My life as a bicycling Time Trialist has slowed down a bit lately. Last year, I decided that I too probably could benefit from a coach, so I hired one. I'm very happy with this and I follow her training plan as best as I can. I respect her (and her advice) highly. After all, she is the world Masters (female) Champion. I don't think one can argue with the rainbow jersey. While I feel I am getting fitter, I still haven't seen my times drop as much as I would like.
My diet has changed dramatically from last year. While my diet was quite healthy, it is now "more healthier". My weight has started to drop again after a few months on hold. So, it isn't what I eat that's holding me back.
I train rather religiously, and it does bother me when I miss a session. (Really...)
The last two TT's I rode, I had hoped to see some "bang for my buck" in a lower time. Last month however, I rode my first TT in the rain. This wasn't just a little rain, but a near cyclone at times. It was raining so hard that I really didn't need my glasses. None the less, I soldiered on. I figured if nothing else, I was going to finish. After all, I was wet, really wet, and I wasn't going to get much wetter.
Now, I'm not the most religious person, fact is I haven't been to church an many years, but I do believe. I learned many years ago, not to pray for "things" and to pray for something, well, meaningful. Not being too selfish, I figured it would be safe to ask God to "help me do my best". Okay, so God wanted me to build my character a bit, maybe a lot even. I figured he/she was just letting me know how bad things could be to ride in, and at the end of the day I was going home to a nice, dry place. Many don't have that luxury. I think God also taught me that it was time to learn some bicycle maintenance.
The last TT I was in, I again asked for "help to do my best". I got my prayers answered pretty much to what I was hoping for. The road had been resurfaced it seemed, and was quite smooth. Should be a nice ride. The torrential rain that woke me in the middle of the night had all but stopped, and by the time I started, it was a gentle drizzle. Wind was almost non-existant. It was all up to me now, and off I rode.
My coach told me to focus on maybe riding two 19 minute laps, in the end, I did two laps in 21 minutes, disappointing.
So, I have done everything I thought I could do, the only thing left is to spend MORE time on the bike. The school holidays are looking pretty good for this. I'll let you know how that works out.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
On the road - again
A two and a half hour training/endurance ride. I should be home with my feet up by the fire place where it's warm. Instead, I'm out here pushing my Mountain bike along this damn gravel road. It didn't seem so bad at first, the ride is fairly easy. My first "hill" is easy so I use a lower gear and chalk that time up to "easy spinning". After 20 minutes into my ride, I really wish I had something better to do. Finally, I reach the first bit of paved road, a nice long downhill ride where I can rest a bit and make up some time.
By the time I reach the one hour mark I need to turn around and head back home. I really wanted to go at least another 7 km but it wasn't to be on this trip. It seemed that going home I had the wind at my back so things were a little easier - just.
As I got back on the paved road, I realised that the long down-hill was now a long uphill. Half way up I was struggling. My arse was so sore I couldn't sit. It felt like I had been in a Turkish prison and was butt-raped everyday. Well, that's what I imagined anyway. I was standing, dancing on the pedals, and I was managing about 12 km/h. The sweat was pouring into my eyes. It burned, and as I blinked more ran in and my vision became blurred. I had thought about riding with my eyes closed but staying on the road would have been problematic.
I continued on. The birds seemed to be laughing at me now and my glasses were crusty with salt from the sweat. I had nothing to wipe my eyes with and on I pedaled. The pros would have flew past me, but I was slowly getting there.
Finally, I was at the top and turned back on to the last gravel road home. I had only one long, gentle hill to go. 4 kilometres in fact. Gravel roads can be slow, and this road was VERY slow. It had been recently graded and the stones were loose making pedaling a hard slog. My butt was very sore now, and while I don't normally like to stand, it was a big improvement on sitting.
I completed my ride in two hours and ten minutes and rode a total of 37 km. The shower never felt so good as it did today.
But the sweat, it really burns...
By the time I reach the one hour mark I need to turn around and head back home. I really wanted to go at least another 7 km but it wasn't to be on this trip. It seemed that going home I had the wind at my back so things were a little easier - just.
As I got back on the paved road, I realised that the long down-hill was now a long uphill. Half way up I was struggling. My arse was so sore I couldn't sit. It felt like I had been in a Turkish prison and was butt-raped everyday. Well, that's what I imagined anyway. I was standing, dancing on the pedals, and I was managing about 12 km/h. The sweat was pouring into my eyes. It burned, and as I blinked more ran in and my vision became blurred. I had thought about riding with my eyes closed but staying on the road would have been problematic.
I continued on. The birds seemed to be laughing at me now and my glasses were crusty with salt from the sweat. I had nothing to wipe my eyes with and on I pedaled. The pros would have flew past me, but I was slowly getting there.
Finally, I was at the top and turned back on to the last gravel road home. I had only one long, gentle hill to go. 4 kilometres in fact. Gravel roads can be slow, and this road was VERY slow. It had been recently graded and the stones were loose making pedaling a hard slog. My butt was very sore now, and while I don't normally like to stand, it was a big improvement on sitting.
I completed my ride in two hours and ten minutes and rode a total of 37 km. The shower never felt so good as it did today.
But the sweat, it really burns...
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The small chain-ring
Yesterday, 10 April 2011, I found out what the small chain ring is for. In doing a Time Trial at Champion Lakes, I thought I was ready to do a PB. I have a coach now and I have been working at being better. Nothing could have prepared me for the gale force winds though.
The circuit was reversed for this day and we had a strong tail wind going down the long straight. This was nice, but the headwind in the other direction was 37 km/h gusting to 65! Going around the back turn was like running into a brick wall. The speed dropped from over 40 to 20 km/h or less. Intent on doing my best (mainly to impress the coach and my few supporters who braved the weather to watch) I dropped onto the small ring. I had to spin furiously to maintain forward motion. I did manage to ride just above 20 km/h into the wind, but it was real work.
I didn't do any cool down afterwords as I had absolutely nothing left in the tank.
Sprint finish? Not bloody likely. Maybe next time I will appreciate the (less strong) winds that we normally have. A calm day - watch out, the tortoise will get a PB!
The circuit was reversed for this day and we had a strong tail wind going down the long straight. This was nice, but the headwind in the other direction was 37 km/h gusting to 65! Going around the back turn was like running into a brick wall. The speed dropped from over 40 to 20 km/h or less. Intent on doing my best (mainly to impress the coach and my few supporters who braved the weather to watch) I dropped onto the small ring. I had to spin furiously to maintain forward motion. I did manage to ride just above 20 km/h into the wind, but it was real work.
I didn't do any cool down afterwords as I had absolutely nothing left in the tank.
Sprint finish? Not bloody likely. Maybe next time I will appreciate the (less strong) winds that we normally have. A calm day - watch out, the tortoise will get a PB!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Stranded, in Paris no less.
Well, we have been stranded in Paris for the last 5 days, and probably will be here for at least two more days. Paris is fantastic, don't et me wrong, but when you really want to be home, it is just another place. There are some important lessons I've learnt about travelling:
First, always take extra napkins from the fast food place, you never know when you will need them, and for what.
Second, if you can, take those little wet towellettes (like from KFC) and stick a few in the camera bag. Again, you never know when they will come in handy.
Third, pee when you need to, not when you are desperate. Toilettes are much easier to find BEFORE you are about to wet your pants. Also, not all public toilettes are the cleanest places in the world, nor are they as clean as the toilet at "the G", just ask Holly. Note: refer to points one and two above.
Fourth, If you are on prescription medication, it does pay to bring more than "just enough" to get through. I now need to find an English speaking doctor to get a refill of drugs that I have sitting at home on the shelf. I have no idea how to get to the clinic, how much it will cost or how we are going to pay for it. Tomorrow is another day.
Five, when you travel to foriegn countries, don't expect them to all speak your language, and it doesn't pay to get snippy with people if they (the country you are visiting) don't speak YOUR language. YOU are in THEIR home, learn the language or go home. (Americans, Italians and Spaniards, please note).
Six, Americans, Spanish and Italians (from my observations) are very loud and obnoxious at times. If you want some quiet space, avoid them at all costs. Seven, if you eally want to see the city, walk. Yeah, the legs hurt if you're not an elite athlete like me, but you really can discover a wealth of shops and interesting things. Like gardens. Lyn loes gardens. I tolerate them.... Anyway, after a few days, the legs don't hurt so bad.
Eight (and last) Don't go to another country and expect things to be "just like home". If you want things "just like at home", go home. Obnoxious Americans, pleas re-read this. That's it for now, I can't wait to get home and back on the bike.
First, always take extra napkins from the fast food place, you never know when you will need them, and for what.
Second, if you can, take those little wet towellettes (like from KFC) and stick a few in the camera bag. Again, you never know when they will come in handy.
Third, pee when you need to, not when you are desperate. Toilettes are much easier to find BEFORE you are about to wet your pants. Also, not all public toilettes are the cleanest places in the world, nor are they as clean as the toilet at "the G", just ask Holly. Note: refer to points one and two above.
Fourth, If you are on prescription medication, it does pay to bring more than "just enough" to get through. I now need to find an English speaking doctor to get a refill of drugs that I have sitting at home on the shelf. I have no idea how to get to the clinic, how much it will cost or how we are going to pay for it. Tomorrow is another day.
Five, when you travel to foriegn countries, don't expect them to all speak your language, and it doesn't pay to get snippy with people if they (the country you are visiting) don't speak YOUR language. YOU are in THEIR home, learn the language or go home. (Americans, Italians and Spaniards, please note).
Six, Americans, Spanish and Italians (from my observations) are very loud and obnoxious at times. If you want some quiet space, avoid them at all costs. Seven, if you eally want to see the city, walk. Yeah, the legs hurt if you're not an elite athlete like me, but you really can discover a wealth of shops and interesting things. Like gardens. Lyn loes gardens. I tolerate them.... Anyway, after a few days, the legs don't hurt so bad.
Eight (and last) Don't go to another country and expect things to be "just like home". If you want things "just like at home", go home. Obnoxious Americans, pleas re-read this. That's it for now, I can't wait to get home and back on the bike.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
On the road. Again
Well, Lyn and I are on the road. Currently we are in Paris and loving it. Yes, the weather is cold and wet, but we have come from hot and dry, so I'm not complaining. Paris is a fantastic place, much more so than I would have expected. Until last year when I first visited, I never had the desire to visit Paris. I think the main reason is because I don't speak the language. This will have to change before my next visit, as I think I am missing out on too much.
We have been blessed with very helpful and friendly people. The only people who weren't overly friendly are other tourists. It's mainly the obnoxious American tourists that put me off, the French people have been fantastic.
I woke up at about 3:00 am today, and Lyn and I have been on the go since 7:00 a.m. Our legs and feet are sore and tired, but I am trying to stay up past 5:00 p.m. before I go to sleep.
Until tomorrow, aur revior!
We have been blessed with very helpful and friendly people. The only people who weren't overly friendly are other tourists. It's mainly the obnoxious American tourists that put me off, the French people have been fantastic.
I woke up at about 3:00 am today, and Lyn and I have been on the go since 7:00 a.m. Our legs and feet are sore and tired, but I am trying to stay up past 5:00 p.m. before I go to sleep.
Until tomorrow, aur revior!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Personal Best
I managed another personal best time at Champion Lakes last weekend. In a 20 km TT, I took off almost 3 minutes from my previous best time. I knew I was on a good ride when my first lap was a shade over 9 1/2 minutes. A bit of quick mental maths and I knew that I could do 4 laps in 10 minutes or less. I managed to do all four laps in less than 10 minutes, my last lap being the slowest, but not for lack of trying. It has been my experience (even though I'm a noob) that Champion Lakes can get you with it's gusty winds. This is what happened on my last lap, on the next to last corner. I was getting into a good rhythm when I was hit by a gust and I went off pace.
When the wind hit me, it was like riding into a wall, and I said "Oh dear, this isn't nice" or words to that effect. I re-organised my thoughts and remembered what my daughter said to me a few days before - "Pick a gear that works for you". Okay, so I clicked down two and picked up the pace. I only needed to get my average above 30 km/h to be on track for a PB.
At the finish straight, I had enough to really bring it home and it was a fantastic feeling crossing the line.
Two cyclist that I respect the most have told me not to take so much off so I wouldn't have to try so hard to set a PB the next time. Yeah, I could have coasted home and done a cruizy last lap, but then I wouldn't have done my Personal Best, I would have only done my Personal Good Enough, and that wouldn't have been good enough, would it?
When the wind hit me, it was like riding into a wall, and I said "Oh dear, this isn't nice" or words to that effect. I re-organised my thoughts and remembered what my daughter said to me a few days before - "Pick a gear that works for you". Okay, so I clicked down two and picked up the pace. I only needed to get my average above 30 km/h to be on track for a PB.
At the finish straight, I had enough to really bring it home and it was a fantastic feeling crossing the line.
Two cyclist that I respect the most have told me not to take so much off so I wouldn't have to try so hard to set a PB the next time. Yeah, I could have coasted home and done a cruizy last lap, but then I wouldn't have done my Personal Best, I would have only done my Personal Good Enough, and that wouldn't have been good enough, would it?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The next step
Tomorrow I ride in my biggest (longest) event, the 40 km ITT Champoinships. I don't expect to win, or even finish in the top 70...but I will finish barring unforseen circumstances. I have really been looking forward to this event, and training has been going well.
Every time I ride is a learning experience as so many things have changed since the last time I seriously rode a bicycle in 1972. If you re-trace my first couple of posts, you'll see what happened back them. I remember once in '72 I rode 65 MILES in one day. Back then we didn't carry water bottles on the bikes, didn't know what "bidons" were even. We would ride to the local driven hamburger joint, have a coke or root beer, ride to the next town, lather, rinse, repeat...
We didn't have real road bikes, the old "Stingray" was very common, and I had a three speed Stingray for a while. Later, I built my firts "real" road bike. I went to the local rubbish tip, sourced a frame, wheels, handle bars and seat. Shortly after I started riding it, I broke a spoke, but kept on riding. Then I broke another, then another and very quickly, it was ping, ping, ping richochet rabbit, I had NO spokes.
Luckily I worked in the only bike shop in town and got spokes cheap. I had to learn how to lace a wheel and I trued it in the shed at home on a home made jig. I don't recommend this to anyone, and I'll happily pay someone to do this for me now.
Back then, after a few weeks working in the bike shop, I bought a set of dropped handlebars (a novelty back then) and a racing front wheel and tyre. I couldn't yet afford a rear wheel, so I stuck with my one speed coaster brake tyre. My best effort then was one mile in 2 minutes, a 30 mile an hour average which I thought was really good for a one-speeder!
Tomorrow, my goal is to finish, and to finish in less than one hour and twenty minutes. Anything less than that is gravy.
We'll see how things go and I'll keep you posted.
Every time I ride is a learning experience as so many things have changed since the last time I seriously rode a bicycle in 1972. If you re-trace my first couple of posts, you'll see what happened back them. I remember once in '72 I rode 65 MILES in one day. Back then we didn't carry water bottles on the bikes, didn't know what "bidons" were even. We would ride to the local driven hamburger joint, have a coke or root beer, ride to the next town, lather, rinse, repeat...
We didn't have real road bikes, the old "Stingray" was very common, and I had a three speed Stingray for a while. Later, I built my firts "real" road bike. I went to the local rubbish tip, sourced a frame, wheels, handle bars and seat. Shortly after I started riding it, I broke a spoke, but kept on riding. Then I broke another, then another and very quickly, it was ping, ping, ping richochet rabbit, I had NO spokes.
Luckily I worked in the only bike shop in town and got spokes cheap. I had to learn how to lace a wheel and I trued it in the shed at home on a home made jig. I don't recommend this to anyone, and I'll happily pay someone to do this for me now.
Back then, after a few weeks working in the bike shop, I bought a set of dropped handlebars (a novelty back then) and a racing front wheel and tyre. I couldn't yet afford a rear wheel, so I stuck with my one speed coaster brake tyre. My best effort then was one mile in 2 minutes, a 30 mile an hour average which I thought was really good for a one-speeder!
Tomorrow, my goal is to finish, and to finish in less than one hour and twenty minutes. Anything less than that is gravy.
We'll see how things go and I'll keep you posted.
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