Kush's semi-training thread
- Thread starter kush
- Start date
kush
Active Member
Yea. If my kids ever behave like this, I'd smack the white off of them. Or however the saying goes.
yes, do text, I'm all by myself up there.
We need to have at least one more meaningful race together before the season is up when everything will come together and it would be flawless. We can work together to crush the competition. Not sure when, as starting September 10th, every weekend is cyclocross.
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On the topic of race pacing, I've said before that MTB races are a lot more similar to time trials than to any other cycling discipline because it is a time trial. The conventional wisdom is that you should consciously slow your ass down during the first part and shoot for a negative split if possible.
This is an excellent article discussing the pacing and the difference between all out and a gradual ramp. Obviously latter is better.
kush
Active Member
Kirt emailed me this, pic of the younger one at last year's Grasshopper kids race, an awesome event, there should be more of these:
http://blog.nj.com/nj_off-road_biking/2011/07/august_2011_biking_and_trail_events.html
http://blog.nj.com/nj_off-road_biking/2011/07/august_2011_biking_and_trail_events.html
I agree kush, I wish there was too. We're out of town that weekend and I know the girls will be bummed to miss this.
I'm sure your two ringers will do great.
I'm sure your two ringers will do great.
That was a good article.
That 3 mile fire road start was the rope the hung a lot of racers Sunday at DH, myself included.
That start was way to easy to go out too hard for too long. Normally the jam to the single track is quicker and your forced to slow down. Going hard on the fire road for 9 minutes did some damage. I was like 10th in the Single track which meant no log jam and no slowing of pace.
That 3 mile fire road start was the rope the hung a lot of racers Sunday at DH, myself included.
That start was way to easy to go out too hard for too long. Normally the jam to the single track is quicker and your forced to slow down. Going hard on the fire road for 9 minutes did some damage. I was like 10th in the Single track which meant no log jam and no slowing of pace.
kush
Active Member
We on vacation. Hence I'm bummed they don't put this on more often. It's a real race for the kids. Not the afterthought that most often happens. It's actually a technical trail with elevation. And multiple loops. Not a 100 yard dash.
RNG1
Well-Known Member
O contrare. I found that to be the best warmup into any race for me this year and I was feeling great when we hit that ST. Maybe I actually am a roadie:hmmm:
Good luck up there Kushkie
kush
Active Member
Did anyone peep Garmin Connect's new "Courses" feature?
They finally made something good, it looks like, though I haven't tested it all the way through to a ride.
Basically you can create a course from scratch, or out of any route you've done.
Most importantly, easy to modify routes, which bikeroutetoaster is terrible at.
Very user friendly and FAST. Some great shortcuts - loop to back, reverse, and out and back.
Can input time, pace or speed and solve to solve for the other variables. The one thing it can't do (at least I can't find it) is whether you can upload a map file like tcx, gpx etc.
Then save to a libraryr that is socially accessible, and of course export to device.
I'm impressed.
They finally made something good, it looks like, though I haven't tested it all the way through to a ride.
Basically you can create a course from scratch, or out of any route you've done.
Most importantly, easy to modify routes, which bikeroutetoaster is terrible at.
Very user friendly and FAST. Some great shortcuts - loop to back, reverse, and out and back.
Can input time, pace or speed and solve to solve for the other variables. The one thing it can't do (at least I can't find it) is whether you can upload a map file like tcx, gpx etc.
Then save to a libraryr that is socially accessible, and of course export to device.
I'm impressed.
kush
Active Member
I guess props for Garmin Connect were premature.
I just ate a quart of Chunky Monkey. It was good
THE Tour. Or aka the Tour of the Catskills. It's exactly like the TdF except its not in France and its shorter.
Time Trial, Stage 1
So it started with extensive consult with Jim V several weeks ago. He pointed out several factors that I should do, which would differentiate me from weak *******. I wholeheartedly agreed, and rigged my road bike with aero bars, got a pointy helmet, shoe covers, pulled the bottle cages and got my tires up to 150psi.
I practiced on the semi-TT bike for a week until it felt natural.
I have to say that being in a full aero setup, you feel like you can fly, and you're like in a cocoon of love. For r. It's awesome. But TTs are painful. That isn't so awesome.
Then today I drove to Hunter Mtn. I was unusally thirsty so I drank no less than 6 bottles in 3 hours drive. I had to stop to pee 12 times, maybe less.
Pick up numbers, check into my pad. Glued the numbers on to be max-AERO.
I nailed the warmup. On the trainer. It was hot, and I drank more and ate gel.
I pulled up within 10 mins of the warmup to the start line. I was ready.
My biggest concern was to pace the start.
I nailed the pacing. See charts, here and here
On the way up (downhill), I was trying to save myself for the way back (uphill). Still, on the way back, my eyeballs started bleeding, and my legs were just not getting my power to threshold.
I gave it my all but something was clearly wrong if I can't maintain FTP for 30 minutes.
Lap 1 (out)
5.5mi
28.1mph
164bpm
312w
Lap 2 (back)
6.5mi
23mph
169bpm
288w
Overall
12mi
25.1mph
167bpm
298w
On the cool down, a nice lady pro rode with me and we chatted. She thought that I likely haven't recovered from DH40, and also that a week is not even good enough to get used to proper TT riding, so I shouldn't beat myself up. Some peeps are so nice in this sport.
I finished 13th out 71, or 2:07 minutes back. This is not much considering next 2 stages are mountain stages, and anything can happen.
I'm shooting for top 10 so I can get money, fame and groupies.
Then I put on compression socks which are awesome.
I just ate a quart of Chunky Monkey. It was good
THE Tour. Or aka the Tour of the Catskills. It's exactly like the TdF except its not in France and its shorter.
Time Trial, Stage 1
So it started with extensive consult with Jim V several weeks ago. He pointed out several factors that I should do, which would differentiate me from weak *******. I wholeheartedly agreed, and rigged my road bike with aero bars, got a pointy helmet, shoe covers, pulled the bottle cages and got my tires up to 150psi.
I practiced on the semi-TT bike for a week until it felt natural.
I have to say that being in a full aero setup, you feel like you can fly, and you're like in a cocoon of love. For r. It's awesome. But TTs are painful. That isn't so awesome.
Then today I drove to Hunter Mtn. I was unusally thirsty so I drank no less than 6 bottles in 3 hours drive. I had to stop to pee 12 times, maybe less.
Pick up numbers, check into my pad. Glued the numbers on to be max-AERO.
I nailed the warmup. On the trainer. It was hot, and I drank more and ate gel.
I pulled up within 10 mins of the warmup to the start line. I was ready.
My biggest concern was to pace the start.
I nailed the pacing. See charts, here and here
On the way up (downhill), I was trying to save myself for the way back (uphill). Still, on the way back, my eyeballs started bleeding, and my legs were just not getting my power to threshold.
I gave it my all but something was clearly wrong if I can't maintain FTP for 30 minutes.
Lap 1 (out)
5.5mi
28.1mph
164bpm
312w
Lap 2 (back)
6.5mi
23mph
169bpm
288w
Overall
12mi
25.1mph
167bpm
298w
On the cool down, a nice lady pro rode with me and we chatted. She thought that I likely haven't recovered from DH40, and also that a week is not even good enough to get used to proper TT riding, so I shouldn't beat myself up. Some peeps are so nice in this sport.
I finished 13th out 71, or 2:07 minutes back. This is not much considering next 2 stages are mountain stages, and anything can happen.
I'm shooting for top 10 so I can get money, fame and groupies.
Then I put on compression socks which are awesome.
kush
Active Member
I was kind of wishing for was a 11-32, which a lot of guys had. Though I'm not sure whether it would helped me or not.
Stage 2 - Devil's Kitchen.
Pain. So. Much. Pain.
This climb is a monster. Max grade was 22%, and average I'm too tired to figure out. And that was towards the end of this 2.2 mile stretch of roadie death.
I stayed up front the whole time, as did the maillot jaune. He is actually a pretty good rider. Strong, his winning average speed yesterday in TT was over 27mph.
Two KOM points, I contested the first one which is that last peak before the descent there, and got 4th. The guy who won that then had his chain explode few seconds after he cross the line. Bad luck.
The middle was kind of fun on the descents. Luckily it was dry. The last few groups finished in pouring rain.
Several attempt at breakaways, none stuck, until the end two got away just before DK climb. I was in super-ultra-energy conserve mode. I bridged nothing, took a few pulls, but knew I was in for some suffering so chilled. The pack chilled too.
So we get to the monster and you just see a winding narrow wall of pavement.
Immediately about a dozen of the the lighter guys spring forward and its just not possible to chase.
I keep a steady pace, and just have one thought, which is not to walk.
You get few seconds of respite when the grade eases up from teens to mid-single digits, and then you go again, and it's seemingly never ends.
Guys were literally falling off their bikes at one point. People were all over the road, zig zagging. Lots of people just walked.
I saw angels at one point and a beam of light calling out to me.
The maillot jaune was spinning his 32, but fell off the pace mid-way. He definitely is a TT specialist, and I'm pretty sure I'm heavier than him, so I take some comfort in that.
Forgot to mention a good thing about yesterday's TT, I beat my main CX nemesis, Breogan the Spaniard by 15 seconds. He edged me out from first place in MAC last year because he did one more race than me. So we are pretty evenly matched in weight, power, pain threshold.
I see him ahead of me, and he's wobbly. I find some inspiration and stomp on the pedals just to prove a point. He gets the will to live and chases me. We make it to the top together, pick up 2 more guys, and TT it towards the finish. We drop one guy, and pick up three more.
We all finish together in a bunch, # 18-22, or 4:18 back
3h15m
65 mi
20.1mph
Elev 5200 ft
NP - 272
IF - .88
TSS - 253 (this)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/104490198
We won't know the GC standings until midnight tonight, and I don't feel like figuring it out.
I ride my bike back to the pad, and I'm just dead. I gots to take care of my legs, so I do the roller massage, and another with mineral oil. Helps a bit Then shower. Then go back into town to get food, and watch the pros finish. Roger Aspholm is in this race btw, takes 5th.
few pics
winners
My bike is back to being a road bike now
So tomorrow's installment of PAIN looks like this:
This will be in the rain, which I like, it favors me.
But I have no idea. I may get dropped. I'm cooked. But gonna go spin on the trainer for a bit of recovery to take care of the legs that may take care of me.
Right after the race tom'w I'm jumping in the car and heading home and then getting picked up for the airport for a week of travel. My legs just may explode.
Stage 2 - Devil's Kitchen.
Pain. So. Much. Pain.
This climb is a monster. Max grade was 22%, and average I'm too tired to figure out. And that was towards the end of this 2.2 mile stretch of roadie death.
I stayed up front the whole time, as did the maillot jaune. He is actually a pretty good rider. Strong, his winning average speed yesterday in TT was over 27mph.
Two KOM points, I contested the first one which is that last peak before the descent there, and got 4th. The guy who won that then had his chain explode few seconds after he cross the line. Bad luck.
The middle was kind of fun on the descents. Luckily it was dry. The last few groups finished in pouring rain.
Several attempt at breakaways, none stuck, until the end two got away just before DK climb. I was in super-ultra-energy conserve mode. I bridged nothing, took a few pulls, but knew I was in for some suffering so chilled. The pack chilled too.
So we get to the monster and you just see a winding narrow wall of pavement.
Immediately about a dozen of the the lighter guys spring forward and its just not possible to chase.
I keep a steady pace, and just have one thought, which is not to walk.
You get few seconds of respite when the grade eases up from teens to mid-single digits, and then you go again, and it's seemingly never ends.
Guys were literally falling off their bikes at one point. People were all over the road, zig zagging. Lots of people just walked.
I saw angels at one point and a beam of light calling out to me.
The maillot jaune was spinning his 32, but fell off the pace mid-way. He definitely is a TT specialist, and I'm pretty sure I'm heavier than him, so I take some comfort in that.
Forgot to mention a good thing about yesterday's TT, I beat my main CX nemesis, Breogan the Spaniard by 15 seconds. He edged me out from first place in MAC last year because he did one more race than me. So we are pretty evenly matched in weight, power, pain threshold.
I see him ahead of me, and he's wobbly. I find some inspiration and stomp on the pedals just to prove a point. He gets the will to live and chases me. We make it to the top together, pick up 2 more guys, and TT it towards the finish. We drop one guy, and pick up three more.
We all finish together in a bunch, # 18-22, or 4:18 back
3h15m
65 mi
20.1mph
Elev 5200 ft
NP - 272
IF - .88
TSS - 253 (this)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/104490198
We won't know the GC standings until midnight tonight, and I don't feel like figuring it out.
I ride my bike back to the pad, and I'm just dead. I gots to take care of my legs, so I do the roller massage, and another with mineral oil. Helps a bit Then shower. Then go back into town to get food, and watch the pros finish. Roger Aspholm is in this race btw, takes 5th.
few pics
winners
My bike is back to being a road bike now
So tomorrow's installment of PAIN looks like this:
This will be in the rain, which I like, it favors me.
But I have no idea. I may get dropped. I'm cooked. But gonna go spin on the trainer for a bit of recovery to take care of the legs that may take care of me.
Right after the race tom'w I'm jumping in the car and heading home and then getting picked up for the airport for a week of travel. My legs just may explode.
good luck kush. give 'em hell.
