P McDonald

Was a very good call to go out today from west ferry. Would like to have joined you but just could not face hours in the cold after the leg burning at the track yesterday.
 

Recommended sessions of 1 per week from early Feb. after consultation with chief coach. Can the chief coach maybe fill in the missing figure in number 3 please. If you don't know your FTP then do number 2.
 
1. 20 min warm similar to FTP test, ie 2 mins each from effort level 3 to 7 (10 mins) Then 4 x 1 min very high cadence, low resistance with 1 min rest inbetween. Spin for 2 mins. 20 mins so far. Now the meat. 1 min substantially above FTP ( approx 20% ). Then 2 mins just over FTP. This is the critical bit and also the hardest, you cannot drop below FTP. At the end of 2 mins full gas sprint for 15 secs as if your life depended on it. So it's a 3.25 min effort. Rest for 2.75 min to make a 6 min cycle then repeat. Aim is 5 repeats.
So by way of example. If FTP=300W then the 1 min should be at 360W. And the 2 mins must not drop below 300W at any time and should average about 305W. The full gas sprint is whatever you can squeeze out. Don't worry if it feels like a damp squib after the preceding 3 mins!
In the spirit of sharing and transparency I have never managed more than 4 repeats sticking to the rules above. Recommended to have at least one rest day beforehand.
 
2. Same warm up. Then full gas sprint every minute on the minute for 6 minutes. The most important bit is full gas, this means everything you have.1st = 5s, 2nd = 10s, 3rd and 4th = 15s, 5th = 10s, 6th = 5s.
Spin inbetween. Note max power output on 3rd sprint and aim to achieve that figure for each sprint thereafter. After the 6 min block spin for 4 mins. Then repeat to make 12 sprints in total. Total session to this point 36 mins so even with warm down this is a short and effective session.
 
3. Warm up. 2 mins at power output XX% above FTP. 1 min rest. Repeat 5 times. Spin 5 mins. Repeat to make 10 x 2 min efforts in total. Power output of 3rd effort must be maintained for the remaining intervals.
 
Alan McB after injury maybe gets a bye on these until later February as you need to have a solid base to get the benefit.
 
Purpose of these is to better cope with the surges and hills in road races and the multiple little accelerations you need to stay in position.
 
Finally, there is a wonderful get out of these painful sessions if you do the track league each week as this achieves the same benefit !
 

Recommended sessions of 1 per week from early Feb. after consultation with chief coach. Can the chief coach maybe fill in the missing figure in number 3 please. If you don't know your FTP then do number 2.
 
1. 20 min warm similar to FTP test, ie 2 mins each from effort level 3 to 7 (10 mins) Then 4 x 1 min very high cadence, low resistance with 1 min rest inbetween. Spin for 2 mins. 20 mins so far. Now the meat. 1 min substantially above FTP ( approx 20% ). Then 2 mins just over FTP. This is the critical bit and also the hardest, you cannot drop below FTP. At the end of 2 mins full gas sprint for 15 secs as if your life depended on it. So it's a 3.25 min effort. Rest for 2.75 min to make a 6 min cycle then repeat. Aim is 5 repeats.
So by way of example. If FTP=300W then the 1 min should be at 360W. And the 2 mins must not drop below 300W at any time and should average about 305W. The full gas sprint is whatever you can squeeze out. Don't worry if it feels like a damp squib after the preceding 3 mins!
In the spirit of sharing and transparency I have never managed more than 4 repeats sticking to the rules above. Recommended to have at least one rest day beforehand.
 
2. Same warm up. Then full gas sprint every minute on the minute for 6 minutes. The most important bit is full gas, this means everything you have.1st = 5s, 2nd = 10s, 3rd and 4th = 15s, 5th = 10s, 6th = 5s.
Spin inbetween. Note max power output on 3rd sprint and aim to achieve that figure for each sprint thereafter. After the 6 min block spin for 4 mins. Then repeat to make 12 sprints in total. Total session to this point 36 mins so even with warm down this is a short and effective session.
 
3. Warm up. 2 mins at power output XX% above FTP. 1 min rest. Repeat 5 times. Spin 5 mins. Repeat to make 10 x 2 min efforts in total. Power output of 3rd effort must be maintained for the remaining intervals.
 
Alan McB after injury maybe gets a bye on these until later February as you need to have a solid base to get the benefit.
 
Purpose of these is to better cope with the surges and hills in road races and the multiple little accelerations you need to stay in position.
 
Finally, there is a wonderful get out of these painful sessions if you do the track league each week as this achieves the same benefit !
 

This must be the way forward. Mixed bunch, no one dropped, pace perfect for everyone, perfect mix of hills and flat and no reason to debate speed at each point of the run, !? Hooray. :)
 
On a more serious note, 2 x 2hr sufferfests back to back is an exhilarating but hopefully rare way to spend a weekend. Hats off to the #rule5 squad that actually went out yesterday.

This must be the way forward. Mixed bunch, no one dropped, pace perfect for everyone, perfect mix of hills and flat and no reason to debate speed at each point of the run, !? Hooray. :)
 
On a more serious note, 2 x 2hr sufferfests back to back is an exhilarating but hopefully rare way to spend a weekend. Hats off to the #rule5 squad that actually went out yesterday.

Andy Gumley Doc McLean and myself were the renfra bunch today. 50 hilly miles done in challenging conditions. Thoroughly enjoyed it with a lovely stop. @ Alan's local coffee shop in Kilmalcolm

I am honoured to be nominated for the road race El capitano role and have been giving it some thought. If you wish to be part of a team effort that's great, if you want to race and do your own thing then no worries please do not feel under any pressure to join in. Here is how we might do things, happy for constructive comments and additions,
 
- we each enter as many of the WOSCA series races that we can manage
- before each race I will propose a race plan based on my observation of people's form at the time and the course, I am totally open to other suggestions,
- whatever debate happens we will agree a race plan,
- things happen in a race like punctures (tyres or legs!), crash etc. In this case I will use my experience when a quick call is required to change the plan.
- where appropriate we will use team members to flog themselves for the team effort. Conversely where the rider ambition is more aligned to a different goal like finishing in the bunch then I will give best advice I can for rider to achieve that goal
- I strongly recommend each member tries to get a few bogs bunch runs under their belt between now and March
- I also recommend that when out with bogs bunch, gauge your effort to try and get as far into the last 15 miles as possible. This is the highest quality and best prep for road racing. ( eg take a break for 10 miles pre Kilwinning if it gets you more of the quality time)
- Finally I strongly recommend 4 weeks of one session per week of short, very high intensity intervals starting 1st week February. I will post my recommendation after talking to my learned coach friend Billy Mac as he will be more up to date and know the type of program a lot of you guys are following.
 
Welcome any comments, private or public
 

I am honoured to be nominated for the road race El capitano role and have been giving it some thought. If you wish to be part of a team effort that's great, if you want to race and do your own thing then no worries please do not feel under any pressure to join in. Here is how we might do things, happy for constructive comments and additions,
 
- we each enter as many of the WOSCA series races that we can manage
- before each race I will propose a race plan based on my observation of people's form at the time and the course, I am totally open to other suggestions,
- whatever debate happens we will agree a race plan,
- things happen in a race like punctures (tyres or legs!), crash etc. In this case I will use my experience when a quick call is required to change the plan.
- where appropriate we will use team members to flog themselves for the team effort. Conversely where the rider ambition is more aligned to a different goal like finishing in the bunch then I will give best advice I can for rider to achieve that goal
- I strongly recommend each member tries to get a few bogs bunch runs under their belt between now and March
- I also recommend that when out with bogs bunch, gauge your effort to try and get as far into the last 15 miles as possible. This is the highest quality and best prep for road racing. ( eg take a break for 10 miles pre Kilwinning if it gets you more of the quality time)
- Finally I strongly recommend 4 weeks of one session per week of short, very high intensity intervals starting 1st week February. I will post my recommendation after talking to my learned coach friend Billy Mac as he will be more up to date and know the type of program a lot of you guys are following.
 
Welcome any comments, private or public
 

Hi Paul,
 
Excellent idea, good on you for taking on such an important role & I personally think you're the right man for the job.
 
I wish you & the team all the best in the coming year! Mon' the Joansins! :-)
 
If you ever need a team mechanic, then I know a guy who's quite handy
 
Anyway, I look forward to reading all the race reports!
 
Cheers
 
Chung

Nice one Paul. I Hope to get fit again and be involved in some way. :-)

Paul
I wil help as much as I can I think things are looking up for the mighty Johnstone

Great result by Iain in final scratch beaten only by the rampaging stars of the future Danny Mul
Billy, Alan, Emma and a host of jets also getting stuck in.
I was somewhat distracted as I was on the receiving end of a fellow rider trying to push me off my bike as we left the railing at the start of the final race. This was after an incident in an earlier race. Anyway he was DQ'd.
Good workout as ever with the usual shock to system after 3 weeks of no track but that is same for everyone so no excuses.

Tough luck Iain.
It was an excellent bunch on an excellent day. Fairly got rolling after Largs. Really got rolling after Kilwinning.
Well done to all it looked like everyone rode to the limit on the Barrhead road. And very well done to 'rooky' Ian who was present all the way to Barrhead.

Ian. No worries for you mate. Same pace as always to Kilwinning. Probably steady up the drag. Last 15 miles to Barrhead is a habble which usually means testosterone charged attacking until it's last man standing.
If you want to road race then after you have the base stamina in place then this is the best 15 miles you will do each week if you commit 100%.

Brisbane Glen was indeed excellent. But what a day for mechanicals with George, Iain, Ian (twice) and Charlie all being hit with punctures.
Not that it mattered on such an excellent day, great way to end the year. Leisurely stop at BB as well where Robbie decided to go for a full Bhoona with side dishes

0930 clubrooms then. I will mention in bogs bunch group.

No choice but they are very considerate and tend to group the young ultra energy team in one group, the hares, and the more distinguished gentlemen in the other, the tortoises.
 

Remember not to increase power when you go up the banking

G
I'm going to call you on this one.
First you say bogs bunch is too fast with winter racers and have a dig at the JWCC winter race team,
Then you say club run too slow,
So what is the happy medium, the George D pace run? And what speed will that be or will it depend on how you feel that day,
Last man standing starts Jan 1st on the Irvine Barrhead road approx 1.30pm each Saturday after a 60 mile warm up from Renfrew

G
I'm going to call you on this one.
First you say bogs bunch is too fast with winter racers and have a dig at the JWCC winter race team,
Then you say club run too slow,
So what is the happy medium, the George D pace run? And what speed will that be or will it depend on how you feel that day,
Last man standing starts Jan 1st on the Irvine Barrhead road approx 1.30pm each Saturday after a 60 mile warm up from Renfrew

G
I'm going to call you on this one.
First you say bogs bunch is too fast with winter racers and have a dig at the JWCC winter race team,
Then you say club run too slow,
So what is the happy medium, the George D pace run? And what speed will that be or will it depend on how you feel that day,
Last man standing starts Jan 1st on the Irvine Barrhead road approx 1.30pm each Saturday after a 60 mile warm up from Renfrew

Colin
If not already done so, perhaps ask Alan at Thomsons if he has a contact?
P

Martin, just realised you were there too, you must be losing weight coz I didn't see you, only saw 'chubby' McLean !! Mr Steele was definetly not there, saw him in a comfy, heated and dry car earlier in the day

Fantastic effort lead organiser Jane and the immense support team. Very well done.
 

Fantastic effort lead organiser Jane and the immense support team. Very well done.