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Race Kawasaki Marine Enduro - 25th October 2015

GrantT

Maximum Pace
Oct 2, 2012
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Sports Entry page
This is the same race @xDOMx and I did back in June, same course, same organisation, but now in October!!!! xDomx and I will be entering one race wiser, to be joined by our crit-specialist over from Europe @urt. If the race rides anything like last time it should be easily winnable by a strong breakaway with 3 laps to go. But last time was boring, so the more fast-men coming to mix it up, put in some digs, speed up the pack, and generally ignore any self-appointed race marshals at the front of the lead group the better.

The best thing about this race is it's actually really easy to get to from Tokyo. I'll be riding there and back from Setagaya-ku. The worst thing about this race? That one guy on a flat bar hybrid still in the lead group after 3 hours.

Deadline for entries is 13th October

Getting there: The event is held on an island of reclaimed land. If you are riding there you need to go through a pedestrian underpass to reach the island. The entrance to that underpass is linked here.
Underpass entrance is THIS:
Underpass2.png
Here
Underpassb1.png
Here
Underpassc2.png
 
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I've put up link to the Sports Entry page where you get to enter and all that stuff. There are 2, 3 and 5 hour enduro categories. The organiser's page seems to disagree with Sports Entry on whether there is a solo 5 hour enduro category. I'll phone them up and confirm. Anyone entering or need help with entering or have any questions about last time post in this thread!

Edit: The 5 hour enduro category is not a continuous 5 hours of riding. It is 3 hours, then about 2 hours rest, followed by the last 2 hours.
 
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Are you 3 entering as a team / group? (is that how it works?)
 
Are you 3 entering as a team / group? (is that how it works?)

Entering as single members but working together (where at all possible).

The team version is that only one person can be out at any one time and you have to do a sort of 'pit stop' switch of the leg band thing.
 
Entering as single members but working together (where at all possible).

The team version is that only one person can be out at any one time and you have to do a sort of 'pit stop' switch of the leg band thing.

Cool. Yeah, that makes sense. Might come and join you.
 
Tell me if I'm taking it too seriously but...

In my mind, the most 'true to life' training for this event is Oi Futo.

The loop at the enduro is around 5km and involves a few super harsh corners but longish straights (see https://www.strava.com/activities/334394256 - my first stint at the last event. Apologies for the slow time...).

In theory we could go smash a few hours pace lining down at Oi Futo one Sunday and see what average speed we could keep.

The Oi Futo (short) loop is 7.1km (see https://www.strava.com/activities/380477245 - it's named 'Oi Futo Short' I think).

Anyhow, just an idea and, again, perhaps taking it too seriously.
 
The only training for this happens when you are on the front of the paceline, pulling as hard as the guy you just took over from, for as long as you can go. Minutes at a time is where the fitness and power raises. This can be done anywhere flat really.
 
The only training for this happens when you are on the front of the paceline, pulling as hard as the guy you just took over from, for as long as you can go. Minutes at a time is where the fitness and power raises. This can be done anywhere flat really.

My point is really on dynamics as we haven't all ridden together before.
 
I think we all know how to ride in a paceline by now :)
 
I think we all know how to ride in a paceline by now :)

Of course we do and I get your point.

I'm sure @GrantT will agree that it is very packed as an event and the course isn't so wide.

This means that a pace line may not be so easy to keep but practice before, I guess, won't assist with that!
 
There are also two 180 degree turns in the course, multiplied by 25 laps assuming the 3 hour enduro category, which will equal 50 accelerations from less than 20 kmph to at least 40 kmph.
Last time there was a large lead group of 3 hour enduro riders (teams and solos) going round and round at about 40 kmph for pretty much the whole 3 hours. There were a few guys on the front (self-appointed marshals) who wanted to control the pace and everyone else listening to them because, well, Japan? There were no serious moves from the front of that group, apart from me, for the first 2 hrs 55 minutes. They sped up a bit in the last two laps and that was it. The group was massive which made drafting really easy, with the only real work being done accelerating out of the 180 degree turns. If the same thing happens, I think a small group could wait it out for the first chunk of the race, get off the front when the pack are in 40 kmph 'follow' mode, build a lead then paceline to victory.
 
I might join @Tuomas in the "team B" 3hr slot. Think there might be a couple more people interested

@GrantT, @Heath, @urt, @xDOMx, @TCC I presume you have signed up for the 5hr ? What time event did you do June (edit - just seen you did the three hour having just found the June link)

How does it work with three different time limits? (sorry I have never done anything other than some cyclocross races before) Does everyone race round the same course and at one point a few people speed up and then wrap off at their alloted time limit?
 
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^ Not sure what's best as far as training goes, however...

Winning this will require a good race strategy.
We have 2 guys who've done the race. That's a plus.
We also have a lot of strong riders and to boot, some have had a lot of racing experience, so there are a number of options available.

As far as strategy planning goes, a group chat (on here) may be the go.
We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry to know what our race strategy is.
 
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Just called up about the 5 hour category. The "King of Enduro" category is basically the 5 hour category for road bikes only. There are less entrants in this 5 hour than the 3 hour, but the 5 hour category is meant to be for more experienced (better?) riders. The 3 hour and 5 hour entrants start at not quite the same time. What happens is, there is a rolling start with the 5 hour (King of Enduro) people rolled out first, and the 3 hour people about half a lap behind them.

In June, I think what happened is that by the end of 3 hours, the larger group consisting of mainly 3 hour riders had caught up with the fastest of the 5 hour group (which was a relatively very small group by that point). That means the large group also dragged along bunch of dropped 5 hour riders with it, who were by then rested from drafting in a large group,
 
Oh... That's boring... No one is watching you can keep it here so us poor sods who can't join you can cheer your plan on! Ha ha ha!

As far as strategy planning goes, a group chat (on here) may be the go.
We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry to know what our race strategy is.
 
I can say, personally, that I am not up for the 5 hour (at this moment in time).

Whilst I have trained hard this year and am, in my view, 'getting there', I don't think I could have a sustained 5 hour effort comparable with any of you chaps.

To me the 3 hour, whilst maybe slightly less challenging for you guys, represents the best chance for success overall (but you guys can do whichever is most suitable to you).

As to what @GrantT was saying about the course, it is a kind of 'L' shape and the turns are sharp. There were no crashes that I was aware of last time but, from the way some people were riding, there should've been (!).

As any child of the 80's/90's will know, Microsoft Paint is the only worthwhile editing tool for pictures and, to my mind, the yellow stars below represent both the most dangerous and the most energy consuming turns in the course:

Enduro.jpg
 
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