Friday, training week 5

It has been a good week after a not so motivating result last Sunday. That was the second race of the Summer Sizzling Series at Crestmead. I got there feeling ready and prepared to launch an attack with a couple of laps to go but didn't have the chance as I missed a break with ten strong riders, which split the field of 20+ half way through the race.

I had a few attempts to bridge the 30 sec gap but only two or three in the group were willing to help. The rest were saving their legs for the sprint for 10th or 11th place... can you believe that?

A lot of guys race that way. They miss the break, they don't help in the chase and then they sprint to beat the guys who have been doing most of the work.

I have to say, I really have to control myself not to go off at one of those guys as they go pass in the last hundred metres to the line. They show no respect for the riders who do all the work at the front. Having said that, there are riders who come to me after the race and say things like:

"Thanks for all your work, keeping us in the race. Sorry, I couldn't help!"

Back to this week's training, it has been a hard one. All the workouts got intensified and/or had the kms increased. One of the workouts I do is called MIXED EFFORTS, which is done in Zone E3.

MIXED EFFORTS: Pick out sections of undulating road in the distance. HR: E3 for the whole effort, cadence: 95 to 110 rpm. These efforts must have a combination of up and down hills and must all be different. Rest: 6 min in between efforts.

This week I had to do 5 x 5 km efforts. In fact, I like those but I do have issues getting my HR in E3. I average 157 bpm during those efforts which isn't the prescribed level but nothing I can do about it... Well, because i have this issue of not getting my heart rate high enough during my training rides, I am planning to do a Lactate Threshold test. With that test I might be able to set my training zones accurately.

Today, I should finish the week with an easy 30 km ride but I might skip that as I am feeling a little sneezy. Also, feeling a little pain in my hip. I will do some stretching instead and decide if I will race or not tomorrow. It might be an idea to have a rest tomorrow as well and save everything for Sunday's Race 3 of the Sizzling Summer Series. It is time to get a good result for a bit of motivation!!!!