Welsh BAR

Mark Alexander

right, after a succsessfull 1st year racing, getting top 50 in Magic Dragon series, well above my expectations. I'm assessing my expectations and targets for next year.

A friend (who's well up in that series) suspects that i'd be suited to longer TT's as opposed to 10's - 25's. I had a look at the tables and believe that I can be good enough not to embarrass myself.

Does anyone have any tips for training for long TT's? and winter training for these.
I can't realy get into a rhythem for training due to work committments

whilst I'm at it, does anyone who races, not drive and have only what will fit in a ruc sack to take to the race, traveling by train etc?

SteveR_100Milers

Long ones are more fun, but the 12 is a beast....I DNF'd unfortunately as I havn't recovered from a stomach bug, and after 75 miles I was riding like I had done 11 hours. The BAR and welsh championships are my targets for next year (the latter is based upon the results in the WCA events: the 25, 50, 100, 12 hours and hill climb). Endurance is the key for the longer events, so long Z2 rides in the winter are a good base. Ride as many early season 25's as you can, that should help set you up then for the longer events in the latter half of the season. Doing a couple of early season sportives helps too.

chrisw12

A word of warning, if your doing early season events and building for the 12 then be carefull you don't burn out as I think I may have done today! Well that's one excuse.


Steve, how hard was that though? I thought the Hereford stretch was a nightmare due to the wind and the lap with the newly laid road on the back stretch and the wind on the d/c, ouch! I'l defy anyone to say a 12 isn't hard.

Go for it again next year Steve. In my first year I managed about 75miles and had the piss taken out of me all over the winter, quite inspiring, I left a hospital be 4weeks before, in the year after and there was no way I wasn't going to finish. Do you want us to mention it in every thread you write on now, just to make sure you complete next year?

Joking aside I think anyone who has the balls just to enter deserves repect as a cyclist, good on ya.

Dave L

chrisw12 wrote:

A word of warning, if your doing early season events and building for the 12 then be carefull you don't burn out as I think I may have done today! Well that's one excuse. .

I think you are right Chris. With your 12hr being in September it makes for a long season if you start early.
I used to TT in Yorkshire, but the 12hr there is at the end of July.
The last time I rode it, I started racing in March, came to top form at the end of May with a PB 50, followed by PB's at 10, 25, 100 and 12hr.
Since all my focus and training had been leading up to the 12 hour, I was then pretty much burned out, and only did a handful more races that year, without any more improvements.

.

SteveR_100Milers

chrisw12 wrote:

A word of warning, if your doing early season events and building for the 12 then be carefull you don't burn out as I think I may have done today! Well that's one excuse.


Steve, how hard was that though? I thought the Hereford stretch was a nightmare due to the wind and the lap with the newly laid road on the back stretch and the wind on the d/c, ouch! I'l defy anyone to say a 12 isn't hard.

Go for it again next year Steve. In my first year I managed about 75miles and had the wee-wee taken out of me all over the winter, quite inspiring, I left a hospital be 4weeks before, in the year after and there was no way I wasn't going to finish. Do you want us to mention it in every thread you write on now, just to make sure you complete next year?

Joking aside I think anyone who has the balls just to enter deserves repect as a cyclist, good on ya.

Did I expect less?? The hereford to abergavenny was the worst bit, then I knew I was finished and it had just started. Whats ereally really peed me off is my stomach bug is starting to clear up today, after a week or so. I will definitiely be in it next year to finish but only if I'm not ill - learnt that lesson. Once I'd finished I did think of going back to get my number again....many times all afternoon.

MartinL

A lot of people started too fast yesterday. I thought I was in a 25 the way some of them came past me on the Hereford road. I don't think they realised that there was a tail wind until the turn and then they paid for their efforts on the return leg. Most of them were sat on the verge 3 or 4 hours later.

I think the trick with long TT's is to pace yourself over the whole ride, and then turn it on in the final few hours. I didn't use the big ring until I'd gone through 100.

SteveR_100Milers

You did a good ride Martin, well done. You were looking strong at the end so what you say is spot on. In contract Colin W looked absolutely finished in the last hour, maybe he was off to fast at the start.

chrisw12

It'e easy to say with hindsight about getting the pacing right. I got it wrong yesterday big time, but perhaps sometimes you have to go for it. The trouble with a shit or bust attitude is more often than not you end up in the shit, but then again sometimes it works. Colin is a classic example of this, I think at one time, by the sound of it he was first but as in the last few years he struggles at the end.

As always on the Monday after I'm not sure I'll be doing it next year. I'll definitely go up to 100 but the 12 is a different animal. Somewhere along the line I've got to find a way or a bike that I can ride past 5 hours.

Then again Mark Andrews beat me in the Welsh bar by 0.002 so maybe I will be back next year and to think I finished at a time keeper with 3mins to go, I couldn't be bothered to ride to the next time keeper!

and that's the trouble with the 12, it always drags you back, there's always a feeling that you can do better.

SteveR_100Milers

chrisw12 wrote:

It'e easy to say with hindsight about getting the pacing right. I got it wrong yesterday big time, but perhaps sometimes you have to go for it. The trouble with a shoot or bust attitude is more often than not you end up in the shoot, but then again sometimes it works. Colin is a classic example of this, I think at one time, by the sound of it he was first but as in the last few years he struggles at the end.

As always on the Monday after I'm not sure I'll be doing it next year. I'll definitely go up to 100 but the 12 is a different animal. Somewhere along the line I've got to find a way or a bike that I can ride past 5 hours.

Then again Mark Andrews beat me in the Welsh bar by 0.002 so maybe I will be back next year and to think I finished at a time keeper with 3mins to go, I couldn't be bothered to ride to the next time keeper!

and that's the trouble with the 12, it always drags you back, there's always a feeling that you can do better.

Surely this is true for all TT's of 25 miles and longer??????

MartinL

chrisw12 wrote:

It'e easy to say with hindsight about getting the pacing right. I got it wrong yesterday big time, but perhaps sometimes you have to go for it. The trouble with a shoot or bust attitude is more often than not you end up in the shoot, but then again sometimes it works.

True, and I suppose it was easier for me due to the fact that I hadn't set myself any targets other than to finish and break through 200. Once I hit the finishing circuit I knew I'd cracked it and just treated the last hour or so like a road race and just chased down anything that was moving.

chrisw12 wrote:

Colin is a classic example of this, I think at one time, by the sound of it he was first but as in the last few years he struggles at the end.

Catching Colin on the final circuit is going to be probably the only time I'll ever pass him in a TT, so for that fact alone it's worth doing the 12

BeaconRuth

Congratulations to those of you who rode the Welsh 12! I've never yet had the courage to do one - there's always next year.

Ruth

chrisw12

MartinL wrote:

chrisw12 wrote:

It'e easy to say with hindsight about getting the pacing right. I got it wrong yesterday big time, but perhaps sometimes you have to go for it. The trouble with a shoot or bust attitude is more often than not you end up in the shoot, but then again sometimes it works.

True, and I suppose it was easier for me due to the fact that I hadn't set myself any targets other than to finish and break through 200. Once I hit the finishing circuit I knew I'd cracked it and just treated the last hour or so like a road race and just chased down anything that was moving.

chrisw12 wrote:

Colin is a classic example of this, I think at one time, by the sound of it he was first but as in the last few years he struggles at the end.

Catching Colin on the final circuit is going to be probably the only time I'll ever pass him in a TT, so for that fact alone it's worth doing the 12

How true, but I went one better last year and actually beat him. I had visions of graduer then, today Colin, tomorrow tour de France, this years 12 has brought me back to earth :oops:

In fairness, Colin is a very nice down to earth guy, I'd like to see him one year, maintain his early pace and win the thing.


Ruth you don't know how lucky you are, I wish (now) that the male bar was 25, 50 and 100.

SteveR_100Milers

I have just set up a Cervelo TT bike which I have been loaned for a club 10 tomorrow night and then our milers 10 on saturday. I am desperately trying to get some speed back into my legs, but the 5 miles up and down the A469 this evening were easily the fastest I have ever done. Cue heavy rain, and gale force winds on Saturday, or a puncture... :roll:

oldwelshman

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

I have just set up a Cervelo TT bike which I have been loaned for a club 10 tomorrow night and then our milers 10 on saturday. I am desperately trying to get some speed back into my legs, but the 5 miles up and down the A469 this evening were easily the fastest I have ever done. Cue heavy rain, and gale force winds on Saturday, or a puncture... :roll:

Its all in the mind Steve the bike makes no difference
Thats why I hope to fly to Italy to get a Pinarello Prince
I am racing on Sunday in Wales so I could come see you ride, where is it?

SteveR_100Milers

its on saturday, on the R10/22 - on the Resolven duallie heads of the valley. HQ is TRW sports & social, course is from Resolven to Tonna and back. If its a still day then the times are fast.

starts at 3 i think, am first off (last in)

oldwelshman

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

its on saturday, on the R10/22 - on the Resolven duallie heads of the valley. HQ is TRW sports & social, course is from Resolven to Tonna and back. If its a still day then the times are fast.

starts at 3 i think, am first off (last in)

Thats just a bit far to ride from Caerphilly day before my race

SteveR_100Milers

oldwelshman wrote:

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

I have just set up a Cervelo TT bike which I have been loaned for a club 10 tomorrow night and then our milers 10 on saturday. I am desperately trying to get some speed back into my legs, but the 5 miles up and down the A469 this evening were easily the fastest I have ever done. Cue heavy rain, and gale force winds on Saturday, or a puncture... :roll:

Its all in the mind Steve the bike makes no difference
Thats why I hope to fly to Italy to get a Pinarello Prince
I am racing on Sunday in Wales so I could come see you ride, where is it?

sadly true. Did the slowest time on the course this year, and the conditions were the best.