Training for a 600 m race

[NickF]

Did my fourth run today. Unfortunately the GPS from the mobile phone went crazy and it didn't record accurately, it appeared I run through people's yards and the return point is earlier than the real return point. Instead of over 2 km, it only recorded 1.6 km. The results are bad. I don't know if I can trust the total moving time (12:47), but I remember when I got half-way, the time was 6:12. If the total time is correct, it would make an average speed of 9.39 ... 9.86 km/h (assuming I run a total distance of 2000 - 2100 m). Anyway, next time I run, I can see if my time is comparable with the one from today or if it is worse. I had my mobile phone in a waist belt, where it bounced, but I had this setup another day without issues.

[NickF]

Today I cleaned my bike because last week it started squealing. I washed it with car detergent and I degreased the chain and cassette with mineral turps. Then I washed it again and used some engine oil to grease the chain. Now it runs very well. I forgot to remove the excess oil from the chain, so it splashed around. I intend to buy some citrus degreaser, but it's either in small quantities (and expensive) or in too large quantities. I'll probably buy a 5 liter drum.

Today was windy and although the wind direction was not quite right (wind coming from West), my segments have some portion of them going NNE, so I had a bit of advantage.

On Twin Gums today I got a 1:01 and a 1:00, therefore improving my previous PR by 1 second. It was the hardest earned second, I pushed myself as far as I could. I am now on third place, shared with another rider.

On Banks Reserve, I also improved my time by 1 second (today I did 0:32, 0:33, 0:32, 0:31). My fastest time happened when I was well warmed-up, returning from a 20 km ride. I am now KOM (second place) together with another rider, both with 31 seconds.
In fact, the graph comparison shows I am still slower by about 1/3 of a second.

Before the ride today, I worked on myself - I shaved myself, shaved my eyebrows and underarms, plucked my eyelids and nose hair, used the strongest moisturizer on my skin and I left home my undies, to save a bit of weight and be more slippery. I noticed people were paying more attention to me, probably because I am in top shape!

I will need to train some more, lose some weight and success is inevitable... provided no other better rider decides to take on my segments

[foo on patrol]

Before the ride today, I worked on myself - I shaved myself, shaved my eyebrows and underarms, plucked my eyelids and nose hair, used the strongest moisturizer on my skin and I left home my undies, to save a bit of weight and be more slippery. I noticed people were paying more attention to me, probably because I am in top shape!

You what?

Foo

[NickF]

Before the ride today, I worked on myself - I shaved myself, shaved my eyebrows and underarms, plucked my eyelids and nose hair, used the strongest moisturizer on my skin and I left home my undies, to save a bit of weight and be more slippery. I noticed people were paying more attention to me, probably because I am in top shape!

You what?

Foo

You know, to improve my aerodynamic coefficient. One can't become number 1 without making some sacrifices
Now, children, don't try this at home. Or, in other words, don't believe everything you read on the internet

NickF

[Peter A]

Nicely landed N, lol

All in the floppy T shirt and footy shorts ?

[kb]

Before the ride today, I worked on myself - I shaved myself, shaved my eyebrows and underarms, plucked my eyelids and nose hair, used the strongest moisturizer on my skin and I left home my undies, to save a bit of weight and be more slippery. I noticed people were paying more attention to me, probably because I am in top shape!

You what?

Foo

You know, to improve my aerodynamic coefficient. One can't become number 1 without making some sacrifices
Now, children, don't try this at home. Or, in other words, don't believe everything you read on the internet

NickF

Pretty pointless anyway. Skin suits are quite a bit faster than skin

[NickF]

Pretty pointless anyway. Skin suits are quite a bit faster than skin

I didn't know that, thanks for telling me.
Is that a cat you're holding? I've got seven of them (and none of them were mine)! I'm the crazy cat lady from The Simpsons.

NickF

[NickF]

Today I set a new PR for the Northcott 2 M7 segment (1.89 km). The three roads were clear of cars, so I didn't have to wait while crossing them. I had to slow down for a couple with a dog on an alley though. My previous PR was 4:47 (from 30/06/2019) and my new PR is 4:28. One strategy I used was to limit my energy for the entire length of the segment. I also did a few sessions of training on the exercise bike for 10 minutes each, to increase my endurance.

Before I was working too hard in the beginning and running out of energy toward the end of it. I am now in position 37/489, with an average speed of 25.4 km/h.

My next goal is to improve my time by more than 8 seconds, which will bring me on first page and top 25 riders.

[Peter A]

Up and away Nick, keep on peddling

[NickF]

Up and away Nick, keep on peddling

Not today though. I'm listening to Sandra, "Everlasting love" and Pet Shop Boys, "It's a sin". So 80's

[NickF]

Today I had my first day where I rode over 100 km (total 105 km). It is also the first time when I used a heart beat monitor (I purchased a Kyto). I started the day with a race from Northcott 2 M7, where I improved my time from 4:27 to 4:17, which places me in position 22/491, on the first page (that was my previous goal). My next goal is to get faster by 10 seconds, I think it is achievable in a few months.

Yesterday I've been a naughty boy, I didn't eat decent food last night, I just ate chocolate. Last weekend I didn't ride, I mowed the lawn instead and ended up with sore legs.Today I didn't feel in top shape so I didn't attempt a record on my short segments. I was very surprised I managed to obtain such a good time, when I didn't force myself to the max. I tried to keep a consistent effort along the segment. I didn't expect to beat my previous record.

An even bigger surprise was finding what my maximum heart rate was - 190 bmp. That is very strange for me. Almost 20 years ago I found out that if I do strong efforts at the gym, when my pulse was reaching about 140 I was feeling really bad - the image was becoming black and I had to sit down.
Sometimes it happens when to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, I suddenly feel really bad and I have to sit or hold onto furniture. It doesn't happen often, maybe once every few years. Last time it happened to me about two months ago.

In the past, three different doctors during routine checks sent me to see a cardiologist. I ended up twice at the same expert. First time he told me I am ok. Second time, a few years later he got a bit pissed off. He told me not to get so emotional when a young female doctor listens to my heart That happened over 20 years ago. Since then, I had no checks on my heart, that I can remember of.

I was looking at a table with the maximum heart rate depending on age and for old chaps like myself, is 169. What happens if I exceed this value? Do I die? What if I lie about my age, can I use a higher value?

[Derny Driver]

I was looking at a table with the maximum heart rate depending on age and for old chaps like myself, is 169. What happens if I exceed this value? Do I die? What if I lie about my age, can I use a higher value?

Im trying not to comment on this thread ..not sure if you are taking the P$$ , have psychological problems, or seriously think Strava segments are a "race" or a measure of anything ....
anyway, I'll bite
Maximum (and minimum) heart rate is unique to each individual. Charts dont mean anything. Some people have very high maximums, some low. I wont bore you with examples.
The heart is a muscle, you cant hurt it. Its not like a car engine where you if you rev the crap out of it for too long it will blow a piston. The heart has an inbuilt rev limiter. If you have the necessary adrenaline and external stimuli to allow you to go to your maximum heart rate, nothing will happen. You will eventually get tired and have to slow down / ease the effort.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, you should see medical advice / counselling

[foo on patrol]

I was looking at a table with the maximum heart rate depending on age and for old chaps like myself, is 169. What happens if I exceed this value? Do I die? What if I lie about my age, can I use a higher value?

Pffft, I get mine over 200bpm and I'm in my 60s.

Foo

[Peter A]

Keep knocking up the Km's Nick, you prob didn't think (3 months ago) that you would cover 105KM in a day, nice work, yr getting fitter.
I asked my Doc. 18 months ago if 173bpm that I'd spotted on the garmin was going to kill me, what did it mean ?
He told me I was "just fit" and don't worry about it. Seen it 180+ since and (AT) late 60's see that the charts don't quote anything like that, let alone FOO's 200+ in his 60's.
Keep enjoying the bike, chocolate, beer or whatever, it's all good in moderation

[Arbuckle23]

.. you are taking the P$$

My vote

[NickF]

Im trying not to comment on this thread ..not sure if you are taking the P$$ , have psychological problems, or seriously think Strava segments are a "race" or a measure of anything ....

Derny Driver, thank you for your feedback. I take all the feedback very seriously, especially since this is the *second* time this week when somebody is questioning my mental integrity. My complaint on Woolworths' Facebook page about not finding toothpicks in the local store for over two months attracted a lot of attention: https://www.facebook.com/woolworthsmeme ... on_generic. I received heaps of comments and advice and some people even hinted that I may be "a few sandwiches short of a picnic"! By the number of upvotes, I can assess other members of society feel the same about myself. My post even got on the Woolworths Memes page. It was a memorable event, I will cherish it for the rest of my life!

Anyway, my thoughts are - if one person says you are drunk, you can ignore him. If two people say you are drunk, you'd better go do sleep. In my case, I'll just go to Woolies, maybe they brought in those toothpicks!

I should probably get some of those ooshies. I considered the people who collect them are crazy! In my stupidity, I thought they are just five cents pieces of garbage rubber intended for (and collected by) three-year olds. But then I read that some people make good money by selling them on ebay: https://www.communitynews.com.au/wester ... es-online/.

anyway, I'll bite
Maximum (and minimum) heart rate is unique to each individual. Charts don't mean anything. Some people have very high maximums, some low. I wont bore you with examples.
The heart is a muscle, you cant hurt it. Its not like a car engine where you if you rev the crap out of it for too long it will blow a piston. The heart has an inbuilt rev limiter. If you have the necessary adrenaline and external stimuli to allow you to go to your maximum heart rate, nothing will happen. You will eventually get tired and have to slow down / ease the effort.

Sorry to hear you feel dragged in all this nonsense. But you shared good information, thanks for that!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, you should see medical advice / counselling

You mean a psychologist, or a psychiatrist?

[NickF]

Keep knocking up the Km's Nick, you prob didn't think (3 months ago) that you would cover 105KM in a day, nice work, yr getting fitter.
I asked my Doc. 18 months ago if 173bpm that I'd spotted on the garmin was going to kill me, what did it mean ?
He told me I was "just fit" and don't worry about it. Seen it 180+ since and (AT) late 60's see that the charts don't quote anything like that, let alone FOO's 200+ in his 60's.
Keep enjoying the bike, chocolate, beer or whatever, it's all good in moderation

Thanks Peter, you are a real friend. You support me through tick and thin and never lose trust in myself.
Good to know others reached high beat rates and haven't died (yet).

[foo on patrol]

Keep knocking up the Km's Nick, you prob didn't think (3 months ago) that you would cover 105KM in a day, nice work, yr getting fitter.
I asked my Doc. 18 months ago if 173bpm that I'd spotted on the garmin was going to kill me, what did it mean ?
He told me I was "just fit" and don't worry about it. Seen it 180+ since and (AT) late 60's see that the charts don't quote anything like that, let alone FOO's 200+ in his 60's.
Keep enjoying the bike, chocolate, beer or whatever, it's all good in moderation

Just as a point of interest, Derny Driver has meet me and can vouch that I'm no skinny arsed youngin.

Foo

[Peter A]

Howdy Foo, seen yr pic somewhere, no idea where, you are indeed as you say and never doubted yr integrity. What I
was saying is that the charts commonly available online don't go close to fit cyclists MHR at given yrs of age.

The nature of forums is that we all have a bit of humour/fun/stir/hang sh*t etc etc, it's not real personal
stuff Nick

Keep knocking up them K's Nick, enjoy the fitness from the bike.

[NickF]

Some time ago I read about experiments on kids (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_gratification). Some mean scientists give one marshmallow to children and tell them that if they don't eat it for fifteen minutes, they will receive another one. The children who can't (or don't want to) resist the temptation are then added to the loser kids group, while the rest are said to be more successful in life. I remember when I was about four, I had a toy. I was on the street and another kid I didn't know saw my toy. He said he has a bigger and nicer toy and if I give mine to him, he will bring his toy for me. I gave my toy to him and he went home, to bring his toy. I waited and waited but he never returned. Based on my own experience, I think the children who wait for the second marshmallow are "naive". My parents didn't teach me back then that sometimes people lie. Or maybe I am just bad at doing business. Anyway, I realized that my impatience of checking my results before I finish the rides is also proof that I can't delay gratification, therefore I belong in the group of loser kids.

Today I went out for a short ride. It was windy and pretty cold. The wind did not favor my segments and I didn't have any success improving my time on the ones I tried. One of the few significant results I had today is on the segment called "FB Stink Sprint" (https://www.strava.com/segments/1365530?filter=overall), where I reached position 780/14940. I can't be any prouder than knowing that famous people, such as the rocket-man Gary Williams or memorable names such as Ted E. Bear and Gaylord Forker also visited this segment.

[NickF]

Today I worked to improve my time on the Northcott 2 M7 segment (1.89 km). With a bit of help from some tailwind, I reduced my time from 4:17 to 4:08 and I am now on position 16/491. I feel I can improve my time about another 5...10 seconds because today I had to wait for two of the three roads to clear for around eight seconds. Because I am lazy, I go riding around 11 am and that is a time when lazy drivers also go places. If I went an hour earlier, maybe I'd find less traffic. Two hours earlier seems impossible for me

I also tried to improve my time on the short segment Banks Reserve (310 m), but I am stuck at 0:32 seconds (I've done it six times). Only once I finished in 0:31. If I'd do it in 0:30, I'd become KOM on the segment, but these two seconds require more work than what I'm currently doing. Maybe I'll train mid-week on the exercise bike, which I haven't used in a few weeks. I think just three minutes of high intensity training on Tuesday and Thursday could help me improve my time.

Today I've done a 43 km ride and I discovered I can go up on the small hills in the highest gear of the cassette and the second gear of the chainset. It was quite a pleasant surprise, it seems I become more fit.

[Derny Driver]

Today I've done a 43 km ride and I discovered I can go up on the small hills in the highest gear of the cassette and the second gear of the chainset..

Strengthies in the 53-11

[Peter A]

After a bit over 2 months training Nick and worrying about a KOM, you have barely started on your
riding fitness. Get real - LOL

Respectively suggest to keep at it over Summer/Autumn, compare times then to now, you might (will) be surprised.

(Enjoy the journey, it's often better than the arrival.)

Nice work BTW.

[dave_cyclist]

Yom Tov (Hebrew for good day) Nick and all, I'm Dave, interestingly I ride my Shimano on my trainer on most Yoms (Hebrew for days) to see what the top speed is without limitations, I ride about 600 meters, similar to the Samford sprint, where I have the following records (47.8, 50.8, 48.1 kmh). My latest figures for the Shimano trainer: Top speed: 78.1 kmh, Average speed: 36.1 kmh, Calories: 16, Distance: 750 meters, Odometer: 31 km, Time: 0:01:24 min. Attached are some pictures of the bike and trainer, please enjoy! Todah (Hebrew for thanks) Dave

IMG_20240217_105044 by Dave R, on Flickr

IMG_20240219_034503 by Dave R, on Flickr

IMG_20240219_034513 by Dave R, on Flickr

[Mr Purple]

Wow, I can't believe I missed this one, but in my defence it is 5 years old!

I assume the original poster was joking. Because this is the segment here:

https://www.strava.com/activities/26253 ... 6358307488

Two seconds looking at that one and the KOM will be 2% rider strength, 2% wind direction, 0.1% equipment choice and 95.9% the willingness to ride it in a completely antisocial way. It's twisty, narrow, flat and a shared path in a park.

Reckon I could top 45km/hr through there if I were willing to be antisocial enough (which I wouldn't). I see the original poster ended up making it to 7th at 34.9km/hr so he may not have actually been taking the proverbial!