OTB ITT: “Surf to Summit” (Makara Beach to Johnsonville)

With a beautiful day to open the first Saturday of spring Frank kindly organised a time-trial from Makara Beach to Johnsonville.

 

Ride Data:
Distance:	14.12km	861 Calories
Time:	35m 25s	23.9 km/h (46.6km/h MAX)
Elevation:	Ascent: 274m	Descent: 59m
Cadence:	Avg: 91 rpm	Max: 111 rpm
Heart rate:	Avg: 86% est. max	Max: 95% est. max
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Wellington, NZ	4 September 2010

 

Not being a strong climber and with a net ascent over the route I was a tad apprehensive about the distinct possibility of riding badly but registered for the ride anyway. 

 

While not a time to set the world on fire, with the benefit of competition I rode up to Johnsonville in 35m27s, a remarkable 8 minutes faster than my previously recorded training times over the same route.

 

We began our time-trials in reverse, seeded order which had me 7th out of 21 riders. Not sure whether complaints of net ascent aided my seeding or not. I started strongly into the wind and after a few kilometres began passing those that had started ahead of me. At 10km (of 14km) I was up to third on the road (if I counted correctly) but any possible thoughts of being of first being to the line soon evaporated as a succession riders whizzed straight pass me between the 11th and 12th kilometres.

 

Had a great afternoon and am looking forward to finding more improvement. Thanks again for organising the ride Frank :).

 

No doubt we’ll have more ITT’s over the same route. Have a target to beat to find the PB now. Now, if I only I can get riding up those hills a bit quicker…

 

Onslow Tarbabies Team Trial

My first team trial didn't get off to the best of starts when I, well failed to find the start. In the spirit of:

"I read on the internet it must be true"

I am going to blame Google Maps for this geographical embarassment. I previously had no care as to where Burnham Wharf was and apparently Google could say the same! I was a little confused in failing to find any of the fine Onslow Tarbabies as I looked around the various wharfs/jettys/studios around Shelley Bay. Which incidentally is nowhere near Burnham Wharf, nor the little flag where Google maps alleges Burnham Wharf is located. 

 

I was about to ride around the bays on my lonesome when Jo and Liz came riding past screaming out my name saying “your on our team”. From a standing start I set off in their pursuit as we worked to get our three team member paceline working appropriately. Jo took the role as team captain and gave out the instructions:

Keep rotating short rotations and YOU take longer at the front.

I presumed that "YOU" meant me. In the early stages I found it tricky keeping the pace right with instructions from behind me "too fast". We eventually got our pacing in sync by the time we reached the airport tunnel. We were around the Lyall Bay roundabout and returned through the airport tunnel before we saw the next team in pursuit. Could we hold them off all the way back to wherever that Burnham Wharf place is???

Ride Data:
Distance:	27.88km*	821 Calories
Time:	32m 25s	32.6 km/h 39.5 km/h MAX
Heart-rate:	Avg: 94% of MAX	Max: 98% of MAX
Cadence:	Avg: 96 rpm	Max: 111 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Wellington, NZ	21 August 2010
* This is shorter than the real distance because I missed the start due to geographical embarassment

In penance for missing the start, I spent a solid amount of time leading our team back. Jo was having to work hard to get back on as she lost ground looking over her shoulder for the other two teams chasing us down. They were in sight with a few kilometres to go. I did my best to help keep us ahead, but for the last kilometre or so with a new tune could be heard behind me: Faster, faster. I lifted my cadence as best I could. I had lead out for some way and was starting to feel my legs. Didn’t have too much left for a sprint at the line. Competiveness pulled me through and we made the finish without being chased down, making us the winners on handicap. The handicapping was very accurate with all three teams finishing within a minute of each other. I had a lot fun in this ride. Both riding as a team and levelling the field through well set handicaps made for a great ride.

 

Will be great if we can get a few more teams rolling next time?

 

Onslow Tarbabies Individual Time Trial (ITT)

 

Like the recent OTB Criterium, Mossy again worked his magic and ably assisted by Digger organised a time-trial for our members. Even for those, like me who aren’t quite fast enough to “race” but like to pretend all the same. :).

 

Whilst great claims can be made about rain-proof courses it is the middle of winter in Wellington right now and I must admit that I had my doubts about the allegedly non-rain affected course.

Event takes place even if wet. The course is not exposed and not affected by rain.

Ride Data:
Distance:	17.6km	821 Calories
Time:	32m 25s	32.6 km/h 39.5 km/h MAX
Heart-rate:	Avg: 94% of MAX	Max: 98% of MAX
Cadence:	Avg: 96 rpm	Max: 111 rpm
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect / RideWithGPS
Location:	Wellington, NZ	17 July 2010

… If only Mossy could organise the weather as well as the races?

 

This was the first tine I had ever ridden in a time-trial and at 18km it was contrast of extremes both in the weather, as well a the riding from my last event, the Grand Tour: Highland Double Century under the Californian sun.

 

The course was three laps of a 6km circuit. The first-half was more-or-less flat with a southerly tail-wind, whilst the second-half lap had a few minor bumps to accompany the return head-wind.

 

My laps got progressively slower, with recorded lap times of 10m29s; 10m51s and 11m05s.

 

Lap three began with Scott charging past me as if I was at home sitting on a stationery trainer. Perhaps he had thought it was a handicap race? Whether it was time-trial or handicap he certainly left us all in his wake (both figuratively and physically) on this amphibious day.  I could feel my legs as the final lap progressed, and the rain in my eyes after removing my completely fogged sunglasses certainly didn’t during this, my final and slowest lap. Unfortunately toward the end of this lap John F, and John H both passed me to convincingly destroy me against the clock having started 2 and 3 minutes behind me respectively.

 

Heart-rate Zones:
Zone 1:	0 min
Zone 2:	0 min
Zone 3:	0 min
Zone 4:	1 min
Zone 5:	30 min

Riding the short time-trial was at a vastly higher level of intensity than I usually ride with in the long endurance rides I typically participate in. Hopefully this will help me increase my capacity to ride harder during the pending spring endurance rides. Aside from the first few pedal strokes, I was riding with both high cadence, and heart-rate with the ticker running in “Zone 5” the entire time – great workout!

 

I recorded a time of 32m25s today for an average speed of 32.5km/hr. ‘twas atrocious weather, but as always I would have liked to have been a little quicker. To achieve that I'm going to have to add a lot more intensity to my training. Hopefully we’ll have another ITT soon so I have an opportunity to seek improvement.

 

 

Date	17th July 2010
Weather	Steady rain, light southerly, Temp approx 10deg C
Route	Liverton Road, Upper Hutt
Name	Start	Lap 1	Lap 2	Finish	Net Time
Kara	15:13	15.23.28	15:34.33	15:45.37	32:37
Jackie	15:14	15:24.32	15:35.34	15:46.33	32:33
Craig	15:15	15:25.29	15:36.20	15:47.25	32:25
Mike	15:16	15:26.35	15:37.13	15:47.52	31:52
Chris	15:20	15:30.08	15:40.34	15:51.02	31:02
John H.	15:17	15:26.45	15:36.48	15:46.45	29:45
John F.	15:18	15:27.34	15:37.30	15:47.23	29:23
Tim	15:21	15:29.51	15:39.13	15:48.24	27:24
Scott	15:19	15:27.48	15:36.46	15:45.47	26:47