OK - Here is it - Anyone who wants to partcipate can start this next week - beginning with Saturday.
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The 1st annual: 2015 Cruzbike Fantasy TT Series
It will be a 18-week long progression of different length TT's, designed to give everyone both a baseline for this year, something to shoot for at the end of the year, which will then serve as a baseline for the next year. The first week will be Jun 6 - Jun 12, 2015. The final week will be Oct 3 - Oct 9, 2015
Here's how it will work:
Each person (if they choose to participate) will do a progression of 1K, 5K, 10K, 20K, 40K, and 100K TT's in consecutive weeks, although in reality all you need to do is complete the set of TT's within each 6-week period.
For example:
week1=1K, week2=5K, week3=10K, week4=20K, week5=40K, week6=100K then:
week7=1K, week8=5K, week9=10K, week10=20K, week11=40K, week12=100K, then:
week13=1K, week14=5K, week15=10K, week16=20K, week17,=40K, week18=100K.
That would take 18 weeks: So starting next week: June 8-14, the 18th week would be Oct 4 - 10.
That would give everyone 3 data points on each of the 6 TT distances to look at and track their progress.
There will be 2 different "divisions";
#1 - Pure time for each TT distance of 1K, 5K, 10K, 20K, 40K,100K - An Cruzbike winner for each distance, and or course the bragging rights that go along with it!
#2 - Points race - This method lets each rider accumulate points for each TT attempted, with extra points in each of the 6 week sets for cumulative TT's ridden, beating the previous time for each TT, etc.
An overall Cruzbike winner will be crowned for the "entire" points division. Maximum points can be attained by completing each TT distance in each of the 3x6-week sets and showing continual improvement in time from one to the next. Yes, this means that you can compete on a “Quest”, and complete all the TT’s, show improvement from each 6-week segment to the next and win the overall point division. It doesn’t matter how fast you go, just that you improve each time.
General rules, guidelines, and thoughts:
Each person can choose which TT's they will do and which ones they will skip, but I would highly encourage everyone to try each distance at least once.
If you are seriously training with power or HR monitor (or want to), the 40K is just about the golden standard for determining your FTP (Functional Threshold Power) and your LT (Lactate Threshold)
Each rider will submit their "best" TT for each distance within each 6 week window". (That means you could do each TT distance each week if you really wanted to and submit your best of the group, but that would be quite a week, and quite a 6 week segment if continued. It would be best to do them in the progression listed, especially the 40K and 100K, which if done full out, will require some recovery. This will give anyone adequate recovery time as well as time to train and also do the events you may already have planned for the year.
The route can be a closed loop done over and over, but not so large a loop that you are either at an advantage or a disadvantage because the last portion of the loop is either a big downhill, uphill, with or against the wind
An out and back route is also fine, even an out-back-out-back if you have to chose something like that. Although having to make 3 turns instead of one will obviously affect your speed a little bit. Stop lights should try and be avoided at all costs, as will be impossible to duplicate each time, but if you have no other choice, then it is better than nothing
A running track is also fine, although you might find that the sharpness of the curves might slow you down on the shortest TT distances.
The key would be to be able to duplicate the the TT in as an exact conditions each time with the same equipment if possible, so your personal results can easily be compared each time..
Starting: We will have a "rolling" start of no more than 5mph before you start your timer, giving everyone a chance to get clipped in a going in a straight line.
You can also submit "official" results from an actual event where you rode one of these distances, as long as it was not a point-to-point race.
I think all of us have some kind of bike computer, or use Strava, RWGPS, or other. So, submit a .gxp , .tcx (or equivalent) file for each TT ride, or send me whatever information you have.
I am statistical junkie, so I like to know everything about my ride that I can: Power, NP, Cadence, HR, elevation gain, temp, humidity, etc, etc. So, if you send me the data I will make provision in the "current standings" to display it for you.
I will keep a current and up to date "standings" spreadsheet in google docs that will allow everyone to look at their times and related data as well as everyone else's.
I will even consider making or have made some "2015 Cruzbike TT" trophies or plaques for each category: 1K, 5K, 10K, 20K, 40K, 100K and for Points division winners, and I will also talk to Jim and Maria about providing some “official” Cruzbike prizes too.
Note: If you are an overall “winner” of any of the distance TT’s, then you cannot win the “pionts” division, but you can “win” other TT distances.
To participate:
First this is FREE - so no excuse there!
Please email me at
larryoslund@gmail.com, and I will email you back these instruction for your records, and an example spreadsheet showing the points system and how points are earned for each event.
I will also share the "current standings" google docs sheet with you so you can look at it whenever you want.
You will also "submit" your TTs to me at this same email address, and then I will update the "current standings" sheet with the data
Final comment: We want this to be fun and encouraging for everyone involved. Although some friendly competition is usually a good thing, and for some gives us the incentive to train harder, and ride harder. For others it doesn't work that way. The "true" goal of this Cruzbike Fantasy TT Series would be for each one of us to see improvement in our fitness and bike handling throughout the year, and to be a good representative for Cruzbike and recumbents in general. We are all at different levels and ride different type of bikes, so a one to one comparison will not always work and may tend to leave some people a little demoralized. We do not want that to happen. Remember it is your choice to participate, but if you feel that this activity is not for you for any reason, just don't participate. There will be no judgement either way.
Let the TT's begin!
