New Stuff brings New Pain

I've been listening to Johan Bruyneel's book "Might as well win" at nights, when im falling asleep. I'm at the chapter, where he's discussing Lance's high aerobic, high cadence training.  for months, he wouldn't allow Lance to get out of the saddle on climbs. Low gears, high cadence, and stay in the saddle.  


Last year, I raced through the HHH pounding out the big gear on the climbs, streaking past folks,  standing in the saddle, feeling pretty damn good about it (forget i had a tail wind for alot of that). 
When i got back home, my cycling engineers (those are tech engineers who happen to be riders) told me i was wrong, and that i should stay in the saddle.  So i tried it and i found myself discouraged and worn out.  So, up i go, back out of the saddle.  And my training is just now starting to catch up to last year, or so i've been feeling.


But now, in hearing how Johan trained Lance, i feel a renewed interest. I believe the idea, is that if you can build your aerobic endurance up, by cycling quicker in a low gear, you save your power muscles for the attacks.  PLEASE correct me if I'm getting this wrong.


Since I really have little idea of what i'm doing, i decide to try it.  My training chart said 18 miles easy, since i had done hills the night before.  My goal last night, was to try the 18 miles, low gear, high cadence and never get out of the saddle. Here's what happened...


First, I now have the new LOOK pedals.  I like them, but i'm still learning to clip in quickly. Not a problem as long as i don't have to stop.  But the other side of this coin, is that they force my left leg, which wants to pigeon toe inward, straight.  I never noticed this problem, until a prof bike fitting tech pointed it out to me "why are you pointing your toe inward?".  As much as i tried to correct it on spd's, it always resorted back.  With LOOK's, i am forced to keep it straight. 


After two laps around the lake, about 18 miles, i was feeling some discomfort.  My ass hurts, my legs hurt, my feet hurt, and weirdly enough, my shoulders and the backs of my arms.  i tried to relax. Knowing that the weather would deteriorate in the next few days, and yesterday was SO awesome, i decided to push my comfort, and add another loop..approx 10 miles.  I was slow. Painfully slow. I Gu'ed only twice too.  i pushed thru the pain, and would only hit the hills @ 10mph.  And they hurt. I refused to get out of the saddle. 


People were passing me like crazy, but i kept my pace and my cadence.  I hurt so bad by the time i got home, it was all i go do, to drag myself in, wipe down Clem, and crawl into a shower. I ate little dinner, chomped on 4 advil, and tried to get some editing in.  I passed out on my computer around 9:30, gave up and went to bed. I've not slept like that since i was a baby.  I woke up at 4 am, still very sore, two more advil and tried to sleep.


I went back to the chapter of Johan speaking of Lance's training, and how painful it was for Lance.  I sort of made me feel better, that It was going ot hurt. And coupling that with forcing my left leg to use new muscles, I had to deal w/ some discomfort for a while. 


I keep thinking to myself, it's a good thing I got the new pedals now, and not right before an event, which is a crazy thing i used to do.


I have no idea if this will work for me, or if i'm doing the right thing.  It's a real ego checker to know you can pass some of those ppl, but i had to let that go, and focus on me, and my training.


if you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear em.


Clear Skies!