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Tuesday 28 June 2011

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So, at this point of the year I would be in full flow with the tri training and looking at racing in July a couple of times. This year, nothing of the sort. However, I have been a bit more motivated to train, as I keep seeing the results of races and I know I'm not far off the pace, and my fitness is good.
Been out on the bike a fair bit over the last week, managed to ride everyday for the last 5 days, and it feels great to get back out there. I rode and ran on Sunday, 4.5 mile run off a 90 minute steady bike and apart from the legs tiring a bit, I felt very good.
Bike is getting fixed with new bar end shifters so I collect today and will be going out to tomorrow's Poole Wheelers club 10 feeling positive that I can find those few seconds to propel me to the front.
Lacking quality sleep at the moment, last 2 days I've been feeling a little tired, but body is in decent shape. I will swim and run a bit more this week, but I have decided not to enter a triathlon next month and will probably wait until August or September before I do a tri suit. Time trialing still the focus and BJW 25 on the 10th July will be my shot at improving on my 55' 12" that I rode at an evening club race earlier in the season.

Saturday 25 June 2011

the best and worst of rides

So Wendesday's TT time came around and I was a little tired from 3 days of hard work and a bit more training. However, I went and gae it my all after a long warm up and up to mile 4 I was riding very well and feeling strong. Then I shifted up a gear and my chain slipped off the small cog and jammed inbetween cog and dropout. What felt like an eternity trying to free it, thoughts crossed my mind of just packing in. It was a 10 mile TT and as a few seconds have been separating the top 3 in the last few races I was aware that any time lost here would not be made up over the next 4 and a bit miles. Just before I cruised to a stop I did manage to free the chain and get going again, but lost all momentum and it felt hard work getting the legs moving.
Finished in a disappointing 23' 08", 3rd on the night, but 30 seconds off the pace and the way I was riding had I not had a mishap I would have been right up there. But such is racing and as the bike is still new I am still ironing out a few kinks and getting it just right. New saddle now as well, so slightly different feel, much more comfortable, but needs a minor adjustment to get in the right place.
No races this weekend, but I am getting back into training and will be riding both Saturday and Sunday with Sunday's bike finishing with a run off, and maybe a sea swim later in the day.
2 Forest Fit circuit sessions this morning have cleared the head and got me back in the mood for a bit of hard work!

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Another good day on the bike

Sunday, Open 10, and I was fearful of a washout as the weather leading up to the race was rubbish!
However, the sun came out, but the wind stayed. 66 riders up for this one, a few stayed away due to the predicted weather forecast. They missed a good morning.
It was slow out on course, the head/crosswind not letting anyone take advantage of the first mile, which is affectionately known locally as the 'ski slope'!
Riding this one was tough, and I never really got into my riding, wasn't smooth, I was fighting all the way and a bit wobbly in places! Hit the turnaround and had a little look a the clock which I normally never bother with and thought to myself, 'god I'm slow'! Then on the way back a little bit quicker with a following wind. 500m to go and a charge for the line ended up with my chain sticking and me backing off a bit to fiddle with it, cost me a few seconds. And in the end every second counts! Yet again I finished one second down on Gary Dighton, and missed out getting in the prizes for the first 5.
21' 33" on the day, not much separating the top 10, well, apart from Chris Ball who won in 20' 14" and was 45 seconds up on 2nd place.
Feeling very positive about my riding, we picked up the team prize with Gary and Terry Icke, and I was second Veteran, so picked up a nice little cash bonus! A good day had by all!
Results

Thursday 16 June 2011

A win at last

Well, it's been on the cards, I was wanting to go out and ride hard and that I did, albeit on tired legs. Things are definitely improving and I've been getting some quality bike sessions in. Last night it paid off.
Poole Wheelers Club 14. Not a great turnout as the weather all day had been lousy but a 3 hour break around 5 - 8, saw things dry up and riding conditions were not too bad, just a bit windy.
14 miles over a testing course and I posted a course best for me, 32' 59". Just wanted to go hard and see what was in the legs. They were hurting but my heartrate was up and I felt reasonably fresh, which is a positive sign. So Sunday's open 10 should see me post a hopefully decent time, if the weather plays ball!
Results

Friday 10 June 2011

New machine, old legs!


So here it is, the new lady in my life! And what a machine. Took her out for maiden ride on Wednesday, feeling absolutely shattered, no legs and the first time I have driven to a time trial in this area! So that tells you something of how I was feeling. In fact if it wasn;t for wanting to try out the new frame I would not have ridden.
3rd on the night with a time of 23' 17", 30 seconds down on first and second, I am very happy with. And for the first 5 miles I was up with the pace into a headwind, so more aero already. And then no power in the legs for the return, felt tired. A few tweaks needed with set up and position, and change of saddle. I was moving around all over the bike trying to get comfy, and eventually with a mile to go I settled!
All positive. I've run a fair bit this week, and managed a couple of swims, so back into a bit of tri training. Open 10 next week on a fast course, so I will be hitting the bike hard this next few days and try and get some strength back in the bike legs. Hopefully by then the bike will be set up just to my liking and I can get out on it a couple of times to 'dial in' to the new position.

Sunday 5 June 2011

Back on my bike, and in the pool and on with the run shoes

So, I've picked a tri for July.
Now comes the next 6 weeks of hard work. Got to get some feel for the water and get some speed in my run legs. The bike will take care of itself, I'm very happy with how I am going at the moment.
Another Poole Wheelers' club 25 last Wednesday, and I rode a 58' 08" on a tough course, faded in the last 5 miles, but was well up with the pace for the first 20 and felt very strong. All work in progress, 5th on the night behind James Gilfillan(55' 30ish"), Gary Dighton(57' and a bit), Paul Jones(57' and a bit more) and Terry Icke( 57' 20something"). Nobody else under the hour.
I swam last Friday, 2k in 10 x 200m efforts. Felt ok but a little slow. 1 hour on the rollers on Friday with a 20 minute run off. Again, felt good, run a little slow. 2 Forest Fit circuit sessions yesterday, trained very hard whilst leading both sessions. Today I ran for an hour and 15 minutes, the longest run I have done in 2011. And it felt pretty good. So wil start now to prepare for race in July, still bike focussed, but will get some more short run sessions in where I can.
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