Mt Coot-tha training

[jasonc]

headwind going up coot-tha this morning was unappreciated

It's been nasty. Any time there's a notable headwind on an average 9% climb you know it's significant!

Makes a huge difference to my times, can add a good 20-30 seconds if it's blowing at the wrong angle.

Felt the headwind on the first one so just took it easy today. Hopefully Friday is nicer

[jasonc]

there's glass between 1/3 and 1/2 way down the slip lane going down the front

[jasonc]

back burning on coot-tha. the smoke is unpleasant on the lungs

[Mr Purple]

back burning on coot-tha. the smoke is unpleasant on the lungs

Seemed to have cleared today.

Tried something different today and simply had '3 second power' rather than my usual segment data including estimated time.

Worked well for maximizing segment power (355W today). Not so well for the actual time (8:16). Mind you there was a headwind again and being colder air density makes a surprising difference. According to Bikecalculator the difference with that power up Cootha back between 25 degrees and 10 degrees is 7.2 seconds. That's remarkable.

[jasonc]

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5tyDJFvr3dcL1JWE6QtQPF

The backside podcast. Thename is a homage to the coot-tha back climb. They are suggesting we should be using a different segment as our yardstick. It's called "the backside"

[Mr Purple]

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5tyDJFvr3dcL1JWE6QtQPF

The backside podcast. Thename is a homage to the coot-tha back climb. They are suggesting we should be using a different segment as our yardstick. It's called "the backside"

Apparently I have 7:52/382W for that one - faster than half the guys on the podcast which surprised me!

[bwdftp]

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5tyDJFvr3dcL1JWE6QtQPF

The backside podcast. Thename is a homage to the coot-tha back climb. They are suggesting we should be using a different segment as our yardstick. It's called "the backside"

I've been saying this for years - it's much closer to the full climb!

[Mr Purple]

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5tyDJFvr3dcL1JWE6QtQPF

The backside podcast. Thename is a homage to the coot-tha back climb. They are suggesting we should be using a different segment as our yardstick. It's called "the backside"

I've been saying this for years - it's much closer to the full climb!

So is it true you don't carry a water bottle? I'm enjoying the podcast but aren't sure how much of it is just in jokes!

You know you've made it when you've been mentioned specifically on the podcast. I don't think I'll ever get there, except maybe in a 'look how slow this guy is for a given power and ridiculous HR because he does the whole thing standing' sort of way.

[Mr Purple]

Highest power since March of last year this morning, 359W unfortunately wasted into some dense (cold) air and a solid headwind in an 8:11.

3 seconds off the 'Poddy' segment glory for the week, though someone will no doubt reset that by Monday. Weirdly averaged 362W over that longer segment.

[Mr Purple]

Little 'twang' on standing on the pedals at the base of the mountain today.



Still managed a 7:57/361W into a gentle headwind. Fastest for me since October last year.

Inevitably the local Team Bridgelane rider did a 6:49. So I'm not even the fastest person in my street today.

[jasonc]

coot-tha back number 1600 this morning

edit: the smell of smoke on the climb is just about gone

[bwdftp]

coot-tha back number 1600 this morning

edit: the smell of smoke on the climb is just about gone

Good consistency Jas. 2000 is only a couple of solid years away.

[jasonc]

coot-tha back number 1600 this morning

edit: the smell of smoke on the climb is just about gone

Good consistency Jas. 2000 is only a couple of solid years away.

Thanks bwd. If only they were getting easier

[Mr Purple]

Well, I've officially achieved internet glory by being mentioned on the Backside Poddy as the third fastest for the week. Must have been a slow week.

Also got a comment about the ridiculous heart rate and how they'd like to do that time with only 361W which is nice.

No more climbing for me, can't beat that. Endless river loops from now on.

Time to take the tool kit off and try to knock a few more seconds off.

[jasonc]

I'm about 3 weeks behind on that pod cast. But kudos. I know I won't get mentioned. Slow, fat and old isn't worth talking about it

[Mr Purple]

Mate, your persistence deserves it alone! I think you have about ten times as many Coothas as I do.

Failing that they do have a ‘slowest of the week’. Full kudos to some of the guys doing it in 24 minutes. That is seriously impressive.

[jasonc]

24 minutes? Ouch
I remember once getting a puncture just after the 2000m mark. I was on track for sub 10. Tyre went straight down. Can't remember what I did that day

[Mr Purple]

Nasty up there this morning, probably should have worn sleeves.

Second highest power for me with 363W. Not particularly fast though. I blame the dense air and westerly. Probably doing the first kilometre at 404W average for 3:01 was not particularly clever either, but some dude passed me on a Dogma on the flat bits near JC Slaughter and needed to be discouraged from giving chase.

Some idiot has written off their AMG Mercedes into the armco in the first 500m. No idea how they've managed it - skid marks coming downhill and straight into the barrier. Mind the descent, there's a lot of front end damage to the car and oil all over the road.

[jasonc]

saw that car. looked fresh. plenty of what i hope was coolant over the road. decent hit of the barrier

and the temperature descending was not pleasant on the face

[Mr Purple]

The driver has made a real mess of it. I only caught a glimpse of the wreck but it seemed to be an A45/A35 AMG variant so FWD biased AWD.

You could see the skid marks indicating he lost it heading downhill on one of the right handers. The speed required to manage that in a decent performance car would be absolutely massive, and I suspect you'd also need every driver aid including traction control switched off. It's gone head first into the armco and indented it a good 50-60cm so it would have hurt.

Just glad it was probably overnight with no cyclists around.

[jasonc]

looked like a sedan to me so maybe CLA45

[Mr Purple]

Embarrassingly it seems I’m fastest overall this week on the longer podcast segment.

Honestly the actual fast guys must have been taking it easy! Probably not worth wasting energy into a cold headwind.

[jasonc]

Congrats Mr Purple
Also remember there was smoke a few days that isn't nice on the lungs

[Mr Purple]

Congrats Mr Purple
Also remember there was smoke a few days that isn't nice on the lungs

I suspect it's just that conditions were bad enough that no-one else was keen to give it a real crack. There's probably 50+ riders in Brisbane capable of doing a faster time than me.

Though it was 6W/kg on the dot for an 8:14 which was a second all time PB for me so I'm happy enough. 180bpm average which was actually a little down on usual, I imagine because it was so cold.

[warthog1]

Great power Mr P!