Racing makes you faster and stronger

I have recently started racing crits of a saturday morning (2 so far) i
Cat 2 and have really noticed that my average speeds for my commute (70
all up) have been climbing pretty quickly

This really showed yesterday as I was "taking it easy" due to feelin
sick on Monday and Tuesday and recorded my fastest average speed i
recent riding (ie before I wimped out for a few weeks because of winte
showing up) history

Lotte has always stated that racing is a great form of training and
believe her. But the thing is, in the past I have pushed myself (so
thought) pretty hard on my commute without results like this

Has anyone else experienced this or am I just some weirdo? ( ........o
mabye its the EPO in my Vita Brits

--
Paulie-AU

Paulie-AU wrote:
I have recently started racing crits of a saturday morning (2 so far) in
Cat 2 and have really noticed that my average speeds for my commute (70k
all up) have been climbing pretty quickly.

This really showed yesterday as I was "taking it easy" due to feeling
sick on Monday and Tuesday and recorded my fastest average speed in
recent riding (ie before I wimped out for a few weeks because of winter
showing up) history.

Lotte has always stated that racing is a great form of training and I
believe her. But the thing is, in the past I have pushed myself (so I
thought) pretty hard on my commute without results like this.

It's the high intensity of the racing that's causing the adaptation.
races are basically unstructured intervals (or fartlek!).

Has anyone else experienced this or am I just some weirdo? ( ........or
mabye its the EPO in my Vita Brits )

You may or may not be weird, but if you've been doing little or no
interval intensity training, then racing certainly will provide this
adapation to a certain extent.

Paulie-AU Wrote:
Has anyone else experienced this or am I just some weirdo? ( ........o
mabye its the EPO in my Vita Brits )

nah, I reckon you're spot on.

I've got some theories that, because racing (or competitive grou
riding) makes your legs do things they would NEVER normally do, thi
produces a superior training response -- probably due to adrenalin, o
something. I cannot kill myself on the bike when I'm on my own like
can when I'm chasing some "bike shop" boys. Where's my science t
back this? I ain't got none..... ....just experience.

On Tuesday night I was chasing a couple of bike shop boys (the kin
with the pseudo sponsorship ) on Beach Rd, and I was SO determined t
catch them, that for the last 4 or 5 mins my HR was sustained at abou
192 (95% of my max)!! I could never do that without extreme motivation

--
531Aussie

I sort of notice the opposite. After going touring with multiple weeks of
riding a loaded bicycle up and down mountains for six or eight hours each
day, my racing is improved on return...

"Paulie-AU" wrote in
message ...

I have recently started racing crits of a saturday morning (2 so far) in
Cat 2 and have really noticed that my average speeds for my commute (70k
all up) have been climbing pretty quickly.

This really showed yesterday as I was "taking it easy" due to feeling
sick on Monday and Tuesday and recorded my fastest average speed in
recent riding (ie before I wimped out for a few weeks because of winter
showing up) history.

Lotte has always stated that racing is a great form of training and I
believe her. But the thing is, in the past I have pushed myself (so I
thought) pretty hard on my commute without results like this.

Has anyone else experienced this or am I just some weirdo? ( ........or
mabye its the EPO in my Vita Brits )

On Thu, 4 Aug 2005, Paulie-AU wrote:


I have recently started racing crits of a saturday morning (2 so far) in
Cat 2 and have really noticed that my average speeds for my commute (70k
all up) have been climbing pretty quickly.

This really showed yesterday as I was "taking it easy" due to feeling
sick on Monday and Tuesday and recorded my fastest average speed in
recent riding (ie before I wimped out for a few weeks because of winter
showing up) history.

Lotte has always stated that racing is a great form of training and I
believe her. But the thing is, in the past I have pushed myself (so I
thought) pretty hard on my commute without results like this.

Has anyone else experienced this or am I just some weirdo? ( ........or
mabye its the EPO in my Vita Brits )


--
Paulie-AU

Paulie - notice how the surges don't hurt in the crit? I reckon this is
because commuting is full of surges, that's all it is really, so it's easy
to deal with in the crit.

Then, in the crit, there's that fear of dropping the wheel. For me, it's
not about getting dropped off the back... it's about splitting the bunch.
I'd feel like a real dickhead (unless all the Hit Girls were in the back
group, and then I did my solo breakaway thing back to the leaders...
actually that's race plan No 4). So I'm just a little bit more willing to
hurt.

Then suddenly it's not hurting... I never notice the pain in the crit. My
arse never hurts in the saddle and I always feel just in the right place.
My feet never feel cold. I don't want to change gears.

Then next thing I know, I'm not downgearing on hills during my commute,
I'm more willing to hurt, and it just doesn't bother me. This is something
that I never developed even during the 7 hour training rides with my coach
last year. I think mostly it's because I'm having fun that I don't notice
the pain, I'm in zen-land with my bike!

Of course, my commute has about 250 sets of traffic lights. Okay, not
quite. But yesterday I was running late, and tried to go faster, and I
just ended up sitting at lights for longer. I wish I had nice open
stretches!

Tam

PS Sunday arvo is looking better for me on the MTB, just because I might
help some mates out with transport for the Bridge 2 Brisbane. You guys
interested in some road, too?

"Nick" == Nick Payne writes:

Nick I sort of notice the opposite. After going touring with
Nick multiple weeks of riding a loaded bicycle up and down
Nick mountains for six or eight hours each day, my racing is
Nick improved on return...

Not that I weight train any more, but similar used to happen to me
weight training. I'd take a week off and find all my poundages went up
five to ten kilos.

I think it's a bit of the over-training thing. Touring exercises
different fibres than racing which allows your racing fibres to recover
and get stronger.

Pseudo science over :-p
--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

"Paulie-AU" wrote in
message ...

I have recently started racing crits of a saturday morning (2 so far) in
Cat 2 and have really noticed that my average speeds for my commute (70k
all up) have been climbing pretty quickly.

This really showed yesterday as I was "taking it easy" due to feeling
sick on Monday and Tuesday and recorded my fastest average speed in
recent riding (ie before I wimped out for a few weeks because of winter
showing up) history.

Lotte has always stated that racing is a great form of training and I
believe her. But the thing is, in the past I have pushed myself (so I
thought) pretty hard on my commute without results like this.

Has anyone else experienced this or am I just some weirdo? ( ........or
mabye its the EPO in my Vita Brits )

Nope... FREAKIN WIERDO!

Oh ok then, like Carl/Bleve said the racing is like doing interval training.
If
you do high intensity interval work instead of only moderate output type
riding in your commute your body adapts, it gets used to going hard and
recovers a lot quicker. The good thing about racing is it's easier to get
motivated to work hard in a race than in training if you're a slackarse like
me. When you move up grades the interval work even more important,
you get attack after attack, and if you can't go with them and then recover
you're out the back.

Good luck saturday, I had a few ideas when I read your breakaway plan,
and I had a few tips but I think I'll shut up and let you ride your own
race!
Anyway I'm half cut on vino by now sho it's sproblyallcrap.

Adam

Nick Payne wrote:
I sort of notice the opposite. After going touring with multiple weeks of
riding a loaded bicycle up and down mountains for six or eight hours each
day, my racing is improved on return...

That's probably because you're overdoing your racing/training. It's
alarmingly common for road racers to be in a pretty-much constant state
of overtraining. I deal with this regularly with coaching clients, and
it's not at all uncommon for the first thing I get them to do to be
take a week or two off before we start some structured training and an
organised race plan. That's quite often rewarded with some rapid
improvement (which isn't sustainable, once the punter is actually
riding at their "normal" level, improvement is gradual)

Then again, maybe doing bulk hills is better for the racing you're
doing anyway? Depends on the racing and your other training of course

Adam85wrote

Good luck saturday, I had a few ideas when I read your breakaway plan
and I had a few tips but I think I'll shut up and let you ride your ow
race

Do tell. My plan for this race is to stay with the bunch for 2, mayb
3 laps. That's just sad.

Anyway I'm half cut on vino by now sho it's sproblyallcrap

Will you be out there, boozy

LotteBu

--
LotteBum

LotteBum Wrote:
Adam85wrote:

Good luck saturday, I had a few ideas when I read your breakaway plan,
and I had a few tips but I think I'll shut up and let you ride you
own
race!

Do tell. My plan for this race is to stay with the bunch for 2, mayb
3 laps. That's just sad.

You might surprise yourself. But why not give Cat 3 a go for a week?

OK armchair expert time I think Paul and Tam were talking abou
having a go close to the end. It might work but more likely to chase
down hard as every is getting edgy and you will be worn out for th
sprint. Better to have a good go with say 10min left (watch you
timer). I didn't see *any* tactical riding the other week, all th
chasing was done by one or two riders with noone coming through so I'
bank on a bit of confusion. Weaker riders will be tired, and hopefull
the stronger riders will have wasted too much energy by this stage. T
stay away you will have to be able to first jump to get a gap of aroun
15sec, then time trial faster than what the chasing bunch is going (s
maybe around 42kph). Can you do this? Especially if you've chase
primes, brought back breakaways, or done too much work at the front
See what I mean? You'd have a better chance if one or two of th
stronger riders comes with you or bridges. Just my two cents worth...

LotteBum Wrote:

Will you be out there, boozy?
LotteBum

Nah, a lot of us are doing the Cunningham classic which should b
good.

Ada

--
adam85