😎 Did I mention the Canyon Speedmax? Probably! I managed to get a gizmo to convert my Wahoo Kickr Smart Trainer to be 12 speed SRAM compatible. So I have been tweaking the position on the turbo. But the weather has not been great and I have been reluctant to take it out for a real spin. However, last weekend the weather was dry and sunny, if a but chilly and blustery. So I ventured out for a Canyon Speedmax shakedown ride. Wow! This bike is so smooth and just wants to go fast. The AXS Etap system is so usable and a real game changer.
The big thing to take away from this first outing is the fact hat the bike is twicthy in the wind. . . .? o is it that I simply lack real life bike riding? I suspect the truth is a combination of the two. But the Speedmax has deep rim carbon wheels and once on the aero bars it is a whole different feel to what I recall from the Specialized Transition. Basically, I need to get out and ride the Speedmax. I am drsfting quite a list of possible events (TTs and Duathlons) and I need to be confident at speed.
As you can see there is a nifty rear bottle cage specific to the Speedmax. I have spares housed in it for these pics but there is an even more internal spares holder accessible under the integral bento box. So I will use the rear cage for long distance. I have also got a Prime Aero Bottle now fitted:
Many aero bottles get a bad rap for falling out when riding but this one gets decent reviews. I can conform that the bottle seems very firm in the cage. Potentially, the first race will be a TT on 10 Apr 22. Not that far away!
So what of my running? Well I am progressing with the volume nicely but I still have that pesky glute-hamstring insert niggle. I believe that my riding style when racing in Zwift contributed to this niggle. The out of saddle low cadence riding in particular is the culpret I think. I really feel like I am at a turning point right now. For nearly 2 years the World of Zwift has had me cycling alot. . . .hard and intense most of the time. I may be a bit burnt out. Recovery seems slower than usual. . . .Yes, that slow. And my Watts are getting more difficult to find! Zwift racing has dictated my training and racing for 2 years. Time to switch things around and make Zwift work as a tool for my Duathlon goals. So it is a solid month of Z2 cycling and some S&C to get me back on track. I will try and factor in one run interval session a week to tease the speed into the running. Then mid to end of April I will reassess to see what I can do to prep for the Middle Distance Duathlon at Cholomondely (10k/62k/10k). Under the fatigue I think I am in decent shape. I just need to maximise this condition and not drill myself to destruction and under perform.
Nuff said
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