Alright I know most people here are racers but I know I’m not the only one that gets some joy out of seeing some crowns, trophies, or PRs after coming back from a ride. Whether you have a goal to get a certain time somewhere, or just happen to get a great result un-intentionally, share it here. Please don’t make this the place to tell us how you think Strava segments/chasing is stupid.
Part of my goal with my first year of TR was to get into the Top 10 on a local climb, its not particularly long or steep, but it has a way of wearing down riders with its steep kickers at the start, followed by a mellow middle section that gives people hope, and a steep finish. There’s some big names up there and I finally got to join them in 8th of 1,100 riders. Wanting to be up there with the local greats kept me going through some tough workouts.
Fired up the orange app again but this time for a great cause.
I’ve put my support behind the Bahati Foundation, and apart from donating, I’m using the KOM leaderboards to spread awareness of the empowering work 10x National Champ Rahsaan Bahati is doing with kids.
Hopefully the influential de-crowned riders will click the KOM to see the ride, check out the foundation and continue the support.
I still refuse to pay for orange, just means I have to go fast enough to get the “free” KOM spot! High speed is the only way to honour the sweet Bahati jersey.
Crushed some gravel with a great group of folks on Labor day. As we turned onto a particular road the guy who organized the ride says “hey, I think this whole road is a strava segment”. That’s a shure-fire way to ruin an “easy paced” group ride. Lol!
I came home with this:
I used to think that I’d never get a KOM. The first one I got, I worked on, for 6 months. I used to do a lunch ride and this one was a 40 second all out sprint. Part of it was learning the timing of such a short effort. It stood for a few years and now I’m 2nd.
Two years ago I decided to train seriously and I’ve got 2 pages of Strava KOMs. Many are on gravel. Despite only ever reaching maybe 250 watts on FTP, I have good anaerobic power for a 50+ year older. All my KOMs are under 8 minutes. Most are in the 1-2-3-5 minute range. These shorter KOMs are one place where I can use my cycling strengths. I’m retired from riding crits.
I’ve been spending the last 3 weeks doing anaerobic training, but with forest fire smoke replacing actual air…not sure I’ll get to put the power to good use (or even have the fortitude to continue the training – it’s hard at 50+/- !).
DItto. But that’s more due to local topography than ability/willingness. It’s hard to find a prestigious >10min seg, but the map is absolutely peppered with Z5/6 smashers.
Hope things clear up in the next week so I can have one final crack before the “season” ends.
In case y’all thought I was being my usual dramatic self:
Victoria, B.C. has been one of Canada’s smokiest locations over the past week since the calm marine layer is acting as the perfect conduit to hold the smoke in the lowest levels of the atmosphere.
Lol! I’m in Illinois. There’s nothing approaching a mountain anywhere near me. It’s the name of the road. While it has a short punchy hill at the begining it’s nothing to write home about.
I’m really proud of this one since it’s all singletrack on a rigid singlespeed, but unfortunately I’m the only person on the leaderboard. Apparently nobody else wants to do 14 laps on our local trail
Went out the other day with the deliberate intention of taking (stealing?) a KoM from a young local Pro rider who is no longer based here in the UK (he’s now based in Italy).
I was so pleased to get it I made a short YouTube video
It won’t last very long until someone with half decent power (who isn’t overweight and old like me) decides to have a go !! …
First day out (and blue sky!!!) after a week of being smoked in. Not the best sensations, took a lot just to get out the door. The two segs I had in sight were bogged with headwind so I had to ride around to find a new hunting ground.
Not a KOM but only 3sec off in 2nd place.
Then I realised I have a pair of aero wheels just sitting in a box in the basement that I should have put on about 5 months ago. So, yeah, not bad go for training wheels!
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So, yeah, not bad go for training wheels!