Sunday, 19 April 2009
Last couple of days - Time Trial training
I did my first competitive time trial since the days I used to do triathlon! Our club was in charge of organizing a 10 mile TT last Saturday and a couple of weeks ago I decided to try this one. Bought a couple of clip on bars and started training, there's a small course around Mirfield which I used to built up speed, it's around 10 km long - so twice the round gives me 20 km. I've improved my time for this Mirfield 20km from over 40 minutes to around 38 minutes. It's quite hilly though - the total ascend is around 270 meters.
The TT competition was near Brotherton with much less climbing, it was actually a quite flat course - but it was a bit windy - certainly the days before. The weather was great though - quite sunny and around 12 C. My aim was to finish within 30 minutes and boy, I did beat that time - I did it in 26.40! Average speed just over 36 km/h. It certainly asks for more TT-ing. I was only slightly slower than all these other guys with their special bikes, wheels and other gear.
I did a 50km ride today just to keep the legs moving - that went actually quite well, I did the Clayton West ride, which is moderately hilly (two more or less significant climbs) in 27.3 km/h average. This is 2 km/h faster than earlier in the year (and I was just cruising!).
So....I think I'm getting in shape.
Next week I'll do the Brian Robinson Cyclo Sportive, which is 75 miles in and around the Penines (with Holmes Moss as big climb). Should be able to do in around 4.5 hours....
I will let you know next week!
The TT competition was near Brotherton with much less climbing, it was actually a quite flat course - but it was a bit windy - certainly the days before. The weather was great though - quite sunny and around 12 C. My aim was to finish within 30 minutes and boy, I did beat that time - I did it in 26.40! Average speed just over 36 km/h. It certainly asks for more TT-ing. I was only slightly slower than all these other guys with their special bikes, wheels and other gear.
I did a 50km ride today just to keep the legs moving - that went actually quite well, I did the Clayton West ride, which is moderately hilly (two more or less significant climbs) in 27.3 km/h average. This is 2 km/h faster than earlier in the year (and I was just cruising!).
So....I think I'm getting in shape.
Next week I'll do the Brian Robinson Cyclo Sportive, which is 75 miles in and around the Penines (with Holmes Moss as big climb). Should be able to do in around 4.5 hours....
I will let you know next week!
Monday, 6 April 2009
Hilly Ride
Yesterday we did a very hilly club ride - we went from Mirfield up to Meltham, over the moors - then did the Isle of Skye climb, followed by Holmes Moss (north climb) - and after a short break in Glossop, the Snake Pass with the Strines as a nice desert! Total around 2500 metres of climbing for 150 kilometres. My average was 25 km/h. It's certainly my longest ride since the last 5 years but it went suprisingly well! My climbing went above expectation, I could maintain a 16 to 17 km/h speed on the Snake Pass (which is around 7% average) and my Holmes Moss climb was better then it has ever been (being second on the top just behind one of our fastest club climbers!). I really enjoyed the ride, I think I'm much better suited to do climbs than I am doing TT or doing through-and-overs on the flat. The Etape de Dales is only a bit longer than our ride yesterday, with only a couple of hundred meters more climbing, so I should be OK doing it in around 7 hours. Let's make that my objective!
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Tough Week
Last week has been tough! I did a 70km ride on Friday with 1250 climbing meters. What made it hard was not so much the climbing but the weather, fearce winds and hail - not funny. Anyway, made the crossing from Oxenhope to Hebden Bridge over the moors - with these winds there was no chance of recovery during the descend. Did a clubride the Sunday after, 120 km on the flats towards Castleford - but quite speedy. I had 2 punctures during this ride, just as they were increasing the speed I felt my front tyre getting softer - sh*t! Anyway, made it home - but I didn't feel too comfortable, which resulted in having quite a heavy cold for the rest of the week. Still did around 110 km during that week, the Monday and Tuesday were not too bad. I actually managed to do a TT try-out on Tuesday 2 minutes faster than my PB (38 minutes over 21 kilometers with 230 meters ascend). My cold got worse over the week, so no cycling on Friday and Saturday.
Changed my tires - I was using Schwalbe Ultremo's - and I quite liked them, they were smooth and I could put a lot of pressure on them. But I didn't like my new set too much and certainly after my two punctures on Sunday I was far less than happy with them. Now changed to Continental Grand Prix 4000S - they look good and the feel is quite good. They have a bit more grip, but I guess that's OK in the UK.
If I feel better, I'm doing the club run tomorrow, which is a 100miles hilly ride. Good to do as a try-out for the Etappe de Dales - which is within 6 weeks!
Changed my tires - I was using Schwalbe Ultremo's - and I quite liked them, they were smooth and I could put a lot of pressure on them. But I didn't like my new set too much and certainly after my two punctures on Sunday I was far less than happy with them. Now changed to Continental Grand Prix 4000S - they look good and the feel is quite good. They have a bit more grip, but I guess that's OK in the UK.
If I feel better, I'm doing the club run tomorrow, which is a 100miles hilly ride. Good to do as a try-out for the Etappe de Dales - which is within 6 weeks!
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