Added to which, speed kills as you get older. I'm 55 and find it much easier to average 16-17 mph for 50 odd miles rather than 20 mph for 10 miles; plus there's a inverse proportion thingy going on, which I don't really understand, meaning you have to work soooo much harder just to eek out another 1mph on that average.
That's why, as I've mentioned before, the best way for us mere mortals to achieve 100 miles in under 5 hrs is to catch a lift on the back of a fast group and let them drag you round!
Apparently, it is even worse than that! The drag resistance increases as the square of velocity, but the power needed to overcome it increases as the CUBE of velocity - LINK.Here's the boring science:
Riding on the flat, there are two resistances you have to overcome. The first is the rolling resistance/mechanical inefficiency. This is the same regardless of how fast you cycle
The second is wind resistance. That varies with speed (as you'd expect). But it is proportional to the square of the speed. That is the killer that makes it so hard to increase speed, even by small increments.
Say you're cycling at 15mph and say your rolling resistance is 20 resistance units. Your wind resistance will be 15x15=225 resistance units so the total is 20+225 = 245 resistance units
Now increase speed to 16mph. Rolling resistance is still 20 but wind resistance is now 16x16 = 256 resistance units so the total is 20+256 = 276 resistance units
So in this case, increasing speed from 15 to 16mph (6.7% speed increase) increases the resistance you have to overcome by 12.7%. So you have to deliver 12.7% more power to increase your speed by 6.7%.
I will be sure not to tell dr_pink who is racing the national 12 hr next Sunday.Apparently, it is even worse than that! The drag resistance increases as the square of velocity, but the power needed to overcome it increases as the CUBE of velocity - LINK.
Good luck @dr_pink!I will be sure not to tell dr_pink who is racing the national 12 hr next Sunday.
Thanks Colin, she is bricking it, for the first time ever she is ranked No1 in a National race and is last woman off, now experiencing a new level of stress that wasn't there before.Good luck @dr_pink!
I can only imagine ...Thanks Colin, she is bricking it, for the first time ever she is ranked No1 in a National race and is last woman off, now experiencing a new level of stress that wasn't there before.
Oh, looks like she missed the podium by just 4 miles - shucks, but a great effort in what sounded like very hard conditions! RESULTS.Thanks Colin, she is bricking it, for the first time ever she is ranked No1 in a National race and is last woman off, now experiencing a new level of stress that wasn't there before.
Oh, looks like she missed the podium by just 4 miles - shucks, but a great effort in what sounded like very hard conditions! RESULTS.
Women:
1. Jasmijn Muller (Paceline RT) 256.41 miles
2. Jill Wilkinson (Chester RC) 256.29 miles
3. Crystal Spearman (Nopinz) 243.81 miles
dr_pink did 239.67 miles.
Still an epic ride for us mere mortals .sounds like a bit of a cock up but still well done @dr_pink . Looks like things just didn't go for you chin up were still in awe of your rideA bit of a story here, dr_pink was directed on to the slower finishing circuit with still three and a half hours to go, this is highly significant as she was on schedule for around 245 miles so this definitely affected her total mileage and she is devastated, ended up doing 65 miles on this slower loop more than any other woman. The consequence was plain to see. Unfortunately for her it was very windy too, not to mention torrential rain, so as the lightest person in the field it was bad luck really. Today is not a good day, but thank you for the kind comments.
I was getting a bit depressed reading an article describing physical decline with increasing age (especially since I will be 60 in January) but then I found THIS PAGE which includes that record. Flipping heck, I would be chuffed to have achieved a sub-5 hour century at any age, let alone one in my 70s or 80s!Just to give you a bit of motivation:
the age 80 100 mile TT record:
100 Mile Age 80 Ron E Hallam 2011 4:33:53
Oh - I just spotted that post ... that sounds like a total cock up! I thought the idea was to let the riders do as many laps of the main circuit as they could and only move them to the finishing circuit when they would not have time to complete another big loop? Commiserations to dr_pink, and good luck with the big hill climb at the weekend! (I think it is this weekend?)A bit of a story here, dr_pink was directed on to the slower finishing circuit with still three and a half hours to go, this is highly significant as she was on schedule for around 245 miles so this definitely affected her total mileage and she is devastated, ended up doing 65 miles on this slower loop more than any other woman. The consequence was plain to see. Unfortunately for her it was very windy too, not to mention torrential rain, so as the lightest person in the field it was bad luck really. Today is not a good day, but thank you for the kind comments.
Yes, this Sunday, first rider off at 11am. If you only watch one hill climb in your life this is the one. professionals and amateurs in the same race. Massive crowds and live commentary, this was dr_pink from last year on the steepest part just before the crowds of spectatorsI was getting a bit depressed reading an article describing physical decline with increasing age (especially since I will be 60 in January) but then I found THIS PAGE which includes that record. Flipping heck, I would be chuffed to have achieved a sub-5 hour century at any age, let alone one in my 70s or 80s!
I know it takes a special individual to do anything like that, but the fact that some people have done it is enough to show that the negative effects of ageing can be greatly retarded by hard work.
I am going to try and up my mileage by about 50% next year and work to get faster. I am slowly catching up with my 62 year old mate but he is still about 15% quicker than me on long, hard rides.
I might plot a suitable flat route for a century ride in the Vale of York since I am never going to manage a 5 hour time over the hills round here. Maybe a 25 mile loop which I could do 4 laps of next summer.
Oh - I just spotted that post ... that sounds like a total cock up! I thought the idea was to let the riders do as many laps of the main circuit as they could and only move them to the finishing circuit when they would not have time to complete another big loop? Commiserations to dr_pink, and good luck with the big hill climb at the weekend! (I think it is this weekend?)
OMG! Bet it was a fantastic ride!Hi there, here's the link to the ride...
https://www.strava.com/activities/368054015
I've been enjoying 'refueling' today!