The Sub-7 Experiment

Tag: Tour de South Coast

  • Tour de South Coast: 104km, Wind, Sun, and a Hot Cup of Tea

    I’ve just finished the Tour de South Coast sportive. 104km, about 1,200 metres of climbing, and 4 hours 55 minutes moving time. There were a couple of breaks along the way for drinks and the usual bodily functions, so it wasn’t a non-stop grind, but it was still a proper day out.

    A quick note for future me: the numbers tell the story too. Average heart rate was 130 bpm and average power was 155 watts. That’s a steady, sustainable effort, not a blow-up. My legs felt tough by the end and I definitely had a bit left, but the wind had taken most of it out of them. It wasn’t a day for heroics. It was a day for keeping the pedals turning and staying smooth.

    We were blessed with the weather. It was sunny all day. The wind, though, was a bit hectic at times. Full-on. The kind of wind where you’re pedalling to keep going downhill. That sort of strength.

    But honestly, what a great day.

    The standout upgrade today was the tyres. The 35mm setup completely changed the feel of the bike. Lower pressures took the buzz out of the road, smoothed out the rough sections, and made the whole ride feel less like I was being rattled around. It wasn’t just more comfortable, it felt more efficient too because I wasn’t fighting the bike. Less fatigue, more flow. Over 100km in wind and hills, that comfort matters.

    I also set a load of personal bests all the way around, which is funny because I wasn’t giving it beans. I rode pretty modestly and stayed wary of where I was. I even found myself slowing down a few times behind big groups, getting caught up in their rhythm, then riding my own thing again. And I really enjoyed that. It didn’t feel like a race. It felt like a proper ride.

    It was my first time doing this route. Lots of roads I’ve cycled before, some in the opposite direction, some I’d never ridden, and some I wouldn’t normally choose because they’re main roads. But with a few hundred other cyclists around, they weren’t as scary as I thought they’d be. Drivers were more wary. I didn’t really come across any impatient car drivers at all.

    Back at the start there was a hot burger and a hot cup of tea waiting. Absolutely brilliant. The food stops were good too. Hot tea, delicious. Makes all the difference when you’re out there for hours, at least for me.

    So that’s it. Check-in done. All good. Very pleased with myself.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment. Still concentrating on rowing and the goal is still a sub-7-minute 2,000m. But today, cycling. And it was great.

  • Reflection, Riding, and Reassessing What Matters

    It’s been a while since I’ve written anything.

    The “new” rower in the shed is not so new now. It has been there for six months, and the new routine of rowing, then heading straight back into the house to start work or whatever the day brings, has meant I haven’t been giving myself any time to reflect on the workout afterwards. No reflection has meant nothing to post.

    Rowing is still important to me, and so is the wider exercise regime as a whole. But I think I’ve been missing that reflection piece. I also wrote in a previous article that I’ve missed the gym visits too. So it feels like time to reassess what matters.

    Exercise matters. Having an exercise goal matters. Reflection matters too. And so does being around like-minded people. My gym membership has lapsed, and I think it is time to renew it.

    In other news, I’ve been cycling a bit more.

    This Sunday I’m riding the Tour de South Coast, a 100km sportive that covers some roads I’ve used before in training. I don’t know anyone else who is doing it, but there will be a couple of hundred cyclists out on the day, and I’m looking forward to it.

    I’ve also been back to see Bike Fit Barry, who has once again sprinkled a bit of magic over the setup on the Triban. On top of that, I’ve decided to make it even more comfortable. I’ve taken the mudguards off completely and fitted some big 35mm tyres, which means I can run lower pressures and take a lot of the buzz out of the road surface.

    A quick 15km test ride yesterday showed they are doing exactly what I hoped.

    I spent a lot of last year tweaking the Giant to try to get more comfort out of it, but the truth is that the early carbon technology makes it so stiff that it just takes too much out of me over longer distances. I’m keen to see how the newly fettled, balloon-tyre-equipped Triban gets on over the 100km on Sunday.

    In Coach ChatGPT news, I’m still consulting with it and still completing the workouts it gives me after I upload my daily WHOOP scores. I’m getting stronger and faster on the rower, and my technique is getting better too. I can really feel the progress.

    The aim is still to get to a sub-7-minute 2,000m row.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment. We continue.