End of a hard training week...

The training week ended on Friday with some hill repeats on Mt Cootha. The exciting thing was to try out my new bike computer which has a cadence function in it. As people move into power meters, lactate tests, etc, I just got my first computer with cadence. It is a Cat Eye Strada with cadence, a small and very easy to install unit. And so far, it is working very well.

The workouts were big chaining hill efforts, 3 x 3 min with 5+ sec bursts every 60 sec. I couldn't really do the 5 sec burst, too short so I did 10 sec instead. It all went really well and I rewarded myself with a break on the look out where you can get a great view of Brisbane and beyond.


In the evening I felt my legs a little sore, not what I like to feel when I have a race next morning. The race was at Lakeside, my favourite circuit in Brisbane.


The Saturday started around 5:15, a light breakfast, a percolated cafe late (can't leave the house without having my coffee) and on the bike at 5:45. At 6:00, I was at Aspley where we meet for the ride to Lakeside. It is a 27 km ride, pretty handy as a warm up before the big derby.


This week's race was in a reverse direction with a hill top finish, not a climber's delight because it is a really short climb but a little harder for the 80 kg plus sprinters... About 30 A Graders this time with some Elite riders showing up to speed things up a little. It was my best race this year, it felt like the legs were finally producing a bit of power and speed. A tactical error in the last lap had probably cost me a podium finish but 7th was a great result.


Sundays, if I am not working in the mornings or racing, is Zupps Ride day. This ride happens every week, doesn't matter what. Anything from 10 to 80 riders start... and the idea, for most, is to hang on as long as possible. Normally, we start from Aspley and finish at Contarf, before the Hornibrook Bridge, a 60 kms ride with up to 20 kms of racing depending when the first attacks start.


http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Redcliffe-via-Petrie-Kallangur


The program read: "Easy 80 km ride", but I knew that as soon as the "race" started I wasn't going to let them go. But this time was different, I want to do it smartly and save my legs as much as possible to be able to finish with the top (Elite teams show up sometimes) guys. It didn't stop me doing a few turns at the front, reaching 55 km/h, bridging a gap when needed and attacking on one of the little hills (lump) in Redcliff.


I finished with the front guys and was really happy with my tactics and efforts. Great to feel like that at the end of week 8 and 7 days before the last race of the Sizzling Summer Series at Crestmead.


For this week:

Easy ride km on Monday
Strength work out on Tuesday
cadence work on Wednesday
Strength work out on Thursday
Easy rides on Friday and Saturday