IdeJongh

Thanks Dale! Very true, this morning I could notice I was pushing lower watts at typical HRs after my Groenkloof session on Sunday so kept my power in Z3 for the hour, felt like a solid 'threshold' ride, without straining the engine. On that, guys at Spez mentioned yonks ago Burry used to do a "on bike form test" before he did hard intervals, I think testing 'decoupling' compared to a standard, anyone aware of how such a test would go?

Totally true, but my previous week was only 194TSS due to stupid cold. But we stick to the plan, hopefully around the 650TSS mark this week

Mediocre week last week 450TSS, IF 0.79

Indeed, but does raise questions as quote from choachsci page - "However, even a small trace of Probenecid requires the posting of a positive banned-drug result but in all reality the amount would be useless for cheating"

A cold normally causes body aches as well, that's not neck and up. What that normally refers to is sinus infections, I've done many a ride with a bad sinus infection, recovered quicker as a result. But I try and stay logical, if in doubt, rest up and recover.

Neck and up, light exercise still ok. Below the neck.....rest up totally before getting back into it. Here breaking the body down with exercise reduces recovery time and puts you at risk for other complications. Just recovered from a cold, viral so nothing I could do but trying to manage the symptoms to limit the chance for secondary infections. Corenza C, vitamins, tea, sleep.

Goeie ............... Niiiiiiice dude!!

Those discs should be amazeballs on the skinny bikes, but unless you go high spec aren't they going to add a ton?

Yoh...2c I use counter steering as I bring it across from motorbiking. It's (in my opinion) only really effective due to the gyro effect of the front wheel when you destabilize it at higher speeds, and the bike turns due to the smaller diameter on the outside of the wheel. Not sure about the wheelbase argument, all my years at racing courses I've never come across it. Either or, still only forms a small part of the input to turn on a bicycle, and body position, bike lean angle etc are more important.

Ok some nerdism - My Previous 2 94.7s where both 2:53s, looking at my avg VAM and correlating that to the VAM at higher gradients (which you will have this year since you have more climbing for the same distance) - at the same fitness level I'm likely to be 8mins slower on the new route putting me just outside the 3hr mark (bunch dependent of course). Did Emperor's in 2:40 this year so we'll see I guess....

Bring the bike, we'll show you around, PRs FTW

SYWM Rouxtjie. I need all the training I can get as I am riding 3T with Thor.

Not my biggest week - 590 TSS / IF 0.79 Academic pressure will keep my hrs low in the next three weeks

I think people are forever looking for a 'formula', but it's not that simple, it's a combination of factors. Saying this I'm on the far end of the athletically challenged scale, no natural ability whatsoever, but through determination and applying my mind I've reached a point where I do ok. I won't podium that I know. The ability to adapt is often an overlooked attribute, he who learns or adapts the fastest often wins. As for the DHers, the ability to process information is just as vital, visual to motor info, and the balance between nature vs nurture there depends on the plasticity of the brain.

Fixed. But damn good point! Scary idea

I like the clean look and feel, slap in a few profiles, maps, maybe a bit about the host town and it'll be world class.

498 TSS / 0.77 IF VGs hurt like a mofo. Think I should go back to my original plan of racing less and training more, screws with the plan.

Thanks Rouxtjie for the entry, last minute call and I'm in for tomorrow! See you guys there!

Sorry haven't worked with TrainingPeaks per se, what threshold are you referring to, aerobic, anaerobic, functional, lactate?

Yep, probably right on the money there.

Sure, comes back to the old Friel principal, your training should over time become more like your race. But say beginning of your periodisation cycle, in theory, a 3hr ride at 210w give me 8% more TSS than a 4hr ride at 175w. So 'in theory' instead of doing many 4hr+ rides beginning of the season, mixing them up with 3hr harder rides would ensure a trajectory towards a higher CTL level closer to A race. Then closer to race time I extend some of my training rides closer to the estimated race time to ensure conditioning. Again, I don't propose doing balls to the wall 1h30 rides and then entering epic, but I've always focused on long ass base rides beginning of the season and I wonder if there is not perhaps an alternative (especially in winter).

What's interesting, I was playing around with the formulas, sitting at around 60 CTL at the moment, if I do 430 TSS a week, I don't actually improve 'fitness' at all, as I need >450TSS a week to gain fitness. Sure this might not consider the intricacies of endurance / power level, but should average out over the long run. Then following from the discussion around XCO riders (Burry as the prime example), higher intensity training over longer periods of time (whilst keeping ATL in check) should provide bigger gains than typical endurance riding. I'm considering a nuanced focal shift here rather than a change of paradigm. Thoughts?

606 TSS / IF 0.77 Short intervals in the week, with a big ride on Saturday and short spin in the cradle today. Legs felt it today!

Jou hol. Sien jou more