Thursday, April 2, 2009
Greg April Training
Bridging intervals yesterday. Definitely hurt just like everyone else's. Looking at the power data I was surprised by how high the average stayed even though it seemed the last 15-20 seconds were starting to get kind of low relative to what I started out at. I guess it balances out. That being said, there was a noticeable drop in that second set. I started to get rained on pretty good during my 20 min tempo at the end. Thankfully the temperatures have warmed enough so that I didn't really mind the wet. I'll probably be out in Caroline County today for my TT bike ride.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Tyson's Corner Circuit Race
ReplyDelete60 min race with 94 guys total. It was a big field. Jinks, Ed, and I get there and proceed to warm up, feeling not too bad. We take a lap around to check out the course and then it is time for the start. We get going without too much difficulty.
A few things go off the front in the first few laps, and sure enough, I had gotten back from covering a little move and I am right on the front when another one goes "No worries, it's pretty early, that'll come back". Half a lap later I notice they have held their gap and are probably 8-10 riders strong. "Uh oh". I sprint out of the field to make a valiant bridging effort. Well, it was a bridge too far. I quickly got to halfway between the field and the breakaway, proceeded to flog myself for ~1/2 a lap and then fell back into the group. It would take me a good 3 or 4 laps before I felt recovered from that. A few other things get instigated, nothing much happens from them. At this point in the race though we are picking up guys who had fallen off from the break. My girlfriend went to the race and she said the guy who won was a monster, every lap he was on the front with the same cadence powering up the hill. He eventually went on to solo win. That meant the rest of us were sprinting for 2nd and lower. I follow a guy on the downhill or just starts hammering. I've got a free ride to the front and he is stringing everything out. Right before we take a left to start the uphill there is a small swarm of 5-8 guys or so who get in front of me. Then the uphill sprint starts. I start sprinting and am holding my own, realize I started too soon and sit down and power, then get up again for a bike throw. End result, 8th place. One place out of the money. I was pretty happy with this.
The power is there. I need the recovery though. Each effort would put me in the hole for longer than I wanted. It'll come though. Hopefully things keep going up from here. Recovery was non-existent as I went into Falls Church and Shirlington for the rest of the day to meet friends so the legs are mighty tired today.
Having teammates in the field is great. Just to cue off them and see a friendly face. With a field that large I was surprised we met up as many times as we did. I know Ed gave me an open slot to hop in at least once and I followed both Jinks and Ed a few times as they moved around the field. You two may not have known it but I was on your wheel's a few times!
8th place out of 94 . . . . thats damn good !
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Ed and I are on near the same track in our training. I too did my 8x5 LTs a little higher than last week. They were all in the low 280s range. I geared down for them, closer to 80rpm. The first two were rough as my legs were shaking out Sunday's effort. I got into my groove and started ripping through them. Went home and threw the recovery tights on, all is good. Looking forward to getting some more racing in.
ReplyDeleteRode yesterday. First 20 minutes the legs were definitely a little groggy. Couldn't get going, 15MPH headwind didn't help either. Eventually they got moving around. Threw a sprint in, just to get them moving. Considering I wasn't pushing I was happy with the number I saw. Today will be back to training. We'll see how the legs respond to that. If I/we aren't racing on Saturday, is Thursday still a day of rest? Who knows, I might just get out on my TT bike for a spin. It has been too long since I rode it.
ReplyDelete