Oh jesus the pain!

rouleur23

I have always had issues with the starts of races. I get swamped with lactic if it is even a bit too fast. Yesterday was a course that should have seen me do well. If not win to be honest. All winter I have been challenging the fast guys (two ex pros and one record holder for track stuff) in the final few k's. Never out sprinting but staying with them at 40km/hr plus for the last 5-10km and being a few m's off the wheels at the end.
So, why did I get get blown out on the first lap yesterday? Flattish course that suits my style of riding. Simply could not hang on after the turns and that took me by suprise I can tell you.
My hr was 88% av of max (I insisted on doing two more 15k laps alone (could not even hang on to the 4th cats as they came thru) and 94% at one point.
Is a good warm up the way to go? And more intervals?
There were 4 other guys there that have trouble staying with me in training!!! They coped well and were all shocked at my being blown out. Should I go for some sort of check up/test?
Thanks
P

964cup

Overtired? Virus? I had the same thing today - fast hilly ride, but eventual Strava traces showed the main group's ride average was below our normal pace. Felt ok to start with, then blew up on the first real hill and found I couldn't get my heart rate up to max no matter what. Normally my OBLA is at 175bm, today every time I hit 165 my legs stopped moving. Kept falling off the back. I'm assuming it's just a thing, and will resolve itself given some rest.

jgsi

So many reasons for perceived poor race performance.. probably too many to write down.
if that was Darley Moor... and March.. then would I give a toss, no , I wouldnt.
Conversely..
has your winter training properly periodized?
has it been early doors race specific?
are you less than 100% health wise?
have you been training with guys who have let you dangle , and you've fallen for it .. and a race has been a rude wake up call?

Look at your race data.. power... hr .. cadence, draw some conclusions and set to getting your training right.
If you are serious and it hurts to perform below par and still young enough, think about some proper coaching advice.

97th choice

Mate of mine was the same in the first A4 of the season a couple of weeks ago, had to get off the bike on the first lap. Today he was flying

rouleur23

97th choice wrote:

Mate of mine was the same in the first A4 of the season a couple of weeks ago, had to get off the bike on the first lap. Today he was flying

Thanks 97th choice! Glad it was just a hiccup for him. Fingers crossed!

rouleur23

JGSI wrote:

So many reasons for perceived poor race performance.. probably too many to write down.
if that was Darley Moor... and March.. then would I give a toss, no , I wouldnt.
Conversely..
has your winter training properly periodized?
has it been early doors race specific?
are you less than 100% health wise?
have you been training with guys who have let you dangle , and you've fallen for it .. and a race has been a rude wake up call?

Look at your race data.. power... hr .. cadence, draw some conclusions and set to getting your training right.
If you are serious and it hurts to perform below par and still young enough, think about some proper coaching advice.

No they are guys I know well and I know when they are suffering. Re the guys faking form I should say.
I think a deeper warm up is required from what I read. Some guys need to get all the good and bad juices flowing into muscles before a fast start. I am one by the looks of it.
Not young or light at 52 and 95kg but always been a workhorse/rouleur but never anything to write home about. Just that this particular day was a shock and a wake up call to my approach.
Thanks for the time you took to reply
Paz

rouleur23

964Cup wrote:

Overtired? Virus? I had the same thing today - fast hilly ride, but eventual Strava traces showed the main group's ride average was below our normal pace. Felt ok to start with, then blew up on the first real hill and found I couldn't get my heart rate up to max no matter what. Normally my OBLA is at 175bm, today every time I hit 165 my legs stopped moving. Kept falling off the back. I'm assuming it's just a thing, and will resolve itself given some rest.

Thanks for reply. Could not get my HR down from anaerobic so power went out the window! Stayed on the course and thought I would hang with the 4ths but all was gone from the legs after 15km with them! We'll see what April brings after a re shuffle and a rest (4-5 days) from high density work.
Thanks