Transitioning

I've started to transition over from the MSP work back into some higher intensity. The legs are finally starting to feel better and "tick over". The MSP is a tough phase mentally to go through because the constant intentensity creates a wooden or dead feeling in the legs.

It is much harder to accelerate and I find that my cadence drops. I can go and go at a decent intensity but when faced with anything outside a constant grade I felt slow. Mountain biking is all about changes. A technical section, a grunt switchback. Following someone and they take off, etc.... So when you can't change your pace even if you are riding well, it feels slow.

Mentally this is hard especially when riding with other people.

I did some 3 min. intervals with only 1 minute rest. These have started to bring the legs back and also force me to learn how to go again with out enough rest.

Next week is a rest week, then I'll start doing some long MSP intervals but adding some SMSP higher intensity at every 2 minutes (1min long) and then doing it every other minute.

After some of that I'll start adding back in some (UGH) Lead out intervals. Following that it is pretty much "in season" work with some realy hard mtn and road rides.

I did my timed climb up Old Farm. I changed my start point back some to the Kiosk. This adds about a minute to the time. So my best time would be about 17:20 from the kiosk to the top. This weekend did it in 19:40.

2minutes seems like a lot to make up. But I am hoping that once the snap is really back in the legs that I'll be able to break some speed barriers. Speed barriers are certain velocities that once you reach it is actually easier to maintain the pace than if you were going just slightly slower. Once you hit on of these than you can maintain the higher pace w/o a significant outlay of effort. And I'm hoping I can knock off that time.
Well I can dream at least.