Aw Molgrips, that makes you seem forlorn...
It's tough is road racing, you get hammered a lot, even the training is hard; I had to train by myself to get fit enough to train with others.
It's tough is road racing
As opposed to the comfy sofa that is XC MTB racing? 🙂
RR is a special kind of pain. I'd say much tougher than XC. Once [s] I have been[/s] you're spat out the back, it's a long way to the finish (so I'm told...)
However, i will keep with it to see if it makes a difference.
There's no need to take it all the time. For about 3 days before a race 500ml* a day.
*i think it was 500ml, I'll check later.
I found it far harder than xc mtb, harder than cyclocross, harder than the 3 peaks, harder than fell running. To a large extent, all the above are like time trials in the company of others; your pace is dictated by you. RR us you having to react and ride at the pace set by others just to be in the game, then there's a layer of mental skill on top; not called chess on wheels for nothing.
Give it a go!
phil, 500ml is loads! I was going for about 250ml for 6 days instead as i couldn't stomach anymore.
mol, get a race licence then and enter some. But I sgree with idave, its a special kind of pain. My tactic for when i get spat out of the back is to chase down those ahead and drop them - got a few places higher last year in a RR by doing this. Or i look on it as a TT, and see just how fast i can go on my own once i'm off the back.
Road racing is tough. I did a few 3/4's could hang in the bunch fine. Then came our clubs race which was a 2/3/4. I got it handed to me properly. Dropped in a group of 5 on the 5th lap. Rode on my own for 2 laps. I said to myself i'll always finish a race.
I crossed the line and everyone had gone back to HQ. The pace in that race was unbelievable.. The 2nd cats tore it apart.. 100 metres after the neutralised zone the pace pushed up to 31mph on a slight incline!
I'd say it's way harder than XC. You will do anything to stay on someone's wheel. I have turned myself inside out to stay with the front group after a hill in 1 race as i knew if i lost contact i'd be out of the race
There's a good quote from cav in his book about track vs road. He said the likes of ed clancy and chris hoy really know how to hurt themselves on the track but the thing they don't have is the ability to suffer 😀
get a race licence then and enter some
I've moaned about this before.. I don't think there are many local to me.
You will do anything to stay on someone's wheel
I do that in XC... but there's no draughting so if you get there you don't get a break...
But I know what you mean. I'd like to give it a try and find out for myself 🙂
I've moaned about this before.. I don't think there are many local to me.
Where are you? cardiff?
Yep. I think we decided Castle Coombe was the closest place to go.
TSY, if you're serious about this stuff then I'd suggest talking to Jay on the DT forum.
I've moaned about this before.. I don't think there are many local to me.
I've done a few xc races and believe me it is different. If you're in a break/catching a break or trying to get onto a group it hurts. In XC it doesn't matter if you lose someone's wheel. You lose it in a RR and you're effective out.
Enter a 2/3/4 RR and you'll see what I mean 🙂
I've done a few xc races and believe me it is different.
I believe that.
Otoh in XC if you aren't near the front you're also effectively out, so you have to give it everything from the gun to get into the singletrack at the front. And then stay there for the first climb.. and then make sure you don't put a single wheel wrong on any of the corners on the singletrack otherwise the guy 6" behind you will come through.. etc etc. For 90 mins with no rest.
I'm sure finishing mid table is easier though in XC 🙂 (not that I've managed to do the above for more than a lap or two even on my best days)
The interesting thing in RR was that I found my first few 3rd cat races fast, then the 2nds go faster still, then we went to Belgium... 30mph, in a long line, in 53-12 for 2 hours. I got knocked off in one race and left a scar through a municipal flower bed 2 car lengths long; I thought I'd never stop!
Have a look at Hamish Haynes website, and look at the kms he puts in as a pro in one of the smaller teams, 270km races then 90 kms motorpacing... Bloody animals..
I'm starting to believe that maybe I do need to add a bit more structure to the volume, and then get a race calander sorted out.
TSY, have you considered telling iDave what your objectives/races etc are and paying him to do you a training plan? Assuming he's still offering that as a service.
You might find the specificity liberating - you won't have to think quite so hard about rest and what's relevant and stuff like that - and it'll almost certainly be a load more effective than just sort of doing things ad hoc, as and when.
And you'll probably do less but to a much greater effect. Which from your postings on here might be an issue for you. Anyway, just a thought.
I've seen iDave eat cakes 🙁
TBH this all just saves me thinking about work, that in itself is liberating.
BWD don't tell him that, otherwise I'll never beat him at Cwmcarn.
TBH this all just saves me thinking about work, that in itself is liberating.
I didn't realise you had a job...
😆
And to Molly 😆 too.
Ahh.. when is the STW cwm carn lap challenge? 🙂
Tricky - the only challenge is coming up with enough excuses as to why one hasn't got the fastest time 🙂
In your own time TD - post the times up here.
My PB is 56 minutes. It has to be a recent time though, the track is a fair bit slower than it was years ago.
Mol - was that attained using the same format as your 5k record?
glitchy bumby?
I've seen iDave eat [s]cakes[/s] scones
Only 2. During a 3 hour ride. Possibly with cream and jam.
No, there was no traffic and no ATM at Cwmcarn.
So TSY.. have you managed some rest yet?
[i]have you managed some rest yet? [/i]
we'll all rest in the end.
Sooner for some than others.
I've had a dull ache in the left side of my chest for a week, and I'm not currently active, I'm resting.
🙁
I'm resting, I seem to have a cold. Although to be fair I do still want to go out.
Haven't had a real cold for ages.
Get a bit snotty for a day or two and then its gone.
If thats what it was.
But its not how I use to suffer.
You know, the pounding head, raw throat, completely blocked nose, etc.
TSY is apparently going cold turkey on stw!
My money is on TSY not resting hence my challenge to him as i think he'll find it impossible to rest properly. I've come to realise just how important and vital resting is.
My cold has gone so i can start training again! 🙂 Mol, if its just a head cold, you could exercise but just take it [i]very[/i] easy. Interestingly, when i was ill (just a head cold) i was monitoring my hr and hrv levels...it said both were fine and i could still train as normal (if i wanted too) I rested for the bulk of my cold but it didn't do me any harm to have a gentle ride after a few days (again, according to my hr and hrv).
DG, I probably would go out but I'm off project for a while now which means I'm struggling to get a shedload of expenses and admin work done, clean the house, help with the kids etc etc. I probably won't be healthy enough to enjoy a run since it's hard on me, but I could murder a nice quiet three hour spin on the road bike. Anyone want to join me?
Rest is good, I always have 1 day per week off. None of this active recovery stuff, just don't touch a bike.
Although, I *can* see a lot of sense in Tops' arguments that if you're training for, say, 8 hours per week, that gives you 160 hours rest per week... 😉
Today I did 50 miles with numerous headwinds, all of them from the Arctic and now I will have a little siesta. Which I think counts as rest.
