2017 gut and distance

[FirstV8]

during the week it is easy...

 

chicken or tuna or or pilchards with salad for lunch...Left overs from dinner ( no meat only veg )

 

mixed veg for dinner...with a piece of meat.Selection of vegies ( no potato , rice or pasta ) every alternate day 200grm of meat 

 

3 fruits a day.Ditto 

 

on the weekend...that is what we are working on at the moment.

 

To cut out the cup cakes...I have already cut back on the hot chips and stuff...this just became a habit.My wife loves baking so its hard to avoid a slice of cake at least once 

 

what i have been started doing...as i go through the day i make small changes to bad habits...

 

started with breakfast...cut back on toast.Oats and fat free milk no sugar ( for the last 25 years )

 

then coffee..cut back on sugar  No coffee ever only black tea with sweetener 

 

then lunch cut back on bread Only ever eat seed loaf with cheese 

 

dinner...cut back on rice/pasta etc...portion sizes and second helpings.Ditto

 

then the evening snacking...this is proving to be a challenge...if i dont eat enough during the day and get home feeling hungry...the wheels fall off.Will power , will power and only will power will sort this out 

 

compared to what i am use to eating...i can see how my weight is trending in a downward direction...but more important...the gut is shrinking.Like wise , i can now squeeze into my old  medium  cycling jerseys  

 

I find that by making gradual changes to my eating habits its easier to get used to the change . Crash diets are for sissies because they never stick to them . 

[eccc whippet]

I'm amazed, I've made it to the end of a hill rep session based on this!

 i would think there is a difference between out of breathe chest pain...sore throat and not being able to talk after a big climb...compared to heart related chest pain and sore throat...i would be in ER after ever hill i climb for the breathing

[ChrisF]

 i would think there is a difference between out of breathe chest pain...sore throat and not being able to talk after a big climb...compared to heart related chest pain and sore throat...i would be in ER after ever hill i climb for the breathing

 

I was SERIOUSLY out of breath after a STEEP 400m climb in an event a few months back ... most walked it, I took a time trial position, geared down and spun a low gear up to the top !!!  Pushing my heart rate into the red ....

 

 

I now use a Garmin and keep an eye on my heart rate and cadence ....  I keep the cadence below 110 on steep hills, and gear down when my heart rate goes above 150 ....  I find this works for me .... I do practice running into 150+ .... but for longer events I find I last better by controlling my heart rate.  Pretty sure these figures will change as I regain muscle tone and fitness !

[eccc whippet]

100,7 kg 

 

I decided to brave the B group today...thank goodness i have learnt many energy saving ideas...from Solar...LED...gas...but more important wheel sucking

 

HR max 191 and avg 157 bpm and i was sucking wheel at the back.

 

had oats and yogurt before the ride...a racefood far bar and 2 fastbars during the ride.

[Vetseun]

100,7 kg 

 

I decided to brave the B group today...thank goodness i have learnt many energy saving ideas...from Solar...LED...gas...but more important wheel sucking

 

HR max 191 and avg 157 bpm and i was sucking wheel at the back.

 

had oats and yogurt before the ride...a racefood far bar and 2 fastbars during the ride.

The magical below 100kg mark is sooo close. Congrats and respect

[ChrisF]

CONGRATS !!

 

tripple digits are ALMOST behind you .....

[Gitfo]

Congrats man that dehydrate dont eat for a day and weigh again you be below 100 lol!
 

[eccc whippet]

did a play play shova today...organised by Greg at cyclesphere...was a good turnout.

 

some fast groups and some of us slightly slower...ok... very slow groups...only managed a 3.45 (100.4 km)...very happy with the result considering i did a TT on my own from Camper (after being spat out the back) down to 45 cutting...against the wind...nobody to wheel suck.

 

got to 45 th...looked back and noticed a small group catching me...at that stage i was feeling a bit broken...the group did pass and i jumped on the back but as i climbed on my legs just couldnt hold the pace...next thing i felt this push from the back and off i went...thanks to the guy who gave me the push...it boosted me just enough to get me back on and stay with them all the way to the bike and bean...thanks.  

 

now i just need to put in some leg work...not gona focus on weight loss...need to get a set eating routine from today. 

[eccc whippet]

so i decide to use the advice given on park tool with regards to chain rotation...been monitoring the chain wear on the bikes.

 

11 sp got to 0.5 ...replaced the chain and tagged the bag chain "A"

 

10 spd got to 0.75...as above

 

took the 10 spd (marsh mellow) out for a ride...every time i drop to the small gear on the cassette and the big ring on the front...it sounded like the chain was "jumping" ...not making the click click sound when the cable requires adjustment.

 

did a 100 km ride yesterday on the 11 spd (rattlin red rocket)...same thing...sounded like the chain was jumping over small gear.

 

my thoughts were that the new chain was slipping on the small gear at the back...i used the call a friend option...his response was that the problem would not be at the back but rather the front chain rings...i said no ways it sounded like it was jumping on the back...anyway i took his advice and put the 11 spd on the bike stand and turned the chain ring slowly...it turns out that i had bent a tooth on the big chain ring (sram red 22 crank)...it would lift about 6 links then drop into place...the cause...unknown a this point...it could have been from putting too much pressure on the pedal while changing from the small to the big ring...a quick way to see if you have a bent tooth on the chain ring is to rotate the crank backwards and if the chain comes off...good chance you have a bent or damaged tooth on the ring.

 

yet to figue out the issue with the 10 spd...there are a few things it could be so we gona have to watch it as i ride.

[eccc whippet]

basically this week and next week to make an effort to strengthen the legs...which seem to be the weak link at the moment...not sure if it is from not resting enough...not stretching or just over doing it.

 

still doing the 30 min sweat box pedal in the morning and evening time permitting. 

 

been clocking up the mileage (longer rides)...last week I manage 315 km...will see how it goes this week...we have a 120 km ride planned for Sunday with a couple of hills...last long ride before the shova.

 

weight loss on hold...just going to focus on eating healthy...lots of salads...veg and fruit. 

 

will be doing all road rides on the rattlin red rocket to get use to the bike and saddle...and to make sure everything is working right...nothing worse than experiencing mechanical issues during a long ride/race.

 

after the ride this weekend i am sure i can do the shova under 4 hrs...i am thinking a 3.30 target would be a reasonable goal.

 

from what i have learnt from 2 other shovas...my plan for this year.

 

pace myself up fox hill...dont worry about trying to hang onto to a bunch...focus on getting to the top at a reasonable pace.

 

once at the top...find a bunch and hang on all the way... stay out of the wind to cato ridge...dont make the mistake i made last year...thought the bunch was going too slow...pulled ahead of them...within 5 km they caught and passed me...then i couldnt hold on.

 

once in the hills...trying keep a steady pace...80 cadence...dont forget about the 2 nasty climbs after the Hillcrest hospital. 

 

watch out for the wind after the climb from the dam...fill up with water at the watering hole in the dip...then look out for a bunch to pull into the wind down fields hill and through westville.

 

watch out for the sharp left turn up to the N3...make sure i am in the right gear for the short climb.

 

use anyone to shield up to the tollgate bridge...like i did last year.

 

then down the N3 into Durban a steady pace...through Durban...at the left turn empty the rest of the tank for as long as possible to the finish line.

[FirstV8]

Isotech you have the right idea . . Dont show off , ride within your own ability , and know the climbs severity before you go charging up them , use bunches as shielding from the wind and then when you know the end is near give it stick ( always looks good for spectators HAHA ) 

[Johan_Kleynhans]

On the hills I used the following tactic with reasonable success. Assuming it is a bunch I can stick with.

 

On a hill you normally get dropped closer to the top when you run out of steam. This is normal for all the non climbers.

 

If you are in the back of the bunch you are out of the bunch at this point.

 

When I was racing against guys who were better than me or when I was not completely fit I went to the front of the bunch or as close to the front as I could get when you hit the hill proper. If I was at the front I would set a pace what I termed top of the green. Fast enough so the bunch did not attack but still inside my aerobic threshold.

 

Sooner or later the climbers or faster/fitter guys will attack. At that point a lot of guys will start to overtake you. You basically then move towards the back of the bunch as they overtake you and hopefully by the time you reach the top you are still in the bunch or you have not lost that much time.

 

This way if you get dropped it is much closer to the crest of the hill.

 

Good luck and watch out for overtraining.

[Veebee]

Ise, I think its a bit too late to work on strength work especially if you take longer to recover.

And the sudden build up in mileage is going to lead to a burn out, so just watch that.

 

you rode well on Sunday, so dont make massive changes to what you doing. Eat quality food and ride on. That 3:30 goal should be easily achieved.

[eccc whippet]

Ise, I think its a bit too late to work on strength work especially if you take longer to recover.

And the sudden build up in mileage is going to lead to a burn out, so just watch that.

 

you rode well on Sunday, so dont make massive changes to what you doing. Eat quality food and ride on. That 3:30 goal should be easily achieved.

i agree...i am not going to make any big changes from what i have been doing the past weeks...will do the big ride on Sunday and then focus on short more intense rides next week...then the last week just do a few short rides and keep the legs turning on the trainer.

 

some of the small changes ...i never use to eat anything before a ride...recently i started eating a cup full of oats and yogurt...a far bar and 2 fastbars...i might get my mate to hand me an energade when i get to hillcrest...which i put in a 750 ml bottle and top up with water.

 

i want to spend a few bob on high 5 electrolytes tablets and get use to drinking them on rides again...i stopped because they got expensive...just been adding oros to make the water taste better. 

 

i have learnt what my strengths are and my weaknesses.

 

weakness...

 

hills because of my weight.

 

long rides without stops...i find if i stop for a bit and recover i can keep going for longer.

 

strengths...

 

pushing against the wind.

 

downhills and flats...being heavy certainly helps.

[eccc whippet]

 

If you are in the back of the bunch you are out of the bunch at this point.

 

 

 

i dont enjoy riding in the middle of a bunch...i am one of those riders who battles to keep a constant pace and line and if i see *** i bail to save myself as i did last year on the concrete part of edwin swales in the tour durban...so to be fair to the rest of the bunch i rather stay at the back or go to the front if its windy to do my bit. 

[Sepia]

Try and stay two or three from the back. I find it better than at the back.

Not sure what it is but the slip seems different and better than at the back?