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Dublin Inter Colleges League

06 Dec 2011, 10:44
I've decided I'm going to give this a go as I'm back in college this year.
It runs on 6 consecutive weekends from mid January till the end of February, aimed at road beginners. It's 3 road races, 2 time trials and a hill climb
It should hopefully get me nice and fit for the new MTB season!!
I've only ever done 1 road race and it went ok! I've never done a time trial or a hill climb.
I've been off the bike for the past 3 weeks so any advice on training I should do, how to time trial? would be much appreciated.
As i'm representing the club I don't want to make a holy show of us!!
21 Jan 2012, 12:14
1st Round 10 mile TT Boot Inn

So I just completed the first round. My first TT, it was strange yet satisfying!! There was a good crowd out. Being the only MTB'er there I got the usual bit of stick but all in good spirits. I decided I'd show them what an MTB'er could do..... Not a lot evidently!!
Started into a cross wind, turned left, into a force 15 gale up a drag which I couldn't hold any power on I was doing about 20kph, I pushed and I pushed but I just couldn't get my heart rate up and steady.
I eventually caught the guy that started 2 minutes ahead of me and got a good 400m ahead of him. Then I came to a roundabout with no marshal!! Got lost went round it twice, until I finally made a decision where to go... With the wind behind me I put the afterburners on and then started spinning out.
The second lap was a lot better, a part from getting stuck in the middle of a group of riders who decided to pull out from a side road right in front of me. On a good note I was the only person to have a quicker second lap then first.
It was a great introduction to TT I finished around 28.14 I reckon I could knock 2 minutes off that the next time.

Strava of the TT:

http://app.strava.com/rides/3496307

The time on this isn't right.

Special thanks to OZ for providing me with a lovely pair of aero bars. They must have knocked at least .5 of a second off my time!!! And saved me a watt!!

Some pics to follow.
21 Jan 2012, 13:45
Good man Rob. Did you do any warm up? For a TT I would do at least 30-40min of a decent warm up, turbo is very handy to have for these things.
21 Jan 2012, 17:41
Thanks guy's.
Wasn't that painful Richard, I was a little disappointed as I felt at the end I had a good bit left in me >:(.
Max I didn't get a proper warm up just a few sprints up and down the road. Think I would have felt like a bit of an ejit, had I brought the turbo!! Although the lad with the Trek TT bike with a disc wheel and his aero helmet and skin suit had one!!
29 Jan 2012, 17:36
Round 2 Howth Hill Climb TT

Round 2 was on yesterday.
I couldn't make it as my darling girlfriend had booked us a weekend away :mad:
I got even more annoyed when I saw the results... My PB is 8.11 set last summer but i'm going ok at the moment. That would have put me third. Ah well ifs and buts.
Boot Inn TT next week again time to put the excuses away and place... Here's hoping anyway.
05 Feb 2012, 01:15
Round 3 Boot Inn 10 Mile TT

I'll keep this update short as I'm tired!! After many and varying excuses, I gave this all I could today and finished 3rd overall knocking a good 2min 10sec off my previous time. Nice to be on the podium for once :)

Strava:http://app.strava.com/rides/3888649

Next week is on the track in Sundrive, should be interesting!!
11 Feb 2012, 22:35
I thought I'd let you'll know what happened today.... Track accreditation day so disapointingly there was no points on offer today. However who'd of thought cycling around in a circle could be so much fun!! Every time I try a new discipline I fall for it!! Right all I need now is a nice carbon road bike, TT bike and track bike!!! If only :) think I'll try and race a few of the track open races during the summer. It's great stuff all together.