My Year On The Bike

fed up sick and tired

Hello all,

A month ago I got myself a Giant Defy 2, via the Bike to Work scheme.

I had been spinning on a turbo, using an old but good Scott bike, for a month prior to that.

I want to keep this log so that I can have something to look back on with satisfaction, a year from now. Curious to see what I can achieve.

I assume my weight will look after itself, and it isn't my primary focus. But for the record, and I will log it weekly - when I started in Jan I was 94.5kg / 14st 12lbs. Today I stand at 86kg / 13st 7lbs.

Mostly though, I just need to challenge myself again after nearly twenty years of doing practically nothing, sports-wise. A mid-life crisis, in other words.

Thus, today I have registered for the Tour De Burren. The 155km, of course :rolleyes: I'm far from confident at this moment, but that's fine too.

I found the link for the Sean Kelly Comeragh Challenge training plan, and last week I jumped into week three of that. It's the mileage I was doing anyway, but now over four sessions a week instead of three.

So far, finding it quite easy, no niggles or hassles.

Wish me luck !

Zyzz

Best of luck with everything! Keep your training up and your diet in check, consistency is key.

And remember, 'It doesn't get easier, you just get stronger'

nilhg

Good man yourself, nothing like having a target and a plan as to how you are going to achieve it.

Best of luck with it.

fed up sick and tired

Anther week, half a kilo down to 85.5, without any major plan in place. Relaxed about that.

Learned a very valuable lesson in the week. Got three km out on a spin, punctured. No pump, the wrong CO2 refills, no mobile to call wifey to pick me up. Walked the three km back, in cleats. Never again.

In general, buzzing with it all. After so long in a comfort zone, I'm surprised that the effort of changing routine and of physical exertion is actually very enjoyable and energising. Even on the very cold mornings and evenings, when the fingers are freezing cold heading out, you know you're going to be grand in a couple of km's. Toes, not so much. But you know you're going to feel great when you get back and have a nice hot shower, and you've done something really good for yourself.

It helps to have a clear goal. Still pretty daunted by the Burren ride, but the idea of the training plan I'm following, that suits my nature. Even though I can go longer than the 30km long spins specified, I'm sticking with it. It gives me confidence. It should get me to 120km by the week before the Burren Tour. After the four weeks so far I'm shy by 10km, due to my logistical mess-up,but I'll easily get that back this week just by hitting 110km.

Already I'm scoping out the 40km hilly runs that will come into the routine in a few more weeks. I know they'll be painful, but really looking forward to it. I'm very lucky to live in an area that has as much flat/undulating/hill as you like within easy reach.

Kicking myself I didn't use the Scheme two or three years ago already. And all the summer still to come.

Good luck to you all with your training.

Zyzz

Good stuff! Always check you have the correct gear before you go out, the 30 seconds or so that you do this will ensure your mishaps are limited..and that the gear works correctly!

How are the cleats looking? I can't imagine they didn't take a beating on that 3km walk :pac:

fed up sick and tired

Zyzz wrote: »

Good stuff! Always check you have the correct gear before you go out, the 30 seconds or so that you do this will ensure your mishaps are limited..and that the gear works correctly!

How are the cleats looking? I can't imagine they didn't take a beating on that 3km walk :pac:

They took a second beating, into the rubbish bin at high velocity They were destroyed, so I bought new ones

Zyzz

fed up sick and tired wrote: »

They took a second beating, into the rubbish bin at high velocity They were destroyed, so I bought new ones

If you ever plan on doing the same thing..

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cleatskins-pedal-cleat-grips-cover-look-spd-speedplay-time/

fed up sick and tired

Two weeks later, still hovering around 85.5kg. I now think I will give it another couple of weeks, and then start to knuckle down regarding my food intake.

I'm a bit behind schedule as we've had visitors, and I've been down with a bug the last few days. About 100k down but I'll re-jig it and hopefully be within twenty or thirty km by Saturday.

Can I ask people's honest opinion please of whether or not what I've set myself is sensible/do-able ? I ask because on the Tour de Burren thread, someone says

looking down at the garmin at 1 hour 45 minutes and 40 k done , demonstrates how the weather conditions and the terrain impacted progress.

Ehhhhh, I'd call that fair progress, on a fine day. And unremarkable terrain. Am I in for an ass-kicking ?

fed up sick and tired

Zyzz wrote: »

If you ever plan on doing the same thing..

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cleatskins-pedal-cleat-grips-cover-look-spd-speedplay-time/

Cheers for that,will be getting some.

This cycling craic is nearly as bad as the golf for lightening the wallet

fed up sick and tired

Well, the weight continues to ease down. 84.4kg is good, I think.

I was feeling really good, and had made up most of the ground I'd lost the week before last. A 44km spin on the flat, averaging 25km/h left me feeling completely at ease, with no discomfort at all in the legs. An endorphin rush along the way didn't hurt a bit.

Possibly I should have put in another week before tackling hills. That's what the plan called for. But I felt good, and possibly starting to fret a bit about the TdB distance/hills.

Friday last came and I did a 40km spin to home. The first half as good as flat, the second half substantially uphill.

At 35km I was seriously working harder than I have had to do up to now, though I had minded myself with fluids and food all the way. Jumped off the bike feeling great, as usual the legs were grand. I had spun at 90-100 rpm all the way, never out of the small ring.

Had a nap and when I got up in the evening, my right lower back was in a fair amount of jabbing pain. It still is, and I've had enough of it already.

Hope it's just an exertion kind of ache, rather than damage. Difficult for me to see myself on the bike with hindsight, but I'm pretty sure I was swaying and pulling the bars with the effort of the last few km. I doubt I made thirty turns of the pedals standing, the whole trip.

Have had the bike pro-fitted a three weeks ago, so pretty confident it isn't that. Seemingly I have above normal general flexibility for my age, too.

Am off work tomorrow and thinking of a 40km ride on the flat to see if that will just loosen it out. I'll be no more than 10km from the car at any point so if I calf, I'll make it anyway.

Seriously disheartened now, and 155km by June 22nd seems almost impossible to hope for.

fed up sick and tired

After a week of rest due to my back issue, the last couple of weeks have been very reasonable.

Last week got out for four spins of 40, 40, 55, and 60km. The week just gone, three spins of 60, 25, and 75km yesterday. All the while averaging 25km/h.

It's proving impossible to stick with the programme I adopted. Too many night shifts,and they're twelve hours. So I've neither been able to get out four times a week, nor space sessions regularly.

I reckon that cumulatively I am short 125km of where I should be.

On the other hand, 75km for the long spin is more or less where I should be at anyway. And today I feel grand.

Six weeks to the Tour de Burren to go, so here's the plan ahead -

1. Four more twelve-hour night shifts this week, then refusing to do any more of them until after the sportive.

2. Two weeks holidays from next week, in which I intend to follow the programme more rigidly - definitely four sessions a week is on, no excuses.

3. Do some group riding, which i have never done.

4. From today, a daily session of core strength exercises. And lower back, which is where I am especially struggling.

5. From today, become much more conscious of diet.

My weight is still hovering around the 84.5kg mark. That's 10kg down on my start point, without making any real effort whatsoever, other than eating less, eating less junk, and not eating late.

Good luck to you all with your training.

thinks too much

Keep up the good work...you will be fine come the Tour de Burren...just do it at a pace that suits you..I did the Tour of Sligo last week and it was great..people of all shapes and sizes and levels of fitness and all had same goal of just enjoying it..i will be doingbthe Tour de Burren also so if you need anyone to spin along with down there drop me a line...

fed up sick and tired

Did it. Shattered, but did the 155. Averaged less than 21km/h riding time, but I'm ok with that.

I dropped the log when the laptop packed up, but in any case I was finding the missing of targets disheartening eg got hardly anything done in the last two weeks because working ALL nights. Got no group riding done at all, and felt that in the earlier stages today when there was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing for position, and overtaking - a posse of Dungarvan lads passed me at speed en masse, and it was a bit of an eye-opener. I nearly filled me tights, actually.

Lessons learned - the heavily scheduled spreadsheet format of training is not going to work for me. Out of the 16-week plan, I only once got in four spins in a week.

What I did stick with, and think has been very beneficial, is a stretching regime before and after a ride.

Cadence and pace - delighted that I stuck to my guns here. More or less stayed in the small ring apart from the very quickest downhills, didn't get sucked into upping the pace just to stay in groups. Spent the day riding alone actually.

ps Thanks to thinks too much for kind offer above.

fed up sick and tired

Right, I'll give this another lash. This time the target is the 160km Comeragh Challenge, eight weeks from tomorrow, Sunday. Haven't registered yet as I'm financially embarrassed until Wednesday. But I fully intend to do so.

Loosely, I'll be following the same training plan

http://www.theseankellytour.com/media/itsafeeling/media/topattractions/getoutthere/skthomepage/trainforit/suggested%20training%20programme%20160k%202012.pdf

as I did for the Burren Tour - ie trying to at least hit the weekly kilometres. I think three spins a week is going to be the reality, instead of four. One of those will be progressively longer each week, up to about 120-130km, and then tapering for the week before the event.

I will be doing almost all of my spins in and around the hills nearby. I did that before the TdB but was still surprised at how hilly I found that course on the day. I think I still have a huge improvement that I can look forward to there. I will be specifically incorporating hill repeats into the shorter spins, rather than just using those to clock up mileage as I did before.

Actually the Comeragh trip sounds a lot tougher than the TdB, hills-wise, so really I have little choice !

Today was my first day back out since last Saturday -

58km, @ 24.2km/h average. I know there are a lot of variables with regard to speed, but no harm to record it I suppose.

82.9kg.

fed up sick and tired

First proper spin since Burren tour, really enjoyed myself this evening. Awesome weather, hilly scenery of Co. Tipp, everything just right. Without getting caught up in the numbers, I focused on pushing harder than I did previously over the same terrain. I succeeded.

According to veloroutes, I cycled 80km (that is accurate anyway), and climbed 998m.

Unfortunately the next week is wiped out, though I may be able to squeeze in a couple of 90 minute sessions sometime between Tuesday and Friday. I will be heading straight for the hills. Following week may go baw-ways too,buthopefully not.

I really struggled to finish the Tour de Burren, but learned a huge amount from it. I know the Comeragh Challenge is going to be a lot worse for me than that was. I can only embrace that.

Bring it on.

ToC1

Best of luck! Keep to a strict training programme, maintain a healthy diet, do 15 minutes of stretching before & after each session.

fed up sick and tired

Perfect conditions this evening, fabulous.

Found a very flat 65km course, and averaged 28.4km/h, mostly in the big ring. That is massively higher than anything I did previous to TdB, as I did 99% of my training for that in the small ring.

I read somewhere that speed work like that has a training benefit for much longer trips of lower average speed. Any thoughts, anyone ?

Five weeks now and counting, I still feel I have my work cut out to complete the Comeragh Challenge. But by God I intend to enjoy the attempt !

This week is hectic, but there are no excuses for not achieving the target 210km over three spins. After this week, I have no commitments other than work.

fed up sick and tired

Another lovely evening. We could get used to this.

91km, at 23.8km/h. Started with a little look at the hills, and then did a downhill/flat 65km to as fast as I could. Turned into the hills then for the last 25km.

I can't get out again until Thursday so gave it all. I really just tried to focus on staying out of the comfort zone all the way, pushing much harder than in the past. Quads on fire.

The man who said ''it doesn't get easier, you just get faster''... that lad knows what's going on.

Good luck to you all with your training.

fed up sick and tired

Bulling that I didn't get out on Thurs. The lesson is - never vacillate. If I'd gone when I said I was going I'd have been clean away for the day, instead of getting caught for nothing.

Anyway, this evening 50km, @25km/h. Again, trying to push out of the comfort zone.

Noticeably travelling up hills at a much faster rate than previously. The burn is not now a horrible slog, but something to accept and settle into. Nothing to get stressed about.

Tomorrow will be trying for 90km around the hills, including a monster that I'm going to dip into once or twice a week for the next few weeks.

fed up sick and tired

Reverse of yesterday's route... 50km, @ 26.5 km/h.

Heavy rain, and a not-very-helpful wind... pleased enough.

A couple of days off now, and into the hills later in the week. Feeling good, though I feel the need to get into the hills now, so will leave the ''speedy'' spins to one side for awhile. Back into the small chain-ring we go...

fed up sick and tired

100km, @ 22.4km/h.

Pretty tough going, with the wind and rain all the way. Stayed in the small chain-ring for the duration.

A 10 min. food break at 50km and at 65km got over the monster for the first time, at the fifth time of asking. Couldn't believe it, elation. Seriously hurt though.

Still, that's only 2.2km @9%, and won't get me over Tickincor, which is 3km at the same gradient. Oh my God. Three weeks to get into shape, and thinking positively will be crucial.

Spent the last 33km in the hills and no help from the wind. The bad road surface really wears me out, but that's a kind of training too I suppose.

petethedrummer

ToC1 wrote: »

do 15 minutes of stretching before & after each session.

Get a good physio that can tell you whether you actually need to stretch muscles or strengthen them. Randomnly stretching this that and the other may not solve anything.

If you are experience lower back pain and have a desk job, do some googling on the Psoas muscle.

fed up sick and tired

73km, @ 23.7 km/h. More or less along the flat except for 3km climb of 7% at 60km.

Hard to get the clothing set up right sometimes. It was twenty degrees and dry when I left home. After a good drowning early on, plus the wind and a drop in temp through the evening - I could feel the cold in my legs all the way.

Plus I had only a short sleeve top, so when I had to put the rainproof on early doors, it was stuck to me for the duration. It minimises the desire to stop.

So that was a bit of a chore, but in terms of the cycling itself... it's amazing that two and a half to three hours (and more) now seem routine, completely do-able, and not really uncomfortable at all. But at the same time very satisfying.

Can't wait to get out tomorrow, hoping for 100km minimum, including lots of hills, and especially another look at the 9%.

Won't get out after that until Friday at the earliest. Maybe an intensive hour in the hills of an evening, if I play it cool with the long-haired chum...

Good Luck with your training, everyone !

fed up sick and tired

Yesterday, 73km @23.2km/h. Including my 9% hill, which I got over with a lot less difficulty than the last time... that's all relative, of course. But then again this was a much lumpier course, and I didn't take a break at all.

What I did was dropped the tempo right back from the start of the hill, and settled into that all the way to the top. I don't really get that ''pushing out the belly'' breathing that I've read about, but I did focus on steady breathing, ie some kind of rhythm with my cadence.

But really, I think it was mostly in the mind.

Have to stop predicting on here what distance I'm going to do, as I never seem to make it. But that was still a good session, so happy enough.

fed up sick and tired

Yesterday, 51km on a very hilly run, thus 19.8km/h. According to veloroutes that's 970m of climbing.

It's really an eye-opener to see how far I've come in a few months, just in terms of leg strength. My first evening on the bike I couldn't finish the 200m hill to my front door,after >20km. And so much improvement to come...

Did the last third of the spin when the sun had long gone down, and really enjoyed that. Bit of a night owl anyway and love training on my own. Perhaps audax might be an interesting direction to take since I'm not going to be racing, TTing etc. etc.

Got ''the look'' this evening as I innocently checked out a Condor Fratello on the net. This is going to be costly, one way or the other.

Need to realign short-term goals now as well, as disappointingly, have to pull out of SKT.

fed up sick and tired

54km @25.6km/h. More or less flat, bar the first 5km.

Have lost a little bit of impetus now that I know I won't be at the SKT. Went out this evening more than anything because I know I can't do so again before Thursday. Didn't seem to have the energy, though maybe a bit of fatigue still form all the hills the other evening.

Can't make the Rebel Tour either due to work.

Looking for an event, 160k min., either 15th or 29th of September, if anyone has any suggestions...

derealbadger

How are you was nice chating with you on the road to Castledermot a few weeks ago not sure if this is any good to you falls the weekend between the two you have listed
http://www.shannonsidecc.com/wordpress/?page_id=3434

fed up sick and tired

50km @ 24.8km/h.

Just a regular spin, more not to lose momentum than anything else. Stayed in and around the hills though.

Just went with the terrain, gears-wise, rather than religiously going into the small chain-ring to stay seated on the climbs. It was a nice change to stand on the pedals for extended periods of time.

Need a goal, so have decided to do the 100km event from Upperchurch, on September 1st. I'm happy that my climbing is much stronger than even a month ago, and so I think the thing here will be that Dolla-Bolingbroke comes so late on in the route.

So for the next week and a half I'll be pushing out the distance towards 65 or 70 km on fairly flat, and trying to up the speed effort; and then tack on 10 to 15 km at the end, of steady hill work.

Happy to have an event to look forward to.

fed up sick and tired

I am going to ride PBP in 2015.

From here on, my cycling will be with this in mind.

I WILL succeed.