Training Log Archive: fletch

After the effort a few days ago, I intended this to be a steady ride. Started comfortably, sitting about 450th of nearly 800, but it doesn’t take long to hit a steep hill on this loop, and I was up to about 150th by the top, and further up again by the bottom.
Spent most of the ride workingvthe hills wuie hard and recovering acbit on the flats, which had me yo-yoing a bit in my oack of 20-30 riders, but it wasn’t too hard to hang on and felt like I’d be working harder to go slower if I sat up completely.
Pack gradually thinned out, especially up the second KOM climb and picked up a few people who had popped from front groups on the run home to finish somewhere in the mid 80’s, so not radically different to last time for something that hurt much less.

Was sick yesterday after a couple of days feeling flat and I’ve been unconvinced about my calves, but figured I had to get out for at least one run this week.
Everything actually felt good. No discomfort until my right calf seized up quite suddenly at 6km (a few hundred metres after surging up a hill, but I’m *sure* that had nothing to do with it.) Happily, after a short stretching break, it was fine the rest of the way home.

‘Not a race’ but with a group of over 560 on the start line it was always going to be. Thought I’d start solidly and see how I was feeling.
Wotking hard by the end of the first lap, thought about easing off, but decided to press on. Then thought my escape was that my laptop would die as it was running off battery and down to 5%, then 4... then back up to 5 - wait, what? So rather than being booted off with 4-5km left, I was hurting to the finish.
Made my life that bit harder through some atrocious mental maths. 9.7 x 2 does not = 18.4, so timed my ‘finish surge’ perfectly to coincide with getting to 1km to go. Needless to say, the end was uncomfortable.
Just missed top 50, FTP now 288, though that seems completely unrealistic.

C • 288 2

Doing a loop that took me up the steeper (back) side of the NYC kom. Only a few minutes worth, but some super-steep bits 15%). 5 laps all up, last one as a cool down.
Had three cracks at the sorint as well, getting down to 9.61 sec and within 0.05 of a green jersey :(