Two Rides

Being both a serious training tool and a sort of game I decided to claim the spotty blue hat for my virtual me in #Zwift. It is utterly pointless but still a target so today I rode two group rides, each 30k and both had about 300m ascent.

The first was something a little different. A ten lap ride with a sprint section each lap which we attacked every third lap. Being in a big group that led to incredibly fast sprint times as compared to normal, 15.2s verses 19.4s putting me 640th of 64000+ on Strava!!

Up next, a couple of hours later, was a more normal group ride but at slightly higher power but nothing silly. That too was fun and I worked up more of sweat than I expected.

With the blue spotty hat earned that leaves a choice for tomorrow. A virtual ride with the great Mark Cavendish or, and this will shock you, orienteering! It's probably going to be the orienteering and it gives me a chance to stretch my legs without feeling embarrassed at how slowly I run - because I can blame it all on the compass... The only choice will be what course? And it'll be a choice of two, the Blue course or the Mr Men string course - the Mr Men string course will probably be more my level at the moment.....

Easy Then A Bit Of Effort

Just an easy #Zwift tonight. A group ride except it might possibly have been a race as a few people were going at it. Have to say I didn't pay that much attention to the description. Any way, I took it easy for the majority of the climb, 700m, but gave it a burn up on the final 'blip' to the radio tower. I wasn't intending to burn it up but some guy came past firing on all cylinders and after he got 40-50m ahead I decided he was making himself a pretty good hare and I took off to catch him. Firing out 130% FTP for about a minute on the 16% elevation I reached him and he went again - and so did I. Eventually, he faded and I made the top, plenty ahead. It was a bit of an adrenalin burst and good fun. After that, it was quite literally, all down hill. 32k, 700m. More tomorrow.

Super Enjoyable Bambino Fondo

I'm not up to riding the 100km or the 72km so it was just the 48km version for me and it was really great fun. There was over 1100 riders on the virtual start line which is the biggest virtual ride I've done so far and meant for riding in small to medium groups the entire ride. It was a ride rather than a race but who are we kidding? We all got at it full on.

Much like yesterday, I set off steady and worked my way up through the field from just inside the top 400 up to the top 270. I even managed to find the energy for the sprint with the active group of riders I was with come the last few kilometres - which I lost on the line, in the same time.

Ride stats, course PB by over 13 minutes with almost 20W higher average power, 1hr 33m 48.4k, 894m ascent. Pleased with that.

Not A Bad Burn Up...

Racing on the Road to Ruins, #Zwift. 30km, 300m. It was a good field and after the initial dust settling phase - the first 2 or 3 kilometres where everyone is putting down far too much power to sustain - I was back in the field. Unlike yesterday, I went off steady and subsequently found myself close to the back. I wasn't too worried. I'd had a good one yesterday so a steadier one would be all right...

Anyway, being quite a big field, I was soon riding in a group of a dozen. Riding together we reeled in rider after rider, working our way clear of the back of the race. I put in the efforts on the climbs to break clear of the group in order to bridge to the next.

By midway I was riding in a small group of five, and we worked well into the second to last climb of any importance. By the time we went over the top of the final climb of any importance the group was down to just two - but sadly, I wasn't in it!

After that, riding solo, it all flattened out with only the odd blip, and a few short down hills - on which I got caught by a couple of riders but managed to hold with them. On the flats it soon became clear they weren't prepared to put in the work. I was on the front most of the time so I eased back from 200W to 140W and still they sat behind!! Okay, if that's the way you want to play it, I thought...

With 3k to go, there was a final 'blip' into the volcano, and I let rip - ooh matron. 300W all the way. Heart rate thumping out of my chest, they could not match it and I got clear. 5m.. 10m.. 20m.. 40m.. and dropped... I was really blowing but knew I had to keep the power down in order to keep that gap. After a minute my heart rate was recovering and they were still nothing but specks in the rear view mirror. I kept pushing hard to the finish just in case.

I finished with a route PB by over four and a half minutes. Good hard race. Sweating like a fat Cypriot in a Turkish bath house - not sure that's a good phrase to use, might start a war or something... Anyway, pleased with that and the knee doesn't hurt at all while I'm on the bike, only when I walk so it's good and bad on that front.

Short and Sweet

My knee is still playing up but the show must go on so it was a short, one lap race on Zwift, 15k. For once I decided to go with the crazy, pedal to the metal start that is Zwift racing. Normally I go steady at the start and pick it up but tonight I decided to go hard - like everyone else. It worked out all  right. I didn't go too well on the climb but not terrible and then working in a small group of two then three we completed the final two thirds of the lap neither gaining or losing position. Average power was towards FTP so I'm pretty happy. Didn't really feel any pain from the knee but still sore now and then. Other than that I think I'm recovered from the trauma that was the OMM.

Chest Ache Is Finally Easing....

and now my bloody knee is playing up again. Grrrhhh. Tonight's Zwift was affected. Meant to be a 40k race but ended up cutting it well short. I wasn't gong too bad but just didn't want to push it until all the niggles have cleared up. The shin splint is all but gone so it's really just the knee. Hoping to be all mended by the weekend.

Decent Effort

Another enjoyable race in the virtual world of Zwift. A three lap chase race of just over 30k. Being a C I chased the D's while trying to keep ahead of the A's and B's. The B's got me on the first lap. The A's on the second but I managed to catch most of the D's across all three laps, with a couple coming into range but whom stayed ahead as I ran out of road. There were a few D riders I was nowhere near catching, the ones putting down B category performance - they, perhaps, need to reconsider their category class. Pretty good average power again so can't grumble.

So I'm Still Not Fully Recovered...

but I managed a pretty good Zwift in spite of the aches and pains. I opted for a repeat of stage 2 of the Tour of New York and there were 140+ other riders to keep things interesting. Despite it being a ride rather than a race, we weren't kidding anyone as we vied to break away throughout the ride.

I was pleased with how little the shin splint affected me. I could feel it throughout but never got too painful. Even more pleasing was that the chest pain wasn't too bad and didn't really affect my breathing - as born out by the fact I was able to put down some descent power relative to my best performances. I'm beginning to think it's muscular rather than anything worse so hopefully will start to ease soon.

The race, uh, I mean, ride was good fun. Got into several mini pelotons through the ride and each time we worked together - apart from the break away attempts - we caught the next group up the road.

20km at an average power of 212W which is one of my best averages and certainly better than over the last three or four weeks. Happy with that.

Still A Bit Decrepit...

So my muscles feel recovered but I'm still suffering with a shin splint of my right shin and now I've some kind of chesty thing. Hard breathing, coughing and sudden upper body movement are painful - so I'm trying not to do any of that. Kind of makes training difficult. I tried a very easy 10k on Zwift this evening. Didn't really have any training value but mentally it was nice to do something. I think the chesty thing is easing so if the shin splint eases a little I might be able to put in a slightly harder session on Zwift tomorrow. Pretty sure I'm not going to be up to full on effort though.

Must Be Getting Colder...

When your Squeaker - ooh, matron - won't leave your lap having ignored you all summer. Said Squeaker being the ol' Felis catus or cat, to you.

As to the training, I'm not sure if I'll ever train again! My back is feeling better, my leg muscles really aren't bad at all. My shins? Absolutely f*(%ed. I do hope the splints settle asap or I will go stir crazy.

On Day One I Started To Break...

By the end of day two of the OMM I was broken. I don't think there is a part of me that isn't broken.

Day one went all right according to the results (42 of 147) but in reality I was a bit rubbish and held the team back. I started holding the team back sooner in the 'run' than I expected if I'm honest, around check point 5 (of 12) - damn you Pen y Gadir Fawr, damn you. After that is was sllllooooooowwww going and a case of trying not to add any extra distance or climb by making navigation mistakes.

By check point eight, I was climbing out of the valley on all fours such was the extremeness of my decline. Then the snow came. It was much heavier than I expected. Full on, proper snowing. Heading towards the last few checkpoints, I began to get pain in my left knee.

Day one, 25+k and more ascent than I enjoyed.

The camping wasn't too bad. The temperatures weren't warm but I was extremely glad I took my slightly bulkier, heavier sleeping bag - it actually kept me properly warm all night. A pleasant surprise (some might say, the highlight of my OMM).

At the camp, I discovered I'd taken the skin off my heel - I guess the cold, saved me from feeling it on the run. I also realised my back was a bit the worse for wear from carrying all the kit - perhaps I should have practised carrying a 5kg pack?

And then day two happened and by check point two I had shin splints left and right. Every step was pain. And then tussocks and heather. Endless bloody tussocks and heather. It was very hard to look on the bright side. Time slowed as team after team swept past. Long gone where any hopes of a respectable finish.

Then, as we arrived at the crunch point for check point six, such was my decrepitude, that my partner asked if I wanted to go on, it being as convenient a place as any to head back early. I honestly did not want to traverse more god damn tussocks and the mean spirited descent of several hundred metres followed the return ascent - damn you course planner, but this man ain't for quitting. We were dropping down the field faster than a feather in a vacuum but by god we were going to finish ahead of those who didn't finish at all.

Day two, 20+k and also more ascent than I enjoyed.

We finished 81st of 127 finishers and 34 retired [at the point I write this, so the stats might change a little].

So The Theoretical Became...

a 5,600g reality. To be fair, that isn't far off what I've carried in the past. The main difference is down to the absolutely massive sleeping bag I'm packing. It is going to be f*(%ing freezing and I just don't think my normal bag will cut the mustard. The weight to insulation ratio on my cold weather bag is really good - it's just it's got a really high insulation rating so all the ratios in the world aren't going to make it light. I'm also using dehydrated meals and probably have 500-600 more calories than normal as I think I'm going to need it.

With less than 24 hours to go, I must admit to feeling slightly nervous. I've managed to get some endurance back during the last few months but is it 25+km hike with a 6kg pack, followed by a 20+km hike endurance? I guess by Sunday afternoon I'll have the answer...

Theoretically...

my rucksack for the OMM will weigh 4,395g - in reality it will weigh half a tonne (or at least feel like it).

Sore throat is easing and no other ill feelings so all good with three days to go...

Tour of New York - Cancelled

So I was aiming to pootle stage 1 tonight and stage 2 on Thursday, miss stage 3 on the weekend (and do it on catch up) followed by stages 4 and 5 next. Instead I've a sore throat so I'm resting. Other than a sore throat I feel fine so I'm hoping it's nothing but as a precaution, I'm not going to risk things this close to the OMM.