Lance Is Wrong - It IS About The Bike

The Burgess Hill Springtime Classic today, and as mentioned previously, the target was a gold-medal time of sub 4hrs 20mins.

The weather was perfect as we rolled out, although I had to spend about 5 minutes trying to get my Garmin to work. Spent the first 30km riding with Jon at a strong pace, jumping between groups and going after the early climbs.

We tacked onto a good group for a while, and were motoring along nicely. However, when I moved to the front Jon, who cannot stand being led by a Welshman, decided it was time for a breakaway and whistled past me - a quick roll of the eyes and then I went after him. I finally caught up with him at some traffic lights but then he went away from me for the day on Kidd's Hill, as I decided to rein in my pace a bit and try to manage my heartrate.

From about the halfway mark, I knew that a gold time was possible, although there were a number of steep climbs between me and home. Late starting my Garmin meant that I never quite knew, despite my best GCSE maths, of exactly where I stood. So I figured the best thing to do was get my head down and pedal as hard as I could.

Cob Lane didn't seem as bad this year, and I was able to do my best Contador impression up it. With that and a few more ramps done, it was the final sprint into Burgess Hill. Only it was stopped by roadworks where I had to wait nearly 2 minutes for a green light. After that I hammered the pedals for the final km and eventually crossed the line for a time of....... 4hrs 21mins.

DAMN

It's easy to point out that without the roadworks, that would've been a gold medal, but in reality that doesn't change the ride. And the ride went well - I felt strong and able to put the power down all the way to the finish. But changing my bike to the Scott made a huge difference - it accelerates effortlessly, and the Wheelsmith wheels are so precise, meaning I can corner and descend with much more confidence.

So we'll call that a step forward.

Ride stats:

Distance: 116km
Time: 4hrs 21mins
Average Speed: 26.6km/h (moving speed 27.3km/h)
Total Climbing: 1,800m

Stats For March:

Time on bike: 35 hrs 37 mins (31 hrs 25 mins)
Distance: 898km (753km on the road)
Total climbing: 9,125m

Testing Times

My legs still feel like I'm wearing concrete legwarmers after the weekend's exertions, but I haven't got much time to recover before the first sportive of the year - the Burgess Hill Springtime Classic.

Avid readers of this blog (or those who have been really bored at work and have scrolled back that far) will know that I completed the classic route for this event last year in a silver medal time. Weather-permitting (and it looks good at the moment), I will be attempting to go one better in 2014 and make this a gold-medal run out. This needs an average speed of 27km/h however.

The course is suitably lumpy, but not too different to what I've been pedalling during the winter in the Surrey Downs:

This map fails to show the short but steep 20% Cob Lane. But it's in there!

My only dilemma now is whether the upturn in the weather conditions warrants me unsheathing the super-light Scott CR1 from it's gossamer / doeskin sleeping bag.

Marginal Gains

Another 100-miler on Saturday. Despite a horrendous headwind for the first half of the ride, and having to wait at a level crossing for a passing train, I was just over 10 minutes quicker than the last time I rode this route. 

The total climbing (2,200m) did begin to take its toll, so I was grateful to pick up a climbing partner for Staples Lane and Crocknorth.

Today was a 95km ride with Emily back down to Surrey. After yesterday's efforts I could only spin up Ranmore at a sedate pace. Gave Crocknorth a good go, and left very little in the tank on Box Hill for a decent time.

It wouldn't be the classics season without some adverse weather conditions however, so I was only mildly surprised to find hailstones bouncing off my helmet on the ride home.

In all, I managed 255km over the 2 rides, and 3,500m climbed.

Shattered now!

What Would Jens Voigt Do?

I'm getting increasingly worried about the lack of improvement in my performance through the early part of the year, which led me to wonder whether I'm pushing myself hard enough. The distances ridden seem OK, but maybe I'm just coasting around a bit to leave plenty of energy for the end of the ride.

Which brings Jens' mentality into the equation. Jens doesn't coast. Jens attacks. Always.

Jens. Not Coasting.

So on Saturday, I decided to give the 'classic' 87km ride of Ranmore-Crocknorth-Box Hill the full beans all the way round. It went well, and although the climbs were relatively slow (Crocknorth seemed to rear up like Jedward's quiffs), I kept pushing hard on the pedals and eventually finished with an average speed of 26.6km/h. Not bad for a lone rider in a stiff swirling wind.

Despite jelly legs the next morning, I couldn't pass up a day in the sunshine so I went to Richmond Park to give 3 laps everything I had left. The list of excuses for being nowhere near my best included the aforementioned tired legs, a head cold, heavy traffic (cars and bikes) and that stiff wind again blowing into my face between Roehampton Gate and Cancellara Corner, but still I gave it full commitment, so hopefully that will pay off.

Despite appearances, I am tired...

Gearing The Revolution

Only a 'saunter' down to Surrey on Saturday to spin the legs. Made sure I got some training in by going flat-out in the red on the Ranmore and Box Hill climbs.

But what a difference my new gear levers made. No more half or double gear changes. No more having to 'feather' the lever to get the chain to sit correctly. Just a 'snick-snick' through the gears.

It's the future, I tell you...

February Stats

Time on bike: 21 hrs 13 mins (15 hrs 20 mins on the road)
Distance: 544km (344km on the road)
Total climbing: 4,344m

Also finally got round to changing the brake levers on my Cube, as the spring had gone on the brake release some time ago....

Spring: Sprung

The sun was out again yesterday, so back down to Surrey again.

Training for the etape last year, one of the best, and toughest, forms of training was to complete a 100-mile ride. I managed 3 last year, but with the Marmotte being just over 100 miles, I will need to do a few more this time. 

No time like the present, so my version of the Spring Classics (no cobbles!) was a route including the climbs of Box Hill (twice), Leith Hill, Shere, White Downs, Staple Lane and Crocknorth to put me over the magic 100 mile marker. 

I was absolutely shattered by the end, but I managed to keep the legs turning and stay strong mentally (a big challenge when in the saddle for nearly 7 hours, especially with no company).