Johan_Kleynhans Posted October 3, 2017 Posted October 3, 2017 My experience is that the back of any bunch is much more difficult to keep a line and a constant pace. The more unfit or inexperience the bunch the more difficult it gets on top of that. Even though you think that it is tough in the front the constant pace is far better than the yo yo and braking/accelarating swerwing at the back. Where ever I could I avoided the back of the bunch like the plague. Try and get into a bunch in which you can ride without going from top of the green into the red zone constantly. Try a bunch like that and ride no further back than the front 25%. Another thing that helped me was not to focus on the wheel directly infront of me but to look ahead and see what is happening up front. Only when I am climbing I will lock onto the wheel infront of me and concentrate on it while hanging on for dear life in some instances. When the pace is fast and smooth you can close the gap to the bike infront of you. When it is not also hang back a few cm to allow room to move if you have to. In the front of the bunch you will find it much easier to hold line and pace. If you feel claustrofobic (LOL hope spelling is correct) dont get boxed in on the edge of the road. Even if you have to face a little extra head wind stay on the "open"side of the bunch. Bottom line for me stay away from the back of the bunch. Much harder work than the front.
Fat Boab Posted October 4, 2017 Posted October 4, 2017 I'll try and separate weightloss vs Amashova prep suggestions...... 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. Careful of short more intense rides, if you're not used to them. They're more likely to leave you deadlegged for longer than you want. 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. Fasted rides are an acquired taste, best left to a 1 hour ride only (yes. I know I'm being conservative, but they're good as part of a weightloss approach for later). Long rides, probably with lots of effort on the hills, as well as something like the Amashova need FOOD. Starch-based real food, like oats and yoghurt are ideal if you're used to them. Bike food like bananas initially then moving to simple sugars as the race progresses with water/energade makes sure you have glucose readily available. As ever practice feeding/hydration strategies before hand. 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. Avoid Oros like the plague. It's loaded with SO2 which can irritate your breathing. Energade/powerade etc is good stuff - cheaper if you buy the concentrate - and they have electrolytes added. I don't use the tablets you mention, but unless you've tied down what they do for you, why bother? i have learnt what my strengths are and my weaknesses. weakness... hills because of my weight. Spin them out and don't burn too many matches. long rides without stops...i find if i stop for a bit and recover i can keep going for longer. Nothing you can do about this now - that's for the future. Dispel this weakness from your mind for the Ama! strengths... pushing against the wind. downhills and flats...being heavy certainly helps. If you can push against the wind well, and also shunt on the flat, then you have another strength.....power! A lot of heavier okes, particularly if they've been active, have strong legs (You've been feeding your own resistance training for years!). By the sounds of it, you do, so add it to your list and make it work for you! (For the future, imagine losing some extra kilos, as you are, and keeping the leg power.....attractive isn't it!) Good luck!
Johan_Kleynhans Posted October 4, 2017 Posted October 4, 2017 strengths... pushing against the wind. downhills and flats...being heavy certainly helps.Be careful that you dont turn this strength into a weakness. Maybe you feel good on a flat road and now you are pushing the pace and on the downhill you can also go faster because of the weight advantage. Here is my opinion. The guys who work the hardest in the bunch will not win the race. Road cycling is all about concerving energy. By all means come through and pace if it is your turn. Dont stay in front for too long unless you are working for a mate. By pushing to hard on a flat road or downhill saps the energy and leave you tired for the hill which is surely coming. I go through and take my turn at the front but as I said I then never go to the back of the bunch if it is more than 20 people. I would stay near the front unless it is a proper echelon and everybody comes through to the front to do their bit. When I fall in behind somebody I try to recover as much and as quickly as possible. This I do by shielding myself from the wind and also change to the lightest possible gear which will allow me to keep up and dont make me uncomfortable. Downhills (on longer races) I use for stretching. I always had a routine by starting with my lower back then legs and so on. I never cycle hard on a downhill. My momentum must keep me going and I make sure I am in the correct gear for the speed I am doing but I keep on rotating the pedals to prevent my legs from getting stiff. You must get to the end by using the least amount of energy.
Fat Boab Posted October 4, 2017 Posted October 4, 2017 Be careful that you dont turn this strength into a weakness. Maybe you feel good on a flat road and now you are pushing the pace and on the downhill you can also go faster because of the weight advantage. Here is my opinion. The guys who work the hardest in the bunch will not win the race. Road cycling is all about concerving energy. By all means come through and pace if it is your turn. Dont stay in front for too long unless you are working for a mate. I go through and take my turn at the front but as I said I then never go to the back of the bunch if it is more than 20 people. I would stay near the front unless it is a proper echelon and everybody comes through to the front to do their bit. What's the expression, "do as much as the guy, who's doing the least"?
eccc whippet Posted October 9, 2017 Author Posted October 9, 2017 All set for the shova... long rides completed. 105 km on Saturday...no issues 119 km on sunday with 1800 m of climbing...no cramping...butt got a little eeina but otherwise legs were feeling good...hr was good and cadence...spinning up the hills no problem. ate a bowl of oats and yogurt before the ride...2 x farbars and 1 x fastbar...and an ice coffee after the ride (just gota watch for brain freeze) bike sorted...found the big ring had a bent tooth...nothing a 4 pd hammer couldnt sort out. chain a bit noisy...will look get the right stuff. now just to keep the legs turning and stayed focused on eating the right food. not too fussed about the weight at the moment...it is what it is...100.7 kg today...i expect it to be between 100 and 102 kg in the 2 weeks. hopefully once the shova is done i can focus on doing the 160 km ride before the end of the year...and unloading a bit more of the gut.
eccc whippet Posted October 9, 2017 Author Posted October 9, 2017 just hit the 15 000 km mark on strava. no...cycling doesnt make me loose weight...even if i ride over 300 km per week. cramping is a result of insufficient training. if you ride 80 km ever weekend...you will start suffering from about 95 km into the ride...and cramping by 100 km...if not sooner...if you have a recovery vehicle...there is a good chance you will be in the vehicle before 120 km...we are not talking about 20 year youngsters...i post from experience as a fat old ballie (over 50) who started cycling 3 years ago. the first time i increase the distance from 100 km to 120 km i couldnt believe how difficult it was...i thought 20 km more cant be that bad.
FirstV8 Posted October 9, 2017 Posted October 9, 2017 Good going on your preparation . As stated before dont concentrate on weight loss but rather on the kilometers and quality you ride .Weight loss comes automatically if you dont munch in between meals . Good luck with the Shova . I remember back in the 80's when our longest races in Gauteng were max 120 km and the Vasbyt started it was 165km of undulating fast road with the finish up Lynnwood hill to the Drive Inn ( for those who remember it ) A lot of riders bailed at the 120 130 km mark and a many cramped so badly up the Lynnwood climb that they walked it . I rode it 3 times and finished 13 th every time ( could never get in the top 10 )with my fastest time of 4 hr 13 min . The first one we rode in the rain from start to finish , that was a real tester . The weight loss after that ride was my way forward to staying at 76 kg for the next 10 years and being competitive in the VCA .
eccc whippet Posted October 11, 2017 Author Posted October 11, 2017 got dressed today to find the shirt is hanging loose and the belt requires another hole. more effort requires more energy...it seems my body likes the idea of oats and yogurt before a long ride...as with everything...changes require an adjustment period. got a hectic 2 weeks ahead...and it has nothing to do with cycling...gona be a lot of carbo loading this weekend and not enough riding....been doing home maintenance this week...did i mention i hate painting.
eccc whippet Posted October 11, 2017 Author Posted October 11, 2017 something i have learnt since the back to back hill2hill...did the 100km and didnt even enter the 45 km because i thought there was no way i could ride the 45 km...yet i had my best 45 km ride...and climbed the hills with ease (the beuty about girly gearing on mountain bikes) if you ride 100 km today it doesnt mean you cant ride 100 km tomorrow...this weekend was good example...105 km on Saturday...then 119 km on sunday...its all about pace...ok your butt is gona get sore...but what i found is just take it easy in the beginning and step up the pace as you get closer to the end (advice taken from many people). people dont pay enough attention to the gearing on their bikes...gear the bike to the conditions you are going to ride...if you are a fat oke like me and plan a 2000 m hill climbing ride...make sure your bike is not setup with a standard crank and an 11-23 or 25 cassette...you gona suffer. if you gona ride a nice long flat ride with a few bumps...standard crank with an 11-28 (i could go to a 25... but hey why battle)
jcza Posted October 11, 2017 Posted October 11, 2017 If you guys train as much as you type you’ll lose the weight in a month
NotSoBigBen Posted October 11, 2017 Posted October 11, 2017 If you guys train as much as you type you’ll lose the weight in a monthDamn it dude can I PM you my address to send a new keyboard [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk
Johan_Kleynhans Posted October 11, 2017 Posted October 11, 2017 Hey fingers also needs a workout. Just remember (assuming you are born after 1970 to be safe) one day you are also going to grow old so be sympathetic. We are talking LOL mean typing ourselves up.???????? Where were the days when I warmed up 30km to a race. Do a 100km race and warmed the 30 km down back home or decided to train a bit extra and do 200 km in a day and bite the bullit and do 600 km for the week.????????
jcza Posted October 11, 2017 Posted October 11, 2017 Hey fingers also needs a workout. Just remember (assuming you are born after 1970 to be safe) one day you are also going to grow old so be sympathetic. We are talking LOL mean typing ourselves up. Where were the days when I warmed up 30km to a race. Do a 100km race and warmed the 30 km down back home or decided to train a bit extra and do 200 km in a day and bite the bullit and do 600 km for the week. You know what they say about assumption......
Johan_Kleynhans Posted October 11, 2017 Posted October 11, 2017 Good going on your preparation . and the Vasbyt started it was 165km of undulating fast road with the finish up Lynnwood hill to the Drive Inn ( for those who remember it ) .LOL I don't know if it was before or after but the few Vadbyts I did started at Willem Prinsloo. Did one (1997) with af friend on the Tandem and a lot of guys fell on the road from Delmas to Bronkies. Nearly brought us down as well. (Heavy cross wind on the day and people coming from behind clipping handlebars going past. Saw 3 big crashes in 5 km where more than 10 people coming down in each fall.
eccc whippet Posted October 12, 2017 Author Posted October 12, 2017 640 km in 2 weeks and i havent lost a gram...which included all of the required intervals...long slow rides etc etc...it must be the increased muscle mass in my fingers from all the typing
Fat Boab Posted October 12, 2017 Posted October 12, 2017 640 km in 2 weeks and i havent lost a gram...which included all of the required intervals...long slow rides etc etc...it must be the increased muscle mass in my fingers from all the typing Carpal tunnel workout excepting.......if you've kept a record of food over the last 2 weeks, you could tie up the calorie balance, or otherwise, to prove to yourself what works in terms of weight loss. ie cycle lots, eat to 'match' this, and calories balance, so your weight stays the same. Shift the balance, and weight will change.....
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