Red Spins Winter 2022/2023

I'd say there's enough of a thaw to chance a spin tomorrow. I won't be able to make it myself as I'm still struggling with illness. 

Was chatting to Shaun earlier and going by various reports it sounds like the coast road is decent but there's still icy patches inland, even in Newtownmountkennedy. If it was me, I'd suggest an out and back to Rathnew on the coast unless things have thawed out a bit more in the morning. 

9am Dundrum for those that want to go out.

Proposed route for Sunday's Red spin, January 8

Proposed route for Sunday's Red spin, January 8. Start time 9am, Dundrum.
www.strava.com/routes/3046465564370121608?v2=true

This week's spin starts at the Pope's Cross in the Phoenix Park at 9am. 
We'll ride out to Trim before turning towards Rathmoylan. We'll try ride steady up-and-overs between Summerhill and Dunboyne. The objective here is improving technique, not increasing the speed, so we'll focus on getting a disciplined rotation going.
www.strava.com/routes/3049002729333590724?v2=true

Reminder once again that the Sunday spins are meant to be steady, zone 2 endurance rides. That means maintaining an even level of effort throughout. There's been a bit of a tendency in recent weeks to force the pace on the drags beyond the average. I know not everyone uses a HR or power meter, but you should even be aware of this based on perceived effort. If you're blowing harder than you were on the flat bits, you're going too hard. 

Yoyoing levels of effort just make it more likely that gaps will appear and will slow the spin down because we'll have to continually regroup. 

Proposed route for Sunday, 9am Dundrum
www.strava.com/routes/3051554696599095406

Proposed route for Sunday 29 January, 9am Dundrum
www.strava.com/routes/3010920964141608812

We've done a good few reasonably paced up-and-over sessions at the tail end of each spin in recent weeks. There's still a bit of room for improvement. Here's a few tips. 

1. We're trying to ride at a steady level of effort. While you should definitely notice the increased effort riding through on the front, if you find yourself blowing hard frequently, it means something is going wrong and someone (maybe you) is forcing the pace. 
2. Riding through at the front is one of the key things you need to focus on getting right. Try to keep an eye on the rider you're passing and pulling in front of. Too close and you'll risk switching them and forcing them to avoid your back wheel. Too far and you risk gapping the guy behind you (who may already be a bit gassed from riding through). 
3. Once you pull through on the front, you need to back off the pace and let the next guy ride through. If you don't, it means they have to accelerate to pass you, thus forcing the entire group to accelerate. If the next rider doesn't immediately materialise, keep backing off a little bit more until they do.
4. Remember, everything you do in a tight fast moving bunch impacts on everyone else. Every time you accelerate and force the pace, everyone behind you has to do the same thing and you'll be putting someone else under pressure. With that in mind, rather than drilling it to close gaps, try focus on not letting them open up in the first place. If you do have to close it, try and ease your way across and ensure that the people behind you are coming with you. 
5. Use your brakes judiciously. As I said, everything you do the bunch impacts on everyone else. So if you pull your brakes, the person behind often needs to take immediate action, and the person behind them, with the effect becoming more pronounced as it moves down the group. The best way to deal with a slowdown in front is by modulating your pedalling. If needs be, briefly overlapping wheels with the person in front of you is less hazardous than sudden braking. 
6. Communication is important for a well functioning group. Bear in mind that people can't see what's going on behind them, so if people are getting gapped etc, it's good to call it out to those ahead. That applies to the entire spin and not just when we're riding up and covers. If a gap opens up, call it.
7. Tailor your effort to what's going on around you. For example, if things are getting a bit ragged, don't keep riding through at the same pace. Take it a bit handier and slowly ride through to give people behind a bit more chance to recover and regroup. 
8. If you're gassed, don't be afraid to sit at the back and skip a few turns. People will appreciate that more than you losing the wheel.

Route for Sunday's Spin. 9am from the Pope's Cross
www.strava.com/routes/3056605080354697678

We've had big numbers the last few weeks. Bear in mind with a large group that it makes sense to take short turns on the front. Keeping the group moving up means nobody is going to get cold down the back and it'll also keep a nice brisk pace. 

Route for Sunday, 9am Dundrum
www.strava.com/routes/3059192907548832336
If the route looks familiar, it's the reverse of one we did a few weeks back. 

Route for Sunday, 9am Dundrum
www.strava.com/routes/3061657889052702766

We'll be back in the Park the following week and we'll do a recce of the route for the Mick Lally Memorial Race, which is on the week after.

We're already on our last spin of the winter. Here's the route for Sunday, leaving at 9am from the Pope's Cross in the Phoenix Park.
The route will take in one full lap of the Mick Lally Memorial circuit. The race is taking place next week, on Saturday March 4.

www.strava.com/routes/3062681789739197756