Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 13: Sally Gap CP

Long Story Short

• Was late to the start, rolled out with Semi-Limit,
• Got shelled, at about 10km, after the catch was made,
• I finished last, of all those who finished. There was a 38 starters and many abandons. So not too shameful.

View the Ride on Strava: Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 13: Sally Gap. Luke-terne Rouge, Glad I finished.

Flybys Replay

View the Race Replay on Strava Flybys: Sally Gap Replay. Rewind it to -0:2:20 and press play.
I enabled;

• Myself, as I'm the most important :P,
• Dan, he started with Limit and finished near the front,
• Niall, we had a bit of a battle for last place,
• Eoin, he started with Semi-Limit and finished 5th,
• Jamie, started with Semi-Scratch and finished near the front, and
• Patrick, started with Scratch and finished near the front.

Short Story Long

Build-up

I rocked out for some hill repeats on Tuesday. They were on Mount Seskin, which was not steep. I had a big Paella the night before the race, to get extra Glycogen in my body. I checked the weather and packed only the summer kit. It was going to be cloudy, but warm. In other words, "humid as fuck".

Pre-Race

I started eating in the office at 16:30. Standard pre-race meal of John West Steampot and two Bananas. The smell of the Steampot, is pissing other people in the office off, but I think the aroma is lovely. Maybe I'll eat in the Coffee Area in future. I got changed and left the office at 17:20.

I drove to Blessington and arrived at 18:00. I was the first on there. I started unpacking and getting ready. I signed on for the race. My warm-up was the standard stretching and a ride to Rossborough House. I deduced the wind direction. I did five untidy one minute intervals to warm up. I went back to the car to put my saddle bag in, but I got distracted and forgot to remove the saddle bag.

I ensured that I had my arm warmers (for the descent), Nutri-Grain bar and a caffeine gel in my back pocket. The start line was a littly bit further down the road, so I rolled down. Then I remembered that my saddle bag was still on. I didn't want the extra 750g holding me back. I returned to my car and took off the saddle bag. I rolled back to the start line. I didn't notice that my buddies in Limit had started. Stephen, astride his new Tarmac, said "Luke have you missed your group". "Shite, I'll roll with Semi-Limit". I had half my Nutri-Grain eaten, had not consumed my gel and the whistle blew.

Race

So I rolled with Semi-Limit. I took lots of turns on the front, I missed only one turn. The pace was OK. I wasn't under pressure or anything. My turns aligned nicely with the up hills, so I had plenty of sliding room. I was at the front when I seen the Limit group ahead. They looked splintered. Afterwards, it would emerge that they were not working well together. That would've driven me insane. After the catch was made, at the 10km point. I have no idea what happened, I was shelled on a little rise.

I tried hard to get back on, but it wasn't happening. I resolved to ride to the finish by myself. With marshaling next week and wanting to get some good training in, I would press on. I was hoping to mop up some of the riders who were also shelled. I happened acorss Barry, he said that he was going to turn off at the bridge. Semi-Scratch, Scratch and the Ambulance overtook me. This was expected.

Dave was driving the broom wagon. He picked up Jules, as he had a puncture. I next caught sight of Niall. I set about over taking him. I rode at Sweet-Spot, 200 Watts, until I over took him on the flat. I put some time into him. My next conquest was David. I rode again at 200W, but he was holding the gap. The road was going upwards now. Niall had engaged the turbo. He wizzed past me, I tried to hold his wheel, but the elastic broke. I was gaining ground on David. It started to rain. Dave was driving the broom wagon behind David. As I approached, Jules told me that it was now a race between Niall, David and myself. Niall was motoring up the road at this point. But I pulled alongside David. We talked a bit. Then there was a steep ramp. David abandoned. A Scratch rider blew past me too.

So there I was, last rider on the road. I could see the other lads finishing at the top of the hill. I put the head down and tried to hold 200 Watts again, but this didn't work out for long. Woosh! Crosswind. I was nearly blown in the ditch. This was terrible. Trying to pedal up a steep hill, with a 34-28 (I lost a lot of strength from my injury and work schedule), and having to hold my Deep Section rims. More close encounters with the ditch. I had a choke hold on the hoods. Sweat was running into my eyes. Shame and fear were my feelings. I was making slow progress, holding the white line in the middle of the road, as the wind was blowing me to the left. Kilian was coming down and he gave me some encouragement. When I got to the top, there was not many people left, I was fifteen minutes behind the winners. Eddie, or Dave Mc, clapped me over the line.

I exchanged a few words with Jules, who offered me a ride home. But my car was back in Blessington, 20km away. I wiped the sweat out of my eyes, put on the glasses and arm warmers.

Post-Race

I rolled back to where the car was. It was a nice forty minute ride, I was proud that I didn't abandon. The start of the ride was horrible. I was very afraid that I was going to die in the Wicklow mountains and not be found for ages. The cross winds were insane. I'm an extremely confident descender, but I took it slow going down hill. I had my left leg unclipped from the pedal for added ballast on the right side. I had to slow to a crawl twice.

By the time I got back into tree shelter, I was getting really hungry. I was also worried about not having a saddle bag, in case I got a puncture. I went over a bump on my way back to Blessington and realised that I had half a Nutri-Grain bar in my jersey pocket. After I consumed that, I felt a bit better. I reflected that not many other people get to just chill out and be one with nature, like I was at that moment.

I got back to the car, seen that there was still a three riders hanging around. I had a bit of a talk with Sean about how hard it was. I packed up and ate more bars. I seen Kilian was still there, so I checked that everything was OK, and went home to my pizza. I didn't drink enough water before bed and the next day I was dehydrated as shit and my legs were extremely dead. After chugging four liters of water I could feel them again. When they were sore, I promised myself that I would foam roll that evening, but I didn't. I decided to clean my bikes, which lead to a speed link related almost catastrophe.

I'm marshaling next week, so my main goal is the 25 Mile (40km in new money) Time Trial in two weeks. I have ordered a Specialized Evade helmet to aid my quest for a victory.

What was learned

• I need to get stronger on the steep gradients. More turbo (or grinding up Three Rock) and core strength work needed.
• Being 2kg overweight is not optimal. More high carb, less fat meals needed with higher intensity training.
• The Deep Section front wheel is extremely hard to control in high crosswinds. I went up that climb 2:30 faster two days later when there was no wind.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 12: Black Bull 10M TT

Long Story Short

• Recorded a 25:40, averaging 217 Watts and 38.1km/h,
• I finished 3rd out of 19 riders in the Limit category,
• I finished 34th out of 57 riders Overall,
• I used clip on aerobars for the ride,
• I had an alert set on the Garmin for when I dropped below Zone 4 (206 Watts).

View the ride on Strava: Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 12: Black Bull 10M TT Club Championships: 25:40. 3/19 in Limit, 34/57 Overall.

Short Story Long

Build-up

I bought the Aerobars from Wiggle for €40. I set them up using the Turbo Trainer and did a twenty minute effort to get used to the position.

I posted on the Orwell Wheelers forum, asking if anyone was interested in joining me for some TT practice on the Saturday before the Time Trial. Barry said that he'd come too. We did three efforts, taking it easy on the first two efforts. I set a 26:44 on my last effort, averaging 201 Watts.

I took a few days rest, to let my body recover, as I had been training hard for the previous few days. I did some pre-race efforts on the Turbo Trainer.

I noticed, on my Saturday session, that I was dropping below Zone 4 on the mini-descents. I decided to set an alert on my Garmin. The alert would beep when my power dropped below Z4.

I ate a John West Tuna Steampot at 16:30 and two Bananas. I got dressed at 17:10 and was on the road for 17:20. I got up there for 17:55.

Pre-Race

I decided against wearing the heart rate monitor, as I felt it was constricting my breathing in the TT position. I was wearing the gloves, short sleeve jersey and bib shorts. It was a lovely evening. I unpacked the bike and did a little spin to warm up. I did my loosening and stretching routine.

I tried to help a guy with his Garmin cadence sensor, but I was unsuccessful.

I picked up my number, which was 13. I put this on my seat tube. But I put the number on upside down, as this is tradition.

I went into my proper warm up routine, on the out and back course. Five one minute efforts at Z4 and then a 5 minute Z4 effort. I needed to take a slash before my time to trial.

As I got back I noticed that they were letting off the low numbers, so I figured that I had about ten minutes. I took a little drink and a Caffine Gel. I rolled up the road to take this slash. I found a nice place, balanced the bike. Then I looked at the time on my Garmin, 19:11. FUCK! I was supposed to be off at 19:13. I raced back to the start line, with a full bladder. Then I noticed that they were letting off number seven. SHITBALLS! I could've taken a lovely piss and been relaxed.

I figured that I was aiming for a 26:30, which I guessed would net me a 6th place finish in the Limit group.

I was getting pretty excited/nervous. 30 seconds. The guy who was holding me, I was not sure if he could hold me. 10 seconds. OK Luke, trust this guy to hold you. Five, Four, Three, Two, One...

Race

Outward Leg

I was off. Out of the saddle, on the hoods, sprinting hard. I picked up enough speed and got back in the saddle and onto the aerobars. I looked at the Power Zone on the Garmin, I was in Z5. I needed to lower the power, but I didn't want to slow down. My legs were feeling weak. My brain was telling me this was stupid. I knew that this would happen, it's part of your Lizard brain, which tells you to take it easy and conserve energy for hunting. I overcame this, using the Jens Voigt method, "Shut up Lizard Brain".

As we went up the hill, my cadence was slowing, and the power was dropping. BEEP! Drop two gears, back in high Z5 for the climb. Crested the climb. BEEP! Shifted up three gears and the power was back up. This kept happening. I passed my minute man early. He wasn't going as hard as I was. I counted the mini-climbs. One, Two, Three. The fourth climb was up to the roundabout.

I seen my second minute man exiting the roundabout. Carrot on a stick. I had a marker of 15 minutes set for my time at the roundabout. I was just over 13 minutes. YES.

Return Leg

There was no traffic at the roundabout. I was on the hoods breathing deeply as I rounded the roundabout. I accelerated hard out of the roundabout. I had seen some riders doing this when I was marshaling the previous TT.

On the way back, there was three climbs, then Garmin was beeping. I could see the guy in front of me. I really wanted to catch him too. I knew that Sean was setting a serious tempo behind me, as he was very close on the roundabout.

On my TT practice, my under-carriage was experiencing some soreness at this stage. But now my saddle was pointed slightly downwards, so no soreness.

I was expecting a 26:30, but I was ahead of my expectations. I was planning on driving hard after 25 minutes. I did this. The finish line was looming. I had only accelerated for 40 seconds, as opposed to the 1:30 I was planning. I should've had the distance displayed on my Garmin.

As I crossed the line, accelerating the whole time, I shouted "thirteen", my number. I looked at my Garmin, it showed that I was in the high 25 minutes. I fist pumped the air and slowed down.

Post-Race

I wasn't dead, I could've gone a bit further. I picked up my bottle from the ground and took a sip. Then I started shaking. Jules was saying that I was looking well, for a guy after a TT. He beat me by one second, overall, as he is in Semi-Limit.

There was a small bit of talking afterwards. I told Sean that he was well inside a minute of my finishing time, so he was in the lead in the Limit group.

I rolled back to the car with Jules, having a little bit of chat. I didn't do any post ride stretches, which was a stupid idea, as I was walking like John Wayne the next day.

I packed up and went home to eat a pizza. I checked the Forum to see the results.

1. Sean Higgins      25:07
2. Barry Mooney      +   4 25:11
3. Luke Potter       +  33 25:40
4. Fergal Daly       +  35 25:42
5. Roger McMorrow    +  40 25:47
6. Brianne Mulvihill +1:21 26:28

What Was Learned

• TT's are not the most sociable event,
• The Power Meter and the Garmin Alarm was a great idea,
• I should warm down correctly.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 11: Mondello Crit; 1 hour + 2 laps.

Long Story Short

• Three faster groups chasing Limit group.
• I don't think Limit worked well together.
• Limit were caught on lap 7 of 13.
• I was the last rider to be caught from Limit.
• I was dropped on the last lap.

View the ride on Strava: Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 11: Mondello Crit; 1 hour + 2 laps. Last Limit rider to be caught, dropped on the last lap.

Short Story Long

Build Up

I had written off my chances of any sort of result here. I was concentrating on the Time Trial in the next round of the league. My training was focused on longer duration intervals.

I started eating at 17:00. My usual pre-race food, John West Tuna Steam Pot and two bananas. I got changed at 17:45 and was on the road at 18:00. There was some traffic on the way down, inexplicably there was a massive slow down where the speed limit increased. I deduced that Kildare people are idiots.

Pre-Race

I arrived at the circuit at 18:45. I thought I was the second car to arrive, but there was a good few others parked in the Paddock. I removed most of the kit I was wearing, as the weather was nice. I was only wearing the shorts and short sleeve jersey. I did a warm up lap, to get the feel of the course. There was a headwind on three of the straights, it was almost perpendicular to the home straight and blowing into the circuit. I signed on too. Then I did some stretching. I rode another lap, where I was doing one minute intervals in Zone 4, with an easy minute as the rest period.

I went in the pit lane and a took a slash in the bathroom. I ate a gel and was ready to go.

Race

Photographic evidence of me taking a turn on the front.

Start - 5 mins

Limit group took off first. I was very scrappy. I wanted to get the two lines going, people to start working together, after the second corner. This did not happen. This would be a theme of the night for my group. Two lads went off the front, I was fed up of my group now working. I decided to bridge across. But I ended up dragging the rest of the group with me. One of the lads was wearing the old Orwell Kit, the "OYB - On Your Bike" one. He would be prominent for most of the night.

As we neared the home straight, I could see the Scratch group starting. This can be seen in the Strava FlyBy picture below. I enabled Brian, Fionn, Eoin and myself. They represented all the groups. Brian went on to win.

The state of play as Scratch group started.

Semi-Scratch Catching Semi-Limit - 33 mins

I tried to attack a few times. I took Sean and another guy with me and we got a pretty decent gap. But we were recaptured. We were working well, in a Team Time Trial formation. When the Limit group re-captured us, I wanted to continue the TTT formation, but no one would listen. I sat on the back for a while. I suged to the front to take a turn a few times. Then peeled off down the back. One time I noticed, after I took a long hard turn, that I put 50 meters into Semi-Limit. I communicated this success to the others and hoped they would follow suit... but no.

I tried to explain the concept of "sliding room" to one of my break-away compatriots. I was there riding on the front, gesturing wildly... fun times.

The state of play as Semi-Scratch caught Semi-Limit.

The Semi Groups Catching Limit - 40 mins

After I realised that Limit would not work, I just sat down the back and recovered. I had a new plan. Everyone in Limit was just sitting behind the guy in the OYB kit. My view from the back was clear, I could see the Semi groups closing in. The were getting closer corner after corner.

As they got to 100 meters, I made my bid for glory. My plan, mentioned earlier, was to be the last Limit rider to be caught. I drilled it, passed out all of Limit. I held the gap for about a quarter of the lap. I gave up the attack at the end of the home straight.

The state of play as Semi-Scratch and Semi-Limit caught Limit.

Scratch Catching Semi and Limits Group - 48 mins

I sat in the group, and slowly started to go backwards as each corner passed. I could catch on as the corners turned into the headwinds, as the pace slowed. At the back I could take proper lines through the corners and not need to brake.

The state of play as it all came together.

Finish - 60 mins + 2 laps

On the last lap, the pace went up. I could not keep up and I was dropped. Brian held a gap for the last three laps and went onto win.

The state of play as Brian won.

Lap Analysis

You can see the difference in pace between the groups. The pace jumps by nearly 20 seconds per lap as we were caught on lap eight.

Post-Race

Not much happened here. I just took it easy. Garret asked me about the suicide attack he seen me doing. I explained that I wanted to be the last Limit rider caught. Get some red numbers for next week :P.

I went home and had a pizza.

What was learned

• I really enjoyed this race. If I sign up to open race next season, I'll attend a few of the Tuesday night BikeWorx events at Mondello.
• There are not many lads in Limit group who will work. I should probably find out who will work and break with them.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 10: Ballymore Eustace CP

Long Story Short

• Many PowerHouses from Semi-Limit were Marshaling.
• 40 Riders signed on, groups in order of ascending ability were released at 3 minute intervals.
• 10 Limit rider started, I made the selection after 2km.
• Scott went up the road after 6km, and went on to win by 2 minutes.
• Our 5 man group was caught by Semi-Limit after 22km.
• I was dropped by Semi-Limit after 26.5km.
• I didn't try to hang on the back of Scratch after they passed me.
• I edged Ronan out by a bike length after our little sprint finish, he didn't know we were still racing...

View the Ride on Strava: Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 10: Ballymore Eustace. Thought I had enough sliding room on the climb on the last lap... I didn't.
Read the Club's Report: Gaps galore for Gilchrist and McArdle.

Short Story Long

Build up

After a rain hampered last weekend, I went out on Tuesday evening, but didn't perform very well. I didn't get to get out on Wednesday, due to work. I was feeling OK about the approaching race during the day. I had viewed some of the course on Street View, mainly the two corners sharp corners. I had more or less ignored the elevation profile.

After not having the power meter on my race bike last week, I was looking forward to getting some good data captured this week. Dave in Joe Daly's ordered me in a Shimano HollowTech II crank arm removal tool, which had a handle and cost a whopping €4.

I started eating at 16:55, A John West Tuna SteamPot, a Banana and a handful of Trail mix from Tesco. At 17:20, I started my other pre-race ritual; shedding a few KG. I got dressed and drove down to Blessington at 17:50 and arrived at 18:16. Almost one hour early for the race.

Pre-Race

I unloaded my bike, pumped up the tyres and got my stuff out of my bag. I went through my warm up routine of loosening up and static stretches. I exchanged a few words with Diarmuid, he crashed last week. He was doing fine and had found his Garmin. This was good news. Diarmuid was marshaling this week. Ann was also marshaling for the second week in a row, she regaled with her crash story. She's preparing for a strong showing at the nationals. She is off the bike for two weeks and in-search of a new front wheel.

I had a strawberry Nutri-Grain bar and a Banana in my jersey pockets. I had half the Nutri-Grain bar. We went down to sign on. Myself and Stephen went for a short warm up ride. This turned out to be a preview of the finish. I took a slash and cycled back to the starting area. I put my Saddle Bag into my car and ate my Banana at the start line.

Only forty riders signing on, there was a large requirement for marshals on this course. It was decided that the three faster groups would be chasing the Limit group down at three minute intervals.

Race

Lap One - Making the Limit Selection

The start was neutralised, until around the second roundabout. Three of us were held up by oncoming cars, but we caught back on really soon. The turn onto the second roundabout was a bit tricky, due to the island on the exit. There was two ramps in the road. Then we went around a corner and a steep hill appeared. The Limit group splintered on this. Three riders couldn't stay with the other seven. I was a bit behind on the descent, so I sat on the top tube and barrelled onto the front of the group.

At the bottom of the hill, there was a hard turn. This was well marshaled. After the turn, there was a long drag. Scott too off up the road. Barry couldn't hold onto the group. So we were five; Younger Luke, Ronan, Niall, Sean and myself. We let Scott go up the road and started working together.

Lap Two - Getting Caught Working

We were working very well. On the second time up the climb, Niall went backwards. Then he caught up again. The same thing happened to Ronan in the second half of the climb. On the next climb out of the sharp corner at Ballymore, Young Luke took a big turn on the front. When I came past him I joked "Come on do some work".

I think Niall was having some trouble with his gears, and he went backwards on that climb. I looked behind and seen the lead car for the Semi-Limit group. Then the car overtook us. This signalled that Semi-Limit were hot on our tails. Semi-Limit made the catch. I kept working, and taking turns on the front. I was in a decent position for the two roundabouts.

Lap Three - Dropped Twice

I was at the front of the group going into the climb. I thought I would have enough sliding room, but I did not. I was dropped on the first part of the climb. I had nothing to respond with. Riders were just shooting up by me.

It was a very lonely lap after that. I kept a look over my shoulder for the Scratch groups. They arrived during the climb out of Ballymore. I just moved aside and let them pass. So I was dropped by the Scratch groups.

Finish

Scott, who took off on the first lap, won the race by over two minutes. Scott got promoted to Semi-Limit for his fantastic performance.

Semi-Limit sprinted it out for the rest of the places. Stephen got third and got promoted to Semi-Scratch.

I picked up Ronan on the way to the end. I told him he could finish first, but I am nothing if not cunning. I skunked him on the uphill finish. He didn't seem me on the charge until it was too late.

The image below showed the situation as Semi-Limit finished. Brian's Scratch group was close, but not close to cause trouble. I also put myself, Niall and Aideen on the Strava FlyBy. I wanted to see how Niall got on and Aideen is the only person I know about from Semi-Scratch.

Situation on the road as Semi-Limit finished

Post Race

I had a chat with Sean and Ronan about how their race went after I was dropped. Sean was in with a shot of a placing. Younger Luke was in flying form, he was at the sharp end on the climb I was dropped on. I congratulated Stephen on his 3rd place. I rode back to the car with Sean and Stephen.

On the forum, they were looking for feedback on the course. I liked the course, it had a mix of everything. I highlighted that with a climb so early in the race, some people nights were over very fast.

What was Learned

Preparation and Racecraft

• Checking out the unknown corners on Google Street View was a smart thing to do.
• Not examining the elevation profile of the route was silly, I had no idea where the climbs were.
• Maybe politely asking other riders to work is the best way to go about it. After my abuse of Romano last week.

Power Data and Training Input

• For the punchier climb, I need to be able to average 300W for 2:20 mins. I can imagine these intervals being enjoyable.
• For the longer climb out of Ballymore, I need to be able to average 230W for 5 mins, which I should be well able to do, as I've held 233W for 20 mins.

For the next two weeks, I'll ignore the top end training and focus on the longer efforts. I'm not going to be challenging for a likely sprint at Mondello next week and I'd like to aim for a good result in the Time Trial the following week. I'll make plans to ride hard around the lake in Brittas after work, as the office is pretty close to the lake.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad