another 80km under the belt which means 240 before the weekend. legs are good and i posted a 5th best time from penrith to parra without 100% effort – but on the full leader board i would have taken third place.
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today i completed the task. commuting to work and back – basically the grind x 2. i put in a very reserved effort in the morning to make sure i had some in the tank to return home. even with the reduced effort i still had a higher than normal avg speed of 32.6km/hr. my HR was lower as an avg for the IN leg. its proof that all the work is really starting to show.
but the big thing was the return home. i checked back and i think the last time i returned home was in May 2010! i mentioned then that i was sore from the morning ride. todays return i was over 1km/hr faster. today i am fine. legs are slightly sore but nothing to complain about. i found i could climb reasonably well at lappo, on the highway and into springwood and the climb home weren’t as painful as i expected.
form is now here: i just need to keep this up for about 9 more weeks which seems very doable. i seem to have found a equilibrium with family, work and riding.
i’ve also been toying with the idea of dirtworks/convict 50km – to settle the unfinished business i have there… who knows at this point
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or is it more like training in a storm. either way some how in the worst weather i can ever remember i still seem to be able to smash out the right amount of hr’s & km’s for training. 9hrs was the plan and i ended up 26min over that – with additional time made up swimming and stretching it was a really good week 11hr week. i only missed the friday grind due to weather.
i smashed a full saturday session of 99.8km [so close LOL] but best of all i PB’d across to richmond from penrith with a KOM in 4th place and sitting in Z4 for a long time – at one point for almost 30min which is good LT improving not to mention a very solid avg of 31.9 for the ride. i did end up returning home in the pissing down rain. it was good as it made me pull my finger out today and give the roadie a really good once over clean. including the cassette and freewheel, small amounts of work on the pedals and a few other tweeks.
i dropped carbo down to blackmans as well. after visiting churchys and attempting to inflate the new race kings i/we realised the rear has rim tape sealing issues so i stuck a tube in it and took it down for a quick gear service before this weekends 4hr*. i picked up some stans 25mm rim tape as well so i can now re-tape it and get it all running smoothly before the MTB Cruise 100km week after next. this 100km race is going to be the real opener for my season and it will be the first race i should really be able to gauge my current form.
Last weeks monday night crits were again another example of my lack of form – although i did try to bridge a gap, i could have bridged, but 2 riders followed me which in tail bought the entire bunch with them and the gap was shut down to us crossing, then sequentially to the original break.
i lept early for the intermediate sprint and managed a 3rd but again my tactics are wacky. you’ve/i’ve got no hope of making an early or long sprint stick if your starting from the rear of the pack. i’m still riding without at brain. still love crits – good intensity goes down everytime.
*the yellomundee 4hr this weekend is looking like it will be called off. the amount of rain has destroyed all bridges and reeked major havoc throughout the trails and it’s looking like more rain this week. doesn’t look good at all for race start.
i also replaced the rear refuse [front will swap out after the crit tyre change]. i am going to try and document the amount of KM’s i can get from the one set of tires.
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its a massive challenge – but i am closer to being able to achieve it comfortably or as comfortable as possible. with birthday money from family i decided to pick up a 6hr ay-up battery. this will become the frame pack and i can then run the 2 x 3hrs for helmet lights. helmet lights are only needed for the M4 return trip but crucial to keeping upright and dodging the debris along the shoulder.
i.m almost ready but i still only want to complete the return trip if the weather is good. its going to be hard enough the first couple of times without having a battle with mother nature considering it will be about 160km commute in total. the level it will take me to should be where i want to be as the plan is to also still add one grind to the mix for the one week. it all remains to be seen but i am really focused on it.
why? i still want to attempt the scott 24hr solo which will mean i’ll need even more batterys at a latter stage. and added bonus is having 240km in the bank by the weekend will give me more flexibility to take it a bit easier if necessary… its all in the hands of the weather gods atm.
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thats where i am – and i’m really proud/happy/excited about it. training is never easy but it seems atm i have all gears running smooth and i am making targets each time as well as adding new efforts into the picture.
the weather has been insane but i haven’t let it really get in the way – although it has taken its toll on the girl. right now she’s in a bit of a state and not rolling very well at all.
for january i only fell short one week – the same week i began full detox which has now been a full month on and like training i am still running strong.
these new extra efforts have been over and above the riding schedule and that is what i think is really going to make the difference from previous years. adding into the picture have been stretching which is returning to what i was doing a few years ago and a new effort, swimming. as much as i am not a swimmer its been an eye opener and actually enjoyable.
it allows me to add an extra 1hr per week into the mix and as cross training it is improving my upper body, core and cardio. it can be completed in any weather and at lunch. i started at victoria park pool but now have purchased a 20 pass for ian thorpe. a couple of other guys from work are into it as well which helped me increase my effort and pace. at first it was only doing about 600m – then 800m now i am getting in a full 1km in 30min or just under. at the end of 30min i am pretty spent but not my legs its all cardio and upper body. along with the stretching i am hoping really hoping in the next few race the results will show.
the usual local rides are still perfect for specifics like strength and AT improvement and just outright punishment rides along with the crits [i'll talk about them shortly] i have a new found enthusiasm. another grind today al-be-it commencing in rain, its good to have the pains back in my legs all day… it means i am on target.
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