i had some interesting bike intervals today: 3 x 20 min @ around race pace for ironman / 10 min recovery.

first two were to be on hills, last one on flats.

20min is sort of a benchmark test for cycling – everybody does it. my last 20 min max test was on kloof nek few weeks ago and i managed 210 watt / 172 bpm. this is super weak for me, i was out of shape and not in the best of moods to suffer.

i did the first interval at the same road – kloof nek – 215 watt at 172 bpm. nice start. i turned and went downhill.

just at 9 min 30 sec of recovery i saw lance armstrong pass uphill. yelled: go lance! he said back: yup!

i turned to catch up but my chain fucked up. i lost them a bit.

started, put my powertap back on zero so i start the new 20 min interval. i was thinking – great – ill catch up with lance and see how much i can do in 20 min interval – nice motivation.

i was pushing 300 watt and felt like i was warmin up – motivation is so good when you have it.

lance was just 100 m ahead but uncatchable and with turns i kept loosing sight.

i reached a crossroad – left to town via highlevel road, right to signal hill via kloof nek. i made a decision they went right and continued pushing. at 5 min i was still at 260 watt average. my snod all over the place.

i do not know where they turned, i did not catch up.

i did set a personal best on 20 min – 245 watt and 185 bpm.

i should try to ask lance to pace me properly next time.

thats his social purpose, to motivate us, and he does it so well.

good work lance! thanks!