An Impromptu to Aero Test with Eneas Freyre

An Impromptu to Aero Test with Eneas Freyre
During Tuesday mornings cycling session at Sherwood, I decided that the calm conditions were perfect for an impromptu aero test to see just how easily we can affect our aero dynamics on a bike and thus improve time trial performance.
Test Format:
I completed 2.75 laps of our Sherwood Island course at a steady state normalized power of 360w on a standard road bike with standard wheels a standard cycling kit and standard helmet cycling on the hoods. The variable was that I was wearing a loose fitting long sleeve wind breaker, which I wore during the 1st test, and removed for the 2nd test.
Results:
1st circuit while wearing the wind breaker of 2.75 laps took 5:39min at an ave. speed of 25.3mph.
2nd circuit without wind breaker of 2.75laps took 5:30min at an ave. speed of 25.9mph.
The 2nd lap was faster by .6mph at the same power output or about a 3s savings per lap.
Conclusion:
All though not the most scientific procedure, this controlled test clearly shows the impact of how small changes to our aero dynamic profile has a huge impact on cycling speed which is even more significant at higher speeds. Something as simple as loose fitting cycling clothes can create enough of an increase in wind drag as to affect a simple workout. For those of you that train by interval times, and not power, take note. Your performance on the same course can be greatly affected from one workout to the next, even within the same training sessions if weather conditions change making it hard for you to really tell if you are hitting your goals, thus our heavy emphasis on training with power to eliminate as many variables as possible and help you train at your goal pace.
What is very telling from this test, is that the fastest cyclist in our 30K time trial last week rode the same course at about 40w less output, yet went FASTER by over 1MPH. This athlete rode an optimized time trial bike with a full time trial outfit including time trial helmet and aero wheels.
So what should we take from this?
Everyone should consider their aero dynamic profile when trying to optimize performance. Take the time to set up a consultation with our TARGETRAINING coaches to see how we can help you find free speed! You can even rent aero wheels and a time trial helmet for you next event to help you gain that edge.
We look forward to helping you fly.

Summer Running Series Friday nights July + August

Online Registration Here!

30K Summer Time Trial Series Results

High humidity/75deg/no wind

Rhode Island 70.3 Race Recap

There's a special place in my heart for Providence, RI, having gone to school at PC ages ago. That's the reason why, for the past three years, I have raced in the RI 70.3. Every year has been a different race, both in regards to the course itself, and in regards to how I felt going into the race. This year was a mixed bag. Before arriving in Providence, I felt confident about my swim and bike legs, but was anxious about the run because I hadn't done a race this distance since recovering from last year's running injury- usually by this point I have a bunch of half-marathons and at least one half-ironman under my belt. This year my sister Keryn, also a runner at Lesley University, accompanied me to the race and was more than happy to check out the course with me after we arrived on Saturday, and this is when the nerves kicked in. Why?

1. We found out that wetsuits were banned for the swim because the water temp was 84 degrees. This and the fact that it was a freshwater swim made me worry because the swim is my weakest link and I need all the help (wetsuit and salt water) that I can get!

2. There had been no course profile elevation map posted for the course and once we drove it we realized IT WAS HILLY!! Not your easy rollers, but some truly long, significant climbs. Oh, and there was a mile long "No Pass Zone" at mile 47 because of how awful the road was. They highlighted every pothole in orange, which made it look like an orange road with a few black patches. Seriously, I'm shocked my truck didn't get a flat!

3. Despite the run being a little easier than last year's (and easy being a relative term here), it had a 1+ mile climb at mile 2 and 8 with barely any shade.

But with my sister there cheering me on

and Chris' words of advice to leave it all on the course, I set out with two goals in mind: to beat last year's overall time of 5:11 and get as close to 5 hours as possible, and to qualify for the 70.3 World Championships in September.

Imagine my surprise when I met those goals and then some!! So the race started without a hitch and I found myself swimming stroke-for-stroke to the first buoy with another girl. I tried to pass her a few times to no avail, so I decided to tuck behind her and save some energy. She was a machine, plowing through other swimmers and picking a pin-straight line as I just missed her toes with every stroke. I followed her to the end and came out of the water with a solid time. Spent a little more time in transition than usual because I made the decision to wear my Bont road shoes over my old tri shoes once I saw the bike course, but believe me, the extra transition time was worth it! The Bonts are just amazing, and I cannot wait until my Bont Tri shoes arrive(and yes, they will be pink too:). So onto the bike. Last year my time was 2:46 and change on a relatively flat course with only two big climbs. I was just hoping to come in around the same time, but thanks to my indoor training over the winter at TT Greenwich and Westport, and my early season training trip to Mallorca, I cut 6 minutes off my bike time, logging the fastest split in my age group at an average of 21mph! I can't thank TT enough for helping me get so prepared for a race like this. While coming into T2, I realized that I had a chance to not only break my time from last year, but to break my ultimate goal of 5 hours. As I started, I heard my sister screaming my name and it made me excited to be out on this course, with the hopes of reaching my goals with her there. She snapped a great shot of my excitement, as well as the grueling hill that I would have to climb after my first loop and to the finish line!

The run was HOT, but with every mile that passed, I realized that breaking 5 hours was a real possibility! I paced myself, utilizing every aid station to the fullest, and trying to ignore the fact that my right hamstring was screaming at me with every step. As I passed mile marker 12 with just under 9 minutes to break 5 hours, I dug in and pushed with everything I had. "Come on Neen, swift legs, light feet, GOOOOOOO!!!" screamed my sister as I approached the finish line, and with a huge smile and tears of joy, I crossed the line in 4:59:34. I had no clue if that qualified me for Worlds, but most important was the fact that I had just done what I thought would not be possible. Going forward, I need to learn to have confidence in myself, to know that I have prepared and been coached in the best way possible, and to realize that anything is possible if you love what you are doing as much as I do!

Keryn and I then stuck around for the awards ceremony to see if there was a chance that I qualified for the World Champs, and lo and behold, I did! 4th in my age group (with 4 Worlds slots handed out), and 13th woman overall! Vegas baby!!

And on another positive note, two other TargeTraining women CRUSHED it this year at the RI 70.3: Nicki Pearl, attempting her first half ironman ever, beat her goal time by 20 minutes! And rock star Katha Diddel (below) came 4th in her very competitive age group which only gave out one slot for Worlds, but she'll be competing in the Age Group National Championships in Vermont in August where I am sure she will dominate again! Nice work ladies :)

Congrats to everyone else who had great races this past weekend, and thank you infinitely to my training crew and TargeTraining!

TWO FROM TARGETRAINING PODIUM AT MOSSMAN SPRINT TRIATHLON

TargeTraining fielded a strong squad at the Mossman Sprint Triathlon on Sunday. Jonathan Baxendale took 3rd overall in the mens division and Laurie Brannigan took 2nd overall for women. Who says you can't get faster as you get older! Zach Pratt-8th overall, Max Viega-1st in age group, Ed Torres-23rd overall, Brian Whyte-8th in age group, "Smoking" Bob LaBanca-2nd in age group.

Great job done by all that raced.

See the below for the article in the local paper and for results:-

NORWALK, Conn. – Laura Cummings is a newcomer to triathlons. But after Sunday's victory in the Mossman Sprint Triathlon at Norwalk's Calf Pasture Beach, it's clear the 23-year-old from Bay Shore, N.Y., has a bright future in the sport.
Cummings paced the women's field while Naugatuck's Tim Steiskal led the field in a race under gorgeous weather conditions. The athletes swam a half-mile, rode bikes for 12.5 miles and finished with a 3.1-mile run.
Cummings completed the course in 1:09:44 and finished 42nd overall. Westport's Laurie Brannigan finished second among women, followed by Norwalk's Jessica Fox. Thomas McWalters of Hartford took second in the men's race. Riverside's Jonathan Baxendale took third, followed by Norwalk's Peter Eddy.
Cummings, who started with the elite wave, took control of the women's race in the running leg. A former distance runner at the University of Albany, she strode powerfully along the beach as she pulled away for the first triathlon victory of her young career. She finished sixth in a race last month Montauk, N.Y.
"I was hoping I had a chance to win,'' Cummings said. "I'm just getting started in triathlons. I've been a runner and did some biking, but I don't have much background in swimming."
Brannigan, who finished third among women at last month's KIC It Triathlon in Stamford, started in a wave behind Cummings and did not know how close she was to winning. "I had no idea,'' she said. "Once you get on the bike course, you can't tell who's ahead."
She said she has competed in triathlons for nearly 20 years. "But not as seriously as when I was younger,'' Brannigan said. "It's been a little harder since I had kid kids."
Like Cummings, the 26-year-old Fox is another newcomer to triathlons and was competing in just her second race. Fox, a swimmer at Middlebury College, started with the elite women and was the first one out of the water. She also ran a strong 5K in 19:29. "Since it's only my second one, I'm happy with it,'' Fox said. "I'm hoping to get more into the sport."
Steiskal won the men's race in 1:00.14, with McWalters 41 seconds behind. Baxendale was third in 1:01.10.
A total of 700 athletes were registered for the event, the ninth straight year there has been a full field for the race. Results are available online.

http://triandduit.com/webforms/tad_ResultsDetail.aspx?rf=MossmanTri.rdb&distanceid=1&Event=Mossman+Triathlon+-+2011&distance=Sprint+Triathlon&DBLoad=False&rrid=902&eventType=1