Saturday I did 48 miles in the Surrey Hills with Big G. He hasn't been training much recently and has dropped out of the Etape even though he has the best number of any of the Guildford Peloton this year. We stopped at the tea shop at box hill to catch up on life, the universe and everything.
I cycled to St Albans on Sunday. I don't know why but the 33 miles was like cycling in treacle. I used my granny cog on numerous occasions and there was only 300 metres of climbing. It took me 2 hours 20 minutes even though I was on the A41 dual carriageway (it was like riding on the M1) some of the way
I don't know if it was the 20 miles turbo spinning Thursday followed by three reps of 5 X 1.5 minutes flat out in a heavy gear total 20 miles turbo Friday, followed by 47 miles and 1100 metres climbing Saturday afternoon in the Surrey Hills (surely all that would not make my legs tired?); or just that there was a raging headwind from the North against me the whole way.
Monday I had a well deserved rest day.
Tuesday I was back in the garage on the threshing machine doing reps again which meant this evening when I managed to get home early enough from work to get to Richmond Park my legs were tired and the four laps were done at a steady pace.
Who has gravelled the road in Richmond Park? It is appalling. Loose gravel all over the road meaning that the surface isn't good to ride, you need to be careful not to slip, and the dust as cars go by is like riding in a dust storm. I hope this is only temporary. I bet a few cars are getting damaged with the stones being thrown up.
With all these short rides I am going to be really good for the first 25 miles of the Etape, the the rest will be a horrible mess.
Wednesday 23 June 2010
Sunday 13 June 2010
Weekend June 13th 2010 Turbo, Scouts Fair and Surrey Hills
My brother is out in Pau training over the Etape course with Pyrenean Mountainsports. He has trained with them before and really likes their friendly atmosphere. They are planning to ride the whole course in one day.
My mate M has just had a new baby (well, his wife has) and so he has been a bit tied up recently, others of the Guildford Peloton are on various training camps, races / sportives or looking after their own new offspring (I thought cycling was supposed to reduce male fertility, however, four of the Guildford Peloton have had new babies recently, obviously whilst the cyclist has been out training the milkman has been busy).
This weekend was going to be difficult for me to train as I had the 1st Old Malden Scouts Summer Fair on Saturday. With this in mind I settled myself in the garage Fiday night for a two hour turbo.
Having decided at last that I ought to start my training for the 2010 Etape I have recently been spending quality time in the garage with my 1990 threshing machine (turbo trainer). During those dark hours alone (when even the mice are leaving the area from the noise) the mind goes to strange places (seeing as I don't have a DVD player and numerous series of Jail Break like some Guildford Peloton members to keep me amused).
By the time I had finished my session at 10:00 pm The Wife was off to bed leaving me alone to get my dinner and cool down before getting some sleep.
Saturday morning I was on the village green from 7:15 am and got home at 6:15 pm shattered after loading and unloading vans, setting up running and taking down stalls and then loading and unloading vans again. The weather was good and the fair was well attended. Initial indications are that we did ok.
Sunday morning I was still shattered, a bit of a zombie. I did jobs around the house until lunchtime. Then my wife and son were off to the farm with his cousins and I was released to go cycling. After a slow start I managed 58 miles and 1100 metres of climbing in the Surrey Hills.
My wife got me a new Garmin 705 for my birthday last week. Very nice it is too and I have heard so much about what they can do. This was the first time I have used it. It is not quite as user friendly as the Polar CS600 I usually use. I think I shall be asking some mates for help as I can't work out how to get the data off so it can be viewed.
My mate M has just had a new baby (well, his wife has) and so he has been a bit tied up recently, others of the Guildford Peloton are on various training camps, races / sportives or looking after their own new offspring (I thought cycling was supposed to reduce male fertility, however, four of the Guildford Peloton have had new babies recently, obviously whilst the cyclist has been out training the milkman has been busy).
This weekend was going to be difficult for me to train as I had the 1st Old Malden Scouts Summer Fair on Saturday. With this in mind I settled myself in the garage Fiday night for a two hour turbo.
Having decided at last that I ought to start my training for the 2010 Etape I have recently been spending quality time in the garage with my 1990 threshing machine (turbo trainer). During those dark hours alone (when even the mice are leaving the area from the noise) the mind goes to strange places (seeing as I don't have a DVD player and numerous series of Jail Break like some Guildford Peloton members to keep me amused).
By the time I had finished my session at 10:00 pm The Wife was off to bed leaving me alone to get my dinner and cool down before getting some sleep.
Saturday morning I was on the village green from 7:15 am and got home at 6:15 pm shattered after loading and unloading vans, setting up running and taking down stalls and then loading and unloading vans again. The weather was good and the fair was well attended. Initial indications are that we did ok.
Sunday morning I was still shattered, a bit of a zombie. I did jobs around the house until lunchtime. Then my wife and son were off to the farm with his cousins and I was released to go cycling. After a slow start I managed 58 miles and 1100 metres of climbing in the Surrey Hills.
My wife got me a new Garmin 705 for my birthday last week. Very nice it is too and I have heard so much about what they can do. This was the first time I have used it. It is not quite as user friendly as the Polar CS600 I usually use. I think I shall be asking some mates for help as I can't work out how to get the data off so it can be viewed.
Weekend June 6th 2010
I rode to Bognor from Home on Saturday and stayed in Bognor with the family Saturday night. The trip down wasn't too bad and I covered the 58 miles in just under 4 hours without the shattered feeling I had the previous week.
I rode back from Bognor Sunday.
As I wasn't leaving until 4:15 pm Sunday afternoon and it takes 4 hours I didn't have time to ride all the way home. I knew my wife and son were leaving at 5:00 pm so I said to her that I would go ahead and when she caught me I would get into the car the rest of the way home.
There was a great tailwind which really helped me to spin the pedals and she didn't catch me for 28.8 miles (a couple of miles short of Ockley). I had averaged over 18 mph for that 28.8 miles (including climbing up the hill at Arundel).
It was nice knowing that she was behind me and really gave me confidence to push on to try to get as far as possible and knowing that I woud only be doing 20 to 30 miles. As I got nearer to Ockley I was getting worried that I would get to Ockley before she caught me then I would have to go up to Coldhabour and at that point I might as well ride all the way home.
When she caught me she said "How did you get so far, I have been looking out for you for the last 15 miles and I thought I had missed you".
I rode back from Bognor Sunday.
As I wasn't leaving until 4:15 pm Sunday afternoon and it takes 4 hours I didn't have time to ride all the way home. I knew my wife and son were leaving at 5:00 pm so I said to her that I would go ahead and when she caught me I would get into the car the rest of the way home.
There was a great tailwind which really helped me to spin the pedals and she didn't catch me for 28.8 miles (a couple of miles short of Ockley). I had averaged over 18 mph for that 28.8 miles (including climbing up the hill at Arundel).
It was nice knowing that she was behind me and really gave me confidence to push on to try to get as far as possible and knowing that I woud only be doing 20 to 30 miles. As I got nearer to Ockley I was getting worried that I would get to Ockley before she caught me then I would have to go up to Coldhabour and at that point I might as well ride all the way home.
When she caught me she said "How did you get so far, I have been looking out for you for the last 15 miles and I thought I had missed you".
May 31st Bank Holiday Weekend
The Etape training isn't getting priority
Saturday I was busy with football trials at WSLL in the morning (we have 200 boys aged 10 and 11 who we have to fit into teams) and the 1st Old Malden 60th aniversary Scout camp in the afternoon and evening, along with a child who was very contrary. He is feeling the pressure of upcoming exams.
Sunday morning I cycled to Bognor (I am definitely not as fit as I have been in previous years and it took more out of me than it should have). I arrived just after lunch in time to collapse in front of the TV for the start of the Grand Prix. In the evening we went out to dinner at local pub where I had a big mixed grill with steak, gammon, fried egg etc (part of my specially controlled diet).
Bank Holiday Monday we went walking on the South Downs in the morning then we drove home to Worcester Park drop my wife off. I then drove up to MK to drop my son off at my parents (he is doing a football course at the MK Dons this week), had dinner there then stopped at my brothers in St Albans on the way home getting home at 11:00 pm.
Saturday I was busy with football trials at WSLL in the morning (we have 200 boys aged 10 and 11 who we have to fit into teams) and the 1st Old Malden 60th aniversary Scout camp in the afternoon and evening, along with a child who was very contrary. He is feeling the pressure of upcoming exams.
Sunday morning I cycled to Bognor (I am definitely not as fit as I have been in previous years and it took more out of me than it should have). I arrived just after lunch in time to collapse in front of the TV for the start of the Grand Prix. In the evening we went out to dinner at local pub where I had a big mixed grill with steak, gammon, fried egg etc (part of my specially controlled diet).
Bank Holiday Monday we went walking on the South Downs in the morning then we drove home to Worcester Park drop my wife off. I then drove up to MK to drop my son off at my parents (he is doing a football course at the MK Dons this week), had dinner there then stopped at my brothers in St Albans on the way home getting home at 11:00 pm.
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