Tuesday AM Paceline

[Plawless]

well it seems that a bunch of folks are feeling their FondoFitness! We had a great paceline group this morning. It only broke apart a few times and when it did we got re-organized to chase fairly quickly. Shawn was terrifying! Plus Chris F was with him (a bad combo). Then later Josh abandoned the group a la Roland which caused further pain.

Stats here: http://connect.garmin.com/player/48987038

[Roland]

I survived one lap of the box.

[Rolf]

I rolled out with the second group. We were only nine to start. I felt awful all morning -- might be fighting a cold or something. Thanks to those who waited for me at times.

Turning on to Henderson on the first (or second?) sprint lap, Ryan and Carly were off like a shot and we splintered pretty quick. That was the last I saw of the tandem. Guys: may I suggest that when your legs feel that good and you're going to ride off into the sunset anyway, you join the big boys and roll out first? When that tandem gets going, it's like the TGV.

We dropped some and picked some others up and were nine cruising through the Uplands to KGT. John got us going in a paceline that felt very smooth -- once the initial impulse to jump at the front subsided. I'm used to the much more jerky (and tiring) experience of pacelining Blenkinsop with a group of 20+. It was a real treat to see how efficient it can be in a smaller group.

[AdamD]

I think everytime Shawn attacked he was just trying to get away from the sound of my squeaky pulley

[RyanC]

Hey Rolf,

My apologies for the TGV effect. The train was intended to sacrifice and give a long leadout rather than sprint with the group. Ironically, we made life difficult for everyone. Call it a failed experiment. I am looking at a revision of my off season training plan and am not sure which group best fits right now. Not having ridden a transitional season with TS before, I wonder when it changes over to winter LSD rides. I am not convinced I can ride at the same intensity throughout the next six months and still have legs next summer.
Ryan

[Rolf]

Oh, no worries Ryan. I think it's great if you want to pull an early attack / long leadout -- but if everyone knows you're going to ride away and not regroup post-sprint, it may change some riders' decision to stay on your wheel or not. That's all.

I wonder when it changes over to winter LSD rides.

Man... have I been missing out!? I rode all winter last year and the only hallucinations I had were either cold-induced or from having a light without enough lumens.

[Josh.E]

Not having ridden a transitional season with TS before, I wonder when it changes over to winter LSD rides.

I never experienced that happening last winter. I think at best we moved the "no attack" zone to the end of hollywood crescent for safety. I also had hallucinations through many of the winter rides, but they were usually endorphin induced.
I'm with you though, I also want legs for next summer, and I'm going to start dialing back the intensity for many of the weekly TS rides for the fall, and do quite a bit more weekly miles, both outside and on the trainer.

[shawnc]

Only because this thread is still at the top, here are my stats from yesterday morning: http://connect.garmin.com/player/49124953

The only hallucination I saw yesterday was the unicorn that kept flying 50 metres ahead of me and goading me into pedaling harder and faster. How could I back down from such a challenge?

[Josh.E]

do unicorns fly?
I thought that was a pegasus. I'm sure roland could clarify.

[wonger]

Hey Rolf,

My apologies for the TGV effect. The train was intended to sacrifice and give a long leadout rather than sprint with the group.

And I thank you! It was fun to get stuck in behind that train and actually take a sprint. I figured that you guys kept going only because it's tough to slow that thing down once you're up to speed.

[Lister Farrar]

Hey Rolf,

My apologies for the TGV effect. The train was intended to sacrifice and give a long leadout rather than sprint with the group. Ironically, we made life difficult for everyone. Call it a failed experiment. I am looking at a revision of my off season training plan and am not sure which group best fits right now. Not having ridden a transitional season with TS before, I wonder when it changes over to winter LSD rides. I am not convinced I can ride at the same intensity throughout the next six months and still have legs next summer.
Ryan

Thanks for saying so Ryan. Now, if I could just figure out why Peter was Burnsiding* during the warm-up this am from the start point... Holy crap, it was carnage before we got to Oak Bay High. Of course it might have been Brian "Most leg per unit height" Elworthy who was beside him. Who, by the way, was flying on Caddy bay today. Guess the fast warm-up works. Or is it the once-a week-program that's working Brian?

On the modifications for winter, I was wondering the same thing. For now, the C group seems to be progressing rapidly on the technique/timing side on the sprint days with a jam at the end, and in power benefits from hills. I think they could still use those. C riders, thoughts? The B and A groups might want something different.

(*New verb, meaning to lose control of your 'Let's jam NOW, damn the riders still clipping in from the stoplight' sensations.)

[John D]

On the modifications for winter, I was wondering the same thing. For now, the C group seems to be progressing rapidly on the technique/timing side on the sprint days with a jam at the end, and in power benefits from hills. I think they could still use those. C riders, thoughts? The B and A groups might want something different.

Hi Lister....I'm of two minds here. I like riding with the C-group on Tues/Fri, as (i) it tends to be smaller, and (ii) I can practice improving my cornering/sprinting skills with like-minded riders while also getting (iii) tutelage from yourself and a few others.

However, I also like the faster pace of the Sunday rides. I'm usually one of the only "newbies" riding with the big boys....which gives me a chance to put into practice what I learn on the weekday C-rides.

Cheers,
John