Some wins, some cash and a few PB

Sorry, but this is not doldrums, most of us would consider this highly successful!

In our league think there are 12 events but only need to do 7 for a placing.

I think it’s similar ferrals. Though not doing early season ones means I think that you don’t get gridded. Though I’m told late season is good for picking up positions as the field thins out a bit when others get their 7 in.

Got 6 weeks of trying to build high intensity stuff but I know I’m building on sand.

Looks like you’ve been going pretty well to me 🙂

Sorry, but this is not doldrums, most of us would consider this highly successful!

Need more! 😕 Thing is with TT, much like most types of racing, you need to get a good few regular races under your belt to get properly up to speed. Feel like I’m nowhere near that yet.

Fastest six out of 10 on road or TT bikes in our series at Hillingdon. I’ve won five so far, two to go… Back later!

Be gone with you TiRed. You have no place on a racing doldrums thread 😉

Back for another whinge. Racing tally so far this season…

3 x 10 mile TT
1 x 25 mile TT
1 early season crit

I made 24 races this year, minus 1 if you don’t count puncturing within 6 minutes.

I’ve been frustrated with struggling to recover form illness since early June, but put into that context I feel fortunate.

Hope you have a good cross season…

I guess I’m lucky MrBlobby. My wife doesn’t work so if I want to go racing then I just pay my entry fee and go! In return, I look after Freddie when she wants to do pony stuff.
I also have a lot of control over my work schedule apart from about 25 days a year that I absolutely can’t get out of (and wouldn’t want to as they are the ones that pay the bills!)
It has to be stuff I can do out and back in the space of a few hours- anything more requires me to get help in which is a pain in the bum so I don’t bother any more.

I think we must live in a sweet spot for races though. All of the Wessex and most of the Western CX races are within an hour’s drive or so. Let alone enough Crit racing for a whole year and MTB stuff galore.

It’s racing once a midweek and then weekends if mrs B hasn’t already arranged something, which is usually the case!

To be fair, there has been a lot of bad luck this season. Poor weather and cancelled events early season. Injury then cost me about a month of racing and a DNF. Then there’s been cancelled races with roadworks. Then there was one abandoned in the most tragic circumstances last week that’s still on my mind.

Yeah, that must be tough 🙁

I find Zwift racing a really good outlet for when I can’t do the real thing. it only needs a few close battles and a Cat and mouse sprint to feel very real indeed for me!

If you’ve peaked especially, it’s a good race-replica outlet for the fitness too.

Thanks CH. Will do more of the Zwift racing but mentally do struggle to replace a cancelled outdoor race for a turbo one. Always lose my turbo mojo over summer.

After a winter’s training and a best FTP my total number of races – 2 xc and 2 mtb sportives.
Now I just want my health back. 5 weeks off random down 25W or 11% but that doesn’t tell the true story. Any lack of rest or overdoing it and the symptoms return.

Adsh, I know it feel counter intuitive and I wouldn’t want top do it either, but do you think perhaps just packing it and enjoying some free time in until September / October when you might then embark on winter training for 2018 may be the better strategy?

Painful I know, but otherwise is their a risk you’ll continue to flog a dead horse (so to speak)?

Have you been to a doctor? Always worth ruling out you don’t need a course of antibiotics or anything?

What ferrals said. Was there anything that kicked it off?

I suppose that could be wise but to watch 3 years of work head down the pan…..
It’s just a virus I can’t seem to kick even if I sit around doing nothing for 5 weeks as I did. As that makes me want to cry with boredom I am gently mtfu and feel better for it mostly.
My bloods were all borderline – haematocrit, reds, whites, platelets the lot.
Will see what today’s fbc brings.

Then there was one abandoned in the most tragic circumstances last week that’s still on my mind

Been there. Every pothole in every race I did last season looked like a crater and potential death trap. Any sense of descending in a fast bunch disappeared too.

To be honest that feeling hasn’t really gone away.

First ‘proper’ race back last week, 2/3/4 (as opposed to crits or local league). Going well and best I’ve felt on a bike for 2 months, hit a pot hole just before last lap and blew my tub out.

Cheered myself up this week with a 9th in a 2/3 crit and bought eTap…

Almost back to normal. Training back to same levels of intensity just being careful with volume.

Might see if I can ride 4hrs of Big Dog. At least I weigh less – a lot less – like sub 70kg – so same power to weight.

Bugger, I’m back 🙁

What with family and work plans these two weeks were probably my last chance before the end of the season to get a decent result or two in…. but carrying some stuff on the weekend and my back’s gone, shooting pains from the glutes all down my left leg. Though even if I wasn’t injured the weather is foul and not conducive to happy time trialling.

Thoughts already turning to winter training even though last years efforts now feel like a colossal waste of time 😕

adsh, good to hear you’re getting back to normal.

Warning, whiney feeling sorry for myself whinging below…

Struggling a bit to come to terms with it being pretty much over for this season. Came into the season with good gains and high expectations, then for numerous reasons I just didn’t get to race. Went well on the few occasions I did race but I can count results on one hand. Have club mates who’ve raced more in one week than I have all season!

Feel like jacking it all in now with zero motivation. Probably need a few weeks off then maybe I’ll be more in the mood to start thinking about winter training.

Thread’s been remarkably quiet. No one in the doldrums?

Had about 6 weeks off training here for various reason with just some occasional riding. Now trying to get back into regular riding. Quite enjoying riding again, some reasonably nice weather is helping. Put on a couple of kilos, lost a bit of fitness, could be a lot worse. Not seen a CTL/ATL numbers this low for a while either 🙂

Plan… start building for some winter volume and race a bit of CX for fun (at least at first 😉 )

hahahaha I was just looking for this thread. Tempory doldrums here caused by a hideous cold that seems to be turning into a cough. Going out later for half an hour to test things but as this sunday’s cx race looks to be a full on crit I’ll probably have to can it. Just hoping I can shake it off and get a couple of sessions in next week.

Shhhhh, my Flu Jab is up for renewal and I’m riding like Froome bench chased by a scalded cat at the moment… Don’t jinx it.

Doldrums describes me really well in a racing context these days, i just can’t get the enthusiasm to get back out XC racing at the moment, i’m having no trouble getting the desire to ride currently, i’m doing plenty, but from a racing context there’s just nothing jumping out at me.
I entered the 5th Nov Gorrick 24 race, but entered the 5 hour catagory as a mate was planning on doing with me, but he bailed, so there’s no chance i’ll do a 5 hour event in Nov on my own.

I can see me waiting for the XC series next year that was longer races, possibly the odd Gorrick over winter once they put some dates up, but that may be tough as my lad is playing football again on Sundays mostly.

Weeksy, keep me in mind, subject to family agreement / winter coaching plans if you want I’ll share the 5h with you.

Kryton57 – Member
Weeksy, keep me in mind, subject to family agreement / winter coaching plans if you want I’ll share the 5h with you.

It’s not a ‘share’ as in a 2 man team mate, it’s a Solo cat. 5 hours. I thought doing it with a mate would be a laugh. It would obviously be even better if it were a pair race as you could then support one another for drinks/food and banter etc.. But sadly it’s a solo anyway.

Kryton I’d be tempted to offer a pairs ride if I wasn’t already busy that weekend.

Flu Jab is up for renewal

I’ll trade your flu jab for what I’ve got lined up next week. Off for the snip, I’m hoping it’ll be no more than a day or two off the bike 😕

My eyes are watering… My 8yo had it a few years ago I still have the “ring of stitches” image in my head… 🙁

If there are any other pairs races your considering Mr B I’m up for it over the winter period. I’m in it for training intensity not results so no pressure on you 😉

Well my CX season is pretty much over before it’s started, considering it runs from September to end of December in these parts.

Binned it on Peny Ghent last weekend on the 3 Peaks, landing full bore on my left shoulder; made it down with much swearing and grimacing. Went to minor injuries at the local hospital on Tuesday as it wasn’t getting any better, quick poke ‘n prod and an X-Ray or two and I’ve got myself a Grade 2 separation of the ACJ, so around 3 months off the bike in a racing guise 🙁

That’s awful luck Steve, commiserations.

Pretty dreadful season all things considered. Did quite a few crits at the start of the year, then a couple of road races. Felt pretty good, form was improving, power was there – then glandular fever struck and I’ve been in bits ever since. Finally back on the bike and obviously no form at all. Still struggling a bit with fatigue but much better than I was. However I’ve got no stomach for bunch racing again – the number of bad crashes and terrible riding I’ve seen this season has well and truly put me off. So instead I’m going to have a punt at TT’s. Years ago I managed a long 21 on a pretty flat course, riding a TT bike in SPD’s and my XC lid so I’m hoping I can improve on that.

I may have just bought a second hand P2C frame/fork so at least I can get a winter training on it to get the position right. Just need to strip the bits off the race bike and move them over. And buy a skinsuit. And some wheels. And an aero lid…

Thread’s been remarkably quiet. No one in the doldrums?

Well training cut back a lot over the past month or so. Back on it this week (maybe). More than 3/4 of way to 2nd cat, but fed up with negative racing tactics when I’m no sprinter. Might try a few more circuit races before our Surrey League Road Race series.

Steve that really is miserable – speaking as someone who is asymmetric on the separated shoulder front since 2015. On the positive side – lower CdA when you recover. I bough my trike for recovery and commuting duties.

Flange you forgot:

Aerosox
eTap
Shoe covers
Aero gloves
Arm number holders
Powerpod for CdA
TT Saddle
Custom arm rests
Aero extensions
A mix of stems for position
It’s a slippery slope….

I’m thinking of top 20 in next year’s BBAR as an objective.

Weeksy- it’s oddly quiet this Autumn with no XCRampage or ‘proper’ Gorricks. Even the Brecon beast didn’t run (not that it’s a race 😉 ).

I have one Crit left so am training for that although I’ll no doubt get a stiff reminder that I’m just not fast/powerful enough to race how I’d like to. With no way of getting enough points for Cat3 now though, I’m not mega worried. Would be nice to finish the season on a three lap Guts or Glory flier regardless of the outcome 🙂

After that, I’d like to up my game for next year which means a plan. Head is saying Friel or Trainer Road, heart is saying Wessex CX and Zwift racing 😆

Signed off the year with an age group win in a local TLI, no more until March next year when hopefully I won’t be revisiting this thread!

Friel or Trainer Road

I set out one of TrainerRoad plans in my calendar, I’m reading Friels book to help set up the Training Peaks ATP and it matches up with what I’ve planned pretty well…with a couple of tweaks here and there.

Commiserations Steve

Well the jinx worked. Went for an evening CX ride, fell off and turned my ankle.

I have a TorqFitness test this time next week with my coach present 🙁

I’m a bit annoyed with myself, got laryngitis this week so have missed a week of training. I’ve also stepped on the scales and got fat over the last few weeks – I’m about 18 lbs heavier than I want to be 🙁

Got to get my head down and sort that out, so keeping an eye on TrainingPeaks and MyFitnessPal now,

Commiserations to all sick and injured 🙁

I may have just bought a second hand P2C frame/fork

If you need some inspiration flange, here’s my P2C thread.

Head is saying Friel or Trainer Road, heart is saying Wessex CX and Zwift racing

The latter 🙂 Going to try volume AND racing this winter and see how it goes.

If there are any other pairs races your considering Mr B I’m up for it over the winter period. I’m in it for training intensity not results so no pressure on you

Smashing. Not sure what’s out there. I’ll have a look.

2017 is not turning out well for racing. Having been ill for 7 weeks I’ve worked my arse off on intervals to catch up to where I was and…..
Redundancy.
I really cannot risk injury through racing when my short term earning is health dependent so Brass Monkeys cancelled and I’ll probably just do some long rides.

Commiserations ADSH, crap news 🙁 – good luck finding something new.

Thanks – could be worse – was very unhappy and now I’ve got time to do some long rides even if I’m not racing.

New year, same old doldrums. Having lost all motivation for turboing, the longer days meant I was full of beans to get more training in the real world done. Three good days tuesday to thurs meant i was feeling positive and ready to get stuck in. Friday morning felt a bit off, Saturday was too grotty so canned my planned hill repeats. Now in full blown virus mode and can’t imagine training, or even riding, this week at all. Barely had a week when I’ve not been ill since mid november! Turns out you don’t need russian spy conspiracies for biological warfare, just a child in nursury!

So how many years does it take for them to build up an imune system?