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Race The Training Thread

I have several wedges under my cleats, both road and mtb, to get the fit just right.
Same here for my MTB shoes, but they fortunately come with my cleats and I have plastic rings on my Eggbeaters to close the gap (the tread on both of my MTB shoes has worn down so that the shoes are not flush with the axle, which translates to play).

The off the shelf insoles are wide. If you take out the insole that comes with the shoe, you can trim the new insole to size.
That is good to know. Hopefully that means I can use off-the-shelf insoles then.

Japanese have supposedly wide feet, which is why brands like Sidi make Japan specific shoes.
I have wide feet and I can definitely say that this is not true in my experience. I really struggle to find (non-sports) shoes that fit me.

The cycling shoes I got to try are hopelessly narrow, I can't even put them on, which is really a pity, because I really dig the design of Giro's fabric cycling shoes.

Anyway, assuming the insole is bigger than the one in your shoe, you should be able to make it work.
I'm a bit worried about the total height, though. My insoles on my regular shoes will only fit in some shoes and not others.

One problem I have now is the my heel bone is narrow so even with the heel cup tightened to the max it is loose, particularly on the right foot. I only notice when running up sandy banks. Now I'm using thick hiking socks which helps a little but I may look into some kind of padding.
Ugh, that sucks. Shoes are like saddles, one size does not fit all.
 
Brilliant wasn't it? When the second guy Aerts crashed on the last lap and struggled to get going again, I thought he'd thrown in the towel.

Later it was revealled...

4 ribs. 2 cracked. 2 broken!

He's leading the series so of course he started the next race at Zolder, only to be knocked off on the first corner! It was ex champ Stybar's fault, so he shepherded him all the way to the finish. Fairytale stuff.

Andy
 
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Same here for my MTB shoes, but they fortunately come with my cleats and I have plastic rings on my Eggbeaters to close the gap (the tread on both of my MTB shoes has worn down so that the shoes are not flush with the axle, which translates to play).


That is good to know. Hopefully that means I can use off-the-shelf insoles then.


I have wide feet and I can definitely say that this is not true in my experience. I really struggle to find (non-sports) shoes that fit me.

The cycling shoes I got to try are hopelessly narrow, I can't even put them on, which is really a pity, because I really dig the design of Giro's fabric cycling shoes.


I'm a bit worried about the total height, though. My insoles on my regular shoes will only fit in some shoes and not others.


Ugh, that sucks. Shoes are like saddles, one size does not fit all.

No shoes fit me in Japan as I am size 11/12 UK/US.

If you go to a good shop with a good stock of insoles, I'm sure you can work it out.

Good luck!

Andy
 
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Brilliant wasn't it? When the second guy Aerts crashed on the last lap and struggled to get going again, I thought he'd thrown in the towel.

Later it was revealled...

4 ribs. 2 cracked. 2 broken!

He's leading the series so of course he started the next race at Zolder, only to be knocked off on the first corner! It was ex champ Stybar's fault, so he shepherded him all the way to the finish. Fairytale stuff.

Andy
Incidentally, did you see the video of Pidcock riding CX? I heard he was pretty good at that too. I'm guessing the Brits don't have much heritage in CX, right?
 
Incidentally, did you see the video of Pidcock riding CX? I heard he was pretty good at that too. I'm guessing the Brits don't have much heritage in CX, right?

Yes he was 3rd in that race you linked to? It looked like he was going to bridge to the two leaders at one point. I wikipediad him on the strength of that. 20 years old and world champion in different disciplines as a junior. One to watch for the future.

I've only literally started watching cyclocross this week! So don't know much about the heritage. Although the 3 peaks is supposed to be epic!

Andy

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I just did my first group proper fast group ride in the states in over a year...

I got smoked. LOL. Not too bad for a 12 year-old borrowed bike on cheap tires, I guess. More importantly, it was only my second time on a bike in the last 10 days...

Oh yeah, I hit my max heart rate; 186. I wonder if its easier to hit max HR when you haven't been riding and have reduced blood plasma?
 
I just did my first group proper fast group ride in the states in over a year...

I got smoked. LOL. Not too bad for a 12 year-old borrowed bike on cheap tires, I guess. More importantly, it was only my second time on a bike in the last 10 days...
Don't worry, keep at it. There will always be people who can smoke you no problems. That's the way I feel when riding with the other team (who are in E1, and at least some are hoping to transition to pro).
Oh yeah, I hit my max heart rate; 186. I wonder if its easier to hit max HR when you haven't been riding and have reduced blood plasma?
That would make sense: your heart needs to pump harder if it wants to transport the same amount of oxygen.
 
I just did my first group proper fast group ride in the states in over a year...

I got smoked. LOL. Not too bad for a 12 year-old borrowed bike on cheap tires, I guess. More importantly, it was only my second time on a bike in the last 10 days...

Oh yeah, I hit my max heart rate; 186. I wonder if its easier to hit max HR when you haven't been riding and have reduced blood plasma?

Maybe you are just well rested?

Looking at your heart rate curve it looks like there was a big surge where your HR went right up. After that you are in the race zone?

What's your LTHR?

Andy
 
Maybe you are just well rested?

Looking at your heart rate curve it looks like there was a big surge where your HR went right up. After that you are in the race zone?

What's your LTHR?

Andy
Not sure. Maybe 170?

After I got dropped by the pointy end of the ride I fell back into a second group, but that was too hard, so I dropped into a third group with a pace more my....pace.
I suspect I wasn't being efficient enough because I could tell I was using way too much power to stay with the group. I might have stayed on longer if I had held the wheel better.
 
I feel I should mention I've been doing the keto diet siv
Don't worry, keep at it. There will always be people who can smoke you no problems. That's the way I feel when riding with the other team (who are in E1, and at least some are hoping to transition to pro).

That would make sense: your heart needs to pump harder if it wants to transport the same amount of oxygen.

I feel I should mention I have been doing the keto diet again since just before New Years. Haha.

This group had some cat 1/2 racers and triathletes.
 
A real hard week of training last week.

All killer and no filler as they say.

The usual blog link and cut and paste below.

Cheers, Andy



「40 minutes race pace」

last week's training

after the disappointment of a DNS at Chiba
I dived into a hard week of training

40 minutes of race pace
is the main

at my level CX races are 30 to 40 minutes

so 40 minutes race pace is good simulation

・sunday: superprestige C5 (39:44), CX endurance, gym

・monday: superprestige CB6 (41:49), CX endurance

・tuesday: superprestige C5 (41:23)

・wednesday: CX endurance, gym

・thursday: superprestige CB6 (42:13)

・friday: superprestige C5 (39:20), gym

・saturday: kakuda CX superlong x 2 (36:00), middle CX x 5 (33:00)

again the volume is low
but with 40 minutes of race pace on 6 of 7 days
the intensity is high

by kakuda on saturday the legs are dead!

great fun with an allstar cast though!

5 of us will stay in the same hotel at Zao next week

too much beer and it could be another DNS!

time to rest up again
and try to bring out the form

here we go!
 
Did Not Start as opposed to Finish.

Both are annoying. But the latter arguably more painful than the former!

Andy
I know the abbreviation, just wondered why you didn't make it to the finish line. Unless you're like me and forgot your shoes!
 
I registered with JCF and will be joining a JBCF team soon. I have been looking at all the races suited for me (or at least close to me) and there's definitely no shortage of races to do if I have the time and money. The furthest I am willing to even entertain is Osaka.

My computer was broken, but I built a new one, so its about time to start training again...
 
Zao CX tomorrow. Not sure if I'm ready or not!

The usual blog link and cut and paste below.

Cheers, Andy



「ready for zao?」

the zao CX tomorrow
two weeks ago I did a really hard week of training
last week I did almost nothing!

sunday: rest
monday: rest
tuesday: easy ride
wednesday: taper intervals
thursday: taper intervals
friday: easy ride
saturday: pipe openers

two days off
with a drinking party it was good timing!

back on the bike on tuesday
but I don't feel good
it can't still be a hangover?!

on wednesday and thursday still feeling down
I use zwift to get some intensity
335W x 90s x 5
but the heart rate doesn't rise

DNS news
two guys sat next to me at sunday's party
both have influenza!

danger alert!

friday
two days before the race
feeling a little better
should be a rest day
but I feel I should turn the legs over
zones 1 and 2

saturday
pipe openers
at last the heart rate responds
good sensations

let's see what we can do tomorrow!

here we go!
 
Good luck for the race. If you see someone on a steel CX bike that's likely a team mate of mine.

Meanwhile I've been sick for two weeks and it is driving me up the walls. I want to train, but I can't. Argh!!
 
Good luck for the race. If you see someone on a steel CX bike that's likely a team mate of mine.

Meanwhile I've been sick for two weeks and it is driving me up the walls. I want to train, but I can't. Argh!!

A lot of guys ride steel bikes actually.

These two guys from Niigata (Niseko champ Tazaki san on the right) are on Toyo steel frames. Indeed the national CX champion also rides Toyo.

Andy

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