UnScientifically speaking this is how I figure my HRZones based on my VAST :p experience, testing and racing.

Zone 5c(187bpm or higher) I haven't seen any effort higher than that... but it is possible

Zone 5b(186 - 182bpm) Can get there on a tough hill or sprint efforts of less than 2-3min. Could keep pedaling but would quickly drop down to zone 2

Zone 5a(182 - 179bpm) 5 - 10min effort like at the end of a TT

Zone 4 (178 - 165) One hour to 90min effort Crit speed

Zone 3 (164 - 155) Could do 2 - 3hrs if racing but not every day

Zone 2 (142 - 154) Longer rides - cruizing speed

Zone 1 (141 and below) recovery

Editor's Note: Drew Geer is an endurance mountain bike racer who has been using a computer training log since 1998 and has hand-written training logs going back to 1972. He's been an Apple Mac user since 1984. Geer paid retail for each of the products he reviewed in this article. Winter is here and it is time to get some good base training in. It is also time to review your training data from last season and make plans for 2009, which brings up the issue of training logs. If you have not ...

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Last chance to enter power contest: I’m available this sat from 9am to noon. Spin tonight at The Bike Way .. http://tinyurl.com/a3tweo

Double Paris-Roubaix winner Tom Boonen will join his Quick Step teammates this month for a training camp along the sunny Spanish coast. The team will converge at the Spanish resort town of Benicassim for a 10-day camp beginning January 12 to put everyone on the right footing heading into the racing season. Per team tradition, the squad will split into two crews for training rides of different intensity, depending on pending racing schedules. “We’ll be doing different types of ...

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Living up to the success of last season will be challenging for Saxo Bank, formerly CSC, but team boss Bjarne Riis is cautiously optimistic despite the departure of reigning Tour de France champ Carlos Sastre. Seven riders followed Sastre out the door from the triumphant 2008 lineup, including retired pros Bobby Julich, Michael Blaudzun and Brad McGee and workhorses Iñigo Cuesta, Volodymir Gustov and Allen Johansen. Instead of searching out a big star to replace Sastre, Riis has ...

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TeamType1: Matt Wilson (racing for a composite team) spent 18 minutes off the front in Monday's stage of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic in Australia.

RockRacing: Rock Racing's Rahsaan Bahati did not start Stage 3 of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic. He is still recovering from his crash on Sunday.

Day 4 of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic saw the top professionals punish the bunch with explosive and sustained attacks. The sound of popping was almost audible as the pace and surges whittled the field down. Finally the Australian criterium champion, Bernie Sulzberger of Virgin Blue, won the day, sprinting to the line ahead of a reduced field. Sulzberger said after the win: “It makes me very proud to win wearing the Australian champion’s jersey.” Sulzberger is the older brother ...

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Message by Jered Gruber
Two weeks till the ProTour calendar opens up boys and girls. The Jayco Bay Classic is rolling along, but really, it's a placeholder for the fun to come first at the Aussie Nats this weekend and then the Tour Down Under. First though, let's take a look 'round at what's happening right now before I get too excited and forget that there's some Trash to be picked up and sorted.

Although I only got 8hrs training in last week I accomplished all of my goals.

I did my power test. Not happy with that. I had the lowest power numbers of all the guys on the team here in Omaha. 3.63 watts/kg. Bill, who did the test, says that my LT is 179. I not sure that is accurate. With that new info I adjusted my training zones up a little. When I did my power test in Oct with Marc Walters of he told me my LT is 167. So, I moved my training LT up to 171... splitting the difference. There is a lot of overlap in the Friel zones so I should be ok.

Did a 3hr training ride yesterday. Used the new HR zone 2 and felt good. Spent 1:25min in that zone.

Shaved a pound off my weight. I am at 197now... survived the Holidays

This week Base 2 begins. I get to add more intensity with a tempo and a force workout.

Editor's Note:VeloNews cartoonist Patrick O'Grady and web editor Steve Frothingham have offered some year-end perspective on this site recently. Now for a different take we turn to freelance writer Kathie Reid. Reid helped us cover some of the biggest races on the calendar in 2008, but saw some of the most memorable performances from junior racers at the national championships in California. With the 2008 road cycling season behind us, American fans have a lot to be proud of, from Kristin ...

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Do you want to contribute to Mailbag, a regular feature of VeloNews.com? Here's how: Keep it short. And remember that we reserve the right to edit for grammar, length and clarity.Include your full name, hometown and state or nation. Send it to webletters@insideinc.com. Likes the no-helmet pic Editor, I was personally happy to see the photo of the helmetless rider riding past the gas station. I have been a club rider since the 1960's and started wearing helmets when they first came ...

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American Rachel Lloyd (California Giant) was second at the Tervuren, Belgium, cyclocross on Sunday, finishing just behind former world champion Daphny Van den Brand. American Sue Butler was eight, Followed by Canadians Natasha Elliot and Wendy Simms in ninth and tenth. Lloyd and Van de Brand were battling for most of the race after gapping the rest of the group on the first lap when Van den Brand attacked into a sandpit and Lloyd jumped on her wheel. The two worked together for a few laps. ...

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Martin, Rox & I experienced a bit of the "wintery mix" precip Saturday morning before the temps fell too bad.  It was about 35deg when we started at 9:45am and I think that was about the warmest it was for the whole ride.  Our clothes were 5-10lbs heavier at the end of the ride due to all the wetness.  We had a thick mist & fog for the entire ride, and plenty of road spray.  From home, over the ped bridge, then north and around CB, back around manawa, follow trail back to ped bridge and back home.  About 34 miles when it was all said and done.  Anyone else get out?

Message by NONE
Describing Cicli Turci as a "bike shop" is like calling the Ventoux "a climb." For over 60 years, located in Bolzano, Italy, is a Mecca of ciclismo - containing a wealth of history and bikes (and dust). PezReporter, Corey Sar Fox, documents Giovanni Turci's random reminisces and pieces together a fascinating story of the rise and decline of Cicli Turci.

History has a way of repeating itself. The Jayco Bay Cycling Classic proved that with Will Walker of Fuji Servetto taking out day 3 of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic. Six years ago Walker as a 17-year-old won a stage of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic with a courageous and powerful breakaway from the main bunch. Walker repeated that performance by breaking away in the last third of the race in an explosive attack and consolidated the gains made until the end. The win six years ...

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Message by Edmond Hood
Matt Brammeier's excellent late season Belgian results have paid dividends. Whilst many pros contemplate their future after failing to close a deal for 2009, Matt looks forward to a packed programme with the Belgian based, but Irish funded AN Post team.

Team Barloworld's first training camp of 2009 will take place in Tuscany on February 2-11; the team's leading riders are working hard to start the 2009 cycling season with a bang.

RockRacing: Rock Racing's Nic Sanderson finishes 10th in Saturday's second stage of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic. Rahsaan Bahati suffered a hard fall.