Power Data from the 100 Mile Fling

I thought I would post the Power Tap data from my 2nd place at the Fling and try and get my head around what extra I need to do for next year to pull all the time back on Big Dennis.

Entire workout (200 watts):    

Duration: 7:49:17 (7:49:17)

Work: 5521 kJ

TSS: 361 (intensity factor 0.679)

Norm Power: 231

VI: 1.18

Distance: 162.825 km

Min Max Avg

Power: 0 791 200 watts

Cadence: 30 229 75 rpm

Speed: 0 58.3 20.8 kph

Peak 1min (433 watts):

Peak 5min (309 watts):

Peak 20min (270 watts):

Duration: 20:01

Work: 324 kJ

TSS: 26.7 (intensity factor 0.896)

Norm Power: 304

Peak 60min (235 watts):

Duration: 1:00:01

Work: 846 kJ

TSS: 68.9 (intensity factor 0.83)

Norm Power: 282

 

Looking at the power needed to be sustained over the duration of the event it is clear that nearly 2.8watts/kg is not enough. I am a little heavy at the moment having come off of a campaign of time trialing so some gains could be made there for sure. Looking at some data from Jeremiah Bishop from the states who won the Mohican 100 he averaged around 25 watts more and sustained 3.25 watts/kg ahead of a good class American pro field. What this does mean is that Big Dennis would be right up there and could win these big enduro events in the states with the sort of form he had this year at the Fling. Looking at the power chart shows good pacing through the event and I was able to sustain around 260 – 310 watts on all of the climbs without any issues for the whole duration of the event. My feeding and hydration were spot on with 7 x 700ml bottles of TORQ and a Gel each hour along with 4 slices of Vegemite bread for the sodium spread out over the ride. I also had a can of red bull for the final 60 minutes.

Power Graph from training peaks of 100 mile Fling

Well then what to do?? My best race weight is around 67kg’s so I am 4 kg’s over that at the moment and this has a big impact on performance, especially in a MTB event. My 60 minute power FTP is around 345 watts at the moment and I should be able to lift my percentage sustained to at least 70% IF 0.70 instead of 67% IF 0.67 which I held for the fling. This along with my reduction in weight should see a fair few minutes come off my time next year, lets wait and see.

Fenz

 

The Fling and Things

Well what a great weekend of racing I just had, coming off of a peak for the World and National Masters games I am always a little unsure as how long I will be able to hold my form once the real training stops and the maintenance starts. With a heavy workload at the moment with lots of programs and clients to look after it has been about 6 weeks of 5 – 7 hours a week of training tops. 2 weeks ago I managed to win the local elite Road Race Champs for the first time which was very pleasing, a solid race where I decided not to just keep smashing myself leaving nothing at the end. It came down to 6 of us and a little sprint saw me take the win.

It is great to have a bit left in the tank

This weekend was an open elite criterion on the Saturday in the lovely town of Berry on the south coast of NSW, followed by a 100 mile MTB race the Highland Fling on the Sunday. Two very different races and with the crit being a hot dog it was going to be interesting for sure. I decided to ride the 40 km to the race for a warm up but didn’t bank on the big North Easter blowing up and creating a block headwind the whole way out, bugger. The legs felt tired before I had started! The race was on from the get go, with the likes of Aaron Donnelly some Institute riders the National Masters 2 road race and crit champ and with a few other good sprinters it was always going to be fast. Each corner saw 1000+ watt spikes in power followed by some threshold efforts and another 1000+ watts effort. This was the race up and down with riders getting dropped left right and centre. After about 15 minutes there were only about 12 of us in the race and after a few attacks it was a small bunch of 3 away with a chasing group of 6 then a small group trying to get back on. I was in the small group of 6 and with about 10 to go 2 riders clipped off the front and left us to sprint out for 6^th. With $$$$ down to 7^th and some money on the first local rider it was looking quids in. In the end a hectic sprint saw the young guns push me into the dirt on the right and blocked me for 8^th!! Where is the respect for you elders guys ;o)

Leading the group

The legs were a little tired, but I was looking forward to Sunday’s epic. The race started quite fast and Dennis Van (the man) Mill was setting a good tempo. 5 of us clipped off the front and then got lost, letting around 100 or so riders get in front before the first bit of single track!! Arse!! I was running road shoes and pedals and getting off and running was difficult and getting back into my Keo’s a bloody nightmare on rough single track. Dennis managed to get up in front and I never saw him again. I settled into my own little race and worked on hydrating and eating, not wanting to blow up again due to poor discipline. All went very well and I had a blast of a race, never pushing that hard and having fun. I came in 2^nd in 7.43 with a little in the tank if I had needed it. A great race all round and I am looking forward to next year already for sure.

The 100 mile podium

It will be all go again now in prep for the National ITT champs in Ballarat and the Jayco Bay Crits, before we start getting MTB specific for Wildside, National XC and Terra Australis.

Lots of this in the weeks to come

See you on the trails (or the road)

Fenz