Why Mr Grips, i thought you’d never ask! Normal road bike drops are all i have.

How about we go one step further and make it a proper event? I propose Mustard and I travel down south so there’s no excuses to be had about head winds or the like (unless i’m behind you and you are idave compliant and full of beans) 😛
Trickydisco can find mustard and i a race to do before/after our challenge.
TSY can be on hand to compare our guns, mop sweat from our brows and offer massages to the winner/loser (or whosever thighs Sammie Louise likes best).
Jimmers can supply the all you can eat buffet recovery food
Idave can check our times.
Philly and DD can be our shexy cheerleaders?

+1 for calibration. It was the first thing the coach did last night when i got there. Once it was calibrated, i then had a 15min warm up on it. The calibration was harder than the 100-200w warm up!

I don’t agree with your power to drag theory. The way i see it is, i produce more power to weight than you, i can tuck down further as i’m smaller than you = faster than you. What upper body bits would count for air drag? My shoulders are the widest bit of me at 37. I feel another challenge coming on! 😛

Is that 3.86 w / kg someone quoted as your power to weight ratio right? Did you have a max power test to get determine your max power and adjust it to your current weight? As i’d put on 0.8kgs last night, i lost some power to weight but was still over the 5w / kg. *admires my guns* 😆

Well I did that and more Mol, so i’m still fine! 🙂

Why would you beat me on a flat TT?

328W at 85kg is 3.86 W/kg

If DGOaB manages 170W, she beats you on power:weight.

So, seeing as i was warming up on 170w before the test, i can say that i have well and truely beaten mol on power – weight. Can we have a party to celebrate this occasion please? Coke and cheesecake all round?

I was hoping this thread would appear at some point

+1. Its friday afterall and we couldn’t all end up working could we?

Did the recovery drink make you feel more awesome Yeti? Talking of which, have you seen my awesome guns with my new power to weight ratio that’s far better than Mol’s?

Yeti, its ok, deep breath. Eat them all now, then have a coke in an hour. Then when you finish exercise, have another coke and cheesecake, along with anything left in your car. Simples. 😆

But you are just exercising, what about me and my ramp test? How much sugar, coffee and energy gels should i eat so i can smash Mol’s power test (or has anyone got a spare set of legs i could borrow instead?) PANIC!

You had a tea party in response to 24-50mins.

Proper coffee over keyboard moment there Jamie, thanks! 😀

I was being cheeky…I don’t want to throw up on my newly taped bars 😀 I am going to have a banana and honey so i’m not hungry and can work as hard as i need to. I’ve no idea how logn it lasts, i think there’s a 20min warm up, and then it begins for about 15mins or so then a cool down. I’m interested to see the data, as i can never work as hard indoors as i can outside/against other people.

My honey sarnies worked well before my crit race last week.

Solo *checks* yup, i am most definately a women. I don’t think being 32 means i’m a girl anymore. And i’m getting my ass handed to me on a plate by a 16 year old girl (she’s also in that photo i posted up and i reckon is set to be a pro).

Edit, i was racing against Cath Wiggins in that photo, you can just see her. My claim to fame. She’s strong!

Ok fair enough, i’ll give you the recovery drink last night if you are training again today 🙂 I doubt you can do a ramp test on rollers though. I’ll let you know details of mine tonight/how long the test took etc.

Yup, still on the iron. At least these days i can spot the early signs of needing it and get back on it before i get too run down. Most women cyclists i know need to take iron, regardless of eating meat or not. I’ve upped the amount of fish i’m eating atm too.

I can 100% say i don’t need recovery drinks after training, or even racing at the moment. Last year i did but i am much fitter and stronger than this time last year. Like Yeti, sleep has a huge impact on how i recover.

Yeti, why don’t you do an experiement over the next few weeks? One week as you’d normally do. One week of recovery products. One week on coke? 🙂

What should i eat before my ramp test at tonight?!

mugsys_m8, i’ve met him a few times. ERC are great 🙂

Mol, this was in the email about the ramp test.

The ramp test represents a gradual and continual increase in workload to maximal volitional exhaustion i.e. your bike is placed on a testing rig and the resistance you pedal against is automatically increased until you reach exhaustion. From this your maximum minute power (the average power output sustained for the final minute of exercise), and maximum heart rate can be determined. These 2 markers along with the slope of the heart rate graph throughout the test can be used in subsequent tests to determine improvement. The data can also be used to determine heart rate and power training zones. To make the test meaningful you will need to be well rested and should bring your road bike, cycling kit, a towel and plenty to drink. A heart rate monitor strap is supplied.

As for the rest, i know re glycogen window but with a meal plus the extra recovery may mean calories in is more than calories out? I dunno, just musing, and yes, i am aware its not always about calories in than out before you argue that one! 🙂 Are you training today too then? I did have DOMs, post weights in the gym and very occassionally after 3 days of racing/cycling (like after this weekend) but not if i use compression tights and make sure i have protein in the meal after exercise – i don’t eat meat remember so my protein content often isn’t spot on for recovery hence the doms. I’ve only about 6/7 crits races compared to maybe 20 RRs so i need to be good at both.

The club offers a FTP test as well as the ramp test but the ramp test is what they want those racing to do.

Ok my point up there ^^ though, is do you need to refuel with as much, given you had dinner first? I get you need to refuel but maybe not as much? As i said, i’m basing this on my experience, and after intense intervals, i don’t need recovery drink etc if i eat a good meal afterwards and i’m still good to train the next day. Compression tights are amazing btw, best product i’ve ever bought.

I’ll be disapppointed if all i can manage is 170w, i think i need to get something like 250+ to make the (womens) race squad. This morning i was 54.8kgs which is 2.8kgs heavier than i was before my first race of the season and thus means more power required for tonight. 😡

Ah ok. Our TTs are on open roads rather than closed circuit. Have you got compression tights? I rely on them now more than recovery drink to help my legs.

Seeing as we are posting piccies, here’s one of me racing on Saturday:
I’m number 19 🙂

Phil, see here: Edit, sorry, i’m rubbish with links 🙁 You’ll need to google it but it works so much better than weights. I’ve been using it since mid December and am much stronger than i ever was with weights, plus it does your core at the same time!

Outdoor track as in track TT or outside? I’m aiming for a 24min 10mile TT this year! I’ve no idea what to expect tonight, but i’ll take a bucket just in case. 😆

So you need to drop to between 52 and 55kgs as your challenge?! You’ll look like that TdF rider posted pages back! 😯

phillyc, try the trx straps for back power as well as climbing = stronger with less muscle bulk than weights.

Edit,

Hang on, and apologies if I have misread as low on carbz at the mo, but did you have cheesecake, coke and 2 scoops of some mysterious recovery product for a 24 minute bike ride?

I read it as that as well, hence my comment about ditching recovery drinks etc during the week unless i’m racing a few days later.

Lol. I’ve changed my racing aspirations to beating Mol on my power output and beating you on a 25mph TT 😛

Maybes, sprinting at 50kph was ace on saturday, i’m still buzzing from it! I’m quite looking forward to finding out my power tonight and actually looking forward to more crit races this summer. Never thought i’d say that again after last year and that cough i had! I reckon you should get to some crit races, you’d love them.

I’m taking that PB thanks v much! Wasn’t any harder work than my previous race, but learning race craft, lines, adjusting to sprint and bunch speed etc is hard work.

You’re a nutter

But a fast nutter with a PB of 36kph now. 😀 I’m going to see if i can produce better power than Mol on my ramp test tonight too 😛

Does Yeti need the kiss of life from DD to bring him back round?!

Yay, this thread is still going!

Mol, if you didn’t need the recovery drink / cheesecake and coke, why have them? I relied too much on choc milk for recovery last year, which i think was part of the reason i put on a bit of weight – the whole calories in and calories out thing (i’m talking a mid week interval session rather than a 100miler) So this year, when i’m out for intervals and a hard training session duiring the week (intervals til i almost puke for 1 hr), i’m getting proper food within 15mins and ditched the choc milk unless i want it to help my legs recover asap for racing later that week. Worth ditching some of the pre/post ride food ime.

Is that 3 mins intervals at that power? Embrace the pain and learn to love it, i love the feeling of my legs burning and screaming at me to stop 8)

I can’t have anything sweet with my coffee as it ruins the coffee for me.

No biscuits for me today, i am snacking on calamari. Now i’m sounding like i should be on the idave thread.

Actually I’m interested in the 90mins into an event before taking on carbs…does this apply to racing? I’m curious because in a race situation, i sometimes struggle to settle my stomach enough to take on board any energy products (if i try to eat energy chews, they can sit funny and i feel like i’m going to puke, despite having used them fine countless times before). So for my race a few weekends ago, i ate nothing for the first 38km until the pace settled a little and then managed to get in a bit of energy chews for the last 10km but my legs totally died for the last 5km/two climbs due to pushing a big gear at much higher speeds. I don’t feel i need any energy products during a race but it would probably give me a boost in the last part of the race when its about going for a sprint and my legs are knackered.

Also, if i can’t eat anything/much during a race, if i was to take an energy drink/chews before a race instead of during, how far in advance should i take it? Would it not then wear off half way through and then need to top it up or go back to my not eating way? Would it be any better/worse than a honey sandwich? I tried a honey sarnie about 1hr 30mins before my crit race on Sat, felt great racing and a new PB of 36kph. Looks like this year will be all about learning my race craft and what works nutrition wise and next year will be about going for the win!

Ok, how are we definining 100% max then? My max hr (pre ramp test) is/was 202. I averaged 194 and 190 for longer periods than an hour which puts me in the hardest hr zone. Clearly i couldn’t ride at 202 for an hour, so the 194 average was as hard as i could go, hitting 202 for times and backing off.

Solo, i should have said IMO/E. I’ve been there with the slower and heavier weights type stuff. Now shaken it up to be much more dynamic = much better riding power than before.

Furthermore, I’d question whether going 100 percent for an hour is even possible

+1 for entirely possible, and longer too in my case as my first road race demonstrated.

Re recovery, I’m with Mol on needing faster carbs to help my legs recover but i’m training 5/6 days a week and or racing. I don’t care whether its simply because i think it will or not, it works and that’s all i care about. 🙂

As for moving slow and heavy Solo to increase power, i’d say in the gym (for translation to more power on the bike) its about being more dynamic ie jumping squats etc, and on the bike, its about standing starts and sprints. Can’t help with the running aspect as all i did was endurance running.

Is it underfuelling or under/over resting Mol? I don’t mean over training – lack of sleep, stress etc can hinder sessions as you’ll know. I get round this by relying 100% on what my hr and hrv reading is. If it says i’m ok to train hard, then i do, even if i’m tired – i’ll feel bags better after it and have a better session than i thought. The only exception to the rule is if my legs haven’t recovered but the rest of me has – legs suffering from doms don’t make for good intervals/sprints. I’ve also found that too much rest leaves me with dead and heavy legs so maybe you aren’t doing enough between sessions as an alternative thought process to consider?

Sumo squats – wider than normal squats with feet turned out to 2/3 and 9/10 o’clock. XC racing is similar to crit racing then – we were sprinting at 50kph for short periods of time before settling back to anything from 34-45kph. Try standing starts, these have done wonders for my racing and speed. Also try standing starts then into a full on sprint for about 1 min, ease back very slightly for a few seconds and then jump again to go faster than you were sprinting before. These will kill your legs, make you nearly puke by the end but achieve results (IME)

Also, if i were you, i’d think of ditching the coke in favour of something else, especially the post ride coke… i use malt loaf before a training ride after work, if i need an extra boost, a little chocolate/coffee helps.

Yeti, i think its half fat, half muscle. 😕 This year i’m going for all muscle, no fat but i’m not sure how i’m going to do that! Ramp test in 2 days time…so instead of enjoying my interval session outdoors tonight, i have to rest and wait to sweat it out inside with a bucket next to me 😈

Disagree with being lighter to be more powerful/stronger/faster. Not everyone needs to be lighter to get PBs/have a better power to weight ratio – i’m a good example of this.

As for training Mol, i think you need to push much harder…you said on another thread you did KB squats with 24kgs? I squat 24kgs (sumo squats, 3 sets of 15) with my KBs and could do more reps or lift heavier KBs if i wasn’t easing up on them for racing so you should be lifting way more than me to get faster/stronger. And as for your comment on my fb status about racing both days at the weekend and it beung too much to do well in – I set a new PB of 36kph for 58mins on Saturday (comfortable hr too). I felt great on Sunday and set out for a good result which i would have achieved if my bike hadn’t broken 10km in. Since it broke and I was feeling strong, we then went out at did 60km of lakeland hills instead, sitting at 40kph on the flat. It can be done if you push hard – i make sure every session counts and has a goal/aim. I’m not meaning to have a go, I’m just saying that i think for some things, you can push harder than you think you can. You can also force your body to adapt to the exercise you want to be able to do….a year ago i’d have said i was an endurance rider, can’t go flat on the fast and could climb well all day. Fast forward a year, i can sit at 35-50kph on the flat totally comfortably, i love short and hard races, not interested in endurance at all, and my climbing isn’t as good as it used to be.

Btw, try beetroot juice. Minging but i’m 100% sure it works.

yuck even the chavs don’t drink that shit.

My ex flat mate did. 😯 I moved out pronto!

Tour of flanders? Nice, have wanted to do that for a while. Once again, interesting reading! 🙂

Solo, i’m talking about racing – hard as i possibly can/faster than i thought i could etc. My normal diet is healthy and works for me. Post normal exercise, i’d carry on with that. But anything i pack to eat post race is the last thing i want and i find myself craving things like crisps, or a steak (i don’t eat meat!). After sunday’s race (a PB of 21mph) after the crisps were gone, all i wanted was green leafy veg!

Clover –

Really interested in the statement about insulin blocking the use of energy stores

What post was that in? I’d quite like to read that bit

no
yes
no

. Find that cycling makes me desire and use more simple carbs (tangfastic haribo, cake anyone?)

I’m finding similar atm too – except after a race, all i want is crisps. I hate crisps and never touched them until recently (it must have been at least 5 years if not more since i last had crisps) yet can put away a huge bag in seconds after a race! 👿

A friend’s PB is 24mins, which i’m aiming to do this year. 🙂

@ the teaboy, nice to know someone with similar issues! I need my psoas muscle massaged every now and then to keep it long, mine got damaged in a nasty bike crash about 7 years ago when i landed mostly on my left side. I was relieved to find the cause having tried the rest, new shoes, walk run etc with none of it working – which of course it wouldn’t if i was wonky!

Ah bugger…shinsplints *winces*

Al, don’t run anymore on it, catch it early and it might not mean to long off running. Get to a physio for treatment/acupuncture. You can treat it partly yourself by ice, massage to loosen the muscle and your compression tights too. Streches your calves lots too. Don’t over do the massage/foam rollar though as you could make it worse. Cross train on the bike as long as it doesn’t make it worse. *sends healing vibes*

muscle on the right of my spine was shortened and rock-solid.

psoas muscle? mine went into spasm and caused my left leg to be very slightly shorter which gave me shin splints due to leg imbalance. Once i got my psoas muscle to stay long, my legs were same length again and i no pain – i always know when its gone into a spasm as i’ll get shin pain for no reason during a run. Its so much more complex than just over doing it/needing new shoes etc.

Oh yeh, check your trainers are still ok. I find i get sore shins when the cushioning starts to go. The rest of the shoe is fine/tread is still fine. I get way less than the recommended miles out of them but its better than sore shins and then i just use them for kicking around in. If i get new shoes as soon as my shins ache, i’ll avoid any issues. You’ve had yours for a while, i’d ditch them and get new ones!

If its shinsplits you’ll know by running your hand up the shin/tendons by it (go fairly deep). It will be *incredibly* painful/tender on or right next to the shin, and feel kinda grisley to touch. I wouldn’t call shinsplints a jarring pain though and mine wasn’t right on the shin, it was very slightly off to the side of it (where the tendons/liagaments attached to it)

The tendons/muscles around my shins always got tight from running, an exercise to strengthen them from my physio: Lean with back against wall, drop down into a fairly deep squat so thighs are at knee level, keep back and head against wall and life toes/ball of your feet up towards your shin and lower down as slowly as you can, ideally for a count of 10.

Try using your fingers and oil to massage shin muscles instead of foam rollar which is what i do, its HORRIBLE but works (and its what physio would do too).

Take a few days of from running and then try the rule my physio gave me. If you run for 30mins and its ok/a little sore but the pain goes away after 30mins of finishing exercise, you can continue to run for 30mins a few times a week. If it doesn’t go away, rest up, then try a 15min run with the same pain/time rule and so on.

Otherwise get to a physio asap to get it sorted so you are fit for paris! 🙂

If their marriage was over a long time before they officially split up, then i don’t think timescale is that relevant, it all depends on circumstances in their split really.

My mum and dad split up late last year, after 36 years together. It had been over for ages (like since my younger sister was born, so around 28 years!!) but they aren’t getting divorced, even tho she’s now living with another bloke. I can’t get my head round that (both her living with somone else and the non divorce bit!).

he doesn’t consider that they would get divorced.

I couldn’t date a bloke who said that.

Tough one, especially if you have a ‘feeling’ about being a rebound vs being happy. 😐

Tight but not cutting off blood supply/very uncomfortable (so i was told when i bought mine). But they don’t fix the restless leg thing though (not that i bought mine for that purpose)

Just find a local cafe and they’ll actually remember your name/face.

+1. And they will even be able to make your coffee exactly how you like it too.

I forgot to ask one of the most important questions, is the espresso any good?! We are going to have to check out the rapha coffee bar when we are there… I’m going to look at this thread every day til we go *excited much* 😀

Chocolate milk for me too, only if its after a race or a hard training session. Lived on it post riding for a month touring last year, never once had sore legs the next day!

That would be great thanks. I think there’s about 17 of us there so will wait and see what the plan is first. I’m trying to talk TSY into coming with us but he’s wussing out 😛

The cafe stop photo looks the same as the cafe our runs finished at, except for the sun. And the cost of food. 😀

Sounds great. I think i should move to Majorca! I can’t wait to go.