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Peter Salt

Bittersweet
Location
Yorkshire, UK
Your w/kg in the last race wasn't far off Carl's (and higher than mine)
Well... Point taken, but there's so much more to racing then just that number. There's the ability to go way over your threshold to keep up with he group, there's the drafting and then there's the course knowledge/experience of where the steeper sections of the climbs are to ramp up the power, etc.

I'm feeling good about my fitness, in fact, I'm very close to hitting my 5-month weight loss target as well as FTP target set by @Whorty ^_^ But in terms of racecraft there's a lot more I need to do to even have a hope of catching up :okay:
 

mjd1988

Guru
Well... Point taken, but there's so much more to racing then just that number. There's the ability to go way over your threshold to keep up with he group, there's the drafting and then there's the course knowledge/experience of where the steeper sections of the climbs are to ramp up the power, etc.

I'm feeling good about my fitness, in fact, I'm very close to hitting my 5-month weight loss target as well as FTP target set by @Whorty ^_^ But in terms of racecraft there's a lot more I need to do to even have a hope of catching up :okay:

Fair enough, but just saying you've made a lot of progress so no harm in aiming for more of us
 
I’m looking forward to the race on Tuesday.

Hope I cope better with it this week, though. The start is a little late for me - I end up feeling wired for hours after and can’t sleep right. Felt like it had a knock on effect for the rest of the week, to be honest. Anyone else suffer with that after a relatively late race and got any tips?
 

mjd1988

Guru
I’m looking forward to the race on Tuesday.

Hope I cope better with it this week, though. The start is a little late for me - I end up feeling wired for hours after and can’t sleep right. Felt like it had a knock on effect for the rest of the week, to be honest. Anyone else suffer with that after a relatively late race and got any tips?
Same for me really. Can make the time okay but always take forever to go to sleep. I try not to drink too much (water!) Afterwards. I feel like a bath might help/ maybe something like a massage gun? But I'm in the same boat, would prefer slightly earlier but I know it's always a compromise getting a time to suit most of us
 

<Tommy>

Illegitimi non carborundum
Location
Camden, London
I thought the later start was accommodating you two in particular to be honest. I’m definitely happy to start a little earlier if it’s possible to make it work. I have a feeling much earlier and bridgy will struggle at the moment though.

I’m in the same boat with regards sleep. The lateness is having a big knock on effect to the quality of my sleep. Avoiding caffeine and gels, sugar in general really. I’m taking a magnesium tablet in the evenings which is supposed to help sleep amongst other things but I couldn’t say it’s working with any confidence. Dioralyte sachet helps to get some of the lost nutrient, salts etc back into your body and I’ve found this stops the midnight Michael Flatley impression in bed.

I wouldn’t recommend a hot bath. It raises your core temperature if it’s too hot and it’ll take a while to bring it down which again can prologue falling asleep. A cold bath or shower could definitely help with recovery.
 

mjd1988

Guru
I thought the later start was accommodating you two in particular to be honest. I’m definitely happy to start a little earlier if it’s possible to make it work. I have a feeling much earlier and bridgy will struggle at the moment though.

I’m in the same boat with regards sleep. The lateness is having a big knock on effect to the quality of my sleep. Avoiding caffeine and gels, sugar in general really. I’m taking a magnesium tablet in the evenings which is supposed to help sleep amongst other things but I couldn’t say it’s working with any confidence. Dioralyte sachet helps to get some of the lost nutrient, salts etc back into your body and I’ve found this stops the midnight Michael Flatley impression in bed.

I wouldn’t recommend a hot bath. It raises your core temperature if it’s too hot and it’ll take a while to bring it down which again can prologue falling asleep. A cold bath or shower could definitely help with recovery.

Yeah to be fair after 7 really suits, could do a little earlier than 1950 but know its not going to suit everyone
 

<Tommy>

Illegitimi non carborundum
Location
Camden, London
Are we putting TOW times up here? I’m going to try joining today if anyone is around.
 
Yes @<Tommy> I am one who struggles with early races due to children’s bed times.

No complaints about the 19:50 slot from me overall, better to be racing at 19:50 than missing events at 18:50 for sure. Just looking for ways to try and help with the sleep afterwards. Cold shower is a good idea - I’d heard about lower core temp helping trigger sleep so will try that 👍

Could do slightly earlier but don’t think 20 mins earlier would have any meaningful effect on sleep afterwards :smile:
 

bobinski

Legendary Member
Location
Tulse Hill

alex_cycles

Veteran
Location
Oxfordshire
I’m looking forward to the race on Tuesday.

Hope I cope better with it this week, though. The start is a little late for me - I end up feeling wired for hours after and can’t sleep right. Felt like it had a knock on effect for the rest of the week, to be honest. Anyone else suffer with that after a relatively late race and got any tips?
Yes my entire routine revolves around a ride in the morning. If I have to change that to late evening it ****s up everything.

A big hit of adrenaline from 2000-2100 is not very helpful, but I totally get that most people work daytime and it's unavoidable. Obviously the fun of racing offsets that to some extent. But it would put me off ZRL (a bit) if that's the regular time slot.
 
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alex_cycles

Veteran
Location
Oxfordshire
Well... Point taken, but there's so much more to racing then just that number. There's the ability to go way over your threshold to keep up with he group, there's the drafting and then there's the course knowledge/experience of where the steeper sections of the climbs are to ramp up the power, etc.

I'm feeling good about my fitness, in fact, I'm very close to hitting my 5-month weight loss target as well as FTP target set by @Whorty ^_^ But in terms of racecraft there's a lot more I need to do to even have a hope of catching up :okay:
What is your current FTP and how are you measuring it? I ask because your W/kg on Tuesday were very similar to mine and our times were within half a minute of each other. We're also within a couple of kg weight of each other.

I completely agree about the racecraft thing. I'm wondering if I'd have been better served digging deeper at the start to hold onto the faster group for longer, rather than going all out on the final climb. No idea of the answer. I suppose time and experience will tell. Fewer options this week on a flatter course though, I think.
 
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