Paracycling | Setting PBs!

As originally posted on ZacRogers.co.uk

After smashing my FTP during the Paracycling Nat Series Round 1 Crit (to around 270w from 250w) and then maintaining 250w (260w NP) for just under an hour in the Nat Series Round 1 TT, I knew I could start my targeting of setting average power PBs.

As you can see, there are a few opportunities available currently. I think sprints (5sec, 10sec, 12sec, 20sec, and 30sec) might be possible, but I think I would need fresh legs to do it and be in the right situation.

The 1min and 2min efforts might be possible but would likely require some work on that kind of efforts. The 1min PB was not a flat-out effort, which is why when I did a Hill Climb last year that, I got close. The 2min PB was also not flat out and I think I could probably get close or beat it currently. The 2min SB set in the Hill Climb was close, and I’m fitter than I was then.

The 5min and 6min PBs are interesting because I know I could have got much higher numbers. I think I could have reached were around 400w for 5mins and near that for 6mins, but I never made a full-out effort for that long. The average power numbers aren’t actually too far away. I also know where I would do those efforts to get the most out of the terrain and not be stopped by traffic (maybe something for another day soon). The numbers also aren’t out of the question, given it would currently be a 1.33 IF effort and 1.27 IF (using 270w FTP as a baseline).

10min, 12min, 20min are slightly more difficult for the time being. These efforts are all not close to the NP efforts I did for those efforts, but that’s another story. I think these will be something that I can target in the middle of the year, but not for now.

The 30min, 60min, 90min and 3hour efforts are much more achievable. The 30min effort (PB at 279w) is not something I think I can hit today but I think on fresh legs I could get close. I suspect that during the National Champs TT that I will beat this. The National Champs TT is 1) My next TT and 2) Is raced the day before the Crit as opposed to every other round.

The 60min effort is probably something I could achieve on fresh legs. My FTP is around 270w so sustaining 269w for an hour should, in theory, be achievable. I’m not sure on the length of the TT for the Nat Champs (or the other TTs) so it might be reliant on me doing an hour effort by myself. However, it will likely be a 60min solo ride needed to ensure I set the record.

The 90min effort (PB at 249w) is achievable now as it would only take a 92% IF effort. I would need to do it as a solo effort, but it is something I will look to do on fresh legs. The 3-hour effort is certainly achievable but would require a proper commitment to the attempt as it would likely be a 3-hour solo ride. 

So out of all this… I only see everything as fairly achievable other the 10min, 12min and 20min effort; the sprints have always been close to the peak, and the others, I never did a pure effort for the distance. 

My first attempt at a PB was the 3 hour effort… Heavy legs still, but I felt that given it was only a 0.66 IF effort that, I could still do it. In fact, I targeted a power target of 200w for the effort. In the end, I smashed the PB by 30w (to 208w). It was an all-out effort, considering how my legs felt, but I was delighted. Not only with the first PB hit but also because I did it on bad legs and with a VI of 1.03! A pure 3-hour TT. While I won't be looking to beat the PB in the near future, I'm sure I'll target it if I need to do a solo endurance ride at some point.

After a 5 day rest period, I joined my local Chaingang. The legs felt great, considering last week’s efforts and the travel day the day before. It was a big group and it was brutal. I don’t have a kick even at my best fitness, and it showed. In the end, I got dropped fairly early on and pulled the pin after 12 minutes. That 12min effort was at 291w NP (259w average) and while I think I could have continued to the 20min mark to make it a “FTP Test”, being fresh for the Paracycling Development Pathway day is far more important. That said, during the ride, I set a Season Best for 6min average power (286w), so that’s progress and shows how good the legs were. 

The following weekend, Sunday 5th May, I joined the British Paracycling Development day which I was probably over-rested for, given it was a technical session, as we did cornering and sprints. I was delighted with the sprints given I broke my previous highest max watts four (4!) Times. 996w, 984w, 1057w, 996w, and 1033w! While none of the sprints were long, I did 995w for 5 seconds which was a personal best! So now I have a PB for 3 hours and 5 seconds. 

I think I need to work on my technique for sprinting, which isn’t a shock, as I think I need to learn how to sustain the power for longer. That said I am delighted with the new PBs.

Due to being over-rested, I joined the local chaingang again with the purpose of doing a lap with them and the climbs to start the second lap. After learning from my mistakes last week, I ensured that I was moving forward during the climbs. With my effort being 25mins57secs on bad legs (did a workout the day before) still being 278w NP! Something I felt was certainly sustainable for an hour, even more so given how bad the legs felt. 

Now, onto the race, after driving all the way from home (Cambridge) to Bath on the Friday night ahead of the Saturday crit race. The preparation didn’t go perfectly, but given it was my first time travelling to a race the night before, I was fairly happy. I ate and left around 7pm and got to the hotel around 10:30. This is where the prep went slightly wrong looking back. I thought I ate enough in the morning, but I certainly didn’t. I ate around as much as I would eat for a 10am start as I did for a 130pm start. Lessons learnt. The Nat Champs starts at 1230pm, so I need to have adapted for that.

For those that don’t follow paracycling, a World Cup (international race) took place the same weekend as the race, so the majority of the big hitters from the first round weren’t riding. So my objectives for the ride was 1) Make the front group for the first lap. 2) Beat Sajjad. Sajjad was the person who I tried to ride with in the first crit, but he dropped me halfway through. While having results-based objectives sounds weird when I’m focusing on fitness goals, the first objective is about learning how to get into the front group. The second objective is a fun, competitive “rivalry” that I’ve got. Sajjad and I are in the same group of ability, and it’s motivating to see someone with whom you do everything to keep up or drop.

The first objective requires a smooth clip-in and a good sprint. In the end, I had the perfect start, but no one was that eager to sprint off the start. I actually had the option to lead out the first hairpin, but I decided that I should try to let the clear favourite (Chris Scott) up the road in the hope that the chase group would settle down quickly. However, the chase group (seven, including me) tried to chase Chris down. The first lap was done at around 40kph (25mph), but I had made it until I hadn’t… 

I wouldn’t say bike handling is my strength, but I managed to make a pretty impressive save after I clipped my left pedal on the final corner of the lap (an uphill left-hander). Unfortunately, it meant that I got dropped as I lost too much time. However, I’m going to say objective 1 was ticked off as a success. Just one lap in the group, along with Sajjad struggling to clip in, the second objective was also on track for success. That said, I still had to sustain the speed to keep the gap - which I’m happy to say I did. 

While having a power meter, people tend to say people ride to numbers, but I find one of my best strengths is judging pace. As soon as I got dropped, I knew I wasn’t catching them up and I saw no one near me meaning that I knew it was about to be a 59min solo TT, which I instantly adjusted my pace for. I was hoping that there was going to be one rider behind who I could sit up and ride with, but that wasn’t the case.

The numbers for that 58min TT are interesting because while my FTP is around 270 (maybe even 275 or 280w), the pace I set was 241w average (247w NP) with a VI of 1.02. I’m not going to lie; I thought my power meter (PowerTap P1 pedals) was broken with the lower power readings, but the readings were right as the L/R balance is within my normal range (47/53). That said, I was delighted with the effort and the pacing. The first 20mins went quickly (which they should), followed by odd checks on how long the ride had been until the 45min point. The final 15mins were hell though and the power shows it. I think that wasn’t helped that the gap in front of me wasn’t decreasing, and the gap to Sajjad (also the next rider behind me) had increased to the point where I knew I had beaten him. I also finished the race and lied on the floor for around 5minutes absolutely suffering, so I’ll take that as a massive win.

So, both objectives were hit but the numbers weren’t. That said I did smash my Season Bests for 5min, 6min, 10min, 12min, 20min, 30min and 1hour when looking at average power. While I can do higher, it continues to show progress being made. 

Also all the pics of me because why not! All photos are via BritishCycling. Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishcyclingphotos/albums/72177720316950425/.

Now, onto the next race block, which is from 13th May to 9th June, with the Paracycling Nat Champs TT on the 8th and the crit race on the 9th! Due to Nat Champs being at Darley Moor, the only time I can get onto the circuit is an able-bodied race, so I’m racing 4th Cat (and potentially also the 3/4) on Saturday, 18th May, followed by Bovingdon Bomber Crit on the 29th May (presuming it goes ahead) ahead of the ParaCycling Development Day on the 2nd June.

The idea behind racing Bovingdon Bomber is to see the difference between paras and able-bodied. Paras is great for my objectives, but you spend a lot of time in a TT during the crit, so I'm looking forward to being able to race with others for the whole race.

As always I wrap up with my fitness numbers... I mentioned that it was a time for PBs and this is how my power comparisons are now. With new PBs for 5 second and 3 hour. Season bests for 10sec, 5min, 6min, 10min, 20min, 30min, 60min, 90min and 3 hours!

And as always my FTP number... FTP is around 270-280w at 79.1kg meaning that my FTP is between 3.4w/kg and 3.5w/kg. Making my goal of 4w/kg seem very achievable in the summer.