Monthly Archives: January 2015

A Leaky Tube = 1st DNF of 2015

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The Plan

Ride strongly.  Not get caught.

The Race

I rode strongly on lap one until the hills where a nasty right side chest stitch had me suffering for next lap.  When the big bunch of scratch/2nd scratch caught us shortly after lap two was completed, I got a puncture so that was the end of my race.  Thus, not much to talk about today.

Summary:

Damn you flat tyres and teeny tiny bits of wire on the road!

No thanking of any sponsors as currently unsponsored.

Stats for the day

CTL: 94
ATL: 91
TSB: 3

Power Stats

Average pwr: 277W
Normalised Power: 286W
Critical power (CP): 267W (3.20W/kg – 86% FTP)

Intensity Factor: 0.92
TSS: 59.2
TRIMP: 68.3

Horrible Headwind @ Cloverlea

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The Plan

I was not planning on winning as I’d donned my shits and giggles Baw Baw Classic winner’s jersey.  The plan was to ride, do turns, sprint.

The Race

The race was under control until Parkers Rd where Thommo sped things up.  I did my fair share of working and tail sucking. Early in, I played with getting dropped and then TTing back on.  Up the hills, Simon Baxter and another rider would try and go hard.  I was happy sitting in the saddle powering along at these points.

It may have been the second or third lap where I chased a break by (I think) the rider wearing Bicycle Superstore kit.  This stuffed me and I thought I’d run out of gas.

I got away on lap 4 along Parker’s Road.  I looked behing me about half way along it and went, OK, lets see if I can last until the turn.  I did.  The plan then was to get caught entering Hazeldean Rd so I could rest up.  That worked.

On he final lap along Parker’s, no one wanted to go ahead of me.  I slowed the pace to below 20 and still no body came through.  A little later, I went to take a drink and then was attacked.  Hmph!  Shortly after that, I wound  up doing turns with Roland until the final turn where the bunch got all cosy.

I was in a good possie in the last km sitting about third wheel on the inside.  That was afforded me good protection from the wind and a good view of those up front.  I was planning to sprint about 2 little white plastic road thingys from the finish (about 300m out) and a gap opened right on schedule.  I jumped in a big gear (I was wondering if that was wise) and got a decent gap on everyone.

50-100m from the line, I was slowing and suffering and looking under my shoulder to make sure where the chasers were.  The jump enabled me to win (which is the whole point of getting a gap, though with the way my legs were feeling, I was not overly happy with the race).

Thighs heavy and unresponsive all race. I had legs when I stood or sat back in the saddle.  In the last 50m, I faded rapidly

Summary:

I was surprised to get a break along Parker’s Road.  The only thing that won the race was getting a jump on the bunch in the sprint as my legs were tired.  Power was waaaaaay down.

Thanks to my sponsor – my company, Yeatman.

Stats for the day

CTL: 94
ATL: 96
TSB: 7

Power Stats

Average pwr: 239W
Normalised Power: 265W
Critical power (CP): 227W (2.67W/kg – 73% FTP)

Intensity Factor: 0.85
TSS: 132.7
TRIMP: 174.4

Unresponsive legs made for a hard race

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The Plan

Rather than chase, chase, chase, then plan was to sit in.

The Race

I hit the front 1/2 a lap in and stayed there for a  lap.  Spent about 1.3 at the back thinking that was harder than being up the front.  Got in some mini breaks. Legs not happy today and left glute a bit sore.  Struggled to hold wheel when riders powering on the front.  Let 1st place get his break with 1.5 laps to go, no one chased besides me about 1/4 lap later.  Gave it up got a counter move hit me.  That one ran out of omph up the final hill so I got on the wheel of eventual 2nd place. Third for me.

Riders 100, 101, 103, 104, 109 and 110 appeared to be the ones with form/wanting to give it a go.  Sitting in at the back was much harder than went I was 2nd to 4th wheel.  So much for that experiment.

Placing:
Adam Walsh, Rob Puts, Meeb

Summary:

Disappointing with no data.   Nice place given the way my legs felt.  Glutes appear to be returning to my skeleton.

No thanking of any sponsors as currently unsponsored.

Stats for the day

CTL: 95
ATL: 105
TSB: -7

Power Stats

Data corruption on head unit so no data.

Hard first race of the year

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The Plan

Test the legs and see if the training over the festive season was detrimental or not.

The Race

My legs felt lethargic and an early attack I chased that followed with a counter move saw me drop off the back (though that was more of a play than a real dropping).

Today I spent most of the time on the back, but did sit up front, do a fair bit of chasing and got in some short lived breaks.  Pursuit powering up seemed strong and in the final sprint I kept up with the other 3 making a run for the line.  My poor cornering let me down.  Possibly as I kept left unlike everyone else.  It could me the tyres I was using (Maxis Detonator which are training tyres).

2nd in B and 4th overall (out of 7) only 5m or so down.

Summary:

I REALLY need to work on my cornering, either that or I need to cross to the wrong side of the rode like everyone else when entering the corners.

Thanks to my sponsor – my company, Yeatman.

Stats for the day

CTL: 95
ATL: 102
TSB: -7

Power Stats

Average pwr: 285W
Normalised Power: 284W
Critical power (CP): 255W (3.10W/kg – 82% FTP)

Intensity Factor: 0.91
TSS: 72.2
TRIMP: 92.0