Beginner roadie log

colm_gti

Having played a bit of club rugby on and off for close enough to 15 years, this year was to be the year I took it a bit more seriously, starting with heavy pre-season training at the end of July (weights 3 days a week, sprints once a week and intervals once a week, proper nutrition plans etc etc.), was tipping about 15 stone (up from ~12 stone), with sub 10% bodyfat come the start of season, but thanks to my over eagerness to play, dislocated my shoulder in the last 10 minutes of my first game.

Having run out of ways to injure myself, and having spent the guts of 10 weeks sitting on my arse doing sfa, I thought it was time to give up on the rugby and look into something a bit less dangerous (and in hindsight, cycling is probably just as bad :rolleyes:). Having bought a Giant OCR2 back in September when I moved out of the parents house, purely for commuting, I thought I'd try getting out for a few longer spins to keep fit once the shoulder healed up in November....then I started talking to people that are a bit more serious with cycling....then I found this forum....roll on a few months and I've sold my car (which was a huge hobby of mine since I turned 18) and my Giant to buy a newer, better road bike (and a fixie for commuting :rolleyes:).

With the arrival of my new bike, I've been trying to add a bit more structure to my training, to fill the training gap that rugby has left, aiming to get out Tuesday and Thursday mornings for a short (~35-40km) spin with some hill intervals before college, and Saturday or Sunday morning for in and around 100km, not to mention my 10km round trip commute per day on the fixie. Since picking up the new bike on the 18th of Feb, I've clocked up 438km on it, according to Strava.

Last time I measured, I weighed in at 75-80kgs, and I'm about 6'2", not sure if I want to loose much more, so I've been eating a clean enough 5000 calories a day.

To add a bit more structure to training, and get myself more used to riding in larger groups, I've just joined ThinkBike CC, and hope to get out for the first interval session tomorrow evening, and every Sunday spin from now on. I'm going to keep up a third training spin a week (probably Tuesday morning) as well.

I've been looking to set myself some goals, to focus my training a bit better, and I originally started out looking into a few triathlons as I've always been quite a strong swimmer, but as time goes on, I'm becoming less interested in them and more interested in cycle only events, and hope to take part in as many sportives as possible this year, with a view to taking part in something a bit more competitive some time next year (or maybe even late this year).

So to date (according to Strava), I've:

• Cycled a distance of 815km (probably more as I keep forgetting to record commutes)
• Climed 5478m

I haven't done anything other than commuting this week as I'd told the girlfriend I'd do a 'super spin' with her yesterday evening, but when we got there the class was full, so we went and ate some curry instead :pac: But I hope to get out for the first club interval training tomorrow so I should be well rested for that.

Hopefully this log, paired with strava, will keep me motivated to train as well as possible.

seamus

colm_gti wrote: »

Last time I measured, I weighed in at 75-80kgs, and I'm about 6'2", not sure if I want to loose much more, so I've been eating a clean enough 5000 calories a day.

:eek: Typo?
At 75-80kgs, your BMR is closer to 2,500 kcal per day. Or do you have a particularly active job?

Good luck with it anyway. You sound like someone who is very focussed and no stranger to training hard to achieve your goals, so training to race next year should be well within your grasp.

colm_gti

seamus wrote: »

:eek: Typo?
At 75-80kgs, your BMR is closer to 2,500 kcal per day. Or do you have a particularly active job?

Good luck with it anyway. You sound like someone who is very focussed and no stranger to training hard to achieve your goals, so training to race next year should be well within your grasp.

Nope, I've always found it very hard to put on and maintain any weight (losing nearly 15kgs since the beginning of September says it all ), and doing ~250km a week on a bike is burning through calories. I've started playing tag rugby once a week too (more for the social aspect) and I am on my feet for a lot of my day, so I would have quite a high level of calorie expenditure.

seamus

Seems nuts to me, but you know what you're doing Even though I do similar amounts of exercise, 5,000kcal per day would annihilate me, I'd balloon in a couple of months.

Though I'll admit that I'm jealous. I love food
Good luck, hopefully we'll see you at a sportive this summer.

colm_gti

seamus wrote: »

Seems nuts to me, but you know what you're doing Even though I do similar amounts of exercise, 5,000kcal per day would annihilate me, I'd balloon in a couple of months.

Though I'll admit that I'm jealous. I love food
Good luck, hopefully we'll see you at a sportive this summer.

It can be tough to get it in at times, I blame my over-active 22 year old digestive system, but yeah I love my food too so it's not so bad. Give me a few years, when my metabolism slows down a bit, I'll probably hit 20 stone if I keep it up

daragh_

See you on Sunday so. Enjoy the Thursday session. If you can keep Andras in your sights for any amount of time you'll be flyin'.

colm_gti

daragh_ wrote: »

See you on Sunday so. Enjoy the Thursday session. If you can keep Andras in your sights for any amount of time you'll be flyin'.

Cool, I'll be the one afraid of cycling in a group haha!

I was going to say if I can make it to the top of Kilmashogue lane (or wherever it is this week) and back 4 times without puking I'll be doing well, never mind trying to keep up with Andras...

wanderer 22

colm_gti wrote: »

Cool, I'll be the one afraid of cycling in a group haha!

I was going to say if I can make it to the top of Kilmashogue lane (or wherever it is this week) and back 4 times without puking I'll be doing well, never mind trying to keep up with Andras...

See you there Sunday as well...heading up Kilmashougue myself this evening, aiming to get up twice..not a chance I could do it 4 in a row!

colm_gti

Excellent! It's good to see there'll be a few boardsies there I can put faces to names!

colm_gti

First Thursday night training (or torture:rolleyes:) with thinkbike down this evening, was ready to throw in the towel after the first climb to the top of ticknock hill....so done the sensible thing and knocked out another 2 climbs! Feel great for it now though, wasn't TOO far behind the others. I think it's fair to say they are seriously fit lads and fearless on the descents!

http://app.strava.com/rides/4942734

Kav0777

colm_gti wrote: »

First Thursday night training (or torture:rolleyes:) with thinkbike down this evening, was ready to throw in the towel after the first climb to the top of ticknock hill....so done the sensible thing and knocked out another 2 climbs! Feel great for it now though, wasn't TOO far behind the others. I think it's fair to say they are seriously fit lads and fearless on the descents!

http://app.strava.com/rides/4942734

WOW... 110.5 kph.... just WOW

Seriously though, fair play, I wouldn't have been able for those repeats.

colm_gti

Kav0777 wrote: »

WOW... 110.5 kph.... just WOW

Seriously though, fair play, I wouldn't have been able for those repeats.

Yeah and believe it or not the other lads left me for dead on the descent, couldn't see which way they went! Can only imagine the speeds they were hitting!

colm_gti

Today was a cracking day for a spin! Got out for my first spin with thinkbike, was a bit faster than I'd expected but I tried my best to keep up!

http://app.strava.com/rides/5056132

Also weighed myself out of interest when I was over in the girlfriends house this evening and I've dropped to bang on 70kgs, that's almost 4 stone dropped since September despite the amount of 'clean' calories I'm taking in! Think I need to reevaluate my diet! Although I guess lighter is better in this game!

daragh_

colm_gti wrote: »

Today was a cracking day for a spin! Got out for my first spin with thinkbike, was a bit faster than I'd expected but I tried my best to keep up!

http://app.strava.com/rides/5056132

You were flyin'

wanderer 22

daragh_ wrote: »

You were flyin'

You guys left me for dead on that descent from the Gap!

colm_gti

daragh_ wrote: »

You were flyin'

On the descents maybe, you guys were machines on the ascents!

colm_gti

No club spin yesterday evening, so went out for a quick spin with my housemate and another mate yesterday morning before college...

http://app.strava.com/rides/5236086

Was handy enough, would have liked to get a second lap of the bohernabreena hill in, but time wouldn't allow it, will just have to go a bit earlier next time :rolleyes:

daragh_

Oh yes there was! OK, just me going up and down to Three Rock.

colm_gti

daragh_ wrote: »

Oh yes there was! [COLOR="Silver"]OK, just me going up and down to Three Rock.[/COLOR]

Aw if I'd known I'd have went with you!

daragh_

colm_gti wrote: »

Aw if I'd known I'd have went with you!

Are you signed up to the Teamer List? I'll PM you.

colm_gti

daragh_ wrote: »

colm_gti wrote: »

Aw if I'd known I'd have went with you!

Are you signed up to the Teamer List? I'll PM you.

No man, not on that, how do I sign up?

colm_gti

Out for a bit of a spin with Captain Havoc, Planet X and coastwatch this morning (thanks again lads for letting me tag along!).

http://app.strava.com/rides/5321274

Longest spin to date, finally broke the 100km :rolleyes:

EDIT: I like the layout of RT66's log, so I'm blatantly copying it from now on :P

Week ending 18th March:
Monday: 9.4km commute
Tuesday: 15.6km commute
Wednesday: 4.1km commute
Thursday: 43.7km spin + 10km commute
Friday: 15.2km commute
Saturday: 118km spin
Sunday: Rest

Weekly Total: 216km
YTD: 1130km

colm_gti

colm_gti wrote: »

Also weighed myself out of interest when I was over in the girlfriends house this evening and I've dropped to bang on 70kgs, that's almost 4 stone dropped since September despite the amount of 'clean' calories I'm taking in! Think I need to reevaluate my diet! Although I guess lighter is better in this game!

Clearly her weighing scales is 'flattering' as I'm back in the parents house today, and using their digital scales I'm weighing in at 87.1kgs, a hell of a lot more realistic! Still dropped the best part of 10kgs since September all the same...

daragh_

I demand you take 'beginner' out of the title of this log.

colm_gti

daragh_ wrote: »

I demand you take 'beginner' out of the title of this log.

Think it takes more than 5 months to progress out of the 'beginner' ranks :P

colm_gti

Got out for another spin with Daragh_ and Colm18 yesterday morning...

http://app.strava.com/rides/5422254

For some reason it hasn't logged any of the segments on this spin, have to try it again another time.

Managed to clock up nearly 220km over the long weekend...legs feel a bit tight this morning, might head out for a light spin this evening to see if it loosens them up at all...

colm_gti

Out for an easy (my hole!) spin with daragh_ and Dave from Thinkbike last night...

http://app.strava.com/rides/5570132

The torture on the hills is beginning to pay off, can definitely feel myself getting a little stronger each week.

Plastik

193 top speed, that's very impressive !

colm_gti

Plastik wrote: »

193 top speed, that's very impressive !

Ah y'know, all in a days work :rolleyes:

Judging by where I 'hit' that speed, I'm guessing my iPhone lost GPS signal again!

All the more reason to finally bite the bullet and order a garmin!

daragh_

Must be those special tablets you were necking on the way up.

colm_gti

daragh_ wrote: »

Must be those special tablets you were necking on the way up.

Why else do you think I dropped behind you and Dave briefly :pac:

colm_gti

Yesterday was a cracking day for a spin, got out with daragh_ and Colm18 for a spin to the Shay Elliott via the Sally gap...

http://app.strava.com/rides/5696548

Good spin, apart from the fact that I was really hitting the wall by the time I got to Enniskerry, having eaten 2 packets of nature valley flapjacks, a packet of wine gums, an espresso and 3 litres of High5 zero, and having forgotten to bring more money than the change that was left in my saddle bag from the previous week, I honestly thought I was going to flop into a ditch! Lesson learned!

Got a good bit of mileage in this week, thanks to the bank holiday!

Week ending 25th March:
Monday: 96.3km spin + 6km commute
Tuesday: 8.3km commute
Wednesday: 9.7km commute
Thursday: 34.2km spin + 8.8km commute
Friday: 13.4km commute
Saturday: 13.4km spin + 18.1km commute
Sunday: 110km spin

Weekly Totals: 322km distance + 4133m elevation gain
YTD: 1452km distance + 13844m elevation gain

Also currently standing at #1020 in the specialized challenge, if I can break into the sub 1000 rankings this week I'll be happy :pac:

monkeyslayer

I too demand you remove all mentions of the word 'beginner' from this thread...

Good man thats some going, you'll be a demon by the end of the summer... You should add up the metres climbed too each week too. Sorry missed yis yest, even got up and got ready to go in the morning, and then the phone rang... stupid real life getting in the way of my cycling...

colm_gti

monkeyslayer wrote: »

I too demand you remove all mentions of the word 'beginner' from this thread...

Good man thats some going, you'll be a demon by the end of the summer... You should add up the metres climbed too each week too. Sorry missed yis yest, even got up and got ready to go in the morning, and then the phone rang... stupid real life getting in the way of my cycling...

Haha, cheers man, no reason not to get out on Thursday sure, the evenings are getting longer and this week is set to be a cracker!

Checked the weekly/yearly elevation totals, I wouldn't even have driven that amount this time last year haha!

Weekly Totals: 322km distance + 4133m elevation gain
YTD: 1452km distance + 13844m elevation gain

colm_gti

Would have been rude not to take advantage of the weather and get out for a light enough spin yesterday, so I took a half day and set off on the bike. Decided to head for Howth seeing as I haven't been to that side of the city in over a month.

http://app.strava.com/rides/5805137

It's funny to look back and think how I used to struggle to do one climb of this hill and now 3 climbs is taking it relatively easy, definitely starting to benefit from getting out with the Thinkbike lads twice a week! :cool:

colm_gti

Out with daragh_ and Colm18 for some more fun on the hills this evening...

http://app.strava.com/rides/5902906

There's a great stretch in the evenings now, should be able for 4 full repeats next week before the sun goes down!

colm_gti

Picked up a garmin edge 200 on Friday (I know, I know, should have went for the 500, but when push came to shove I coughed up for the 200. There was over €60 in the difference, and when you're a student that equates to an extra week of dinners, which is more important that an edge 500) so I was looking forward to getting out to try it out.

Got out with manafana and monkeyslayer this morning for a light spin..

http://app.strava.com/rides/6032545

Brought this weeks totals up to:

Weekly Totals: 284km distance + 3914m elevation gain
YTD: 1736km distance + 17758m elevation gain

wanderer 22

You better be joking calling 120k a light spin!

colm_gti

colm18 wrote: »

You better be joking calling 120k a light spin!

Haha april fools!

daragh_

colm_gti wrote: »

colm18 wrote: »

You better be joking calling 120k a light spin!

Haha april fools!

Well done.

colm_gti

Got out yesterday afternoon/evening to try out my new Bryton Rider 35, and establish a max HR for the purpose of trying out a bit of zone training over the next few weeks.

The computer worked well, acquired satellite as soon as I turned it on, easy to start recording and easy to read while in use, no different to a garmin really. When uploaded to brytonsport however, it seems you can analyse it a bit more than garminconnect, if you're at all interested in time/hr/speed going uphill/downhill (which most people aren't I'd imagine:rolleyes:).

http://www.brytonsport.com/mapTrackView?id=413470

It was friggin cold up there though, regretted not wearing full finger gloves and glasses, the sleet was blinding me!

colm_gti

Got a decent amount of cycling in this week...

Week ending 8th April:
Monday: 17.9 commute
Tuesday: 9.8km commute + 21.4km spin
Wednesday: 9km commute
Thursday: 15.4km commute + 31.8km spin
Friday: 5.8km commute + 104km spin
Saturday: 71.3km spin
Sunday: 29.3km spin

Weekly Totals: 316km distance + 3230m elevation gain
YTD: 2060km distance + 21013m elevation gain

Wasn't overly happy with the week, wanted to try get 4 climbs of Kilmashogue in on Thursday, but I found my mate stranded with a snapped chain at the bottom when I got down from my 3rd climb and we called it a day. Fridays spin with a mate from Castleknock was a bit of a 'make it up as we go along' route, with way too much traffic! Legs were a bit tired then for Saturday so didn't push too far on the hills. Used the spin home to my parents house to loosen my legs a bit, before a tasty Easter Sunday lunch :cool:

As I'm staying here tonight I'm hoping get out for a decent spin from here tomorrow morning, providing the weather isn't TOO bad, and hopefully structure my training a bit better from now on, now that I have a good HRM, and have established as close to my max HR as I can without my heart bursting through my head!

Weighed myself on the parents digital scales while I'm here and I'm still hovering between 87-88kg's, must analyse my diet a bit better and try shed a bit of that :rolleyes:

colm_gti

Not a huge amount of distance recorded this week...

Week ending 15th April:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 9.3km commute + 47.1km spin
Wednesday: 5.8km commute
Thursday: 4.7km commute + 38.2km spin
Friday: 5.2km commute
Saturday: 12km spin (on the fixie)
Sunday: 99.6km spin (Tour de Foothills)

Weekly Totals: 222km distance + 3366m elevation gain
YTD: 2281km distance + 24378m elevation gain

Really enjoyed the Tour de Foothills today, not as much climbing as the usual Sunday spin, but my body feels like it was worked a lot harder...

colm_gti

Haven't updated this in a while...

Week ending 21st April:
Monday: 9.3km commute
Tuesday: 13.9km commute + 39.2km spin
Wednesday: 6km commute
Thursday: 10.8km commute + 38.1km spin
Friday: Off
Saturday: 122.6km spin
Sunday: Off

Weekly Totals: 240km distance + 3245m elevation gain

Week ending 28th April:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 34.3km spin
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: 107.8km spin
Sunday: Off

Weekly Totals: 142km distance + 1385m elevation gain

YTD: 2663.3km distance + 29008m elevation gain

Last week was a quiet week thanks to the miserable weather stopping my commute, and going to see cirque de soleil on Thursday. Sat in with the St. Tiernans fast group on Saturday to see how I'd get on, with a view to joining up and taking part in their club league. The pace was spot on, was able to hang on for the whole spin, felt like a good workout and learned a lot about technique. Ever since getting off the bike however, my knee has been in agony thanks to overly tight quad muscles, which could possibly keep me off the bike altogether this week, a shame as I'd signed up to the orwell spin at the weekend I've been to see a physio and getting treatment, and he reckons I'd be ok to tackle the spin at the weekend, but to be honest I'd rather wait until I'm 100% again, as I'd like to get in on the club league ASAP!

colm_gti

Been a while since I updated this as there wasn't much to report back on thanks to my feic'd knee. Was with a physio twice a week and he had eliminated all the possibilities regarding muscle tightness, yet I was still in agony after a 20km spin, so it was purely down to an ergonomic issue. Booked myself a bike fitting with irishfit, and Leo there discovered that my left glute was much much weaker than my right, and when it got tired, my knee was buckling inwards, putting extra rotational strain on my joint. A few core exercises a day and plenty of stretching, coupled with the bike fit seems to have resolved it completely

Now the only issue is my fitness :rolleyes:

Week ending 6th of May:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 25.2km spin
Friday: Off
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

Was in too much agony after Thursdays spin to get back on the bike

Week ending 13th of May:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: Off
Sunday: 34.7km spin

Knee still pretty tender

Week ending 20th of May:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: 44.1km spin
Sunday: Off

Went for a post bike fitting spin and was beginning to feel a lot more comfortable

Week ending 27th of May:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 47km spin
Wednesday: 71km spin
Thursday: Off
Friday: 70.5km spin
Saturday: 78.7km spin
Sunday: Off

This was the week of the cracking weather, and my knee was feeling pretty good again, so it would have been rude not to get out most evenings. Tried sitting in with the tiernans fast group for the first time since my injury, but the pace was too aggressive and my knee was feeling a bit tender after 25km, but when we crossed paths with the touring group I took it as a sign and stuck with them for the remainder of the spin. Was feeling pretty sore on Sunday so took it off.

Week ending 3rd of June:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 79km spin
Friday: Off
Saturday: 111.7km spin
Sunday: Off

Felt pretty strong in the hills on Thursday, so decided I'd try rolling out with the Tiernans fast group again this weekend, managed just fine, not even so much as a hint of pain from my knee

Hoping to get my full competition licence in the next week or two, and then all I have to do is get my hands on some club kit the next time there is an order going in before I can make my racing debut

YTD: 3354.1km distance + 36255m elevation gain

colm_gti

Good week this week thanks to the bank holiday and a few breaks in the clouds!

Week ending 10th of June:
Monday: 129km Spin
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 64.8km Spin
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: 76.4km Spin
Sunday: 70.1km Spin

Saturday club spin was tough! With everyone doing the WW200 only 3 of us turned up, so there was no hiding from the atrocious winds! Didn't help that I was feeling pretty tired from Monday's and Wednesday's spins. Was out for dinner the previous night too, so didn't have a big portion of pasta like usual, was surprised at how big a difference this made!

Hadn't planned to head out today, but a mate wanted to spin the legs, and the weather looked decent, so went on a handy one down to Roundwood for a can of coke and a purple snack bar. Glad I got this in as I doubt I'll have much time to get out this week.

Hoping to get my competition licence tomorrow, so if I can get a lend of a Tiernans jersey for Thursday I might make a first appearance at the club league race


Weekly Totals: 340.3km distance + 4600m elevation gain

YTD: 3565.4km distance + 38783m elevation gain

colm_gti

Only updating this for last week now as I was too busy until today, and as a consequence didn't get out as much as I'd liked

Week ending 17th of June:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: 47.6km spin
Saturday: 46.9km spin
Sunday: 46.3km spin

Weekly Totals: 140.8km distance + 918m elevation gain

On the plus side, I got my (student rate:D) full competition licence, and am strongly considering 'breaking it in' at mondello tonight!

colm_gti

I know its not Sunday, but I won't be on the bike tomorrow and I'm bored

Great week on the bike this week, broke in my newly acquired race licence nicely!

Week ending 24th of June:
Monday: 77.2km spin
Tuesday: 8.7km warm up, 51.7km race + 3.4km warm down
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 17.1km warm up, 30.3km race + 24km spin home
Friday: Off
Saturday: 53.2km spin + 3hrs Kayaking
Sunday: Off

Enjoyed the racing immensely!

Mondello, stuck with the lead group for pretty much the full 15 laps, until someone commented on how well I was doing, halfway through the last lap, I burnt out, dropped back, got spat out and rolled home solo behind them.

Club league race, went out with SL, stuck with the group for most of it, until the start of the rolling hills, dropped out until the climb, started to claw my way back on the climb and had almost caught the back f the bunch by the time I reached the finish line.

Far from last in both cases, which I'm happy out with for my debut, can't wait for the next one!