Update: 18wks...

Weight: 13-13.4. (Target 13-12.0). Loss: +0.6 lbs!
Wk18 Training: Hours: 10:28 (Target 8:00). Bike: 168km. TSS: 872.

Disappointing. Good weeks training let down by weight gain.

Training...
This was the week (the last of Feb) where I had hoped to make up for some of those lost hours earlier in the month as a result of snow. The aim was 10.5 hrs so that my average for the month hit the (targeted) 8hr mark. And, helped by some glorious spring like weather at the weekend - 2hrs solo on Saturday, 4hrs club run on Sunday - I did it.

Weight...
Gutted. After 8 consecutive weeks of weightloss I have had a reversal and put some on. Might only be 0.6lbs, but I was targeted to lose 2 lbs so this is a 2.6 lbs swing. Not good. I put in the training hours; so can only blame my calorie consumption. I think I had become a little complacent (after losing 1.5 stone) and took my eye off the ball. Lesson learned. I am now 1.4 lbs behind target and will need to keep focused to try to get/stay on track.

Next week...
March; so targets change to 9+ hrs training (from 8+) and 1.8 lbs weightloss (from 2.0). A strong focus on diet, to help ensure I lose the targeted pounds (and hopefully a little more).

Passo Fedaia

Stage 4 of the Transalp, the Grödnerjoch & Passo Sella have been climbed; just the Passo Fedaia remains to be climbed before the run in to Falcade.

Peter Stetina, Garmin-Barracuda, Passo Fedaia - blog.castelli-cycling.com

Update: 19wks...

Weight: 13-12.8. (Target 14-0.0). Loss: 2.8 lbs.
Wk19 Training: Hours: 9:06 (Target 8:00). Bike: 108km. TSS: 704.

Training...
Good week of training - a solid 9hrs. Spinning/turbo Mon-Fri (rest day Wednesday) and then out on the open road at the weekend. Really nice for it not to be -5 degC outside. Rode solo on Sunday as I had to be back for a grand-family lunch. Looking forward to getting with the club rides going forward - my weekend hours are ramping up and frankly it's nice to have a bit of company.

Weight...
Good week of weightloss - a solid 2.8 lbs. I am keeping a strong focus on sensible eating, minimising any over-indulgences and letting the training load / KCal consumption do the rest. Seems to be working at the moment.

Next week...
Plan for next week is... train, train, & train some more. The target for Feb was 8hrs per week. As I have done 21.5 hrs in 3 weeks, I have 10.5 left to do. Basically, snow and ice meant less training over the prior fortnight and I would like to hit my number for the month (and 10.5 doesn't feel a crazy amount of hours). So I will give it a go.

Update: 20 weeks...

Weight: 14-1.6. (Target 14-2.0). Loss: 2.2 lbs.
Wk20 Training: Hours: 7:18 (Target 8:00). Bike: 60km. TSS: .

Training...
Derailed by snow again. Am I the only one that is not a fan of snow. Yes, it's pretty. Yes, you can make snowmen. But other than that it's just cold white slushy stuff. Took two rest days this week (Tuesday - got home late & unmotivated; Wednesday - diary clash with Wife). Sessions on Thursday & Friday and then it was the weekend. My plan said 5-6hrs. But snow, ice, -7 degrees & the odd forum comment said I would be a fool to venture outside. So I turbo'd in the morning, had lunch, watched the rugby and then turbo'd again in the evening. On Sunday I dithered around all morning until I could no longer face the prospect of more turbo shed and went for a 2.5hr ride in suburbia sticking to the main roads (including an unintended dual carriageway - yikes!), which whilst not pleasant were at least ice free.

All-in-all I achieved 7h 18 of work on the bike, not quite the 8hr mark which I had said last week that I was keen to hit, but ok nonetheless.

Weight...
The targeted loss has now dropped from an opening month 3 lb/wk to a more reasonable 2/wk. Which is good as I 'only' managed to lose 2.2 lbs this last week. I am six weeks in now and the easy pounds have all been shed so 2/wk is a more sensible aim. Still not easy mind. Total loss since 1.January is 17.4 lbs at 2.9/wk.

Golden Cheetah Weekly Summary 12-Feb-12

Next week...
Plan for next week is for more consistent training. One rest day expected and some decent sessions during the week so that I am not reliant on a big weekend to hit my numbers (8hrs+).

January

A few comments to summarise January.  Let's start with some stats (4 weeks from 1st Jan to 29th Jan):

Month	Jan-12
Training Hrs	33:20:32
Kms	400.6
TSS/wk	699
Weightloss	12.4 lbs

30/30 January...
#Fail  The plan had been to get this training block off to a start with a bang.  The challenge was to complete 30 days of training (minimum of 30mins) in January with just the one wildcard.  The short-of-it is that I failed, missing workouts on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st.  However, the long-of-it is that this challenge was all about providing an extra boost to motivation to get me training, and from that stance it was a success, in the first few weeks of January there was many a day when I got home late from work yet still got on the turbo to complete a 30/40 minute session.  This resulted in my averaging 8hrs for the first 4 weeks of my programme, ahead of my targets.

Weightloss...
My targeted weight loss for the six months of this training programme - in preparation for the Transalp - is 45lbs, 3st 5lbs, 21.3kg, 1.8 lbs/wk, 22% of body weight or 70% of body fat. Which, however you look at it, is quite a lot. This means that if I am going to 'keep the wheels on' this project I need to get onto it fast. A bad fortnight would put be behind target and leave little options with catching up. On the basis that the more you have the more/easier to lose, I have set targets at 3 lbs/wk for Jan, 2/wk for Feb, 1.8/wk for Mar and 1.6/wk for Apr & May.

In Jan I lost 12.4 lbs at 3.1 lbs/wk - so on/ahead of target. Woohoo. I can be a bit all or nothing; If I'm keen, I'm KEEN; if I'm not, then meh. And remaining motivated plays a big part of this. So great to kick off with solid weightloss. I feel that the programme is working, and I am keen to keep at it, as it seems to be working. And a side effect is that I have started to look more unfat. Given that I was at the top of my 'range' my clothes had been full. Now everything fits better and I look better for it. All good.

Training...
In previous seasons my best average training hours for January has been 6h28.  With that I mind I set myself a target of hitting 7hrs/wk.  In the end I have been super-motivated, and managed to put in 33h20 training hours over the four weeks, an average of 8:20 hrs/wk.  Furthermore, in previous seasons I have done some gym sessions so have training included time on x-trainers, ergo rowers and treadmills.  This year I am aiming for more specificity - i.e. train to cycle faster, by cycling more -  so have done all this training in the saddle (spin class, turbo or open road).  I am feeling fitter & stronger on the bike, and have raised my notional FTP (on the basis of ride/review of my CP Curve).

Next month...
More of the same.  And do a FTP test to quantify training gains.

Update: 21 weeks...

Weight: 14-3.8. (Target 14-4.0).  Loss: 2.8 lbs.
Wk23 Training: Hours: 5:08  (Target 7:00).  Bike: 0km.  TSS: 328.

Weight...
Awesome Job! Lost 2.8 lbs. Not sure where that came from (given my lowest week of training yet) but a very welcome result. Last couple of weeks had been lower losses so maybe this has been helped by the cumulative effect of 5 weeks of sensible eating & solid training. I am still on target, and what's more the target for the next four weeks drops to a slightly more sustainable 2lbs/wk. Which I believe is achievable if I remain consistent (with both by my training & consumption).

Training...
A lighter week still in terms of both training hours and load. My cold continued into the start of the week and I took the executive decision to put the plan on hold and take three days rest & recuperation. By Thursday I was feeling (and looking) significantly healthier so eased back into training (evening turbo). All was going well with turbo rides on Friday & Saturday, and a long ride lined up Sunday. Then snow (!) meant the only option was another turbo session. The sum of it was that with three days missed and no long ride (I maxed out at 1:40 for a turbo sesh) I did less hours than planned this week. In the grand scheme of things it is unlikely to make much difference, but for that to be the case I must make sure that light weeks are a rarity.

Golden Cheetah Weekly Summary 05-Feb-12

Snow = Turbo + Trainerroad + iPlayer + RBS6Nations

England's win  at Murrayfield provided the turbotainment for Trainerroad's "Sirretta"

Next week...
Plan for next week is to get back into it.  So, solid sessions during the week followed by some longer rides at the weekend.  Target training hours increases to eight for February, and the plan is to ensure I hit this mark.