Mt Coot-tha training

[jasonc]

I use lap for coot-tha. but I go line to line as I don't know where the strava segment finishes

[GeoffInBrisbane]

Out injured at the moment (hip/glute issues). Didn't do it going up Cootha, but since it happened, I've not been up for two weeks, had physio a couple of times and now am taking a week off riding completely, starting from today. Everything's going to go backwards!

Frustrated and want to be back on the bike ASAP. It happened just as I was starting to get some good form after a big April.

[brett.hooker]

Cracked my first 10.0kph average up cootha back 2.2km stretch last night! 13:19 time. I am currently 90kg, 43 years, and I used 34 front and 27 rear with a cadence of around 60rpm... That was everything I could give it. My bike is an entry level Sora equipped Merida ride 91 that weighs in at 9.5kg...

I am super happy to have hit that number, and now I will keep focussing on weight loss, strength and aerobic fitness... It is all slowly coming together...

[GeoffInBrisbane]

Good work Brett, very satisfying when it starts to come together isn't it? I love seeing small improvements and then more small improvements.

[brett.hooker]

Sure is... Ticking away at all my little goals...

[InTheWoods]

Descending the back tonight at 50kmh, come around corner to find a possum sitting stationary in my line Was not convinced which way I should aim, should it run into my path... I may have screamed a little bit.

[Comedian]

Descending the back tonight at 50kmh, come around corner to find a possum sitting stationary in my line Was not convinced which way I should aim, should it run into my path... I may have screamed a little bit.

Nasty. Having run over two possums now I can say its best avoided.

Was really quiet up on the hill this morning.

[InTheWoods]

Descending the back tonight at 50kmh, come around corner to find a possum sitting stationary in my line Was not convinced which way I should aim, should it run into my path... I may have screamed a little bit.

Nasty. Having run over two possums now I can say its best avoided.

Was really quiet up on the hill this morning.

Yeh I figured I was going down if I hit it.

Reviewing the rear video footage, I'm pretty sure the car that had been following me too closely on the way down (I was doing the speed limit, so it can wait) hit the possum as the car stopped and I never saw it again. I can see a blurry black blob heading for the underside of the car...

[jasonc]

I can see a blurry black blob heading for the underside of the car...

no aftermath this morning so it lives another day

[Angus]

Went up Mt Coot-tha back for the first time in many years on Wednesday morning - I couldn't believe how many people were going up there. It's certainly become more popular than when I was last doing any riding! Then I come across a post 20 pages long about it.

Anyway did a 10:08 on the 'Mt Coot-tha back' segment with a partly flat rear tyre, so I'll have to fix that up and break the 10 minutes. Don't know how fast I used do it, Garmins/Strava/internet didn't exist then, and I was 20 years younger and 20kg lighter!

It is a nice way to start the day, just a bit out of the way for me to do regularly.

[Ignoto]

So I've been reviewing my last couple of attempts up Cootha Back and I'm noticing a drop off in speed from I'd say the 1500m to 18/1900m (or the last stretch before the final climb). Does anyone have any tips or types of training that I can increase my speed around that time?

Currently I have a dedicated morning where I'll do some mountain repeats of Cootha front (or the first 1km up Cootha Back and intend brining that up to the 1500m mark) and another seperate morning of interval training. The other 2/3 times I'm on the bike could involve another trip up cootha or general riding.

[jasonc]

So I've been reviewing my last couple of attempts up Cootha Back and I'm noticing a drop off in speed from I'd say the 1500m to 18/1900m (or the last stretch before the final climb). Does anyone have any tips or types of training that I can increase my speed around that time?

Currently I have a dedicated morning where I'll do some mountain repeats of Cootha front (or the first 1km up Cootha Back and intend brining that up to the 1500m mark) and another seperate morning of interval training. The other 2/3 times I'm on the bike could involve another trip up cootha or general riding.

that's the steepest part of the climb - it's where the wire barrier starts
my way around that is to go a bit slower the rest of the time but put in the effort to make sure I can maintain (or do my best to) it through that section

[kb]

Have you had a look at raceshape.com? It can be useful for seeing where you slow in relation to others.

[edit: assuming you use Strava]

[Ignoto]

that's the steepest part of the climb - it's where the wire barrier starts

That it is and boy doesn't it get to you! By the time I get around the corner, I almost get a second wind as you can see the finish!

my way around that is to go a bit slower the rest of the time but put in the effort to make sure I can maintain (or do my best to) it through that section

Interesting, so far I've been picking target average speeds for the time I want to get. I generally don't like to start out too fast, ie no more than a couple of KM's over the average so I don't burn myself out.

Have you had a look at raceshape.com? It can be useful for seeing where you slow in relation to others.

I've used it a couple of times and it's great to compare your own rides with. It's interesting to see where I was slow in some areas I was fast in it the next attempt but slower in others.

Would adding a second day of repeats either at Mount Gravatt or either Cootha climbs be worthwild? I'm not entirely too sure whether I'm seeing any benefit from the interval training (just yet, perhaps I should re-introduce it later in the year?)

[GeoffInBrisbane]

First time back at Coot tha this morning since I did my hip/Glute/leg. Still got some issues so can't go all out at the moment, which is annoying because I would like to know how much fitness I've lost. Never mind, it was beautiful this morning, the sun was just coming up when I got to the lookout. Soooo much better than sleeping in.

[jasonc]

First time back at Coot tha this morning since I did my hip/Glute/leg. Still got some issues so can't go all out at the moment, which is annoying because I would like to know how much fitness I've lost. Never mind, it was beautiful this morning, the sun was just coming up when I got to the lookout. Soooo much better than sleeping in.

did you see a slow bike on a flat bar with a backpack on? if so, that was me

[GeoffInBrisbane]

Hmm possibly - is your flatbar black?

I was wearing a London Pride jersey if that's any help? Would have said hello if I had known.

[jasonc]

Hmm possibly - is your flatbar black?

I was wearing a London Pride jersey if that's any help? Would have said hello if I had known.

the bar is black but it's a white frame. just googled it. don't remember seeing that jersey sorry (I was in a world of my own).

[GeoffInBrisbane]

Hmm alright, must not have been you I saw (definitely remember black forks). Will be heading up there next Wednesday though, will keep my eyes peeled.

I'll be wearing the same jersey, always wear it on climbing rides as it's my contention that beer jerseys make you faster.

[ValleyForge]

how the HELL the fastest bloke did it in 6:38 i have NO idea,

Like this:
600 watts, 80rpm, 28kph for the first 30 seconds then
400 watts, 70rpm, 17-20kph for 5.7 minutes then
600 watts, 80rpm, 20kph for 20 seconds.
all out of the saddle.

And all on the big cog. We used to race around Cootha when I was his age. My steel Ashby couldn't have made it up the hill that fast even if it was towed.

[GeoffInBrisbane]

Back again this morning. Pushing pretty hard, just over a minute behind my PB time (yet the average HR was the same!) Got some work to do, but given that my first ride back a couple of weeks ago was two minutes behind, encouraging. Slight problem at the moment is that I've still got those issues with the Glute/Hammy/Quad. It's improving, but I can't push big gears at the moment. I usually spin up anyway, but there are a couple of points I like to mix it up just to help the heart rate. Can't do that yet...

[Shpox]

Went up the front side for the first time today and was surprised how easy I found it though maintaining 20km/h+ through the entire thing would be pretty tough. Was running my compact 11-28 on an all up 10.5kg bike (8.6 without all bidons, lights, saddle bag etc...) and wasn't even out of breath. Granted, I was towing up a friend so I probably did it slower than I usually would but still found it much easier than I expected. Looking forward to doing it again and maybe heading to Nebo. I find my local odd 40km down to Gap Creek Rd a lot harder with the amount of repetitive climbs and descents. At least cootie seems rather steady

Found the descent pretty tricky though. I was usually floating around 60 kph. Really have to keep an eye on the hard and go hard on the brakes before the corners. Might drop the tyres to 100 psi next time.

[jasonc]

forgot to post, as part of the rapha rising challenge on Sunday I did 10 climbs of the back in 1 ride (beating last years effort of 9). Could have done more but ran out of time

[singlespeedscott]

forgot to post, as part of the rapha rising challenge on Sunday I did 10 climbs of the back in 1 ride (beating last years effort of 9). Could have done more but ran out of time

Nice work. How many metres of ascent did that net you?

[jasonc]

forgot to post, as part of the rapha rising challenge on Sunday I did 10 climbs of the back in 1 ride (beating last years effort of 9). Could have done more but ran out of time

Nice work. How many metres of ascent did that net you?

~2000m (@199m per climb)
2505 including the ride to and from home.