3 strong coffees, 3 rounds of toast and an energy gel is what my power breakfast consisted of today. I've also fitted my TT bars as the time trial season begins in April and i want to give my body some time to adapt to the head down position. The advantage to the TT bars is that they make your position more streamlined and your speed will increase by an extra 1-2mph for the same effort. Mine are a low end aluminium one piece bar called Profile Century and cost around £40.
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| Profile Century TT bars |
My run today was my relatively short route around Croft of 23.3 miles. I fancied a short run today as i am going out with the Lancs Road Club tomorrow for athe STRAW ride which will be a much longer 65-100 mile ride. I thought best to take advantage of those coffees and my TT bars and see what i can do today.
A beautiful clear day, bright blue skies, temperature 8 deg with a gentle notherly breeze of 6kph.
I sprinted out of the estate, down through Astley to the East Lancs A580 cycle path and rode East towards Lowton. After only 2 miles and powering along the flat at 24mph i reach the incline of the bridge that crosses the Bridgewater Canal and spot another cyclist halfway up. I see the chance to show off and put more effort in to try to keep the speed going up the hill. With my heart rate showing 178bpm i fly up the hill and past the other rider at 22.5mph feeling fine apart from a now recurring pain in my left knee whenever i have a tough climb. The pain feels like a knitting needle being passed through my kneecap, is quite intense, usually lasts for the duration of the effort and for about 5 mins afterwards. It causes me to ease off the power with the left leg and compensate with the right. I will have to get it looked at. I sped on down the other side of the bridge, bunny hopping the kerbs and traffic island at Morley's Lane at 22.5 mph only slowing down for the traffic at Greyhound Roundabout. 3 miles later i turn left at the lights at Kenyon Lane showing an average of 20.5mph and speed off into the quite country roads around Croft and Culcheth.
There was little wind around the circuit and i realised i could now quite easily work at a rate right in the middle of zone 4 or 172 bpm without a conscious effort where previously i struggled to stay in Zone 3. I emerged from the country road section and back onto the East Lancs showing a distance of 16.5mles and an average of 19.1mph. Powering back down the cycle path for the 7 mile run towards home now keeping on the TT bars as much as possible and slowing occasionally to allow my body to flush the lactic acid thats starting to build up in my quads. Im pleased watching the heart rate monitor to see that im working constantly and efficiently at a rate of 170 bpm or around 82-89% of my maximum heart rate without feeling totally wasted, i still have reserve if i need it. Turning off the cycle path at Higher Green Lane i then turn right at the Bulls head pub and join Church Road, an incline of around 4% initially and about 3/4 of mile long. 15.5 mph up here and around the bend to join Henfold Road and Hough Lane where the roads incline increases dramatically to around 9%. I always like to push hard up this final portion as it only lasts about 30 seconds. 20mph up this final portion with my heart rate showing 184bpm. A really good speed run today which showed me how much stronger my legs have got since January when they weren't strong enough to get my lungs working hard.
Stats - 23.3 miles, 1h 14 mins, 18.9 average, max 29.17mph, Heart rate max/average 184/165bpm
1080.85 miles for this year
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