OK
It has gone to pot a lot!
The blog died - it wil be revived. I shall spend some time in recovery putting up some memories - mostly for me I guess.
Anyway BHF 'completed' my donation page so I have created a new one. Only a few hundred miles to go most on the turbo. Why did I choose a year where the winter came early cold and ugly!
I have broken on turbo trainer doing the miles!!!
GTG So watch the finale!!!!
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Monday, 28 July 2008
Cut off
Hello,
no I haven't been updating and yes I should. I'll explain how my wet string attachment to this wonderful world dried up... First I am lucky enough to have my home connection to the web paid for by the company. I am unlucky enough that the company forgets to pay it! End result the only thing the ISP shows to us is a big page saying you need to pay your bill and it has taken 4 weeks to sort out the payment. I will be back on line in August!!!!
Second the company has moved us to a new work network which is much more secure - and google blogging is barred.
Combine this with spending the majority of my free time on the bike and the result is no posts.
I will update this a bit more regularly over the second half of the ride - that's right I'm over the hill! in more ways than one! Yes went over the half way mark on the 11th June. If I were not doing this virtually this would put me in the middle of the darkest Congo.
I'm off for a week under canvas so it will be a week or so before I post the proper epic ride reports.
Such wonders as a 300K ride, made longer by getting lost! 16.5 hours in the saddle OW
no I haven't been updating and yes I should. I'll explain how my wet string attachment to this wonderful world dried up... First I am lucky enough to have my home connection to the web paid for by the company. I am unlucky enough that the company forgets to pay it! End result the only thing the ISP shows to us is a big page saying you need to pay your bill and it has taken 4 weeks to sort out the payment. I will be back on line in August!!!!
Second the company has moved us to a new work network which is much more secure - and google blogging is barred.
Combine this with spending the majority of my free time on the bike and the result is no posts.
I will update this a bit more regularly over the second half of the ride - that's right I'm over the hill! in more ways than one! Yes went over the half way mark on the 11th June. If I were not doing this virtually this would put me in the middle of the darkest Congo.
I'm off for a week under canvas so it will be a week or so before I post the proper epic ride reports.
Such wonders as a 300K ride, made longer by getting lost! 16.5 hours in the saddle OW
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
Tour of Wessex - or should that be Water!
It has been a long time since I posted - mostly because I have been busy riding!
The last fortnight have seen me enter the time when I will be doing most of the 'big' rides of my year. The late spring bank holiday saw me and my wonderful forebearing wife descend to deepest Somerset for a three day cyclo sportive.
Now I 'organised' for us to camp, much against my better half's judgment, I might say. The weather forecast turned out to say it would rain hard Saturday and Sunday so it was going to be awful - er and it was even worse!!!
Mmmm - suffice to say we had to abandon the campsite, which turned out be little more than a lay by next to the A303 - roughly equivalent traffic levels to the M40 at rush hour, 24 hours a day! Unfortunately we could only do this for the Sunday night so suffered for two nights with little sleep and a lot of water both inside and outside the tent.
The rides were VERY hard and had to be shortened on the last day because of gales. Food on the rides made me sick for the rest of the week. 'Tummy troubles' shall we say, so lesson learn't, don't eat filled rolls on an organised event, stick to food in wrappers and skins (energy bars and bananas!).
Fuller report to follow. Also watch out for the 'Alpine Raiders of the lost Cols!' an epic 5 day adventure by some of Stratford's finest! We had some fun - just got back. Oh and check it out - VERY nearly halfway!!!!!
The last fortnight have seen me enter the time when I will be doing most of the 'big' rides of my year. The late spring bank holiday saw me and my wonderful forebearing wife descend to deepest Somerset for a three day cyclo sportive.
Now I 'organised' for us to camp, much against my better half's judgment, I might say. The weather forecast turned out to say it would rain hard Saturday and Sunday so it was going to be awful - er and it was even worse!!!
Mmmm - suffice to say we had to abandon the campsite, which turned out be little more than a lay by next to the A303 - roughly equivalent traffic levels to the M40 at rush hour, 24 hours a day! Unfortunately we could only do this for the Sunday night so suffered for two nights with little sleep and a lot of water both inside and outside the tent.
The rides were VERY hard and had to be shortened on the last day because of gales. Food on the rides made me sick for the rest of the week. 'Tummy troubles' shall we say, so lesson learn't, don't eat filled rolls on an organised event, stick to food in wrappers and skins (energy bars and bananas!).
Fuller report to follow. Also watch out for the 'Alpine Raiders of the lost Cols!' an epic 5 day adventure by some of Stratford's finest! We had some fun - just got back. Oh and check it out - VERY nearly halfway!!!!!
Thursday, 15 May 2008
No internet!
Surprising how much you rely on the home connection!
Have had some right fun the last few weeks, not getting the miles even though the weather has improved.
Forgot to turn off the display on the 4ft high presentation screen whilst writing this waiting to do a presentation - vey embarrasing!
Anyway - FatBoy is bouncing upward in fat terms - I know it might seem incredible considering that I am averaging around 14 hours exercise but I have built up the fat a bit more the last few weeks. So the booze has had to stop (Monday) and the diet has also started. Target reset to be between 13 and 13.5 stones by the Marmotte.
Mile baggibg is getting to be a real bore and I am not improving - a total readjustment is required so that I start to train rather than just pedalling.
I have alittle time to do this now as I am off the bike for a few days due to a left leg ITB problem, can't walk properly!!! Ow it hurts too.
So I will reassess and report back - I am far enough ahead not to worry so all should be fine.
Pie Guy is doing loads of what sounds like really fun and hard sportives - oh to live in California - hope I can keep up with him in July.
Actually Stratford club is driving to rhe alps in a few weeks and we will be doing the Marmotte route (without Alpe d'Huez) should be really fun.
TTFN
Mega FatBoy
Have had some right fun the last few weeks, not getting the miles even though the weather has improved.
Forgot to turn off the display on the 4ft high presentation screen whilst writing this waiting to do a presentation - vey embarrasing!
Anyway - FatBoy is bouncing upward in fat terms - I know it might seem incredible considering that I am averaging around 14 hours exercise but I have built up the fat a bit more the last few weeks. So the booze has had to stop (Monday) and the diet has also started. Target reset to be between 13 and 13.5 stones by the Marmotte.
Mile baggibg is getting to be a real bore and I am not improving - a total readjustment is required so that I start to train rather than just pedalling.
I have alittle time to do this now as I am off the bike for a few days due to a left leg ITB problem, can't walk properly!!! Ow it hurts too.
So I will reassess and report back - I am far enough ahead not to worry so all should be fine.
Pie Guy is doing loads of what sounds like really fun and hard sportives - oh to live in California - hope I can keep up with him in July.
Actually Stratford club is driving to rhe alps in a few weeks and we will be doing the Marmotte route (without Alpe d'Huez) should be really fun.
TTFN
Mega FatBoy
Monday, 21 April 2008
240
Some weeks 240 miles seems perfectly acheivable.
This week is not one of those.
The weather - house hunting - business trips are construing to ensure an extremely limited window of cycling opportunity.
Along with this, me, and everyone else in this land, are heartily sick and tired of wintry conditions and looking forward to a proper warm spell.
In the last 3 weeks I have not had a ride where I have not worn winter gear. Roll on summer! Blue skies, long days, cut grass, salads and summer sun.... what a distant and wonderful dream
This week is not one of those.
The weather - house hunting - business trips are construing to ensure an extremely limited window of cycling opportunity.
Along with this, me, and everyone else in this land, are heartily sick and tired of wintry conditions and looking forward to a proper warm spell.
In the last 3 weeks I have not had a ride where I have not worn winter gear. Roll on summer! Blue skies, long days, cut grass, salads and summer sun.... what a distant and wonderful dream
Friday, 18 April 2008
Other muses
Night rides and animals -
Why is wildlife so unaware of cyclists? We had a badger pass through between the cyclists in a group of ten riders one night. Still don't know how we missed it.
Had a big dog wander into the road - shouted at it, it stopped and then as I got closer it turns out to be a deer! Surely they are supposed to be timid.
Other animals -
Tried to clear a cat out of the way by hissing at it - it took off but straight up the path beside me! A cat can keep up with a fat slow cyclist for 4.3secs before admitting defeat and sitting back down!
Squirrels - if in middle of road aiming at them to miss them may not work as they are liable to run off one way change their mind and run under your wheel.... yuk!
Dogs, just scary! Don't you just love the ones that can't get out so wait until just AFTER you ride by to start barking furiously! Slightly better than the damn collie on my commute which will attack and is faster than me
Ducks, Low flying no concept of avoidance tactics will fly into you and knock you off. So nearly happened at the weekend!
Buzzards, too bloomin’ curious will fly over/in to you to see what you are!
4000 miles - You might be interested in the cost thus far of all these miles, now a lot of this stuff was very secondhand at the start but it all has had to be binned, some was even brand new this year (ish!):
12 brake blocks
1 bottle cage
1 set of brake calipers
3 tyres
3 chains
8 batteries for lights
1 set of cleats
About 20 inner tubes - rubbish roads, Grrrr!
And I think the rims on the winter wheels are too worn to be safe now.
Might start a log of all the bits that wear out - what do you think? No I wont be including knees, teeth or such like even if they are going.
Actually is it normal for your knees to make grinding squelching noises as you walk up stairs? Double Yuk!
Why is wildlife so unaware of cyclists? We had a badger pass through between the cyclists in a group of ten riders one night. Still don't know how we missed it.
Had a big dog wander into the road - shouted at it, it stopped and then as I got closer it turns out to be a deer! Surely they are supposed to be timid.
Other animals -
Tried to clear a cat out of the way by hissing at it - it took off but straight up the path beside me! A cat can keep up with a fat slow cyclist for 4.3secs before admitting defeat and sitting back down!
Squirrels - if in middle of road aiming at them to miss them may not work as they are liable to run off one way change their mind and run under your wheel.... yuk!
Dogs, just scary! Don't you just love the ones that can't get out so wait until just AFTER you ride by to start barking furiously! Slightly better than the damn collie on my commute which will attack and is faster than me
Ducks, Low flying no concept of avoidance tactics will fly into you and knock you off. So nearly happened at the weekend!
Buzzards, too bloomin’ curious will fly over/in to you to see what you are!
4000 miles - You might be interested in the cost thus far of all these miles, now a lot of this stuff was very secondhand at the start but it all has had to be binned, some was even brand new this year (ish!):
12 brake blocks
1 bottle cage
1 set of brake calipers
3 tyres
3 chains
8 batteries for lights
1 set of cleats
About 20 inner tubes - rubbish roads, Grrrr!
And I think the rims on the winter wheels are too worn to be safe now.
Might start a log of all the bits that wear out - what do you think? No I wont be including knees, teeth or such like even if they are going.
Actually is it normal for your knees to make grinding squelching noises as you walk up stairs? Double Yuk!
Titles?
I realise the last rambling had nothing to do with the title.
Farce:
The day arrived for the house to go on the market, so the missus has the estate agent lady coming round - then she gets son of Wedge to change a light bulb.
Imagine the scene - boy on tip toe tries to remove bulb, suddenly there is a loud noise a bit like cloth tearing - son falls to floor screaming in agony and can't move.
Wife panics and calls me 'Come home quick'!
Next tries to get doc out but son had move south for his degree and is not registered - they say try NHS Direct! They listen to all that has occurred. (Boy is still lying on landing in pain) and sends a paramedic.
Then the guy to check the house for energy use turns up - he is put in Kitchen, then the estate agent turns up - in lounge. I turn up and have to look after the agent.
Then the paramedic turns up. Each and everyone of these people start moving from room to room. Paramedic treats boy and gets him off floor as agent arrives on landing to take photos etc etc
It was a true French farce. Completed when the paramedic lost his enormous bag as he had been moved to four different rooms whilst filling in his forms!
Classic
The farce ends with all the visitors leaving at the same time and family sitting done for a nice cup of tea.
Farce:
The day arrived for the house to go on the market, so the missus has the estate agent lady coming round - then she gets son of Wedge to change a light bulb.
Imagine the scene - boy on tip toe tries to remove bulb, suddenly there is a loud noise a bit like cloth tearing - son falls to floor screaming in agony and can't move.
Wife panics and calls me 'Come home quick'!
Next tries to get doc out but son had move south for his degree and is not registered - they say try NHS Direct! They listen to all that has occurred. (Boy is still lying on landing in pain) and sends a paramedic.
Then the guy to check the house for energy use turns up - he is put in Kitchen, then the estate agent turns up - in lounge. I turn up and have to look after the agent.
Then the paramedic turns up. Each and everyone of these people start moving from room to room. Paramedic treats boy and gets him off floor as agent arrives on landing to take photos etc etc
It was a true French farce. Completed when the paramedic lost his enormous bag as he had been moved to four different rooms whilst filling in his forms!
Classic
The farce ends with all the visitors leaving at the same time and family sitting done for a nice cup of tea.
Mea Culpa - Farces and Life
OK OK
I have had a number of complaints at the lack of information. It’s truly great! It is so weird to have someone moan at you and makes you feel better - people actually read this!
So to my lost readers sorry, and please come back.
I have so many stories to catch up on.
I have been off air for a whole gamut of reasons; none very good although the ISP not being paid was quite a good one. Mainly we are trying to sell the house - now I thought we had a lovely home pretty nicely presented. But as soon as you decide to go on the market I think the scales seem to fall off your eyes and you start to look at things as a potential buyer does, so we had all the glass units at the front replaced (all the seals had gone in them bar three). Finished painting the inside of the windows white, painted the outside where the new units had gone in. But that’s the big jobs there are so many other things like all the stuff you accumulate.
Anyway it kind of has taken over for a bit, but I still ride!
PieGuy on HR being low - yah boo sucks - everyone is different. I did a 10 mile TT last Saturday and with the utmost effort only saw 168, er actually you are probably right as I also took an eon to complete it! (26:13)
I have the solution to the weight issue
1. Get a mate's dad to photograph a time trial you are doing. (No hiding that enormous gut)
2. Pin said photo of tum on top tube to fridge
3. Stop eating 20 biscuits a day at work
4. Stop drinking
Yes, I have 12 weeks and anything over 14lbs shifted will be great. I have taken a along hard honest look at myself and stopped kidding myself that it will go 'because of all those miles' - I can eat for England. So ride safe and stop filling up on rubbish basically.
I have had a number of complaints at the lack of information. It’s truly great! It is so weird to have someone moan at you and makes you feel better - people actually read this!
So to my lost readers sorry, and please come back.
I have so many stories to catch up on.
I have been off air for a whole gamut of reasons; none very good although the ISP not being paid was quite a good one. Mainly we are trying to sell the house - now I thought we had a lovely home pretty nicely presented. But as soon as you decide to go on the market I think the scales seem to fall off your eyes and you start to look at things as a potential buyer does, so we had all the glass units at the front replaced (all the seals had gone in them bar three). Finished painting the inside of the windows white, painted the outside where the new units had gone in. But that’s the big jobs there are so many other things like all the stuff you accumulate.
Anyway it kind of has taken over for a bit, but I still ride!
PieGuy on HR being low - yah boo sucks - everyone is different. I did a 10 mile TT last Saturday and with the utmost effort only saw 168, er actually you are probably right as I also took an eon to complete it! (26:13)
I have the solution to the weight issue
1. Get a mate's dad to photograph a time trial you are doing. (No hiding that enormous gut)
2. Pin said photo of tum on top tube to fridge
3. Stop eating 20 biscuits a day at work
4. Stop drinking
Yes, I have 12 weeks and anything over 14lbs shifted will be great. I have taken a along hard honest look at myself and stopped kidding myself that it will go 'because of all those miles' - I can eat for England. So ride safe and stop filling up on rubbish basically.
Thursday, 20 March 2008
AWOL
Suddenly time has passed without much going on. Oops missed the blogging, I have been riding a bit but I think I am hitting a pretty low phase.
I have been getting stats on usage - there are 87 readers of this so far - which I find surprising and somewhat humbling.
Easter is here - the earliest we have seen for many a year so the extra days hols are before the clocks change! The weathermen have delighted in telling us that it is more likely to snow at Easter than Xmas in the UK.... This year we have a greater than 90% chance apparently as we get ' an artic blast across the whole weekend' Great. So its wrap up and hope to bag a few more miles.
Of course this early Easter has really wrought havoc - we have had to cancel the first club TT as the series has normally started by Easter the first race was next week but as the clocks also need to go forward to be able to race in the light it has been cancelled....
Motivation to try and do quality has gone out of the window - give me miles man! Slightly short of the flat rate the last couple of weeks so I need to get my head and legs together and do some riding.
Overtraining issues have blighted me a little, just hope I am now resting enough. I had been eating constantly and having disturbed sleep (2 classic signs). So I am taking two days rest at a time and then hitting a long ride or two each week. Hope it works. The Wednesday afternoon sunshine has helped in this as I use up half days of holiday to ride.
Happy Easter and I'll blog again next week.
Pie Guy - what of your miles? Hope all is well - Marmotte here we come!!!
I have been getting stats on usage - there are 87 readers of this so far - which I find surprising and somewhat humbling.
Easter is here - the earliest we have seen for many a year so the extra days hols are before the clocks change! The weathermen have delighted in telling us that it is more likely to snow at Easter than Xmas in the UK.... This year we have a greater than 90% chance apparently as we get ' an artic blast across the whole weekend' Great. So its wrap up and hope to bag a few more miles.
Of course this early Easter has really wrought havoc - we have had to cancel the first club TT as the series has normally started by Easter the first race was next week but as the clocks also need to go forward to be able to race in the light it has been cancelled....
Motivation to try and do quality has gone out of the window - give me miles man! Slightly short of the flat rate the last couple of weeks so I need to get my head and legs together and do some riding.
Overtraining issues have blighted me a little, just hope I am now resting enough. I had been eating constantly and having disturbed sleep (2 classic signs). So I am taking two days rest at a time and then hitting a long ride or two each week. Hope it works. The Wednesday afternoon sunshine has helped in this as I use up half days of holiday to ride.
Happy Easter and I'll blog again next week.
Pie Guy - what of your miles? Hope all is well - Marmotte here we come!!!
Thursday, 13 March 2008
Slow returns
The cheek of the man - in the office there is a raft of complaint about the geordie boy's cookie munching, that is nicking biscuits and then he posts comments like the one below!
Apologies for the lack of posts been a bit all over the place what with the bad back and son of causing an issue or two!
So just a very quick note to say the back is much better and the rides are getting shorter as the days get longer (not sure about that one!). Trying to do some 'quality' work on the bike its all relative you know, just about fast enough not fall off will be OK! Anyway got my HR up above 165 this morning then promptly had to lie down in a darkened room for a while. This interval work seem far too energetic for me.
Ooh and slow returns? The return on all this cycling - well its obvious isn't it? I'm just getting slower!
later peeps!
Apologies for the lack of posts been a bit all over the place what with the bad back and son of causing an issue or two!
So just a very quick note to say the back is much better and the rides are getting shorter as the days get longer (not sure about that one!). Trying to do some 'quality' work on the bike its all relative you know, just about fast enough not fall off will be OK! Anyway got my HR up above 165 this morning then promptly had to lie down in a darkened room for a while. This interval work seem far too energetic for me.
Ooh and slow returns? The return on all this cycling - well its obvious isn't it? I'm just getting slower!
later peeps!
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Fats and Backs
So the stasis on the weight has been noted! I am afraid although there have been little glimpses of a result on weight loss by the end of any particular week I have been able to gorge myself back to 197lbs. This is a source of woe and pride! After all to be able to be a consummate endurance athlete one needs to be able to consume, so at last I have found one feature where I bear a passing resemblance of an athlete, kind of.
So thats the Fats, the Backs is about the weight training regime, where I have been hitting the gym to get stronger (to carry all that fat up hill). Unfortunately after a go at the leg press I went to get out of the chair and my back let go. Oh the pain! Its the same injury I have suffered a number of times before and it can come on just getting out of the car, so I am not entirely blaming the gym work. The problem is not unlike a slipped disc, just not quite as bad, the physio says its a bulging disc, so now I am on Ibuprofen and am only really comfortable when sitting down. Now that's lucky isn't it? I can still ride - 'tis only painful when I get off!
As the great man said 'Put me back on my Bike'
So thats the Fats, the Backs is about the weight training regime, where I have been hitting the gym to get stronger (to carry all that fat up hill). Unfortunately after a go at the leg press I went to get out of the chair and my back let go. Oh the pain! Its the same injury I have suffered a number of times before and it can come on just getting out of the car, so I am not entirely blaming the gym work. The problem is not unlike a slipped disc, just not quite as bad, the physio says its a bulging disc, so now I am on Ibuprofen and am only really comfortable when sitting down. Now that's lucky isn't it? I can still ride - 'tis only painful when I get off!
As the great man said 'Put me back on my Bike'
Monday, 3 March 2008
Holiday Review
Well it was a great holiday. I ended up not being able to post in the last few days its hard to type whilst cycling!
The quiet end we planned when we got back got messed up so I am just puting a quick note now.
I realised with three days to go I was unlikely to hit the 1,000 mile target and then the penultimate night realised I would get to 975 and HAD to find the last 25, as otherwise ina few years time I would be trying again to get this foolishly high target in two weeks. Ended up on the final day completing an extended ride with 90 minutes to get ready for the final time trial. Very unlikely to go better, A quick shower and fettle of the bike and I had to get out and prepare.
The time trial course is 14.8 KM straight up the hill to Tinajo and back again. With the wind it was going to feel like up hill all the time. Amazingly I finished 25 seconds better than the first weeks effort and a massive 85 seconds quicker than last year and that after riding 120Km through the day to get the magic 1,000!
So: 1,006 miles yeah!!! I think its downhill in terms of performance from here. But as Cookey says "Shoot for the Moon, and if you miss you'll still reach the stars"
I'll try and do a proper update in the enxt few days.....
The quiet end we planned when we got back got messed up so I am just puting a quick note now.
I realised with three days to go I was unlikely to hit the 1,000 mile target and then the penultimate night realised I would get to 975 and HAD to find the last 25, as otherwise ina few years time I would be trying again to get this foolishly high target in two weeks. Ended up on the final day completing an extended ride with 90 minutes to get ready for the final time trial. Very unlikely to go better, A quick shower and fettle of the bike and I had to get out and prepare.
The time trial course is 14.8 KM straight up the hill to Tinajo and back again. With the wind it was going to feel like up hill all the time. Amazingly I finished 25 seconds better than the first weeks effort and a massive 85 seconds quicker than last year and that after riding 120Km through the day to get the magic 1,000!
So: 1,006 miles yeah!!! I think its downhill in terms of performance from here. But as Cookey says "Shoot for the Moon, and if you miss you'll still reach the stars"
I'll try and do a proper update in the enxt few days.....
Monday, 25 February 2008
Quiet days
Today's was a short ride, I went off on another solitary ride early, must be the weather, it was raining at the top so my teammates got that right! On the main ride we went up through Tinajo on a really rough road, as soon as we hit the rough stuff there was a shout, someone had a problem. We soft tapped it to the top of the hill and stopped. Eventually found out that one of the Muppetboys had broken a wheel, since I had just bought the Cervelo off them there was a little concern! Fortunately it was the wheel from the other bike and after a quick replacement from the car we were on our way. These organised bike camps can be very good; it would have taken ages without this type of support.
It was a cold day today and I didn’t get out of arm warmers all ride, first time this trip, couldn’t have got much above 24 degrees, so Jackie and I spent the afternoon trying to be British and get a suntan on a cloudy and windy day sitting by the pool. We British can behave very strangely. Most people there were indeed British or wrapped up like it was winter! Big meal tonight its another long ride tomorrow with a final climb on Tabayesco; feeling much stronger for all these miles so it should be fun.
It was a cold day today and I didn’t get out of arm warmers all ride, first time this trip, couldn’t have got much above 24 degrees, so Jackie and I spent the afternoon trying to be British and get a suntan on a cloudy and windy day sitting by the pool. We British can behave very strangely. Most people there were indeed British or wrapped up like it was winter! Big meal tonight its another long ride tomorrow with a final climb on Tabayesco; feeling much stronger for all these miles so it should be fun.
A long garlic day
24th Feb 2008
After the first couple of days where the rides are relatively short and sharp on each of the training weeks here they stick in the first proper training camp length ride. This consists of riding around most of the island, you can go further - the Iron man course is 180K but does include repeating bits. The day’s ride consists of 155k including the climbs of Tabayesco windmill side, Mirador, Tabayesco proper, back of Fermes and finally Timanfaya. The group I did it in was led by Laurent from the La Santa Green Team. He sat on the front the whole day - Wish I had the strength to do that. He is a former pro rider though, and still rides in Lanzarote all the time for La Santa. Anyway, I still did a bit of hors d’oeuvres by sticking in a 22K ride before the stretching with Geoff. This meant that if I did a ride to the La Santa village and back I would make more than 180K. Nope, I did NOT do that! It was a lovely day, spent nearly 7 hours in the saddle, ate 5 energy bars, 4 cheese and ham rolls, 10 energy gels and drank about 9 litres of SIS Go, that would make a saint fart! We went to a really nice restaurant for dinner with Gary and Sarah, it’s called Mezza Luna, real nice and loads of it with masses of garlic. Now, what looks like a ‘half moon’? Yep, a clove of garlic, so we should have expected that. Still by far the nicest restaurant I have been to on the island.
Big thank you to Big John for letting us use his laptop otherwise the blog would be very sparse. He is incredible by the way, after ten days of training he is a man transformed we’ll be calling him little John soon.
We went to dinner early to get Gary and Sarah’s boys back early for the pool competition. When we got up to go we found half of the Stratford crew were also in the restaurant, first time I had been there myself, these boys and girls (Miranda and Natasha) find the best food on the island quick! So in the taxis to get back for the training camp pool competition and a race down the hill, we got the boys back in time and then got roped in to play as well by Alex. Thx mate! So I get the pool cue and we end up playing Gary and Sarah, there was a real dearth of competitors and I think if we had not played then it would have been straight to the final. I said to Jackie that we could lose real quick and be back to our drinks in no time. Next thing, Jackie has told me off for shouting at her when she mishit a shot, well it was a competition! We ended up beating Gary and Sarah only to find this put us into the Grand Final against Alex and Patrick (G and S’s boy). Now it was serious! Er, not. Except of course Wedge, a few beers and a ‘competition’ means that although I should have been backing off Jackie and I somehow ended up winning which was a bit bad ... we were playing kids. I will never hear the end of it. They gave us a bottle of champagne that was poured out for the vanquished lads, Jackie will have to do the walk of shame to receive her diploma for winning something on bike week at the gala (should be called garlic) dinner on Wednesday. Actually jackie has won loads on these camp as she is a member of the undefeated quiz team winning 4 so far, hats, bottles and some more SIS Go! cor keep this up and the camp will be self financing!
Hope you all enjoy the rambles, do let me know and don't forget to help pave the road with a little silver by going to my online giving page, thx W
After the first couple of days where the rides are relatively short and sharp on each of the training weeks here they stick in the first proper training camp length ride. This consists of riding around most of the island, you can go further - the Iron man course is 180K but does include repeating bits. The day’s ride consists of 155k including the climbs of Tabayesco windmill side, Mirador, Tabayesco proper, back of Fermes and finally Timanfaya. The group I did it in was led by Laurent from the La Santa Green Team. He sat on the front the whole day - Wish I had the strength to do that. He is a former pro rider though, and still rides in Lanzarote all the time for La Santa. Anyway, I still did a bit of hors d’oeuvres by sticking in a 22K ride before the stretching with Geoff. This meant that if I did a ride to the La Santa village and back I would make more than 180K. Nope, I did NOT do that! It was a lovely day, spent nearly 7 hours in the saddle, ate 5 energy bars, 4 cheese and ham rolls, 10 energy gels and drank about 9 litres of SIS Go, that would make a saint fart! We went to a really nice restaurant for dinner with Gary and Sarah, it’s called Mezza Luna, real nice and loads of it with masses of garlic. Now, what looks like a ‘half moon’? Yep, a clove of garlic, so we should have expected that. Still by far the nicest restaurant I have been to on the island.
Big thank you to Big John for letting us use his laptop otherwise the blog would be very sparse. He is incredible by the way, after ten days of training he is a man transformed we’ll be calling him little John soon.
We went to dinner early to get Gary and Sarah’s boys back early for the pool competition. When we got up to go we found half of the Stratford crew were also in the restaurant, first time I had been there myself, these boys and girls (Miranda and Natasha) find the best food on the island quick! So in the taxis to get back for the training camp pool competition and a race down the hill, we got the boys back in time and then got roped in to play as well by Alex. Thx mate! So I get the pool cue and we end up playing Gary and Sarah, there was a real dearth of competitors and I think if we had not played then it would have been straight to the final. I said to Jackie that we could lose real quick and be back to our drinks in no time. Next thing, Jackie has told me off for shouting at her when she mishit a shot, well it was a competition! We ended up beating Gary and Sarah only to find this put us into the Grand Final against Alex and Patrick (G and S’s boy). Now it was serious! Er, not. Except of course Wedge, a few beers and a ‘competition’ means that although I should have been backing off Jackie and I somehow ended up winning which was a bit bad ... we were playing kids. I will never hear the end of it. They gave us a bottle of champagne that was poured out for the vanquished lads, Jackie will have to do the walk of shame to receive her diploma for winning something on bike week at the gala (should be called garlic) dinner on Wednesday. Actually jackie has won loads on these camp as she is a member of the undefeated quiz team winning 4 so far, hats, bottles and some more SIS Go! cor keep this up and the camp will be self financing!
Hope you all enjoy the rambles, do let me know and don't forget to help pave the road with a little silver by going to my online giving page, thx W
Saturday, 23 February 2008
Ok – Blogs away! - Hopefully
Sat 23rd Feb!
I got my euro back and had another go at posting all these blogs!
Today was another short ride day. So the Crazy Catholic’s missus borrowed his bike, and she, Malc and me did the Tinajo, Tiagua,De Lores criterium laps clocking up nearly 50Km before the main ride. Problem was that we lost track of time so only got back to base with three minutes to go. To say the Crazy Catholic was angry would be an understatement. He led the ride I was on and drove the pace all the way round, we think he was getting it out of his system -EVERYONE was complaining at me because his partner nearly left him high and dry, and the ride pace was so high! It wasn’t my fault for pity’s sake, after all, we are all adults!! I decided to sprint off down the hill at the end, best way really just wish I could have stayed away, legs ain’t good enough...yet! Had a happy slow run with Jackie to clock a total of 135Km for the day, loverly jubbly!
Anyway thx to the Baskets Ram for the footie results shame your lads still haven’t won. Have a beer with SRAM to drown your sorrows. (Baskets, ask me if you want to know the full extent of that joke). Most of the group from Stratford seem to be Blue Noses so they should be happy with a point against the gooners. Yep Baskets, going to down another glass of the ‘carbohydrate based recovery drink’ on those results!
I got my euro back and had another go at posting all these blogs!
Today was another short ride day. So the Crazy Catholic’s missus borrowed his bike, and she, Malc and me did the Tinajo, Tiagua,De Lores criterium laps clocking up nearly 50Km before the main ride. Problem was that we lost track of time so only got back to base with three minutes to go. To say the Crazy Catholic was angry would be an understatement. He led the ride I was on and drove the pace all the way round, we think he was getting it out of his system -EVERYONE was complaining at me because his partner nearly left him high and dry, and the ride pace was so high! It wasn’t my fault for pity’s sake, after all, we are all adults!! I decided to sprint off down the hill at the end, best way really just wish I could have stayed away, legs ain’t good enough...yet! Had a happy slow run with Jackie to clock a total of 135Km for the day, loverly jubbly!
Anyway thx to the Baskets Ram for the footie results shame your lads still haven’t won. Have a beer with SRAM to drown your sorrows. (Baskets, ask me if you want to know the full extent of that joke). Most of the group from Stratford seem to be Blue Noses so they should be happy with a point against the gooners. Yep Baskets, going to down another glass of the ‘carbohydrate based recovery drink’ on those results!
Bloomin’ Tinternet
The internet cafe at La Santa seems great. I have used it twice without any issues. Now I have just sat for 20 minutes struggling though every setting there is to get this damn thing to connect. At the end of the day the wet piece of string would not work – nothing to do with me. What a waste of time. So it’s wet and Jackie and I have nothing to do, we went to hire a car forgetting this is Spain so after 13:00 everyone downs tools (including the internet!) and sods off for a siesta – bah Imprisoned in Stalag La Santa when it rains the last thing you want is to ‘Live the La Santa Lifestyle’. Right, now that’s off my chest we’re off for an ice cream as it is still nice and warm.
By the way I have had to post a load from teh last few days. This and the one before are actually Friday 22nd February
By the way I have had to post a load from teh last few days. This and the one before are actually Friday 22nd February
This and That
22nd Feb
Today I made a recovery day, yesterday was supposed to be a rest day, but what with my own ride, then the Fermes epic and then the shakedown ride with the new guys who have come in for the second week I was completely knackered today with the start of a sore throat. So just took it slow and steady with Geoff.
On the last ride with Malcolm Elliott, after my long chat with him I thought it might be best to let someone else talk to the man since he is a top British pro. I was sure others would like to talk to him about his racing days and riding the Tour De France etc so would not take kindly to me hogging the conversation. Anyway, whilst we were talking, Gary had been talking to the guy in front of me who had said he used to play Rugby and only been cycling for short time. So I dropped back a bit and Malcolm Elliott ends up by this guy, who asks him ‘So, done much cycling?!’ Malcolm Elliott’s reply was the classic ‘Oh, This and That’ I thought what a chump asking such a question of a legendary pro! So this morning a fella I met last year has turned up again for the second week, nice bloke called Mick, Fly Boy says to me ‘Is that THE Mick Waite?’, I say ‘Yes, that’s Mick... what do you mean THE Mick Waite?’, he says “well, you know it’s nice to meet people you read about all the time in the cycling mags” This reminded me of the year before last when I met Mick on a ride and said to him ‘So, done much cycling?’ and Mick replied ‘Oh, This and That’......
Today I made a recovery day, yesterday was supposed to be a rest day, but what with my own ride, then the Fermes epic and then the shakedown ride with the new guys who have come in for the second week I was completely knackered today with the start of a sore throat. So just took it slow and steady with Geoff.
On the last ride with Malcolm Elliott, after my long chat with him I thought it might be best to let someone else talk to the man since he is a top British pro. I was sure others would like to talk to him about his racing days and riding the Tour De France etc so would not take kindly to me hogging the conversation. Anyway, whilst we were talking, Gary had been talking to the guy in front of me who had said he used to play Rugby and only been cycling for short time. So I dropped back a bit and Malcolm Elliott ends up by this guy, who asks him ‘So, done much cycling?!’ Malcolm Elliott’s reply was the classic ‘Oh, This and That’ I thought what a chump asking such a question of a legendary pro! So this morning a fella I met last year has turned up again for the second week, nice bloke called Mick, Fly Boy says to me ‘Is that THE Mick Waite?’, I say ‘Yes, that’s Mick... what do you mean THE Mick Waite?’, he says “well, you know it’s nice to meet people you read about all the time in the cycling mags” This reminded me of the year before last when I met Mick on a ride and said to him ‘So, done much cycling?’ and Mick replied ‘Oh, This and That’......
Fermes
21st Feb
No Hangover – did a ride on my own then a long run with the green team and Malcolm from the club who was determined that we do the frontside of Fermes, the steepest climb on the island. SO he had told Laurent and that’s where we went. Once we had negotiated Playa Blanca and the garage where the proprietor got very hot under the collar because I had lent my 2K bike against his 2 euro knackered plastic chair! (What are these people on, do they recognise that the tourist pound is the ONLY income of the island?) Laurent was fuming! Anyway, it rained all the way out, and the grind up the hill to the roundabout at the bottom of the Fermes climb took at least 20 minutes me and Malc had been dropped by the green team at the start of the climb and as we got closer you could see these cyclists appearing again and again as they rode round and round the roundabout! From a distance it looked like they were shooting up the Fermes climb and then back down and round to do it again. Malc got to the roundabout as I completed my second circuit and then when asked if ‘we do Fermes now, eh?’ says, ‘No, let’s not bother!!’ I’m like, you what! We did all this work to get here and now we don’t do the final bit! Malc says well, haven’t you been up already? I quickly dissuaded him of THAT notion! So with cries of ‘come on, show some true Brit!’ We did the Fermes 1 in 4 slog. Made it without stopping which was wonderful.
No Hangover – did a ride on my own then a long run with the green team and Malcolm from the club who was determined that we do the frontside of Fermes, the steepest climb on the island. SO he had told Laurent and that’s where we went. Once we had negotiated Playa Blanca and the garage where the proprietor got very hot under the collar because I had lent my 2K bike against his 2 euro knackered plastic chair! (What are these people on, do they recognise that the tourist pound is the ONLY income of the island?) Laurent was fuming! Anyway, it rained all the way out, and the grind up the hill to the roundabout at the bottom of the Fermes climb took at least 20 minutes me and Malc had been dropped by the green team at the start of the climb and as we got closer you could see these cyclists appearing again and again as they rode round and round the roundabout! From a distance it looked like they were shooting up the Fermes climb and then back down and round to do it again. Malc got to the roundabout as I completed my second circuit and then when asked if ‘we do Fermes now, eh?’ says, ‘No, let’s not bother!!’ I’m like, you what! We did all this work to get here and now we don’t do the final bit! Malc says well, haven’t you been up already? I quickly dissuaded him of THAT notion! So with cries of ‘come on, show some true Brit!’ We did the Fermes 1 in 4 slog. Made it without stopping which was wonderful.
Miles of Fun
20th Feb
So another day in cycling paradise, went out early with Malcolm, he is trying to average 50miles per day this year so we went up Soo, Munique,Tiagua, then the new road (lovely lane, no traffic, one pot hole otherwise baby smooth, Malcolm found the pothole!), Tinajo, up to the church where the people bought out the statue of the Madonna during the last eruption in the 1800s and it stopped the lava just at the point where if it had gone another metre or so it would have flowed down through Tinajo destroying the village. Then back down to Tiagua back along the new road, it really is so nice you want to do it twice and then back down through La Santa down the hill.
Main ride I ended up sat beside Malcolm Elliott and we whiled the time away chatting about cycling and our love of food, so one thing in common because I can’t get anywhere near him in cycling terms. He told me a little about three week stage racing oh and revealed a world exclusive, that he is trying to position his races this year to hang up his racing boots at the end of the year.
Ride was good, then we did the TT at 16:00, very windy I went a full minute quicker than my PB of last year for this course, 26:38 – Malcolm Elliott won with 21:17. Ok – comparisons don’t go too well, he is older than me etc etc. Hey ho.
Gala dinner tonight – that’ll mean a hangover in the morning.
So another day in cycling paradise, went out early with Malcolm, he is trying to average 50miles per day this year so we went up Soo, Munique,Tiagua, then the new road (lovely lane, no traffic, one pot hole otherwise baby smooth, Malcolm found the pothole!), Tinajo, up to the church where the people bought out the statue of the Madonna during the last eruption in the 1800s and it stopped the lava just at the point where if it had gone another metre or so it would have flowed down through Tinajo destroying the village. Then back down to Tiagua back along the new road, it really is so nice you want to do it twice and then back down through La Santa down the hill.
Main ride I ended up sat beside Malcolm Elliott and we whiled the time away chatting about cycling and our love of food, so one thing in common because I can’t get anywhere near him in cycling terms. He told me a little about three week stage racing oh and revealed a world exclusive, that he is trying to position his races this year to hang up his racing boots at the end of the year.
Ride was good, then we did the TT at 16:00, very windy I went a full minute quicker than my PB of last year for this course, 26:38 – Malcolm Elliott won with 21:17. Ok – comparisons don’t go too well, he is older than me etc etc. Hey ho.
Gala dinner tonight – that’ll mean a hangover in the morning.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Tuesdays in Lanzarote
I’m bagging miles early in the morning before the main ride – yesterday was a Time Trial as part of a duathlon with the Crazy Catholics step daughters – they are 10 and 13. Zoe did the first run and came in second – against a field including elite triathletes ‘Go Girl!’ I then did an awful TT effort – 2 minutes slower than last year, sorry girls –finally little Rach bought us in third overall. Word of the week – Awesome!
Today rode a nice slow 20Km in beautiful windless weather. Then we did the Tabayesco 100Km ride which was actually good fun – although I think this camp needs an intensive group riding training camp because we have a lot of novices who do some dangerous things.
Another big thanks to Tri Tony - heard me going on about this ppp lark and popped a tenner in the pot, nice one mate.
I did some hard negotiating on the Cervelo – Ok Muppetboy asked for the top amount I could afford so we didn’t negotiate at all, I just bit his arm off. So come the end of the holiday I will be the proud owner of a new top bike. Need to find the money quick.
Fly Boy is bringing out some stuff to help with the Mosquito itching bites and of course the Doc is coming so all is good.
Weather is wonderful still – if this carries on we will be losing our tickets and finding jobs out here! Came up with a cunning plan, get SCC to buy the timeshare for a large apartment during these two weeks and then we can get 10% off all our food and cheap accommodation to boot!
In the Scrabble league its 1 each to the two ladies and nothing at all to me.
Yep, I think I am suffering from sunstroke.
Today rode a nice slow 20Km in beautiful windless weather. Then we did the Tabayesco 100Km ride which was actually good fun – although I think this camp needs an intensive group riding training camp because we have a lot of novices who do some dangerous things.
Another big thanks to Tri Tony - heard me going on about this ppp lark and popped a tenner in the pot, nice one mate.
I did some hard negotiating on the Cervelo – Ok Muppetboy asked for the top amount I could afford so we didn’t negotiate at all, I just bit his arm off. So come the end of the holiday I will be the proud owner of a new top bike. Need to find the money quick.
Fly Boy is bringing out some stuff to help with the Mosquito itching bites and of course the Doc is coming so all is good.
Weather is wonderful still – if this carries on we will be losing our tickets and finding jobs out here! Came up with a cunning plan, get SCC to buy the timeshare for a large apartment during these two weeks and then we can get 10% off all our food and cheap accommodation to boot!
In the Scrabble league its 1 each to the two ladies and nothing at all to me.
Yep, I think I am suffering from sunstroke.
Monday, 18 February 2008
LZ2 - quick update
A big thanks to Big John for lending the laptop - should be able to post a few more times. The internet cafe is not too bad!
Thought you might like to know the ride distances thus far:
Thurs: 30K
Fri: 90K
Sat: 90K
Sun: 158K ow! - Tabeyesco Fermes, El Golfo, Timanfaya basically most of the island!
Mon: 95K (TT - Main ride and then one with Jackie!)
(Note most mornings I do a warm up ride - La Santa, Soo, Munique, Tiagua, Tinajo and La Santa with variations normally 30ishK)
Hope you are enjoying the riding in the UK. The wind was light today which made it easier than before the wind is a big feature of riding here along with very little flat and a lot of rough it makes the mile hard to get. Still we are enjoying grabbing them.
TTFN
Thought you might like to know the ride distances thus far:
Thurs: 30K
Fri: 90K
Sat: 90K
Sun: 158K ow! - Tabeyesco Fermes, El Golfo, Timanfaya basically most of the island!
Mon: 95K (TT - Main ride and then one with Jackie!)
(Note most mornings I do a warm up ride - La Santa, Soo, Munique, Tiagua, Tinajo and La Santa with variations normally 30ishK)
Hope you are enjoying the riding in the UK. The wind was light today which made it easier than before the wind is a big feature of riding here along with very little flat and a lot of rough it makes the mile hard to get. Still we are enjoying grabbing them.
TTFN
Living it up in Lanzarote
I have now got a complete list of all the don’ts for a holiday with bike on budget airlines. For one don’t assume the luggage weight limit will allow you to take more than 2 pairs of knickers and a spare shirt! My wife’s case alone took up one third of the weight limit, best stop worrying about lightweight bike gear and get some seriously light luggage! I even took the bottom stiffener out of my soft case (yes, lighter) but it was not really to any avail so a lot of stuff didn’t come with and a load of stuff ended up in the bike box – didn’t help that I had agreed to take a 1.8Kg box of energy bars for a mate.
Another example of good practice – don’t leave anything hard loose in the said bike box, nor make it too heavy as it gets dropped if you do. The consequence is that my pride and joy has a dent in the down tube. This is SERIOUS – as it is an aluminium bike you can’t straighten it and if it cracks its goodnight Vienna. Very expensive, lucky I renewed the insurance he day before we travelled. As it happens MuppetBoy has offered to sell me is Cervelo Soloist full dura ace including the carbon wheels (to the uninitiated that means it is a very good, very expensive top bike) so a bit of a no brainer I need to negotiate and agree the price.
Forget all this though we are in Lanzarote again. Two weeks of living a bit like a cycling pro. So any differences to previous years? – The wind has changed round and they have introduced mosquitos!? Big Geoff Cooke (19 times world Champion says he has never seen them before in 15 years of working on this training camp). But the sun and warmth and the rides are fantastic. I’m told it is freezing back in Blighty which makes it all the sweeter. I could live like this all the time!
Each day is similar, we have four different speed groups and after a couple of medium distance ride days we do a long 70-100 miles ride followed by a short ride day. Today’s was a short ride, we had a new member of staff joining in, one Malcolm Elliott, who took the fast group. Malcolm is a full pro who regularly wins on the British racing scene, its his second time round at racing last time he rode the TdF, Olympics etc took a ten year break and he is now back 48 years old and still putting the best riders in Britain to the sword! Awesome. Anyway I was tired from yesterday’s ride so went with one of the slower groups. When the fast ‘group’ went by our group , Malcolm’s reputation had obviously gone before him which meant nearly all the decent riders had bottled it dropping to the next slower ride, it was hardly a group. So it was Malc, two other British Pros, a Club La Santa representative (semi pro) and one camp attendee (from Stratford of course) in their ‘group’. We had given them a 100 metre head start when I suddenly thought ‘sod it I want to see how these pros ride so let’s see if I can catch them and sit in for a few minutes’. Big John came with me and we bridged the gap cor! So now we were over the limit - how long we would last? Amazingly, although they kept going fast it was OK because every time the road went up the effort stayed the same, thus the speed did not, so BJ and I could sit at the back and be fine. So there is a message in all this to all those ‘light’ fast boys who rip yer legs off on every rise, then go slower or the same, (that is less effort) on the flat – do the work on the flat get the speed there and hold the effort level when the road rises, that way everyone gets a good ride – that was what these Pros did. Best ride I have ever had, it was only when we hit the real big climb after 30Ks that we slipped back, there is always tomorrow – so ‘Chapeau’ Mr Elliott!
I do enjoy these camps – we get out on the roads between 9 and 10 am finish the ride around lunch then chill , may be a massage loads of food and in bed by 10! After two weeks of this should be a lot stronger – but not really much leaner. The summer sun here is such a tonic. I would recommend this type of winter break to anyone, just for the lift it gives you and if you enjoy exercise then being able to indulge without weather worries is a bonus.
Another example of good practice – don’t leave anything hard loose in the said bike box, nor make it too heavy as it gets dropped if you do. The consequence is that my pride and joy has a dent in the down tube. This is SERIOUS – as it is an aluminium bike you can’t straighten it and if it cracks its goodnight Vienna. Very expensive, lucky I renewed the insurance he day before we travelled. As it happens MuppetBoy has offered to sell me is Cervelo Soloist full dura ace including the carbon wheels (to the uninitiated that means it is a very good, very expensive top bike) so a bit of a no brainer I need to negotiate and agree the price.
Forget all this though we are in Lanzarote again. Two weeks of living a bit like a cycling pro. So any differences to previous years? – The wind has changed round and they have introduced mosquitos!? Big Geoff Cooke (19 times world Champion says he has never seen them before in 15 years of working on this training camp). But the sun and warmth and the rides are fantastic. I’m told it is freezing back in Blighty which makes it all the sweeter. I could live like this all the time!
Each day is similar, we have four different speed groups and after a couple of medium distance ride days we do a long 70-100 miles ride followed by a short ride day. Today’s was a short ride, we had a new member of staff joining in, one Malcolm Elliott, who took the fast group. Malcolm is a full pro who regularly wins on the British racing scene, its his second time round at racing last time he rode the TdF, Olympics etc took a ten year break and he is now back 48 years old and still putting the best riders in Britain to the sword! Awesome. Anyway I was tired from yesterday’s ride so went with one of the slower groups. When the fast ‘group’ went by our group , Malcolm’s reputation had obviously gone before him which meant nearly all the decent riders had bottled it dropping to the next slower ride, it was hardly a group. So it was Malc, two other British Pros, a Club La Santa representative (semi pro) and one camp attendee (from Stratford of course) in their ‘group’. We had given them a 100 metre head start when I suddenly thought ‘sod it I want to see how these pros ride so let’s see if I can catch them and sit in for a few minutes’. Big John came with me and we bridged the gap cor! So now we were over the limit - how long we would last? Amazingly, although they kept going fast it was OK because every time the road went up the effort stayed the same, thus the speed did not, so BJ and I could sit at the back and be fine. So there is a message in all this to all those ‘light’ fast boys who rip yer legs off on every rise, then go slower or the same, (that is less effort) on the flat – do the work on the flat get the speed there and hold the effort level when the road rises, that way everyone gets a good ride – that was what these Pros did. Best ride I have ever had, it was only when we hit the real big climb after 30Ks that we slipped back, there is always tomorrow – so ‘Chapeau’ Mr Elliott!
I do enjoy these camps – we get out on the roads between 9 and 10 am finish the ride around lunch then chill , may be a massage loads of food and in bed by 10! After two weeks of this should be a lot stronger – but not really much leaner. The summer sun here is such a tonic. I would recommend this type of winter break to anyone, just for the lift it gives you and if you enjoy exercise then being able to indulge without weather worries is a bonus.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Reliably unreliable!
So we approach the big training camp now - I hope over the next two weeks I will be able to give better service to posting but I do know the internet had not arrived at Club La Santa last year! They have an internet cafe which failed to download the basic homepage of hotmail for my 2 euros and at the exchange rate I ain't spending a fortune on that!!!!
The last week has been great we are having brilliant sunshine EVERY day since last Wednesday - remarkable. It has been so warm you would be forgiven for thinking you had moved to the Adriatic coast. But unfortunately for those UK bound souls the thermometer is falling back over the next two days just as the Lanza posse get out of here! You'll be freezing, and the posse? The prediction is 26 degrees in Lanzarote mmmm, luverly!
Made good use of this recent fine weather 80 miles Saturday and then Stratford CC had its reliability on Sunday (Yes, I nominally organise, just be thankful there are a few competent people in the club that make sure it actually worked!). 150 riders and we all had a great time. Picked up over 300 miles last week so I am well on target for miles, picked up a few lbs too so I am way off target on flab fighting bah!
For the second year, I punctured right at the start of the reliability - almost at the identical spot! Fixed it a bit quicker this time and another solo effort for me, finished a lot quicker and had something left so I must be doing something right.
OK, gotta go, loads to do before holidays, if I don't blog whilst there think about me getting some rays
The last week has been great we are having brilliant sunshine EVERY day since last Wednesday - remarkable. It has been so warm you would be forgiven for thinking you had moved to the Adriatic coast. But unfortunately for those UK bound souls the thermometer is falling back over the next two days just as the Lanza posse get out of here! You'll be freezing, and the posse? The prediction is 26 degrees in Lanzarote mmmm, luverly!
Made good use of this recent fine weather 80 miles Saturday and then Stratford CC had its reliability on Sunday (Yes, I nominally organise, just be thankful there are a few competent people in the club that make sure it actually worked!). 150 riders and we all had a great time. Picked up over 300 miles last week so I am well on target for miles, picked up a few lbs too so I am way off target on flab fighting bah!
For the second year, I punctured right at the start of the reliability - almost at the identical spot! Fixed it a bit quicker this time and another solo effort for me, finished a lot quicker and had something left so I must be doing something right.
OK, gotta go, loads to do before holidays, if I don't blog whilst there think about me getting some rays
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Making up for it
Two in one offer.
Forgot that I actually wanted to just say a big thankyou to those who have sponsored me so far. When I feel really bleak about the next 11,000 miles (aaaaghhh!) I just think about the kind words, thoughts of those sponsoring me. Plus of course they are putting their hard earned cash behind me. It really gives me a warm feeling, so a big thanks to the likes of Karen and Dai, I really appreciate it.
Also a quick word about my partner in crime on the Marmotte - a lifelong friend who has said yes to doing this epic ride with me in July. Now how weird is this? We met during our student days when we realised we had common interests - Beer, fags and motorsport, exercise was an anathema. Twenty years on and we have both given up fags and found these push bike thingys. My mate, Pieguy (explanations later) probably caught the bug before me when he lived in Holland. Now he resides just south of San Fran. Here's what he tells me about one of his training rides:
"mapped out a new training ride for the weekends that will take me to Mount Hamilton. Hadn't thought about riding it regularly, but I saw the Tour of California route goes that way and realized it's probably the best training I can find. They put the road in to allow them to haul construction materials up to build the observatory, so the grade isn't too steep and it's a nice long climb. The ride will be from home, down into the valley, along Coyote creek, over Metcalf (beast of a climb but only 3 miles), through the back roads, up Hamilton, fuel and water at the observatory, fast descent, back along the valley and a 1000' climb home. Probably about 80 miles and 6000'. "
I am so jealous - we just don't get climbs like that to train on. So respect, I just hope I can keep up with him in July!
Forgot that I actually wanted to just say a big thankyou to those who have sponsored me so far. When I feel really bleak about the next 11,000 miles (aaaaghhh!) I just think about the kind words, thoughts of those sponsoring me. Plus of course they are putting their hard earned cash behind me. It really gives me a warm feeling, so a big thanks to the likes of Karen and Dai, I really appreciate it.
Also a quick word about my partner in crime on the Marmotte - a lifelong friend who has said yes to doing this epic ride with me in July. Now how weird is this? We met during our student days when we realised we had common interests - Beer, fags and motorsport, exercise was an anathema. Twenty years on and we have both given up fags and found these push bike thingys. My mate, Pieguy (explanations later) probably caught the bug before me when he lived in Holland. Now he resides just south of San Fran. Here's what he tells me about one of his training rides:
"mapped out a new training ride for the weekends that will take me to Mount Hamilton. Hadn't thought about riding it regularly, but I saw the Tour of California route goes that way and realized it's probably the best training I can find. They put the road in to allow them to haul construction materials up to build the observatory, so the grade isn't too steep and it's a nice long climb. The ride will be from home, down into the valley, along Coyote creek, over Metcalf (beast of a climb but only 3 miles), through the back roads, up Hamilton, fuel and water at the observatory, fast descent, back along the valley and a 1000' climb home. Probably about 80 miles and 6000'. "
I am so jealous - we just don't get climbs like that to train on. So respect, I just hope I can keep up with him in July!
Irregular posting
Oops - Suddenly I find a lot of things are starting to fall apart!
I've had a few complaints at the lack of log! I find that really gratifying!! People are reading this - er - for want of a better word drivel! But really sorry for being irregular - I know those of you who know me know that that statement is true in so many rich and diverse ways
Right so the real question is WHY?
Back to the first statement - falling apart - I think I am in to that horrible world of 'overtraining' - either that or I have no ability whatsoever. I do not seem to be able to 'pick it up'. I can still sit on the turbo (having calibrated it) and pump away at around 240w but I am not able to really go.
So the BIG question is what to do about it - I am just over a week away from a two week training camp - so a radical change of plan is required I think. Yep, I will rest a bit.
I will review where I am again tomorrow (post massage). But I am detuning this weeks training whatever. Its Reliability on Sunday then pack and go to sunny climes! next Thursday. Can't wait.
So there may be a big gap in the posting as I know they have an internet cafe there but it is totally pants (haven't heard that for a while have you?!) I think the line speed is about 3 bits per year I remember seeing someone shoving euros into the meter last year waiting for their hotmail account to log in!
I might be able to post if I can blag a laptop from someone. Mine is the heaviest brick you have ever seen and is NOT going in the luggage it is heavier than my dream bike!!!
So resting and looking forward to a massage tonight.
One week to sunshine!
I've had a few complaints at the lack of log! I find that really gratifying!! People are reading this - er - for want of a better word drivel! But really sorry for being irregular - I know those of you who know me know that that statement is true in so many rich and diverse ways
Right so the real question is WHY?
Back to the first statement - falling apart - I think I am in to that horrible world of 'overtraining' - either that or I have no ability whatsoever. I do not seem to be able to 'pick it up'. I can still sit on the turbo (having calibrated it) and pump away at around 240w but I am not able to really go.
So the BIG question is what to do about it - I am just over a week away from a two week training camp - so a radical change of plan is required I think. Yep, I will rest a bit.
I will review where I am again tomorrow (post massage). But I am detuning this weeks training whatever. Its Reliability on Sunday then pack and go to sunny climes! next Thursday. Can't wait.
So there may be a big gap in the posting as I know they have an internet cafe there but it is totally pants (haven't heard that for a while have you?!) I think the line speed is about 3 bits per year I remember seeing someone shoving euros into the meter last year waiting for their hotmail account to log in!
I might be able to post if I can blag a laptop from someone. Mine is the heaviest brick you have ever seen and is NOT going in the luggage it is heavier than my dream bike!!!
So resting and looking forward to a massage tonight.
One week to sunshine!
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Weekly Wanderings?
Mmm - It would seem that I can quickly forget to add a musing or two.
The last week has actually been quite fun - hit a multitude of targets - monthly average;over the first thousand;first reading below 14 stone.
And the only day with full sunshine this week - the day when I work a half day to ride the afternoon! We have been blessed with two weeks in the last three just like that! The last one it rained for 6 days with one full sunshine day in the middle.
This week, started grey -day of sunshine- and now its Gales today and snow tomorrow!
SO I may have to rack a few more miles in the garage. But the month is nearly up and the exercise is going well.
Now all I have to do is get the sponsorship and advertising up to speed an area I am still currently heavily lacking in. Watch the media!!!
The last week has actually been quite fun - hit a multitude of targets - monthly average;over the first thousand;first reading below 14 stone.
And the only day with full sunshine this week - the day when I work a half day to ride the afternoon! We have been blessed with two weeks in the last three just like that! The last one it rained for 6 days with one full sunshine day in the middle.
This week, started grey -day of sunshine- and now its Gales today and snow tomorrow!
SO I may have to rack a few more miles in the garage. But the month is nearly up and the exercise is going well.
Now all I have to do is get the sponsorship and advertising up to speed an area I am still currently heavily lacking in. Watch the media!!!
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Boo Hoo
So just when you start to think its getting there -
Got a cold and had to slow right down.
I haven't updated the blog much either as the internet link got a cold too!
Still hoping for a good day tomorrow - get some proper miles in.
Everything feels unsettled at the moment, what with the firm shelling people and the money markets on the run, feeling ill, need to move house - everything is just not in order.
Got a cold and had to slow right down.
I haven't updated the blog much either as the internet link got a cold too!
Still hoping for a good day tomorrow - get some proper miles in.
Everything feels unsettled at the moment, what with the firm shelling people and the money markets on the run, feeling ill, need to move house - everything is just not in order.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
Woo Hoo! Below 12K!!!
So hit the first step - less than 12,000 to go!
Need to do some long stuff as I seem to be static at around 60 miles ahead of schedule - haven't increased this for the last week.
Fortunately there are mates of 'Fat Boy' who don't have proper jobs and are really kind to him -so it looks like there is going to be a regular mid week long ride day.
I am using up holiday these others don't have proper jobs.
How I wish I had listened at school and wasn't colour blind - being a pilot looks dead good - what a cool job. It seems pilots only 'work' every third tuesday when there is an 'r' in the month the rest of the time they are either on enforced rest or standing by - cor! As for me other mate, his justification is how can he sell the kit if he hasn't properly tested it out, so the ride is actually work then!
Starting today 'Crazy Catholic' and 'Fly Boy' will be joining me on a regular jaunt. I thought I would try and make it hard for you to identify who is coming out to play - thinking caps on Stratford CC.
We may organise ourselves to hook up with some of the other mid week specialists like OXO, who knows. For now we are doing precisely 49.375 miles at level 2 - is that right? All I know if there is a hill Crazy Catholic will big ring it.
I'm as excited as a puppy dog, the sun is out!
Need to do some long stuff as I seem to be static at around 60 miles ahead of schedule - haven't increased this for the last week.
Fortunately there are mates of 'Fat Boy' who don't have proper jobs and are really kind to him -so it looks like there is going to be a regular mid week long ride day.
I am using up holiday these others don't have proper jobs.
How I wish I had listened at school and wasn't colour blind - being a pilot looks dead good - what a cool job. It seems pilots only 'work' every third tuesday when there is an 'r' in the month the rest of the time they are either on enforced rest or standing by - cor! As for me other mate, his justification is how can he sell the kit if he hasn't properly tested it out, so the ride is actually work then!
Starting today 'Crazy Catholic' and 'Fly Boy' will be joining me on a regular jaunt. I thought I would try and make it hard for you to identify who is coming out to play - thinking caps on Stratford CC.
We may organise ourselves to hook up with some of the other mid week specialists like OXO, who knows. For now we are doing precisely 49.375 miles at level 2 - is that right? All I know if there is a hill Crazy Catholic will big ring it.
I'm as excited as a puppy dog, the sun is out!
Monday, 14 January 2008
Fun, Snow and Sun
The weekend weas great - got stuck in the snow over the Cotswolds, but it was really sunny and warm. Thanks to John for the company, and to all the people offering me assistance and being so generous both with their time and money.
Don't forget you can give and help spur me on check the link!
Real big thanks to my mates who have helped so far.
Don't forget you can give and help spur me on check the link!
Real big thanks to my mates who have helped so far.
Friday, 11 January 2008
Searching!
Wedge's pedal from pole to pole - a virtual journey - cycle
Thought I'd try and find some words that people might find my page through when searching hence the weird banner.
So I was, not to put too fine a point on it somewhat bereft of energy last night. Wednesday had beaten me up - I do two spin sessions on a Wednesday which means eating is difficult and the spin is HARD. So Thursday morning I felt like I had been steam rollered.
By the evening I'm thinking 'is it sensible to go out on the club ride?'. But then Mick and Russ have texted to say when and where so....
Well the first hour they were real easy on me and eventually I felt good. If I knew bike maintnenance I might even have been able to climb with them! (Slipping chain - yep, Muppet)
Even better today and the miles roll by. The turbo gets drenched with sweat every morning at the moment- yuk!
Thought I'd try and find some words that people might find my page through when searching hence the weird banner.
So I was, not to put too fine a point on it somewhat bereft of energy last night. Wednesday had beaten me up - I do two spin sessions on a Wednesday which means eating is difficult and the spin is HARD. So Thursday morning I felt like I had been steam rollered.
By the evening I'm thinking 'is it sensible to go out on the club ride?'. But then Mick and Russ have texted to say when and where so....
Well the first hour they were real easy on me and eventually I felt good. If I knew bike maintnenance I might even have been able to climb with them! (Slipping chain - yep, Muppet)
Even better today and the miles roll by. The turbo gets drenched with sweat every morning at the moment- yuk!
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Fat igue
Doing something like this the big issue is staying healthy. So I did my self no favours last night up late(ish) and drinking wine - Idiot!
Anyway if you look at the stats centre you'll see the lbage is going up in spite of the miles. This is not a bad thing really as I can't lose weight ALL the time!!!! Not going to worry about weight really until at least after the winter training camp.
I do want there to be substantially less of me before I have to ride a mountain.
That's what I am really tired of - talking about fat, I've got fat igue.
Sorted a new turbo yesterday - off ebay. Need to get it delivered to work but don't know the address! (We moved a few weeks ago). Ho hum I'll pay for it tomorrow. When that arrives I can have the joy of riding the alps from the garage what fun - beats talking about fat.....
Anyway if you look at the stats centre you'll see the lbage is going up in spite of the miles. This is not a bad thing really as I can't lose weight ALL the time!!!! Not going to worry about weight really until at least after the winter training camp.
I do want there to be substantially less of me before I have to ride a mountain.
That's what I am really tired of - talking about fat, I've got fat igue.
Sorted a new turbo yesterday - off ebay. Need to get it delivered to work but don't know the address! (We moved a few weeks ago). Ho hum I'll pay for it tomorrow. When that arrives I can have the joy of riding the alps from the garage what fun - beats talking about fat.....
Saturday, 5 January 2008
Luverly
On the riding front today was great - it is beautiful when the sunshines the sky is blue. Cold and wet underfoot but glorious to be out on a day like today. Lovely!
Had to cut my ride a little short to collect my car from service.
Ahead of schedule - which is great. So I chatted with my biggest supporter and friend about doing all the miles on the road! (Hey I have it on good authority that one contributer will stump up 10K!) Anyway they're money is safe we decided to forget that and stay married!
Crazy world - why oh why do some things have to happen? Peter Bissell's tragic death is a big shock to the UK cycle race scene. Life can be so unfair.
Still he did bigger end better cycling things in his short life than I will ever do. A solemn reminder to us all to grab the opportunity every day to live life to the full.
Had to cut my ride a little short to collect my car from service.
Ahead of schedule - which is great. So I chatted with my biggest supporter and friend about doing all the miles on the road! (Hey I have it on good authority that one contributer will stump up 10K!) Anyway they're money is safe we decided to forget that and stay married!
Crazy world - why oh why do some things have to happen? Peter Bissell's tragic death is a big shock to the UK cycle race scene. Life can be so unfair.
Still he did bigger end better cycling things in his short life than I will ever do. A solemn reminder to us all to grab the opportunity every day to live life to the full.
Friday, 4 January 2008
Lonely Wandering
One of the realisations I have quickly made is that I'm going to spend a heck of a long time with no discourse. Hours on the bike (particularly spin or turbo) are not very social!
So already its a big thankyou to Jackie for her support as I know it is hard on her too.
A very big thankyou to all of you reading this, I love the comments on the donations, wonderful.
It'll keep me going when I don't want to swing the leg over for another cycle of cycling
God Bless
PS 16.5 miles this morning - Turbo (Tacx Flow, calibrated and at +4 worked out at just over 700 cals - last 20 minutes it was saying 290w+ I reckon its definitely got a broken power meter
So already its a big thankyou to Jackie for her support as I know it is hard on her too.
A very big thankyou to all of you reading this, I love the comments on the donations, wonderful.
It'll keep me going when I don't want to swing the leg over for another cycle of cycling
God Bless
PS 16.5 miles this morning - Turbo (Tacx Flow, calibrated and at +4 worked out at just over 700 cals - last 20 minutes it was saying 290w+ I reckon its definitely got a broken power meter
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
Turbo...
The weather is closing in now so we may have snow and I shall turbo
Truth is with all the dark et al the Turbo is being hit hard already.
Two sessions today: one 15 miles(am) one 26 (pm). I did 8 miles in the gym at lunch too.
Currently knackered and wonder if it will get easier - hope so.
Truth is with all the dark et al the Turbo is being hit hard already.
Two sessions today: one 15 miles(am) one 26 (pm). I did 8 miles in the gym at lunch too.
Currently knackered and wonder if it will get easier - hope so.
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
The Century that wasn't
Ok, so the original plan WAS to ride a 100 today and kick off the challenge with a bang. This would have taken most if not all of the daylight to do. But then when you're invited to a family celebration, good food, good wine and good company what can you do?! The plan had to change...
So I said I'd ride over - thing is I knew that would be at least 60 miles (actually 70!) so still a stiff challenge and probably more realistic for me at the moment. Jackie took the roof rack on the car and so it was a wrap! Support vehicle en route about 2 hours after I set off - easy. Well it would be easy except the route took me right over the Cotswolds from Stratford to just past Wotton Under Edge. I think I need tohone my estimation skills. I reckoned it would take between 3:45 and 4 hours - actually just shy of 5, so a lot of speed to find!
Some fantastic views and wonderful villages I will definitely ride this again: North Leach looks a lovely place and Coln Rogers has a lovely Church (as well as a great name). In fact that is part of what makes riding these routes great, some of the silly names, Wyre Piddle?. Some of the road names were a bit funny too, how about 'All Alone' as a road name!
Have to go - time to eat a few more Chocs. Happy New Year!
The ride....
View Larger Map
So I said I'd ride over - thing is I knew that would be at least 60 miles (actually 70!) so still a stiff challenge and probably more realistic for me at the moment. Jackie took the roof rack on the car and so it was a wrap! Support vehicle en route about 2 hours after I set off - easy. Well it would be easy except the route took me right over the Cotswolds from Stratford to just past Wotton Under Edge. I think I need tohone my estimation skills. I reckoned it would take between 3:45 and 4 hours - actually just shy of 5, so a lot of speed to find!
Some fantastic views and wonderful villages I will definitely ride this again: North Leach looks a lovely place and Coln Rogers has a lovely Church (as well as a great name). In fact that is part of what makes riding these routes great, some of the silly names, Wyre Piddle?. Some of the road names were a bit funny too, how about 'All Alone' as a road name!
Have to go - time to eat a few more Chocs. Happy New Year!
The ride....
View Larger Map
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