My understanding of weather forecast for this brevet ride was cloudy on Saturday and it might rain on Sunday. What I failed to know was the wind. It will be a curse and a blessing...
It rained the night before the brevet and luckily it stopped and the road had a chance to dry by the morning start. There were probably around 80+ riders for this 400km event. There were two starts, 6:00 and 6:30. I started from 6:00. During the bike inspection, folks commented on my big 1.5L Coca-Cola bottle on my especial down tube bottle holder. Seems this is their first time to see alternative hydration options :)
Me at the starting point under the bridge.
Riders are getting ready for the start.
The peloton I rode for the first 100km
The first 100km was pretty flat and found a group that was fast and was able to follow drafting. The group took turn on the rotation but there is one seasoned brevet rider who was very strong and doing most of the work. The peloton was cruising around 26-30kph and this is with a very strong headwind!. The wind was blowing to a low pressure area in the South-West direction and it will stay like this for the next 24 hours. I was lucky to find this group as it would have been a struggle to fight the wind even with hands on the drop bar. I tried not to get drop as if my life depended on it! The group started with around 10 cyclist and few got drop slowly and after we reached the first hill, the group was around 4. Ultimately, I got drop on the first hill (~350m climb) but fortunately no longer needed the draft (the wind will come back on the coast on the return leg) and this was the start of a long solo 300 km ride (except for a few cases where cyclist drafted behind me). Just after the quick descent was the second Control Point and had a quick spaghetti lunch and replenished my 1.5L of Coke. This should keep my sugar level high for the next two tough climb.
The next 100 km was the hardest part of the course. A big climb to the south of Mt. Fuji using Fujisan Skyline (~1350m climb) and the Kagosaka Pass from Gotemba (~630m climb). It was a long sluggish climb but the cherry blossoms along the roads brighten up my spirit. I just love cycling during the cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossoms at the climb to Mt. Fuji
The descent on the Fujisan Skyline was foggy and visibility was very poor. Downhill speed was limited until around 1000 meters altitude and then able to enjoy the fast descent until Gotemba for the third CP.
Visibility was very poor from the top of Mt. Fuji (aka, slow descent speed).
I was surprised, I still felt strong on the Kagosaka Pass climb and was able to continue cycling without stop until the fourth CP in Narusawa. I even had a new personal record on this climb in Strava with all the heavy brevet kits.
It was getting dark and getting chilly at Narusawa CP. I put on my vest and changed to a thicker sock. The ride from here was mostly downhill but bunch of up and down along the Minobu Train Line. After the descent from Lake Motosu I started to feel a slight pain on the right knee. At this point, I can still maintain my speed but I know my knee is now starting talking to me! Another small hill (~180m climb) before the next CP and the pain got worst and started affecting my ability to pedal.
Just before the fifth CP, I had my 20 min rest and late night second dinner at GyuDon place. A warm luxury, cozy place and shielded from the howling winds compared to eating outside convenient stores. It even have a proper seat!
The last 100 km was a struggle. I was fighting sleep deprivation as well as pain in my right knee. I adjusted by using my left leg more, pedaling at a faster cadence and more rest breaks. This last hundred km leg is one of the slowest (avg 15.6 kph) and a little faster that the climbing leg (avg 14.2 kph) but this was on a flat section and aided by a very strong tailwind (a blessing)! At some point, I was cruising at 30+ kph with very minimal effort and when the wind is not in my favor around 7-8kph and when the wind is not a concern, probably around 12-15kph. A consequence of not able to cycle with higher heartbeat and power is my body cannot generate enough heat. I just felt very cold especially when I deviated a little bit from the tailwind. I wore all the gears I had to keep warm. I wore the base layer, vest, jacket and the rain jacket!. I thought I still need a balaclava. I know I can sleep for 3-4 hours and still make it on time but I have decided to move on even at slow speed. This is also a practice for longer brevet rides. See below table for comparison.
| Kilometer Mark | Elapsed Time | Resting Time | Average Speed | Average HR | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 km | 4:21 | 0:20 | 22.8 kph | 155 bpm | 103 watts |
| 200 km | 7:04 | 0:53 | 14.2 kph | 156 bpm | 124 watts |
| 300 km | 5:01 | 0:36 | 20 kph | 134 bpm | 79 watts |
| 400 km | 6:06 | 1:07 | 15.6 kph | 118 bpm | 63 watts |
After a long slog and a brief fight of headwind, I finished officially the next day at 5:05, approximately 23 hours and 5 minutes after the start. Official result and pictures will be posted here soon.
I was really worried of DNF for my first brevet of the season because of sickness and lack of practice due to hay fever but I was very happy with the result.
Next major milestone is BRM526Norikura600 cycling.
3 comments:
Well done! You struggled on even when things became difficult and you made it. You will be an inspiration to me at my first brevet in a month's time!
Thanks Joe... looking forward on your first brevet. See you at the starting line, soon...
A strong wind can be a bigger challenge than a climb....at least mentally. Glad to see you are still rolling strong.
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