200 days, sounds like a lot doesn't it ?
It is now just 200 days until the etape, not that I'm starting to worry.... much !.
Training this week has been a bit poor. I've had a nasty chesty cough and haven't done much. An hour of intervals ( 2min @ 250w ) on Wednesday. No Rugby again this week (snow). Jo went out on Saturday night, so I dragged the bike and turbo in from the garage and did a good L2 hour in the kitchen ( 80min @ 155bmp, 220-240watts)
On Sunday we went to Mum's for the pre-Christmas family gathering. Good to see everybody. Hope I didn't give anybody my cough :o/
I fell asleep for most of the afternoon, aided by a big lunch and a dose of Benilyn with a red wine chaser. Mum has announced that I've entered "some bike ride thing" so I guess there is no getting out of it now :o)
Cough is still bad, so can't see much training happening over the next few days, and then we are into the Christmas festivities. Probably won't hurt to take it easy for a bit.
Happy Christmas.
Wednesday 22 December 2010
Monday 13 December 2010
Outside...
The snow has gone, and the temperature has crept above freezing for a couple of days , so rugby was back on again. A pretty good afternoon gave Earlsdon a 40-3 win over Spartains. I scored a try from a flying run down the wing :o) I'll happily describe it to you in intricate detail..... "It all started just inside our own 22...."
Sunday was rugby for Fin, and then I squeezed in a couple of hours out on the bike, before Josh's cristingle service. Note the use of the word "out" - yes, I actually make it out into the real world, rather than just on the turbo in the garage. Hard work though. Lots of excuses ( cough, sore legs from rugby, not eaten enough, still early days, etc, etc) but it just about killed me.
Also first trip out for the phone + HRM. A bit annoyed thet the heart rate trace stopped after a couple of minutes, and the phone battery died after an hour. ( Map )
Spent the evening looking at the elevation trace. Leicestershire hills are so tiny compared to the Alps. I was hoping to find that some of the slopes around here would be at the 8% I'm facing (obviously not for very long, but would give me some idea of the steepness). From the traces and looking at maps, I'm not even close, and I'm struggling on these.
The reality of how hard this is going to be is not lost on me.
Sunday was rugby for Fin, and then I squeezed in a couple of hours out on the bike, before Josh's cristingle service. Note the use of the word "out" - yes, I actually make it out into the real world, rather than just on the turbo in the garage. Hard work though. Lots of excuses ( cough, sore legs from rugby, not eaten enough, still early days, etc, etc) but it just about killed me.
Also first trip out for the phone + HRM. A bit annoyed thet the heart rate trace stopped after a couple of minutes, and the phone battery died after an hour. ( Map )
Spent the evening looking at the elevation trace. Leicestershire hills are so tiny compared to the Alps. I was hoping to find that some of the slopes around here would be at the 8% I'm facing (obviously not for very long, but would give me some idea of the steepness). From the traces and looking at maps, I'm not even close, and I'm struggling on these.
The reality of how hard this is going to be is not lost on me.
Thursday 9 December 2010
Turbo Intervals
SportsTrackLive
Another turbo session done. Hard work tonight. Still feeling the cold a bit so it took good dose of will power to get outside.( not something I have a lot of ! )
Felt surprisingly good on the warm up, so stuck in a few intervals. 250 watts for 2 min. 2 min rest (200w ish). Managed 8 repeats until I started to struggle. Long warm down.
Package from PHD arrived today (very quick service) so I've got a very nice SIS Recovery chocolate drink tonight.
Feel I've missed a few sessions and I've only been going a couple of weeks, but seem to be making progress. Long way to go.
Another turbo session done. Hard work tonight. Still feeling the cold a bit so it took good dose of will power to get outside.( not something I have a lot of ! )
Felt surprisingly good on the warm up, so stuck in a few intervals. 250 watts for 2 min. 2 min rest (200w ish). Managed 8 repeats until I started to struggle. Long warm down.
Package from PHD arrived today (very quick service) so I've got a very nice SIS Recovery chocolate drink tonight.
Feel I've missed a few sessions and I've only been going a couple of weeks, but seem to be making progress. Long way to go.
Got man Flu...
Well, got a bit of a cold.
Josh is suffering with proper (6year old) Man Flu. He's had a couple of nights of broken sleep, with strange hallucination/dreams when he overheats. Not much fun for the little chap, and keeps me awake too.
Had a heavy session in the gym on Thursday lunchtime. This had a big affect on the following turbo session on Friday, when I struggled to do anything useful. Cut the session short after about 30minutes and experimented with saddle positions instead. The result is I don't like the saddle I have on the TT bike, and it causes numbness no matter what angle I have it. the saddle on the old training bike is much better, but is falling apart. Dear Santa.... ;o)
Swapped the training bike onto the turbo and did a good hour on Monday. Saddle feels a lot better.
( 60min, 220 watts, 90 rpm, 150-160bmp)
Missed the session on Wednesday because of my cold, but did manage to go to the gym today and should be able to get another turbo hour in tonight. I could even get outside and join the Club at the Mallory Park training ride ?!
Josh is suffering with proper (6year old) Man Flu. He's had a couple of nights of broken sleep, with strange hallucination/dreams when he overheats. Not much fun for the little chap, and keeps me awake too.
Had a heavy session in the gym on Thursday lunchtime. This had a big affect on the following turbo session on Friday, when I struggled to do anything useful. Cut the session short after about 30minutes and experimented with saddle positions instead. The result is I don't like the saddle I have on the TT bike, and it causes numbness no matter what angle I have it. the saddle on the old training bike is much better, but is falling apart. Dear Santa.... ;o)
Swapped the training bike onto the turbo and did a good hour on Monday. Saddle feels a lot better.
( 60min, 220 watts, 90 rpm, 150-160bmp)
Missed the session on Wednesday because of my cold, but did manage to go to the gym today and should be able to get another turbo hour in tonight. I could even get outside and join the Club at the Mallory Park training ride ?!
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Missed Weekends
Almost every training plan you come across will show long rides on Saturdays and Sundays. On a normal Saturday I'll be playing rugby on and then on Sunday I'll be recovering from playing rugby and helping coach Fin's U10s rugby team. So not much time (or energy) for that 4 hour training ride then!
The last couple of weekends have been different because rugby has been frozen off, which would have left time to ride, but we have been away visiting friends so I didn't actually get out. This is a prime example of Carmichael's "Time Crunched Cyclist", other commitments, quite rightly, outrank sitting on the bike. The time spent in Oxford and Sandy over the last couple of weekends was wonderful and I really wouldn't want to give them up. I just need to find other times to get the miles in...
The last couple of weekends have been different because rugby has been frozen off, which would have left time to ride, but we have been away visiting friends so I didn't actually get out. This is a prime example of Carmichael's "Time Crunched Cyclist", other commitments, quite rightly, outrank sitting on the bike. The time spent in Oxford and Sandy over the last couple of weekends was wonderful and I really wouldn't want to give them up. I just need to find other times to get the miles in...
Tuesday 7 December 2010
Wednesday 1 December 2010
More Snow...So going to Turbo
The snow continues to fall and temperatures have fallen to "bloody cold" so more Turboing in the garage. ( Actually think I'd be on the turbo even if it was sunny outside )
Usual story - start with fan heater on, jumpers, hat, gloves until I warm up.
Surprisingly, I didn't feel too bad. Managed to keep going for 60minutes + 15warm-up and 10 cool down without getting too bored. The novely will wear off soon I'm sure.
I've been reading a couple of new books. Todays favourite is The Time-Crunched cyclist, Chris Carmichael. An interesting read, and I love the theory, but it's not going to get me to the top of the Galibier. Back to the traditional Base Line training so a long Level 2 slog tonight.
Latest Training
http://www.sportstracklive.com/
60 minutes at Level 2
145-155 bmp
210-220 watts
20mph
90rpm.
Usual story - start with fan heater on, jumpers, hat, gloves until I warm up.
Surprisingly, I didn't feel too bad. Managed to keep going for 60minutes + 15warm-up and 10 cool down without getting too bored. The novely will wear off soon I'm sure.
I've been reading a couple of new books. Todays favourite is The Time-Crunched cyclist, Chris Carmichael. An interesting read, and I love the theory, but it's not going to get me to the top of the Galibier. Back to the traditional Base Line training so a long Level 2 slog tonight.
Latest Training
http://www.sportstracklive.com/
60 minutes at Level 2
145-155 bmp
210-220 watts
20mph
90rpm.
Friday 26 November 2010
Training - the baseline
I new this really, but you always falsely hope that the results will be a nice surprise: I'm not very fit.
Over the last week I have tried to get on the turbo in the garage and get the legs moving again. Not a pretty sight! Let's face it, I wasn't a great bike rider before, but having not touched the bike since April I'm starting from the bottom again. I tried to ride a basic ramp test to get a baseline FTP figure, but struggled to going.
3 x 10 mintes @ 220 watts seems to be a realistic level at the moment. Not great, but it is a start.
I've also got a new toy, the first of many ;o) a Zephyr bluetooth heart rate monitor. Links up to the HTC phone and logs heart rate, gps, etc. I've been uploading the results here : sports track live
only 227 days to go !
Over the last week I have tried to get on the turbo in the garage and get the legs moving again. Not a pretty sight! Let's face it, I wasn't a great bike rider before, but having not touched the bike since April I'm starting from the bottom again. I tried to ride a basic ramp test to get a baseline FTP figure, but struggled to going.
3 x 10 mintes @ 220 watts seems to be a realistic level at the moment. Not great, but it is a start.
I've also got a new toy, the first of many ;o) a Zephyr bluetooth heart rate monitor. Links up to the HTC phone and logs heart rate, gps, etc. I've been uploading the results here : sports track live
only 227 days to go !
Thursday 25 November 2010
Logistics
I'm sure than in any project like this there are stages that one passes through: the initial excitement, the realisation of the task in hand, the knuckling down, the frustration, the boredom and then the final exhilaration.
After no more than a week I'm starting to worry about what I have signed up for.
I'm starting to plan the logistics of getting to the start and back home again from the end ( they are 100km apart on opposite sides of a big mountain ! ). Where to stay, how to get there. Probably with Joanna, Josh and Fin too.
The realities of the ride are the last thing on my mind at the moment.
Some realisations :
Leicestershire to the Alps is a long way.
Nobody flies to the Alps in summer.
Google maps is sooo useful.
My French is crap.
I really should be working and not reading hotel reviews and other peoples blogs.
T.
After no more than a week I'm starting to worry about what I have signed up for.
I'm starting to plan the logistics of getting to the start and back home again from the end ( they are 100km apart on opposite sides of a big mountain ! ). Where to stay, how to get there. Probably with Joanna, Josh and Fin too.
The realities of the ride are the last thing on my mind at the moment.
Some realisations :
Leicestershire to the Alps is a long way.
Nobody flies to the Alps in summer.
Google maps is sooo useful.
My French is crap.
I really should be working and not reading hotel reviews and other peoples blogs.
T.
Friday 19 November 2010
I'm in !
After a brief discussion with Jo I decided on the Etape du Tour.
This year it is in 2 parts for the first time. I'm doing the 1st part : Col du Galibier and Alpe d'Huez.
Also for the 1st time, you can enter online, from 14th November 2011.
So, when I arrived at work on that ordinary Friday morning, I took a deep breath, and signed up.
The first 3000 entries are sold at 75euro, and the next 3000 are 95 euro, and a further 3000 are sold via tour operators. I squeezed in with only 126 places remaining of that first 6000.
oh god what have I done...?!?
This year it is in 2 parts for the first time. I'm doing the 1st part : Col du Galibier and Alpe d'Huez.
Also for the 1st time, you can enter online, from 14th November 2011.
So, when I arrived at work on that ordinary Friday morning, I took a deep breath, and signed up.
The first 3000 entries are sold at 75euro, and the next 3000 are 95 euro, and a further 3000 are sold via tour operators. I squeezed in with only 126 places remaining of that first 6000.
oh god what have I done...?!?
Monday 1 November 2010
...and so it begins.
After a pretty miserable couple of years, I decided that I need to get moving again. Need to find some sort of task / challenge / adventure. the big question is "what ?"
Much as I love to share these things, and enjoy including everybody in the hope they they can share and enjoy the things I do, I think there is a need to do this for myself and by myself. A need for a bit of self assessment, self motivation and self improvement.
With all that has gone on, a charity event would seem to be called for. A way of doing my bit to help and support those I love, or have lost. A noble aim I hope.
The list of hypothetical possibilities was long. From driving, to climbing, to cycling, to canoeing, to running. The discussions in the office with Roger and Bob were frequent and distracting, but the new ideas raised a level of excitement in me that I haven't felt for a while.
In the end, the sport was narrowed down to cycling, and after a brief flurry of daft ideas, I decided on the Tour de France "etape du tour".
...how hard could it be ?
Much as I love to share these things, and enjoy including everybody in the hope they they can share and enjoy the things I do, I think there is a need to do this for myself and by myself. A need for a bit of self assessment, self motivation and self improvement.
With all that has gone on, a charity event would seem to be called for. A way of doing my bit to help and support those I love, or have lost. A noble aim I hope.
The list of hypothetical possibilities was long. From driving, to climbing, to cycling, to canoeing, to running. The discussions in the office with Roger and Bob were frequent and distracting, but the new ideas raised a level of excitement in me that I haven't felt for a while.
In the end, the sport was narrowed down to cycling, and after a brief flurry of daft ideas, I decided on the Tour de France "etape du tour".
...how hard could it be ?
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