2014 Time trialling Forum/Club BAR Competition

[gingertri]

And she'll now be older and faster lol!

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[Jack Hughes]

There's even a chance one of you may have started shaving by now.



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[Ewan]

errrr... so... the official line is that I've given up all training to allow me to focus on finishing my PhD. You'll see from my (rarely updated) endomondo that I've been doing a couple of jogs with my GF while she trains for the Reading HM in March but it's just been for fun and I think I've only been on the bike twice since Challenge Henley. Work on the PhD has definitely accelerated and I'm now busier than I've ever been (and enjoying it more than ever too) but there is still one hell of a mountain to climb.

However, an idea has been keeping me awake for the last few nights. Would it be possible for me to go under the hour in a 25mile TT on the 26th April (H25/17)? Would it be sensible for me to try?

My thinking is this... The race is BUCS 25mile TT, and if I go under the hour I reckon I've got about a 50:50 chance of being awarded a Half Blue in cycling (I'd need to come top 3 from Oxford. To get a full blue I'd need to come top overall which would need something sub 55min). Since I've always been a bit of an outsider and there isn't really much recognition of Long Distance stuff (e.g. the Triathlon varsity match is based on a sprint tri) this is probably my only and last opportunity to receive any recognition for my sporting efforts. It's a small thing and it's never been motivated me before but it would be a nice little bauble. The bigger thing is that I miss training and it's silly but since I had the idea popped into my head it's the the thought of racing, not my PhD that has been keeping me awake at night.

My plan would be this...
* Recruit my Challenge Henley coach to design a time efficient plan (I have some christmas gift money )
* I hopefully have a buyer for my sculling boat coming to visit this weekend so I'd use that money to fund a power meter, skin suit, overshoes and do a minor aero touchup on the bike (position, cables etc).
* it's a 25mile TT so hopefully I could emphasise high intensity, low volume training and avoid 5-6hour long sessions at the weekend - I imagine my longest stuff would peak at c.180min. I could also do some weights for the first time in 6 years...
* You can see the details here but my PB is 1:01:31 and my seasons best last year was 1:02:48 but both of those were as part of IM training and I've never targeted shorter distances
* I only have 3 months to go from zero to sub hour but surely if I target it and train sensibly it should be possible? no?

Sensible??

[Jack Hughes]

You probably only need to do a very small amount of very specific stuff on the turbo.

Might not be incompatible with studying.


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[CCS]

Go for it, Ewan - given your PB, you must have it in you to break the hour.
Get onto Trainer Road for some good turbo sessions.
- and a Half Blue is a mighty fine thing to have (though admit that I am coming from a highly biased position on that front...)

As for me.... I seem to have accidentally entered a 50.... why, oh why? That's going to hurt, isn't it?
I seem to also have a planned schedule of 2 25s and 3 10s which should meet my requirements for a SWETTS ranking - plus whatever evening 10s I can sneak in (perhaps I can get back to HCC175 and try for a really fast 10?)

[Ewan]

Which 50 are you doing? I need to order a copy of the handbook. The 50mile I rode last year was the race I enjoyed most out of everything. From another forum, general wisdom for 50s is:

For ordinary riders, 25 speed -1mph is a decent pacing guide. The top blokes won't be slowing down at all. If you're going to try winding it up towards the end, I'd suggest getting the first 40 out of the way before upping the pace.

and

We've been guessing people's prospective 50 time this way since before you were born:

(1:02:48 × 2) + 5:00 = 2:10:36

I think the H50/17 might be a bit slower than the H25/8, so ewanmac should probably be happy with anything under 2:15:00 for his first 50, and under 2:10:00 will be a good ride.

Basically set out like it's a 25 and cling on for dear life... As the reigning National 24hr Champion said in the same thread...

50s are good fun. Long enough to make the trip worthwhile and over quick enough that you can still ride or drive home without nodding off

I think I suffer from habitual over confidence, but just as I'm convinced that my legs have a 2:45 marathon in them somewhere I'm also convinced they have a 55min 25mile TT. However both would require at least a year of focussed training. Sub 55 would give me a sniff at top 3 overall and a full blue to boot, but almost certainly not possible given the amount of other work I have to do. Still I'll sleep on it and see

[gingertri]

1min off isnt that much, especially as you were probably fatigued from long distance training? I cant really advise on training though! Surely just by wearing skin tight clothing and an aero helmet will knock that minute off?

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[CCS]

Which 50 are you doing?

Charlotteville - on H50/8 (Bentley) - think the course is a bit different to the 25 - goes further along the A31, to the next roundabout near Alton - think it might me similar to the route of Tritans' 100.

Why oh why???

[Tritans]

Had a quick look yes it looks to be the same. You lucky, lucky girl

[Ewan]

All permissions duly obtained... An email will be sent to my coach tomorrow and my subs will be appropriately updated with OUCC.

It's been 5 or more years since I quit high intensity training in favour of (comparatively) low intensity high volume stuff. I think this is going to hurt.