Geoff's Big Day Out

I'm writing this with my feet up on the sofa, an empty 100 gram chocolate bar wrapper on the table next to me and a beer in hand. I've already demolished an XXL pizza. Why you ask? Well it's simple... Today was my longest ride BY FAR in 7 months.

I covered 97 miles, riding from Barnt Green near Bromsgrove, to Cheltenham and back via Broadway in the Cotswolds. You can see the ride details on my Strava feed to the right. I rode with Geoff Thomas again - in an attempt to get him into some sort of shape prior to his 'Tour De France One Day Ahead'. The aim had been to cover 100 miles, but despite our best attempt at getting lost, we fell short by just a couple of miles. However, a 25% gradient half way around and a constant headwind for the return leg more than made up for the short coming in miles.

If you're from the Cheltenham area, you may well be familiar with Stockwell Lane - probably the hardest route up Cleeve Hill...

The ride was punctuated by a cafe stop in Bishop's Cleeve and a fish and chip lunch stop in Broadway (Russell's Fish and Chips - surely the best in the country - see below??!). This may seem excessive, but both of us genuinely needed the carbs to get round! Of course, we could have used gels and powders etc... but they could never taste as nice could they?!

Despite the vast carbohydrate intake, it's fair to say that Geoff and I were both feeling the miles towards the end... In fact, for the last 30 miles or so! Each and every lump in the road seemed to slow us to a near standstill! However, we did both survive to finish back at Geoff's house after riding for just a smidgen under 6 hours! Not a bad average speed (16.3mph) considering the wind and terrain!!

Without a doubt, I shall sleep well tonight!

A bit more time on my hands!

So, lately I've had just a little bit more time on my hands than normal. I've used the time to see more of the family, but also of course, to try and get out on the bike a bit more!

The first ride of note was last Saturday's time trial. It was only a 10 miler, but I managed a decent enough time on a cold and blustery day. I finished 3rd. I definitely didn't expect that! The ride was plagued by a 'Full English' repeating on me, so I rode just below the intensity I would normally ride at in an effort not to throw up! It just about worked. There's another time trial tomorrow night and another again on Saturday. I'll not be scoffing bacon and sausages before those!

Today I also rode up the Wrekin Hill. It was the first time I went up with any real effort in a while. I didn't really enjoy it - nor did I do a particularly impressive time - 2.30 mins down on my fastest. But, it's a start. Maybe by the end of the year I'll get a Strava KOM up there!

I've also decided to keep lifting weights throughout the Summer. Mainly because I hate feeling weak! Every time I watch someone lifting an Olympic bar I get envious... So, despite the fact it won't help me lose the weight I could do with losing in order to ride up hills faster, I'm willing to sacrifice some cycling performance for a body that doesn't feel like it couldn't punch its way out of a paper bag!

Riding with Geoff Thomas - 10 years after the first Tour De France!

So, today I took a well-earned day off from the usual work jobs of teaching and marking. Instead, I 'practiced what I preach', by taking former England footballer, friend and Cancer Survivor Geoff Thomas out for his first training ride in preparation for his 'Tour de France 1 Day Ahead'. If you've not heard about this yet, then in short, Geoff is riding the route of this years Tour De France 1 day ahead of the professionals, to raise money for Cure Leukaemia - a charity that is comitted to bringing the latest cancer drugs onto the UK market for use by cancer patients.

Geoff is an experienced cyclist and of course an ex professional sportsman... and yet he still requires some input once in a while to get motivated and get the training in that needs to be done if he is to make it around France. It was good to help out in this respect and we have some more rides planned in up until the July start of the event itself. There's not much time left for Geoff to get his training in, but his first Tour De France (10 years ago) was trained for in a simlar fashion (except last time he was only just out of treatment!), so I'm confident he'll yet again complete the route and fingers crossed, raise the £1 million he hopes for Cure Leukaemia.

Geoff actually coped really well - I was surprised by a) his slightly less 'hill adverse' attitude - possibly because he realises it's 'now or never' for his physical preparation! b) his strong climbing given that he'll happily admit to not being a regular rider of late and c) his greatly reduced 'fuel tank' capacity - which he puts down to avoiding 'beige foods' i.e. carbohydrates...

It was great to be out in the Shropshire Hills again. I really must make a concerted effort to do longer rides more often... children, wife and job permitting, I'll be aiming for a long ride every couple of weeks as a minimum!

I'll keep you posted on Geoff's progress!

If you want to read more about Geoff's challenge, then go to www.beforethetour.com 

Paul

4th Bug of the Winter

Typical! Just as I start to get some riding in again, another bug! I guess this is just what happens when you have your snotty children jumping into bed with you in the morning and waking you with a sneeze in the face!!

I was down to ride a hilly 18 mile time trial promoted by Wrekinsport Cycling Club... However, that is now off. Instead me and the missus will have our first night away from the snotty kids ever! IT'll be a weird experience to not have to have eyes in the back of my head for a whole evening! I'm very grateful to our friend Jess and her daughter Naomi for babysitting... I'm not sure they quite know what they are doing!!

Anyhow, I'll post again when I have actually done some cycling worth talking about!

Oh crikey...

So today I was reminded how hard mountain biking can be.

I took the opportunity to ride at Llandegla bike park near Wrexham in Wales as I had a meeting not far from there that finished reasonably early. In previous years, I'd ride around the lap in 50 odd minutes, never out of the 44 chainring. Not this time! a combination of horrendous fitness and a 30mph headwind up the opening 3 mile climb saw me finish the lap in 1hr 11mins.

Still, it's a start point I guess!

I have yet another busy week of work ahead. However, I may, if I'm lucky, get another short ride or two in. Finger's crossed.

Years plan...

So this year I've started riding my mountain bike again... I'm not sure that's a good idea, as undoubtedly, mtbing is hard and will show up a lack of fitness. I've got away with not being particularly fit over the last couple of years, by hiding behind short sharp strava efforts, short time trials and the odd bunch race. But, last year's Raid Pyrenean reminded me that I can still ride long distances when I practice a bit! I think it's one of those things, that if you've ever done long hard rides in the past, the fitness never really leaves you. That's my theory anyway! I've entered the Dyfi mtb marathon / sportive. It's non competitive and that suits me. It's fairly early in the year (May), so just getting around will be fine with me. I'm so out of practice technically that hoping for anything more would be silly!

This week, I've also been watching the track world champs too. And it got me thinking ' I used to be alright at that'... So, another small ambition is to try to ride the Wolves or Newcastle track league this summer. I have an old bike and should make some use of it before it rots away!

My fitness at present is rubbish. I've had 3 virus this winter - kindly donated by the littl'uns. Hopefully I've had the last one now and I can start to get some consistent riding in. I did a reliability at the end of January which showed I wasn't too embarrassingly unfit, but I've done little since.

The one thing I have changed this winter is my strength training. I have done no upper body work other than deadlift all winter. It's left me weak as a kitten, but 7-8 lbs lighter. I'm aiming to get down to around 11 ston in weight this summer - almost a stone lighter than the last few years. I'll appreciate the weight loss on the long mtb marathons I'll be doing, where climbing is a main feature of the day's riding!

That's it for now!

Paul

One year on since the last post... frustratingly I didn't keep up with my personal promise to myself to keep writing until after all of the events I wanted to ride were finished. So I'm going to have another go this year. If only to prove to myself that I can do it.

So, last year's goals...

10 mile tt - I rode a few time trials last year, but didn't do enough to really feel pleased with a time. I did though get a couple of 'wins' of local events with a 22 thirty ish (from memory) as my best time on a lumpy course.

Raid Pyrenean - What an event! Absolutely stunning scenery, company, roads blah de blah. The best event I have ever done on a bike. Very challenging course, but I got through it well and felt strong until the end. The photo below was the team at the start of the event.

And at the finish...

Never was a dunk in the sea more deserved!

So, to the hill climb season...

It started off well. 29th/137 at the Monsal Head Hill Climb (possibly the hardest sort of hill to ride fast up - flat at the start (big ring), getting increasingly steep towards the top finishing at 1:6 I think. Never having ridden the event before, my pace was a little off. I finished 15 seconds off the podium, but think I can cut that gap by 10 seconds with gear selection and being a bit lighter this year, so I'm looking forward to the 2015 hill climb season.

The National Champs did not go so well - flu hit me that morning. I rode the event, then drove 3 hours home shivering and sweating in turn!

Below is a great aerial shot of the Monsal Head Hill Climb...

And of course, the all important Strava KOM count - well, my annual roundup left me with 97 KOMs. A decent hall as most were on hard climbs. This year, I will aim to move up the ranks on 'The 100 Climbs Strava club'... have a look for it on Strava  - I've found it a great motivator to get out there and ride up hills you wouldn't normally do!



So, next blog will contain:

What I'm up to this year
Where my fitness is at right now
How I intend to improve!

Thanks for reading,

Paul