HOW TO GO FASTER ?

Over the last few weeks i have been trying to put a few hard weeks training together so as i can increase my speed and power for my 10mile time trials this year.
I have tried riding with the Huddersfield star wheelers on a wednesday night on a short 3mile circuit but found that the difference level of fitness is to big between the riders and it just feels like you are riding as hard as you can on your own. I have also done the last 2weeks on the chain gang on a tuesday night. The ride is fairly flat and you do have to take your life in your own hands when it come's to traffic lights and roundabouts but the speed is fairly fast but i don't think it is fast enough. For a fast ten you will be going above 43km/h but even on the chain gang the average speed was only 36km/h and i need to be able to do some sessions above the speed i need for a fast ten to improve.
So its back to the drawing board to find some riding that will get me the speed i want.

A MOTLEY CREW

FIRST TT OF THE YEAR

Well today was my first real test of the year. I was doing a 10mile TT on the V718 near Hull. It is probably the fastest course in Yorkshire so most people set their pb's on this course. As i have suffered from a lot of colds this year my training is a little bit behind were i would want it to be but it would give me a good guide for the rest of the year.
After a 25minute warm up on the rollers i set of for the start which was about another 15 minutes away. The course is run on the A63 so it is very busy with traffic. As i was being held for the off there was an old lady on a push bike coming up behind me. 5 4 3 2 1 go, just as she was about to cut in front of me as i sprinted of. Lets just say she was a bit put out but not as much as i was with the starters for not warning me she was there.
So down the the slip road and straight into a head wind. I had planed not to go to hard for the first 5miles but the head wind seemed to be strong and i didn't hold much hope for a good time (for me). At the turn it didn't feel like there was much of a tail wind but i went as hard as i thought i could.
So i crossed the line with a time 22mins and 9sec which was 46seconds faster than my previous best. So i was fairly pleased. I will look forward to getting back on this course later in the season when my condition has improved. 
All in all a well run event  with a HQ with showers which was a bonus.

FAST TRAINING RIDES FOR ALL ABILITY'S

I went out for my second night ride in a row last night so i could sample a new evening ride organised by  a member of HSW. It was on a 2.8mile circuit and the plan was to take two laps to warm up then go for it with a section of about just over half a mile where we could do through and off.
About 20 people took to the road on the warm up laps. As always after the first warm up lap the pace went up and i think we lost a few people at this stage and then on the first proper fast lap the group just disintegrated about half way round.
My plan was to do a fast lap then recovery then do another fast lap and hope to get about 5 laps in. As the laps were taking about 7mins i new this wasn't going to be possible but i hoped to get 4 in. Unfortunately due to the pace on the first lap a few people looked to have given up and everyone else was riding in just pairs and not going flat out as the first few laps had taking it out of then and it looked like most people were just going as fast as the could for an hour.
I did manage 4 laps but the last 2 were mostly on my own and that is not what i was hoping for.
I think the circuit is a little to long for most people and the night needs a little bit more structure so as not to lose people after 1 lap and then they don't come the following week as they thing it is just to fast.
So as to get as many people involved of all ability's so we can all increase our fitness then maybe the following needs to happen.

Two laps at a proper warm up pace.
First faster lap but not full gas so everyone gets round
Then a recovery lap for everyone so that if anyone has been dropped they can get back on.
Then a fast lap now everyone has warmed up.
Then a recovery lap
And it follows this format until the end

I feel that if it is done this way then when there is a fast lap it is a high enough pace and if anyone gets dropped they know that everyone will back off at the end of the lap so they can get back on. This way more people will be together rather than everyone scattered around the course doing fast laps on there own which they could do anytime.
That's just my opion as i think some training nights should try to accommodate as many people as possible rather than just the fastest riders.
I am sure it will evolve into a very good training night i just hope that some of the slower riders haven't been put of by then.
But a big thank you to the HSW member (BULL) who has put the night on and gone to the trouble to publish the night and generate the interest to get it of the ground.

DAVGAV'S MINI LIEGE-BASTOGNE-LIEGE RIDES

Well last night was the first time i have been out for a ride on a night time for a couple of years. As my job allows all my rides are done in the day time but this week i wanted a bit more company so i thought i would start by taking in the ride organised by David Gavin of the Huddersfield Star Wheelers which leaves the Safety Centre at Lockwood traffic lights at 7pm every Tuesday.
The ride is labeled as a steady 90mins but due to the terrain around these parts the routes are always hilly so you get plenty of climbing in over the 90mins but the pace is steady. No body gets left behind and at the top of every climb they wait for the last man. If you do not want to hang around for a few Min's then do what i did and when you have reached the top ride back down to the last man and give him some company.
There are no ego's on this ride and no one is trying to rip each other's legs of so it is an excellent way to get used to riding with others and  get some miles in.
For more information on these rides then go onto Huddersfield Star Wheelers website for more details. You will find it in the Leisure rides section.

A LONG TIME IN THE SADDLE

Well after my disaster on Thursday's ride the weather was again good on Friday so i thought what the hell. Round 2.
I was going to do the same route which would take in the climbs of Holme Moss then Snake Pass and then on to a series off climbs which are called the Strines. I have done this route a few times before but not since i have moved which would probably add another hour to the ride.
My food for the ride would consist of 2 bidons with water in a banana and 2 slices of flap jack. I had some money on me so i can stop and get a can of coke and a mars bar.

So i managed to get to the top of Holme Moss today with out any punctures so things were looking good for the rest of the ride. The was no wind going up the moss which always makes it a lot easier to climb. For some reason it is not a climb i like i just can not seem to get into a good rhythm on the climb.

So i quick decent down the other side. I hit just over 75kph and this was on the winter bike. On in to Glossop and then to the base of one of my favorite climbs. Snake Pass is over 6km but the surface is excellent and the way it snakes it self up the climb just makes it feel like you are on a grand tour climb. Glossop Kinder Velo run a hill climb on the Snake at this year it is on the 4th September. Last year it had about 30 entrants and was run on a dry but very windy day. The winner over the last few years was James Dobbin who also holds the record on the climb.

So with the two main climbs out of the way its was a lovely run down to the Ladybower Reservoirs. It was here that i picked up a can of coke and a mars bar up from a roadside cafe. As soon as these were down it was on my way again to start the strines.

As i started on the Strines Moor it was straight into a head wind which was a bit depressing. I seemed to remember that this was the harder way to tackle the climbs but after the first it seemed they would be easier. They might be longer this way but not as steep as coming from the opposite way. But i knew that the hardest climb was still to come and i wasn't looking forward to it. The back was starting to hurt a little after having to walk down hill for about an hour on Thursday whilst wearing my cycling shoes.

AS you can see from the photo above this is the second half of the next to last climb on the strines. Some people may say that this is the last climb but there is still a small one after this. The 1st half of the climb you can not see as it is below the farm. Well this was tough. The legs were starting to feel it by know and the first half of the climb was covered in mud dropped by a tractor but as you break out of the tree's into the sunlight you can see a little light at the end of the tunnel. The last 100meters is hard but you seen to speed up as you know the top is near.

So the last hard climb on the strines and its 25% is completed so know i was on my way home. Only a few small climbs left on my route home but the last climb up to my house is 12% and after a long ride it just saps the last of your energy.

So i had 5hrs 24mins in the saddle with 123km covered with a speed of 22.7kph so today's ride was just a leg spinner on the rollers.

DAYS ON THE BIKE I HATE

It started of so good. The sun was out and i had started what was ment to be a 5hour ride over some of the best climbs i know. Just at the top of Holme Moss i noticed i slow puncture. Puncture fixed and off i went only to find i was riding on the rim at 60kmph. I must of missed a bit of the shared of metal that i pulled out of the tyre after the first puncture. 2 hours later i finnally made it home. So a roller session later to make up for the lack of miles.

Maybe the moral of the story is make sure you have more than 1 spare tube with you.