Here is a bit of a timeline on my first serious efforts at racing, (rather than training) with my Power Tap on. I almost always go back to my race wheel (Corimma disc) rather than using my Power Tap wheel, which is a Mavic Open Pro with a Wheel cover.
In the interests of self betterment I decided to use the PT wheel and see if I could use it for pacing, even in short events like our Wednesday night 24km Time Trials.
Coming from a background as a Mountainbiker I am used to starting at maximum watts to be the first into the single track !
Old habits die hard, there is no single-track on our course, and we are starting at 1 minute intervals, so maybe I could slow down a bit?
Race 1. I pretty much raced as I always did, hard out of the blocks.
Its a 4 lap course. Up one side of the main drag, usually into a strong northerly, ever so slightly climbing, and back down the other side over about 4 rollers, no more than 5-10 metres in height.
Watch as my lap times got slower and slower.
Liverton road 4 laps (5.85kms)34-08 mins
1, 8.21 mins 307 watts, 168 bpm, cad 94, 42.3 kmh
2, 8.26 mins 301 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 42.2 kmh
3, 8.36 mins 284 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 41.0 kmh
4, 8.46 mins 292 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 41.0 kmh
Average power 296, Normalised Power 303
20 min power, 307 average , 312 Normalised power.
Out and back speed differentials on a very windy northerly
39.2 / 46.1 kmh
38.8 / 46.1 kmh
37.3 / 45.2 kmh
37.3 / 45.1 kmh
Race 2. I decided to use my 20 minute power of 307 watts as an upper ceiling to try not to go over. This had a good pacing effect on my first lap.
At the end of the TT, my 2nd and last laps were the same, a very good thing... my average power was up 8 watts and my NP was up 6 watts.
I was also 30 odd seconds faster.
Liverton road 4 laps (5.85kms) 33.26 mins
1, 8.24 mins 307 watts, 168 bpm, cad 94, 42.5 kmh
2, 8.18 mins 303 watts, 179 bpm, cad 89, 42.9 kmh
3, 8.26 mins 304 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 42.1 kmh
4, 8.18 mins 300 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 42.3 kmh
Average power 304, normalised power 309
20 min power, 310 average , 313 Normalised power.
Out and back differentials on another very windy northerly
40.1 / 45.2 kmh
40.6 / 45.7 kmh
39.0 / 45.9 kmh
39.7 / 45.4 kmh
Race 3. The same plan as the previous week. But at last some good conditions, a lighter southerly. The speed differential between out an back legs would be less.
I had done some pretty hard workouts only 2 days previous, so I would be tired, but the chance to have a go at the course record was to good too turn down. I was supposd to be peaking for a 40km TT the next weekend (3 days away).
Liverton road 4 laps (5.85kms) 31.30 mins. A new allcomers record, and vets record by 1 minute 20.
1, 7.51 mins 306 watts 167 hr 95 cad 45.0 kmh speed differential 46.0 / 43.7
2, 7.53 mins 299 watts 177 hr 96 cad 45.2 kmh speed differential 46.7 / 43.7
3, 7.56 mins 300 watts 180 hr 96 cad 44.8 kmh speed differential 46.1 / 43.5
4, 7.51 mins 301 watts 181 hr 97 cad 45.6 kmh speed differential 45.6 / 45.5
Average power 302, normalised power 306
20 min power 304, 307 normalised.
Watts were down about 2 in average and normalised power, probably due to tiredness, but the better conditions meant I went 2 minutes faster.
A speed differential of only 2-3 kmh, as opposed to 6-8kmh of the previous two weeks races, meant I was able to get maximum value out of my efforts.
Keeping a lid on my watts on the first couple of laps was essential to a good time..
In the interests of self betterment I decided to use the PT wheel and see if I could use it for pacing, even in short events like our Wednesday night 24km Time Trials.
Coming from a background as a Mountainbiker I am used to starting at maximum watts to be the first into the single track !
Old habits die hard, there is no single-track on our course, and we are starting at 1 minute intervals, so maybe I could slow down a bit?
Race 1. I pretty much raced as I always did, hard out of the blocks.Its a 4 lap course. Up one side of the main drag, usually into a strong northerly, ever so slightly climbing, and back down the other side over about 4 rollers, no more than 5-10 metres in height.
Watch as my lap times got slower and slower.
Liverton road 4 laps (5.85kms)34-08 mins
1, 8.21 mins 307 watts, 168 bpm, cad 94, 42.3 kmh
2, 8.26 mins 301 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 42.2 kmh
3, 8.36 mins 284 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 41.0 kmh
4, 8.46 mins 292 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 41.0 kmh
Average power 296, Normalised Power 303
20 min power, 307 average , 312 Normalised power.
Out and back speed differentials on a very windy northerly
39.2 / 46.1 kmh
38.8 / 46.1 kmh
37.3 / 45.2 kmh
37.3 / 45.1 kmh
Race 2. I decided to use my 20 minute power of 307 watts as an upper ceiling to try not to go over. This had a good pacing effect on my first lap.At the end of the TT, my 2nd and last laps were the same, a very good thing... my average power was up 8 watts and my NP was up 6 watts.
I was also 30 odd seconds faster.
Liverton road 4 laps (5.85kms) 33.26 mins
1, 8.24 mins 307 watts, 168 bpm, cad 94, 42.5 kmh
2, 8.18 mins 303 watts, 179 bpm, cad 89, 42.9 kmh
3, 8.26 mins 304 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 42.1 kmh
4, 8.18 mins 300 watts, 179 bpm, cad 90, 42.3 kmh
Average power 304, normalised power 309
20 min power, 310 average , 313 Normalised power.
Out and back differentials on another very windy northerly
40.1 / 45.2 kmh
40.6 / 45.7 kmh
39.0 / 45.9 kmh
39.7 / 45.4 kmh
Race 3. The same plan as the previous week. But at last some good conditions, a lighter southerly. The speed differential between out an back legs would be less.I had done some pretty hard workouts only 2 days previous, so I would be tired, but the chance to have a go at the course record was to good too turn down. I was supposd to be peaking for a 40km TT the next weekend (3 days away).
Liverton road 4 laps (5.85kms) 31.30 mins. A new allcomers record, and vets record by 1 minute 20.
1, 7.51 mins 306 watts 167 hr 95 cad 45.0 kmh speed differential 46.0 / 43.7
2, 7.53 mins 299 watts 177 hr 96 cad 45.2 kmh speed differential 46.7 / 43.7
3, 7.56 mins 300 watts 180 hr 96 cad 44.8 kmh speed differential 46.1 / 43.5
4, 7.51 mins 301 watts 181 hr 97 cad 45.6 kmh speed differential 45.6 / 45.5
Average power 302, normalised power 306
20 min power 304, 307 normalised.
Watts were down about 2 in average and normalised power, probably due to tiredness, but the better conditions meant I went 2 minutes faster.
A speed differential of only 2-3 kmh, as opposed to 6-8kmh of the previous two weeks races, meant I was able to get maximum value out of my efforts.
Keeping a lid on my watts on the first couple of laps was essential to a good time..
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