I'm copying and pasting this from a previous query on a previous thread (because I'm basically lazy):-
"They're brisk, where "brisk" =
- a pace that the bulk of the people who turn up can maintain for three hours, but you wouldn't want to go much further
- Everyone takes turns on the front to share the work
- Maintaining concentration so being aware of keeping the effort up all the time, but subtly - no vanishing off the front at high speed
- when you're on the front you put in enough work that you don't want to be there for more than a couple of minutes max. Everyone behind you wants to still be working, not soft-pedalling to avoid running into your back wheel
- keep the effort steady rather than the speed, so keep it steady on the hills (unless you personally really want to hammer it, in which case ease off at the top until you're caught by the rest) and pedal on downhills where poss..
....anyone got any better definitions?
Just to repeat:- I'm assuming that everyone who is racing (yes okay, please don't anyone get going about EYRRL etc...) is doing higher-intensity stuff some other time, someplace else and that this ride is about tempo/endurance stuff. If you're not, you'll get a big surprise when the flag drops!"
End of quote - hope that's sufficient! It's not chaingang pace because it's further (although it may include a faster session on suitably quiet roads towards the end) and it's not a substitute for road racing. But it's good training for it...
