Training Summary :: 23rd - 27th January, 2012

A week of racing opportunities this week but decided on just the Early Bird Time Trial on Tuesday morning and the Australia Day Criteriums at Technology Park on Thursday morning. Sunday did offer the option to do the second Summer Series Criterium at Technology Park or the Jim Thompson Memorial Criterium at Rockingham with WCMCC but I decided early in the week to just do the events during the week.

With so much on, it was going to be crucial that I not over-train and burn myself out before Thursday's criterium as this was my first Cycling Australia open event and I wanted to be sure I had enough energy in reserve to perform at my best.

After squeezing in the hills ride on Sunday and with the impending time trial on Tuesday, I made a point of not going out too hard on Monday. My usual Shelley Bridge loop via the Narrows is always a good option and allows you to ride at either a comfortable pace or belt out a blinder. Obviously the comfortable option was employed.

The weather was kind on Monday morning with only an occasional puff of wind and the temperature gauge showed a comfortable 23°C so not as hot and humid as Sunday. Not out to break any records but still managed a couple of 2nd and 3rd best times on Strava.

Followed up the mornings ride with a commute to work and back again to keep the total kilometres up and continued to keep the achievements coming. On the way home the cycle path between Taylor St and the Causeway was completely clear so I managed to get in a cheeky sprint over the 600m span and extended my hold on the segment on Strava with a KOM extending 54.5 km/h. Nothing like improving on the sprint training. I even managed a 6th overall between Belmont Park and the top of the hill at Riversdale Rd overpass (Aqua Skate on Strava) which has a tough little kick at the top.

Tuesday morning entailed the last of the ATTA Early Bird Time Trials. Kind of glad they're over and done with but I'll miss the usefulness of them in tracking progress. Maybe I will just have to keep putting myself through them every second Tuesday morning just to keep tabs on things. I'm very glad that Tuesday afternoon's debilitatingly hot easterly winds were not there during the morning's event. Read my ride report here.

With the Australia Day Criteriums up tomorrow I decided I would use Wednesday morning's training ride to do a little reconnaicence work and include a couple of laps around the Technology Park course as I am yet to race there.

After Tuesday morning's effort with the early bird time trial I was once again not out to set any land speed records and kept the HR to a comfortable E1 average. Temperature was beginning to rise and by the time I had reached Tech Park it was already 30°C.

Went around the course a couple of times and noted the sharp(ish) corners coming into and out of Sarich Way that would need to be taken with care in a group race such as a Crit. The corner coming out of Sarich Way and back onto Brodie Hall Drive was a good one with a nice short rise up to the finish line. This could prove to be useful if I am feeling stronger than the bunch and could use it to my advantage. Will have to wait and see how the race pans out but the rise doesn't seem too difficult.

Finished the ride with an easy 31.4 km/h average over 44 km and feel ready for tomorrow's race.

Not quite how I was hoping the race would pan out on Thursday morning, but then Criteriums are full of surprises and one should never expect a race to go according to one's plan all the time. Read my race report here.

After a full week comprising a time trial, criterium and training, I was hoping that Friday would be a chance for something a little less intense but was daring enough to go with the SPR Friday Canningvale Loop with the intention of dropping of the back and finishing solo if it became too much. I guess most of the people who arrived this morning had the same mind-set and there was only the one strong effort put in along Riverton Drive to Shelley culminating in a mad sprint to the end.

Looking forward to riding with Group 1 with the Garland Crew on Saturday morning. With my son Jordan getting back to cricket on Saturday morning this will be the last Saturday morning group ride I will be able to take for a while so I plan to make the most of it. See you there if you are riding.