May and June always an uphill grind
The end of the school year is always a struggle as a student or teacher. The weather gets better and this year is no exception. The heat is always a factor in old school building and also while training. This time of year on the bike or out for a run is a matter of timing. The cycling club has switched to its second time trial course of the season(rumours are we will make another switch shortly). The course is a steady climb out to the turn around at 7.5 km and then a fast descent back down to the start finish line. The problem with an uphill time trial is that it gets extremely hard to get into a groove on your bike. You go out too hard and you risk burning yourself out or too slow and you have to over power to the end. The first few times on the course during the time trials I wanted to work on figuring out how to race this course smartly. On my computer I would use speed and cadence (usually trying to stay in the 90 plus to low 100’s), then I tried using speed and time. I haven’t been on the course long enough to figure out what my splits should be like to get to the top and back. The last few I have used speed and distance on the computer. I am more interested in the speed function (to see where my speed just drops off on the bike). The last time trial of May and the first of June, have been my two best efforts so far this year. I am working hard on finding that groove where my effort is not an all out struggle and maintaining my form and head up to help improve my breathing. With just a little over three weeks of school left I am hoping to maintain my training. Then it will be the summer and a whole new list of challenges to my training.