also consistently weight training so I can maintain as much muscle mass as possible while losing fat.
At some point I need to shift into more specific Ironman training, but I’m trying to stay general for as long as possible.
Another question to ask is what device are you using for your heart rate monitor?
Chest straps are the gold standard, some wrist straps are reliable, and I’d be dubious of max hr readings from a wrist watch. They tend to get caught reading your cadence as a heartbeat, and it can cause some weird fluctuations.
Then, as described above, your next step is to understand your max heart rate. The typical formula is 220-age, but I’ve found that it can definitely miss the mark. I’m 40 and had my heart rate hit 195 on a 5k race this past year as I was booking it towards the finish line.
Finally, it helps to know if there are any underlying cardio respiratory issues that would impact the strength of your heart.
I would say, in my situation, there’s little to no risk of hitting the 180’s when my max is in the 190’s, I can go that fast without causing joint pain or injury, and I have no underlying issues that would exacerbate my risk. Everyone’s different, but if you check those boxes too, then I’d say you should be fine.
Pogacar’s exit blows the race wide open, but I hate to see it happen like this. I’m not saying the eventual winner will need to defend their title in any way, but they will have won after Tadej had absolutely dominated everyone in the field earlier.
I enjoy sprint finishes where several people have an opportunity right up to the end, but you’re right. At what point does this just become too much of a blood bath to put up with?
Van Aert is now the “official” owner of the green jersey thanks to his breakaway efforts and his 3rd place finish. Inspired ride today.
Also hope Luca Van Boven ends up ok. That was a nasty crash that was 100% the Astana guys fault. I saw he finished the race but looked pretty battered.
Let me just say that I'm glad I'm not the one trying to race in that mess. I think the hail was what caused the peloton to stop, but I think the standing water and lightning probably was what encouraged the organizers to end the day.
Wenzel worked so hard for those KOM points (that nobody saw because the camera cut out right before the line), so I hope he doesn't go completely empty handed.
Hah. Definitely not an issue where I live. However I have to get out of my town just to find any KOM routes because of how flat it is.
I’m not a Rams fan but you can’t extrapolate anything from this game. Aaron Donald didn’t even play, and the rest of the team experimented with an overnight flight to Australia while the 49ers had already been there for a week.
It’s a long season. Let’s see how they do when they’re back in the US and Donald is getting snaps before we call them a bust.
I should probably add my own context here if I'm expecting others to contribute their stories.
I bought a Motobecane Mirage S from BikesDirect a few years ago, and its been fine as I start to ramp up my training. It's a road bike with aluminum frame and steel components. No carbon fiber to be seen. I think I got it for about $600 when it was new.
I figure its enough for me to complete a sprint, an oly, and maybe a 70.3, but if I wanted to keep doing 70.3 distances, I'd probably reach the point where investing made more sense. $4k and above for a proper time trial bike seems obscene to me at this moment, but so many others barely bat an eye when showing theirs off online.
So however you got the bike you race with, which of these routes was the closest?
I don't care as much about the specific cost of the bike; I'm more interested in the route that it took to acquire it.
The Pogi reference was more for the American friends, but I did ask a French cab driver about the tour (late June this year) and he was more interested in talking about indoor soccer/football than cycling.
I’ve gotten into pro cycling in the last few years. But living in the US, I haven’t met anyone in person who has any idea what I’m talking about when I go on about Tadej Pogacar.
In fact, I’ve met a few people visiting from Europe this year (Netherlands and France) and they didn’t seem to follow cycling that much either.
The bears already restructured Dayo Odeyingbo, TJ Edwards, and Joe Thuney and are now about $4m under the cap.
Probably was the right call for them to shorten it. I bet the reason why it was shifted later was because of broadcasting slots that were already agreed upon. At least I got the entire stage on broadcast this time.
I'm a Wout fan so I'm glad he got his today. With him AND Brennan in the break, it felt like a certainty that Visma would come out on top.
That was an impressive breakaway win for sure. Youngest Vuelta stage winner ever?
I really don’t understand Vismas strategy there. Wout is clearly strongest on the attack and breakaway and Brennan is one of the best in the Vuelta in a sprint. Why did they suddenly decide to swap them?
Walking With Weight by Michael Easter. Expecting it to be light and breezy.
Great work so far!
I’m following a similar path by default. Right now I’m doing broad “zone 2” work to build my base and keep the load light enough to avoid injury. I’m also consistently weight training so I can maintain as much muscle mass as possible while losing fat.
At some point I need to shift into more specific Ironman training, but I’m trying to stay general for as long as possible.
Another question to ask is what device are you using for your heart rate monitor?
Chest straps are the gold standard, some wrist straps are reliable, and I’d be dubious of max hr readings from a wrist watch. They tend to get caught reading your cadence as a heartbeat, and it can cause some weird fluctuations.
Then, as described above, your next step is to understand your max heart rate. The typical formula is 220-age, but I’ve found that it can definitely miss the mark. I’m 40 and had my heart rate hit 195 on a 5k race this past year as I was booking it towards the finish line.
Finally, it helps to know if there are any underlying cardio respiratory issues that would impact the strength of your heart.
I would say, in my situation, there’s little to no risk of hitting the 180’s when my max is in the 190’s, I can go that fast without causing joint pain or injury, and I have no underlying issues that would exacerbate my risk. Everyone’s different, but if you check those boxes too, then I’d say you should be fine.
Yea that’s a tough one. And then half of the peloton goes down in the last stretch.
These flat, sprint finishes are getting more and more dangerous for the riders.
Pogacar’s exit blows the race wide open, but I hate to see it happen like this. I’m not saying the eventual winner will need to defend their title in any way, but they will have won after Tadej had absolutely dominated everyone in the field earlier.
I enjoy sprint finishes where several people have an opportunity right up to the end, but you’re right. At what point does this just become too much of a blood bath to put up with?
Van Aert is now the “official” owner of the green jersey thanks to his breakaway efforts and his 3rd place finish. Inspired ride today.
Also hope Luca Van Boven ends up ok. That was a nasty crash that was 100% the Astana guys fault. I saw he finished the race but looked pretty battered.
Let me just say that I'm glad I'm not the one trying to race in that mess. I think the hail was what caused the peloton to stop, but I think the standing water and lightning probably was what encouraged the organizers to end the day.
Wenzel worked so hard for those KOM points (that nobody saw because the camera cut out right before the line), so I hope he doesn't go completely empty handed.
Great showing by the Brits! Also was impressed with the Decathlon team.
Does MountainDog1 count? The channel uploads reposts all the time but no new content.
RIP John Meadows, I had/have the utmost respect for him.