A solid week's training for Raid Corsica

Five back to back quality sessions this week took my weekly TSS above 600 with 9 hours on the bike. I'd love to have this time every week, but I think my wife would kick me out and the kids would disown me.  


Time commitments, riding lessons, clients and shocking weather meant I was confined to the garage for three days. Nowadays, I look forward to my indoor sessions in the torture chamber with my companion and coach TrainerRoad.


Feeling refreshed on Coyote Wednesday; one hour of VO2max intervals, with a tasty little 12 minute Threshold session to round things off. 


Looking good on Thursday, I smashed Tallac; three evenly spaced 15 minute sweet spot sessions. Another good session. I fell like I could ride in that zone for hours, which is what I'll be doing in the mountains of Corsica come this time next month. 

Friday I thought I'd mix it up a bit with a TrainerRoad / Sufferfest combination - The HUNTED. This session is not for the faint hearted; children and adults of weak disposition need to be removed from the area. It gets ugly. Very Ugly.

Saturday was a gentle 30 miler, with a little lung opener to beat my PB on a local STRAVA segment. Not only did I smash a PB, I am now King of the Mountains. Check that baby out.
  

Come Sunday, I was starting to feel it a little in my legs, so I 75 mile club run  in heavy wind up to Ivinghoe and one of the highest points in the area was just the ticket. I felt great for the first 50 miles, then the hunger set in and I was going through the energy gels with increasing regularity. However, 4 STRAVA Achievements for the ride is not to be sniffed at. I earn't my Sunday roast after that.


So, over 9 hours of riding and a TSS nudging over 600; same again next week then.

Ride in the wind

I headed out on Sunday with the Bicester Millenium Cycling Club - the regular run over the Chilterns out to Benson. It was good to see two other STRAVA 'friends' on the ride.


Heading out to Benson was fast with the wind behind us, and it was a delight to climb the 2 mile Aston Hill together as a group. There are not many continental style climbs in this area, but Aston Hill has hair pin bends, good surface and a steady incline.


However, the ride back was somewhat different; flat and into a gusting head wind. Rather than amble along, 12 of us made a pace line, doing through and off for 90 minutes and average 19 mph on the return leg. Quite a few energy gels were being consumed in desperation as the pace and distance took its toll.


75 windy and hilly miles in 4 hours, that's not a bad pace! TSS - 232, KJ expended - 2425. I slept well last night.