A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:05 am
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:17 pm
From Noosa up to the top of tinbeerwah i wasn't feeling my best but once i'd warmed up i started to get along fairly well. The descent from Cooroy to Eumundi is a little bit sketchy at the bet of times, and before dawn on a wet road is not the best of times! I took it very easy though and i didn't die, which is always a nice result.
I went well on the rolling roads between Eumundi and Yandina, passing through a few patches of very cold fog, and then it was time for the wall- Dunethin Rock. After a flat straight through canefields, the road rears up in front of you, it's a fairly short climb but jolly steep and manages to take the wind out of my sails pretty effectively. Once past that, through Bli Bli to the David Low Way up the coast, and the next obstacle was a short steep hill just north of Peregian, where i was dropped by a group last year. My commutes from Coolum have been helping though, as i got over it reasonably well, and also managed the 2 sharp hills further north towards Sunshine Beach.
My biggest concern though was Noosa Parade, the final few kilometres before the finish line. In both the years i've done the century, this section has seen me inching along at well under 30kmh, crying from the physical and mental pain. This morning, no such problems, i was hurting quite a bit but still managed to sit in the mid to high 30s and sprint (sort of) for the finish line. My time for the race last year was 2:42, this morning with no other riders to draft or chase, and the dark, wet roads holding me back on some of the descents, i managed 2:53. Very positive indeed.
I also remembered to pop on the heart rate monitor for a change, and while my average was 159 (a little bit lower than usual) my max was 219! I've seen 215 once before but that is starting to get very quick indeed, i just wish i had a garmin so i knew where i was when it hit that peak.
Tomorrow will be an enforced rest (i have work to do that requires four wheels) so wednesday i will either do the long commute, hill repeats, or get some time on the fluid trainer, depending on what the weather is doing.
-
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:36 pm
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby zakka101 » Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:58 am
- greyhoundtom
- Posts: 3023
- Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:28 am
- Location: Wherever the sun is shining
- Contact:
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby greyhoundtom » Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:54 am
In my own case wearing a heart rate monitor while riding and doing sprints I found my heart rate nominally sat at around 145 bpm while riding hard, but during high intensity short duration sprints would show peaks of 185 to 190, which for my age I considered far too high.
After various heart investigations it was found I suffered ectopic heart beats which the heart rate monitor measured as an excessively high heart rate.
At that time various other heart defects were found that while they are of some concern none are severe enough to stop me from cycling, but they have stopped me from doing the HTFU bit.
Prior to having my heart health assessed I used to push myself extremely hard at various times, but then also suffered unexplained sessions where I could not ride up to my previous best, and yet the next day would come good again.
I’m an old guy 68 this month while you are obviously young and fit, however before pushing yourself too hard and hitting highs of 219 bpm again, I still think a regular checkup of heart health is essential to any athlete trying to push the boundaries of endurance and peak performance.
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:22 am
No such luck though, as the ride on friday morning was horrible, taking nearly 1:45. For all but the last 7-8k i had absolutely nothing in my legs, and even that last bit was only average.
I've been getting a reasonable amount of sleep, and i wouldn't have thought i've been overtraining but maybe the ride on monday took more out of me than usual? Either way i'm playing it safe for the next week or so, sleeping as much as possible and not overdoing it. I didn't ride this morning, i may do Coolum-Alexandra Headland-Coolum tomorrow morning if i'm feeling good.
-
- Posts: 1346
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:35 am
- Location: Earlwood
- Contact:
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby vander » Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:41 pm
- toolonglegs
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
- Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby toolonglegs » Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:51 pm
Just don't lean over too far.
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:13 pm
So total riding for today was a 'totally epic' 8.5k on the footpath with the gf, which must count as an easy day . Hopefully an early night tonight will make a 1.5hr spin tomorrow morning feasible, maybe a short run around Kin Kin on Tuesday, and then Wednesday is Anzac Day, which to me means it is my inescapable duty to ride a bloody long way after going to a dawn service.
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:48 pm
Hopped on the Dawes for an easy spin from Coolum to Maroochy and back, the only problem with an 'easy spin' is that i'm like a dog choking itself on a leash, if i see an excuse to take off i have to grab it . On the way through Marcoola a ute overtook me before a roundabout (whereupon he needed to slow down). I thought 'buses have wheels. That thing has wheels. Therefore it is a bus', and gave chase. I managed to hit 50kmh but couldn't get the draft, utes are not buses, and consequently they accelerate a lot faster. Oh well.
After turning around in Maroochy, a bus (a real one this time, not a ute) passed me and stopped up ahead at a red light. Timed everything perfectly and managed so slot in just right (obeying the 2 metre rule of course, i'm a very sensible drafter ), and managed to sit there spinning insanely fast at up to 56, oh yes. Just checked Sheldon Brown's gear calculator and with the 46-16 55kmh is 150rpm, it felt a lot faster than that! In due course i turned off and (sadly) left the bus to go on it's way. Remembering i was on an 'easy spin' i settled down for the ride back home until a group of 5 overtook me just north of Marcoola. I sat with them comfortably until Seaside, which is where i like to let my legs off the leash for a sprint. This morning for a change i had an audience, so it needed to be good. Off i go, legs blurring, and sat on a smidgen over 50 for about 200 metres, and resisted slowing down much for a bit further. In contrast to my last ride, i felt great after this one, and felt good all day . I've decided not to ride tomorrow though, just to make sure i'm not overdoing it.
- RonK
- Posts: 11508
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
- Location: If you need to know, ask me
- Contact:
A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby RonK » Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:58 am
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:00 am
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:21 am
My planned 190odd k ride for Anzac day didn't happen, i woke up tuesday feeling a bit crook (i've been hitting the vitamin c hard since then) so i decided against doing much riding. I was very disappointed but i would be a lot more disappointed if i was too sick to ride the Century. Probably won't be able to ride tomorrow, so looking like commute saturday and then maybe group ride sunday.
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:37 pm
This morning i did the Coolum-Alex run, could have used the old Apollo but as i was going to ride into a howling head wind, i decided the Dawes would be a better bet. I think it was, as my slowest speed slogging into the wind was 26kmh, i suspect if i had gears i would have just kept clicking down and ended up at 20 or less. Of course the other side of it was a decent tail wind once i turned around, and i managed 1:21 for the 42k.
Highlight of the morning was sprinting to try and catch a draft from a truck and hitting 56kmh before admitting defeat. Only a few k later i did my usual effort and managed to hold 52 for a full 15 seconds . In spite of those efforts i felt great afterwards, fingers crossed this keeps up for the Century on sunday.
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Tue May 01, 2012 9:22 pm
Turned out it was another racer from the Venture Cycles team (i know him pretty well, great young bloke) and after a short chat i joined him for the rest of his ride, which was a loop round Noosa. In spite (or perhaps because) of the rain it was great fun, and he pushed me pretty hard. Held my own though, and after he turned off for home i popped back over to Tinbeerwah for one last run. The climb up Tinbeerwah is a critical point in the Century, so i'm delighted that i'm feeling good up there.
Thursday morning i'll do the early group ride, weather permitting, and then some light spinning on saturday arvo. At this stage the weather is supposed to be clear for the race, fingers very firmly crossed it stays that way, i do not like the thought of descending Eumundi Range Road at 70+kmh in the wet.
Oh and on sunday arvo my mum and girlfriend were talking, mum asked if i had any races coming up, when my better half said "yes why?", mum replied "well der he's irritable as hell, there must be a race on" . Not the first time those 2 have made that observation .
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Fri May 04, 2012 11:08 am
If in doubt, tinker!
- foo on patrol
- Posts: 9013
- Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:12 am
- Location: Sanstone Point QLD
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby foo on patrol » Fri May 04, 2012 3:52 pm
I found the deep breathing slowly and trying to think of nothing and I mean nothing at all was helpfull.
Foo
Goal 6000km
-
- Posts: 694
- Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:24 pm
- Location: Sunshine Coast QLD
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby duds2u » Fri May 04, 2012 7:58 pm
Sometime on a ride ask me sometime about visualisation and I will make your hair stand up about the power of it.
I'm not riding on Sunday as I've stuffed my right knee. I had been planning on the 160k on my new bike that hasn't arrived yet. At least without the new bike I'm not tempted to ride it anyway and have given my entry to Spinner. At least I should post a good time for the ride.
-
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:07 pm
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby durilium » Fri May 04, 2012 8:33 pm
Good luck LDR!!!
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Sun May 06, 2012 8:52 pm
Well as it happened, the pace car and police motorbike seemed to settle things for the first few k, i sat very comfortably with the group, and when gyndier came i was able to hold on with only a little work near the top. The hill repeats i've been doing must have done the job!
After getting over Gyndier, as i expected the flat run to Cooroy was a piece of cake, and i was able to focus on the next challenge, which was Eumundi Range Rd. Last year it was a hard slog as i had made a stupid break from a group coming into cooroy and burnt myself. This year i concentrated on riding well, no standing and smashing, and no sitting down slogging too high a gear, just sit and spin and stay comfortable. It worked really well and i held on nicely until the descent, which was my other concern. It is pretty damn sketchy, and the Shimano R500 wheels i put on in place of the Mavic Aksiums were really pinballing off all the bumps. Even though i pinned it pretty well, the group got away from me, and as i rolled into Eumundi it was obvious that they had dropped me and i wasn't going to get back on. Somehow even on a downhill i managed to put in enough effort to go into the red, and with the pace they were pushing i couldn't catch them.
I kept giving it what i had though, and the next 15odd k i sat between 36-39, the first hour came up after 36.5k. The dreaded Dunethin Rock wall was as unpleasant as i expected but i got over it fine. Coming into Pacific Paradise i was starting to fade a little, and on looking back for traffic i saw a huge pack bearing down on me. It was only then that i realised the group i had been with was a breakaway, and this was the main group. I filtered into them and sucked wheel for a while, waiting to see what would happen on the David Low Way climbs. Last year i was dropped like a very attractive sack of potatoes on the first climb north of peregian, this year it wasn't until after the last one at Sunshine Beach that i dropped off the back. I was starting to get just a little bit of cramping at this stage and was getting pretty weak. A red light got me back on, but not for long, and i was on Noosa Parade by myself again. I was at least faster along there than last year, and ended up with 2:38 compared to last year's 2:42.
In all, i'm over the moon with how the day went. I rode smarter, faster and stronger and it felt damn good.
My brother was also in the race (after having a knee reconstruction in November for a torn ACL from footy) and went from 3:15 to a fantastic 2:56, the last time he did 100k was last year's century!
Some bad news to relate though, apparently Spinner came down along with a whole bunch of others as the lead group came into Noosa Parade, all i know at this stage is his bike is damaged, hopefully he isn't. I saw one bloke who came down in the same crash and although he was barely scratched his helmet was absolutely smashed.
- foo on patrol
- Posts: 9013
- Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:12 am
- Location: Sanstone Point QLD
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby foo on patrol » Sun May 06, 2012 9:16 pm
Foo
Goal 6000km
-
- Posts: 694
- Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:24 pm
- Location: Sunshine Coast QLD
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby duds2u » Mon May 07, 2012 10:30 am
Funny part is both duds pranged yesterday. I came off my bike in Coolum when a car started to turn in front of us(I wasn't in the ride) and so did Spinner. He was actually riding on my entry in the 100K as my knee wasn't up to the distance so I had given him my place. At least my bike is OK.
-
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:07 pm
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby durilium » Mon May 07, 2012 1:28 pm
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Mon May 14, 2012 4:02 pm
So i decided the time has come to make a change, and get really serious about everything, the way i train, the way i eat, the way i recover. Instead of riding to work Saturday morning, i spent an hour and a half stretching and doing situps and pushups (my chest is still so sore it hurts to laugh, from only 150 situps). On sunday morning i hopped on the Dawes and pushed my familiar Coolum-Alexandra Headland-Coolum ride out to the suthern end of Kawana, a total of 71k. I had a few drag races with cars away from the countless red lights, and even though i took things steady overall the average speed ended up at 32.7kmh.
That 71k has me at exactly 2500k for the year so far .
This morning was just more stretching, tomorrow will be the long commute, probably on the old steel Univega (just for a change ).
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Mon May 14, 2012 7:50 pm
- ldrcycles
- Posts: 9594
- Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
- Location: Kin Kin, Queensland
Re: A year in the life of a wannabe racer.
Postby ldrcycles » Tue May 15, 2012 8:45 pm
Very cold even with my winter gear but the first hill got me warmed up ok, i had forgotten just how bad this thing is at climbing, i mean it just doesn't. You come along a gentle rise and it's like dropping anchor, it just dies. As i have said to my girlfriend, 'The univega doesn't go up hills, hills go up the univega'!
On the flat it is a corker though, it will roar along at 40 with ridiculous ease, and the stem shifters are strangely enjoyable.
So long story shortened slightly, today was a pretty hard 85k, the run in took 1:22:50 which is reasonable, and the run home went pretty well too.
Rest day tomorrow, then Thursday morning i'm going to do a loop i've found near Cooroy which should be really fun. Not overdoing things and trying to stay calm before the Ride the Range in Toowoomba this weekend, the usual pre ride jitters are already in evidence.
And i just missed out on a 2nd hand Scott Addict R2 frame for next to nothing on ebay, so very sad .
Return to “General Cycling Discussion”
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+11:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.