New FUN Thursday TS rides for 2014

[Plawless]

I have been chatting with a few folks and think that a great ride to add to our quiver would be a Thursday TT / TTT ride. Think of it as a fun ride that also helps your FTP!!

The Goal = 2 hard 12'-20' intervals followed by a social ride to coffee (

6:00 - Pareto - roll out as 1 group straight up Foul Bay to UVIC.
Upon arrival at Ring Rd (Car pullout on right after Henderson entrance where the parking pay thing was) break into small 3-5 person groups of similar strength. Then leave slowest to fastest groups at 30" intervals.

A's shoot for 4-5 laps, B/C try for 3-4 Laps. Then meet back at defunct parking pay station. 4-6' rest then go again.

Cardinal Rule - Cant drop a group member so be smart and fluid.

After second set meet at same place then head straight back down Foul Bay to Fairfield then ride around to Cook St Moka.

Any interest?

Peter

[wonger]

Any interest?

yes.

[chrisb]

sounds interesting to me

[Stéphane Tran]

Definitely interested.

[Anika]

yes! yipee!! yup yup!!!!

[Paula]

Interested. Good to have another option.

It sounds similar to what Lister did with us for TTT in the summer. It was very painful, but very good.

Is Alan going to be keeping the road clear of deer?

[MDAWSON]

Great idea Peter, I'm totally in. the more rides the better. See ya next thurs!

[Fozzy]

Sounds good to me Peter.

[John D]

Hi all....

Just to clarify - although there appears to be considerable interest in establishing an "official" Thursday ride of some sort, nothing has been decided yet. "Official" TSC rides are those that are formally sanctioned by the club and which, as such, are then covered by our insurance policy through Cycling BC.

The TSC Exec is meeting next week to begin discussing suggestions for a Thursday option. In the meantime, if anyone want to provide additional input, please send it along.

Thanks,
John (for the TSC Exec)

[Lister Farrar]

Interested also.

[stevierooks]

Are we a go for tomorrow AM? Im in.

Rooks

(BTW. what's an FTP?)

[Lister Farrar]

Are we a go for tomorrow AM? Im in.

Rooks

My understanding is no. John wants the club to think this through and add to official ride list first. There's a meeting Friday to discuss.

[mfarnham]

I'm happy to go without insurance, if others are going.

Martin

[Lister Farrar]

We're just finalizing the insurance. Exec not keen to have a club ride that is not properly registered with CBC. Might even be done now. Will check.

[Lister Farrar]

The ride has been added to the list of official club activities with Cycling BC for insurance purposes. So it's on starting this week.

Please note a major change from Peter's original post; the meeting place is at UVic at 6:00 am, at the pullout just east of the Henderson entrance to the ring road. Where the map was. This is because the ring starts to get busier at 6:45 or 7, so we can get the intervals done with less traffic, then cruise to coffee.

The A's and more experienced B's can probably figure out their own teams etc; they do this in their jams most weeks. For others not sure about riding a short pace line at a higher intensity for 15-20 minutes, I will be available to help out if needed.

Mostly its about 4 like-minded individuals agreeing to show up together, roll out and do short turns, waiting a lap or so to really feel the effort. Then adjust length of pulls from 5 -30 seconds to maintain the speed, leaving enough to get back on the back. Intensity should be hard, but so that you can recover just before you start your next turn.

When the TS teams did this to train for the BC TTT champs last summer, stuff we noticed for newer riders was learning to gauge the higher pace on the front. Its windier on the front at this pace than our normal rides, so you have to push harder, but not so hard you lift the pace and cook your team mates. Too high a gear, and you'll not be able to match the subtle speed changes on the rises. Too low, and you'll accelerate too easily, or not be able to keep the speed. Also, swing off before you're cooked; your turn's not over until you get on the back.

The best coaching is from your team mates: only you know if your team mates pulls are working for you. Tell them 'good pull' if they've got it right, 'steady' if its too fast, 'we're good' if they need to lift the pace or shorten their pulls.

Logistics and safety: some thoughts from the exec meeting:

• Do the intervals on the left side of the ring road, single file except when changing. Change to right.
  Unless there's very strong cross wind, then switch sides to pull off into the wind each half lap
  Watch ahead for pedestrian crossings, deer
  When completing an interval, stay single file so traffic can pass, then stop at the pullout to discuss how it went.
  Do intervals by time; doing them by laps will lead to significantly different times for different teams, and we won't be able to ride to coffee together.
  Coffee is at Cook st mocha after to allow a cruisey warm down

Who should do this?

Anyone who wants to lift their threshold power, i.e. the intensity where you tt or ride in a breakaway. Its harder than typical TS pacelines, but you have to touch the ceiling to lift it, right?

Anyone who wants to improve their paceline skills. You don't know if you've really got it until you do it when you're on the edge of blowing up. Most people can ride for hours in a chatty double line; but can you gauge your pulls to make that break stick? Or tow a flat victim back to the pack? Get home in time for the babysitter when the ride has gone long? Hold onto a bunch of people who are stronger than you on a group ride?

[Rolf]

I'm very happy with this addition to our rides. More ride day options are always a good thing!

I did a few mornings like this last Spring with Lister, Sig, Martin, Mike L. and others in the lead-up to the Dallas Rd. TT. They were a lot of fun. And like doing Wednesday hills, after only two or three such sessions I noticed an improvement in my overall conditioning.

In addition to increased strength and endurance, these rides offer two unique aspects in contrast to the other regular TS rides:

1. 1. The increased concentration required to hold your line, mete out your effort and generally be aware of your three buddies—where they are and how they're doing—makes the workout positively zip by. There is a lot less going on mentally on our typical rides, which instead have long cruisy spells punctuated by short bits of higher effort and concentration.
   2. Endorphin production is proven to be higher when people exert towards a common goal alongside each other. L'esprit de corps is a biological reality. Here, your "team" is smaller, but you're much more aware of and involved in each other's workout. Positioning and effort are all executed with reference to each other, in a much more acute way than pulling at the front of a group of 20. Therefore, the sense at coffee that you've been part of a mutual struggle, that you've accomplished something as a valued and necessary member of a team, is sharper, deeper, and more satisfying.

[/list]

It's no coincidence that a fireteam of four soldiers is the primary unit on which most British, American and Canadian infantry organizations are based.

[Lister Farrar]

Bump. Hoping to see lots of hammermates out tomorrow. Sig, Chris, Ritchie, shall we reprise our oh so close defeat at the hands of IRC? Maybe get a head start on a rematch? Paula, Shawn, Wendy, Kristin, Kate, Michelle?

I'm looking for a b2-pace team to ease back into training since the plague and sciatica. But willing to ride with anyone that wants help (and I can keep up with ).

See y'all at Uvic at 6 sharp.

[MDAWSON]

Great! Looking forward to these rides, unfortunately can't make it for the official inauguration tomorrow though.

[bikehart]

We had one group of 6 or this morning...B pace here is my data:
http://connect.garmin.com/splits/434518343

Hugh

[Wighty]

I love the sound of these rides. Is there a policy on TT bikes and aero bars for these? Realize there is some danger there but would love to have more time in my TT position.