jyonnobi marathon 2015 race report

The Jyonnobi Marathon on Saturday.

10 laps of the tough hilly circuit. 115 km. 1,800 m of climbing.

Last year I was off the front for half of the race. Likewise in my last two races at Uchinada and Gunma, I was off the front for long periods.

So I was thinking of where and when to attack...

Little did I know I'd be struggling to hold on....

The build up

An easy week before the race after two very hard weeks previously. Feel rested and ready.

An 8 am start in Nota. Heavy rain is clearing for blue skies. The temperature will rise too.

About 30 riders on the start line. Niigata's finest. Team Fins were dominant in yesterday's race at Maze. They have a strong presence today too with Kenta san, Adachi san, Hayakawa san, Ito san, Mezaki san, Tojo san, Endo san, Yamada san...

Of course the evergreen Murayama san is here too. Long gone are the days when I'd drag him around this course and we'd fight it out on the last climb....

3,2,1 Go!

The first lap is neutral. A nice warm up.

Lap 2

Race on!

Adachi san attacks on the first climb. He's on a different level. The fast descent. The second climb. It's a big effort to pull him back.

Lap 3

Deja Vu!

Adachi san attacks on the first climb. He's on a different level. The fast descent. The second climb. It's a big effort to pull him back...

These laps are completed in 19 mins. At 36 kmph. On this course!

Strava laps 1 to 4

Lap 4

7 more laps. I'm struggling just to follow the wheels. It's the slight gradients. The slight changes in speed. Here's where the gaps open.

Survival mode. Move to the front on the descents. Keep in contact on the climbs.

I do the 2nd climb in the big ring each time. It's the only way to keep up. HR up and above 180 bpm each time.

I lose contact a few times but somehow bring it back on the descents.

Kenta is bossing the Fins train. Screaming at the young guys to get on the front. Make it faster! Make it harder!

Murayama san and I try to keep out of it. Holding up the rear. We share a glance. A blow of the lips. This is going to be a hard one.

Lap 5

It's hot now. Everyone is suffering. We regroup. The pace slows. A chance to recover at last.

On the 2nd climb Ito san and Murayama san are up front. I find myself in a gap between them and the main group. As the two of them exchange a few words at the top I find myself going for it.

Clunk, clunk. Grind it. Up the right hand side. Shut up legs! Sick in the mouth! Gross!

Over the top. Clunk, clunk, clunk. 50 × 11.

Up to speed. Into the ski tuck. Make the body as small as possible. Catch me if you can!

Onto the valley floor. Glance back.

Here they come. Murayama san leading the chase. The old man's grip is as tight as ever!

Back in the group.

Lap 6

Kenta does an explosive attack on the first incline. Then again on the first climb proper. Cheers all around.

The second climb. Here he comes again. This is my chance. Out of the saddle. Make it look like I'm chasing him. The others will leave me to it.

I'm not chasing anything though. He won't make the top. I pass him about half way up. Now I have a proper gap.

All or nothing now. The heaviest gear I can. Push, pull, push, pull. Everything out by the top. Thighs on fire.

Over we go. Ski tuck. Maybe this one will work?

Take a glance. Still have the gap by the valley floor. But the're closing fast.

2 hard efforts out of the saddle. Try to put them off. Physiological warfare. It's useless though. Don't have the legs.

Back in the frying pan.

Lap 7

If this is a war, it's a war of attrition. Kenta throws in the towel. Hayakawa san too.

Still I'm struggling to hold the wheels. The group splits on the first incline. Deceptively hard here.

Up front Mezaki san and Adachi san. With Murayama san and Ito san for company.

I'm off the back with Tojo san and Yamada san.

Push on, push on. Look back at the top of the climb. 2 more riders down.

3 laps to go. 4 riders up the road. TT mode.

Lap 8

I catch Ito san and share a few pulls. He's actually a lap down. We share a few jokes.

Lap 9

4th on the road now. Fins ace Adachi san, Japan top level cross country skier Mezaki san and Mr. Hillclimb Murayama san up front.

I'm under no illusion that I'll catch them. 33 kmph laps riding solo. I'm losing ground. But maybe one will crack...

Lap 10

At the start/goal Murayama san has pulled off. "The only thing worse than a DNS is a DNF!" he once told me. That shows how hard it is.

The 10th lap then. 2 flyers up the road. I'm dead. I just have to do the lap to hold on for 3rd. Enjoy the small chainring on the climbs. Sit up. Drink a full bottle. 30 kmph. Roll home...

Goal!

Strava laps 5 to 10

The race didn't go as well as planned. It didn't quite click. You can't hit it perfect every time.

Still I did what I could. A TSS of over 300 is testament to how hard it was. Good training as they say.

After the race it's back to the Jyonnobi Time Bike Shop for a BBQ. We've earned the beers today.

Thanks everyone for a great event. See you next year too!

Time to focus now on my season's second target race, Fuji Speedway 200 km in September...

Bring it on!