Ras Blogs from Triathletes

BennyMul

As mentioned on JB log, and I have being reading them myself so here are the blogs from the Ras from two former\current triathletes, a good read.


http://www.nenaghtriathlonclub.com/
http://thebikestation.ie/

pgibbo

Sporadic updates from BMC too - http://www.bryanmccrystal.com/2014/05/day-2-ras2014/

Some twitter updates also

mossym

only following on twitter really, but i think today is the first day there was a break BMC wasn't in. impressive stuff

Green&Red

Met Shane Scully after yesterday's stage, he looked in pain, sore ribs after hitting a wall in Kinvara in the 6th!! Crash of the day

mossym

there are pictures of the beating Shane took on the link Bennymul posted above. looks sore

BennyMul

traditionally hitting a wall while in a race usually ends in pain. :eek:

LCD

Lads would love any retweets please use @lcaomhind #ras2014

Green&Red

Scully gone yesterday, disappointing for him

mossym

BMC out today

LCD

Stage 3 went well & back to hotel that evening, all was good. Had dinner & noticed appetite wasn't great, not feeling well after. Went to bed & stomach felt really bloated. Toilet 4/5 times during night with diarrhoea. Felt was coming round, woke up & went to go to manager's room, walked down corridor & got dizzy & had to lie down in corridor. Managed found me & brought me into his room, massive diarrhoea again & sweats. Ate some breakfast & drank fluids, starting to feel okish. Went to start, bit more diarrhoea. Flag dropped & wasn't feeling comfortable at all, first time all week had been swinging. Made it over 1st cat 3 climb of day. Pace never seem to settled & I was sweating really heavily. Second Cat 3 climb, just over the top on the very coat tails & accidentally knocked it into the small ring, gap opened & I couldn't close it. Chased for a few miles & then in gruopetto & couldn't keep up with them, even going downhill. I was hanging onto cars with 120km to go & could hardly turn the pedals. No way I could make it.
Got back to hotel that evening & started feeling really bad again, diarrhoea, no appetite. Came home yesterday & still not right today, stomach is ropey & a few other problems.

Green&Red

Disaster LCD, hard luck

bryangiggsy

LCD wrote: »

Stage 3 went well & back to hotel that evening, all was good. Had dinner & noticed appetite wasn't great, not feeling well after. Went to bed & stomach felt really bloated. Toilet 4/5 times during night with diarrhoea. Felt was coming round, woke up & went to go to manager's room, walked down corridor & got dizzy & had to lie down in corridor. Managed found me & brought me into his room, massive diarrhoea again & sweats. Ate some breakfast & drank fluids, starting to feel okish. Went to start, bit more diarrhoea. Flag dropped & wasn't feeling comfortable at all, first time all week had been swinging. Made it over 1st cat 3 climb of day. Pace never seem to settled & I was sweating really heavily. Second Cat 3 climb, just over the top on the very coat tails & accidentally knocked it into the small ring, gap opened & I couldn't close it. Chased for a few miles & then in gruopetto & couldn't keep up with them, even going downhill. I was hanging onto cars with 120km to go & could hardly turn the pedals. No way I could make it.
Got back to hotel that evening & started feeling really bad again, diarrhoea, no appetite. Came home yesterday & still not right today, stomach is ropey & a few other problems.

Were you really that sick? Could you not have kept going? come on like

Fair play most people would have stayed in bed

So only 3 former triathletes left in the field....mark dowling, art macmanusa and james dav. with bmc not starting today and huff n puff missing the cutoff yday....
LCD which do you prefer bike racing or triathlons?
Is the setup of the ras just the best a1/a2 riders in the country and the pros? What do you think the average ftp in the ras peloton is? to ride over 1000kms at 40k an hr id imagine its very high?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

bryangiggsy wrote: »

What do you think the average ftp in the ras peloton is? to ride over 1000kms at 40k an hr id imagine its very high?

It can vary hugely i would imagine. As a guide i have heard 4.7-4.9w/kg is required. For someone like me at 68kg thats 319-333w for someone at 80kg thats 376w-392w.

More than just FTP though you need to be able to pump out 400/500w for a few mins i would imagine to close gaps, sprint out of corners etc, have race savvie and have years of bike endurance behind you. All IMO of course.

tunney

bryangiggsy wrote: »

Were you really that sick? Could you not have kept going? come on like

Fair play most people would have stayed in bed

So only 3 former triathletes left in the field....mark dowling, art macmanusa and james dav. with bmc not starting today and huff n puff missing the cutoff yday....
LCD which do you prefer bike racing or triathlons?
Is the setup of the ras just the best a1/a2 riders in the country and the pros? What do you think the average ftp in the ras peloton is? to ride over 1000kms at 40k an hr id imagine its very high?

You have heard of LCDs legandary love of swimming? His love of running is close behind.

Green&Red

Eliza Jolly Dirt wrote: »

It can vary hugely i would imagine. As a guide i have heard 4.7-4.9w/kg is required. For someone like me at 68kg thats 319-333w for someone at 80kg thats 376w-392w.

More than just FTP though you need to be able to pump out 400/500w for a few mins i would imagine to close gaps, sprint out of corners etc, have race savvie and have years of bike endurance behind you. All IMO of course.

Bike handling could be the biggest obstacle, I saw Clarke saying he did 105kph coming down the mountain Wednesday, I'd imagine it wasnt a pristine surface either. In wet weather getting around some of those twisty villages would be real tough, athenry was turn after turn

BennyMul

bryangiggsy wrote: »

What do you think the average ftp in the ras peloton is? to ride over 1000kms at 40k an hr id imagine its very high?

The good thing about having the Pro in the race is that is more predictable and controlled (albeit faster:D), so as long as you know how to ride in a bunch, ride through the cavalcade (when its needed) and the ability to recover from day in day out its possible.
IMO any A2 should be able to get around as long as the work is done.

I know one rider (pretty handy) up there in the county prize who's FTP is ~380w.