The Importance of Course Reconning

On Saturday I was back up at Quassy (for the 3rd weekend in 4 weeks) to recon the Pat Griskus Olympic bike and run courses again. Hey! I don't take a DNF-ing lightly! I am serious about redeeming a botched race!

The main reason why I was doing the Griskus course again was because the first time I got scared out of my cycling bibs from the hills and some of the twisty downhills. I wanted to know this course this time, unlike Rev3.

So Coach had me do two loops of the bike, then brick it for 45 mins. The first loop was to go easy, the second loop to "work it." I did just that, not quite sandbagging the first loop, but mostly small ringing it. Yes, the hills still suck but I forced myself NOT to think about time and just ride to get to know the technical parts of the course.

I did the first loop in 1:22:43, which for a course this hilly, isn't that terrible of a time for an Olympic, right?

For the second loop, I basically race simulated it. I know I would do it faster, so what's 1:20 at threshold? It will hurt, but it will be over soon. So I gunned it and held on, big ringing the entire course (yes, the hills still suck!) minus one tiny section where it is too steep, and felt 100% confident on the twisty downhills. I now know where exactly I can stay in aero and where I should be sitting up hitting the breaks.

I now KNOW the course, and I finished the second loop in 1:12:35. I think that is a pretty decent time for an Olympic and actually matches my time from NYC three years ago, which is a MUCH easier course than Griskus.

So the dream of PR-ing the distance still lives!!!

The run is a double out and back. 1.5 miles downhill, 1.5 miles back up. Repeat. The uphill portions are gonna suck. A lot! But at least you get 3 miles of downhill too.

Gonna switch gears here a bit and talk POW POW POW POWER (wheels).

So 1:12:35 at near race threshold was a good sorta kinda FTP test. I averaged 240 watts for that period of time, and while it was slightly longer than 60 mins and I wasn't going ALL out, it gives me a rough estimate of my actual FTP, which is prolly in the 250 range. On Thursday I did 6 x 6 mins and nearly held 260 watts for each one, and the other week I did 2 x 20 mins @ 260 watts.

What I am getting at is that my power is UP! for this time of year compared to previous years. I am continuing to improve on the bike, and it feels good!

Sunday was a 2 hour run. I included 4 x 15 mins @ 7:30 pace to break it up. Wow, does that kill time quickly! Was mentally one of the shortest 2 hour runs I have ever done. This run was mostly meant for Mont Tremblant 70.3 in two weeks. Can't spend all of my time dwelling on an Olympic distance!!

How did your weekend go?