22nd February 2009 - MOD Chertsey 4th Cat

Preparation - Week 4 - Block 1

07:00am - Wakeup

• 7 hours sleep
  
• Heart Rate 62 / 80
• Weight 75.8kg

Really heavy sleep, was fast off when alarm went off. Dreamt again, same as before Hell of the Ashdown. Heart rate a lot higher, still feeling the effects of the fitness test yesterday. Legs feel tight.

10:00am - MOD Chertsey 4th Cat Race - 10 Laps / 20 Miles

Aims

• Focus on keeping a good position i.e top 10 - stay out of trouble
• Concentrate on breathing to recover
  

Result

• Bunch sprint after approx 53 mins racing
  
• Finished approx 40th out of 85 or so - Results.

Positives

• Kept in the front 10 for 7 of 10 laps
• Descended and cornered fast without any problems
• Felt very strong on the hills, using the steepest ascent to reposition into the top 5-10 on 7 laps
  
• Awareness improved
  

Negatives

• Having to brake sometimes, but only a few times when problems up front
• Stayed on the front too long on one lap and wasted energy
• Wasted energy on penultimate lap finishing straight by trying to stay in touch with top 10, when at the end of the straight the bunch all came together anyway
• After losing energy couldn't reposition as easily on the climbs, hit the last climb in 30th position and lost another approx 10 places in the sprint
• Didn't make myself uncomfortable at any point, didn't get out of the saddle once.

Summary

• Work on short efforts into the red zone and breathing to recover
• Don't waste energy riding too close/on the front
• Within reason don't waste energy trying to keep position on the home straight - save efforts for the climbs/descents to gain position
• Neck a gel with a few laps to go to keep the tank full
  
• Need to be in front 15 coming into the shicane on the last lap
• The race is much more enjoyable and safer in the front 10!
  
• More efforts out of the saddle!

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