LRRA Middlemarkers - 25m TT on a very windy day !

Woosh !

That was the empty wheel bags gone and me chasing a rogue number that had blown away at HQ. It was a very windy day for sure with a gusty 18/19mph SW in Lincolnshire this morning.

I was competing in the County's Middlemarkers event which was my very first opportunity this year to race a 25 mile event - a distance I hope to do well at this year. After knocking out 300W last week at Scunthorpe (an event there are still no results for!), I had decided to ignore speed and just go for a steady power average of c.270W - using my newly developed three C's strategy : Composed, Consistent & a yet to be decided third !

I was away at 10.45 and into an immediate block headwind which lasted for the first four miles or so. I was holding around 275-280W but seeing my minuteman disappearing into the distance over those first few miles was a little unnerving, however, chant the mantra - consistent, composed and that over one...

More cross headwind to mile nine, albeit going a bit faster now and meeting other riders on their second lap of the course, so plenty of people to aim at, gauge effort, and use as carrots.

At nine miles there is a swift turn back up towards Wigsley and this was fast, fast, fast. For the whole event I had chased cadence over between 90 and 100, but now I was pushing a 55x12 and I was almost spinning out. Had to push really hard to maintain power it was so fast, but all good things come to an end and I was soon back into a headwind. My legs felt OK though and there was plenty left in the tank for the final 10 miles or so.

One last push up the backwind section and I knew it was going to be close to an hour judging by the riders I was catching - over the line, and I thought I might have squeezed under the hour for the first time on a Lincolnshire course - but alas there's still 46 seconds to find from somewhere !

On the day, 7th on scratch and I think third county rider - I'll have to check the results to know for sure - but a very good day out and another testiment to Ruth Eyles coaching.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

So what's been happening since the end of the season with me ? 

 

Last year had some good results and some more mediocre results and despite having trained hard over the winter, I had improved only very slightly over 2015 and pretty early on I knew I had to make some changes, this has resulted in :

1) Investing in coaching - I have been coached by Ruth Eyles since mid august of last year. Ruth kept me ticking over until the end of the season, gave me most of October as down time and do what I like, and then from the start of November the serious stuff has started and I can say, I have never worked harder and can compare the volume to that the output of my Ironman training weeks.

2) Lost weight. I started 2016 at 83kg and this didnt change much until Ruth pointed out that that figure would be a hindrance and that I should aim for being 70kg. As at now I'm 72.5kg so 10kg lighter than last year. 

3) Reduced running to once a week and from end of Jan, stopped all together ! I miss it for sure, but it's about priorities, and my sights are set firmly on Testing for this year. 

4) Listened to my coach not to my mates ! Mightily frustrating at time following a plan and not smashing it up with your buddies, but worth it in the end ! 

So with all that in mind, I rocked up to Kirton Lindsey Village Hall on what was a super Saturday afternoon, warm at 13 degrees, and a light 6mph SW for the Scunthorpe RC 10.

Signing on very early meant I had plenty of time to get changed and not forget anything, also, I must remember to sign out at the end - this would result in a DNF if I failed to do so. 

Warm up went very well albeit the power meter needed recalibrating but other than that I was eager to get cracking with the first race of the season.  I made my way onto the A15 and rode a quarter mile to the start which was in a lay by. The course then breaks down like this and it's easy : 4.5 miles out to a roundabout, pretty straight, road undulates, good surface though. One roundabout and then back, a couple of long drags, and then a dog leg for the last mile. A good course that I hadn't ridden before so didn't know what to expect. 

I soon found out when I started at 2.33 !  I had been coached not to go too hard for the first five minutes and this was good advice. I picked a power target of 295W and tried to stick to it come what may. This meant working hard on the down bits and being clever about the rises. It seemed to work and I was comfortable when I hit the turn at 28mph. I thought I would hit a brick wall of wind on the return but it never really happened. Sure, there were draggy bits but I never really felt phased by them and seemed to power up them with a good cadence - my lighter frame really doing the trick. My top end speed is not there yet nor racing speed endurance - the last mile really did hurt, but crossing the line with a 22.13 this early in the season has been a massive confidence boost. 

Next up for me is next Sunday's LRRA Middlemarkers event where I hope to go better as I'm better suited at this stage of my training (by that I have only just started threshold intervals so longer steadier is better for me) - let's hope the weather calms down from the forecast 15mph winds. 

NP 300w 
AP 300w
Temp : 13c
Wind : 6 SW
Course C10/27
HR 175bpm

Pos. 10/43

Rauceby Ripper 2017

OK, I know, my blog is all about time trialling now......

However, I am in the final throes of completing my transition from triathlete to full time tester. First to go was the swimming, and now this weekend saw my final run until what I think will be post season in October. Knowing the running was to come to an end, I chose one last race to finish on for the year and would you know it, I chose 'The Ripper'.

The Ripper is a race I know well, having been a finisher on three seperate previous occasions. Last year, I finished as high as 30th, but that was back when I was running at least twice a week, whereas I've recently been down to one steady run per week.

The day was dry and there wasn't too much wind, but by god, the ground was muddy and it was the boggiest I could remember the course. I chose trial shoes again and started half way down the field. As the were set underway, I soon found myself making places by running strongly up the first little incline before we made our way onto the main road. My pace was better than expected though and I wondered if I would be able to hold it. I calmed my breathing and turned into the boggiest section of the course. I picked my line through the mud OK and didn't lose too many places. By the end of the second mile I had relaxed on top of my breathing and effort and spent the reaminder of the run holding a sub 8 pace, and closing down on some runners in front of me. The miles ticked away quickly and I was still running well into the last mile, where lo and behold, I managed a strong finish to hold off a charge, something I have rarely managed.

So, that was it, the latest edition of the Ripper done and dusted and the curtain for now has been pulled down over my running career.

Next stop, the Sunthorpe RC 10 on 11/3.

Wheelers Winter Double

First couple of time trials of what I would call the new year. The first being the fancy dress Boxing Day affair and the second being the more competitive New Years Day TT :

Boxing Day  28.11

Otherwise known as the quiet tandem affair as I rode it with my brother Dave, me on the front of the tandem trike as a reindeer and him on the back as Santa. We completed the look with a sack of toys in the back rack. We negotiated the course with no real problems and were pleased with our time of 28.11. Picture of this fancy dress travesty below...

New Years Day 19.17

A much of a much-ness for a New Years Day - the time was in the usual ball park and I came third - a top 3 is usual. We had a strange north/north easterly wind of 12mph and it was drizzly wet throughout. the temperature was about 6 degress and I found out as I rode my warm up that my power meter wasn't transmitting so that meant that I'd be riding the event on feel, just as I did last year.

I was no 8 and that feeling I get when I'm racing away from the start is a joy that I have missed. I was rough around the edges, being the first event in three months, but I concentrated hard on an even cadence and an even pace - it felt good. My heart rate didn't want to get going though and I would have expected to see it at c.175-180, whereas it sat at about 168-171.

Still, on a poor day, it was a decent result when I crossed the line in 19.17. Next event is another three month wait and hopefully I'll be further on in my training plan than I am now.

Winterton Cyclocross (Wheelers Champs)

My last cyclocross race of the season. I just decided, right now, this minute.

It's not because I don't love cross, it's not because I had a bad race today, in fact, I had a good race - it's just that I'm thinking more about next seasons TT season and I need to be the best prepared as I can be and that means long solo rides on sundays in december. A bit serious, but necessary.

Today saw the usually boggy paddy fields of Winterton Showground replaced with an almost bone dry crit race. The Wheelers start their race a minute behind the senior race which meant that today would be an hour.

We started in a row and it was a drag race to the first corner at which I was second Wheeler, however, I'm not as quick at tight turning or getting on and off, and consequently I lost a few places.

I eventually settled down and found myself in a good place (6th Wheeler), lapping consistently, and working hard. the hour seemed to fly by and the post race rice pudding felt well earnt !!

Roll on next season :)

Woodhall Cyclocross

My third race of the season and a welcome return to one of my fave courses from last year. Woodhall cyclocross is held at Ostlers Plantation and can be best described as a good mix of everything : there's long straights, tight turns, range of surfaces, and the mounds !!

One of the longest laps on the circuit and never boring although driving down the muddy roads to the parking raised the heart rate somewhat I can tell you !!

Our race was 12.00 and the sun was out albeit it had rained all day the day before so there were puddles in places and plenty of mud too. I had decided that I wasn't going to get left in a procession like last week and decided to have a good go at the start - making sure I got gridded was a good start as it moved me up a few places.

Off the line in the big ring, my start still wasn't great, but much better than last week all the same. HR through the roof pretty quickly and that it generally where it would stay.  Tyre pressures seemed spot on, but I was aware of movement and a bit of sliding here and then.

First couple of laps went by without incident and I felt I was doing reasonably well. On the third lap, I had a mishap, when I missed the line following a hump and had a food down at the top of the second which caused a crash !  It was what it was and I got over it very quickly and from that moment on seemed to hold my own place in the field. No more mistakes and held off a late challenge for position. Felt it went really well to be honest and a bit better than last year.

No cross next week as I've a club run to lead, next race up is two weeks time at Winterton - the paddy fields !!

Wheelers Cyclocross

Getting up at 5 on a Sunday is no joke and neither is setting out a course when it's rather chilly willy. A couple of wet marshalling gigs later and I was ready to have a quick look at the course and then it was off to stand in a cold wet field with hardly anything on and wait for the start. 

That came rather quickly, and I soon found myself quite far down the order as usual going into the first lap proper. What is it with me and starts at the Cyclocross ?? 

Once I had field position and we were on the full course, I found my feet and began the usual ritual of piecing my race back together. Places were hard to come by, but I found a way past some folf eventually as the speedier longer sections meant that I was able to put some power down. 

The course had really churned up and it was beginning to remind me of last years pilgrimage to the Regionals !! My lap times were quite consistent and ranged from 7.18 to 7.33 and thius eventually resulted in a 49th place finish out of I thing 74 riders. 

Bearing in mind that was my first cross race for about 6 weeks, I think I can take that ! 

Next up is my favourite course from last year - Woodhall !