Power Stats: Absa Cape Epic (B)

[bruce]

Okay, I know you've all been waiting for this 

 

Here are my numbers from the Epic.  I'm busy with the mother of all blog entries which should be done over the weekend.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Prologue:
	Duration:	54:22:00
	Work:	732 kJ
	TSS:	70.5 (intensity factor 0.882)
	Norm Power:	291
	VI:	1.3
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	16.28 km
	Elevation Gain:	594 m
	Elevation Loss:	621 m
	Grade:	-0.2 %  (-28 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	687	224	watts
	Cadence:	21	124	76	rpm
	Speed:	0	55.2	18	kph
	Pace	01:05	00:00	03:20	min/km
	Altitude:	144	410	271	m
	Crank Torque:	0	166.3	28.7	N-m
Stage 1 (Gordon's Bay to Villiersdorp):
	Duration:	06:38
	Work:	4420 kJ
	TSS:	363.7 (intensity factor 0.74)
	Norm Power:	244
	VI:	1.32
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	116.158 km
	Elevation Gain:	3451 m
	Elevation Loss:	3110 m
	Grade:	0.3 %  (342 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	800	185	watts
	Cadence:	15	135	74	rpm
	Speed:	0	63.3	17.5	kph
	Pace	00:57	00:00	03:26	min/km
	Altitude:	4	1089	496	m
	Crank Torque:	0	177.4	24.2	N-m
Stage 2 (Villiersdorp):
	Duration:	05:22
	Work:	3518 kJ
	TSS:	270.9 (intensity factor 0.72)
	Norm Power:	237
	VI:	1.27
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	102.291 km
	Elevation Gain:	2352 m
	Elevation Loss:	2353 m
	Grade:	-0.0 %  (-2 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	780	187	watts
	Cadence:	15	137	75	rpm
	Speed:	0	58.6	19	kph
	Pace	01:01	00:00	03:09	min/km
	Altitude:	203	573	336	m
	Crank Torque:	0	192	24.2	N-m
Stage 3 (Villiersdorp to Greyton):
	Duration:	04:39
	Work:	2442 kJ
	TSS:	222.4 (intensity factor 0.691)
	Norm Power:	228
	VI:	1.57
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	68.915 km
	Elevation Gain:	2444 m
	Elevation Loss:	2601 m
	Grade:	-0.2 %  (-157 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	764	145	watts
	Cadence:	16	139	74	rpm
	Speed:	0	69.8	14.8	kph
	Pace	00:52	00:00	04:04	min/km
	Altitude:	221	984	494	m
	Crank Torque:	0	174.6	19.1	N-m
Stage 4 (Greyton):
	Duration:	05:55
	Work:	4207 kJ
	TSS:	330.8 (intensity factor 0.748)
	Norm Power:	247
	VI:	1.25
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	119.783 km
	Elevation Gain:	3336 m
	Elevation Loss:	3336 m
	Grade:	-0.0 %  (-17 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	686	197	watts
	Cadence:	16	139	74	rpm
	Speed:	0	73.9	20.3	kph
	Pace	00:49	00:00	02:57	min/km
	Altitude:	165	653	285	m
	Crank Torque:	0	186.7	25.7	N-m
Stage 5 (Greyton to Grabouw):
	Duration:	05:36
	Work:	4152 kJ
	TSS:	302 (intensity factor 0.733)
	Norm Power:	242
	VI:	1.18
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	115.228 km
	Elevation Gain:	2930 m
	Elevation Loss:	2853 m
	Grade:	0.1 %  (78 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	666	205	watts
	Cadence:	16	130	75	rpm
	Speed:	0	68.4	20.6	kph
	Pace	00:53	00:00	02:54	min/km
	Altitude:	43	587	311	m
	Crank Torque:	0	195.7	26.7	N-m
Stage 6 (Grabouw):
	Duration:	04:46
	Work:	3211 kJ
	TSS:	236.7 (intensity factor 0.704)
	Norm Power:	232
	VI:	1.24
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	85.284 km
	Elevation Gain:	2250 m
	Elevation Loss:	2262 m
	Grade:	-0.0 %  (-13 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	823	187	watts
	Cadence:	16	131	75	rpm
	Speed:	0	68.5	17.9	kph
	Pace	00:53	00:00	03:22	min/km
	Altitude:	115	541	329	m
	Crank Torque:	0	163.4	24.1	N-m
Stage 7 (Grabouw to Laurensford):
	Duration:	3:44:29 (3:46:23)
	Work:	2436 kJ
	TSS:	198.5 (intensity factor 0.728)
	Norm Power:	240
	VI:	1.33
	Pw:HR:	n/a
	Pa:HR:	n/a
	Distance:	62.498 km
	Elevation Gain:	1855 m
	Elevation Loss:	2054 m
	Grade:	-0.3 %  (-199 m)
		Min	Max	Avg
	Power:	0	704	181	watts
	Cadence:	15	125	75	rpm
	Speed:	0	68.8	16.6	kph
	Pace	00:52	00:00	03:37	min/km
	Altitude:	93	777	392	m
	Crank Torque:	0	159.7	23.1	N-m

 

[Velouria]

What happened to your partner Bruce?

[THE BODY CENTRE]

I've never seen MTB PT files - interesting the high VI's (and what was that loafing on Stage 3 about?? )

This must have ramped up your CTL quite a bit!!

[JasonW]

I suspect stage 3 was the stage which involved the long portage which would have resulted in a lengthy period of zero watts.

 

Would be interesting to see Bruce's PMC and where his TSB ended up.

[Velouria]

Yeah - and it says that Stage 3 was ultimately downhill

 

I reckon I did more work with my bike on my back than I did while sitting on it.

 

[word]

Bruce, I thought that MTB was supposed to be harder than road? Those stats indicate that you grafted much harder on the 94.7 than you did for the Epic. Is that because your average includes zeros?

[bruce]

 

What happened to your partner Bruce?

 

My partner had a cyst (saddle sore) removed about a week before the race.  It was a bit of a gamble, bit the risk of the saddle sore getting infected was worse.  The stitches were removed on the Wednesday, but the wound opened during the prologue.  He changed his sitting position on the bike to try to keep off the wound, which ended up casuing him severe ITB!

 

 

 

[bruce]

 

I've never seen MTB PT files - interesting the high VI's (and what was that loafing on Stage 3 about?? )

This must have ramped up your CTL quite a bit!!

 

103 to 130 in 8 days

 

Apart from the walking, the portage section put serious wear and tear on my shoes - brand new Bontrager's which cost me almost R3k!!

 

[bruce]

 

I suspect stage 3 was the stage which involved the long portage which would have resulted in a lengthy period of zero watts.

 

Would be interesting to see Bruce's PMC and where his TSB ended up.

 

TSB ended up at -75 at the end of the race.

 

[Marius]

OMW, that's sh*tty luck. Like the stats, always wondered what Mtb stats would look like. I always thought I ride harder during Mtb events but the EPIC is long stages so you have to kinda ride Tempo pace, is that what you did Bruce??

[bruce]

 

Bruce' date=' I thought that MTB was supposed to be harder than road? Those stats indicate that you grafted much harder on the 94.7 than you did for the Epic. Is that because your average includes zeros?[/quote']

 

Nah, it's because 94.7 is a 2h20 race and the Epic is 8 days of between 4 and 6 hours

 

[bruce]

 

OMW' date=' that's sh*tty luck. Like the stats, always wondered what Mtb stats would look like. I always thought I ride harder during Mtb events but the EPIC is long stages so you have to kinda ride Tempo pace, is that what you did Bruce??[/quote']

 

Ja, I was also riding with a partner that was struggling physically and the main aim was to get him to the finish - no point in being on the rivet and then not finishing.

 

The last few days I rode alone, but they put me right at the back and I had to work my way through the field every day - so it's not easy to get motivated to drill it when you are standing in a queue of riders on a single track!

 

[jacta]

Hey Bruce. Thanks for interesting stats on Epic. Daily TSS incredible! On Borriz,s post yousuggested 4 minute intervals- any reason for specifically 4 and not say 3 or 5 minutes?. Lastly, please post stats on Argus , when you get some time

[1kTT]

hey Bruce,

What sort of power readings were you aiming to keep on steady climbs/flats ?

 

[The Crazy German]

What happened to your partner Bruce?

My partner had a cyst (saddle sore) removed about a week before the race.  It was a bit of a gamble' date=' bit the risk of the saddle sore getting infected was worse.  The stitches were removed on the Wednesday, but the wound opened during the prologue.  He changed his sitting position on the bike to try to keep off the wound, which ended up casuing him severe ITB!


[/quote']

 

For those who end up with a similar problem. the classic and best solution is to cut a piece out of your saddle so that the sore or wound rest in that hole and thus is not pressured.

 

That if you insist in keeping riding.

[bruce]

Hey Bruce. Thanks for interesting stats on Epic. Daily TSS incredible! On Borriz' date='s post yousuggested 4 minute intervals- any reason for specifically 4 and not say 3 or 5 minutes?. Lastly, please post stats on Argus , when you get some time[/quote']

 

 

 

No problem with 3 minutes, or 5 minutes. Generally intervals that target power at VO2Max are around 3 to 8 minutes.

 

 

 

The shorter the duration, the more contribution comes from anaerobic energy pathways, and hence shorter duration intervals (3 min) will stress anaerobic systems more. Whilst longer duration intervals (say 8min) will stress aerobic pathways more, and will be more influenced by lactate threshold limitations.

 

 

 

The best rule to apply is to take a look at the races that you typically do and the duration of the climbs. Also, look at whether you struggle more on shorter, high intensity climbs, or longer drag type situations. That gives an indication of what you need to work on.

 

 

 

4 minutes is just a nice duration that targets VO2Max very well.