Lactic Law of Gravity

Having had three sportives in as many weeks, it's now time to summarise, and turn my attention to the last phase of training before the Etape.
I have had one reasonable time - given a crash and bad weather, one excellent time, and one good time.
I feel strong and have had testing hills at the end of all three Sportives, all hills were climbed in good time.  None of them can be said to take me to the rarified atmosphere that I will b e expecting to visit at least twice on a Sunday in July
I have got used to eating and drinking - and feel I should probably be drinking more water given some of the headaches.  I also feel I am taking too many gels round with me as I always have loads left over.
I am confident in so far as I have trained over the distance of the Etape, but less confident in the fact that the sportives have barely touched the long, steep, elongated, Alpine sides in terms of elavation.
I feel that I can only train and do what is available and the local sportives and tough Surrey Hills, combines with hard fixed wheel commutes working on pace and speed is all I can manage.  
The quandry now is - do I continue with the sportives, or do I try and do hill repeats (Leith Hill repeats, Box Hill on the way home).
There are three June Sportives, Cranleigh (10 June), Goodwood (24 June and at 129 miles billed as the longest in the UK) and Reigate (July 1st - one week before the Etape).
I have a week long holiday (no bike) to ponder the next steps - but to be honest - it's probably too late.
If I am honest - I think I can finish it, but secretly - the voice inside me is telling me that to climb as far as the Col of the Iron cross will be a good effort, but a failure nonetheless.  I have printed out the map and the times and tried breaking it down, its a hell of a task to complete.
On a lighter note - when Hugo and I were over the park playing out a Newcastle United victory ina penalty shoot-out over Manchester United, we saw his pal from school - riding a bike.  This spurred Hugs on to have a go on Hollys old bike, so we are now making progress with Hugo, a great step forward given that under 16's can ride free in sportives ;).  We managed to the park and back - just another 99.9 miles left.
Lastly - the Allez needs a little care and attention, and the Langster is in an awful state - the chain covered in a thick paste of oil and grime.

Leith and Let Die

The Wiggle Ups'n'Downs - rearranged after the atrocious weather at the beginning of May.  And what a good call that turned out to be.  The weather on sunday was perfect for cycling - not hot, just cool enough.

 

This was my third of a three pronged back to back sportive event in my quest to prepare for the Etape Du Tour.  It should have been my first - thankfully it was my last.  It was a tough nut to crack.

Ninety six miles of hurt and a mocking northerly to make the return journey all the more difficult.  The sportive started with a climb up Ranmore Hill.  The tempo was quick - lots of very keen riders and it wasn't long before I was being overtaken by the group that started behind me.  Unlike the previous week's frantic pace, the quicks on this event were individuals and the attacks seemed to be pretty isolated and uncontrolled and I didn't feel the urge to "follow that wheel".  Some of the riders I did pass later, some I never saw again.

I now feel I know the North Downs as well as I knew the back alleys and rec's that I played on as a child.  I could map the potholes on White Down - and know where I am on Leith Hill by how much lactic acid is in my legs.

This sportive   once again - stacked the pain in the last 25 miles - which was ideal for the Etape.  Leith Hill and WhiteDown all making an unwelcome appearance in the last fifteen miles. 

 

I had a sports massage on Friday and I felt terrible for the first twenty miles.  I mulled the possibility of following the Fun route at the split - and a Sunday lunch in front of the telly rather than a gel in front of the backside in front of me ! ! !  the legs worked themselves out

 

The summary according to Garmin:
05:58 moving time - 06:08 elapsed time (missed gold by about 6 minutes - 11 of which were spent at the second feed station in a queue for water).
1,744 m elevation - this is a little over the Col de Madeleine, and about a third of ACT I in total !
2,592 calories - thats good to know - I can tuck in to a few more mars bars tonight then.

I still havent stopped beating myself up about missing the gold - but that is life.

On a brighter note - the Veho camera was trialled - and a link to the footage will appear shortly - though it is still a bit wobbly.

Yesterday's man

Yesterday was my birthday - and I am now forty five years old.  I spent a great day - mainly relaxing - and had a serious sports massage in Epsom - arranged by Lisa.  The right leg seemed relaxed - but the left was tense - particularly the IT Band ! ! !
There then followed a nice change of medium - if not scene.  Following lunch - a DRIVE - round the Surrey Hills and a four wheel appetiser of the usual routes.  Shere, Abinger, Peaslake, Cranleigh - they were all served up - this time from the comfort of a car.  Must say it made a lovely change - and proved an ideal taster for this Sunday's Wiggle re-arranged Ups and Downs.  I gave smug approving looks to the poor souls peddling their hearts out and fighting up the inclines - don't worry folks - this hombre will be in the same boat Sunday - as he has been most Sundays previous !
Over the course of the evening - the welcome news that British Cycling have chosen me as one of their seasons bloggers came through.  This is great - and I am thrilled at the prospect.  I will still keep this Blog up - but there may be some duplication.
I am now nervously waiting for the delivery of my Muvi Atom - so I can record tomorrows Sportive.  Certainly the commute will make for some interesting scenes - as it two falls and a car collision on the last four months haven't been enough.
Update tomorrow - fingers crossed - I will go for Gold again - but would settle for silver given the course and the predicted rain.
Until then - here is a photo from last weeks Golden attempt - last climb of the day I would say - just  been cut up on a hairpin on Coombe Lane by a bloke in a jag.  Had I not been so  completely shattered - I am sure a few choice Anglo-saxon expletives may have been offered.

Heady Heights - Gold at last

Sunday 13 May - this is the day I officially joined the Caravan Club of Great Britain. It was also the day of the SWRC May Flyer Sportive. The second sportive in two weeks and another training event for this summer's Etape Du Tour. This was a club (SWRC) organised event - and the number of Club jerseys present was notably higher than in previous sportives I have attended.

The pace from the outset was blistering as the Club riders pulled us through the first 34 miles to the feed station in less than one hour forty five minutes, hence my initiation to the Caravan Club. Shamelessly loitering at the back of the bunch - marvelling at the speed one can reach with such little effort when riding in a group.
 

For me - these are valuable lessons of the Sportive. It's hard to appreciate the full effect of group riding - and the skill and technique involved until it has been experienced first-hand. The Club riders had a signalling and communication method of their own, passed down through generations of riders and it wasn't long before the rest of us week-end warriors among started to adopt these methods, and contributing to the effort.
 

Soon - my own shameless loitering at the rear was repaid - in spades - as I moved to the front and pulled the bunch to join another group of riders. The feeling of a job well-done as we caught and then left the earlier group.
 

The hills and wind seemed to split the bunch and at the second feed station at 73 miles - some much needed chocolate cake was taken on board. Not much time to stop though - my objective was to make a gold time (less than 6 hours for my age group) and I did not want to be looking at a bronze or silver on Monday morning regretting the frittered seconds and minutes tucking in to the best chocolate brownies in the World and enjoying the banter.
 

My Garmin had been misplaced -and without my usual instrumentation - I felt nervous, unable to gauge just where I was in terms of objectives. Ewhurst (Cranleigh) at Seventy Miles and Coombe Lane at Eighty Miles loomed large in my mind - but these are excellent challenges for tired legs - especially for the Etape. The climbs were tough - and made for a good deviation from the usual Barhatch Lane/Leith Hill combo that Sportives in this area tend to favour.
Loose gravel at Shere made the road rash on my legs from last weeks Sportive tingle nervously - and the last five miles seemed to drag. I put my head down and gave the remaining miles everything. The effort was not in vain - as the published results show a time of 05:35:29, a gold time for an old boy.

A week of wet commuting, a birthday and the Wiggle Ups and Downs awaits.

United We Fell . . . .

Scott Long Legged Sportive - 16 miles in and a fast downhill section with just five miles to go to the first feed station.  The surface was greasy - and small rivulets were running down the country lanes.  Dave T had neglected to turn on his stopwatch - so I told him we were roughly on target for a 17.5 MPH average (Gold) given that were 43 minutes in to the ride.
The bend tightened - and Dave was in front of me - the back wheel skidded - a touch on the brake - and he was off - in front of me . . . .
. . . i downed my bike and we both went crashing in to the nettles and mud - the rivulets of fast running water making the feeling of skidding and lying in the road even more uncomfortable.  Dave was shaken - and his tights were ripped, legs cut and the road was littered with waterbottles and gels.  I was OK - years of rugby taught me never to look at ones injuries but to asses by feeling.  the left cheek of my arse hurt - but nothing serious - my left shin was cut - nothing serious - and my arm left shoulder and arm hurt again nothing serious.  My Altura shorts held up - but the Mavic sprints underneath had a hole.  I could ride.  Dave had  his moral shaken -wet - covered in mud - arese exposed to the world and depressed - he came off worse then me.  He sacked it off at the feed station five miles later where I left him beig attended by St Johns doing an excellent job.  I went on alone.
Wow - what a sportive - this was a beast.  70 miles - with Leith Hill (45 miles) and Barhatch - the wall - at 54.  This was a sportive designed by people who knew the area and loved their hills.  The weather made it all the more challenging - after 2 weeks of incessant rain - today we were met with incessant drizzle.  I kept the cagoul on at all times - and was wet through from start to finish.
The Garmin stats show 5hours elapsed time  - but I lost about 45 minutes sitting on the side of the road with Dave and while he was gettign patched up - hoping he would carry on.  My moving time as 4.19 hours - and this is a little more like it.  I didnt stop at the last feed station - nor would I have at the first one.
the climbs were treacherous getting out of the saddle meant rear wheel lost traction, the descents even worse - days like this are what life is all about - this was one for all the commuters - not the fair weather week-end warriors and kudos to all the finishers.
Best part of the day - passing the bloke on the train who was a bit snooty.  He was sitting on the side of the road at Barhatch pondering his life in the rain - as I pushed painfully passed him.
I nice sausage in a bun at the end and a cycle to Gomshall for the train - job done.  Now - sort out the rattle on the bike, wash the clothes - oil the chain - heal the wounds and the Oxshott Sportive next week.  All I really need is to feel the sunshine and a rise in temperature - one can dream.

Goals, Giro and Geordie Nation

A mixed week.  Highs include a visit to Stamford Bridge and first hand witnessing of two of the greatest goals ever scored there courtesy of Cisse.
Typically - the Chelsea masses left early - having given their team stick - allowing me to finish my prawn sarnies in the CQS Box in comfort.
Lows - breaking the motorcycle key in the Honda at 4AM the following morning - on the way to Blackfriars DR site to meet an engineer.  This prompted a 50 quid taxi journey.
Oh - and with the Long Legged sportive on Sunday - the rain still has not stopped - and shows no sign of stopping.
100 miles cycled up to now - mainly wet - all on a fixed wheel and with another 100 in front of me tomorrow, even though I bought the mudguards in late Feb - I already  have my moneys worth out of them.
The big decision now - shorts or "tights" (prefer shorts), short-leeve or long-sleeve (could be a short sleeve day if I could find my arm warmers) - peanut butter sarnies or gels.  Surely it has to be a shoe covers day - and definitely cagoul - all of which annoys me.
The Long legged garmin profile will not load up - so I am riding "blind" unaware of the early stages of the course - but painfully aware of Leith Hill and White Down at the end.
Praying for a tail wind early on - and not really siure whether to push for a fast time - or just get some miles in my legs.  I will let Davey T dictate the pace - and try and lead him around the race after the first feed station.
Just enough time to put the money won on bet365 (Pappa Cisse to score first at 7/1) on Geraint Thomas to win the TT as the Giro kicks off today - and as Hugo has pointed out - we appear to have Eurosport UK enabled on the TV.

Oh the Pain

Sunday's ride called off.  It was pouring - and on the walk to the DLC for the consolatory  go on the spining bike I did notice a tree was down - the road was flooded and shuddered at the thougth of taking on Leith and White Down in these conditions.
At the David Lloyd - I put in half an hour at 250 watts - which - I am assured is roughly 500m climb - or a quater of the Col Du Madeleine.  Jeez - this is going to be hard.
On a sunnier note - I have a seat in the box for the Newcastle United / chelsea game at Stamford Bridge.
And on another sunnier note - my February bet on Roy Hodgson paid out at 16/1.
And Hugo and I know that we will be seeing an all Ireland Heineken Cup final at Twickenham as Ulster take on Leinster.  The chance to see Brian O'Driscoll at last.
Back to the bike and the Etape Prep.  The cancellation of the sportive left my miles and elevation for April a little lower than I wold have liked 510 miles (down on March's 685).
May is a big month - with the Long Legged Spotrive this sunday - followed by the Oxshott sportive and then the re-arranged Wiggle Ups and Downs.  The chance to put some big miles in and a shot at the Gold time for the Wiggle.
Hello to the Duchess :)  Love you loads.
x x