Ewan's Training Log

Create a new topic for yourself here and keep a record of your training, weight loss, goals etc.

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby IanM » 05 Apr 2016 15:33

Jack Hughes wrote:
IanM wrote: If for example the pedals were within 1% accuracy in October when I last properly tested (myself, not the pedals)


Conversely, they might have been 6% and 8% over then.

No point in getting too upset about it. Best thing to do is go and ride a local 10 which you have done before. And hopefully some "peers" turn up to compare against.

Logically, your training load has increased, you've been doing the right sort of training, so you should be producing more power. I'm still voting for "up". But the jury is out on what sort of "up" up is.

See the drift in a months time etc. etc.

(now, if you still had the power tap, you could have measured against that again).


Very true. I'm not too concerned in reality as I've recently been comparing turbo speed for steady state intervals of varying power over the last 5-6 months, and everything points at it being consistent (typically within 1% of the speed for matching power).

Alas my plan for a local 10 tonight has been scuppered, mild chest infection at the moment I think, so have stopped training. Think I'm on the mend so hoping to ease back into it tomorrow to hopefully be in some sort of form for Saturday's BDCA 25.
User avatar
IanM
 
Posts: 3954
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 14:53
Location: West/East Mids border

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Jack Hughes » 05 Apr 2016 15:40

IanM wrote:Alas my plan for a local 10 tonight has been scuppered, mild chest infection at the moment I think, so have stopped training


Bother. But the only point was as a benchmark, so no point doing it if 1) you aren't up to scratch 2) the weather is too awful to make for a reasonable comparison.

GWS.

I shall have to curb my excitement until Saturday.
Omnia Vanitas

Immortal (for a limited tme).
User avatar
Jack Hughes
 
Posts: 11085
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 17:19
Location: God's own county

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Ewan » 07 Apr 2016 00:09

Interesting ride this evening... I'd almost be tempted to describe it as a small breakthrough.

After the failed stem test on the previous page I wondered if I could see the faintest hint of an advantage in the longer stem (105mm, -10º) so I kept it on for this evening's TT.

Today's course was the U95/10, a course I don't really like and it was cold with a strong cross wind so hardly ideal conditions, however I ended up setting a course PB of 23:47.

Ignoring questions about power meter accuracy, and focussing entirely on my relative placing I think I made a pretty big improvement. The man behind me (and the winner today) caught me and beat me by 1:17, but beat me by 2:12 last week, also I almost caught my minute man who beat me by 12 seconds last week... in both cases a relative improvement of about a minute. Overall I finished 6th/21 only 30 seconds behind the usual fast guys.

http://www.ottl.co.uk/tt.pl?eventdate=30032016
http://www.ottl.co.uk/tt.pl?eventdate=06042016

Looking at all riders who raced both events, I made a significant improvement compared to almost everyone:

Image

The chart shows the % of gold medal speed for all riders who raced both events, relative to the the fastest rider. Only one rider showed a better improvement than me was a guy called Gav, and I suspect that his first race was a dud (they hold the club record for 10miles: 19:58 set in Hull last year).

I think I'll be keeping the longer stem for now :-D
User avatar
Ewan
 
Posts: 2307
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 22:26
Blog: View Blog (3)

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Ewan » 07 Apr 2016 00:18

Oh, and regarding the power meter data... I was assiduous about doing the correct install procedure today.

Apparently my power today was almost identical to my power last week (4w lower today, but I felt better last week):

Image

Although there was still a slight power imbalance (52% vs 54%).
User avatar
Ewan
 
Posts: 2307
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 22:26
Blog: View Blog (3)

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby IanM » 07 Apr 2016 08:05

Great improvement! Have you done a Strava compare to see where you lost/gained time against the others? That might give you a clue as to whether it was an overall/aerodynamic improvement, or perhaps better pacing?

Edit: I checked out the comparison between the fastest 4 from this week - you're currently top so the faster ones haven't uploaded (or didn't match the segment). Only one of the ones below you was close, and it seems to be an overall improvement rather than significantly different pacing.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN ... JYRDFvY2dR (can't be bothered to register somewhere to upload the image to get it to display in line)
User avatar
IanM
 
Posts: 3954
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 14:53
Location: West/East Mids border

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Ewan » 07 Apr 2016 12:24

Image

I don't have starve premium so the compare feature doesn't really work properly for me, so thanks! I did have a quick look at strava and as you say none of the fast folk seem to upload data. Still, my power data suggests I paced it pretty well and rode more or less exactly to plan.

The bottom chart shows how the entire 2nd half of the course is a solid drag uphill and in the past I've gone too hard on the outward leg and blown on the return. Yesterday I wanted to keep both halves pretty consistent but I wanted to have enough left in the tank at the turn that I could negative split the power on the way home. The W'bal chart illustrates this really well, and the dotted line on the power chart represents my current estimated FTP (257w).
User avatar
Ewan
 
Posts: 2307
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 22:26
Blog: View Blog (3)

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Ewan » 17 Apr 2016 23:12

Errr... So there is the possibility that I might have the opportunity to run a c.50mile ultra in mid May... The only thing is, it's only 4 weeks away, and I've not really done any training this year.

I did Ironman Wales in September but haven't done any structured training since then, just a bit of gentle S/B/R for fun. Since January I've apparently done a total of c. 90hours training (~5:40 per week) including 355km/34hrs of running (c. 22km/2hrs per week). I did do a hilly half mara on the south downs where I was pretty pleased with a time of 1:52 under the circumstances, but 50miles seems like an entirely different proposition...

Seriously tempted, but worried it might be a bit much?

Also if I do do it then I'm not quite sure how to go about panic training to get some extra miles in...

Thoughts?
User avatar
Ewan
 
Posts: 2307
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 22:26
Blog: View Blog (3)

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Jack Hughes » 18 Apr 2016 12:55

Ewan wrote:
Thoughts?


Thoughts: There's nothing you can do that is conventionally useful. So it's all about the fact that your body has had experience of doing these things before... i.e. you know something about pacing and nutrition and exhaustion and your body knows what to do to get across the line.

If Mick can do the MdS, you can almost certainly do this. You might not be first across the line though.

Just make sure you don't get injured.... just do something everyday up until then....
Omnia Vanitas

Immortal (for a limited tme).
User avatar
Jack Hughes
 
Posts: 11085
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 17:19
Location: God's own county

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Ewan » 23 May 2016 13:04

A quick post following yesterday's TT and the conversation about position that followed...

This was my pre-aero coach position:
Image

During aero coach we tested multiple helmets (Wasp/Javelin/Selector/Advantage and 'eyeballed' a Bambino but didn't test it), a few saddle positions, slightly raised hands, and worked on my 'tuck'. The selector was the fastest hat, my saddle position was about right but we raised it 5mm, Xav wondered about moving my saddle back but we decided to keep it forwards for running off the bike. For the raised hands position we simuated riding with J-bend extensions which was faster and more comfortable, but overall the biggest single difference was to work on my tuck.

The result was this:

Image
This includes a new helmet and fractionally raised saddle. I've clearly not mastered the tuck and I've not yet replaced my extensions (which would be a faff because it would require re-cabling the whole bike).

Over the past few months I've been doing some playing on my own... So far I've tried a longer stem (big improvement), lowering the bars (I've not been able to detect a difference in testing yet, but I suspect that that is largely down to wind on my test run. I'm currently keeping the original position but plan to test more). I've changed to J-bend bars (I've not tested these myself but the aerocoach session suggested they would be faster and they are so much more comfortable that I don't care). I'm also running shorter carnks (175 ->170mm), and have upgraded to a 1x10 drivetrain with DA rear mech and TT front ring. I've had a couple of chain drop problems so put the FD back on (un cabled) for the ski slope on Sunday but for regular courses I shouldn't need it.

Anyway, this was yesterday (image flipped horizontally for comparison)

Image
User avatar
Ewan
 
Posts: 2307
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 22:26
Blog: View Blog (3)

Re: Ewan's Training Log

Postby Ewan » 23 May 2016 13:11

I've a few more changes up my sleeve to try...

- more testing on the lowered bars
- hands angled up more (e.g. semi praying mantis)
- narrower elbow pads
- Tripsuit
- Hed3 axle conversion

my CP60 is 30w down on 2014, and my CP20 is 45w down (2015 was similar to 2014 but slightly lower). This is entirely down to a lack of training but the new changes mean that I'm setting course PBs left right and centre.

#aeroiseverything
User avatar
Ewan
 
Posts: 2307
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 22:26
Blog: View Blog (3)

PreviousNext

Return to Training Logs

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests

cron