I tried something a bit different on the bike from work on Thursday this week. Instead of looking at the time past certain waypoints I focused instead on the average speed I was producing and tried to maintain it as high as I could. I've got my record time of 46:53 to work with an average of 20.7mph. The idea was to try and maintain a higher average than this throughout and if I couldn't sustain it see where the areas I was losing the most speed. This will come over many runs. For this first one I just wanted to push hard and see where I got to. I was slow getting out of Huntingdon and into the Stukleys but started to push hard as I found clear road and went from a slow 13mph to a whopping 19.9mph in about 2 miles. By the time I'd reached the halfway point I was over 21mph using the big downhills to up the speed. I then went into burnout to maintain that advantage. I was giving it everything to keep the speedo over 21. It really motivated me to have a target like that and I was happy to be flying along. It did hurt which showed the difference in the time based version where I'm not being as proactive.
The result was a new fastest time of 46:16.
The way forward appears to be average.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
The Hurden 9
For the race the weather was fine. I managed to wake up on time. Then it all went to pot. I hadn't got everything ready the night before so I was still pottering around trying to be quiet while throwing things into a bag when I should have left for the start of the race. I was testing out the Tri shorts in a competition race so I was starting off in them. Some 20 miles of cycling later and a fairly sedate pace where I was asked by a poor fellow road cyclist looking for the start of a "wiggle" ride day. I can only assume these are some sort of cycle ride thing organised on the internet and not some sort of euphemism organised on the internet. Of course I had no idea what he was talking about so left him to it and powered off to the Offords. There I locked my bike to a study looking drainpipe which chains locks viscous looking dogs then took the time to build a 10 foot wall and moat around the area. I was then prepared to leave it unattended and go into registration.
I got the number 123. Easy to remember Sian told me as she was running the race with me. The race started at the other side of the village so we all trooped down the road and started hanging around the start line on the village green. I abandoned Sian and made my way towards the start. I was planning a good sprint start and then a solid 6 minute mile pace the whole way round. I wasn't feeling totally comfy. Not because of the shorts more I think from pre-preparation. I'd had a few beers watching the rugby the night before and eaten far too much junk.
Too late for that now we were off. I actually remembered to set my watch as we went forward and I got myself up and into 2nd place and the leader asnd I pushed the pace. The organisers had had to change the route at the last minute so we went flying at the marshal who was desperately trying to steer us to the left. After a half or mile or so the leader dropped off and I kept pushing. I was in the lead. I was quickly joined by a young lad who sat on my shoulder the whole way round. He'd forgotten his watch so I called out the running pace for him as we hit the markers. We thought we were doing well until the third mile when something more akin to machine than man ran past us like we weren't even trying. I tried to up the pace and stay with him but he had me outgunned. I managed to lead the lad for a bit and went though the water station manned by cadets from the local RAF branch. Gave them a few encouraging words and raced on. I couldn't catch speed man so fell back in step with the kid. We opened up the stride as we came back down hill from Graveley towards Offord. As we came into the village I hit the afterburners and tore away from the kid knowing there may be faster sprinters lurking behind waiting for the finish line to come into sight. I sailed through the start line which wasn't the finish line! I got mighty confused and bellowed at a marshall for directions. They'd created a start postiion about another 500m back in a park behind the green. I was gasping for breath as I struggled to maintain the full on pace. I made it home in 2nd! It was hard to be elated by this as I was over a minute behind the leader. Bet he'd come in the car. Not that I'm bitter or anything.
Sian did really well and managed the respectability of the military mile. 7.5minutes per mile. A big well done to her and thanks for keeping me company.
Just to add insult to 2nd place my rear trye had got a split in it through which the inner tube could be seen starting to bulge through. Great. It gave me the excuse to buy some red tryes I'd seen on Wiggle for £10 each. Bargin (hopefully) I've put them on the bike and they look great. Here's hoping they perform as well as they look.
I got the number 123. Easy to remember Sian told me as she was running the race with me. The race started at the other side of the village so we all trooped down the road and started hanging around the start line on the village green. I abandoned Sian and made my way towards the start. I was planning a good sprint start and then a solid 6 minute mile pace the whole way round. I wasn't feeling totally comfy. Not because of the shorts more I think from pre-preparation. I'd had a few beers watching the rugby the night before and eaten far too much junk.
Too late for that now we were off. I actually remembered to set my watch as we went forward and I got myself up and into 2nd place and the leader asnd I pushed the pace. The organisers had had to change the route at the last minute so we went flying at the marshal who was desperately trying to steer us to the left. After a half or mile or so the leader dropped off and I kept pushing. I was in the lead. I was quickly joined by a young lad who sat on my shoulder the whole way round. He'd forgotten his watch so I called out the running pace for him as we hit the markers. We thought we were doing well until the third mile when something more akin to machine than man ran past us like we weren't even trying. I tried to up the pace and stay with him but he had me outgunned. I managed to lead the lad for a bit and went though the water station manned by cadets from the local RAF branch. Gave them a few encouraging words and raced on. I couldn't catch speed man so fell back in step with the kid. We opened up the stride as we came back down hill from Graveley towards Offord. As we came into the village I hit the afterburners and tore away from the kid knowing there may be faster sprinters lurking behind waiting for the finish line to come into sight. I sailed through the start line which wasn't the finish line! I got mighty confused and bellowed at a marshall for directions. They'd created a start postiion about another 500m back in a park behind the green. I was gasping for breath as I struggled to maintain the full on pace. I made it home in 2nd! It was hard to be elated by this as I was over a minute behind the leader. Bet he'd come in the car. Not that I'm bitter or anything.
Sian did really well and managed the respectability of the military mile. 7.5minutes per mile. A big well done to her and thanks for keeping me company.
Just to add insult to 2nd place my rear trye had got a split in it through which the inner tube could be seen starting to bulge through. Great. It gave me the excuse to buy some red tryes I'd seen on Wiggle for £10 each. Bargin (hopefully) I've put them on the bike and they look great. Here's hoping they perform as well as they look.
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Pre Hurden 9
A month has passed since my last blog. I'd love to say that its been because I was too busy but no its rather that I was too tired.
I've been trying to use my nice shiny race bike to get to work in Huntingdon with the aim of doing 3 trips in per week. I pick the days I'm coming in on the Monday so I can look at the weather report. Its just not fun in the rain. So far I've been lucky and there has always been 3 days that I can use despite the BBCs very changable weather reports. Over the last month I've got more to grips with the new pedals and seem to be getting away from the lights with out too much hassle. I've gotten my time down to a hot 47:48. I'm still aiming for a sub 45 minute time which would be a clear 15minutes from my old MTB average. Using the bike has saved me cash in the form of fuel for the car. I managed to fill up only once since my last post usually It'd be twice and cost somewhere over £100 but with the bike making the move as the primary commuting vehicle I only used up £45 worth. I still can't quite prevent that spending itch I get and I've spent too much again on other stuff. For example I've bought my Tri competion stuff in the form of a pair of 2XU tri compression shorts. These are expensive but very good. I did a trial triathlon with 60lenghts in the pool 23 odd miles on the bike and then a 10 mile run. The shorts performed very well. I was actually surprised by how much comfort they gave on the bike I was expecting a lot less padding then the normal cycle shorts I wear but I was pleasantly surprised. Only area I got a little upset with was on the run. The shorts don't give a lot of support to my old fella so some chaffing did occur. May have to wear my swim shorts underneath to hold everything in place. I did have a quick fumble about and I think if I can get the crotch of the shorts up high enough it'll support more.
I also got a singlet top that matches the shorts but where the shorts are black this is white. I went for the brighter colour as it only comes in two varieties black and white and from experience I know that a black top becomes very hot in the summer when I'll be training and racing the most in a vest top. Only trouble is the elastic and mesh panels on the top become slightly transparent when they stretch. Makes my chest look great but very very gay. Also, thinking about it, having a white top on me, on a bike where I can get it mucky. Oh dear.
Along with the cycling I've been keeping up the gym work without the cycling as I think I'm doing enough of that.
With this new kit I've entered into the Hurden 9 which is a 9 mile run organized by NiceTri the St Neots Triathlon club. I plan to cycle to the event in the Orffords about 20 miles from here and then run after an hour break.
Hopefully I'll get to meet a few members and see if I'd like to join.
I've been trying to use my nice shiny race bike to get to work in Huntingdon with the aim of doing 3 trips in per week. I pick the days I'm coming in on the Monday so I can look at the weather report. Its just not fun in the rain. So far I've been lucky and there has always been 3 days that I can use despite the BBCs very changable weather reports. Over the last month I've got more to grips with the new pedals and seem to be getting away from the lights with out too much hassle. I've gotten my time down to a hot 47:48. I'm still aiming for a sub 45 minute time which would be a clear 15minutes from my old MTB average. Using the bike has saved me cash in the form of fuel for the car. I managed to fill up only once since my last post usually It'd be twice and cost somewhere over £100 but with the bike making the move as the primary commuting vehicle I only used up £45 worth. I still can't quite prevent that spending itch I get and I've spent too much again on other stuff. For example I've bought my Tri competion stuff in the form of a pair of 2XU tri compression shorts. These are expensive but very good. I did a trial triathlon with 60lenghts in the pool 23 odd miles on the bike and then a 10 mile run. The shorts performed very well. I was actually surprised by how much comfort they gave on the bike I was expecting a lot less padding then the normal cycle shorts I wear but I was pleasantly surprised. Only area I got a little upset with was on the run. The shorts don't give a lot of support to my old fella so some chaffing did occur. May have to wear my swim shorts underneath to hold everything in place. I did have a quick fumble about and I think if I can get the crotch of the shorts up high enough it'll support more.
I also got a singlet top that matches the shorts but where the shorts are black this is white. I went for the brighter colour as it only comes in two varieties black and white and from experience I know that a black top becomes very hot in the summer when I'll be training and racing the most in a vest top. Only trouble is the elastic and mesh panels on the top become slightly transparent when they stretch. Makes my chest look great but very very gay. Also, thinking about it, having a white top on me, on a bike where I can get it mucky. Oh dear.
Along with the cycling I've been keeping up the gym work without the cycling as I think I'm doing enough of that.
With this new kit I've entered into the Hurden 9 which is a 9 mile run organized by NiceTri the St Neots Triathlon club. I plan to cycle to the event in the Orffords about 20 miles from here and then run after an hour break.
Hopefully I'll get to meet a few members and see if I'd like to join.
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