Long One Silver

Wiggle - The Long One - or as my friends have been taunting me with "Long One Silver" - given the three disappointing Silver times I have posted in the previous Wiggle Sportives. Another efficient event - slick registration, well-signed course, good fuel stations and a tough route with a sting in the tail or three.

Touted as one of the Longest Sportives, at 126 miles and with a Wiggle rating of five out of five I simply HAD to target this event as part of my Etape training. Not ony that - the Pieces of Eight had to be gold and not silver.

The Open Air Museum at Singleton provided a glorious setting for the start - and the sun was shining. The pre-ride brief warned us sun-kissed happy riders of a headwind in the last third. Correction - a "Brutal" headwind in the last third of the event. Forty miles of "brutal" headwind - ouch ! ! Goodwood may have been within a rear wheel of the start/finish line - but I might not be in any condition to display a Festival of Speed performance.The route took in nine climbs and some beautiful scenery - including the villages of the Meon's, Hambledon and surrounding countryside. The views were spectacular and for a townie - it was lovely to enjoy the sights and smells of the alien countryside ! ! ! 

I started the sportive with my pal Dave - but things went sour for us as I lost my chain climbing Butser Hill. In a replication of Contador and Schleck on the Port de Bales 2010, Dave attacked - and his chances of getting a lift home suddenly disappeared with him across the horizon.

Despite ongoing mechanical issues - I made up time - and Duncton Hill at 116 miles followed by Goodwood Hill at 120 miles tested the spirit and body. True to the pre-ride briefing, the headwind was Brutal - and there was little hope of catching a friendly wheel for a tow, in fact, at 102 miles I heard a tell-tale click of something behind me. A quick rearwards glance revealed a train of three riders, the front of which looking at me sheepishly - almost apologetically, but head bobbing and shoulders rolling and clearly - like me - in need of a friendly tow.

Tearing down the Hill with my ensuing entourage and in to the grounds of the Museum - my Garmin warned me to prepare for disappointment - but when the results were published - I made a Gold time - by four minutes.

I was elated and allowed myself an excellent home-made cookie at the finish line. As this was a Saturday sportive - I had a Sunday to recover, and an evening to remove the Long One's parrot from my shoulder. The calling of the Alpes is getting louder.

Cycle to Work Scheme

The other day I noticed I had a lot of clothes, nearly as much as my wife ! How is it I have a wardrobe that rivals Naomi Campbell's (hot-weather clobber, wet-weather clobber, cold-weather clobber, wet hot-weather clobber, wet cold-weather clobber, be-safe-be-seen-clobber, spd shoes, road bike shoes, wet-weather shoe covers need I go on?). What has led me to this state where my cycling clobber dwarfs my normal civilian clothing (one tee shirt, two pairs of jeans) and rivals my wife's lifelong obsession !

Four years ago - the company I was working for enrolled on the cycle to work scheme. I happened across a marquee with demo bikes in the car park and was persuaded to try out a road bike. I fell for a Giant FCR 6. Initially circumspect about the thin tyres and the uncomfortable seat , the shiny bike and cost savings convinced me to commit to the Cycle To Work Scheme.

I did cycle that bike to work - I cycled it to work lots. Initially I cycled it one day a week (14 mile round trip) - then three days a week, eventually seven days a week. Then I moved jobs and the 14 mile round trip became a 30 mile round trip. Within two years the Giant had done over 7K miles and I had dropped a few belt notches.

Other changes also occurred - my doctor had noticed that I was paying two visits to the Dr Surgery every year - for coughs. These visits have stopped, my respiratory system has improved, my cholesterol has lowered and my sleeping patterns - understandably - improved. I wont say I wasn't exhausted, at times I got home and showered and just fell asleep on the bed.

The Cycle to Work Scheme is quite possibly my life saver. My weight was spiraling, my health was deteriorating and without this incentive - I would be inching toward an all too familiar statistic. I am quite evangelistic about the scheme and urge anybody to take this up and give the bike a try. I quite understand that cycling is not for everyone, but there must be a huge untapped group out there for whom - there can be nothing more fun than breaking up a rail journey with a Brompton, or swapping the SAAB for a Single Speed or the Fiat for a Fixie.

And here I am with this wardrobe - and something that started as a one day a week habit - has become a lifestyle (I am even looking at cycling holidays, reading cycling books and entering events at week-end). The irony here being that I started cycling to work as a way of saving money (which is does - believe me)- and am now not cycling on Friday's so that I can be fresh for week-end ride outs ! Get the bug and beat a track to HR - you'll make friends get healthy and feel great. 

Just say YES.

Pains, Trains and Stubborn back wheels

Sussex/Surrey Scramble - the official end to my holiday.  Nine days off a bike and boy did that tell.
I gave this sportive no respect - and paid a hefty price.  On the back of recent Golds and Silvers in the May Epics - I thought I would ease myself back in to the saddle and enter the Standard (60 miles).
Piece of cake and flapjack for a bloke like me ! ! !  Also - whats a mere 1K of elevation - I have done that on my fixie.  Sixty miles - pah - I'll be back for lunch and maybe pop round Leith Hill as a warm down.
In fact - so confident was I that this would be a doddle - I opted to put a further 15 miles each way on the days mileage - by cycling to Redhill railway station from Epsom.  I could do with the climbing practice - and this sportive has nothing like the hills I need.  I'll polish off the North Downs either end of the day just for god measure.
Here I sit typing - which is about the only movement I can do without wincing in pain.  Each ache a reflection of my crass arrogance and misjudgement.
I missed the Gold - by two minutes - and am struggling - this time for excuses.  Weather, a week off, putting on a few pounds quaffing Leffe and scoffing french cheese - but being honest - I was a little bit too cocky.
I was spat out the back of more than one group of riders including a bunch of paper lads delivering hefty Sunday supplements.  I just didn't have the legs.  The route was flattish - but even on the climbs - I had nothing and was left gasping for air.  From the start the pace was frantic - and I probably started far to quickly.  The first climb was the highest - and the toughest - and the day was doomed from that point on for me.
Some of the ride is encapsulated on this clip here . . .  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip8yNdi-REs
Next time - I will ask the wife - for a lift to the station to save the legs.  There is my blame tree, I am hiding behind the ride to Redhill, the train was late - and the wrong leaves were on the roads.  If all that fails - like the bad workman - I am blaming the bike ! ! ! ! !
As an aside - I came home via Pebble Hill at the back of Box Hill.  I know this route well - as I had an old VW that died more than once on that steep elevation.  Now I know how it felt.  I lost my vision when the Garmin was reading 18% elevation - and I am certain it was getting steeper.  It's a good climb - but can be busy with cars - so try and do it early in the day.  I am not sure if it is included in the Olympic route or not - lack of new tarmac would suggest it is not, though it was on the "Ride The Route" sportive last year.
I am going to give the commute a rest tomorrow - but will be back on the fixie for the rest of the week as I have on eye on The Long One (styled by wiggle as One of the Longest Sportives) and 3K of elevation.
For now though somewhere in the Great ScrapYard in the sky - there is a VW Golf Karman looking down and enjoying the pain of it's one time owner.

Home Sweet Home

Great Holiday - and a great area.  Just back from Nice - (well more St Tropez).  Please don't fret - it was a caravan (mobile home) and just overlapping the school term time to be affordable.
I now have a tan - so can look quite like a pro cyclist - unfortunately - a week or so of lounging around - quaffing french beer and croissants and coffee has taken it's toll.
And the mountains casting a shadow over Nice from the Franco Italian border - wow ! ! ! !   Not sure I can handle that - and the etape is less than a month away.
With all this in mind - it is time to return to a semblance of a training plan.
Wiggle Sussex/Surrey scramble on Sunday - only the 60 mile route - as I reckon I can squeeze a few more miles on the return journey from Redhill back home.  I also have a choice of returning via:

1. Reigate Hill (busy two lane traffic)
2. Pebble Hill (nearly killed me last year on the Ride the Route Sportive, did kill my old VW about 7 years ago)
3. Box Hill (yawn) - it so busy on a Sunday I wouldn't be suprised to see towels draped over it.  
4. There is also the possibility of coming back via Pebble Hill - back down in to Dorking and up over the traffic jam that is Box Hill on a Sunday - the M25 for cyclists (are you getting the impression I think  it is a little busy on that stretch of road)?  that would give me two climbs for the price of one - and hopefuilly the Gold Medal from the 60 mile event wont be weighing me down too much ;)

Over the Hills

from my British Cycling blog - they didn't appear to want to publish it :(

Wow - the month of May has come and gone - and with it the appalling weather that saw the Wiggle Ups and Downs Sportive get rescheduled.

Going in to the Ups and Downs I was feeling very strong, it was my third Epic in as many weeks and I had targeted May and June to be big months for my Etape training. The course packed in the Hills from the very beginning and about at ten miles when the sign for the "fun route" came in to site, I gave it some serious thought.

My legs were heavy - my cranks felt like they were stiff and if it wasn't for the welcoming site of a feed station I may have "accidently" followed the signs for the standard route and been home in time for Sunday roast and an afternoon in front of the Giro. I listened to my stomach turned right towards the fig rolls and flap jacks and prepared for a day of hard work.

Unlike previous weeks - where I could drop in behind a welcome wheel or two - this sportive was a lonely, solitary affair. Like previous weeks though - there were some old adversaries to face late on in the ride. Leith Hill at 80 miles and White Down - with it's welcoming 18% gradient - at 89 miles waiting. Waiting to greet the tired legs. Waiting - like an unwanted school bully at the school gates and the end of day, looming large to threaten and tease. Even the third feed station near the top of Leith Hill could not distract riders from the fact that whilst the larger of the demons had been slain - a shorter nastier vicious bully still lay in wait. Like all bullies though - they were seen off - and while I had to settle for a silver, I looked for excuses, the long queue at the second feed station, the temporary traffic lights, the heavy legs in the first twenty miles.

I now have a short family holiday - where I can re-acquaint myself with my understanding wife (who casts herself as a cycling widow), son and daughter then cast a mind to the upcoming events in June, which itself will lead in to July - and the most testing of school bullies of all - the Alpes.

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.