May Flyer
I'd Been in the pain cave on the Turbo using Trainer Road though the November Out-season, Get Faster programme and then the HIM plan (now at week 17). I've struggled with the longer weekend turbo sessions on the HIM plan -2hrs was the maximum I could survive without mentally losing the will to live. This year I've only had 3 rides outside in the fresh air - the longest was 56 miles at 0.80IF. So you can imagine my trepidation heading into this weekend -Am I going to get round in one piece? Has my training paid off? How am I going to ride 96 miles as an ABP ride at 0.80IF at 180W...
The plan: Lets use the ride as a RR... practice nutrition, pacing, flatten the hills, learn from the experienceNutrition Plan 250-350 cals:
Hourly: (total 433 Cal)
188 Cal:High5 Energy Source (45g, 2 scoops) in 750ml bottle
245 Cal Clif Bar
or
(total 397 Cal)
188 Cal:High5 Energy Source (45g, 2 scoops) in 750ml bottle
160 Cal HoneyStinger
92 half banana
Pacing & flatten the hills
Ride smart: 1st Hour easy @ 0.70IF, followed by remainder at 0.80IF. No peletons!
The actual execution:
Nutrition
Only drank 4 bottles in 6hours = 125 Cal/ hr. With the solids worked out to be 370 Cal / hr. Peed twice in 1st 3 hours. Tweaks needed.
Pacing & flatten the hills
1st Hour easy @ 0.70IF, followed by remainder at 0.80IF.
5hr 53mins Av Speed 16.1 Av HR 139 (78%) Av power 179 NP 186 IF 1.04 TSS 456
Dropped into lowest gears on hills spin, keeping to power to max let everyone go, get to top, hammer past everyone coasting on the down hills (huge smile on my face) Do this again !
Had the opportunity to chase small peletons - decided not to - they dropped me as they surged on the hills, I chased them down hill, caught up, they surged again, I let them go...just stuck to my watts.
SO the important stuff: What I learnt.Nutrition
1) Need to look at liquid intake over the ride I had 4 bottles in 2.5 hour = 125 Cal/ hr or 370 Cal/hr with solids. Wondering if changing to a pure liquid intake (Infinit 350Cals) is the right thing to do. (note I cramp regularly,often when I'm dehydrated) - Thoughts on this?
2) I had a low spot after about 3-4 hrs where I didn't want anymore sweet liquid. I was craving something salty, solid or not sweet! Any suggestions on this ?(Bacon Sandwich comes to mind!!)
Pacing:
1) Patience, Patience, Patience. Believe in & execute the EN plan. It does works. (pre-ride admission 1 - I didn't believe this!)
2) Keeping the watts down on hills is hard with everyone else disappearing off at the beginning. You WILL catch them on the other side (pre-ride admission 2 - I didn't believe this!).
3) Ride your own race - stick to your watts and ignore everyone else around you (pre-ride admission 3 - I didn't believe this!).
4) Its a fabulous feeling to be knocking out the same watts as at the start and leaving your mates for dead on a long drag at mile 70. Even more fun hammering down the other side (same watts!) knowing that they are still suffering on the hill (over the last 12 miles they lost 15mins!). I now believe in 1,2 and 3!
I also finished in the top 33% of those who rode 
So I'm a very happy (yet slightly tired) bunny (Mr mojo is back) and feel that I am going to be OK in my upcoming HIM in 4 weeks (although some work is still to be done for the IM 14 weeks away). However,thinking about the downstream effects, recovery etc the swim tonight and bike tomorrow is going to be interesting.....
Thank you EN team members. I've been sitting here all day grinning !
Graham