andy: 2013年8月アーカイブ

Heavy rain today. A typhoon is approaching. Hot. Windy. Wet wet wet.

The early bird catches the worm. Asaren on Isonobe. In the dry.

Interval time:

• 30 s hard / 60 s easy x 3 sets
• 40 s hard / 60 s easy x 10 sets

The 40 second intervals really kick. The last 10 seconds hurt. On 10 percent rough surface. There's no hiding. The 60 s for recovery isn't long enough. Time to go again! Can't wait fro the road to end! Great training!

Friday's training: Road (60 km, 600 m climbing)

Every day I wake up at 4am. I don't need an alarm clock. After a few weeks of asaren. I wake up naturally.

This week I've woken to the sound of rain. A smile on my face as I roll over for a couple more hours of "bonus sleep".

No excuses today. It's dry. And cool. 20 degrees. Warm in the UK! But definitely cool in Japan. Even chilly on the descents.

I'm not quite firing on all cyclinders though. The legs feel heavy. The HR sluggish. Asaren 60 km.

Later I meet Kitano san by chance. "Ishikawa Toge?" We've only ridden twice together this year. But we always gel. Shoulder to shoulder on the climbs. Rotating on the flats. Another 60 km.

北野さん、また一緒に走りましょうね！

Thursday's training: Road (120 km, 1200 m climbing)

Monday

Recently I've been attacking the climbs. Today I mixed things up a bit.

3 climbs of Komura Pass. It's 34 degrees on the valley floor. 26 degrees on the shaded upper slopes.

Autumn is around the corner.

• climb 1 - intervals 30 s hard / 60 s easy x 11 sets
• climb 2 - SFR - 50 rpm target
• climb 3 - dancing

Monday's training: Road (55 km, 900 m climbing)

Tuesday

Asaren cancelled this morning due to rain. Later a commute to Nishiyama.

Black skies over Yoneyama. I can see the heavy rain coming in over the sea. Rumbling thunder too. A race to the sun...

Tempo riding today. A bit of climbing. But nothing too hard.

Tuesday's training: Road (63 km, 600 m climbing)

Wednesday

Rain again this morning. The rain clears in time for my commute. Another puncture. 2 in 3 days. The price you pay for riding tyres to their limit. New tyres are on their way.

A chance to climb Ishikawa Pass. A TT. Heart rate is slow too respond (165 AV). Legs feel good though. A heavy gear (75 rpm AV).

Half way up. The steep hairpin. Out of the saddle. Clang! A snapped spoke. Rims rubbing the brake shoes. It's a TT though! Push on too the top... (11:28).

Time to visit Enosan!

Wednesday's training: Road (50 km, 400 m climbing)

A rest day yesterday. I was keen to test the legs today.

A Yahiko TT. The best climbers in Niigata meet up regularly at the Dairo gate. Each time they try to beat their best time. Their best times are recorded on the "Dairo Ranking" facebook page. 30 riders names look like a football league table.

This is excellent motivation. And is perhaps the main reason there are so many good climbers in Niigata now.

My only effort this year is 20:07 on July 21st. Looking through my records, my PB is 19:02 way back in 2006 (31 years old).

A 5am start. I make Maze by 630am - 33 kmph av. Up to the gate. About 10 riders today. They'll climb a few times. I'll "just" do one climb.

We set off individually.

Go! I'm undergeared at first. Spinning frantically. But the gradient picks up quickly.

The average is 8.1 percent. But much of the climb is 10, 11 percent.

My heart rate rises quickly. It settles around the 181, 182 mark.

Like other recent TT efforts I opt for a heavier gear. 75 ~ 78 cadence the target. I can use a few gears on the back today. Always a good sign.

I pass the riders who set off before me. I should have set off further back for more motivation.

It's a hard effort. But a comfortable one. In the zone.

Nozaki san flies past near the top. I keep focussed.

I sense I'm on for a good time. And I am.

• 19:04, 16.8 kmph, 178 HR, 76 cadence

19:04. Well pleased with that.

All the guys are getting ready for Norikura next weekend. The following weekend is a TT on this course.

I'll be going to the Yatsuo TT and RR that weekend. I hope I can keep this form for 2 weeks....

Saturday: rest day

Sunday's training: Road (125 km, 1100 m climbing)

Asaren with Nishihiro san. Komura Pass ~ Ogami Dake ~ Sakurazaka Pass.

A TT on Komura Pass. The second hard effort in 2 days. I'm surprised how well the heart rate responds. Into the big ring on the upper section. The last hairpin. I'm heading for a good time "Why is the last mile, the hardest mile?"

10:47. Just 6 seconds off my PB

• 10:47, 178 HR, 80 rpm, 19.9 kmph

It's hard to go hard again on Ogami Dake. 12, 13, 14 percent sections. Long drags at 10 percent plus. The HR doesn't respond. But I enjoy the sensations in the legs.

Rain at the top. Heavy rain all the way home. Time for a rest tomorrow....

Friday's training: Road (63 km, 1200 m climbing)

this is AJ!

Asaren with Nishihiro san this morning.

The mountains look like rain. But we are lucky.

An Isonobe TT. I want to beat Monday's 19:39.

I find the key to improving your time is to grind a slightly heavier gear. A gear that feels a little uncomfortable. In the 75 ~ 80 rpm range.

Other gains can be made by going harder on the easier sections.

The HR responds well. Up to 170. And then 180. The HC zone.

I'm on for a good time. Sub 19? 500 m to go...

Ahhh, I don't have that last kick. Maybe with fresher legs?

Very happy with the effort though. A season best.

• 19:04, 175 / 188 HR av / max, 79 cadence, 17.8 kmph

Today's flat sprint finish. 2nd man. Follow the wheel. Follow the attack. Grab the draft. Wait. Wait. Wait. It's all about timing... Full gas! A wheel's length over the line...

Thursday's training: Road (60 km)

Asaren with Nishihiro san this morning. The ground is wet. Some rain in the air. A Teradomari loop.

I do a long pull on R73 to Sochi. 90~100 cadence, 40 kmph, 170 HR.

"You rode the rollers yesterday didn't you!?"

Rollers are really beneficial to your leg speed. I'm going to try to do one or two spinning sessions each week.

The climb in Ishiji. 36 kmph / 180 HR over the top.

Back home on the coast. A head wind now. An oil-less chain is a little annoying. Still keep good speed.

The hill sprint finish. First man. I raise the pace after the tunnel. Up to 175 HR. A few beats to spare. Wait for Nishihiro san to make his move. He'll want to go later than last time. Here he comes. Once out of my draft, it's time to kick it home. 182 HR over the top.

• 37.1 kmph av, 152 / 182 HR, 88 cadence
  

Nishihiro san, 良いトレーニングいつもありがとうじょんのび！

Wednesday's training: Road (80 km)

Asaren was cancelled today due to heavy rain. It's nice to go back to bed for a few hours. Later a roller session.

Rollers are a minor part of my training at this time of year. The best training is done on the road. However, rollers give me the chance to work on leg speed.

50 × 12 is the biggest gear today. So high cadence riding. The best way to train on the rollers is to increase the effort gradually. Finally touch lactate threshold 170 HR.

• warm up x 5 mins
• 55 kmph x 5 mins (54.7 kmph, 122 HR, 105 rpm)
• 58 kmph x 5 mins (57.9 kmph, 131 HR, 111 rpm)
• 60 kmph x 5 mins (59.8 kmph, 141 HR, 114 rpm)
• 62 kmph x 5 mins (61.4 kmph, 150 HR, 117 rpm)
• 62 kmph x 5 mins (61.9 kmph, 154 HR, 118 rpm)
• 140 > 170 HR sprint (1:02, 67.3 kmph, 129 rpm)
• 140 > 170 HR sprint (0:51, 66.5 kmph, 128 rpm)
• 140 > 170 HR sprint (0:58, 66.5 kmph, 128 rpm)
• warm down x 5 mins

Tuesday's training: Rollers (40 mins)

Asaren this morning. The HR doesn't respond too well riding out to Takayanagi. The legs feel a little heavy too.

Still I do a TT on Isonobe. My new cassette is 12~25 so the steeper sections are a grind. The HR rises slowly. 170 by the first steep section. 180 after the village. I'm heading for a good time. But I don't have that last kick at the end...

I want to break 19 minutes this year!

• 19:39
• 5.6 km, 17.1 kmph
• 386 m climbing
• 170 HR AV, 78 cadence AV

Monday's training: Road (60 km)

One of the highlights of the summer is the jyonnobi marathon. 110 km of up and down. In the heat of August.

In the past few years I'm out of shape after returning from the UK. This year I've got some great summer training in my legs.

Usually I pull Murayama san around the course. But this year it's like an unofficial Niigata Championships.

A who is who of Niigata cycling: Tazaki san, Kenta san, Adachi san, Hayakawa san, Nozaki san, Murayama san, Nishihiro san, Daito san.

These riders will form the front group for most of the race.

I take pride in doing the majority of the work. Pulling the group. The pace maker. I invited friends to race, so we should make a day of it.

Kenta san tries a few attacks early on. I draw him in slowly. I also have a couple of digs. But with the power of Murayama san and Tazaki san, it's difficult to break clear.

The pace is high. Particularly on the climbs. Some of the best hillclimbers in the business! And I'm over 180 HR each time.

Tazaki san becomes active after 7 laps. It takes a really impressive effort from Daito san to bring him back. But he's not finished.

On lap 8 he makes the decisive move. Only Murayama san and Hayakawa san can follow. Daito san cracks. Adachi san cracks dramatically too.

I'm 4th on the road. Alone. A few cramps. More worrying is I feel cold. And it's scorching! The first signs of heat exhaustion?

To quit or to continue? 1 lap to go. There's a chance that those infront will blow up too. I decide to press on.

Sure enough I catch Hayakawa san. We're both gone. But it's better to ride together. Share the load.

On the last descent I'm second man. The best place to be. This summer I've been sprinting almost every day with Nishihito san. Instinct takes over. Kick for the line.

• 122 km
• 1813 m climbing
• 162/189 HR

A great day's training. And a great BBQ too. じょんのびTIME　いつもありがとうじょんのび！

A recovery ride today. A rest day tomorrow. A race on Saturday.

That's my plan.

The Takayanagi loop this morning. 60 km. Some climbing. But I'm careful to take it easy.

Then at the foot of Isnonobe... I meet Murayama san. A climb of Isonobe? On any other day I'd love to see how far I can hold his wheel.

But I have to wait until Saturday....

Thursday's training: Road (60 km)

At the foot of Mt. Yahiko and right by the sea, lies the Maze racing circuit. A 2 km loop, 1 km up, 1 km down. Designed for racing cars. It's bound to be fast.

74 teams of 2 or 3 riders ride for 4 hours. A team relay. The team which covers the most distance wins. How you ride it is up to you.

Last year I rode with Andrew. We did 2 × 1 hour each. After that I knew that 3 riders doing 40 minutes each is the best strategy.

This year the じょんのびTIME　team is Yanagi san, Daito san, Andy. Our plan is 40 minutes each.

We meet at the gate. Where's Daito san? Here he comes! By bike!

Get the bikes sorted. Get the pits sorted. Time to warm up.

Another thing I realised last year is the strongest rider should go first. From the start it's like a road race. A top group forms. The pace is fast. Once the changeovers start, this group breaks up.

During the warm up, it's clear Daito san is best to go first. I'm struggling to hold his wheel on the climb.

The order: Daito>Andy>Yanagi>Daito>Andy>Yanagi

Start!

The pace is fast. Team Fins have about 4 teams on the road. Strong riders Adachi san, Kenta san and a guy in full TT mode go in the first group. They can play some team tactics. Attacks here and there. Daito is up to it.

And then. The じょんのびTIME　secret weapon! Daito san attacks!

Watching in the pits. "Daito is off the front!", "Is it too early?"

But as the laps pass his gap gets bigger. Only Fins' ace Adachi san can hold his wheel.

Daito signals "2 laps to go". "1 lap to go". As he comes into the pit, Adachi san signals "1 lap to go".

This is my misson! I have to get back up to Adachi san or close enough to be infront when his teamate comes out of the pits.

Full gas then! I'm riding well! All the right sensations. A few gears spare at the top of the climb. 180 HR plus. Into the outer top gear over the top of the climb. I almost have him on the descent. It's enough. I see the change over as I fly by at 45 kmph.

Daito san has lit the match. I just have to keep it burning. A time trial for 40 mins.

The sensations are great. Summer training with Nishihiro san has really helped. I'm 75 kg now. Flying up the hill. Free wheeling the downhills. Attacking the corners. Aero through the homestraight.

The Astuto 60 mm wheels are made for this course. Some riders go as light as possible to make up time on the climb. Others go full aero to maximise the gains on the descent. With these babies I fly up and down! Passing people all the way. A few riders grab my wheel. But I feel great. Don't even think of asking them to rotate. I know they'll be off the back soon....

I signal Yanagi san. "2 laps to go". "1 lap to go". Into the pit.

• 34:00 mins / 21.43 km
• 37.8 kmph
• 457 m climbing
• 176 HR / 81 cadence

Between races I go to the sea to cool down. It's soooooo hot! Eat some food. Drink. Drink. Drink. Suncream. Massage. Time to go again.

We are still leading. I need to do another steady effort. It's even hotter now. The pace is notably slower as people start to fatigue. I find the heart rate rises quicker. Up to 180 HR before the the top of the climb. Careful to not over cook it. An easier gear than last time. Still I'm passing riders, passsing riders.

I signal Yanagi san. "2 laps to go". "1 lap to go". Into the pit.

Yanagi san, like Daito san, is super strong. It's great to watch as he passes riders. He's not looking for wheels. Just looking for a way through. Without a mechanical. Or a puncture. We'll win this for sure!

Sure enough! 1st place! What a team effort! We're all so happy! I got a 1,2 finish with Daito san at Tokyo~Itoigawa and the feeling of satisfaction in a team effort is just the same.

Yanagi san, Daito san, 本当にありがとうじょんのび！

74 laps (2 more than 2nd place, 4 more than 3rd) equals an average of 37 kmph (on a course with no flat!)

Next up is the じょんのび　110 km road race on Saturday. Can't wait!

Saturday: rest day

Sunday's training: Road: Komura Pass ~ Mt. Ogami Dake ~ Sakurazaka Pass (60 km, 1100 m climbing)

Monday's training: Road: R353 ~ Shiba Pass loop (76 km, 1100 m climbing)

Tuesday: rest day

Tomorrow: Maze Enduro!

After 6 days of asaren, I don't need an alarm clock. Up at 4:15. On the road at 4:30.

A fun course every day this week. Nishihiro san, thank you every time!

This morning, 4 passes over Mt. Hachikoku.

• Osawa Pass

I don't do this climb very often. But it's a good one. It's steep from the start. Eases a little. And steep again. 10% all the way. The heart rate responds well.

• Tajima Pass

All the passes over Mt. Hachikoku are easier from the Oguni side. I do this one in the big ring. Nishihiro san on my wheel is good motivation. The last few hundred metres kick up to about 7%. Time to kick it home.

• Ishikawa Pass

You can never get bored of this climb. It's tough. Winding through the forest. Exposed at the top. A few sections at 10% plus. But the view keeps you going. 170 ~ 175 HR all the way. Full gas at the top.

• Tsukayama Pass

The last climb. Of today's ride. Of this week's training. A week is a long time in cycling! Happy that I can still ride hard on Friday. A rest tomorrow!

Friday's training: Road (80 km, 900 m climbing)

An early night last night. A hot bath. Massage the legs. Sleep with the feet up on three pillows.

I'm really enjoying summer training. Up early to beat the heat. A big volume of training. Every day. 2 hours with Nishihiro san.

Ogami Dake from the "easy" side today. Of course it's never easy! Grind the HR up to 170 HR on Nakayama Pass. Attack the top of the climb. 180 HR over the top. Same pattern on Sakurazaka Pass too.

I hope my summer training will pay off for my next target, Yatsuo RR and TT in September....

Thursday's training: Road (64 km, 950 m climbing)

Another asaren today. Another new course. How lucky we are to have the mountains and the sea.

A loop of Shiba Toge. Climbing up via Tochigahara.

I have tired legs. The heart rate is slow to respond too. Don't push too hard. Enjoy the climb.

The goal sprint. Today I am second man. Always easier here. After the climb. Nishihiro san drops his gears. Clunk. Clunk. Attack!

Nishihiro san's acceleration is one of his strong points. I'm out of the saddle. 50 × 11. But he gaps me. 5 metres in a few seconds.

I don't want to give up today though. Head down. In the saddle. Full gas. The gap is closing slowly. Do I have enough road?

Here comes the sign! Now or never! Kick it home. My turn to win today!

Wednesday's training: Road (70 km, 600 m climbing)

Asaren with Nishihiro san this morning. Recently it's around 20 C at 430 am. But today it's already 26 C and it's only gonna get hotter!

Low cloud. Wet roads. High humidity.

We do a loop of Takayanagi, Senda and Oguni. Some stiff climbs get the HR up to LT.

Later in the morning, I do the same loop again. 32 degrees now. It can only be tempo...

Tuesday's training: Road (138 km, 2077 kcal, 1300 m climbing)

Asaren with Nishihiro san this morning. Isonobe.

• isonobe TT (19:54), SFR (50×24), 7-11 goal sprint (2nd)

On Isonobe, I don't feel so fresh on the bike. Gradually grind up the HR. Full gas to the top. Happy with sub 20.

Sprint time. The wind on our backs. I decide to go from distance. Into the 50 × 11 before the climb. First man. Out of the saddle. Tempo pace up the climb. Over the top. Keep out of the saddle.Try to catch him by surprise. Full gas!

It's a long way. Is he there? Here he comes! Wide right! Like a motorbike! No chance to catch his wheel. Game over! 今度リベンジじょんのび！

Later, as I try to put in some volume this summer, roller time. I've noticed the effects of my roller sessions on my road riding. Particularly on cadence. Some cadence specific work today.

Monday's training:

1. Road (62 km)

2. Rollers: 5 minute intervals (30 mins)

• warm up
• 100 cadence
• 110 cadence
• 117 ~ 120 cadence
• 120 cadence
• warm down

Rode out this morning with the aim of taking a few nice pictures. With a smart phone it's so easy to just click, a quick comment and upload to facebook.

Nice pictures need a nice course. A mountain special.

• Komura Pass ~ Ogami Dake ~ Asahi no sato ~ ?? Pass ~ Matsudai ~ Shiba Pass ~ Isonobe

Riding not too hard. 170 HR on Ogami Dake. My new Garmin reveals lots of this climb to be in the 12, 13, 14 grade. The final concrete rough section up to the Paragliders' Take Off? 18 !

At 4:45 it's 20 C. 22 C at 6:30 on the top of Ogami Dake. 27 C at 7:30 at the top of Shiba Pass. And 30 C at 8:00 at the foot of Isonobe. Asaren is the only way!

Saturday: rest day

Sunday's training: Road (100 km, 2000 m climbing)

• asaren - Teradomari return (75 km)
• alpha - Ukawa return (40 km)

Friday's training: Road (115 km)

A big storm as I headed out of the door this morning. Oh well, back to bed.

Later on the rollers some 5 minute intervals. Focussing on speed, heart rate and cadence.

Thursday's training:

• warm up
• 60 kmph (60.2 kmph, 136 HR, 112 cadence)
• 140 HR (59.9 kmph, 138 HR, 112 cadence)
• 117~120 cadence (62.3kmph, 149 HR, 117 cadence)
• 60 kmph (60.2 kmph, 136 HR, 112 cadence)
• 150 HR (60.3 kmph, 147 HR, 112 cadence)
• 117~120 cadence
• warm down

Total: 40 mins