The speed its taking to get anything sorted, I will of given up cycling before we get to Rutland
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The speed its taking to get anything sorted, I will of given up cycling before we get to Rutland
Randyberlin
Guru
- Location
- Sitka, Alaska
Nothing in the slang book or the Google for "moving to Rutland"
berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
Rutland - county just north from me and best skirted around if on a bike and you don't like hills - nothing long but relentless up and downs - unlike the bowling green, flat as a witches tit county where Andy lives presently but is going to build a castle in Rutland when he builds his legs up a bit !
bide your time and there will be a cheap 55 tooth chainring come up about the same time
bide your time and there will be a cheap 55 tooth chainring come up about the same time
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Terrible race craft and poor preparation tonight I had tea a little too late. Then thought I would stay with the front runners, which was a bad idea overall. I did manage to stay with A cat for 10 miles, and eventually had to let them go, just couldn't stay with them I tried to go alone for the remaining 15 miles but was caught by the B cat riders. I had nothing left in the last mile and coasted in last in B cat. Next time I'll have to hold back if I want to have something left for the B finish. I had enough power in short bursts but not enough of it.
PR for the overall lap 3rd behind Dave and Ryan(C'C)
PR for the overall lap 3rd behind Dave and Ryan(C'C)
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
but top power and times
I tried the TrainerRoad Ramp Test X tonight. I didn't have the best prep, I'm a school governor and the school is being inspected by Ofsted tomorrow, got the call this afternoon. Met with the head teacher before getting home at 6:30, straight on the bike, started with a high HR, and was a little dehydrated as I hadn't had a drink since 3pm. Managed 18 minutes which equates to 339w, and the calculation puts it about bang on my current ftp. So the test seems to be an ok indicator. I reckon with better prep I can get to 20 minutes, which would see an ftp improvement. I could have done better tonight, but let the cadence drop and couldn't recover it. It's amazing how tough the test is, those ramps just build in the legs.
Several random thoughts from the last couple weeks.
If you're going to race above category, don't do it in the TT. We're on TT bikes, so you don't get to draft the faster group and if you're riding based on power output, you're really not going to be motivated to chase the other riders. Net was I finished near the bottom of B, would have won C and finished precisely where ZP thought I should.
KISS EUR on Thursday -- first race in a long time where I've had to make runs up box hill. I didn't hit a PB or anything like that. Finished in the top 1/3rd of C group which is good for me on a hilly course. I (again) placed right where ZP thought I should. Given it was a hilly course rather than flat, I'll consider that a positive.
Wandered over to bkool for a ride up my benchmark climb on Sunday. bkool is where I have the most data for the benchmark climb. I hadn't even attempted it in many many months. Looking at my notes from prior efforts I often started out in the 250W range and would fade to around 205W for the last mile. I set a goal to hold 235W for the duration which would likely put me right on a PB pace. 235W is considerably less than what I've been doing various Zwift races -- but there's nothing in Zwift that compares to that climb. I was feeling pretty good as the ride started and was consistently at 270W+ without spiking the heart rate so I figured I'd just stick with it as long as I could. After the halfway point I was starting to fatigue, but that meant I'd settle in to 240-250W, but still with periods above 260W. Finished with an average of 263W for the climb, nearly 30W above my target. Knocked nearly 9 minutes off my PB in the simulator. Got to feel good about that! Of course I also know the sim is roughly 10-15% too easy, but it makes me real anxious to get the snow melted out and see what I can do on the real ride. There's a reasonable chance I'll break 1:20 this year as I continue to close in on a very old PB.
KISS EUR today on a flat course, though somewhat short (42 minutes). Kept with the lead C group throughout the race, but just didn't have anything left for the sprint finish. 10th, right in the middle of the lead group. Goal accomplished.
If you're going to race above category, don't do it in the TT. We're on TT bikes, so you don't get to draft the faster group and if you're riding based on power output, you're really not going to be motivated to chase the other riders. Net was I finished near the bottom of B, would have won C and finished precisely where ZP thought I should.
KISS EUR on Thursday -- first race in a long time where I've had to make runs up box hill. I didn't hit a PB or anything like that. Finished in the top 1/3rd of C group which is good for me on a hilly course. I (again) placed right where ZP thought I should. Given it was a hilly course rather than flat, I'll consider that a positive.
Wandered over to bkool for a ride up my benchmark climb on Sunday. bkool is where I have the most data for the benchmark climb. I hadn't even attempted it in many many months. Looking at my notes from prior efforts I often started out in the 250W range and would fade to around 205W for the last mile. I set a goal to hold 235W for the duration which would likely put me right on a PB pace. 235W is considerably less than what I've been doing various Zwift races -- but there's nothing in Zwift that compares to that climb. I was feeling pretty good as the ride started and was consistently at 270W+ without spiking the heart rate so I figured I'd just stick with it as long as I could. After the halfway point I was starting to fatigue, but that meant I'd settle in to 240-250W, but still with periods above 260W. Finished with an average of 263W for the climb, nearly 30W above my target. Knocked nearly 9 minutes off my PB in the simulator. Got to feel good about that! Of course I also know the sim is roughly 10-15% too easy, but it makes me real anxious to get the snow melted out and see what I can do on the real ride. There's a reasonable chance I'll break 1:20 this year as I continue to close in on a very old PB.
KISS EUR today on a flat course, though somewhat short (42 minutes). Kept with the lead C group throughout the race, but just didn't have anything left for the sprint finish. 10th, right in the middle of the lead group. Goal accomplished.
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
On 2nd thought, I had some decent numbers last night. Sod it, I'll try and stay with A cats in these mixed rides and see if I can extend the time/distance before blowing up.
Andy, there is no other choice
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
Cracking improvement there Jeff.
From the perspective of someone with virtually NO race craft myself, I don't think that sounds terrible Andy. My approach is to always try and stay with the fastest group I can, even if it ends in disaster so hats off to you for going for it! The advantage of this approach is you probably get a better workout, and at least give yourself a chance to improve by pushing yourself - nothing ventured, nothing gained!
I think all that time racing Bkool leagues, which were as much - if not more - focused on finishing time rather than position has made me averse to holding back my effort to much just in the hope of winning a sprint finish, even if this is better tactics.
I agree, sounds like a good ride. Surely that is the way to get stronger. If not, I will have to revise my riding "style"
On Zwift I do pretty much the same. Race in B which is probably a bit too fast for me on the Kickr (but OK on the Pro). Blast out the blocks and try to hold on to lead group as long as possible. Pretty much in the red for first 5-10 mins. End up in a group that is still a bit strong for me but with zwift drafting I can normally just hang on. If this group is say 6 strong, and I come 6th of that group, I take that as a 'win' for me as it means I beat every other group behind me and no need to sprint finish
I really don't get the so called sandbaggers who sit in a slower cat, take it easy for 99% of the race, then take a sprint finish for glory. I just don't see the benefit of that. I'd rather come last in a group of 30 with a PB and knowing I'd worked my nuts off, than win an easy race just on the sprint finish.
