22 Weeks to go

Its been a while and 168 miles since my last post.

I hope to make up for my lack over miles when the weather improves and I start commuting to the office - 32 miles a day..... although it probably won't be every day.

My use of the camera has also imp[roved and I include a couple of laps of Richmond park from last weekend.

Next weekend is the Gill Jessop 14 mile Time trial. I rode a trial on Saturday and it went ok - the rode surface is pretty poor for the first 3 miles but then the rest of the course was smooth road and alot quicker.

Oh well - full report next weekend.

24 Weeks to go

This week I only covered 73.89 miles but it was a good week and the work I did on the bike felt good.

I have been playing around with the video camera and have got it working.  but todays video came courtesy of my iphone.  I rode the Cube bike for the La Fuga Club run today because it a bit lighter and I have until now been riding the heavier Peugot.

I was really happy with my efforts in todays club run, mostly because I was not left off the back and managed to stay in the group for most of the ride only going backwards on the hills so that I could take them at my pace.
My earlier workout were Time Trial practices, I have entered the Kingston Wheelers early season TT.   Gil Jessop Sporting 14 mile TT.


Its been  good Week.

25 Weeks to go

144 miles completed in the week since my last post.  Most of these miles were spread over 2 long rides.  One last Saturday with the Wheelers and one this Saturday, riding laps of Richmond Park.

Whilst I got the miles under my belt, they were not entireley satisfactory.  With the Wheelers I got detatched from the group and made my own way home.  I also really struggled with the ol lungs.  Possibly the tail end of the cold picked up in the last few weeks of the holiday?
The Richmond Park run just didn't meet expectations, the route was changed at last minute and coupled with getting knocked off my bike and then puncturing I lost the mood quite quickly.  Eventually returning to the Park to do a couple of solo laps.
Alas I still have not managed to successfully record sufficient footage to justify post a film of my ride. Hopefully next week.
Hindsight is such a good thing!  Every week isn't going to be better than the last and I may go back before progressing again.  At least I got the miles in!!
Nexy Saturday is another La Fuga Club Run.

New Years Resolutions - Training Plans

There are 26 weeks to go until the Etape du Tour and 2668 miles to go or 102 miles a week.

Its time to knuckle down to a more regimented training plan beyond just getting the miles in, also to set some interim goal to make the challenge more attainable.

Fitness testing.

My fitness testing is based on the Carmichael Training Systems Field Test.

Chris Carmichael was Lance Armstrong’s training coach throughout his 7 year reign of the Tour de France.  As an offshoot Carmichael has released a number of cycling training DVDs for use on turbo trainer devices, ( I tried one on holiday in the resort gym and they are hard when done correctly!)  The basis for setting your training boundaries and expanding these is the CTS Field Test.

Start with a 10 minute warm up on the bike, starting gentle then picking up the tempo a little bit of high cadence, all in all loosen up the legs.

Test 1 – From a standing start ride an 8 minute time trial as hard as you can, maintain a consistent cadence and ‘leg burning’ effort throughout.  Record your average heart rate for this effort  and distance covered.

Take a 10 minute ‘rest’ pedalling throughout, regroup and get ready for another go!

Test 2 – A repeat of Test 1

A ten minute warm down to work the lactate out of your muscles and get your breath back.

What to do with the results? You take the highest average heart rate of the 2 tests and this forms the basis for setting your training boundaries.

My Results – Looked like this

Date: 06/01/2011	Test 1 – 4.04 miles 161 bpm avg	Test 2 – 4.01 miles 164 bpm avg
Work Out	Training Goal	% age of CTS Field Test	Heart Rate range (intensity)
Endurance Miles	Aerobic Development	50 - 91%	82 -149
Tempo	Aerobic Endurance	88 - 90%	144 - 147
Steady State Intervals	Increased Power at Lactate Threshold	92 - 94%	150 - 154
Climbing Repeats	Increased Power at Lactate Threshold	95 - 97%	155 - 159
Power intervals	Increased Power at V02 Max	100%  +	164 +

My training will also incorporate my rowing, as a member of Walton on Thames Rowing Club I hope to be come part of the Veterans squad during 2011.  The rowing training will also be a good all body conditioning and cross training that can only help support my efforts on the bike.  In particular the rowing club circuit training is very focused on core strengthening work.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Rest / Light recovery ride	30min turbo Circuits	Turbo Training	30min turbo Circuits	Rest	Ride with the Kingston Wheelers	Row with Walton on Thames RC /Sportive Ride

My work on the turbo will be focused on improving my consistency in the hills, this can be done by adjusting the resistance setting on the turbo trainer.

My stepping stone goals for 2011 are to get involved in the cycling club time trial series.  This race against myself and the clock will help to build power and endurance as well as a bit of friendly rivalry amongst club mates.

Participate in Sportive rides, to practice my group riding, clock up the miles and spend time on the bike out doors.  When we eventually move into spring I shall brave the commute into the office by bike, this should take about an hour each way.

My Sportive Calandar…so far

Sportive	Date	Distance
La Fuga Club Run	22/01/2011	65 miles
Hell of the Ashdown	27/02/2011	66 miles
Wiggle Dorking Sportive	01/05/2011	70 miles
Wiggle – The Long One	25/06/2011	129 miles

Also new for 2011 I have a small HD camera that can be mounted on the bike or my helmet so I hope to add some actual training footage as well as some of the sportive events.

December Update

December Update
Total Distance	120.15
Total Time	7hrs 23m
Avg Speed	16mph

Not quite the December I was planning but I got some miles in before we went on our hols.

2010 Update
Total Distance	881.13
Total Time	54hrs 45m
Avg Speed	16mph

2689 miles  ( 437miles per month) still to go and just over 6 months until the Etape.

Not quite to plan...

... Alas this December's training is not going as I had hoped.  The sole reason being my elf, (christmas joke, boom boom).

My first club run of the month was not unexpectedly cold but the cold air had me completely out of puff and struggling to keep the pedals turning let alone keep up with the group, let alone stay in my usual position just off the back of the group.

I abandoned the ride just ahead of the halfway mark and headed back and popped in to see Mum a bit earlier than expected.  A subsequent Dr's appointment resulted in a diagnosis of Asthma, where my Peak flow lung capacity was half what it should be!

At least with the quick diagnosis and an inhaler I have noticed the difference when training on the the turbo trainer.  Its been easier to breath! My heart rate isn't as high as it was on high rate work outs.






Alas the next medical mis adventure to befall me was a bowel twist...again (it happened once last year).  This was only last week.  I was a bit squiffy on the day of the work Christmas do and by 8.30 that evening was in A&E bent double with abdominal pain.

The good news is that the Dr's reckon that with all the wretching I heimliched myself and the bowel untwisted.  I was only in for 36 hrs before being discharged to rest at home.  Its amazing how much is taken out of you in such a short time.

So not much cycling this month and with a Christmas holiday starting next week probably not much this month!

It is B @'&$--" Cold!

I am sure I have not been alone in noticing the plummeting temperatures and the scenery changing to a beautiful powder white?  On the roads it is more a muddy brown or slushy grey and definitely the chosen terrain of the Steel Chariot!

 Isn't she beautiful?  Perfect for these and wet conditions.  alas it isn't very clear in the picture, but take my word for it, the handlebars are a hideous apple/mustard blend green.  My only disappointment was missing out on the chance to win a pair of pink tyres in the Road cycling UK forum.  The whole ensemble wold have clashed perfectly.

The good thing is that this bike is heavier than what I plan to ride on the Etape so should be good training.

Now briefly back to the title of this post it has been rather cold,

hence my ridiculous outfit.  Its not a good look but its only for a few months!