Mike rode well, turns out falling on arse opens his legs up.

I just looked at the numbers for those who like them - for the 1:29 of my riding until I had to go:

Avg - 273w

xPower - 289w

Normalized Power - 294

eragot said:

Ahem, 333 for first 10min...

Craig London said:

Btw ragot and perlberg killed it on the second course. I stand by my story I was sitting up to find a clif bar when the break went.

-- File under Mentoring as well - Goal setting, planning, mental preparation for races --

No Marc,

If I am going to a race, I have a plan for that race - fitness or winning. I don't think I'll gain either from Grant's. In terms of fitness, I could double up and gain some fitness, but it's crit fitness. Additionally, while it appears I can ride a trainer well, I don't think I'm doing the specific training for success at Grant's. Further, Grant's conflicts with my buildup for races I care about. I'll be at Branchbrook, doubling up on my races the day of Grant's.

My first Crit will be Rahway. Which will come after my race build up commences and is in full swing. March will see the shorter 5 min efforts begin. April will have the 3,2,1 min efforts show up in my training. So, Rahway will at least let me be on the way towards racing fitness and I can have a legitimate shot at winning. I like to use the race as a marker of my fitness to let me know if I'm on the right track.

Come May, I'll be in race shape as I define it - properly ready to go with a base of fitness that is being used to sharpen my racing fitness and abilities. So, to that end, Orchard Beach becomes the first test of my training. The payoff is the Memorial Day weekend. 

I've found that given my limited training time and recovery abilities, I can bring my fitness level up to that of the best in NYC, but I can't maintain it there for as long. By the middle of June, I am done with my peak / plateau. I will still race, but expect little and my racing turns to fitness and helping teammates achieve thier goals. Personal ambition pretty much is gone, except if the opportunity presents itself.

If Grant's was in the summer, I'd happily race it - either as a race in my peak window, or as part of my more careless summer racing. As it sits in the calendar now, I will not enter it unless compelled to do so. I just don't see the compelling reason to spend as much time getting to and from the race as I will spend for Branchbrook, but getting less out of the race.

eragot said:

Nobody asked yet. Further, the time for asking from teammates should be sufficient to allow teammates to prepare).