Torture Loop Version 2.1

Saturday saw a new version of the Torture Loop… we decided to try it in reverse with an extra loop around Urriara. Rolling out at 6.30am it was a brisk pace out to Stromlo to start the real fun. The morning still had traces from the fire reduction burn the previous day but nowhere near as bad as anticipated.
Down into Urriara Crossing and out the otherside we went at it, with me glancing down to see number in excess of 300w + all the way along to Mt McDonald.
Some recovery over the top and down into Pierces Creek, by this stage the sun was out in force and I was sweating up and storm, the day was super humid and the sweat wasn't evaporating.
Up Pierces we caught another two rider riders near the top and rolled with them for a while. By roll with I mean recover, admire their bikes (Colnago C50 and a bright red Time VRX) before I got bored at the pace being too slow and we took off on our own again.
Somewhere over the next 10k to the base of Corin I hit the wall hard, and knew the next couple of hours were going to be a big trip into hurt box.
We called a truce riding up Corin, Big Jase was on recovery mode still and I was trying to pace myself so as to make it through the ride without going too cross eyed.
Near the top Jase gassed it and I just kept rolling.
A regrouping at the far cattle grate and we wer off for the next target, Apollo Road.
By this stage we were both doing mental calculations to see how much time we had left and whether we could make the trip to the top of Fitz's and back to town before lunch.
My math said no, so we scrubbed that part and just hit up Apollo Road.
As soon as it got steep Jase was gone and I had the pleasure of the road to myself...well me and the flies that and appeared from nowhere.
Up through the steepest part of the climb the cadence was dropping as low as 45rpm with my breathing sounding close to hyperventilation before greatfully the road levelled out for the final 5k to top.
FIlling the water bottles up and talking sh!t for a couple of minutes before we hit up the descent back into town.

Numbers

I have run a Multi analysis for the past two weekends rides. Bearing in mind that the first lot of data wasn't mine, and I felt like crap this last time, there was a 5% difference in the two rides.
But the interesting thing from a PE perspective is that both Jase and I agreed that the version this past weekend felt alot harder even though the numbers don't actually show it.


Ride Numbers


Multi-File Numbers


Quadrant Analysis Torture Loop 2.0


Quadrant Analysis Torture Loop 2.0 & 2.1

Lucky Lottery Ticket

Like all the other 4,000 punters I was queued on the inter-webs at 9.00am furiously hitting the refresh button to crash the AROC server.
By 9.30am I had a confirmation email.
By 11.30am I had found out we are now in a lottery system for entry to the Capital Punishment 100k.
While I'm not that upset, it hasn't cost me any time nor money yet, over on Rotorburn there are a number of people who have now taken two mornings off work to try and enter for this race and are out a bit of coin and I have to say I feel for them.

The other point that has started to rip my undies is the way in which race entries are creeping up. Coming from a road background I am used to races cost $30-$50 to enter for a 80-160k race. However over the past year I have noticed that entries into alot of the major marathon races have started to creep up. Basically it was $100 for 100k about a year ago but I think that Capital Punishment is setting the new benchmark at $130. Once one promoter moves the bar the rest will follow.

Weekends almost here!

Yes it's almost upon us, and it will be another revision of the Torture Loop tomorrow. We are going to do last weeks in reverse with an additional couple of km's by going through Urriara Crossing.

Sunday will be some hardtail action at Stromlo ealy. Wifey is going to be playing geriatric soccer (I'm going to get a slap for that)this winter so my Sundays are going to be somewhat limited. How that imapacts on the racing...well I'm make it up as I go. This part of my "not being such a selfish b@st@rd" with the racing this year. Also wee man is old enough now that wifey can get out and about with sport a bit more...I suggested trying an enduro and got glared at ..go figure.

I have been lusting after a new hardtail frame for the last month or so, and think I have it finalised. It's suprising a) how expensive buy a frame alone is b) how limited the availability is on alot of them c) how stupid Giant's distribution strategy is. All will be revealed in time.

The ride this morning was fantastic, I got motorpaced by one of these in the pitch dark for 7k @ 65kph

Weekend Numbers

While these aren't my numbers for the weekend they are close enough that I have adopted themself.



Time: 5:40hrs
Cals: 4440
TSS: 388 (Yes the legs are still tired)
Intensity: 0.83
VI: 1.2

Distance: 160kms
Climbing: 2370m


Power Distribution by 10w Bin


Power Distribution by Zone

Torture Loop 2.0

On Saturday Big Jase & I set off on the new improved torture loop version 2.0.

Unlike last year, this time it was straight into the hills for some serious climbing action. 6.30am is still dark O' clock so it was good one of us bought lights (me!) otherwise it would have been dodgy going for the first half hour.

First on the menu was Fitz hill, and dispite promising myself that I would take it easy I hammered up the climb just to get the torture over with. As Jase came over the top all I got was "40 RPM sucks!"

After 5 minutes admiring the view, getting the breath back it was off to the next target on the list Apollo Road. This climb wan't so bad, but by keeping a steadt tempo I managed to gap Jase through the middle steep section before he caught back up at the top.

Another short stop, refill the water bottles and we were off on the decent, it was here things got a bit hairy thanks to my old friend Mr Kangaroo who decided suicide by cyclist was perferable to watching from the side of the road. A a fist full of anchor the kangaroo was on its way, but it was close.

At the bottom to our delight we discovered it was going to be a tailwind all the way across to the bottom of Corin. Trading off turns at 38-40kph was fun and a great reward for all the climbing. Normally along here it's a headwind, which seriously sucks.

We reached the bottom of Corin well ahead of schedule, and started the meander up the climb. By this stage I switched the turbo off and rode with Jase all the way up the climb, just a steady tempo for 45mins to the gate at the top.

Because we were so far ahead of what was planned it was decided home the long way was on the cards, along Tidbinbilla Rd through Pierces Creek. Coming past the base of Mt McDonald we caught up with another group of riders and latched on the back for a tow to Stromlo.

By this stage we had to start racing the watch as we both had promised to be home by midday.

So all up it worked out to be 5.5hrs of riding and ~4000cals burnt for the day. I can't post anything up as the SRM decided to die just past Tharwa.

I now have to think up a new route for this coming weekend...I don't think I can come up with anymore climb...well maybe ;)

Mini-Fitz Challenege

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Legs...

Anyone know where I can buy a pair of these?

Time to write something...

Well it has been a week or so since I posted something up so here goes.
Firstly I last wrote that I was going to ride the CORC 3hr...well I went to the race, arrived and found the front tire had exploded on the way there with a tear in the side wall. The damage was such that I couldn't repair it in time. So I ended up going for 1.5hr for nothing. To say that I wasn't in the best of moods after was an understatement...good thing I don't own a cat.

The training in the lead up to the Real MTB Cruise went well given the weather and lack of racing. But come race day I felt like sh!t, with no warm up (who warms up for a 100miler?) we were off. And straight away I felt like I was riding with the brakes on. So I just tried to chill and get a rhythm going...but things only went downhill from here.
After 2 laps the clamp on by seatpost gave out such that the saddle would end up pointing up about 20 degrees after every lap. So I persevered for another two laps before 2 spokes broke in the rear wheel and it went out of true.
At this stage I just cracked it mentally.
I still ended up with 120k for the day, and a good beating for my troubles.

So I've bought a new seatpost and the LBS is re-building the rear wheel, so I'm a bit happier.

On tap for the weekend is a smashfest with Big Jase on Saturday. We have a mini-Fitz Challenge lined up so it will probably be 3000m of climbing for the day.
Sunday I'm hoping to get out on the hardtail for some fire road action...but this will be dependent on recovery.