Every year the Prescott Alternative Transportation organization sponsors the Skull Valley Loop `Challenge' as an invitational `ride.'
In September of '12 I `raced' this course, completing it in 2 hours and 49 minutes. I `raced' it again in September of '13 and completed it in 3 hours and 10 minutes. Over the past six weeks I've trained with greater intensity and `raced' it solo again this morning, completing it in 3 hours and 17 minutes.
Why the difference in times? I've completed a very detailed set of analyses and these are my conclusions.
- I trained harder, with more racing intensity in '12 than in '13.
- I weighed about 12-15 lbs less in '12.
Today's performance isn't apples to apples with the previous two performances, as follows:
- it was 40 degrees colder (cold air is more dense than hot air) [source];
- there was a 12-15 mph wind this time, whereas the previous times the wind was negligible:
- it was never a tailwind, and only for about 10 miles was it a headwind;
- on the descents and climbing the wind was either quartering or just swirling on the switchbacks;
- racing against others motivates me.
I was very pleased, in fact, with today's performance.
- Absent the `weather burden' of today's race I probably knocked off about ten minutes from my performance last September;
- I've been doing indoor intervals for the past six weeks. Not long enough to really make much of a difference but I realize already how important they are.
I think (not `feel') I know what to do to make significant improvements.
- reduce the `tour' pace of my training, i.e., I've been too lazy;
- continue and build on the interval training;
- incorporate more and more frequent racing sessions into my training;
- lose weight;
- continue to analyze the data and make adjustments;
- be alert to `overtraining.'
I like your thoughts on making significant improvements.
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