Trying to find a good work/intensity/volume balance at the minute. I’m probably erring on too much intensity but I think that’s the good thing about doing a few months higher volume- I’m always fresh on the easy spin home still. Whereas back in my racing/reduced volume days in 17/18/19, I would be hanging coming home!
Last night was the Newbury Velo chaingang. This one is a little shorter and we were asked (indirectly) by the club not to smash it too hard as it ‘puts people off’
So off we went. 4 from NV and 5 from Tuesday nights etc and it didn’t feel very easy to me! Partly that was because I hadn’t ridden on Wednesday so had sticky legs and partly because it was a headwind, but luckily there was another bigger rider who was finding out what I’ve been on about all these weeks- if you’re out of the peak of the bell curve for weight, then the first 10-12 miles are killer! I helped pace him back within range and assured him we could get back on during the descent and sure enough, we did.
Then, with awake legs and a tailwind, I was buzzing on the way back. The other big guy dropped away and Nick helped prove my bell curve theory even more- he’s out of the peak on the low weight side! So all my pulls felt like a surge to him. I had no sympathy as that’s how every climb makes me feel
Anyhow, I played a few games once we got within 5 miles. Pulling a little harder and then moving over without dropping back- forcing the lightweight chap to have to go harder to pass me, hopefully stopping him attacking the A4 ski slope too hard.
Eventually we were there! And Rich went for it hard. But nobody really countered. So they all ended up on his wheel again at the top. By not going too deep, I was able to keep pushing on the flat and regain the group just on the brink of blowing up (
192bpm).
With some cornering skills rivalling 1% of Pidcock’s, I overtook everyone onto and round the first A34 roundabout and then launched my attack as planned for Tuesday.
It ended up being my record power and joint highest speed for the roundabout-roundabout segment so I had a great gap. Clear traffic meant I was soon coasting at 37mph into Town but little did I know that Neil was drafting a car!
None were available to me so I was solo on the flat but just ticking over.
At the last moment, I looked around and saw Neil coming hard but I couldn’t stomp hard enough so he nabbed me on the line!
Whether we get invited back remains to be seen
192bpm). 
)
