12 Hour - good training for a 10TT?

After a couple of days recovery from the 12 hour I did the club 10 last night.

I set a ride goal of filling in some of the gaps on my 2008 v 2007 power profile. (I still remember the first time I saw WKO at "Flammerouge" Tony's March last year. One the most powerfull images I got was the ability to compare years in terms of performance. In the graphic above 2008 is the solid line, 2007 the dotted. Over most of the chart the solid line is above the dotted showing how I have improved this year).

Target was 5-6 minute power so I set out to ride the first km at around 300W then put the hammer down and try to keep above 360W.

Turned up on time but a bit late so started down the field. Route was my favourite, H10/3 west of Newbury down A4 to Hungerford and back. Weather was typical August, occasional drizzle and a bit windy. Having done without music for 12 hours last weekend I decided I could do without it for 10 miles. (Quite enjoyed it as bike currently running smooth as silk.)

All went very well. I achieved my training goal and recorded season best power from 5-9 minutes and all time best 5 mins of 359W.

But ride went even better than that. I knew I was going well as speedo was mostly over 40kph, even on return let when I eased off a bit. As ride went on I made a conscious effort to keep it above 40 and managed to hold enough back to finish strong.

Ended up mullahing my PB, knocking 25secs off it with 23.45.

Strangely watts for the ride (321W/325NW) were not any different from slower rides and pacing was opposite to "ideal" with hard first half and "easy" second (not due to wind which was more against on return).

I put improvement down to a combination of factors

- As result of 12 found a comfortable aero position (biggest single factor I reckon)

- Not listening to music I was more aware of breathing

- Seeing speed displayed (previously set to cadence) acted as a motivator

- Being towards the end of rider list I expected to get caught, which had never yet happened. Did not consciously try to avoid this but think must have acted as a spur.

Whatever the reason left me pretty happy.

One final strange thing is HR. It levelled out at 172, which is well short of the 177 that I have done in the past (though more 2007 than 2008).