13th OVERALL 1st on STANDARD
After "retiring" again post 2020, I line up again, although in fairness this was the closest I've got to packing it in. On Christmas Day, living in Mallorca, there was barely a 1% chance of racing (if the situation remained the same) - alas it did not 💔, but even in January there was only a 50/50 chance...in the interim before New Year, I badly struggled up Sa Calobra with barely a 290w average 20 mins with a HR of 196....some reflection of fitness, but there were some other more influential mitigation reasons 🍺🍷🚬 - it was a wake up call....
In the New Year I started introducing "appropriate" sessions occasionally, such as Fartlek (a running methodology really, but adapted on the bike, by basically hitting any and every incline HARD, and low Z2 in between for approx 2 hours non stop - really tough but masochistically enjoyable), solid upper tempo rides (2-3 hours), longer low Z2 rides (3-5) and in poor weather, tempo => sweet spot => threshold pyramid sessions on my turbo (1 hour!). - trying to create that balance through the zones and getting away from cafe rides - introducing "variation"! How many cafe tootles can one person do? 😂- as well as continuing decent social (cafe 😝) rides.
In late March I contacted my man Richard to discuss a possible race season but more importantly what state was I in, was it worth it?: his response was promising, I was pretty strong but lacking balance, but with 8 weeks work it should not be problem. After 4 weeks we had an appraisal - Richard jokingly suggested I needed drug testing (it's not the first time that has been suggested btw... a compliment of course, and in cycling a badge of honour (well, that's actually getting "juiced up, and then write a book"!)😜💪...back to clean me, I'd created a new 20 min average wattage best, and indicators such as "drift" on longer rides were really encouraging....but of course it all "means nothing unless there's a number on yer back!" 😉
So...the first race....back to where I won the National Vets 25 last race....better conditions on this day, with some great times but for me, 80 seconds down on where I was in October (51-47 vs 50-20), with a number of guys beating me this time, and others too close just behind...but no worries! My power (342w) was slightly better than last October, and HR solid too....just hoping (as per every year) it takes approx 4 races for the stars to align...especially the positioning and all those aero implications with getting back on the bike. So, not overly concerned - I would be if it were the 6th race. As a bonus absolutely smashed the Standard competition by over a minute...possible to return here in early June, be good to compare, but unlikely to have such good weather conditions (relatively, it was bloody freezing though!).
Three broke 48 mins - Adam Duggleby and two youngsters, and pal Darren Yarwood had an amazing 49-38...so it was a fairly quick day...come on Ainsworth, speed up!! 😜
racer that beat me by over a minute at Newark, but only seconds in front here, it was at least an indication of progress. Raced it rather madly though, decided to go off hard and trust my no fear pain attitude to hold on, sort of worked, but last few miles were tough, and also the bumpiest. Anyhow, finished 8th, 3rd vet and first on standard...not a fan of these course types, although there is a push for more of them, your standard 'tester' I do not think is really interested? 🤔🙄
