Training Ride 28/06/08Big Boy, The Big Bruv, Seatpin, TG
Nathan Evington
28/02/77 - 03/11/07
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
THEN THERE WAS TWO !
For those of you who don't know Myself and Mrs TG took delivery on 13/06/08 of a beautiful baby girl Abigail May Moss at 4am, 8lb 6oz and she's fantastic, this is our second child, Oliver being only 18 months old so for the last month or so we've had our hands full to say the least !
Although time for riding the bike has been tight i haven't slacked ! I've been getting some good rides in don't you know ? Even on the day we were booked into the hospital for the planned birth I was out the door at 7.30am and got a good 63 miles in, quick shower and shave and at the hospital for 1pm with my catcher mitts on !
This weekend, the UK based Nathans Flyer's are all getting together for a ride on Sat, which will be great as we haven't all ridden together as group for over a decade ! It will be interesting to see who's fit and who's not ? I'll be happy if I can just get round ! (not competitive at all me !) I shall keep you all posted on what goes on and might even throw a couple of pictures in of the motley crew ! nothing quite as flash as Mr & Mrs Evingtons video which I think you'll all agree is inspirational (read my comment) .
Finally a big thank you to all those people who have donated to the Cardiomyopathy charity it is really appreciated and will go along way to helping us hit our reach our fund raising target.
look out for all the action from saturdays ride on the blog !
Although time for riding the bike has been tight i haven't slacked ! I've been getting some good rides in don't you know ? Even on the day we were booked into the hospital for the planned birth I was out the door at 7.30am and got a good 63 miles in, quick shower and shave and at the hospital for 1pm with my catcher mitts on !
This weekend, the UK based Nathans Flyer's are all getting together for a ride on Sat, which will be great as we haven't all ridden together as group for over a decade ! It will be interesting to see who's fit and who's not ? I'll be happy if I can just get round ! (not competitive at all me !) I shall keep you all posted on what goes on and might even throw a couple of pictures in of the motley crew ! nothing quite as flash as Mr & Mrs Evingtons video which I think you'll all agree is inspirational (read my comment) .
Finally a big thank you to all those people who have donated to the Cardiomyopathy charity it is really appreciated and will go along way to helping us hit our reach our fund raising target.
look out for all the action from saturdays ride on the blog !
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Movie star!
Hi
Tried to make a video from the Alps footage, let me know what you think!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re6nsnxc8Ac
Tried to make a video from the Alps footage, let me know what you think!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re6nsnxc8Ac
Monday, 23 June 2008
Cracked in the Alps
We had another weekend in the Alps and it was very useful as we learnt many things.
1. Close by places take a long time to get too, even in a car
2. Check your back wheel doesn't fall to pieces before you leave Paris
3. Be thankful you took a spare but don't expect a bike shop to fit a new cassette (gears) until after they've had lunch for 2 hours
4. Never return to said cycle shop at the agreed time, your bike will not be ready
5. Starting a planned 80m ride at 3pm is NEVER a good idea
6. Driving up/down mountains in a large people carrier is not advised, smaller cars needed
7. You can't find anywhere open to eat food at 9.30pm on the Col de la Croix Fer
8. Going to bed without dinner makes you really frickin' hungry the next day......
9. Doing another ride in 35 degrees the next day is carnage, you're going to stop sooner or later!
So, we had an eventful Saturday morning but after negotiations in the bike shop I got underway at 3pm. Good in a way because it wasn't getting any hotter (it was 32 degrees at that point) but bad in almost any other way. I started in Bourg d'Oisans (the town at the bottom of Alpe D'Huez) and planned to cycle along the (assumed flat) valley, up the Lauteret, over the Galibier and then onto the Croix Fer where I'd stop somewhere after it when I got to 80 miles. Well, I got the route right but it was not what I bargained for. I, like you, had looked at those profiles Sprinter put on and they looked ok, 5-6% maybe average. The problem is, what you see on this computer screen and what you feel on the actual road are not the same.
Firstly, the valley road is not flat. Within a mile or 2 I was down to 10mph. There were some points that went downhill or flat even but they finished quickly. 'I'm not even on a mountain yet' I thought to myself as I reached for the easier gears again and again. The bike shop only had a 28 sprocket cassette which I really didn't want to take but when I started the real climbing I was glad for it (for those of you who haven't bought something similar, go get one!). The Lauteret wasn't too bad but at the top you turn onto the bottom of the Galibier. I didn't stop for a breather so got straight into it. It wasn't long before I was cycling with snow at the side of the road. You can just about tell from the Garmin data that on the Lauteret I was managing 8/9mph then there's a flat section near the top where I got upto 16mph! After that I was on the Galibier and doing 7, sometimes 6mph. It's probably only a little bit steeper but I guess it's the accumulation of everything. To make it more fun the road steepens to 12% to the top. When I stopped at the top I felt really dizzy, a combination I suppose of the onsets of the bonk (when you run out of energy) and the lack of oxygen up there. I had some popcorn and water. I looked at the computer. I'd done 29miles at average of a little over 10mph and I was not taking it easy boys believe me! there is nothing at the top but a parking space so we'll need to take lunch somewhere else...
The descent was excellent, as they all are, but over way too soon. You even get another mountain thrown in for free, the Telegraph as it's on the way down. It's not hard tackled from this direction and pretty short. There was a longish flat section which of course was all headwind before I hit the Croix Fer. It's 30km long and starts off pretty steep and then you have a descent for a couple of hairpins and then back up again. I first thought about stopping when the Garmin kept showing 9/10/11%, corner after corner without the occasional 5/6/7%'s like I'd seen earlier in the day. I got to some tunnels and it was flattish there so I kept going but I when the road kicked on again I'd had enough. I pulled over to the side of the road and stopped. Packed half way up, couldn't go on......
so, what else did we learn?
10. Do not treat the little climbs on the valley lightly, saving the girly 28 for later, select bottom gear and take it steady
11. Even if the profile says 5-6% it's because the flats and downhills are included - most of the time you're cycling up 8/9% gradients
12. Take alot more food than you think, what you use for a normal 80m ride it not enough!
13. Even if we average the same speed as I did on Saturday, it's going to take more than 10hours riding time
14. We need to start early to finish in daylight!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/234614
1. Close by places take a long time to get too, even in a car
2. Check your back wheel doesn't fall to pieces before you leave Paris
3. Be thankful you took a spare but don't expect a bike shop to fit a new cassette (gears) until after they've had lunch for 2 hours
4. Never return to said cycle shop at the agreed time, your bike will not be ready
5. Starting a planned 80m ride at 3pm is NEVER a good idea
6. Driving up/down mountains in a large people carrier is not advised, smaller cars needed
7. You can't find anywhere open to eat food at 9.30pm on the Col de la Croix Fer
8. Going to bed without dinner makes you really frickin' hungry the next day......
9. Doing another ride in 35 degrees the next day is carnage, you're going to stop sooner or later!
So, we had an eventful Saturday morning but after negotiations in the bike shop I got underway at 3pm. Good in a way because it wasn't getting any hotter (it was 32 degrees at that point) but bad in almost any other way. I started in Bourg d'Oisans (the town at the bottom of Alpe D'Huez) and planned to cycle along the (assumed flat) valley, up the Lauteret, over the Galibier and then onto the Croix Fer where I'd stop somewhere after it when I got to 80 miles. Well, I got the route right but it was not what I bargained for. I, like you, had looked at those profiles Sprinter put on and they looked ok, 5-6% maybe average. The problem is, what you see on this computer screen and what you feel on the actual road are not the same.
Firstly, the valley road is not flat. Within a mile or 2 I was down to 10mph. There were some points that went downhill or flat even but they finished quickly. 'I'm not even on a mountain yet' I thought to myself as I reached for the easier gears again and again. The bike shop only had a 28 sprocket cassette which I really didn't want to take but when I started the real climbing I was glad for it (for those of you who haven't bought something similar, go get one!). The Lauteret wasn't too bad but at the top you turn onto the bottom of the Galibier. I didn't stop for a breather so got straight into it. It wasn't long before I was cycling with snow at the side of the road. You can just about tell from the Garmin data that on the Lauteret I was managing 8/9mph then there's a flat section near the top where I got upto 16mph! After that I was on the Galibier and doing 7, sometimes 6mph. It's probably only a little bit steeper but I guess it's the accumulation of everything. To make it more fun the road steepens to 12% to the top. When I stopped at the top I felt really dizzy, a combination I suppose of the onsets of the bonk (when you run out of energy) and the lack of oxygen up there. I had some popcorn and water. I looked at the computer. I'd done 29miles at average of a little over 10mph and I was not taking it easy boys believe me! there is nothing at the top but a parking space so we'll need to take lunch somewhere else...
The descent was excellent, as they all are, but over way too soon. You even get another mountain thrown in for free, the Telegraph as it's on the way down. It's not hard tackled from this direction and pretty short. There was a longish flat section which of course was all headwind before I hit the Croix Fer. It's 30km long and starts off pretty steep and then you have a descent for a couple of hairpins and then back up again. I first thought about stopping when the Garmin kept showing 9/10/11%, corner after corner without the occasional 5/6/7%'s like I'd seen earlier in the day. I got to some tunnels and it was flattish there so I kept going but I when the road kicked on again I'd had enough. I pulled over to the side of the road and stopped. Packed half way up, couldn't go on......
so, what else did we learn?
10. Do not treat the little climbs on the valley lightly, saving the girly 28 for later, select bottom gear and take it steady
11. Even if the profile says 5-6% it's because the flats and downhills are included - most of the time you're cycling up 8/9% gradients
12. Take alot more food than you think, what you use for a normal 80m ride it not enough!
13. Even if we average the same speed as I did on Saturday, it's going to take more than 10hours riding time
14. We need to start early to finish in daylight!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/234614
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
The Route
Hello boys and girls. This weekend we're off to the Alps for a bit of a reconnaissance. I'm going to ride 2 of the climbs, Galibier and the Croix de Fer on Saturday just to see how much fun they really are. Also to get an idea of where we might be able to stop off at around halfway to have a chance for everyone (cyclists and support teams!) to meet up and have a bit of lunch. I'm not riding anymore of the stage for a few reasons. 1) It's a flippin long way on your lonesome 2) I want to ride again the next day 3) Want to save the Alpe d'huez for when we all get there, make it special.
Browsing the map I bought I've noticed something bad. The first 42km are along the N94. This will mean nothing to you so let me tell you that means it's the equivalent of our A roads. Looking on the t'interweb (Google maps) I can see it's a main road. It doesn't let me zoom in quite enough but there is a chance it's dual carriageway. I've checked and it's perfectly legal to ride our bikes on there but it could be busy. Now I have ridden on a few miles of dual carriageway before here in France and there was a cycle lane there so that would be fine. Not sure if that's the case across the board but I hope so! If not, we can always ride single file, blow off the cobwebs with a bit of through and off to start the ride!
Tune in over the weekend for some updates!
Browsing the map I bought I've noticed something bad. The first 42km are along the N94. This will mean nothing to you so let me tell you that means it's the equivalent of our A roads. Looking on the t'interweb (Google maps) I can see it's a main road. It doesn't let me zoom in quite enough but there is a chance it's dual carriageway. I've checked and it's perfectly legal to ride our bikes on there but it could be busy. Now I have ridden on a few miles of dual carriageway before here in France and there was a cycle lane there so that would be fine. Not sure if that's the case across the board but I hope so! If not, we can always ride single file, blow off the cobwebs with a bit of through and off to start the ride!
Tune in over the weekend for some updates!
Sunday, 15 June 2008
128 miles in a week... only 2 shy!
I hear voices too! It shouts BANG!BANG!BANG!BANG! about 180 times every minute when I get to the top of the hills... Well it did this Friday. I hit 180bpm 7 times in the first 40 miles at the top of all the big hills. Mostly I was grinding away in the 23 sprocket, aside from climb 5 which is a bit shallower. I had to big ring it over the top of this one to get the pulse going. Of course, by climb 7 I was a broken man. It's a 1:9 climb averaged over the fist 1/2 mile, which I limped up in the 25. If I'd had a 27 (or 37) I'd have used it! Climb 8 wasn't so steep luckily - just long, being the highest climb of the day up to 294m (~900'). I only managed to get the heart upto 172 on these last two climbs. Didn't have the legs to get it any higher. My hamstrings were in knots and still are. I did get 178bpm on the last little climb on the run in to Aberdeen. Anyway, I didn't have time for a tun, just 64 hilly miles coming in at 17.4mph. 1675m of climbing. I was heartened by the fact that I wasn't a complete wreck at the end, given I did less than half the distance we need to do in about 7 weeks time! Route profile below for those interested.
Sunday I was on call so had to be within an hour of the office, so I sneaked out and redid the 25 mile TT I did a few weeks ago. I was 14 secs slower today which I put down to a.) my hamstrings being in pieces from Friday's climbing, and b.) an erratic blustery northerly wind which felt like a headwind both ways. Anyway, still just a touch under 21mph with no tri-bars.
Add this to 3 commutes to work makes 128miles for the week. Now only 2 shy of what we have to do in 7 weeks... I broke a spoke in the back wheel of my commuter bike again on Thursday, which was only the third day I'd ridden it since the last one got replaced. Time for a new wheel I reckon.
I was mulling over on Friday the last time I was in France, which was a week's holiday with Nat back in 2000. As it went, he won the intelligence test; quickly realising that me forgetting my driving licence and leaving my credit card in a payphone was not going to get us very far... I won the fitness test, being a good flight ahead of him by the time I'd dragged him two tiers up the Eiffel Tower. One all then... As it happens Dez and I were one all on the road too. I won the Courcheval stage (after Dez took tumble on the first decent of the day and ended up with a punnet of plums on his thigh...) and Dez won the later Les Arc stage after I bonked big style two miles up the last climb back to the chalet. Good we've got a chance for an Alpine decider. Not sure I've got quite the legs I had back in 2000. I cracked out a 26mph 10 that year, which was the last year I rode semi-seriously.
Just a quick nod to the fund raising before I go. I've been totally amazed by the generosity of my work colleagues this week. In three days then posted about£800 of donations, all of which I should be able to get matched by the company. Great news for the Cardiomyopathy Association! A big thanks to all our sponsors!
Cheerio.
The Seatpin.
Sunday I was on call so had to be within an hour of the office, so I sneaked out and redid the 25 mile TT I did a few weeks ago. I was 14 secs slower today which I put down to a.) my hamstrings being in pieces from Friday's climbing, and b.) an erratic blustery northerly wind which felt like a headwind both ways. Anyway, still just a touch under 21mph with no tri-bars.Add this to 3 commutes to work makes 128miles for the week. Now only 2 shy of what we have to do in 7 weeks... I broke a spoke in the back wheel of my commuter bike again on Thursday, which was only the third day I'd ridden it since the last one got replaced. Time for a new wheel I reckon.
I was mulling over on Friday the last time I was in France, which was a week's holiday with Nat back in 2000. As it went, he won the intelligence test; quickly realising that me forgetting my driving licence and leaving my credit card in a payphone was not going to get us very far... I won the fitness test, being a good flight ahead of him by the time I'd dragged him two tiers up the Eiffel Tower. One all then... As it happens Dez and I were one all on the road too. I won the Courcheval stage (after Dez took tumble on the first decent of the day and ended up with a punnet of plums on his thigh...) and Dez won the later Les Arc stage after I bonked big style two miles up the last climb back to the chalet. Good we've got a chance for an Alpine decider. Not sure I've got quite the legs I had back in 2000. I cracked out a 26mph 10 that year, which was the last year I rode semi-seriously.
Just a quick nod to the fund raising before I go. I've been totally amazed by the generosity of my work colleagues this week. In three days then posted about£800 of donations, all of which I should be able to get matched by the company. Great news for the Cardiomyopathy Association! A big thanks to all our sponsors!
Cheerio.
The Seatpin.
I hear Voices....
It's probably just me but whenever I ride a race bike it talks to me. Previous ones used to whisper 'Go faster, push harder' but ever since I've had this Litespeed it's different. When the going gets tough, the road steepens, you turn into the wind or you finish the descent, the Litespeed is like the Pepperami advert -shouting 'FASTER, HARDER, NOW!' It's difficult to ignore as whenever you do stamp on the pedals you can feel the extra speed immediately, like no other bike I've ridden, it's a buzz, makes you feel good. The bike never gives in but unfortunately the heart and legs aren't made out of titanium too so they give in. It used to be they gave in straight away 'No chance' they'd shout back 'sit down, slow down, it's uphill you monkey!' As I get a bit fitter I'm listening to the bike more, pushing what I think is the limit and finding I make it to the top of the climb without the body giving in. Today, I listened as long as I could. 70 miles it lasted.
Boy it was good :-)
First climb of the day starts by the Seine and is 10% gradient until it levels off for a while to then kick up at 14% towards the top. It's where I record my max heart rate on every ride I do that includes it. Normally I pedal the 39x21 (bottom gear) up the first bit otherwise I do 4mph when I get to the steep section. As I hit it this morning on 39x18 and it started to get difficult, I heard the voice 'STAY OUT THE SADDLE, STAY IN THAT GEAR!'. Go on then, I thought, I'll give it a try..... pounded up the first few hundred meters, then as it steepens to 10% round the bend, I'm still out the saddle pushing hard. Maybe I can make the flat bit, I catch a jogger reduced to walking up, I can hear 'Allez!' over the iPod, can't give in now, there made it, rest. Recovered enough to tackle the steepest section at the normal speed. That happened every time I went up something difficult today. I went up 2 climbs that had reduced me to 8mph in January on the big ring today. Like I say, it lasted 70 miles. As I was 1/4 of the way up the longest climb of the day, again on the 18 instead of the 21, I got serious cramp in the left calf, same as the other week. I selected bottom gear, pedaled a bit quicker and made it to the top no problem. Nursed the calf home but it didn't trouble me too much, I just had to stop listening to the Litespeed....
The 2 weeks off the bike hasn't hindered me too much. I did 102m and 1929m of climbing in 5hr 30. 15 mins quicker than last time and with a little more climbing. Very happy with that, I'm going to listen more often from now on......
The other voice is always there, he tells me jokes, sings badly to the iPod and gives me grief when I take it easy........it's the same voice who, when I came back from my accident in 2002 and sat on the start line of my first race said, 'A Year ago you couldn't walk, I'm proud of you'.......... I'm listening Terry!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/198154
Boy it was good :-)
First climb of the day starts by the Seine and is 10% gradient until it levels off for a while to then kick up at 14% towards the top. It's where I record my max heart rate on every ride I do that includes it. Normally I pedal the 39x21 (bottom gear) up the first bit otherwise I do 4mph when I get to the steep section. As I hit it this morning on 39x18 and it started to get difficult, I heard the voice 'STAY OUT THE SADDLE, STAY IN THAT GEAR!'. Go on then, I thought, I'll give it a try..... pounded up the first few hundred meters, then as it steepens to 10% round the bend, I'm still out the saddle pushing hard. Maybe I can make the flat bit, I catch a jogger reduced to walking up, I can hear 'Allez!' over the iPod, can't give in now, there made it, rest. Recovered enough to tackle the steepest section at the normal speed. That happened every time I went up something difficult today. I went up 2 climbs that had reduced me to 8mph in January on the big ring today. Like I say, it lasted 70 miles. As I was 1/4 of the way up the longest climb of the day, again on the 18 instead of the 21, I got serious cramp in the left calf, same as the other week. I selected bottom gear, pedaled a bit quicker and made it to the top no problem. Nursed the calf home but it didn't trouble me too much, I just had to stop listening to the Litespeed....
The 2 weeks off the bike hasn't hindered me too much. I did 102m and 1929m of climbing in 5hr 30. 15 mins quicker than last time and with a little more climbing. Very happy with that, I'm going to listen more often from now on......
The other voice is always there, he tells me jokes, sings badly to the iPod and gives me grief when I take it easy........it's the same voice who, when I came back from my accident in 2002 and sat on the start line of my first race said, 'A Year ago you couldn't walk, I'm proud of you'.......... I'm listening Terry!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/198154
Friday, 13 June 2008
Can't wait to ride a real bike......
Over these 12 days in Joburg I've got to know one of the bikes in the gym pretty well, we've shared about 6 hours together. The saddle is bigger than my head, it points to the left a bit so you feel crooked on the bike, the pedals are too wide apart so it feels like riding a horse, you can't get out the saddle as you fall off, and all of the readings (speed, pulse, cadence) are completely random! It was very scary the first time when you know you're trying hard and your pulse is about 168 (much higher for me at altitude is anaerobic) and suddenly the stupid machine shows 180!! I only see that at the top of very steep climbs, so halfway through a session is bad news. It got worse, then I saw 185, 190... I thought to myself, wait a minute, I don't feel that bad.... aha! maybe I'm getting fitter and can push myself.... then I look at the reading again. 165. Wow, look at that recovery I thought, pretty good. 210!!! What?!?!?! I'm going to die, take it easy, take it easy... keep breathing, nice and deep. 164. Better. 130. Hang on I thought to myself, these readings are nonsense. Ignore. Once I came to that conclusion the bike never scared the living daylights out of me again as I stopped using the pulse facility. Anyway, the saddle on my Litespeed is straight, the Garmin never gets my pulse wrong, six hours of thrashing myself actually gets me somewhere and when I get out the saddle I really fly.
Nathan's flyer.
I'm looking forward to riding it again on Sunday ;-)
Nathan's flyer.
I'm looking forward to riding it again on Sunday ;-)
Sunday, 8 June 2008
Wanted - second wind!
Well, clearly May did me no favours 'cos I feel like I've gone backwards form-wise... not only did I get next to bugger all proper training in through the second half of the month but I've also picked up this niggle on my knee which I haven't yet shaken. Fortunately I've managed to get out on the bike three times this week trying to make amends, but I'm almst a mile an hour down on pace compared to a month ago. Hey ho!
Anyway, a summary of the week:
Wednesday I was out at Ballater in the middle of the highlands - I managed to sneak out for an hour after work and get 17 miles in. I did a loop which went up a 200m climb - I thought it was going to be a real killer, but it turned out to be mainly drags with a series of very short steep bits, short enough to sprint up. Descent was cool though - I pulled skid number 2 for the season after getting caught by a massive change in gradient coming into a tight right-hander. I definitely won't be winning the race down the hills...
Thursday aftie I rode back from Ballater to Aberdeen, taking in a couple of long climbs (circa 3 miles each). Unfortunately they only average about 3.5%, but still they were could for getting settled into a climbing rhythm. 45 miles in total, 17.3mph. Despite the earlier forecast it turned out to be a head wind all the way back.
Sunday I've been out for a 79 miler. After a desperate slog home I managed to scrape in at 17 mph dead. Suppose this wasn't too bad as I'd picked the hardest hills I could find today. Route profiles below (click to enlarge). The main climbs are at 11 miles (1:9), 17 miles (1:12), 38 miles (Cairn O'Mount, 1:12 ave with 1:6 at the bottom and 1:7 at the top), 48 miles (~1:20) and 54 miles (1:9). There were 3 or 4 other 100' plus climbs including a 1:8, but all fairly short. I have to say that on the run in, other than the dodgy knee the leg muscles didn't feel too bad, but my arms and back were in agony from all the out the saddle climbing.
Today's first for the season was getting sunburned - proof indeed that even in Aberdeen the sun can shine. Clearly though it happens so rarely the thought of putting sun cream on never even occurred to me. Before you get too excited... it broke 18degC today, so hardly full on Alpine acclimatisation weather, but a welcome change from last weeks pouring rain none the less.
Next week I'm on call so might struggle to get a long ride in unless I can get someone to cover for me. Hopefully I should be able to Fri and get out for a bash then. The Sunday I'll probably go out for another 25m TT to see weather my form really has deserted me. I've been tweaking the bike position and the cleats today, and checking out stretching exercises, so hopefully the knee troubles will start to ease off...
Back in Hull/Tickton for the last Sat and Sun of the Month if anyone's around (esp. Sun) and fancies getting some miles in). We can also discuss tactics for keeping Dez the Bez at the front and under 15 mph when we get to France...
Better go 'cos the we'en has awoken and decided he wants to help me type... Cheerio,
Creakin' Col.
Anyway, a summary of the week:
Wednesday I was out at Ballater in the middle of the highlands - I managed to sneak out for an hour after work and get 17 miles in. I did a loop which went up a 200m climb - I thought it was going to be a real killer, but it turned out to be mainly drags with a series of very short steep bits, short enough to sprint up. Descent was cool though - I pulled skid number 2 for the season after getting caught by a massive change in gradient coming into a tight right-hander. I definitely won't be winning the race down the hills...
Thursday aftie I rode back from Ballater to Aberdeen, taking in a couple of long climbs (circa 3 miles each). Unfortunately they only average about 3.5%, but still they were could for getting settled into a climbing rhythm. 45 miles in total, 17.3mph. Despite the earlier forecast it turned out to be a head wind all the way back.
Sunday I've been out for a 79 miler. After a desperate slog home I managed to scrape in at 17 mph dead. Suppose this wasn't too bad as I'd picked the hardest hills I could find today. Route profiles below (click to enlarge). The main climbs are at 11 miles (1:9), 17 miles (1:12), 38 miles (Cairn O'Mount, 1:12 ave with 1:6 at the bottom and 1:7 at the top), 48 miles (~1:20) and 54 miles (1:9). There were 3 or 4 other 100' plus climbs including a 1:8, but all fairly short. I have to say that on the run in, other than the dodgy knee the leg muscles didn't feel too bad, but my arms and back were in agony from all the out the saddle climbing.
Today's first for the season was getting sunburned - proof indeed that even in Aberdeen the sun can shine. Clearly though it happens so rarely the thought of putting sun cream on never even occurred to me. Before you get too excited... it broke 18degC today, so hardly full on Alpine acclimatisation weather, but a welcome change from last weeks pouring rain none the less.Next week I'm on call so might struggle to get a long ride in unless I can get someone to cover for me. Hopefully I should be able to Fri and get out for a bash then. The Sunday I'll probably go out for another 25m TT to see weather my form really has deserted me. I've been tweaking the bike position and the cleats today, and checking out stretching exercises, so hopefully the knee troubles will start to ease off...
Back in Hull/Tickton for the last Sat and Sun of the Month if anyone's around (esp. Sun) and fancies getting some miles in). We can also discuss tactics for keeping Dez the Bez at the front and under 15 mph when we get to France...
Better go 'cos the we'en has awoken and decided he wants to help me type... Cheerio,
Creakin' Col.
3 hours and got nowhere!
hi y'all! as you know I'm in sunny south Africa for 2 weeks with work. so far I've managed to finish work at 8, 9, 11, and midnight so Saturday was the first trip to the gym. I did 30 mins on the cross trainer to warm up then 20 mins intervals on the bike and then 20 mins at 70 rpm on a hard gear to simulate hills. there was someone I work with there and she asked if I was ok - I must've been going hard! did similar today but 30 mins of hill training and I was dying for the last 10 mins. the colleague tried to make arrangements to meet but I couldn't talk so she just told me where and when! right must dash, a tour of Soweto awaits!
Monday, 2 June 2008
Embrun L'Alpe-d'Huez
210.5km or 130.5 miles is the distance of the stage form Embrun to L'Alpe-d'Huez. Below is link to the stage from the LeTour website:
http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/COURSE/us/1700/etape_par_etape.html
Estimated speed is between 34 and 38 kmh for the professionals!!!!!!!!! They should do it in around 5 1/2 - 6 hours. Well, there is only 3 real climbs.
1. Col du Galibier
2. Col de la Croix de Fer
3. Alp D'Huez
Thats two Cols - one each! The first two cols should be easy compar to Huez - 89.6ave.
Km 79,0 - Col du Galibier - 20,9 km climb to 5,6%
Km 156,0 - Col de la Croix-de-Fer - 29,2 km climb to 5,2%
Km 210,0 - L’Alpe-d’Huez - 13,3 km climb to 8,6%
Anyway, I have a pair of cone spanners with me that I will bring along for anyone who looks a bit fast!! A bit of melted lead down the seat tube may also be necessary too!!
Looks a great stage!! Alpe D'Huez profile below: (only 1071m of climbing)
http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Alpe-dHuez&qryMountainID=5
Look at this for a profile:
http://www.climbbybike.com/profile.asp?Climbprofile=Alpe-dHuez&MountainID=5
After the first 2km its all easy (I'd have said downhill all the way - but didn't sound quite right!)
Ready for the timing gates from the bottom to the top?
http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/COURSE/us/1700/etape_par_etape.html
Estimated speed is between 34 and 38 kmh for the professionals!!!!!!!!! They should do it in around 5 1/2 - 6 hours. Well, there is only 3 real climbs.
1. Col du Galibier
2. Col de la Croix de Fer
3. Alp D'Huez
Thats two Cols - one each! The first two cols should be easy compar to Huez - 89.6ave.
Km 79,0 - Col du Galibier - 20,9 km climb to 5,6%
Km 156,0 - Col de la Croix-de-Fer - 29,2 km climb to 5,2%
Km 210,0 - L’Alpe-d’Huez - 13,3 km climb to 8,6%
Anyway, I have a pair of cone spanners with me that I will bring along for anyone who looks a bit fast!! A bit of melted lead down the seat tube may also be necessary too!!
Looks a great stage!! Alpe D'Huez profile below: (only 1071m of climbing)
http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Alpe-dHuez&qryMountainID=5
Look at this for a profile:
http://www.climbbybike.com/profile.asp?Climbprofile=Alpe-dHuez&MountainID=5
After the first 2km its all easy (I'd have said downhill all the way - but didn't sound quite right!)
Ready for the timing gates from the bottom to the top?
Sunday, 1 June 2008
I read with some relief that Dez was off to SA again today and so won't be posting any more epic rides for a while. When I read t'other Col's, epic though the distances and gradients are, I'm heartened by a more human sounding pace and feel like I still have a sporting chance of keeping up (at least on the uphills...), and with TGMM and DJ Clarky MIA and last posted doing half the distances we should at least all be 4th cat-esque together. But Mr Evington, it sound like there should be reference to a motor strapped to the back wheel when I read about the 'whizzing round park' antics in gay Paris! Short of there being some miraculous food bug on your travels which gives you the runs AND makes you pile the pounds on at the same time then you'll definately be the one at the front with the tow rope round the seatpin!!!
I can't say I'm overly happy reading about all the miles that have been going in over the last couple of weeks 'cos my training's gone down the pan... if poker and whiskey could get me to the top of Alp D'Huez then I know I'd have you all quaking in your boots, but sadly the only place they'll be getting me is in the gutter at the bottom of said Alp. Still, at least there are still 8 Sundays of grovelling to try and make amends...
Since my last Sunday out I think I've managed 2 rides to work and back (one of which I dawdled through with a sore knee), an hour of hill-climb interval training (5 x 4:30 reps), and 40 miles today in the p*ss*ng rain to ease myself back in. Not good for two weeks, and I really can't say I enjoyed today at all since the weather her is so utterly miserable. I did find a new climb to train on today though with a half mile 1:9 section - I thought I'd gone mad when I hit it 'cos I was expecting something less steep, and then all of a sudden I was barely moving and wondering if someone had sneaked up and slammed the back brake on! That was the last of 3 climbs in today's 40 - the steepest of the 3 but not quite the longest...
I'm out of town for a night this week so hoping I can get a lift out with the bike and get a sneaky mid-week ride in back to Abz, should get me about 50 miles through some decent hills. Otherwise there'll be no more proper miles 'till next Sunday when I'll be out for another 80 or so... Am going to try tweaking the cleats to see if I can sort my knee out, but if anyone else has other top tips for curing it I'll give 'em a try - I'm particularly having trouble with the tendon on the outside behind my right knee.
On a more positive note... I did finally manage to get the Just Giving page emailed out. I see a few folk have signed a few pounds away, which is a great result for anyone else facing the condition Nathan had. I've also printed off paper forms etc from the CMA website - I think I got over half my sponsorship this way when I did the Great North Run as I found people at work were quite happy to take a note out of their wallet but often too busy to get onto the website. Should be worth a try - will give you an update next week so we can add it to the total on the Just Giving page.
That's all for now.
Cheers,
Soaking Simpson.
I can't say I'm overly happy reading about all the miles that have been going in over the last couple of weeks 'cos my training's gone down the pan... if poker and whiskey could get me to the top of Alp D'Huez then I know I'd have you all quaking in your boots, but sadly the only place they'll be getting me is in the gutter at the bottom of said Alp. Still, at least there are still 8 Sundays of grovelling to try and make amends...
Since my last Sunday out I think I've managed 2 rides to work and back (one of which I dawdled through with a sore knee), an hour of hill-climb interval training (5 x 4:30 reps), and 40 miles today in the p*ss*ng rain to ease myself back in. Not good for two weeks, and I really can't say I enjoyed today at all since the weather her is so utterly miserable. I did find a new climb to train on today though with a half mile 1:9 section - I thought I'd gone mad when I hit it 'cos I was expecting something less steep, and then all of a sudden I was barely moving and wondering if someone had sneaked up and slammed the back brake on! That was the last of 3 climbs in today's 40 - the steepest of the 3 but not quite the longest...
I'm out of town for a night this week so hoping I can get a lift out with the bike and get a sneaky mid-week ride in back to Abz, should get me about 50 miles through some decent hills. Otherwise there'll be no more proper miles 'till next Sunday when I'll be out for another 80 or so... Am going to try tweaking the cleats to see if I can sort my knee out, but if anyone else has other top tips for curing it I'll give 'em a try - I'm particularly having trouble with the tendon on the outside behind my right knee.
On a more positive note... I did finally manage to get the Just Giving page emailed out. I see a few folk have signed a few pounds away, which is a great result for anyone else facing the condition Nathan had. I've also printed off paper forms etc from the CMA website - I think I got over half my sponsorship this way when I did the Great North Run as I found people at work were quite happy to take a note out of their wallet but often too busy to get onto the website. Should be worth a try - will give you an update next week so we can add it to the total on the Just Giving page.
That's all for now.
Cheers,
Soaking Simpson.
OK, I'll admit it...
My legs are pretty sore today! My left calf especially was a bit painful right from the first time I got on the bike. It started yesterday after about 70m and I thought it was just because it was a hard ride. Anyway, I get to give it 2 weeks rest now as I fly out tonight for another 2 weeks 'Altitude training' in South Africa.
Wanted to do 2 hours today but the legs were having non of it so when I ending up by myself again after 1.30 I decided to come home.
Got there a little later today so all the speed freaks had gone (or at least I didn't see them) so did a good 12miles on my tod before getting caught. That got a bit exciting for a while, there were a few digs but I went with one of them and it was just me and this other guy doing through and off and then after half a lap he went home! Waited for the group to catch me again but they were a bit more wary of me now so I ended up just riding at the front all the time with them sat behind me. Eventually I realised I was by myself again and it's not as much fun having painful legs when there isn't someone (or a group of 10!) suffering on your wheel so I did a few laps easy but never saw them again, got bored, came home.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/138763
Anyway, must pack a suitcase and get to the airport. Hope seat 3E on flight AF995 has a special button marked 'fall into coma type sleep' - I need it!
Wanted to do 2 hours today but the legs were having non of it so when I ending up by myself again after 1.30 I decided to come home.
Got there a little later today so all the speed freaks had gone (or at least I didn't see them) so did a good 12miles on my tod before getting caught. That got a bit exciting for a while, there were a few digs but I went with one of them and it was just me and this other guy doing through and off and then after half a lap he went home! Waited for the group to catch me again but they were a bit more wary of me now so I ended up just riding at the front all the time with them sat behind me. Eventually I realised I was by myself again and it's not as much fun having painful legs when there isn't someone (or a group of 10!) suffering on your wheel so I did a few laps easy but never saw them again, got bored, came home.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/138763
Anyway, must pack a suitcase and get to the airport. Hope seat 3E on flight AF995 has a special button marked 'fall into coma type sleep' - I need it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)