The satisfaction of improvement
supermurph09
Posts: 2,471
I went out on a 17 mile ride last night with the sole intention of attacking 3 of my local strava segments. I've used these 3 + another 1 to try and guage how my speed / strength has improved. I was hoping that with some more miles under my belt things would be going the right direction. They were.
One segment: http://app.strava.com/activities/50479932#896755728 I'd always been in my smallest cog, and really struggling over the top. Last night I was pushing a much bigger gear, I think I had 3 cogs left and I felt really strong over the top. I smashed my time on the short climb by 8 seconds!
This one, slightly shorter and steeper effort: http://app.strava.com/activities/50479932#896755730 I knocked a couple of seconds off. Another segment I was actually hindered by a car was only 2 seconds off my time, I would have beaten my time no doubt.
I know others talk about strava alot and the quest for KOM's but to me the satisfaction I got last night was all about beating myself. Fantastic feeling, I'll be out again tonight to test myself on some of my regular longer climbs (over 1 mile). Would be great to see the improvement there too.
One segment: http://app.strava.com/activities/50479932#896755728 I'd always been in my smallest cog, and really struggling over the top. Last night I was pushing a much bigger gear, I think I had 3 cogs left and I felt really strong over the top. I smashed my time on the short climb by 8 seconds!
This one, slightly shorter and steeper effort: http://app.strava.com/activities/50479932#896755730 I knocked a couple of seconds off. Another segment I was actually hindered by a car was only 2 seconds off my time, I would have beaten my time no doubt.
I know others talk about strava alot and the quest for KOM's but to me the satisfaction I got last night was all about beating myself. Fantastic feeling, I'll be out again tonight to test myself on some of my regular longer climbs (over 1 mile). Would be great to see the improvement there too.
Trainer Road Blog: https://hitthesweetspot.home.blog/
Cycling blog: https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.com/
Blog: https://supermurphtt2015.wordpress.com/
TCTP: https://supermurph.wordpress.com/
Cycling blog: https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.com/
Blog: https://supermurphtt2015.wordpress.com/
TCTP: https://supermurph.wordpress.com/
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Comments
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Sounds like Strava is making you enjoy your riding, and that's what it is all about0
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Nice - good work :-)0
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Exactly, if nothing else, it is motivating people to keep cycling and people are enjoying it. So good work and keep it up!Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
Specialized Hardrock MTB for Lumps
Specialized Langster SS for Ease
Cinelli Mash Bolt Fixed for Pain
n+1 is well and truly on track
Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/16088750 -
That's the thing I love about Strava, it's not about getting KOM's all over the place, it's about charting your individual improvements.
I knocked about 40 odd seconds off a 2 mile segment near my house the other day (I usually do it at the start of my commute when I'm not warmed up, this time I tackled it at the end of a 30 mile training ride) and felt fantastic when I saw the result.0 -
Top work fella! Strava has it's haters but for me, as with yourself it is a great measure of your improving strength and performance! Bagged my first KOM today, over the moon with that, but also just looking at my overall segment times I am now in the top 15-20% overall for loads of them compared to when I started and I was about 60-70%!0
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Nice one matey,like you I use strava for personel measurement and its a great tool and a buzz after a ride to see pb,s.keep it up.Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori0
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Cheers guys, appreciate the comments.Trainer Road Blog: https://hitthesweetspot.home.blog/
Cycling blog: https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.com/
Blog: https://supermurphtt2015.wordpress.com/
TCTP: https://supermurph.wordpress.com/0 -
I quite like Strava for similar reasons - my fave section is the my results filter. I don't go out for specific segments though - I look on them as measures within the ride as a whole IYSWIM.Giant Defy 2
Large bloke getting smaller :-)0 -
Nice one!
It's what I use Strava for. Just did http://app.strava.com/activities/50596426. All PR's bar 4. Was extremely chuffed! Decided a month ago to blast my 6 mile commute instead of dawdling along. That and sticking in more flatter TT type rides is certainly paying off for me.0 -
Good man, you're doing exactly what I do. It's a great motivator. I'm currently lying 3rd on one of my regular segments and I'll get the KoM one day soon0
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Nice one, kudos given!
I know where you are coming from!
Went out for short blast tonight and picked lots of up hill in the area, mostly what i've done before but about 3-4 months ago.....absolutely blitzed it, 1/2 segments i've added 4mph on my previous best and got loads of top 10's when previously i was between 30-50th out of a couple of hundred. Knew i was going quicker than i had previously as i could keep it in the big ring alot more.
http://app.strava.com/activities/50655075Cheers, Stu0 -
well done, i think strava is brilliant for challenging yourself. some how i took 90 secs off a local climb at start of the week, still about 130th out of over 200 tho lolenigma esprit
cannondale caad8 tiagra 20120 -
duckson wrote:Nice one, kudos given!
I know where you are coming from!
Went out for short blast tonight and picked lots of up hill in the area, mostly what i've done before but about 3-4 months ago.....absolutely blitzed it, 1/2 segments i've added 4mph on my previous best and got loads of top 10's when previously i was between 30-50th out of a couple of hundred. Knew i was going quicker than i had previously as i could keep it in the big ring alot more.
http://app.strava.com/activities/50655075
Looks like there are a few of us making good use of Strava. I was delayed getting home from work last night so it was a close call as to whether or not i went out. However I forced myself and was repaid with probably one of my best outings of the year. Felt like I was travelling well in all but one section which was uphill on a crappy dual carriageway into the wind. I too set PBs on every segment and even managed a top 5. I remember a year ago looking at some of the KOMs around my way and thinking that they must be assisted in some way but now after a few more miles in my legs I am getting an idea of what is possible if you put the effort in. Felt a bit lightheaded when I got back but had that slight feeling of elation too. Love it.
http://www.strava.com/activities/506630330 -
duckson wrote:Nice one, kudos given!
I know where you are coming from!
Went out for short blast tonight and picked lots of up hill in the area, mostly what i've done before but about 3-4 months ago.....absolutely blitzed it, 1/2 segments i've added 4mph on my previous best and got loads of top 10's when previously i was between 30-50th out of a couple of hundred. Knew i was going quicker than i had previously as i could keep it in the big ring alot more.
http://app.strava.com/activities/50655075
Kudos to you too, great improvements and you rode through the town named after me!0