Mt Coot-tha training

[PawPaw]

Managed a 11:38 on the anthem 29er in the rain this morning without working up a sweat. Pretty happy with that. Woob Woob Woob.

Wow....imagine how fast you'd have gone with an ultralight deep dish wheelset on your 29er!!!

[BrisVegas]

Woot! Managed the back side this morning for the first time! I tried a few weeks back and had to stop several times and walk a bit. But this morning I just plugged away in 39-25 gear and got there slowly. Had a brief pause about half way to wait for one of my riding buddies, but didn't need it. I forgot to put turn strava on, but it would have been very slow, but hey I made it.

We rode across the top and down the front, then turned around and rode back up the front and across the top again. The front is definitely easier, but you guys knew that already. Was a pretty cool view from the lookout this morning with the fog covering the city. Next time I'll use strava and see just how slow I am!

[marinmomma]

Woot! Managed the back side this morning for the first time! I tried a few weeks back and had to stop several times and walk a bit. But this morning I just plugged away in 39-25 gear and got there slowly. Had a brief pause about half way to wait for one of my riding buddies, but didn't need it. I forgot to put turn strava on, but it would have been very slow, but hey I made it.

We rode across the top and down the front, then turned around and rode back up the front and across the top again. The front is definitely easier, but you guys knew that already. Was a pretty cool view from the lookout this morning with the fog covering the city. Next time I'll use strava and see just how slow I am!

Congratulations BV, the first time is the worst but it's the best sense of acheivement though...the view is worth it too...
Nothing wrong with slow either...it's the only way I know

[BrisVegas]

Woot! Managed the back side this morning for the first time! I tried a few weeks back and had to stop several times and walk a bit. But this morning I just plugged away in 39-25 gear and got there slowly. Had a brief pause about half way to wait for one of my riding buddies, but didn't need it. I forgot to put turn strava on, but it would have been very slow, but hey I made it.

We rode across the top and down the front, then turned around and rode back up the front and across the top again. The front is definitely easier, but you guys knew that already. Was a pretty cool view from the lookout this morning with the fog covering the city. Next time I'll use strava and see just how slow I am!

Congratulations BV, the first time is the worst but it's the best sense of acheivement though...the view is worth it too...
Nothing wrong with slow either...it's the only way I know

cheers MM. So relieved to make it. I was pretty gutted when I failed at my first attempt, so I needed to get back up there and beat the hill. Couple of milestones this month I guess. First 100km ride. First stack in 20 years. First time up Cootha. What's next ?

[Comedian]

Woot! Managed the back side this morning for the first time! I tried a few weeks back and had to stop several times and walk a bit. But this morning I just plugged away in 39-25 gear and got there slowly. Had a brief pause about half way to wait for one of my riding buddies, but didn't need it. I forgot to put turn strava on, but it would have been very slow, but hey I made it.

We rode across the top and down the front, then turned around and rode back up the front and across the top again. The front is definitely easier, but you guys knew that already. Was a pretty cool view from the lookout this morning with the fog covering the city. Next time I'll use strava and see just how slow I am!

Congratulations BV, the first time is the worst but it's the best sense of acheivement though...the view is worth it too...
Nothing wrong with slow either...it's the only way I know

cheers MM. So relieved to make it. I was pretty gutted when I failed at my first attempt, so I needed to get back up there and beat the hill. Couple of milestones this month I guess. First 100km ride. First stack in 20 years. First time up Cootha. What's next ?

Well done!

It's all downhill from here!

[marinmomma]

cheers MM. So relieved to make it. I was pretty gutted when I failed at my first attempt, so I needed to get back up there and beat the hill. Couple of milestones this month I guess. First 100km ride. First stack in 20 years. First time up Cootha. What's next ?

What's next?? To go back again to get faster...or there's always Springbrook, Nebo or Binna Burra to conquer

[jasonc]

cheers MM. So relieved to make it. I was pretty gutted when I failed at my first attempt, so I needed to get back up there and beat the hill. Couple of milestones this month I guess. First 100km ride. First stack in 20 years. First time up Cootha. What's next ?

As Comedian would attest to - Coot-tha is all psychological, once you have the fitness to do it.

Well done. keep it up

[jasonc]

went up yesterday morning in perfect conditions. have not done it for 3 weeks it hurt, a lot. time was terrible, but i made it and felt better for it. have to keep doing it. even though the bike is heavier in commuting guise.

[RobM]

Did a ride up MC on the weekend - beautiful weather. Havent been riding much so my time was woeful but I will get the fitness back soon.

I did have to swallow my pride as a dainty lady on a pink pinarello smashed past me and was probably on the way to posting a 7min climb time.

Oh well - i wouldve taken my helmet off to her if i wasnt feeling like I was about to have a cardiac arrest. She said hello as she went past so that was nice

[jasonc]

She said hello as she went past so that was nice

anyone who can talk going up coot-tha is going hard enough

nice work on giving it another go rob

[Le Velo]

2 Laps of Coot-tha yesterday with 1st pass at 11:35 and 2nd pass at 10:09 .... not a PB but still happy with that.
Going back tomorrow morning with a friend as we challenged each other to crack a sub 9 in the upcoming 4 weeks ..... so the training keeps on going

[PawPaw]

I'm looking forward to my next attempt at Coot-tha.
I'll have taken half a kg of the wheelset; and 10 water bottles off the body.
Best time to date is 11m45s. Doubt I'll ever do sub 11, but who knows if I cut weight 12% or 10kg, all up. Theoretically, I'll have 36 watts available to go faster, which suggests I could do 10m45s for the same power output.

[jasonc]

2 Laps of Coot-tha yesterday with 1st pass at 11:35 and 2nd pass at 10:09 .... not a PB but still happy with that.
Going back tomorrow morning with a friend as we challenged each other to crack a sub 9 in the upcoming 4 weeks ..... so the training keeps on going

[Le Velo]

2 Laps of Coot-tha yesterday with 1st pass at 11:35 and 2nd pass at 10:09 .... not a PB but still happy with that.
Going back tomorrow morning with a friend as we challenged each other to crack a sub 9 in the upcoming 4 weeks ..... so the training keeps on going

[jasonc]

2 Laps of Coot-tha yesterday with 1st pass at 11:35 and 2nd pass at 10:09 .... not a PB but still happy with that.
Going back tomorrow morning with a friend as we challenged each other to crack a sub 9 in the upcoming 4 weeks ..... so the training keeps on going

you're going to go from doing a 10 time to a sub 9? can I give you my timing tag for next years coot-tha challenge?

[InTheWoods]

2 Laps of Coot-tha yesterday with 1st pass at 11:35 and 2nd pass at 10:09 .... not a PB but still happy with that.
Going back tomorrow morning with a friend as we challenged each other to crack a sub 9 in the upcoming 4 weeks ..... so the training keeps on going

I think he means going from a 10:09 to a 8:xx (sub 9) is a pretty big leap to make in 4 weeks! Or do you mean a sub 10?

[Le Velo]

[/quote]

I think he means going from a 10:09 to a 8:xx (sub 9) is a pretty big leap to make in 4 weeks! Or do you mean a sub 10?[/quote]

Ok I see what your were trying to get to. 10:09 wasnt my PB as I have done sub 10 being 9:47 as PB
I am aiming for a 9 or sub yes
I got to work on shaving off 10sec a week which I think could be done with the right training, diet and rest / recovery

I am starting an intensive 5 week program to be ready for the Avanti classic at the end of June, admittedly if I don't crack a 9 or sub by then it will only benefit coming race time no doubt

[jasonc]

went up this morning and did the first half not in my lowest gear. felt good/quick. got to the top and was disappointed. happy i could stay in a higher gear for that long anyway.

[Le Velo]

Went out this morning again for a couple of laps .... the 2 other guys that were suppose to come along bailed out .... "Too cold excuse ....pppffff"
11:16 first pass and 11:21 on the 2nd lap.
Training today was sit down only and grinding on the 21

[jasonc]

lasted 1.5kms this morning in the higher gear - did a quicker time that yesterday too (but as it's on my commuter wheels with a backpack, not worth talking about too much)

[liquor box]

Had my first crack at it this morning, I rode in from Richlands (Julie st bike track entrance) which is 20km to the roundabout at Toowong. I thought this would be a nice warm up but stupidly I ended up racing a guy from the River to Indooroopilly and was pretty buggered by the time I got to the first bit of hill!

I was almost about to quit just getting up the first bit of incline at the planetarium at the bottom and was wondering what the hell I was doing.

I ended up doing 13.38 with an average HR of 174. I was totally wasted by the top, and did not realise how many hill come after the timing section before you roll back down hill.

I basically sat in my easiest gear the whole way up but really struggled as I cant seem to stand up in this gear when I need to increase my cadence, the gear seems too easy and I spin too fast. Maybe I need to knock it back a couple of gears and then stand up? Is practice the only way to fix this issue with spinning out?

All in all it was a great day of firsts for me. I had finally got under 72kg for the first time in about 20+ years and also had my longest ride yet- 52.4km for the day and it was also the first time I had ridden for over 2 hours (2h 13min (AT) 24kmh) which is slower than usual but there was a big hill in the middle!

One thing that made me really happy was I overcame my fear of not being able to get home. I am sometimes worried that if I ride a long way that I wont have the energy to get home and so tend to er on the safe side and just ride the same distance every time. I struggled for power goin back over MT Ommaney on the way home and was in an easier gear for a lot of the last 15km, but felt awesome for the ride.

I think I am now going to try 60km in a ride, which should be easier if I stay on the flatter sections and should take the same amount of time.

[Comedian]

Well done LB. Don't forget to eat while out riding! You should be consuming 60g of carbs an hour.

[liquor box]

Well done LB. Don't forget to eat while out riding! You should be consuming 60g of carbs an hour.

I dont know how good my eating is! I had a Banana before I started, a muesli bar after about 40 minutes and a pre packaged cake at about 1h 25min

[Abby]

I basically sat in my easiest gear the whole way up but really struggled as I cant seem to stand up in this gear when I need to increase my cadence, the gear seems too easy and I spin too fast. Maybe I need to knock it back a couple of gears and then stand up? Is practice the only way to fix this issue with spinning out?

Hi liquor box,

I had the same problem when standing to climb. I always now switch down to a harder gear just before I stand up, and the legs handle it much better...

As for eating - you don't need any food for anything up to an hour or so. After that, just have 'something' - whether its a muesli bar, cake, banana, whatever. Don't get too worried about what it is, so long as its easy to eat.

Cheers,
Abby

[BrisVegas]

good stuff liquorbox! That's a good ride in from Richlands and back, yet alone with Cootha in the middle. That first hill at the planetarium is demoralising. I failed up that bit the first couple of times I tried. I only made it up the back side on my second attempt. For me, I go pretty quick up the first 1km or so in 39-25 gear, but as I run out of puff, I don't have the cadence to sit down and use that gear. I have to alternate between standing and sitting for the second half of the climb. Standing up in that gear is ok, but I need something lower to comfortably pedal while sitting down...