training 1-1-13

Folsom Canal, 55.5 miles. QuestXS (foothole covers, hood). 27.2mph average. First ride with the hood. I rode without a windshield and received a strong jet of air directed straight at my mouth. That will be nice in the summertime.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ever since I switched back to short cranks and easier efforts I automatically reverted back to my flatback style of pedaling which is higher cadenced and quad-dominated. I've noticed that towards the end of my ~2hr rides my quads start to fatigue a little and my cadence and speed drop slightly. In the beginning I would just finish the ride like that but for the last few rides I've switched to a more closed position style of pedaling using my hamstrings in a bigger gear with a lower cadence. My speed always goes up when I switch modes. I think training both modes is a good thing to do because come race day it will be all hands on deck. I don't want to enter a race with undertrained hamstrings.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I'm very happy with the hood. On a windless day on the trail, without the hood, my training speed is 25mph in spin mode and 26mph in hamstring mode. Today, with the hood, in spin mode, I was doing 27-28mph into the wind and 30-31 with it. After switching to hamstring mode I decided to go over the hills of the TT course instead of bypassing them as I usually do. The bypass is flat but has poles that I have to thread and they are on very bumpy ground. At 30mph it can get pretty hairy. Anyway, I came off the short hill at 34mph and was able to easily hold 33-34mph for the three plus miles until the turnaround point while breathing easy.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I have five more aero add-ons to make. The windshield, the front wheel well inside covers, the inside front wheel covers, the rear wheel well cover and the tailcone.