Vander's Tour to Canberra

[vander]

Flatted about 33-34km into my 40km Club TT this morning. Very disappointing. I was holding about 39km/h and catching a lot of people and feeling ok despite only having about 3 hours sleep and no warm up. My power numbers were not as high as I wanted but I think that was due to lack of time on the TT bike and I was saving something for a special last lap, just when I started to pick up the pace my back tyre went (and possibly cause I didnt zero the powermeter cause I was late). Missed the first few km on my garmin as I forgot to hit start at the start line but it shows 280W avg for 45ish min. I was getting some pain in my right hip and down into my leg I think due to the position and its really tight now post ride maybe something to look at for future. Now I have to knuckle down and do some uni work as I have 8 tests in the next couple of weeks.

[foo on patrol]

Don't expect to ride well with only 3hrs sleep, it just ain't gunna happen !

Foo

[vander]

Lots of exams not much riding, had a bit of a stack on Tuesday when I was doing a sprint effort and my chain slipped off and got caught lost some skin but that seems like all the damage. Then today went out to go race and Landsdowne not knowing a safe way to ride there I thought I would drive assumed it would take about 30min (takes me about 20 to get to dunc gray and its 2min further then that) but it took me 30min to get less then a km, god I love Sydney traffic. So turned around and came home now no racing for me again. One more week of exams then a few days off the I go to Eastern University Games for Rugby 7s (hopefully I dont get injured) for 4 days. Then its all about preparation for September. Its coming up quite quickly gotta get my act together.

[foo on patrol]

So you play rugby as well Vander?

Foo

[toolonglegs]

Ha... I say " why do you do it? " every time my mate plays social football and gets smashed!.

[vander]

Foo I wouldnt say I play rugby. I have played in the past (though not much) I only play it at uni games cause its the only sport I am semi ok at. It is 4 days where the primary aim is not the footy but the social life. It is also 7s which suits me a bit more. We are also the defending champions of the League 7s so I have to go. There is a reason why I am not worried about being back up to 82kg.

On another note, as I missed the race I went out for originally an easy ride but then I decided to smash myself. Managed a 1 min effort (which I didnt think was max) at 700W which is a new peak for that time. Then smashed myself for 10laps around SOP tennis centre. Did it in 23min (39km/h) and held 326W (335NP) very happy with that.

[foo on patrol]

Ok, just remember the hamy is stressed differently in both sports!

Foo

[vander]

Forced myself to get on the trainer tonight despite totally not feeling up to it with exams taking its toll on me. So I thought just do a few 5min on 5min off efforts just do something. Warmed up for <10min then for some reason decided to hammer myself, did the first interval at 400W . Needless to say this ruined me. Did the next 2 at 320 and 335W and decided that was enough for me I had done something and I need to get back to study. 3 more days to go then freedom!

[vander]

Last written exam today 1 more prac exam tomorrow almost there! Did a 1 min effort get 780W Think I had another 20W in me also. Due to the effort I set new peaks from 30sec out to 2.5min even though it was only a 1min effort so stoked with that. Other then that 1 1min effort I rode easy hopefully will be in the frame of mind to ride hard tomorrow. Hopefully I will have my first A grade race on Sat (Bike problems and weather dependant), then Sun state TT should be an interesting weekend.

[Porridgewog]

Where you racing sat?

[vander]

If I race it will be at Lidcombe.

[vander]

First A grade race . Raced out at SOP there was about 10-12 of us and it was 50min + 2 laps. It started very very fast from the gun someone went straight away. Somehow I didnt feel like I was dieing and even had a little go or 2 to establish a break myself. 10min in I had averaged 332W (370ish NP). Then one guy got away and he stayed away for a while so it settled down. Being a Lidcombe rider we didnt chase too hard but after the prime he was brought back. Then there was another 5min tough period of attack after attack. One got established with one of my good mates in it so I didnt do any chasing and this was the winning break. By now there were 2 up the road and only 6left in the pack. It calmed right down and it was just one off attacks every now and then with no formal chase. I sat in marked moves then with 2 laps to go there were a few big attack from the kid that was away early and they were strong. I was hurting but knew not long left. After the final corner everyone sat up so I moved to the front and just rolled at about 35km/h watching everyone. With about 200m to go noone had jumped so I led it out. I jumped and looked between my legs and didnt see anyone and noone came around me. First A grade race and a 3rd place It was a fun race and very different to the B grade races.

Time: 56ish min
Speed: 41ish
Watts: 280ish avg (330ish NP)

Solid race.

[foo on patrol]

Good result there Vander and now you can build on it.

Foo

[Porridgewog]

Good effort mate, the bent crank was good fun today and the race ended in a mass bunch sprint as the grading and handicaps worked to perfection with the last guys being picked up on the last lap....i pulled out again with my calf tweaking again trying too hard up the hill....more stretching methinks

[JV911]

Solid race.

looked solid from where i was sitting...well done

[vander]

Havent ridden in over a week feels really weird. Uni Games was good but has left me with a few niggles and what looks like a chest infection. Started antibiotics today. Will go for an easy ride tomorrow and see how I feel.

[vander]

Rode today. Wasnt all that pretty didnt feel great on the bike and seemed to stir up whatever is wrong with my rib a little. Feel heaps better after just one day on antibiotics and a almost 12 hour sleep which is a plus. Really keen to get back to pushing myself but dont think my body is quite ready yet. Hopefully I will be ok by this weekend for LACC Crit sat and SUVelo sun.

[vander]

God damn chest infection. Didnt race on the weekend as I stirred up my chest infection racing at RAW. On another note RAW was awesome. Forgot how much I enjoyed track. Been smashing the antibiotics hope to be back to it soon its killing me not training hard.

[number21]

Dude, hate to burst your bubble but Canberras been cancelled this year...
http://www.canberracyclingclub.org.au/e ... ContId=841

Tour of Bright maybe?

[Strawburger]

Dude, hate to burst your bubble but Canberras been cancelled this year...
http://www.canberracyclingclub.org.au/e ... ContId=841

Tour of Bright maybe?

What a shame for the additional costs. Not sure what the alternative is in September... Bloody hard to peak twice in the season, but 3 times???

[vander]

Thought it might happen. Hopefully I will be able to to to Australian Uni Games but need to get selected for that. I was not going to peak for this due to my last 5 weeks no really going to plan anyway. Maybe the tour of Bright might be an option. I also think I might give Grafton to Invarell a go.

[vander]

Have been sick most the week (almost done antibiotics) so have only done a few easy rides but today I stepped up to ride RAW just cause I really wanted to. After racing Div 3 last week and finding it not too bad I thought I would try my hand at Div 2. In the warm up scratch I felt ok in the bunch so I decided to have fun trying out the go long tactic. Went with about 4 and a half laps to go and stayed away for a few but in the last couple of laps they came past, I didnt even bother trying to jump on. Then it was the win and out, coming into 1.5 laps to go I was in a pretty good position about 4th wheel, but missed the jump and got boxed in, 3 got a little off the front, 1 of which took the win and sat up. I decided to try for the second one and bridged the 20m or so and came around to take second place.

In the third race, winners race, I was late to the marshalling area (with no warm up as usual) and started last and got stuck behind a guy that pulled his foot, so before we had started I was over 20m off the back, the other guy did a small turn and swung up. So I came through to bridge the gap but didnt want to do a massive effort to do it. It ended up being about 4 laps sitting just off the back as the speed picked up when the first sprint lap came. I just got back on for the second sprint when the guy that pulled his foot came around me to sit on nicely and I lost another few meters. I got back on then almost straight away there were about 4 off the front for the second last sprint (and they stayed away for the last one). Hard race of chasing for nothing.

I decided to ride the timeblaster at the end, I was 6th in line and sitting in behind the guys infront seemed ok but on the front was really tough. I did a lap swung up but didnt have the legs to jump back on the back of it, so I lasted 6 of the 30laps. Not to unhappy, good night in the end. Hopefully next weekend I will be over the chest infection and will be feeling a lot stronger. Tomorrow I might try and ride out at Heffron, weather permitting.

[vander]

Started proper training again. Did trainer session Tues and Thurs and while I am not putting out great numbers I am just getting back into training after a few weeks of sickness and no riding so its OK. Also commuted Thurs and Fri last week to my placement (30km each way). I am finding the work is fatiguing me more and impacting my recovery and leaving me less fresh for my rides but its part of life.

Friday night I went to Raw after 2 days of commuting and my first week of placement I was not feeling great but I had already used my 2 weeks so needed to show up. Warm up scratch was a struggle started at the front did a lap and rolled off couldnt get an easy spot in the middle so rolled to the back and never saw the front again. Rolled around covered a few gaps as the race blew apart and just finished around the middle somewhere. Second race was a 4up 3 lap sprint. First lap was at a pretty cruisy pace I was sitting in 3rd wheel. During the second lap I started thinking about starting the sprint early and then just past halfway the guy infront of me swung up and thought that was my chance and just gunned it got a gap and held it looked back with about 50 to go had a good 30m or so gap so sat up a bit and rolled over in first. Last race of the night was a Madi-Lead, late to the start started at the back and as the race blew apart people making up to 50m gaps I didnt have the strength to close them but me and 2 others chased a group of about 8 off the front but couldnt close it. Went past a couple of people dropped by that group in the last couple of laps and rolled over in 6th or so a good 50m off the leaders.

Sat I race A grade at SOP. Was still not feeling very fresh or good and with a few NRS boys there I knew it wouldnt be fun. Again first 15min was very tough with attacks left, right and centre tried a couple myself but didnt have the strength. Two got away and it settled down with not many people wanting to/having the legs to chase. I did a few small turns of the front but after one a few people attacked and it put me well into the red and nearly got dropped stopped doing any turns. Then later on when the chase had given up I was just rolling around on the front not too hard then there was a big attack and 4 got away splintering the race up into little groups eventually the 2nd group (2 leaders a long way infront still) got caught by the 3rd group and that allowed my struggling 4th group to get back in. After that there was not much pace till the last lap. Not feeling I had the legs I didnt push for wheels for the sprint and around the last corner got cut off a bit by a guy trying to sneak up the inside who I just let in so lost speed and ground. Tried to push for some sort of sprint but didnt have it and rolled over in 7th or so. No great numbers or anything just struggled through it really.

Sun I did a long solo ride. I went out to the RNP and did 1 lap than out to waterfall and back again. Averaged about 28km/h solo for the 105ishkm so happy with that and about 205W Avg power happy with that. Plan for the week is commute for the rest of the week, 2x20 trainer session, Tues 4or5x5 on Thurs, Raw Fri then I need to find a race for Sat then I have Tour of August hill climb Sun and after that I will probably ride 100+ out there. Thats the plan anyway lets see how much I can actually do.

[vander]

Did Raw had no legs, was a pretty miserable night, felt very very flat and when push came to shove I didnt have the power to go with it. Commuted 3x and did 2 trainers. I think Ill just race tomorrow with not much extra then Sun ill try to do a long one after the hill climb but we will see.

[Porridgewog]

Commutes can certainly make all the diffrence. I eventually cottoned on to using them as a real slow recovery and noticed the diffrence See you at the razor!!