SSS Round 1, 2015-16

So! Back to racing once again. The short version of the race report - geez, I had fun! Slightly longer version?

I've written a little about my 'preparation' below, but to expand a little - I really had only the bare minimum to ensure I could be safe. I didn't even change the gear I had on (which was ~92) in part because I didn't search to try to find any other rear cogs, but also because... well, I'd established that everything was mechanically okay, and didn't want to do anything to upset that going in to the race. And whatever gear I was on, I'd just be riding around anyway, essentially.

Flying 200, wouldn't say I went 100%, but gave it a pretty good effort. Got a little out of shape going in to turn 3 again, which saw me run a little wide out of turn 4. Ended up with a 14.308, which was marginally faster than I thought I might get, even given the running wide. I looked up all my previous F200 times at SSS, and found the following:

2010/11:

15.289 (tiny pretend bike)

14.308 (borrowed bike)

2011/12:

14.185 (92")

13.567 (?)

13.809 (?)

13.935 (?)

2012/13:

14.113 (86")

13.515 (102")

14.087 (95")

2015/16:

14.308 (92")

I could probably just did cross-reference with blog posts to find out what gears I rode for as many of those as I have info for. Not entirely sure why I didn't record those three in 11/12 - was I worried about giving important information away? I am for laughing! Anyway, clearly I should always ride 102" when there's a northerly, and maybe 98" when there's a southerly. Either that or there's woefully insufficient data from which to draw any useful conclusions, one of the two.

Anyway, that time put me 3rd fastest in C-Grade, slated to ride against the two fastest qualifiers and one below me, so looked like a potentially tough day! As it happened the third heat was cancelled due to a spectacular but ultimately non serious-injury-causing crash in B-Grade which held up proceedings for quite some time.

My first race against a chap named Blake I lead out, and allowed him to get behind me. I wasn't too too concerned about that even if it wasn't ideal - I felt I could keep a fairly good eye on him. And I did, right up until just before the point where I knew he would jump. I hadn't wound up the speed quite enough though, and instead of jumping where I knew he would (and he did, without my even looking) I instead basically started pushing the pace higher (coming in to turn one of the last lap) and didn't jump hard. He got 5 metres or so and that's about how it stayed. Proof positive is in the power file - a peak of only 1127W and an average from jump to line of ~850W for the 15 seconds or so.

Second race was against a junior by name of Jonathan who'd qualified some 0.8s slower than me. I was leading again, and my plan for this was pretty simple - pace high enough (mid-high 30s, nothing extravagant) to nullify his jump without actually going long myself (because fitness) take a decent jump and just burn him off. And that's how it went - again I wasn't bothered letting him in behind me, kept the pace up and jumped through turn one again - but this time not having taken my eye off him until I accelerated. I more or less just held a gentle acceleration up the back straight and, knowing he wasn't with me, started easing up through turn three and basically coasted up the final straight. Peak of 1340W on the jump, and held ~900W for the 10-11 seconds of the actual effort.

Given my qualifying time that was enough to put me in to the 3v4 final, against a chap named William who'd qualified about a tenth slower than me. I was following this time, and went in with no very specific plan except to try to push the pace up if he didn't keep it there himself - preferably without taking the lead myself this time. It wasn't as fast as the last race, but I wasn't as concerned about his ability to jump away from me so I was comfortable as it was. I had quite a bit of height and space coming out of turn 4 and considered going there with a little over a lap to go, but didn't feel any particular desire to do so and, being right beside him, felt I had him sufficiently covered if he went at the line. He didn't though, and crossing the line with a lap to go pushed the pace more, staying high while he was a little below the blue, and we went at basically the same time in the middle of turn 1. He had about two lengths on me but I had much more speed, coming out from behind him approaching turn 3 and passing him by the start of turn 4, dropping in to the lane on the straight and winning comfortably (practising my throw anyway, at entirely the wrong spot!) Hit 1659W on that one and a top speed of ~54km/hr (based on cadence - garmin didn't want to pick up the speed sensor for some reason, and GPS speed is useless on a velo) and an average of ~980W for the 15 seconds. Which is, you'll agree, quite a significant difference to the first race!

So nothing grand, but 3rd place in C and some useful reminders of what racing is was handy. Mostly though it was just lots of fun, reminding me why I liked to do this in the first place. So roll on round 2!

Return to racing - one week out!

I went to start a post a week ago, and then I completely forgot... anyway, just one more week to the first round of the Summer Sprint Series, and I'm all set to go!

Well, I have my licence. I've got the one cog which was on my bike all these years - the others are, presumably, in a box somewhere. If I can't find them I guess I'm racing on... whatever gear is on there, I haven't actually checked. So... I'm kinda set to go. I've ridden my track bike twice, and even did a flying 200 or 2:

There's a keirin series starting this week at Blackburn, which'd be good, but I'm not ready for that yet - haven't done enough work to be sufficiently confident in my skills with more than one person on the track yet. Don't want to potentially be a danger to others.

I'm not going to be particularly fast. I'm waaaay overweight. But I anticipate that it'll be fun, and that's plenty for me!

State of play

So just a quick look at where I am at the moment. I'm about to head off to my secret overseas training camp (otherwise known as a holiday) weighing in at a whopping 125kg, deadlifting 220kg and hitting 1600+W on the trainer (though that was actually a month ago... haven't done an aboc spin since then! Whoops.) I think it's clear which of those numbers most needs to change, and in what direction!

I'm not sure if I'll post while I'm away or not - I'll probably mostly do general base work in the gym and on the road. See what the numbers are like in 6 weeks!

Pre-season

So the training has begun... kinda. I've done a few aboc spin sessions in my loungeroom, and even almost finished one! Otherwise I'm just trying to work more riding in amongst gym sessions, doing shorter recovery rides on days I don't lift, and gradually longer rides on other free days. It's still mostly gym work at the moment; otherwise, it's mostly a matter of building capacity slowly. I've no illusions about what my performance will be like come October - a quick look at the last couple of seasons of SSS suggests that I ought to be working towards doing well in C-Grade! And mostly, having fun.

Also, I've started shaving my legs again. Because I can.

Imma race again

Just you wait and see! Much fat to be lost between now and October though. But we'll get there...

So... ah... where've I been?

Well, funny you should ask, really, because I've not been anywhere. I have, though, moved house (again... the amount of crap I have is almost literally unbearable. I need to throw more stuff in the bin.) And... well, life has been, in many ways, shit. I mean, really. I thought last year was bad. So updating this... hasn't really been a priority!

I have still been training, though just in the gym, not on the bike. My poor, neglected track bike. I don't even have a racing licence - hopefully I'll be in a position to get one come 1 October. And do a bit of rolling around Brunswick before then (closer than BBN.)

In the gym, I'm up to a 180kg squat and a 210kg deadlift. Squat's paused momentarily due to a niggling knee injury, but that's cleared now so it'll be going up again. Deadlift is just shooting along nicely, and I see no particular reason it should stop any time soon. I won't bother setting targets, just that I'm aiming for 10kg every three weeks or so.

My programming at the moment is a variation on TM - though mostly I'm only getting to the gym twice a week, not three times. Volume Thursday, Intensity Monday. Light day, when I do it, on Saturday. Volume is 5x5 squats @ ~70% 1RM (just below 1RM*0.85*0.85) and 5x5 Deadlift @ ~62% 1RM (just below 1RM*0.8*0.8) though the precise figures vary. Typically you're not 'meant' to do so much deadlift volume, but I find it works for me. I've also started doing Pendlay rows on a 3x5 basis, around 70kg at the moment, and these I do on volume days. Bench and OHP alternate following much the same pattern.

Intensity days are programmed to be 1RM attempt in squats and deads, next week AMRAP (2-5) at previous 1RM, then AMRAP (2-3) at current 1RM, then new 1RM attempt. So, if I just set my 210 1RM, the next week would see me attempt 2-5reps at 200 (and, especially for deads, that would typically be singles, or possibly one or two doubles. Don't bother with sets of 5 anymore except for volume day) before attempting 2-3 the following week at 210. Then we're set for another 1RM attempt at 220! Squats are basically the same, except that the sets are more likely to be 2+ reps, and I've been off recently because of my knee.

So that's about where I am at the moment!

Front!

Whatever. So, it appears I've been a bit distracted lately - what else is new? I think there's been a workout or two in there, and a bit of riding, but nothing very interesting. Off to the gym today for... as much as I could manage, really, mixing in some heavy attempts (note: not successful ones) and a bit of fairly light volume. Exercising, basically, rather than training.

I'm considering entering a powerlifting meet or two for a bit of structure, and to ensure I train rather than exercise. Not that I'd be competitive, but it'd be a lark. I'd have to pay for memberships and silly singlets though, so possibly not. We'll see. And then I'll turn back in to a bike rider again (presumably magically, I haven't worked out the details.)

S: 1x1x160, 1x1x185 (failed), 3x5x120
P: 5x5x50, 1x1x60 (failed)
D: 1x2x140, 1x1x180 (failed), 3x5x120