smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Silly STRAVA Racing
- Thread starter fossyant
- Start date
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I'm trying to regain some fitness, lose some weight, gain some strength. I have chosen Swain's Lane as an arbitrary difficult segment as a score of sorts. I'm never going to be fastest on it. Far from it. If I get top 100 it will be a miracle. There are loads of segments out there where I could probably KOM given a bit of effort, but Swain's Lane is not one of them.
I will probably do this for fun: http://www.urbanhillclimb.com/, but I'm not about to start racing: a) I would be beaten into a cocked hoop, b) I'm not hugely competitive unless its on my own terms.
There's nothing at all wrong with having a bit of focus, I would just advise not letting it centre around one segment alone, as many variable factors can influence your performance on any given day/week/month/season.
When you then don't make the progress you think you should it can be demoralising when the logging of a more varied route - looking at average times over a range of segments - may show an improvement you hadn't spotted if you're blindly going up and down the same hill into the same headwind, or using the wrong tactics.
Training using just one climb could also make you very good at climbing that one hill, but not necessarily improve your performance on other climbs or the flat.
Variety is the spice of life... well variety or chilli anyway.
gam001
Über Member
I suspect you'll have more than me, Rob, as I have no KOMsThe problem with that is, people see look on your face when it goes tits up(,Just joking, no-one will care or mock in reality)
AFAIK, despite being okay on a bike, I have the fewest number of KOM's of all the locals on here, I think even Potsy has more than me. He does have some right? Or did all the bully boys take them off of him, lol
(In my defence, I have only ever tried for 1 segment, when out once with "segment bashers" 400bhp & Hacienda71, and came joint 7th I think
)
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Agree with this. You can use one segment as a benchmark on which to test your progress, say once a week or every couple of weeks, but spend the rest of your time training on a variety of routes.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
37 Second of pain & suffering 22nd a long way off KOM not even sure if I can get in the top ten. I thought I was flying as well, I had seen 18mph on the Garmin (the out front mount is brilliant out the saddle) but I blew my engine before the end, story of my life! 
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
Never tried that one^ but I know a few of the riders off the front page. 22nd is pretty good!
oldroadman
Veteran
- Location
- Ubique
Earlier comment - "I'm not really competitive unless it's on my own terms". Which really means "I'm not competitive"?
I used to play a lot of tennis, and senior level hockey - but these days I prefer to set my own goals. I enjoy my cycling - I don't want to turn it into something I don't enjoy.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
Has anyone read this before? I always assumed that some of the high placements on what appeared to be an average ride were running a much higher wheel size in the Garmin, but it appears that everyone could be crossing different virtual start and finish lines, which is quite funny! Makes it that bit more silly strava racing.
Theoretically, then, when creating a segment you could optimise the start and end points so that your best run gives you a much smaller length than the segment you're creating. And somehow force a lower sampling rate on your GPS.
The problem with that is, people see look on your face when it goes tits up
AFAIK, despite being okay on a bike, I have the fewest number of KOM's of all the locals on here, I think even Potsy has more than me. He does have some right? Or did all the bully boys take them off of him, lol
Well I have zero if that helps.
My route is a reasonably busy commuter route, so I don't think I'll ever hold a KOM for long. There's quite a few segments where I'm in the top 10% which I think is OK.
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
Two of my posts in the cafe... copying here,as v much Strava related 
Caption for the above...
...and from 'Your Ride Today'...
Caption for the above...
...and from 'Your Ride Today'...
Slipped out for a sneaky 20 miler before getting down to work, sprinted round, knowing it was only 20 odd miles (1,022ft climbs) and got 6 PBs on Strava segments, and a surprise top 10 place I really never expected to get into, having knocked 30 seconds off the PB I set for same seg on Saturday (climb, reduced time from 5'57 to 5'27). Not that I'm obsessed. Oh no. Not me.
Frood42
I know where my towel is
- Location
- Magrathea, Horsehead Nebula
Well that's me happy for the month:
Got the Junedoggle 1000km badge
Got the 30hr Tour Tune-Up badge
The Junedoggle
1,059 km 2,072nd / 80568
fi'zi:k Tour Tune-Up
31:22:32 104%
Got the Junedoggle 1000km badge
Got the 30hr Tour Tune-Up badge
The Junedoggle
1,059 km 2,072nd / 80568
fi'zi:k Tour Tune-Up
31:22:32 104%
Pedrosanchezo
Veteran
- Location
- Perthshire, scotland
Lol, might just be easier to take your gps with you rather than the bike.Two of my posts in the cafe... copying here,as v much Strava related
Caption for the above...
...and from 'Your Ride Today'...
