OK, I’ve gone from keen contributor to the motoring fan club to being a fairly staunch critic. I’ve owned lots of cars – 2 VW Golfs, 2 Ford Escorts, 2 Suzuki Swift Gtis and 3 Alfas for starters – and haven’t stinted in using them. What I have – so far – managed is to remain sub-2.2 litres and always a four cylinder. (An Alfa GTV6 remains tempting at 2.5 or 3 litres, though) Even with 3 kids I have to ask why would you want to waste money on a big 6 or an 8? To tow stuff? How often? To lug a big load to the tip? What, every day? Just beacuse? Fact is very very few people need more than a Smart City car to do the daily stuff. However in a democracy, particularly a car-crazy one where roads are subsidised by everyone, we get offered what car companies think will make them the best return on investment.
Sure, they need to know what you’ll buy, but it’s not as though they will throw a design, its tooling and ongoing parts supply (a money spinner) out the window on a whim. They may want to test options like engines or configurations or even colours but they’ll know which options will also deliver the best return - for them.
Now car companies will say ‘the majority of sampled buyers wanted a turbo 6 over a diesel‘ but who knows what the questions were, or how well the diesel (or smaller 4) variant was presented to the ‘focus group’? Did they paint a picture of rousing or dull performance? What about interior space? Did they mention running costs? Especially with rising petrol costs and the likelihood of more realistic ‘user-pays’ infrastructure charges coming real soon it’s hard to imagine how a broadly based focus group would choose a turbo 6 urban 4wd with off road pretensions over a more practical diesel version of same.
Now the companies aren’t stupid but they do have an expensive investment in existing tooling, brand and model value and so on. They may well realise that a smaller family 4 is a better volume seller in teh future anyway, but they have an investment in fat cars and trucks. Or they are a world centre of competence in the design of fat family cars. So they have plenty of skin in this game, ouside of just selling you the car that best fits your needs. Instead they’ll invent a so-called ‘hero-car‘ that will have a ‘halo effect‘ on both bog-standard 6es and maybe even those small fours that they import from Korea. They may not be able to stump up the capital to locally build the smaller four that would make so much more sense, however, so they actually need to twist the buyer’s arm a bit.
It becomes a marketing battle. If we race this whopping great 8 and get our spoon fed car mag writers to rave about a ‘stormin’ turbo 6′ then we’ll probably sell a few more standard family 6es… at least until petrol hits say $3 or $4 ($Australian) per litre. And get a better return than (a) doing nothing or (b) building cars that make sense to the market.
So when they say you wanted a turbo 6 they actually meant a diesel won’t help shift the volume item and won’t return enough on our investment, so we’ll park the diesel for now and pretend this turbo mindblower is the coolest thing since sliced bread. Sheesh. In effect they are also handing the small car market over to Korea (I’m not saying that’s bad, btw) and dooming local (Oz) manufacture to its grave (a bad thing for all the workers upstream and down as well, who will have to find alternative work, but from an economist’s viewpoint probably not bad because we have subsidised manufacture of the wrong cars for too long).
So here in Australia (let’s call it Oz) we get:
- A stormin turbo 6 Falcon-derived late-to-market fat 4wd from Ford (sales dropping faster than the car)
- A new GM 6 and 8 cylinder ‘family car’ that will probably weigh more than the last one and is unlikely to weigh less, so our fossil fuel footprint is still huge (again sales dropping like flies)
- No new diesels from the local manufacturers, but a few imports lined up
- Lots of spin on it’s what we want anyway
- And the last roll of the dice, that big cars are safer! Well yeah, but can we afford ‘em? Can the world afford much more of this ‘a car for everybody’ mantra that’s sending resource prices ever higher and wreaking dire consequences on city habitability and the world’s environment overall?
I have to take a break, this is just soooo depressing. I know, I’ll go for a drive!
OK, I’ve gone from keen contributor to the motoring fan club to being a fairly staunch critic. I’ve owned lots of cars – 2 VW Golfs, 2 Ford Escorts, 2 Suzuki Swift Gtis and 3 Alfas for starters – and haven’t stinted in using them. What I have – so far – managed is to remain sub-2.2 litres and always a four cylinder. (An Alfa GTV6 remains tempting at 2.5 or 3 litres, though) Even with 3 kids I have to ask why would you want to waste money on a big 6 or an 8? To tow stuff? How often? To lug a big load to the tip? What, every day? Just beacuse? Fact is very very few people need more than a Smart City car to do the daily stuff. However in a democracy, particularly a car-crazy one where roads are subsidised by everyone, we get offered what car companies think will make them the best return on investment.
Sure, they need to know what you’ll buy, but it’s not as though they will throw a design, its tooling and ongoing parts supply (a money spinner) out the window on a whim. They may want to test options like engines or configurations or even colours but they’ll know which options will also deliver the best return - for them.
Now car companies will say ‘the majority of sampled buyers wanted a turbo 6 over a diesel‘ but who knows what the questions were, or how well the diesel (or smaller 4) variant was presented to the ‘focus group’? Did they paint a picture of rousing or dull performance? What about interior space? Did they mention running costs? Especially with rising petrol costs and the likelihood of more realistic ‘user-pays’ infrastructure charges coming real soon it’s hard to imagine how a broadly based focus group would choose a turbo 6 urban 4wd with off road pretensions over a more practical diesel version of same.
Now the companies aren’t stupid but they do have an expensive investment in existing tooling, brand and model value and so on. They may well realise that a smaller family 4 is a better volume seller in teh future anyway, but they have an investment in fat cars and trucks. Or they are a world centre of competence in the design of fat family cars. So they have plenty of skin in this game, ouside of just selling you the car that best fits your needs. Instead they’ll invent a so-called ‘hero-car‘ that will have a ‘halo effect‘ on both bog-standard 6es and maybe even those small fours that they import from Korea. They may not be able to stump up the capital to locally build the smaller four that would make so much more sense, however, so they actually need to twist the buyer’s arm a bit.
It becomes a marketing battle. If we race this whopping great 8 and get our spoon fed car mag writers to rave about a ‘stormin’ turbo 6′ then we’ll probably sell a few more standard family 6es… at least until petrol hits say $3 or $4 ($Australian) per litre. And get a better return than (a) doing nothing or (b) building cars that make sense to the market.
So when they say you wanted a turbo 6 they actually meant a diesel won’t help shift the volume item and won’t return enough on our investment, so we’ll park the diesel for now and pretend this turbo mindblower is the coolest thing since sliced bread. Sheesh. In effect they are also handing the small car market over to Korea (I’m not saying that’s bad, btw) and dooming local (Oz) manufacture to its grave (a bad thing for all the workers upstream and down as well, who will have to find alternative work, but from an economist’s viewpoint probably not bad because we have subsidised manufacture of the wrong cars for too long).
So here in Australia (let’s call it Oz) we get:
- A stormin turbo 6 Falcon-derived late-to-market fat 4wd from Ford (sales dropping faster than the car)
- A new GM 6 and 8 cylinder ‘family car’ that will probably weigh more than the last one and is unlikely to weigh less, so our fossil fuel footprint is still huge (again sales dropping like flies)
- No new diesels from the local manufacturers, but a few imports lined up
- Lots of spin on it’s what we want anyway
- And the last roll of the dice, that big cars are safer! Well yeah, but can we afford ‘em? Can the world afford much more of this ‘a car for everybody’ mantra that’s sending resource prices ever higher and wreaking dire consequences on city habitability and the world’s environment overall?
I have to take a break, this is just soooo depressing. I know, I’ll go for a drive!
On Leadership
Item 1
Don’t get offended if I mention a certain German leader from the mid 20th Century, however in the context of learning about leadership – the art of mass persuasion, if you like, Hitler is a classic example. Read more.
Item 2
An interesting article via BNET on Leadership development. Entitled ‘A Systems Approach to Leadership‘ it begins, “What Is Leadership Anyway?..” Read more.
On Leadership
Item 1
Don’t get offended if I mention a certain German leader from the mid 20th Century, however in the context of learning about leadership – the art of mass persuasion, if you like, Hitler is a classic example. Read more.
Item 2
An interesting article via BNET on Leadership development. Entitled ‘A Systems Approach to Leadership‘ it begins, “What Is Leadership Anyway?..” Read more.
Isotopes reveal 5,000 years of global warming…but the last 50 have been the warmest ever. The report is from Space and Earth Science via PhysOrg.com. “The take-home message is that global climate can change abruptly, and with 6.5 billion people inhabiting the planet, that’s serious.” So, are you still buying big trucks to burn up fossil fuel as fast as you can?
MBA students love case studies. So to help out (hehe) I have done some simple analysis of product life cycles and strategy with regard to Telcos vs VoIP and Dell vs the full solution. It could give you some ideas. It’s not deep analysis – and it could be complete rubbish – but it gives you some idea.
Filed under Business by Rob.
Outsourcing deals may involve taking over a company’s assets, such as buildings and computer hardware, and may include the workforce as well. The impact on the employees is an obvious one, however it will vary in detail across industries, and is dependent upon circumstances such as the company culture and nature of the work. Other factors such as the degree of unionism in the target workforce will influence the scope and nature of the outsourcing deal and its impact. Read more…
Outsourcing deals may involve taking over a company’s assets, such as buildings and computer hardware, and may include the workforce as well. The impact on the employees is an obvious one, however it will vary in detail across industries, and is dependent upon circumstances such as the company culture and nature of the work. Other factors such as the degree of unionism in the target workforce will influence the scope and nature of the outsourcing deal and its impact. Read more…
 Where were you in 1982? At Camperdown Velodrome watching the Sydney Thousand? Well I was! This year (2006) the Thousand will be at the equivalent of Camperdown Velodrome, if you like – the 80′s vintage banked outdoor velodrome at Tempe, one of Sydney’s inner southern suburbs.
Where were you in 1982? At Camperdown Velodrome watching the Sydney Thousand? Well I was! This year (2006) the Thousand will be at the equivalent of Camperdown Velodrome, if you like – the 80′s vintage banked outdoor velodrome at Tempe, one of Sydney’s inner southern suburbs.
More postcards here.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, AAP or perhaps Airbus itself, small is an aircraft of around 100 seats. The report states in part: “Small jets could soon use Bankstown (June 21, 2006 – 9:49PM). Bankstown Airport in Sydney could be used for domestic commercial flights by small jet aeroplanes within a few years.European aeroplane manufacturer Airbus met with Bankstown Airport to discuss commercial flights by the A318 100-seat aircraft between Bankstown and Australian state capitals.” Full article here.
Now I agree that using Bankstown to its fullest makes sense, but 100 seats? Steep glideslope? Mixed with a huge volume of light aircraft? I haven’t flown out of Bankstown for probably 30 years (feels like just yesterday) and it used to be pretty hairy with the mix of faster and slow aircraft in circuit to parallel runways. Add in a Learjet and it gets v. interesting. That aside, I’ve seen aircraft the size of Vickers Viscounts at Bankstown and it seemed to cope. On the other hand some of the runways have been closed recently, I believe, so the options for separating traffic may have been reduced. Lastly there is that old problem with a clash with Sydney’s runway 07/25… let alone the neighbours and their opinions!
Try these resources for your business studies… I have no connection with them, other than the fact that I use ‘em myself 
- MBA Depot is a fabulous resource with articles and documents by category. Registration gets you to teh good stuff and a fabulous compendium newsletter.
Filed under Business, Links by Rob.
Did someone say tachypnoeic shift? Well Faria et al did and I quoted them (at least in part) here.
But wait, there’s more! If you read Lucia, A., Hoyos, J., & Chicharro, J. L. (2001). Physiology of professional road cycling. Sports Medicine, 31, 325-337 as I found it here, you’ll see this quote: “Several studies have recently shown that PC exhibit some remarkable physiological responses and adaptations such as: an efficient respiratory system (i.e. lack of “tachypnoeic shift” at high exercise intensities); a considerable reliance on fat metabolism even at high power outputs; or several neuromuscular adaptations (i.e. a great resistance to fatigue of slow motor units).”
Did someone say tachypnoeic shift? Well Faria et al did and I quoted them (at least in part) here.
But wait, there’s more! If you read Lucia, A., Hoyos, J., & Chicharro, J. L. (2001). Physiology of professional road cycling. Sports Medicine, 31, 325-337 as I found it here, you’ll see this quote: “Several studies have recently shown that PC exhibit some remarkable physiological responses and adaptations such as: an efficient respiratory system (i.e. lack of “tachypnoeic shift” at high exercise intensities); a considerable reliance on fat metabolism even at high power outputs; or several neuromuscular adaptations (i.e. a great resistance to fatigue of slow motor units).”
I keep reading in mags and online about lactic acid buildup and the importance of massage and stretching and I keep thinking “but, but – recent research says…“.
I don’t know the truth, after all what is truth? Perhaps only mathematics can truly be ‘proven’…
Anyway, in my personal experience (based on feel as much as biology) there are both aerobic and anaerobic energy sources phasing in and out during efforts and probably interacting in a fairly complicated way. And each person has individual limits in oxygen transport (blood flow , haemoglobin content, heart size and cellular uptake) and energy delivery and use that can be modified by training. Apart from these training-induced changes, the upper and lower limits of these physiological processes are individually set, probably genetically, and vary across a lifetime and probably to some degree day to day.
Most people will feel and report upon these processes and their limits; the heavy breathing, limp or leaden legs and a burning feeling in the muscles or the lungs for example. The ‘I can’t go any harder or faster’ feeling, if you like. And no amount of massage erases these feelings – or any other feeling. However if you are a spiritual person – and cycling can be very spiritual in its regimentation, beliefs and repetition – and you have the faith, then yes massage – and stretching – may work for you. If it seems right for you and clearly doesn’t injure you (in the broadest sense) then it’s probably OK.
For me I’ll stretch when I’m warm because it’s good to gain and maintain flexibility; but I’ll warm up by exercising at a lower pace for a period and then gradually lift to the level I need to be at for my intended activity. Stretching can be harmful if you exceed common-sense bounds and massage is really – sorry about this – all in the mind. As for lactic acid being the evil behind post-exercise pain and a limiting factor on your performance – well maybe we are seeing this the wrong way and making bold assumptions! As I said, there may be no truth outside of maths.
Try this for an enterprising overview of cycling physiology. By Faria EW, Parker DL, Faria IE. Exercise Physiology Laboratories, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA. In part it states “The positive facets of lactate metabolism dispel the ‘lactic acid myth’. Lactate is shown to lower hydrogen ion concentrations rather than raise them, thereby retarding acidosis. Every aspect of lactate production is shown to be advantageous to cycling performance.” Myths begone!
I keep reading in mags and online about lactic acid buildup and the importance of massage and stretching and I keep thinking “but, but – recent research says…“.
I don’t know the truth, after all what is truth? Perhaps only mathematics can truly be ‘proven’…
Anyway, in my personal experience (based on feel as much as biology) there are both aerobic and anaerobic energy sources phasing in and out during efforts and probably interacting in a fairly complicated way. And each person has individual limits in oxygen transport (blood flow , haemoglobin content, heart size and cellular uptake) and energy delivery and use that can be modified by training. Apart from these training-induced changes, the upper and lower limits of these physiological processes are individually set, probably genetically, and vary across a lifetime and probably to some degree day to day.
Most people will feel and report upon these processes and their limits; the heavy breathing, limp or leaden legs and a burning feeling in the muscles or the lungs for example. The ‘I can’t go any harder or faster’ feeling, if you like. And no amount of massage erases these feelings – or any other feeling. However if you are a spiritual person – and cycling can be very spiritual in its regimentation, beliefs and repetition – and you have the faith, then yes massage – and stretching – may work for you. If it seems right for you and clearly doesn’t injure you (in the broadest sense) then it’s probably OK.
For me I’ll stretch when I’m warm because it’s good to gain and maintain flexibility; but I’ll warm up by exercising at a lower pace for a period and then gradually lift to the level I need to be at for my intended activity. Stretching can be harmful if you exceed common-sense bounds and massage is really – sorry about this – all in the mind. As for lactic acid being the evil behind post-exercise pain and a limiting factor on your performance – well maybe we are seeing this the wrong way and making bold assumptions! As I said, there may be no truth outside of maths.
Try this for an enterprising overview of cycling physiology. By Faria EW, Parker DL, Faria IE. Exercise Physiology Laboratories, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA. In part it states “The positive facets of lactate metabolism dispel the ‘lactic acid myth’. Lactate is shown to lower hydrogen ion concentrations rather than raise them, thereby retarding acidosis. Every aspect of lactate production is shown to be advantageous to cycling performance.” Myths begone!
Some essential business reading from Harvard – freebies – including especially good stuff on Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard. Beware the implementation. Some companies implement the name more than the concept. Is your balanced scrorecard truly balanced? Does it align? Read more.
Some essential business reading from Harvard – freebies – including especially good stuff on Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard. Beware the implementation. Some companies implement the name more than the concept. Is your balanced scrorecard truly balanced? Does it align? Read more.
Some essential business reading from Harvard, including especially good stuff on Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard. Beware the implementation. Some companies implement the name more than the concept. Is your balanced scrorecard truly balanced? Does it align? Read more.
Filed under Business, Links by Rob.
In the final analysis it was Ullrich overpowering everybody in the TT to win the Tour de Suisse overall. Cadel Evans was 2nd in the TT and moved to 10th overall. Read the full Cyclingnews report here.
With just 13 days to the start of Le Tour we have Giro winner Basso cooling his heels, refreshing after last month’s efforts – whilst trying to maintain something like 90% of his form, and Ullrich now resting and refreshing after a shorter but more recent winning effort. Will Basso recover enough from his 3 week effort to resume in similar form? Or has Ullrich the advantage with more recent race efforts in his legs and time to recover? Psychologically it’s about 50:50, slight advantage to Basso in all but TTs. Ullrich looks able to hang tough in the mountains but Basso looks to have the form to storm the Alps. He could gain plenty of time that will leave Jan chasing in the TTs. Add in Landis and Evans plus Valverde – even Cunego – and we have a race on our hands!
In the final analysis it was Ullrich overpowering everybody in the TT to win the Tour de Suisse overall. Cadel Evans was 2nd in the TT and moved to 10th overall. Read the full Cyclingnews report here.
With just 13 days to the start of Le Tour we have Giro winner Basso cooling his heels, refreshing after last month’s efforts – whilst trying to maintain something like 90% of his form, and Ullrich now resting and refreshing after a shorter but more recent winning effort. Will Basso recover enough from his 3 week effort to resume in similar form? Or has Ullrich the advantage with more recent race efforts in his legs and time to recover? Psychologically it’s about 50:50, slight advantage to Basso in all but TTs. Ullrich looks able to hang tough in the mountains but Basso looks to have the form to storm the Alps. He could gain plenty of time that will leave Jan chasing in the TTs. Add in Landis and Evans plus Valverde – even Cunego – and we have a race on our hands!
3-time World Road Champion Oscar Freire‘s audacity and skill in bunny-hopping a median strip to get a gap on his breakaway companions – and win – reminds me of Phil Anderson pulling a similar stunt in a one day race oh so many years ago. Cyclingnews reported: Five kilometres from Ascona, Freire displayed some superb skills to bunny-hop a median strip with apparent ease and leapfrog to the other side of the road, catching his three companions by total surprise, who could only turn their heads in amazement, looking like a trio of stunned mullets.
This is the Tour de Suisse folks. Only a few weeks left before the real excitement starts. Aussie Michael Rogers was in the break but was swallowed up up the chasing pack. GC is Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir leading, Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Würth 2nd, Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team 3rd. Cadel Evans is 18th, about 5mins back.
Meanwhile Baden Cooke was 4th in yesterday’s stage of the Elektrotoer. And a stack of Aussies including Wilson and Chadwick doing well in Tour de Beauce.
3-time World Road Champion Oscar Freire‘s audacity and skill in bunny-hopping a median strip to get a gap on his breakaway companions – and win – reminds me of Phil Anderson pulling a similar stunt in a one day race oh so many years ago. Cyclingnews reported: Five kilometres from Ascona, Freire displayed some superb skills to bunny-hop a median strip with apparent ease and leapfrog to the other side of the road, catching his three companions by total surprise, who could only turn their heads in amazement, looking like a trio of stunned mullets.
This is the Tour de Suisse folks. Only a few weeks left before the real excitement starts. Aussie Michael Rogers was in the break but was swallowed up up the chasing pack. GC is Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir leading, Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Würth 2nd, Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team 3rd. Cadel Evans is 18th, about 5mins back.
Meanwhile Baden Cooke was 4th in yesterday’s stage of the Elektrotoer. And a stack of Aussies including Wilson and Chadwick doing well in Tour de Beauce.
The trouble with opinions is that they get around. People talk. Some listen, digest, analyse and move on. Others take it in and put it on like a new coat, proudly showing off the fake fur. (Some people think, many prefer take-away.) Before you know it an opinion – be it crass, vulgar or otherwise – has been taken on by a large number of people and becomes ingrained. Like “drinking and driving is OK, only wowsers don’t do it”; “cigarettes can’t harm you, my dad lived to 80 and he smoked”; “why should the descendents of colonists apologise for land stolen 200 years ago?” and “of course there’s no greenhouse gas problem, global warming is rubbish.” One of my favourites is “the government only fines drivers to raise revenue, there’s no harm in speeding”. All of this untested junkthink gets sniffed out by shock jocks and print columnists and amplified across the community. Many of these ratbag not-quite-journalists don’t actually believe it, but who can really tell? They tap into what’s wrong and negative in our society and use it as their brand. They then hide behind the limp defence of ‘political correctness is bollocks‘ when someone argues the case against. So why does right-wing sell? Because it’s conservative. It’s safe. It protects the current owner and rejects those upon whom injustice has fallen.
Which brings me to Miranda Devine in the Sydney Morning Herald. I know she couldn’t possibly believe some of the illogical nonsense she writes. But doesn’t she care that her falsely-held opinions may inspire others of meaner disposition to act out her ratbag fantasies? No, because it pays her living. And the publisher gets more readers – and reinforcement to hire the looney right to write. Can you see a problem here?
The Bulletin has an interesting article on Miranda here. Crikey says this. The ABC says this. Tim Lambert’s blog says this.
And why am I writing this? I do read what Miranda has to say – it’s mostly very funny stuff. But it smells very bad when I see opinion pieces entitled “Traffic hazard ahead: vegan cyclists”. Now it could be a bad joke. In which case she should get some training in effective writing. However if it indeed reads as it was intended then we should as a community be alarmed.
Whilst I can accept that Miranda has her opinion and that many other people have theirs – and that they are both anti cyclist and pro-car, hers is not my opinion and I object to her irrationalisms being spread, encouraged and popularised. Having been hit by a car, pushed off the road by a bus and had a speargun aimed at me from a car at 6:00AM on a deserted road in Sydney – all whilst behaving legally, carefully and safely on my pushbike – I really don’t think that these crazed and hateful opinions of hers will win me – or any other bike rider – any new friends out on the road. Hey, I ride my bike and drive my cars, too. I don’t see a problem with the two forms of transport co-existing. Why stir up trouble when we should – if anything – be encouraging healthy, green and clean bike use by making it a little safer?
There’s plenty of form on display at Tour de Suisse. Ullrich has put the hammer down and is now 3rd overall. Meanwhile plenty of others are shining whilst climbing, too. Aussie Gerrans came close to a breakaway win. Cyclingnews reports.
There’s plenty of form on display at Tour de Suisse. Ullrich has put the hammer down and is now 3rd overall. Meanwhile plenty of others are shining whilst climbing, too. Aussie Gerrans came close to a breakaway win. Cyclingnews reports.
Into maps? Into social networking? Want personal functionality, like customised maps you can share? We’ve all been to Google Earth, Google Maps and the Yahoo and Microsoft catch-ups and seen what can happen when everyone gets a go at making spelling mistakes on a global scale. Now check out what you can do when you lay more personal functionality on top of online mapping. Read more here and a Forbes slide show here about these social mapping mashups.
Filed under Humanity, Raves by Rob.
Into biology? No? Why not? We are all biological in nature – well, unless you are not amongst us somehow. In any case you should be into everything with a passion – if you want to maximise your time on this Earth, surely! Anyway, this is PZ Myers, a biologist with strong opinions. Very funny. Very readable.
I don’t know about you but only once did I find the time and motivation in my life to do 700km a week. For just one week. And a few 500km weeks either side. And some (read six months or more) 400km weeks either side of that. So probably 8-12 months of really hard, focussed training at a sub-elite level. No HRM, just training by feel. I don’t think I found my peak, as such – although across 5 years or so of riding where I averaged close to 200km a week that period was one where I was the most prepared. And when it mattered I flopped.
The 228km race I aimed at went well until my bunch splintered on the mountain. Rather than regroup at the top we remained fragmented – indeed many just stopped and got in cars! – whereas just a minute up the road a bunch or two did form and they won the race. Me? I rode the next 100km largely catching, briefly riding with and then watching individual riders stop and give up; and when the only guy left with me chucked it in, so did I. That sort of negativity is catching. Although I had plenty of miles in my legs I needed to go harder up that one key climb and make sure I had a bunch around me that would be committed to finish.
Cycling’s a solo sport in many ways – but one where getting into a team, either a loose collective of like minds or a formal club, national or pro team is absolutely vital. As is setting your goals and planning to achieve them. Just having the miles in your legs may work at club level but it falls apart when things get serious and “they” start ganging up on you.
Which brings me to Jan Ullrich. Setting aside Lance Armstrong, Jan is the dominant tour rider of our generation. By now he must know how to train and peak at the right time. Yet he still needs his team – they must match wits, skill and strength with Basso’s proven squad plus fend off Phonak’s team and the less fancied but capable individuals like Cadel Evans. So we mustn’t focus on Jan’s form alone but on his team’s performance overall. Nevertheless it’s reassuring to see him pushing the pace in the Tour de Suisse (link to Cyclingnews coverage). It’s a step forward. (Jan is now 7th on GC, Cadel is 12th.)
I don’t know about you but only once did I find the time and motivation in my life to do 700km a week. For just one week. And a few 500km weeks either side. And some (read six months or more) 400km weeks either side of that. So probably 8-12 months of really hard, focussed training at a sub-elite level. No HRM, just training by feel. I don’t think I found my peak, as such – although across 5 years or so of riding where I averaged close to 200km a week that period was one where I was the most prepared. And when it mattered I flopped.
The 228km race I aimed at went well until my bunch splintered on the mountain. Rather than regroup at the top we remained fragmented – indeed many just stopped and got in cars! – whereas just a minute up the road a bunch or two did form and they won the race. Me? I rode the next 100km largely catching, briefly riding with and then watching individual riders stop and give up; and when the only guy left with me chucked it in, so did I. That sort of negativity is catching. Although I had plenty of miles in my legs I needed to go harder up that one key climb and make sure I had a bunch around me that would be committed to finish.
Cycling’s a solo sport in many ways – but one where getting into a team, either a loose collective of like minds or a formal club, national or pro team is absolutely vital. As is setting your goals and planning to achieve them. Just having the miles in your legs may work at club level but it falls apart when things get serious and “they” start ganging up on you.
Which brings me to Jan Ullrich. Setting aside Lance Armstrong, Jan is the dominant tour rider of our generation. By now he must know how to train and peak at the right time. Yet he still needs his team – they must match wits, skill and strength with Basso’s proven squad plus fend off Phonak’s team and the less fancied but capable individuals like Cadel Evans. So we mustn’t focus on Jan’s form alone but on his team’s performance overall. Nevertheless it’s reassuring to see him pushing the pace in the Tour de Suisse (link to Cyclingnews coverage). It’s a step forward. (Jan is now 7th on GC, Cadel is 12th.)
It’s nice to have goals. Jan Ullrich would like to be down to 72kg in time for Le Tour, for instance. Procycling has the story. It must be nice to have Jan’s physiology. Train on your own for a while, then with some teammates. Enter the Giro for ‘training’ and win the TT. Do some more training and then go on the attack in the Tour de Suisse. Lose a few more kilos and front up for the Tour a lean mean TT rider who can hang with most of the best on the climbs. I have trouble doing any of that. Just getting on the bike is a struggle some days. Then again I don’t get paid to do it, either
It’s nice to have goals. Jan Ullrich would like to be down to 72kg in time for Le Tour, for instance. Procycling has the story. It must be nice to have Jan’s physiology. Train on your own for a while, then with some teammates. Enter the Giro for ‘training’ and win the TT. Do some more training and then go on the attack in the Tour de Suisse. Lose a few more kilos and front up for the Tour a lean mean TT rider who can hang with most of the best on the climbs. I have trouble doing any of that. Just getting on the bike is a struggle some days. Then again I don’t get paid to do it, either
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