the importance of data

2007, a flat tyre, a thunderstorm, split times on the top tube help to motivate in times like these…

Reviewing data from races can tell you a lot about how you rode the race. It can also help you to plan how to ride it next time round.

Every year as we get close to Tokyo ~ Itoigawa, I review past data. I think about how to ride it: the heart rate, the cadence, the speed…

2010 Official result:
8:31:58, 34.17 kmph (Polar HR data: 8:00:25, 297.4 km, 37.1 kmph, 89 cadence, 2460m climbing, 5466 kcal, 151 AV HR, 185 MAX HR)

2009 Official result:
8:51:26 / 32.92kmph (Polar HR data: 8:19, 33.2 kmph, 86 cadence, 152 AV HR, 184 MAX HR)

2008 Official result:
8:34 / 34 kmph (Polar HR data: 8:16, 34.2 kmph, 89 cadence, 151 AV HR, 181 MAX HR)

2010, stop

The similarities in data are obvious:

Average heart rate: 151, 152, 151
Average cadence: 89, 86, 89

This is the data to aim at.

In a hill climb, it’s easy to remain focused on a sustained level of exertion (usually I aim for 180 HR / 80 cadence for efforts of an hour or less).

In longer events such as TOITO, it’s possible to do the same on long drags such as the long straight incline up to Omachi. However, for the large part, it’s difficult to aim at specific values when the terrain is rolling and your activity stop / starting.

Focusing on these values is done not in the race, but in training.

In the winter, on the rollers, an hour or so at this specific HR and cadence is part of my staple training. This does two things:

1. It trains the body to be comfortable at this level of exertion.
2. It trains the body to know how hard to go, to feel the effort. Without looking at the computer, I should be able to maintain a similar level of output.

and go…

A 300km race is not rocket science. Basically you have to know what effort you can sustain for the duration. Moreover, you need to know how to fuel this effort with food and liquids. Finally you need motivation. Split times on the top tube give you something to aim at.

Can’t wait for Saturday!