London Duathlon 2005

[Deleted User]

that's harsh.

one thing I do need to sort out is my tendency to swerve when the going gets tough... i don't think I am going to be liked very much if when we are all trying to tackle that hill I swerve and take out half my competitors!!!

Godzilla

No

Godzilla

Stay in to the left and you will be ok

[Deleted User]

that's the prob though, i start on the left, visit the middle nd then return to the left!!

Godzilla

hmmm

Godzilla

as long as you don't wave your arms about as well we can probably sort that out...

Munch Lunch

Zil - i take it hangover comment was aimed at me!:-)

As if i get blind drunk when i go out............

[Deleted User]

Spans, are you staying in the saddle when hill climbing?

ImRio

OMG now I am panicking again!!!!

Is it really that tough? Oh well as long as I can find the strength to push the bike up hill I will be ok

[Deleted User]

multi - if only i could, but that hill i just can't... my aim is that hopefully by the time I have to actually race up the hill I will be able to but at the mo i am all geared out so have to stand!

[Deleted User]

Spansy, why not just take an evening out and just hammer the hill a few times. Ride up - recover - ride down ... repeat until it ain't a problem!!

[Deleted User]

That's great advice forthe hill. On my first outing of RP I could just about do that hill.

I focused on going up & down that about 6 times to failure & the improvement was dramatic. Then a recovery lap to the cafe to eat me packed lunch & some more of the hill.

SusieBee

I've tackled the hill three times on my 30k ride and stayed in the saddle on the second and third attempt. I still feel I need to get more practice in though, so I'm hoping to go back at the weekend and attempt the same as ixus.

Has anyone else received their race info yet? It appears that they're sending each wave of runners off in 5 minute intervals from 9:00 am. I'm number 1110 - start time 9:50.

[Deleted User]

Oh God, I really should not have entered this race!

I'm just back from my honeymoon, so the last month has been exercise free.

I also broke a rib at the end of July, so I couldn't have done it anyway.

I'll still do it on 3 weeks training and try not to come last.

I fear it will hurt me.

SusieBee

Having cracked a rib when I came off my bike at the beginning of July, Chris, I can imagine how you must have felt.

Good luck and, if you come last, then I'll probably be right there with you! ;-)

Mackem

Why are people keen to stay int he saddle? Is that better? Strikes me that the serious cyclists I see in the park stand up.

[Deleted User]

I'm all for standing up - I find it much easier to use my weight for the downstroke & focus my energy on pulling the pedals up.

It's like getting pedal travel for free. Whilst it might be more aerobic & effecient to stay in the saddle, I imagine this is only true if you've managed to keep your cadence high. For most people I see, this isn't the case - they are usually going slow in the granny gear.

Much better in my humble opinion to get out of that saddle, stay in a higher gear & power up the hill.

The hill isn't that bad & imagine lots of people from out of London will find it surprizingly easy - being used to proper hills & the like. It's the people from flat London, like myself, that will probably be low to climb

ImRio

Got my number too. I am starting at 9:15 which at least means I shouldn't be the last person on the course hopefully!! Although I may be last in chip time!!
Still here goes its really going to happen now!!!
You guys have really made me dread the hills I really dont know what to expect. Still if I have to get off and push.....

Mmmm but then I will be in the way!!! Oh No!! Dreading it again now!!!!

[Deleted User]

Staying in the saddle, or getting out on hills is an interesting debate. Traditional thought, as practised by most top cyclists is to get out of the saddle and power up hills in a high gear. One exception to this rules has been Lance Armstrong, who would use smaller gears, stay in the saddle and spin up hills, and only get out of the saddle when he attacked, but then that would be on long drags, not short, sharp hills. Short, sharp hills the approach would be to power up them.

[Deleted User]

I think my approach to the hill of concern here it to spin up the first half, then stand up and power up the top. I'll give it a go on the way home.

My commute goes through the park, so I cycled half the bike route today - the hill from Kingston to Richmond is no big deal (i'll regret saying that after running 10k!) and felt comforatable all the way up. The descent from Richmond to Roehampton is fast and fun, I hit 52kph on there today, and realised I was in top gear and peddling like fury

SusieBee

I agree that you're probably better off cycling up the hill out of the saddle in a higher gear, but I've done so little running recently and I was keen to get the heart rate up. Very pleased to manage the climb in the saddle without slipping into a very low gear.

Well done, Chris!

[Deleted User]

Ok, I went via the hill. The steep part is not really that bad, its the gentle incline that leads up to it that slows you down until you find yourself in a stupid gear. I'll admit, I have a triple, so I dropped into the little ring and span up it. Overkill probably. Descent on the other side is great!

[Deleted User]

Well?

[Deleted User]

I was so trying to ignore the fact that this is happening this weekend... wibble!

Are you doing it multi?

[Deleted User]

No, Spansy!! I'm just following the thread to see how folk are getting on!! And, it's a good excuse to stalk you, Spansy ;-)

Good luck to all for Saturday!!

Godzilla

Multi apparently she stalks people back... careful

Cheers mate - I am back wheel-less at the mo!

ImRio

I cant believe it is happening so soon!! And that I entered 14 weeks ago!! Who stole my training time?

Big wibbles especially as I now have a rotten cold!!

Begining to think it is not so wonderful a way to spend my birthday!!! Glad there will be a few of us to keep our spirits up when the going gets tough!!

[Deleted User]

I'm not entering but since it's going to be hot that day I have decided to go & watch with a few beers & packed lunch.

What time does it start? Hopefully it's a decent time like midday so I can do my Nike traning run first

ImRio

I am starting at 9.15. That is one of the first ones!! The last runners start around 10.45 for the challenge

Still got my cold!! Aaaarrrgh!! Dont know what to do

Munch Lunch

Hmmm, not sure if i'll be able to do this; old knee injury came back to haunt me on sunday. Bandaged it up, have applied lots of deep heat and been off work since yesterday so that doesn't bode well.......:-(