Failed :o(

This is the end of the big adventure : 10 hairpins from the top of Alpe d'Huez

I got here at about 3:15pm and was eliminated from the race.

Once the timing car reaches you, you are eliminated. At this point you have a couple of choices; Get on the broom waggon (bus) for a lift to the top, wait for the cavalcade to pass you and carry on, or go down.

I wasn't going to get on the bus !!

 I sat and watched the convoy pass and tried to start off again for the top, but it just wasn't going to happen. The heat had got to me. The legs had gone. The reason for being there had passed.

I made it about 100 yds further up from the hairpin and the legs locked up with cramp. Time to go home.

***

I'm now safely home, and I am trying to look back and asses what happened. What went wrong? Lots of things come to mind - the last months training for a start ? The heat on the day? Was my fueling right? Did I drink enough water? Where did the time go ?

I have been lucky enough to have a lot of nice comments from people on the day and since the race. Many saying I should be proud of what I have achieved. Currently it doesn't feel like that. Currently I just feel like I've failed.

Tuesday ( 6 days to go )

A better day.

I managed to get out on the bike this evening.   :o)

I didn’t race the regular Tuesday 10, but did ride down to the start to say “hello” to people and cheer as they flew down the course. Not something I usually do. If I’m available then I will race, just turning up to spectate is a novelty. Zig-zagged my way down the lanes either side of the course, popping up at cross-roads to cheer as the guys charged along. All quite enjoyable and just what I needed – riding the bike for pleasure for a change. Bumped into a guy who needed a pump, so helped him out and chatted for a while as we watched. He was obviously keen to have a go, but didn’t feel brave enough to actually make the step and sign on. Think I’ve talked him into having a go. I hope so, we are a friendly bunch and everbody is welcome. I rode back with him towards Brinklow and chatted happily about random stuff, stopping a couple of time to pump his rear tyre. As the light was fading, we gave the tyre one last blast, and I headed back to the race HQ.

Started raining by the time I got there, so picked up the results sheet and headed off.

As a shake-down test it was mixed. Gears were jumping, so good to get that sorted, but also got soaking wet. Now have to clean the bike and dry out all the kit!

Time on bike : 90min, 20 miles

Monday ( 7 Days to go )

We are into the final countdown to the Etape now, only 1 week to go.

I swing between serene calm and blind panic. You come to a point where you know there is nothing more you can do to your body to get you throughthe task ahead: the time for training has passed. This is the time for making the best of what you have and making sure you arrive at the start rested and ready.

  ...all good in theory !

Work dragged on today. Can’t claim to have done anything useful all day. Still feeling a dodgy from the weekend. 

Having been slimming down a bit over the last 6 months ( 90+kg to below 80 kg) I am permanently hungry. This week I am now relishing allowing myself to eat-for-England.

Intended to go out and check the bike over. Adjust the saddle height and generally calm down. Not to be,  as I came into the kitchen all kitted up to go out Jo announced that she was off to a School Association meeting, so going out was not an option. Not what I needed in my fragile mental state. Went upstairs to put the boys to bed and sulk instead.

I did manage to drag my self out to the garage for a spin on the turbo, but not really helping.

Time on bike : 30min

Sunday ( 8 days to go )

Another trip down to the in-law’s house for a bit of gardening and wallpapering. Feeling rubbish by the time we came home. Maybe this is the bodies reaction to the lack of exercise. Had a fitfull few minutes sleep in the car and then struggled to sleep when I got to bed.

Also didn't really eat much. Not good prep.

Time on bike : Zero

Saturday ( 9 days to go )

Intended to go out for a leisurely long ride, but woke up feeling really rubbish. The prospect of 4 hours in the saddle with a dodgy stomach was not appealing, so I fumbled around the house feeling sorry for myself. Managed to get some of the dull practical things done instead : haircut, buy energy gels, start assembling things to take. Also got a new pair of mitts as the old ones are a real mess (falling apart with no padding left and big holes in the backing).

Also had a trial fitting of the bike in the car. Didn’t want to stick it on the roof-rack, in the hope that we can run a bit quicker on the way down.  I know that the TT bike fits in the boot ok if it is lying down, but that takes up all the space. I had hoped that the road bike would fit in standing up (obviously without wheels) and leave enough space for general family baggage. Looks OK. Removed the wheels and saddle and it fits snugly across the back of the boot ( BMW 5 series estate ).

While the seat post was off I impulsively decided to swap the saddle with the one on the TT bike (Selle Italia Turbomatic Gel Flow Team Edition). The totally contradicts the “make sure you have testing all the kit before-hand – never race on anything new” rule. The saddle is probably the worst things to change, but I know this one is much nicer just from  turbo sessions. Need to make sure I get it set at the right height on the day.

Time on the bike : zero

It's just a logistical problem....

I think I'm all sorted for the trip to the Etape.  Forget the riding-the-bike bit, just getting there and back will be a nightmare.

Having the family there has mixed blessings. It will be nice to have them around, and, hopefully, we can enjoy some of the weekend together. From a logistical point of view, it will be helpful to have Jo dump me at the start and scrape me up off the tarmac at the finish.  If I was going on my own this would be difficult, and I would end up with the shuttle bus, or a tour operator. If I was going on my own I would have liked to have gone down for a few day before and after to enjoy the mountains, ride a bit more, have a bit of a break, but as the boys are still in school term time, we have to get back pretty quickly. Getting down and back with everybody is a big trek and will subject the boys to 4 days in the car, with very little opportunity to play or enjoy themselves.

So, the plan is :

Friday :
Burbage to Folkstone  3 hours
Eurotunnel 35min
Calais to Beaune 6 hours.
( just south of Dijon )

Friday night hotel in Beaune ( Kyriad )

Saturday
Beaune to Modane 4 hours
Visit the Etape village, get number etc.
Modane to Lanslebourg Mont Cenis, 30 min

Apartment 2 nights ( Les Valmonts )

Sunday
Rest, play, swim in pool. Watch F1. Eat.

Monday
Ride the 20k downhill to the etape start at 6:30 am
Ride over a couple of mountains !?!
Ride down from the finish.
Meet Jo and the boys in Bourg d'Oisans ( just below Alpe d'Huez )
Drive up to Beaune.

Tuesday
As before, but in reverse:
Beaune, Calais, Eurotunnel, home.

The travelling is going to be a killer. The boys are pretty good in the car, and don't usually make a fuss, but I'm guessing this is going to push them to the limit.