mattobrien
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Suffolk
I can see I am going to have to speed up!Oh, go on then - I've just got back from the pub - I accept the challenge, sir.I hope that makes you happy.
Is 20 miles in under an hour a realistic goal for a MAMIL?
- Thread starter Jon George
- Start date
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OP
OP
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
About three years ago, when I first emerged as the MAMIL frequently to be spotted on the country roads around |Ipswich, I narrowly averted being someone with All The Gear, No Idea when I bought a set of aero bars. I found I didn't get on with them, primarily because I rarely got a chance to enjoy the sights and my back didn't like the pain, and they were put aside to collect dust. Well, after Friday's attempt, I decided to give them another try and experimented with them, this morning (Monday), prior to having a proper go on Friday.
Bearing in mind that this statistic includes an initial on-the-hoods warm-up mile with two stops at traffic lights, I found I was enjoying myself so much I decided to go for it and achieved .......... 21.0 mph!
I am chuffed.
Bearing in mind that this statistic includes an initial on-the-hoods warm-up mile with two stops at traffic lights, I found I was enjoying myself so much I decided to go for it and achieved .......... 21.0 mph!
I am chuffed.
mattobrien
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Suffolk
@Jon George that's a big improvement, well done.
Is that the same route as before? I am staring to think I might have to give that route a go.
And you know that if it's not on Strava, it didn't happen
Is that the same route as before? I am staring to think I might have to give that route a go.
And you know that if it's not on Strava, it didn't happen
OP
OP
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
Joshua Plumtree
Approaching perfection from a distance.
Achieved it last night for the first time. Fast group ride/race last night over exactly 20 miles. Started out with the medium paced group, but when the faster lads came past after a couple of minutes went with them for the last 18.5 miles or so. Only ridden this particular ride a couple of times; last autumn when the fast group came past I just had to let them go!
20 miles at an average of 21.5mph in 55. something or other mins.
As Jon George said, I'm well chuffed.
Ps. I'm 53, so think I qualify as a MAMIL.
20 miles at an average of 21.5mph in 55. something or other mins.
As Jon George said, I'm well chuffed.
Ps. I'm 53, so think I qualify as a MAMIL.
OP
OP
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
Achieved it last night for the first time. Fast group ride/race last night over exactly 20 miles. Started out with the medium paced group, but when the faster lads came past after a couple of minutes went with them for the last 18.5 miles or so. Only ridden this particular ride a couple of times; last autumn when the fast group came past I just had to let them go!
20 miles at an average of 21.5mph in 55. something or other mins.
As Jon George said, I'm well chuffed.
Ps. I'm 53, so think I qualify as a MAMIL.
Well, done!
Joshua Plumtree
Approaching perfection from a distance.
thefollen
Veteran
- Location
- Balham/Tooting Bec
I was so close last weekend to the three laps of Richmond Park in 1 hour. Came in at 1hr 1min 44secs. A couple of 'lap killers' in the form of traffic but wasn't too bad. Well done if you can do the 20miles in an hour, it's tough going!
Mr Bunbury
Senior Member
I'm really impressed by this thread: I love how the OP has given something a go, has found he can do more than he thought possible and has revised his goals upwards.
20 miles at 21 mph at this time of year is good stuff. You should add a bit more speed as you get used to the clip-ons and your muscles adapt to that position - and also as you train more after the winter, of course. If you can do what you've done now, you should really consider entering a 25 mile TT later this year and seeing how close you can get to the hour for that - especially as pinning a number on your back always gives you an extra bit of magic free speed!
20 miles at 21 mph at this time of year is good stuff. You should add a bit more speed as you get used to the clip-ons and your muscles adapt to that position - and also as you train more after the winter, of course. If you can do what you've done now, you should really consider entering a 25 mile TT later this year and seeing how close you can get to the hour for that - especially as pinning a number on your back always gives you an extra bit of magic free speed!
OP
OP
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
Thank you - and I rarely get embarrassed. Mr_K_Dilkington
Well-Known Member
Can anyone in London suggest where would be beat to give this a crack? Almost everywhere would kill my average with traffic (unless done at 3am) or red lights. Maybe a very early morning doing laps of Regents Park? Richmond Park could be good, but I'd rather make my life a little easier by cutting out (the admittedly short) climbs in the Park.
Anywhere else that people can get long, flat, unimpeded runs in London?
Anywhere else that people can get long, flat, unimpeded runs in London?
OP
OP
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
I find it rather bizarre that I'm a little disappointed about this, but today's attempt only equalled my previous best i.e. an average 21.0 mph. Given as how on the first occasion I inadvertently had a mile's worth of warm up and today's only had a few hiccups with a couple of cars suddenly stopping and holding me up, I thought I could improve upon it by some margin. I take comfort from the fact that I'd pitched the effort about right - I just about had nothing left in the tank at the end - but I suspect any aspirations for achieving say, 25 miles in under an hour, must probably remain in the realms of people who own more specialised equipment beyond my clip-on aero-bars, and a tad more incentive. Mind you, now that I've got two flapjacks and a coffee with honey inside me, the pain is beginning to fade into simple exertion ...
(And, of course, I shouldn't even be the tiniest disheartened - I'm exceedingly fitter than I was three years ago and I'm enjoying life. Time for another coffee, methinks.)
(And, of course, I shouldn't even be the tiniest disheartened - I'm exceedingly fitter than I was three years ago and I'm enjoying life. Time for another coffee, methinks.)
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
A couple of things, your warm up is way too short, 15 - 20 mins is the minimum for 1 hour efforts, including a few 30 secs to a min sprint intervals, at the moment you are risking injury and don't forget to include at least 10 mins warm down.
The faster you go, the more difficult it is to go faster because of drag, as 4F says you would be better trying to hold 20 mph for 2 hours, much more difficult but by training for this you will have a bit more in the tank for a stronger finish in the 1 hour efforts.
Certainly worth going along to a local club and doing one of their evening TT's if you really want to go quicker, plus you will pick up a lot of useful tips. The downside is you might be tempted by a few of the bikes you will see
[in advice giving mode as I can't ride for a while]
The faster you go, the more difficult it is to go faster because of drag, as 4F says you would be better trying to hold 20 mph for 2 hours, much more difficult but by training for this you will have a bit more in the tank for a stronger finish in the 1 hour efforts.
Certainly worth going along to a local club and doing one of their evening TT's if you really want to go quicker, plus you will pick up a lot of useful tips. The downside is you might be tempted by a few of the bikes you will see
[in advice giving mode as I can't ride for a while]
Jon, the local 10 mile TT series has started on Tue evenings. Full details here http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tim.m.butler/ Link halfway down "Ipswich Cycling Association"
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