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Today Today - January 2016

Great, thanks for confirming. Will definitely hit this sometime soon, before it gets too hot. Perhaps in a bunch with the Half-Fast crew then, @Half-Fast Mike ?
 
Great, thanks for confirming. Will definitely hit this sometime soon, before it gets too hot. Perhaps in a bunch with the Half-Fast crew then, @Half-Fast Mike ?
Sure. There's even a windmill. This might lead you to think that they expect wind in the area. However, there is no canvas in the sails on the windmill. Yet it turns. What witchcraft is this? Why, it's electricity, Sir. (The electricity to turn the fail-sails may in fact be generated by solar panels.)

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Expect lots of this

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And there's a prize in it if you can guess what Dean is carrying, and why. (I can't remember.)

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A handy tool for @luka and anyone else plotting routes is the Strava Global Heatmap. This shows where everyone* is riding and - significantly - indicates where nobody rides, usually because they can't.

For example, Lake Kasumigaura

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* Only people who post their rides on Strava, obviously. So hardly everyone, but everyone who is anyone.
 
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My wife and her mates are off to do this tomorrow... Feelcycle...



Interesting,I don't know why but I can really picture @Mlac Peek and @leicaman really getting into this...

Have at it boys only 5000yen a class. Lol really pick up some good cycling form and technique for the summer!


Haha! Are you ready? I'm ready! Let's go!!
 
A handy tool for @luka and anyone else plotting routes is the Strava Global Heatmap.
Wow, thanks for this. It will indeed come useful, especially for planing bike vacations abroad, where one is even more clueless. Look at the three rivers flowing in/from Tokyo glowing bright blue :)


And there's a prize in it if you can guess what Dean is carrying, and why.
Is this not just a case of passing some road sign or similar object which makes his shadow appear as if he's carrying something?
 
Is this not just a case of passing some road sign or similar object which makes his shadow appear as if he's carrying something?
That does appear to be the case. With a little geo-detective work, I can now reveal that it's this very sign. Congratulations. I don't know what your prize is, but it may come in a can and be made by Kirin or Asahi.

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That Strava heat map is stunning. Really beautiful. I think I might head to North Korea to improve my palmares.
 
Put my new wheels on my commuter and went for a short test. They're round and they roll, so mission achieved, the Lithion IIs seem a bit smoother than the Rubino pros.
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Fuji peaking out over the horizon too.
 
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Today's ride was modified due to hikers.
I decided to stay off the main trails and took some new to me side trails....

Not entirely sure it was the safest decision, but end result was fun.
Bouncy less than safe bridges and ice....

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After the heavy snow yesterday, we woke up to a beautiful day today.

A chance to snow shoe.

I've done lots of different kinds of cross training but this is the best. Working on endurance and strength at the same time. And like cycling, a hard climb is rewarded with a fun descent.

The photo here shows Mt. Yoneyama rising out of the Japan Sea to 993 m. The town of Kashiwazaki below is home to 90,000 people but this swells during the summer beach season.

Not a bad place to live...

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time
 
Didn't know of the existence of that photo of me on the path at Kasumigaura in TCC kit on my old Boardman bike (middle photo of the three @Half-Fast Mike posted). Rather pleased with it, even if the terrain doesn't really explain why I am out of my seat!!!
 
Anyone watching the Tour Down Under?
Too busy but might check it out this weekend on the indoor trainer as it seems it will rain throughout. That said, it was a pretty dry and warmish January - in every morning commute except for 2-3 really cold ones I was down to a t-shirt or no-sleeve single layer after warming up.

In anticipation of even warmer weather I wiggled some stuff and - it's here. Especially pleased with the new GripGrab fingerless gloves, they seem to strike a good balance between cushioning and feel as well as quality and price. Let's see how do they perform on the bike. Reckon I'll be using them by early March unless it turns much colder.
 
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After a few months of base training, high volume / low intensity, I upped my training this week.

From now until Tokyo~Itoigawa in May, my main aim is to increase my FTP.

This is done as intervals on alternate days, 2 or 3 sessions a week.

I plan to increase the intensity gradually. So far I've done:

300 W x 20 x 2
325 W x 15 x 2
310 W x 20 x 2

and today

350 W x 10 x 4

https://www.strava.com/activities/480896018/analysis

Looking forward to a break in the weather so I can do season benchmark FTP test on the road...

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time
 
Those last ones just sound ..... well, let's face it .... horrible... anyway thats a bunch under what you'll be in a few weeks right? Weren't you on about 360 for the 20 last year?

300 W x 20 x 2
325 W x 15 x 2
310 W x 20 x 2

and today

350 W x 10 x 4
 
Those last ones just sound ..... well, let's face it .... horrible... anyway thats a bunch under what you'll be in a few weeks right? Weren't you on about 360 for the 20 last year?

The 4th set was obviously the hardest. I slipped into the red at the end. I didn't think I had another interval in me which is a good sign.

360 to 370 is what I'll aim for when I try to blow up the Deathstar in the FTP test. Stay on target, stay on target...

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time
 
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