Oh Round 2… why so much climbing?
That’s OK, great opportunity to work on that sustained power!! Let’s go!
@Coach_Theia do you have some tips on how to race these hillier courses? Try to stay with the lead group from the start or hold to a particular zone that’s sustainable? I’m still trying to work out how many times I can go into the red zone and recover early on to stay in the front group without paying too much of a penalty later in the race.
1 Like
Well you knew it was coming after the “flat-ish” routes last round. 
But I could have done without the NYC climbs.
@janesimmonds will get back to you here soon.
1 Like
A bit late in posting for today’s race: Everything Bagel.
This is a POINTS race, so segment times/FAL are worth more than finishing points.
This route is all about survival, so pacing only comes after/if you get dropped. You will need a solid warm up, do it thoroughly and with enough time because you will need to go hard right away. Be ready to go all out for the first 10 minutes.
After the first climb (remember to keep pressure on in the downhill), if you get dropped, ride Tempo and see if you can connect with another group.
No matter how you slice it, this is simply a hard, painful course, so just embrace it and treat it as training!
This is a POINTS race, so take a look at this post which has helpful tips/trategies
1 Like
@Coach_Theia Since this is a longer course with a lot of climbing, I worry about going all out in the beginning, burning matches, and being unable to hold power later. Is there a w/kg or power number I should shoot for and/or try not to surpass?
@laurasibson has that ever happened to you?
see also
1 Like
Oh, yes, more than once! I find that if I go hard at the beginning (like 3.0 w/kg which is around 115-120% of my FTP) for a while, like 10 mins or more, then I have a lot of trouble even reaching tempo pace later in the race if the race is over 45 mins. I don’t know if I’m going anaerobic and then can’t recover or what, but yeah, that’s what happens to me in races.
Make the first KOM arch your goal, that’s about 5 min, power will be up and down with surges, use high cadence, don’t hold one pace of a certain power the whole time. Trust your fitness, use 90-100% as your floor for the segment. Set trainer difficulty at 50%.
2 Likes
Thank you so much, Coach! Not only for this tip, which helped, but for all the excellent training over this last year, which is clearly paying off because I felt fantastic during this whole race! I mean, yeah, maybe I wanted to puke during the last KOM 
but I stayed with it and overtook a couple of women during both big climbs and ended up more than satisfied with my overall performance 
I was even able to pull a teammate through the finish when her legs gave out. 
(That anvil was amazing for me! Totally allowed me to drop some women after the climb.)
3 Likes
That was a great race. I felt strong on the first KOM and caught quite a few people. Managed to form up with a bunch of 6 from there until the final KOM where 3 of us broke away and passed more riders. I got a cramp as I stood to sprint to the line but managed to hold off the rider on another team. I am definitely feeling the benefit of the training. I had a good high cadence up the hills, never felt like I was going to blow up, got good rest and recovery with the bunch. It’s given me a lot of confidence.
4 Likes
I could not be more excited to read everyone’s experience in yesterday’s race! This is a testament to your discipline and hard work That first KOM decided my race. The group shattered there and I did what I wrote above- I mentally made that my “finish line” to then deal with the rest of the race as they came. It worked, and I was in a breakaway group of 8. We maintained a ~1 min gap on the field for the whole race.
I had to have a gel right after the KOM because I felt depleted. That helped. Then at another point I felt this huge drop in energy, like my soul was leaving my body, so I had a small bag of gummies. Again, that helped. I consumed 1.5 bottles of electrolytes/carbs during the race. Two of the riders in our front group rode away from the field with about 5-7km to go. No one chased and I thought how’s that even possible? Come to find out, they were A and B racers who got downgraded from not racing over the summer (one is a semi-pro and the other is an internationally ranked Triathlete).
And as a result of chasing them I am now back in B.
7 Likes
Super congratulations @Coach_Theia on a spectacular race and finish AND added bonus of the cat up to B!! Much deserved!! Well done.
3 Likes
I read the race advise and tried to soak it in but knowing how I’m doing lately I knew I couldn’t hold on to the front group nor match my last performance on this route. Last time we raced this I did 1:15 with 2.5 avg and avg HR of 158. And finished in top 5. This time I knew I couldn’t do it. So I set a goal of 1:15 min at whatever that took. I just about made it. and my avg. HR was 164, and @ 2.1 . I came in 16/36. I wanted top half so just about made that too. I was so surprised and thankful for @Covi 's messages while I was racing. It was so nice having a cheering squad (of 1)! That last bit just did me in. My legs were ok, my breathing was just not having it. I hope I’ll get there. I was satisfied with my result for now.
5 Likes
I was with a good group for a bit, but my chain was slipping on the KOM and I lost the group. NOt sure why it was happening because it didn’t happen earlier. But it was nice having them for a time. They tried for the sprints, I just tried to hang on. Really didn’t have the endurance yet to do it. Congrats on the upgrade @Coach_Theia
2 Likes
I’m sorry but I chuckled out loud when I read that bit, @Coach_Theia Now you know you can hang with the best!
And this bit: “like my soul was leaving my body”
Isn’t this just racing? Lol.
In all seriousness, super impressed with your effort. Also, I’m glad to say that for this race, as least, my soul stayed firmly planted in my body. I used a full bottle of Skratch, which I started 30 mins before the race. I learned during the race that I cannot do Clif Blocks when I’m working hard. I just can’t chew! I’m breathing too hard lol. Live and learn, right? 
2 Likes
First off @PaleGail crushed it from the start in our race. She took control and never surrendered it.
Having already raced 3 days of FRR (like 6 hours and who knows how much climbing)
My goal was to try to hang in the front half for the first 20’. I am not a climber as my weight is such a disadvantage going up. I took to heart the race preview/comments. I wanted to make the break and keep as close to the front as possible on the climb.
Race started off and immediately the pack broke before we hit the climb. Made it into the front pack and drifted about. Hung on up the climb (this is where Gail really made her move with a consistent effort) and crossed the line just in 6th place. It hurt for sure, I was pushing my HR and really working to control my breathing. Fought the downhill and around and hit the sprint in 5th.
Kept trading positions between 5/6 as another rider snuck up on me from 7th on the last climb and moved into 5th. Tried to catch her but it wasn’t happening. I’d start to close the gap and she would drop some watts.
Mis-timed the last sprint so not a good time but held onto 6th place finish
Legs were sore and dead, hit 8 week PR’s in the 2,3,5,10,15,20,30,45 and 60’ efforts. Felt good to race this hard.
Also never got a feather, always got an anvil before the climb.
4 Likes
It’s so amazing to see so many of the 360Velo family racing ZRL!
I think I’m the only one that likes the NY routes so don’t judge me …
Yesterday I had a good race, tried my best to stay with the front during the first climb but got dropped quite early. Was able to hang onto the second mini group of 6 ladies and we pretty much stayed together for the rest of the race. The pace after the KOM was quite manageable for me so I even tried the sprint segments just for fun and to my surprise got some FTS points in the 2nd one. You all know I’m not a sprinter, but I guess no one really tried because my mini watts got me 3rd place 
And for the end of the race I knew I still had energy left for a good push so went long and dropped everyone in my mini group and finish the race in 10th.
My team races in C1 but when we have more than 6 available we have an overflow team in C3 so that’s where I raced yesterday. Have I been in C1, my finishing position would have been much closer to the middle of the pack but both my zFTP and zMAP increased quite a bit from my race so I’m happy with my effort
4 Likes
Awesome race! Great job hanging with the group and finishing strong, those FTS points are a nice bonus!
1 Like