Had a bit of a lazy week, started with the best of intentions but the combination of another cold snap and some fun at work meant a couple of late finishes and the cold of a garage and the turbo lost out to the cold of a beer and the football on the telly.
I did manage to get a hill session in but even then it wasn’t quite to plan as I don’t think the hill was really long enough to get the heart pumping enough.
Having decide on an easy week I have made up for it by hitting Ebay and picking up a few bargains, I think I have just about got every thing I need for the trip now. Previous TDC riders have published some packing lists this week and I think I’m about there with the exception of some cycle spare parts.
Having been somewhat lazy I was banking on getting out for another long Sunday run but a new arrival of snow frustrated me somewhat and so I ended up on the Turbo again just to remove that horrible feeling of guilt you get when you know your not pulling your weight.
Sadly after quite a good 40 minutes of a planned hour intervals session it appears I have managed to screw up my front derailleur system making it impossible to change the front chain ring.
I have whipped it into the cycle shop and they tell me it is called “over shifting”, not sadly the sign of a supremely fit athlete but of someone who doesn’t give his chain time to move and ends up forcing the gear shift. They told me it is common where there is a “triple indexing system on the bike and only a double chain ring”, whilst I don’t doubt they are right I fear that is cycle shop speak for “its not covered under warranty mate”. They have sent it away and it will probably be a week to ten days before I get it back so it looks like its time for the mountain bike to make a return to action, and I will have to get back out running at Corby AC to make sure I don’t lard up in the mean time.
Onwards and upwards
Sunday 21 February 2010
Monday 15 February 2010
My First Half Century
Another week has drifted past and thankfully no impact from last weekends reliability ride, and a full weeks training both on and off the bike.
The objectives this week were to test myself a little compared to last week by trying for an average speed of about 14/15mph,to see how I coped over the longer distances at that higher pace and to crack the 50 mile mark
I enjoyed Sundays ride through Brington, Winwick and other villages out towards Oundle some of which I hadn’t been through since my school days. I was amazed to see how much those villages had changed, and then I saw that where Simon Clack’s garden in Oundle had been was now occupied by 2 or 3 houses, it made me feel quite ancient.
I stopped for a quick break in Oundle but found myself getting cold very quickly so moved off as soon as I had eaten my chocolate brownie cake, (as recommended by most Olympians) and then headed home via Glapthorn, Brigstock and Cranford.
I got back to Raunds only to find I was about 6 miles short of my 50-mile goal, so I had a quick blat down the A45 to Thrapston and back finally finishing on 51 miles. I felt comfortable, the arms and shoulders were much better and although my legs were tired I was more than happy with my 14mph average speed which showed me I was capable of a decent pace over four hours or so.
Having done all that I then had a couple of beers watching England struggle to beat Italy, a glass or two of red with a huge roast dinner so clearly weight loss is not high on my agenda!!
The days are lengthening and it wont be long before I can start riding to and from work, the plan this week is to get out in the evenings for an hour or so after work rather than continue on the turbo and just do a hills or speed session to try to build the leg strength up and then another long weekend ride.
Onwards and upwards.
The objectives this week were to test myself a little compared to last week by trying for an average speed of about 14/15mph,to see how I coped over the longer distances at that higher pace and to crack the 50 mile mark
I enjoyed Sundays ride through Brington, Winwick and other villages out towards Oundle some of which I hadn’t been through since my school days. I was amazed to see how much those villages had changed, and then I saw that where Simon Clack’s garden in Oundle had been was now occupied by 2 or 3 houses, it made me feel quite ancient.
I stopped for a quick break in Oundle but found myself getting cold very quickly so moved off as soon as I had eaten my chocolate brownie cake, (as recommended by most Olympians) and then headed home via Glapthorn, Brigstock and Cranford.
I got back to Raunds only to find I was about 6 miles short of my 50-mile goal, so I had a quick blat down the A45 to Thrapston and back finally finishing on 51 miles. I felt comfortable, the arms and shoulders were much better and although my legs were tired I was more than happy with my 14mph average speed which showed me I was capable of a decent pace over four hours or so.
Having done all that I then had a couple of beers watching England struggle to beat Italy, a glass or two of red with a huge roast dinner so clearly weight loss is not high on my agenda!!
The days are lengthening and it wont be long before I can start riding to and from work, the plan this week is to get out in the evenings for an hour or so after work rather than continue on the turbo and just do a hills or speed session to try to build the leg strength up and then another long weekend ride.
Onwards and upwards.
Sunday 7 February 2010
RELIABILTY RIDE
I learned a lot today, thanks to two very experienced and accommodating riders from Ratae Road Club, Leicester.
I arrived at the start of the reliability ride in Wigston and as I signed on I managed to get talking to a guy who after a few words undertook to look after me on my first foray into the real world of cycling. Peter Moss and his friends Brian and Grant were planning to do the same ride as I and at a slowish pace as Brian was recovering from injury.
Having signed in we were split into groups of 8 briefed and set off at intervals, to stop interfering with the traffic too much. We moved off out of Hinkley and were very soon into the countryside to the south and west of Leicester.
The course was rolling rather than too testing but as we cycled I was able to watch the others and see how they used their gears so that they just maintained a steady cadence no matter what the road was doing.
After a while Peter explained to me how the different gear ratios worked and demonstrated how using the smaller front ring and the whole rear cassette was much more comfortable at our pace, he also explained about chain wear, lube and a number of other things as we rode along, finally he helped me tweak the gears to see if we could sort the changing problems I was having…it was all much simpler seeing it in action.
The ride itself went well, the slower pace, we averaged 12mph rather than my previous 15mph on training, was much more sustainable and my heart rate never crept above 150 which meant it was much more comfortable. After 45 miles I felt as if I could have easily gone on a bit further, I think this is the sort of pace I will need to aim for on the longer runs in Canada.
Towards the end my shoulders and neck were beginning to get quite stiff so I need to keep up the strength work but my legs held out well and the hills we did go up were ok in the lower gears.
Next week I am back to solo training on the turbo and then another three hour run on Sunday.
Onwards and upwards!!!
I learned a lot today, thanks to two very experienced and accommodating riders from Ratae Road Club, Leicester.
I arrived at the start of the reliability ride in Wigston and as I signed on I managed to get talking to a guy who after a few words undertook to look after me on my first foray into the real world of cycling. Peter Moss and his friends Brian and Grant were planning to do the same ride as I and at a slowish pace as Brian was recovering from injury.
Having signed in we were split into groups of 8 briefed and set off at intervals, to stop interfering with the traffic too much. We moved off out of Hinkley and were very soon into the countryside to the south and west of Leicester.
The course was rolling rather than too testing but as we cycled I was able to watch the others and see how they used their gears so that they just maintained a steady cadence no matter what the road was doing.
After a while Peter explained to me how the different gear ratios worked and demonstrated how using the smaller front ring and the whole rear cassette was much more comfortable at our pace, he also explained about chain wear, lube and a number of other things as we rode along, finally he helped me tweak the gears to see if we could sort the changing problems I was having…it was all much simpler seeing it in action.
The ride itself went well, the slower pace, we averaged 12mph rather than my previous 15mph on training, was much more sustainable and my heart rate never crept above 150 which meant it was much more comfortable. After 45 miles I felt as if I could have easily gone on a bit further, I think this is the sort of pace I will need to aim for on the longer runs in Canada.
Towards the end my shoulders and neck were beginning to get quite stiff so I need to keep up the strength work but my legs held out well and the hills we did go up were ok in the lower gears.
Next week I am back to solo training on the turbo and then another three hour run on Sunday.
Onwards and upwards!!!
Saturday 6 February 2010
So how do you prepare for such a ride when the longest ride you have ever completed is 180 miles split across three days?
Luckily the training I had put into the London Marathon last year gave a good base upon which to build, reading magazine articles it would seem the theory behind the training was much the same, build a base then work on strength and speed, so that’s what I’ve tried to do.
In August 2009, I started cycling more than running and over the weeks since built up some mileage on my mountain bike whilst I awaiting the arrival of the new road bike.
In October the new TREK 1.7 arrived and I found myself on a 6 month training plan which, much the same as the marathon, emphasised long and slow weekend rides with some turbo work (mainly due to weather and the dark evenings) to build some speed and strength.
Now in February 2010 I am some 400 miles into my plan, with a couple of 30/40mile rides in the can and feeling comfortable on the bike. I have invested and been given for Xmas presents good quality kit, taken and researched advice from many and am now for the first time beginning to notice improvements in my fitness as I ride along.
Tomorrow I am entering my first public event, a reliability ride at Wigston, Leicester. This will be the first time I have ridden with what I consider to be proper cyclists so I am a little nervous that I might look a complete prat and it is also the longest ride so far at 47miles. With luck all will go well and then I can continue to build the miles, test the rear rack and other kit over the next few weeks and months and hit the magic century mark in about May.
So far So Good…onwards and upwards!!
Luckily the training I had put into the London Marathon last year gave a good base upon which to build, reading magazine articles it would seem the theory behind the training was much the same, build a base then work on strength and speed, so that’s what I’ve tried to do.
In August 2009, I started cycling more than running and over the weeks since built up some mileage on my mountain bike whilst I awaiting the arrival of the new road bike.
In October the new TREK 1.7 arrived and I found myself on a 6 month training plan which, much the same as the marathon, emphasised long and slow weekend rides with some turbo work (mainly due to weather and the dark evenings) to build some speed and strength.
Now in February 2010 I am some 400 miles into my plan, with a couple of 30/40mile rides in the can and feeling comfortable on the bike. I have invested and been given for Xmas presents good quality kit, taken and researched advice from many and am now for the first time beginning to notice improvements in my fitness as I ride along.
Tomorrow I am entering my first public event, a reliability ride at Wigston, Leicester. This will be the first time I have ridden with what I consider to be proper cyclists so I am a little nervous that I might look a complete prat and it is also the longest ride so far at 47miles. With luck all will go well and then I can continue to build the miles, test the rear rack and other kit over the next few weeks and months and hit the magic century mark in about May.
So far So Good…onwards and upwards!!
Monday 1 February 2010
In June 2010 I will be leaving the UK to join up with a group of about 30 other cyclists from around the world all determined to Cycle across Canada from the West Coast to the East. The trip will take about 72 days and is organised under the banner of TourDuCanada.
Until now the longest I have ever ridden on a bike is a 3 day trip on the C2C route across England so this represents a significant step up, some of the days in Canada will involve in excess of 100miles so I have my work cut out just getting fit to start the trip.
Over the next few months I hope to document my learning as I train and the build up to the trip, and then use this blog as a diary of the trip which I can not only keep friends and relatives informed of my progress but also review and reflect upon in later life.
Until now the longest I have ever ridden on a bike is a 3 day trip on the C2C route across England so this represents a significant step up, some of the days in Canada will involve in excess of 100miles so I have my work cut out just getting fit to start the trip.
Over the next few months I hope to document my learning as I train and the build up to the trip, and then use this blog as a diary of the trip which I can not only keep friends and relatives informed of my progress but also review and reflect upon in later life.
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