Race today...apparently.

We had a 74kms race at Ramarama.

There was about 300metres of gravel near the start that was a neutral area for the first lap (and thankfully all took it sensibly for the second lap) and then a hard right corner and we were off.
I felt good & hid in the bunch for most of the first lap (apart from a hill I dread so I had got to near the front before that) and then started doing more up the front for the second(possibly too much?).

Amazing how one decent rise will sort the men from the boys (me ).
By half way through the second lap I was starting to realise that a lot of these guys were just that little bit faster than me up the hills and come the Hill of Hate (well, I hate it) everyone had passed me and I was out the back – but, all was not lost, a car came up behind us so I yelled out “car back” (basically a one lane road), the bunch (now cresting the hill) got into single file and I was able to get on again and move up a few places …and then get dropped again on the next hill .

The finish was at the top of the Bombays but I just rode back to Ramarama, changed etc and drove home…feeling pretty despondent knowing that 3 weeks ago I’d been fine climbing hills with these guys.

A few weeks ago I hit my goal weight and now I stay within a kg or two of it. I’ve also been doing more hill riding and am certainly fast enough with the guys I train with so it beats me why the club guys bet me today

I’ll aim to lose 2 more kgs and see if that helps.

Any suggestions?

Any suggestions?

I hear a lot of pros use Evening Primrose Oil ...

Awesome ride today. I entered the Great Southern Challenge down in Southland. 150kms that I hadn't trained for . The furthest I'd been before was Graperide at 101km's. The weather was absolutely beautiful, the sun was shining but not to hot and there was no wind at all. I managed to stay with the lead bunch until about 90km's so that really helped my average speed. I got dropped just at the crest of one of the bigger hills, but even with out the hill I would have been dropped fairly soon as I'd ran out of water. Luckily there were four transition stages for the relay riders and there was heaps of water there. Was keeping about 33k's on my own until 110km's where I got a puncture wasn't carrying a pump so I was stressing out. Luckily one of the Motorbike marshalls came and pumped it up for me whilst I was getting some more water off the back of their bike. That was such a life saver and ended up only stopping me for 10/15 minutes. Once I got back on the bike a group of 4 riders went past and I ended up staying with them for most of the race. Finished in just under 5 hours. Really stoked with that as I had the puncture and it was 50km's further than I'd ever biked before.

130ks from sandringham up the shore to silverdale, coatesville and back sorta neglected the feeding and drinking so suffered some cramp etc at abt 105. Coffee gave me the boost to blast it home. should b able to enjoy Clevdon next week!

Cracker day btw!!

SaturnReturn wrote:130ks from sandringham up the shore to silverdale, coatesville and back sorta neglected the feeding and drinking so suffered some cramp etc at abt 105. Coffee gave me the boost to blast it home. should b able to enjoy Clevdon next week!

Cracker day btw!!

Good stuff.

murphyflair wrote:Awesome ride today. I entered the Great Southern Challenge down in Southland. 150kms that I hadn't trained for . The furthest I'd been before was Graperide at 101km's. The weather was absolutely beautiful, the sun was shining but not to hot and there was no wind at all. I managed to stay with the lead bunch until about 90km's so that really helped my average speed. I got dropped just at the crest of one of the bigger hills, but even with out the hill I would have been dropped fairly soon as I'd ran out of water. Luckily there were four transition stages for the relay riders and there was heaps of water there. Was keeping about 33k's on my own until 110km's where I got a puncture wasn't carrying a pump so I was stressing out. Luckily one of the Motorbike marshalls came and pumped it up for me whilst I was getting some more water off the back of their bike. That was such a life saver and ended up only stopping me for 10/15 minutes. Once I got back on the bike a group of 4 riders went past and I ended up staying with them for most of the race. Finished in just under 5 hours. Really stoked with that as I had the puncture and it was 50km's further than I'd ever biked before.

Great result

In taking a full 6 weeks off riding to give the body a full rest and recovery period I haven't been supposed to be riding. I took out that heavy wide knobbly tired thing last week and did 41k's including an impressive endo. Hurt muchly. Yesterday the weather finally got the best of me and so my break from real cycling was broken. It was just an easy, flat loop around Te Horo / Otaki Forks, with a couple of coffee stops.
After 25km we made it to the first coffee stop (wasn't planned to stop there), the lady had just opened the cafe and hadn't got any tables / food / etc out. I don't think she was expecting Tylersdad and me (or anyone else for that matter) to rock up, but the coffee machine was hot, so she made us two excellent coffee's. While waiting I felt slightly off colour and was wondering what was getting into me. Coffee seemed to have fixed it. Off out for the Otaki Forks part of the ride and a sprint. I hit 52kph which was pretty good given it was the first time on the roadie in 3 weeks. Tootled off back down the highway, stopped in at my folks place for the second coffee and then wandered back home. Only 55km's @ avg 25kph but great to be back out on the road and I think the rest has done me wonders. Still going to take it really easy for the rest of this month, then it'll be time to ramp it up again.
I'm liking this Autumn weather.

FLATULENTFRIEND wrote:

SaturnReturn wrote:130ks from sandringham up the shore to silverdale, coatesville and back sorta neglected the feeding and drinking so suffered some cramp etc at abt 105. Coffee gave me the boost to blast it home. should b able to enjoy Clevdon next week!

Cracker day btw!!

Good stuff.

Cheers! Need to work on my av speed tho - 26 is a bit ho-hum but then again I was solo and that wicked cramp and wall-smack did slow me down!

FLATULENTFRIEND wrote:A few weeks ago I hit my goal weight and now I stay within a kg or two of it. I’ve also been doing more hill riding and am certainly fast enough with the guys I train with so it beats me why the club guys bet me today

I’ll aim to lose 2 more kgs and see if that helps.

Any suggestions?

2 things: Firstly, obviously you train with slow people. Even if you can SMASH them over, if it's not letting you stay with the bunch you're not going hard enough. No offence.

If you want to lose a couple of KG I highly recommend apples. Easy as - Breakfast: Have a couple of apples. I like Braeburn for Breakfast. Smash over a coffee while you're at it - but no milk or sugar. Lunch: More apples. I've been feeling the Pacific Rose for my midday feasts recently. Dinner: You can really treat yourself for dinner - have a couple more apples. If you have to use a garnish for any of this, my recommendation is a bit of dust. High in fibre, low calories. FYI my daily apple comsumption record is 14. They weren't big apples though, so maybe in BA terms we're talking 9? Dunno.

green tea for brekkie lunch and after dinner. added that into my diet and dropped 3kgs no kidding. antioxidants really help. i find the res seal brand to b the best next to the real loose leaf variety

jeyboi wrote:

FLATULENTFRIEND wrote:A few weeks ago I hit my goal weight and now I stay within a kg or two of it. I’ve also been doing more hill riding and am certainly fast enough with the guys I train with so it beats me why the club guys bet me today

I’ll aim to lose 2 more kgs and see if that helps.

Any suggestions?

2 things: Firstly, obviously you train with slow people. Even if you can SMASH them over, if it's not letting you stay with the bunch you're not going hard enough. No offence.

If you want to lose a couple of KG I highly recommend apples. Easy as - Breakfast: Have a couple of apples. I like Braeburn for Breakfast. Smash over a coffee while you're at it - but no milk or sugar. Lunch: More apples. I've been feeling the Pacific Rose for my midday feasts recently. Dinner: You can really treat yourself for dinner - have a couple more apples. If you have to use a garnish for any of this, my recommendation is a bit of dust. High in fibre, low calories. FYI my daily apple comsumption record is 14. They weren't big apples though, so maybe in BA terms we're talking 9? Dunno.

The apple diet is a good one, and it used to work well for me about 30kg ago.

I would add that most of your ride reports describe wasting people on the hills on your training rides - perhaps you're tiring yourself out competing when it's not actually a race. I think you should ride easy all week and save your efforts only for the race. You can go harder when you're fresh than when you're recovering.

Got to experience bunch riding for the first time this week, up until now I've only ridden on my own. Rode Tues with velogirls and today with Manawatu masters. I find it more mentally tiring then anything, concentrating on getting a nice close draft (is that what you call it?), but not too close. I enjoy my turn at the front more, get to relax a bit more, but I'm guessing it'll get easier with more practice. Nice having people to talk to though and being able to ride fast with alot less effort

2 things: Firstly, obviously you train with slow people. Even if you can SMASH them over, if it's not letting you stay with the bunch you're not going hard enough. No offence.
I would add that most of your ride reports describe wasting people on the hills on your training rides - perhaps you're tiring yourself out competing when it's not actually a race. I think you should ride easy all week and save your efforts only for the race. You can go harder when you're fresh than when you're recovering.[/quote]

Thanks for your thoughts.
Some of the guys I train with on Sat - Monday aren't slow - doing a hilly 93kms @27.7 ave is pretty good for my age / level of riding.

Oli - you're proabably right. Doing the hilly 103kms on Wednesday was probably too much for me to have to recover properly for yesterdays race. Being holidays / great weather I want (ed) to get some good long rides in but they probably don't match up with race length and speed.

Group ride through the Woodhill forest, up Rabbit Hill (got to the top in second place ), Waimauku (nice to catch up with some other riders I know going up School Road), Annandale (with its steep pinch ) rather than Hanham, Bethels (second to the top – beaten by youth and lightness again) and down through Swanson to the shop.
I then rode in to Ponsonby to meet the family for lunch etc.
86kms

I had a good idea (it had to happen eventually ) – I put my LS top over my SS top and when the morning heated up I took off the LS top and put it in my pocket. Nice

Had a very pleasant spin around the Welli bays on Saturday, passing and later being passed by the unmistakable Oli in full Roadworks regalia!!

Just before the airport straight my riding buddy told me I had a 'catch' in my right leg just as I rotate over the top of the spin and my right heel was 'in' more than my left (I have since fixed this with my shoes)... I thought it was a ploy by her to put me off my stride as I kept trying to pick it as I was riding, but I started thinking, whether or not it is something I need to worry about. Unfortunately I have no idea who I would see to find out if it is an issue for me or not.

I am very much in the recreational grade of rider so it is not going to elevate me to gold medal or pro tour status but if it could help I'd be keen. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be very grateful.