I have had a weeks holiday to chauffer my son to and from football training and to work on all those jobs that have been mounting up. In addition, I wanted to start some cycling training as I am now at my heaviest ever and a bit of training might 1. Help my disposition (generally depressed as my job, my savings and my pension have been blown out of the water by the financial crisis), and 2. I might manage to loose a few of those extra pounds.
Actually, I have had two weeks off, this week and last week, as my sons school, being a private school, gives the kids two weeks off for this half term (you pay them all this money then they don’t keep your kids as long as the state schools!). The first week was spent just resting followed by a long weekend in Dublin visiting the out-laws (but I did sneak off to our Dublin office for a few hours on Friday and watched the dealers as the pound collapsed against the US Dollar, glad we went to Disney this year when the Pound was strong).
I got very few of the jobs I set out to complete done, and I got even less of those jobs my wife had wanted me to complete done. I did spend a lot of time on the telephone with the Inland Revenue, my HR Department, and my tax accountant trying to sort out the fact that the method of calculation used by my employer (the “Averaging method”) for my beneficial loans tax on my P11D has overestimated my liability by more than double due to a further advance taken out just before the end of the tax year. Trying to get the figures for the “Accurate Method” so that they can be presented to a Tax Inspector is like trying to get the lunar buggy back from the moon!
Anyway, less of these rants and down to cycling business – did I actually do any training – I am pleased to say I did.
I hate going on the road alone firstly for safety reasons and secondly because it is no fun unless you are sharing it with someone else, plus of course the cold and damp weather put me off, so I did not go out on to the road.
I have an old turbo trainer circa 1990 (bought new from Holdsworthy in Putney to get me fit after I fractured my neck playing rugby) which I use as I haven’t got around to putting before the Household Finance Committee a proposal to acquire a modern fluid trainer (not that he Finance Committee is willing to consider any more cycling expenditure at the moment and I, unlike the Chairwoman, The Wife, do not have the ability to fast track expenditure and get retrospective approval). This is a hefty rusty steel contraption with a roller under the back wheel attached to two fan wheels upon which is permanently mounted my Raleigh Record Sprint (Reynolds 501) circa 1985.
(Santa Hint – anyone wanting to buy me a new iMagic fluid trainer for Christmas is welcome to do so).
Each day this week I have been on the Turbo Trainer in the kitchen knocking out an hour to an hour and a half with an average heart rate in the high 140s and a cadence of 90 rpm. This has been painful but therapeutic. My two bike computers have been on the handlebars showing me that I have been maintaining the pace and keeping up the work. The whole house smells of burnt rubber after each session and I had to mop up the sweat off the tiles on the kitchen floor. In addition I keep finding bits of rubber from the tyre which I missed in the clearing up exercise and which when stepped on leave nasty black smears on the floor tiles.
Monday to Thursday went by without any incidents but Friday was like a car crash. After 30 minutes I got a puncture (the tyre had done 460 miles on the Turbo and had melted and was coming apart at the seams). In order to save time, rather than fix the puncture I dived into the garage and removed the wheel from my Raleigh Quasar (again 501 circa 1985) and fitted that to the turbo bike. Forty minutes later, don’t I get another puncture! I was annoyed. I then had to get off the Turbo and fix both wheels. The original wheel also required a new tyre. Fortunately I had kept an old racing tyre from last year (Specialized Roubaix 23/25) which will hopefully do for the near future (but I suspect it is probably too soft) and next time I go into Corridori in Banstead I will have to get myself one of those special tyres designed to be used on a Turbo or Fluid trainer.
Both punctures were old repairs where the heat generated from the roller had melted the repair and it had failed.
All in all, all things considered, not to bad, 90 miles over 6 hours in 5 days. More than I have done for a long time. The question is will I be able to keep up the training when I return to work next week?
Friday 31 October 2008
Etap course announced
Of course the 2009 Etap course was announced last week. The Guilford Pootle-on riders were waiting with baited breath – was it going to be the Alps or the Pyrenees again, was it as had been rumoured going to be Mont Ventoux?
The day arrived. There was a mad scramble by each person to get an entry only package off of Graham Baxters Sports Tours. A newsletter went out to 7000 people announcing that they had 100 entry only packages, however, they were sold out within 3 hours.
A number of the Guilford Pootle-on riders applied in time and got hold of one of the packages. Others like me who could not get to a computer all day did not. My application was too late. Looks like I will have to buy a package.
At this stage I must admit that The Wife banned me from the 2008 Etap as I was in a bit of a physical wreck of a state after the 2007 Etap and I expect that she would not entertain me entering the 2009 Etap (so at this stage I have not mentioned it). However, if I just happened to have an entry and could get the training done surreptitiously (like, how do you surreptitiously train for the Etap, any ideas?) then she could hardly refuse me permission to go to France for the weekend of July 20th 2009 “training”. If the Etap was on that weekend and I just happened to have an entry, well, I would just have to go along with all the other lads.
I do fancy the idea of ticking off a few of those famous climbs. Despite not having an Etap entry in 2008 I did go with the Guilford Pootle-on on the reckie trip in June and did the Tourmalet (from both sides) and the Hautacam.
I will not be doing both La Marmotte and the Etap in 2009 as a number of the Guilford Pootle-on are planning. They got the idea from the London Dynamos who in 2008 did La Marmotte and the Etap in one weekend!
La Marmotte looks like a step too far for a young man like me.
The day arrived. There was a mad scramble by each person to get an entry only package off of Graham Baxters Sports Tours. A newsletter went out to 7000 people announcing that they had 100 entry only packages, however, they were sold out within 3 hours.
A number of the Guilford Pootle-on riders applied in time and got hold of one of the packages. Others like me who could not get to a computer all day did not. My application was too late. Looks like I will have to buy a package.
At this stage I must admit that The Wife banned me from the 2008 Etap as I was in a bit of a physical wreck of a state after the 2007 Etap and I expect that she would not entertain me entering the 2009 Etap (so at this stage I have not mentioned it). However, if I just happened to have an entry and could get the training done surreptitiously (like, how do you surreptitiously train for the Etap, any ideas?) then she could hardly refuse me permission to go to France for the weekend of July 20th 2009 “training”. If the Etap was on that weekend and I just happened to have an entry, well, I would just have to go along with all the other lads.
I do fancy the idea of ticking off a few of those famous climbs. Despite not having an Etap entry in 2008 I did go with the Guilford Pootle-on on the reckie trip in June and did the Tourmalet (from both sides) and the Hautacam.
I will not be doing both La Marmotte and the Etap in 2009 as a number of the Guilford Pootle-on are planning. They got the idea from the London Dynamos who in 2008 did La Marmotte and the Etap in one weekend!
La Marmotte looks like a step too far for a young man like me.
Thursday 16 October 2008
Who names their Bicycle?
What is it about the ladies of the Guilford Pootle-on? They have names for their bikes!
The associates of the Guilford Pootle-on were recently having an email discussion comparing their collections of bicycles. I know it seems sad to you, the general public, grown people retaining bicycles long after they have been replaced with updated models, and admitting to it, but to us cyclists, we retain some sort of connection with the bike and are reluctant to let it go. Myself, I have some 8 bikes which go back to the 1980s, all in working order.
Anyway, we digress. Names for bikes? Who has ever heard of the likes of it? Our Guilford Pootle-on gals it seems name their steeds. One young lady admitted to having a Flet Cyclocross called Valiant, a Bianchi Nironi road called Hottie and a 456 called Trouble.
Mind you is that as sad to our male associate who has admitted spending every last minute staring at his new Scirotto!
The associates of the Guilford Pootle-on were recently having an email discussion comparing their collections of bicycles. I know it seems sad to you, the general public, grown people retaining bicycles long after they have been replaced with updated models, and admitting to it, but to us cyclists, we retain some sort of connection with the bike and are reluctant to let it go. Myself, I have some 8 bikes which go back to the 1980s, all in working order.
Anyway, we digress. Names for bikes? Who has ever heard of the likes of it? Our Guilford Pootle-on gals it seems name their steeds. One young lady admitted to having a Flet Cyclocross called Valiant, a Bianchi Nironi road called Hottie and a 456 called Trouble.
Mind you is that as sad to our male associate who has admitted spending every last minute staring at his new Scirotto!
Monday 13 October 2008
Training, Injury and football
One of my readers made a comment that I shouldn't train to hard and get injured!
Well, I was feeling good so I thought I would do a slightly longer run. I kept it slow but did 5 miles. During the run I felt a niggle in my leg and back but nothing serious.
When I got home I sat down for a cup of tea, but when I went to get up my back was locked!
Time for the Ibuprofen.
The following day my back was so stiff and I was really hobbling around. I was watching my son playing football when the organisers came over and asked me to referee. I advised them that could hardly move but they insisted they were short and I was needed. "Just stand in the middle and blow the whistle" they said. I reluctantly agreed but advised them it would only be for an hour whilst my sons match was on the next door pitch.
Did I draw the short straw, have you ever tried to referee 24 six and seven year olds?
At the end of an hour of debate with these six and seven year olds and when my sons match was over (they won 6-3) I needed to collect him and go home. The boys on my pitch were supposed to be playing on for another half hour so I spotted a parent on the side of the pitch and told him, he was either taking over as referee or the football was over. After he got over the shock he took the whistle and got on with it. Delegation, the art of good management.
A week later, many Ibuprofen and a trip to the physio and I am still walking like an 80 year old. The anxiety of the financial markets isn't helping. I think the cross country running is a no goer.
Well, I was feeling good so I thought I would do a slightly longer run. I kept it slow but did 5 miles. During the run I felt a niggle in my leg and back but nothing serious.
When I got home I sat down for a cup of tea, but when I went to get up my back was locked!
Time for the Ibuprofen.
The following day my back was so stiff and I was really hobbling around. I was watching my son playing football when the organisers came over and asked me to referee. I advised them that could hardly move but they insisted they were short and I was needed. "Just stand in the middle and blow the whistle" they said. I reluctantly agreed but advised them it would only be for an hour whilst my sons match was on the next door pitch.
Did I draw the short straw, have you ever tried to referee 24 six and seven year olds?
At the end of an hour of debate with these six and seven year olds and when my sons match was over (they won 6-3) I needed to collect him and go home. The boys on my pitch were supposed to be playing on for another half hour so I spotted a parent on the side of the pitch and told him, he was either taking over as referee or the football was over. After he got over the shock he took the whistle and got on with it. Delegation, the art of good management.
A week later, many Ibuprofen and a trip to the physio and I am still walking like an 80 year old. The anxiety of the financial markets isn't helping. I think the cross country running is a no goer.
Fitness - what fitness?
Yesterday I went out with M for the first ride in the UK since I did the Audax in July. The weather was supposed to be sunny and 19 degrees, but at 8:30 AM it was foggy. Whilst we did encounter sunny spots during the ride I kept my waterproof on the whole ride.
I was on the Specialized Roubaix Expert. It was a brand new replacement frame compliments of the insurance company and Specialized after I accidentally dropped the old one and the carbon crossbar smashed against a step writing it off. This was the first time out for the new frame.
We did 51 miles and I admit it, I was whopped by M (I wasn't just going slow to make him feel good).
After 40 miles we reached Mont Box and I had to climb up the Hill at between 5 and 6 mph in my easiest gear (and I was riding a triple) and was overtaken by anyone and everyone. After tea M rubbed it in by sprinting back along Epsom Race Course and along the A217 between Banstead crossroads and Cheam with me struggling behind wheel sucking when I could (and there were times where I dropped off and M had to stop and wait for me).
I can forgive him as by the time I got to the top of Box Hill he was at the front of the long coffee queue (meaning I didn't have to queue up or wait any time for refreshment) and bought me a coffee and some sponge cake whilst I gulped down a gel.
When we left the Tea Shop at the top of the hill we passed an accident where one of the Kingston Wheelers Cycling Club had been in a collision with a car. The Police were in attendance and an ambulance had been called. He was lying in the road yelling about the excrutiating pain in his back. We wish him the best for his recovery and it definitely served as a reminder to us to ride carefully.
Changing the subject and talking about fashion and lycra (who was?), M and I followed two girls and a bloke for a few miles out of Cobham and up Hungry Hill (their red shirts said their sponsor was Optima, a tri club). One of the young ladies was well built (quite big built but muscled and toned, attractive in this case) but was wearing underwear under her lycra shorts. We couldn't believe the faux pas that’s why we had to follow behind her for so long to make sure we could believe our eyes.
I was on the Specialized Roubaix Expert. It was a brand new replacement frame compliments of the insurance company and Specialized after I accidentally dropped the old one and the carbon crossbar smashed against a step writing it off. This was the first time out for the new frame.
We did 51 miles and I admit it, I was whopped by M (I wasn't just going slow to make him feel good).
After 40 miles we reached Mont Box and I had to climb up the Hill at between 5 and 6 mph in my easiest gear (and I was riding a triple) and was overtaken by anyone and everyone. After tea M rubbed it in by sprinting back along Epsom Race Course and along the A217 between Banstead crossroads and Cheam with me struggling behind wheel sucking when I could (and there were times where I dropped off and M had to stop and wait for me).
I can forgive him as by the time I got to the top of Box Hill he was at the front of the long coffee queue (meaning I didn't have to queue up or wait any time for refreshment) and bought me a coffee and some sponge cake whilst I gulped down a gel.
When we left the Tea Shop at the top of the hill we passed an accident where one of the Kingston Wheelers Cycling Club had been in a collision with a car. The Police were in attendance and an ambulance had been called. He was lying in the road yelling about the excrutiating pain in his back. We wish him the best for his recovery and it definitely served as a reminder to us to ride carefully.
Changing the subject and talking about fashion and lycra (who was?), M and I followed two girls and a bloke for a few miles out of Cobham and up Hungry Hill (their red shirts said their sponsor was Optima, a tri club). One of the young ladies was well built (quite big built but muscled and toned, attractive in this case) but was wearing underwear under her lycra shorts. We couldn't believe the faux pas that’s why we had to follow behind her for so long to make sure we could believe our eyes.
Wednesday 1 October 2008
Cross Country Running
Back in blighty.
I arrived back from Australia on Friday lunchtime. It is so nice to look down on the English countryside as you fly into Heathrow and feel the crisp air as you get off after being cooped up for 25 hours on an aircraft or in a terminal in Dubai.
Actually I was very lucky and got upgraded to First Class on the 14 hour leg from Sydney to Dubai. I can recommend First Class in Emirates. In First Class you get your own little cabin, flat bed, personal mini bar, 23 inch television and food cooked on demand. I got a good 6 hours sleep and watched some films – I can thoroughly recommend a film called “The Children of Huang Shi”. It is not yet out in the UK but was a good film of a true event.
The upgrade was probably to make up for my stationary bag mysteriously disappearing from my luggage on the outward journey and just as mysteriously appearing in someone else’s bag. When the other passenger arrived home in South Africa he opened his bag only to discover my stationary bag containing my business cards, memory sticks, keys to my desk, best pens and computer peripherals. Fortunately he has contacted me by email and hopefully Emirates will arrange for the stuff to be returned to me at some point.
Anyway, TRAINING!!! As I am going to be unable to get some cycling in over the next month due to family commitments I have decided to do some running as this is something that can be fitted in easier than cycling. As an incentive to run I have entered the Interbank Cross Country event in Richmond Park in November. I have previously run this event for Barclays, TSB, and Chase Manhattan. This year it will be for HBOS.
I used to be a formidable runner with a 10 mile PB of 59:50, 10K of 36:20 and half marathon of 1:23, but that was when I was young and 20+ lbs lighter. Eight years ago I managed a 39:50 10K and two years ago I managed a 44 minute 10K so I am getting somewhat slower over time.
I have'nt done any running for a while so I need to get back into it. My cunning plan to get fit is that if I run three runs a week until the event I should be able to finish but I accept that I will struggle not to be last. Fortunately all the fast runners in HBOS are based up North and won’t want to come to London for the day which means I should get on the team (not guaranteed). My motivation is that the more I run the easier the event will be and the better I will do.
So far this week I have done two runs.
I arrived back from Australia on Friday lunchtime. It is so nice to look down on the English countryside as you fly into Heathrow and feel the crisp air as you get off after being cooped up for 25 hours on an aircraft or in a terminal in Dubai.
Actually I was very lucky and got upgraded to First Class on the 14 hour leg from Sydney to Dubai. I can recommend First Class in Emirates. In First Class you get your own little cabin, flat bed, personal mini bar, 23 inch television and food cooked on demand. I got a good 6 hours sleep and watched some films – I can thoroughly recommend a film called “The Children of Huang Shi”. It is not yet out in the UK but was a good film of a true event.
The upgrade was probably to make up for my stationary bag mysteriously disappearing from my luggage on the outward journey and just as mysteriously appearing in someone else’s bag. When the other passenger arrived home in South Africa he opened his bag only to discover my stationary bag containing my business cards, memory sticks, keys to my desk, best pens and computer peripherals. Fortunately he has contacted me by email and hopefully Emirates will arrange for the stuff to be returned to me at some point.
Anyway, TRAINING!!! As I am going to be unable to get some cycling in over the next month due to family commitments I have decided to do some running as this is something that can be fitted in easier than cycling. As an incentive to run I have entered the Interbank Cross Country event in Richmond Park in November. I have previously run this event for Barclays, TSB, and Chase Manhattan. This year it will be for HBOS.
I used to be a formidable runner with a 10 mile PB of 59:50, 10K of 36:20 and half marathon of 1:23, but that was when I was young and 20+ lbs lighter. Eight years ago I managed a 39:50 10K and two years ago I managed a 44 minute 10K so I am getting somewhat slower over time.
I have'nt done any running for a while so I need to get back into it. My cunning plan to get fit is that if I run three runs a week until the event I should be able to finish but I accept that I will struggle not to be last. Fortunately all the fast runners in HBOS are based up North and won’t want to come to London for the day which means I should get on the team (not guaranteed). My motivation is that the more I run the easier the event will be and the better I will do.
So far this week I have done two runs.
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