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Race Kawasaki Enduro June 16th 2019

Thanks, @wexford (and family) , @Elzico2012 and @sean-e
One of the most delightful days of my life (and let's keep it a secret about the small number of people in my category, if you don't mind).
Was kinda looking forward to going a bit Sagan with the podium girls, so it was probably a good thing I forgot to go there when I was supposed to.
 
First huge congrats to the lovely Kangaeroo! He kicked ass yesterday and rode a great race in very challenging conditions. The wind was strong and a hard fight in places. I had a guy beside me take a drink only fall behind me as he got blown into a cone and hit the deck. The tail wind was mega also.

My race. It didn't go quite well. I've been trying to piece together why so I can do better next time. I guess, I had been partially under the weather all week with a sore throat and sore muscles. I had a good sleep the night of the race though but for some reason in the morning I just felt like not going. I had to go to the toilet 3 times as I had a bit of the runs. Was hoping that would fix itself. Still, my family was prepped and there was friends to meet so I got out of that mindset and headed onwards with positive thoughts.

My prep was pretty good. Last time, I was hungry so this time I had lots the night before and made sure that I was hydrated too. Drank another bottle on the way to the race (we drove). Warm up went pretty well. Felt decent. Had two bottles on the bike for the race as its was damn hot out there. As well as a good breakfast (porridge followed by a bowl of fruit and nut crunch with some bread and peanut butter and more fruit. Lunch was 2 egg sandwitches, a banana and a youkan. Downed a gel before the start.

Race time, I arrived at the start feeling pretty good. When I got there, the whole field was already in place but I just cycled up the outside until I found @sean-e and that left me in a nice position to start off. Start was dodgy. Almost collected a cone (as I was on the outside). Survived and hung out as the peloton found its nervous way around the first lap. Coming up to the first hairpin, I was well placed and although it was a big effort to grab the wheel in front, I was quite happy although suffering. I'm crap at drafting it seems. I guess I ride on the front a lot. Back straight was super fast but I was ok. Out of the last hairpin before the straight all going well. First lap a success. I could see @sean-e in a nice position up front also.

Next lap things went wrong. I was on the left of the peloton and wanted to be on the right. I forget how to do this but I guess I wasn't aggressive enough. Managed to get into the middle but then got stuck with folks not letting me out. As I tried to get out, I ended up going further back and back again. Finally made it out but was then too far down the pack that I was faced with following a string of folks who let wheels go. Tried hard to make contact again but it was a big effort and by the time I came to the last hairpin to face the wind again, more folks let wheels go, I passed them and found myself in no-mans land with the huge head wind to face. I was doing around 450W at the time, falling apart, maybe 20m ahead, guys at the back of the peloton were freewheeling. Dig deep. Getting nowhere.

Decided to ease off and catch the next group rather than face the wind alone. Stayed with them until @sean-e came back but by that time, I was in a dark place that I didn't recover from. @sean-e was a great team mate, gave me his wheel when he noticed I was in trouble but there was no saving me. I had nothing out of the hairpins. zero spring and the next fast group that came by us, @sean-e managed to get on to them and I was a gonner. It should have been relatively easy still at this stage of the race. I couldn't understand what was happening.

I passed lots of folks into the wind, soloing my way around. Anyone joining me, if they surged I was gone. Looking at the watts, I tried to keep sweet spot into the wind but even failed miserably to do that. Towards the end I was struggling to maintain 160W into the wind. Just dismal. I wasn't hungry. But I had nothing for some reason. I tried downing a gel to see if that would perk me up but it did nothing.

Heard a voice from the side lines shouting my name a few laps to go. It was a mate who had seen me. His cheers really helped get me lap to lap to the finish. Thanks so much for that! My second last lap, passed lots of folks. they seemed to be waiting for the clock to run out rather than ride another lap. Me. I was angry and disappointed with myself so I pushed as hard as I could to try to beat the clock so I could get another lap in. Made it! One more hard lap later, I sprinted for the line with what I had left. Finished. Quite literally. I managed to scape 18th in the over 40s in the end. Happy enough I guess all things considered.

After this, the best thing was seeing @Kangaeroo on stage! He was taller than wider when he climbed on top of that 1st podium step! Well done mate!

Well done also to @sean-e and @Elzico2012 also. @sean-e kept me alive when I felt like quitting and @Elzico2012 was inspirational riding in that for 5 hours. Great job!
 
The break during the 5hr was again a real killer and the last 30mn really physically demanding under that hot and gusty weather. That
After checking my back tire, I discovered a really tiny and thin piece of metal, like a wire, that was stuck, no more than 1mm coming out inside the tire. That was the cause of the recurrent flats I experienced.
 
Let's see. Weight before race - Weight after race = 2.9 kg. Two hour race so I guess I did 1.45kg/h.

I think my problems were definitely heat related. I wonder if sunscreen choice makes a difference also?
 
I wonder if sunscreen choice makes a difference also?

I could see the sunscreen was causing you to drag, so that's why I didn't take up your offer for some, so I think you probably should have gone for a red sunscreen as it is more aero.
 
Let's see. Weight before race - Weight after race = 2.9 kg. Two hour race so I guess I did 1.45kg/h.

I think my problems were definitely heat related. I wonder if sunscreen choice makes a difference also?

that's waaaaay too much dehydration. you lose a significant % of performance with just a little bit of dehydration
 
@Kangaeroo ...... you won using a BROMPTON ?!?!?
You register for your first ever Enduro........ WIN it...... using a BROMPTON!! Mad respect. You may actually have some Kangaroo lower body strength.
 
It's not nearly as good as it seems. There were only four people in my category, one of whom was wearing a business suit and riding a mamachari AND had ridden the 3-hour enduro immediately before our race.
 
That seems like a lot of punctures for two hours (?) of riding on a closed course...

I was in the 5hr
a kind of tiny and really thin metal,wire, was stuck, in the back tyre no more than 1mm coming out In the inside. It caused some slow punctures. Discovered it after the race.
I must have got it when riding over this old flattened rusty can that was lying on the course.
This course has actually a lot af small gravels on the side, really prone to punctures. and within an industrial area, it is with no surprise that tiny metals can be on the ground along the 5km
 
It's not nearly as good as it seems. There were only four people in my category, one of whom was wearing a business suit and riding a mamachari AND had ridden the 3-hour enduro immediately before our race.

This guy was I think in the 5hr flat bar cat. He is a regular. I saw him everytime I went to Kawaski , and in Makuhari in the past where Bike Navi used to organized some enduros.
So, it was really 3 strong contenders chasing after you. No doubt about it.
 
that's waaaaay too much dehydration. you lose a significant % of performance with just a little bit of dehydration

Yeah, as I think more about the event, I probably lost quite a lot of water in the morning with my upset stomach and subsequent diarrhea problem. I thought it was all behind me (pun intended) but I guess I should have concentrated on hydrating more given those issues.

Looking at the TrainerRoad power graph for that race is just depressing. Anyway, I think I have learned another lesson.
 
Yeah, as I think more about the event, I probably lost quite a lot of water in the morning with my upset stomach and subsequent diarrhea problem. I thought it was all behind me (pun intended) but I guess I should have concentrated on hydrating more given those issues.

Looking at the TrainerRoad power graph for that race is just depressing. Anyway, I think I have learned another lesson.

I feel I should remind you that racing isn't about sustaining the most watts you can do for as long as you can.

Yesterday I went two seconds faster in a Strava segment while making 15 fewer watts.
 
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