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YACC training thread

2

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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Fourteenth week over. What can only be described as another step backwards, more of a leap really. I was away at meetings in Hull for half the week and took the time to rent out a town bike and meander around. Lovely city and well worth a short visit. I came home to find myself still quite down. Had alot of work to do over the weekend and done none of it, I feel constantly tired and unmotivated, to be honest, surprised I got out of bed this morning, although glad I did as I feel a bit better since I got in. My family are away for the week so I am going to stay with my mother in law as I just could not face being at home alone.

    Weight: 85kg (****ing hell)
    Average BG: 12.8mmol/L (mother ****er)
    km's rode: 70km

    BG looking like this: 16 on target, 78 above target, 6 below target.

    Control is worse again this week, changed insulin, changed sites, head feels cloudy and thanks to the high blood sugars, I just want to vomit most of the time.
    smacl wrote: »
    I suspect this is a cycle most of us hit every now and again, I certainly do. Forecast is good for tomorrow with light winds coming from the south in the afternoon. Could be a good day to leave the Garmin at home, take a lazy, leisurely spin down the coast and enjoy the push home.
    Good advice, alas I don't know how I have taken such a downturn mentally and physically in just a fortnight. Hoping I can turn it around, starting from today.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Stamullen GP - Firat missed goal of the year due to a broken chainring.

    Fifteenth week over. A lot better than the previous fortnight but that is hardly setting a high bar. On the track bike full time due to a broken chainring and a crankset that has been recalled. After the first few days at 49x14 I decided to try a shorter gear and increase the cadence, so went up to 49x18. Its weird. Climbing is faster and descending is slower but I find it tougher to stop which disagrees with my gut feeling

    Weight: 84kg
    Average BG: 11.8mmol/L
    km's rode: 130km

    BG looking like this: 26 on target, 25 above target, 3 below target.

    Control has improved, but running high in the mornings. I have changed sites and basal rates but no improvement yet. Back home and away from my mother in law so excessive dinners should stop this week and I can get away with not eating too late in the evening. Hopefully it will not take long to get back to where I was.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Sixteenth week over. A lot better again. Still on the track bike but hopefully i will have a crankset in the next week or two. 49 x 18 is to small for me though, so will change that over the week.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 8.7mmol/L
    km's rode: 100km

    BG looking like this: 32 on target, 26 above target, 5 below target.

    Control has improved again, felling a bit more myself, my mood is certainly improving. Alot less miles in the legs though this week but hopefully just a temporary stumble. Mentally I still have a way to go as I just feel a bit overwhelmed for no reason but still better than the previous weeks.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Seventeenth week over. Not great. Bike repaired but it now feels weird compared to my track bike. Went out for my first race in awhile and only managed one lap (from two), dropped off the back quickly after going off the front once or twice. Hopefully that will improve this week. Also went out for the Frank O'Rourke, but a comedy of errors, including losing my wallet, arriving late, forgetting my pins. I just gave up and never even bothered. The motivation was lacking, my bloiod sugars were high for alot of the weekend despite changing my pump and site 3 times, so I am using that as an excuse but it is a poor one.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 11.8mmol/L (I hate weekends)
    km's rode: 120km

    BG looking like this: 26 on target, 32 above target, 2 below target.

    Just feel wrecked.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Eighteenth week over. Same as last week. Nothing much has changed, I feel tired and cranky every afternoon. Although I feel great in the mornings after the spin in. Went out for my second race, managed two laps (from three), Stayed in the pack for half the first lap, then led the bunch up the only climb at full gas before slowly coming out the back of the main bunch. I held onto their tails for awhile but then just gave up at the end of the second lap. Blood sugars have improved in regards averages but the control is awful if you look at the deviation.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 9.4mmol/L
    km's rode: 147km

    BG looking like this: 30 on target, 9 above target, 9 below target.


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Ninteenth week over. FFeels like improvements have started to come back. Feel lik eI am underhydrated quite alot but my blood sugars have improved dramatically, not only is the average slightly down but the deviation from the mean has improved dramatically, with most of my high blood sugars being barely over the mark. Huge improvement in my attitude as well, gfeeling more confident and in better humour, so hoping this is the beginining of a better stretch again. Went out for my third race, managed too finish it out (hurrah). In the group for the first lap but up near the front, where a team mate was commenting on the tactics of another team riding off the front and getting reeled back in a few times. I have to say, it looked like fun. I went for it on the second lap, jumping from 42 to over 50kmph and breaking away to the person in front. Realised he was slowing and shot past him. Only stayed away for about 5 minutes but it was fun. Done the same on the hill on the second lap but never broke away. Final lap, I broke 4km out and nearly hit the lead car which missed this great tactical maneuver as I cam along on his inside. Unfortunately having to sdlow down I was caught quickly (not that I would have stayed anyway. Back in the bunch with a km to go, I hammered it away again. Went way north of 50 but could only hold it for about 30seconds. Looked behind me and I had strung out the front half of the group but the legs were not going to hold. As soon as I could see no one was going for it, I swung over to the left and sat up out of everyones way. Felt like a huge improvement.

    Weight: 82.5kg
    Average BG: 8.6mmol/L
    km's rode: 210km

    BG looking like this: 24 on target, 20 above target, 14 below target.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twentieth week over. And the improvements continue to come. Took part in a handicap race on Thursday night and started off with Limit. We had a big group so I thought we might hold them off if we worked together but as I have learned, there are no friends in limit. My front derailleur gave up half way through so I ended up cross chaining for most of the race, but you can still pull off decent speeds with 39x11 when you push it. We ended up attacking each other for 45 minutes and then got caught on the fourth last lap. I got into the group and hung out around the back, making jumps forward whenever it looked like there was a split. Coming onto the last lap there was one rider ahead of the field by 100m with his club trying to neutralise the race to keep him there. I could hear another group of riders talking about it and giving out, in the end I felt like doing the lines from Monty Python/Meaning of Life "You always talk, you ***** riders, you talk and you talk and say Get up there they are controlling the pace but you never do anything about it yourself". I got fed up of this chatter and got a head of stupid on board, coming round the second bend, I tore off from the back of the group and kicked it from 40kmph to 60kmph and tore past. I heard one of the controlling riders shouting he is going for it. I only had one goal and that was to catch your mans wheel and I done it, he tried to kick but I held him, he tried to make me take a turn and I just settled in and didn't push, when he went round me again I stuck to his wheel like white on rice. I glanced behind (amateur mistake) to see the group had decided to start moving up on us. We eventually got caught about the third last bend. One of my own club mates asked me for a lead out but I misheard him and somehow thought he had talked to me like the farmer in Babe, saying "That'll do Cram, that'll do".Checked over my shoulder and when the space was there I pulled out of the way. I rolled in at the back of the bunch eventually after the sprint broke out but was happy I hung in there and suddenly I have a jump again. Not a great one but better than I had a few months ago. Confidence has certainly jumped immensely.
    Blood sugars have improved again, one bad day (Sunday) where they jumped high that evening and would not come down, leaving me feeling drained. Low sugars have all but disappeared, and all but 4 of the high ones were just over the line.
    Weight has not moved, which to me says, I have to go back to the diet. I have let that slip out the window quite drastically so I will sit down and draw out a meal plan for the week this evening and try my best to stick to it. I have stayed away from fast food and beers/wine are down alot but I need to go further with it.

    Weight: 82kg
    Average BG: 9.4mmol/L
    km's rode: 160km

    BG looking like this: 25 on target, 20 above target, 4 below target.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty first week over.And things are still improving, although not as quickly as I would like. Took part in a limit race on Thurdsday night. I didn't feel great before the start, presumably the heat taking it's toll. We were neutralised for the first 10km but as soon as the lead car took off, the group lined out very quickly. I tucked in around 10th place but found those around me to be a bit twitchy so I ended up pulling to the side but also keeping pace with the leader who was trying to break away. We started working together and really hammered it for the first lap with only a little help from two other guys who took short turns on the front. I was tired by the end of the first lap but as the second lap started we finally started to pull away from the group and a line of 10 of us pulled away. I decided to try and play it smart and sit in and rest. Top 6 for points so all I had to beat were 4. Within 2 km we were down to 8. I took another two spins on the front and when I settled back into the group, we were at 7. Only one to beat. Another spin off the front and when I counted up, we were at 6. Points for everyone. Now to try and be smart, sit in but don't let the pace slow so much that we could get caught. 3 of us were taking turns to lead the bunch. Coming upto the final turn before the finish (about 2km away), I was at the back but I noticed, quite clearly, everyone was starting to rest. I didn't think I could take some of them in a sprint, so I let myself drop to the back and with 100m to the turn I pulled out wide and hammered it. I came round the corner at +50kmph (long wide turn) and kept over 50kmph for a km on the long drag into the finish. Under a km left and i could see my speed dropping but without people around to push against, it was hard to motivate myself and the legs were tiring. As it dropped to near 40kmph I seen the shadow of my adversary catch me with 300m to go. I took the less heroic route and just sat up, with the other 4 coming around me with under 100m to go. First points of the season but another scathing review of my tactical abilities. I used to do the same on the track where I would go around half a lap early compared to others to hope to have the element of surprise. Happy but also annoyed, but another improvement on the week before.

    Blood sugars have improved again with a near perfect week until the weekend. I took a break over the weekend with my daughter leaving home for a few months, we had treats galore and this led to a disruption of the good week. This also lead to a weight gain in the last 3 days that was unwelcome.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 7.9mmol/L
    km's rode: 120km

    BG looking like this: 36 on target, 15 above target, 9 below target


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,409 ✭✭✭sullzz


    CramCycle wrote: »
    Twenty first week over.And things are still improving, although not as quickly as I would like. Took part in a limit race on Thurdsday night. I didn't feel great before the start, presumably the heat taking it's toll. We were neutralised for the first 10km but as soon as the lead car took off, the group lined out very quickly. I tucked in around 10th place but found those around me to be a bit twitchy so I ended up pulling to the side but also keeping pace with the leader who was trying to break away. We started working together and really hammered it for the first lap with only a little help from two other guys who took short turns on the front. I was tired by the end of the first lap but as the second lap started we finally started to pull away from the group and a line of 10 of us pulled away. I decided to try and play it smart and sit in and rest. Top 6 for points so all I had to beat were 4. Within 2 km we were down to 8. I took another two spins on the front and when I settled back into the group, we were at 7. Only one to beat. Another spin off the front and when I counted up, we were at 6. Points for everyone. Now to try and be smart, sit in but don't let the pace slow so much that we could get caught. 3 of us were taking turns to lead the bunch. Coming upto the final turn before the finish (about 2km away), I was at the back but I noticed, quite clearly, everyone was starting to rest. I didn't think I could take some of them in a sprint, so I let myself drop to the back and with 100m to the turn I pulled out wide and hammered it. I came round the corner at +50kmph (long wide turn) and kept over 50kmph for a km on the long drag into the finish. Under a km left and i could see my speed dropping but without people around to push against, it was hard to motivate myself and the legs were tiring. As it dropped to near 40kmph I seen the shadow of my adversary catch me with 300m to go. I took the less heroic route and just sat up, with the other 4 coming around me with under 100m to go. First points of the season but another scathing review of my tactical abilities. I used to do the same on the track where I would go around half a lap early compared to others to hope to have the element of surprise. Happy but also annoyed, but another improvement on the week before.

    Blood sugars have improved again with a near perfect week until the weekend. I took a break over the weekend with my daughter leaving home for a few months, we had treats galore and this led to a disruption of the good week. This also lead to a weight gain in the last 3 days that was unwelcome.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 7.9mmol/L
    km's rode: 120km

    BG looking like this: 36 on target, 15 above target, 9 below target

    You seemed to be in good shape during that race . Plenty of power in the legs .


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    sullzz wrote: »
    You seemed to be in good shape during that race . Plenty of power in the legs .
    Thanks, two things though. One, it was limit so supposedly not the toughest group. Although this year there are a lot of newbies with (seemingly) lots of power, so hard to tell if I have progressed past limit yet. I may self upgrade in the next fortnight if I convince myself to grow a pair.

    Second, my race craft sucks. If I am not jumping of the front, I am near the front or leading. Thankfully I am not dropping out the back after my stupidity now but I really need to get some tactics sorted. . This said, learning tactics in limit may be no good as I am pushing hard at the front, might learn more and stay fitter hanging off the back of semi limit.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,409 ✭✭✭sullzz


    CramCycle wrote: »
    Thanks, two things though. One, it was limit so supposedly not the toughest group. Although this year there are a lot of newbies with (seemingly) lots of power, so hard to tell if I have progressed past limit yet. I may self upgrade in the next fortnight if I convince myself to grow a pair.

    Second, my race craft sucks. If I am not jumping of the front, I am near the front or leading. Thankfully I am not dropping out the back after my stupidity now but I really need to get some tactics sorted. . This said, learning tactics in limit may be no good as I am pushing hard at the front, might learn more and stay fitter hanging off the back of semi limit.

    This is my 1st year doing club league ( the Lucan lad who chased you down after you jumped towards the line last week ) i cant compare to previous years but the standard seems to be high enough , mainly in your club though , i thought about self upgrading to semi also , but i think ill hang around and try a few things within the limit group .


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    sullzz wrote: »
    This is my 1st year doing club league ( the Lucan lad who chased you down after you jumped towards the line last week ) i cant compare to previous years but the standard seems to be high enough , mainly in your club though , i thought about self upgrading to semi also , but i think ill hang around and try a few things within the limit group .
    Jebus, you certainly made the group work like ****. I may have underplayed how much you done up front in my original description (writers license).
    See how the TT goes and my times compare before making any decisions to self upgrade.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,409 ✭✭✭sullzz


    CramCycle wrote: »
    Jebus, you certainly made the group work like ****. I may have underplayed how much you done up front in my original description (writers license).
    See how the TT goes and my times compare before making any decisions to self upgrade.

    Ive no doubt you will earn your upgrade rather than self upgrading , youve a couple of good lads on your side . Its the blanch wheelies lads who tend to throw a spanner in the works ( sitting in till the end ) .
    Have you been doing any open races ?


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    sullzz wrote: »
    Have you been doing any open races ?

    Dublin wheelers open race - crash 6km in and I ended up on top of it
    Newbridge GP - held onto the front group for the first lap, in no mans land for the second lap and in the follow group for the third lap.

    That is it unfortunately, life and family have gotten in the way ever since.

    To be honest, the main aims for the year are the Paddy Flanagan Memorial , Roundwood GP, Wexford Two Day and the SERC GP , so not a huge number of races but I find it hard to get the time otherwise. Upgrading out of Limit was the other aim for the year so I am more confident of that now than I was.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty second week over. Two weeks forward, and one week back, like a long way back, like I have been climbing a mountain and I slipped and rolled down the hill to the start really quickly bad. Monday and Tuesday were filled with stomach cramps and other delightful bathroom experiences. On the plus side, I should have improved my power to weight, on the negative side, I didn't. Wednesday was alright and I was looking forward to a TT on Thursday night.
    Come Thursday night, every attempt to get out of work early was met with resistance. I got out and started heading out but traffic was pretty rough, every lights I stopped at, some prats would pull in front of me, and block me despite having overtaken them a short time before. I finally got onto the N4 and started moving along. I turned off as I started to feel off near Maynooth. As I crossed over on the bridge, I felt weak and a bit confused to be honest. As I progressed towards Maynooth, I started to loose speed and got an over whelming bout of the fear. My vision went tunnel like and every sensation was amplified immensely. The road sounded like a tumble dryer sitting on my head at full belt. My arms were tingling and my fingers turned white. The weird tunnel vision meant that even though I was overly aware of every part of me, my viewpoint was over my handlebars and was quite nauseating. I started to wonder to myself would this be one of those hypos where i would wake up somewhere with no idea of how I got there, would I just fall over and curl into a ball and wait for someone to be nice and stop, or would this be the one I would just not live to talk about it. All very pleasant. As I started to slow to walking pace and began thinking of walking (and falling over) or just keep going, I came across a Tesco. I got a triple decker sandwich (awful), some crisps and a bar. I then sat in their garden furniture section and ate it (paid for it as well). I then went back in and got 4 shortbread things. Also awful. The bakery section in Maynooth Tesco is just terrible. I sat back down and demolished those. Thankfully no one nicked my bike and the staff decided I was too crazy looking to approach. I walked out to find a McDonalds across the road. 2 double cheeseburgers, portion of chicken nuggets and a coffee, it was time for home. I rolled half way home before the bloated stomach took its tool and I just hopped on a bus.

    Followed by a week of my son ripping out my pump, miscounting my insulin a further two times and generally feeling sh1t. It's been a bad week.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 9.5mmol/L
    km's rode: 120km

    BG looking like this: 20 on target, 20 above target, 8 below target


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty third week over. F*ck Diabetes, f*ck cycling, f*ck everything. I follow the rules, I eat better, stay hydrated, check my blood sugars. What do I get. Ketoacidosis. Why? Who knows, it is a god damned lottery. Didn't race this week, and to be honest, very glad of it. Biblical rain, hailstones, lightening strikes. Better left to hardier men. Minutes into the race and I seen riders turn back and head home.

    My son has also had an on and off temperature for a week, resulting in no sleep pattern, hitting over 40 on 3 separate days.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 11.8mmol/L (I simply don't care this week)
    km's rode: 125km

    BG looking like this: 20 on target, 40 above target, 10 below target


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty fourth week over. Needless to say, I feel a bit better than last week. Bloods were awful at the start of the week, bouncing around the 20mmol/Ls for awhile before settling back down and staying nearly perfect all week. That was until last night, where I discovered that I will sadly have to bid adieu to my old friend pizza. It just doesn't work, the carbs make no sense, neither does the rate at which it releases. I love it so much but it clearly hates me.
    Overall though, for 5 days of the week, I stayed in around 5mmol/L all day every day, cycling was not too bad, although no racing midweek due to other commitments. I went out for the Roundwood GP on Saturday. Have to say, nice course with no real tough climbs. Rumours abound about drags and short sharp climbs but at no point was this true. There was one climb, sort of, but it only lasted 30seconds. The pace was quite sedate though and we started late so I eventually bailed half way through as I was let out with a time limit. The heat was a killer as well, and I struggled to tell was the uncomfortableness my Diabetes or lack of water. As it turns out, it was lack of water but C'est la vie. Other riders say the pace picked up shortly after I left but remained a good racing group.

    Going to start using the long route into and out of work from tomorrow, only adds in 10km a day but alot more climbing. The heat is affecting my diabetes so have to keep an eye on that as well.

    Weight: 83kg (it actually was 84kg last week)
    Average BG: 8.9mmol/L
    km's rode: 200km

    BG looking like this: 39 on target, 22 above target, 9 below target


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭ford2600


    CramCycle wrote: »
    bid adieu to my old friend pizza.

    I've gone really low carb at times and still worked in pizza.

    https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/paleo-pizza-crust/

    ignore the paleo, no gluten labels and it could work ok?

    Friend has a wood fired oven for pizza which he uses for parties, I just supply the wood and work oven. Jesus with any effort at all with decent ingredients people go bat sh1t for pizza


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    ford2600 wrote: »
    I've gone really low carb at times and still worked in pizza.

    https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/paleo-pizza-crust/

    ignore the paleo, no gluten labels and it could work ok?

    Friend has a wood fired oven for pizza which he uses for parties, I just supply the wood and work oven. Jesus with any effort at all with decent ingredients people go bat sh1t for pizza

    It might, my blood sugar reaction to pizza does not make sense with a spike for upto 24 hours after. I have often taken multiple doses of Insulin, above and beyond the max to try and get it down but to no avail. The carbs are not that high that they are the sole cause of this effect.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty fifth week over. Not a bad week but still not great. Pump mis-inserted twice, so ended up with high sugars on two separate occasions, which make me feel tired and a bit of a weapon. Commute has been good and have consistently stayed below 40minutes all week. Racing was a mixed bag this week. I cycled out to Mondello and as always, I just could not get out the door so I ended up heading out thinking I would not make sign on in Mondello. Very few turned up for Limit so we were given a good start but no one seemed to pushed on trying. I made a break once or twice myself but not really feeling it and decided to settle in and let the legs recover rather than pushing hard and blowing up. When we were finally caught, I managed to get a nice position in the bunch, slightly further back than I would have liked but close enough. Getting to the second last lap, a breakaway had formed of about 4 strong riders and no likely sign of anyone going for them. Coming up the hill before the turn for the start line, I was about 40 back. No one around me I pulled sidewards and hammered like holy hell. At about 10 from the front I heard a rider shout he is going for it, alas I was lacking in confidence. The corner came up and there were still 2 in front. I was going faster but I wasn't going to clear them before the corner so I sat up and went through. This seemed to kill my legs and the stopping so suddenly, my legs siezed up. I was going fast enough that I actually went clear but I couldn't spin any further, and was shot out the back within 200m. If I had timed it better, or even just sat in for another lap, I really think I could have gotten top 20.

    Aiming for the Eddie Tobin memorial this weekend, and a 25M TT mid week.

    Hoping the bloods will have improved by next week as well.

    Weight: 83kg
    Average BG: 10.8mmol/L
    km's rode: 175km


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty sixth week over. Half way through the year and to be honest, a disappointment overall so far. Everytime I get close to achieving a goal, something else drags me back down (typically my own fault) I ended up taking most of the week off due to other issues so not much to say. Disappointed the Eddie Tobin was cancelled but I would not have made it anyway. Missed the midweek 25M TT as well due to work and family, so nothing of note overall.

    No racing this week

    Weight: 82.5kg
    Average BG: 8.9mmol/L
    km's rode: 140km


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty seventh week over.
    No racing this week

    Weight: 82.5kg
    Average BG: 9.9mmol/L
    km's rode: 140km


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty eighth week over.
    Well the plummet continues, only sat on a bike once this week.

    Weight: 83.5kg
    Average BG: 10mmol/L
    km's rode: 8km


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Twenty ninth week over.
    An improvement this week. Got a continuous glucose monitor so am keeping an eye on patterns there and spotting a few things which might explain my lack of enthusiasm. Got back out on the bike and commuted in every day with a few different routes thrown in for a change. Hill Climb TT on Thursday where I came out with my first first place by a decent margin. Admittedly only in limit but I really mistimed two of the bumps so actually blew up, and with a bit more practice, could easily have knocked off another 40 seconds over the short course. Looking at the times, I would have also placed in semi limit so that was a good boost.

    Weight: 83.5kg
    Average BG: 8.4mmol/L
    km's rode: 190km

    BG looking like this: 30 on target, 57 above target, 13 below target


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Thirtieth week over.

    Chest infection this week which is not moving, quite annoyingly but hopefully will not hold on for to much longer. Away on holiday but got out for a few short spins although the weight has risen but not too dramatically. Slowly gaining my jump back as well which is nice.

    Weight: 84.5 kg
    Average BG: 9.6mmol/L
    km's rode: 150km

    BG looking like this: 53 on target, 43 above target, 3 below target


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Thirty first week over.

    A good bit more cycling this week, with a little bit of getting lost in Wicklow on Tuesday night and doing a bit of the Mick Byrne route. Ouch, first time I have had cramps in years. A poor showing at the Thursday night racing but I was having leg pain before it started, and gave up pretty quick. I was within 100m of the bunch for a few km but eventually just gave up when a few stopped on one uphill and I stopped to ask were they OK. Finished out the route, which was actually a good one. Glucose control has improved hugely, CGMs are the way to go for Diabetics, it will reduce the cost of healthcare for the country dramatically overtime.

    Bit gutted the weight is slow to shift but I am over the moon with my glucose levels. I have my next hospital appointment in October. If I can get my HBA1c down to below 7 by then, it would be an epic change in my state of health.

    Another reason I was gutted about the weight lost was I spent all day Saturday either curled in a ball, or sitting on a toilet. Nothing, same weight at the end of the day as I was at the start despite no more than a slice of toast all day.

    Weight: 84 kg
    Average BG: 7.2mmol/L
    km's rode: 345km

    BG looking like this: 78 on target, 19 above target, 4 below target


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Thirty second and thirty third week over. I had little or no internet access last week so am just piling the two together here.

    Thirty Second week: Seemed reasonably OK. Took part in the clubs team time trial. Started off strong but half way through the first lap I knew it was going to be a tough slog. One rider dropped off due to cramps in the first lap so I didn't have a choice then, i had to hang in or no one got places. We got a nice rhythm going although on the second lap we got into the bad habit of riders staying at the front too long. The two other guys were tanks but they realised my only strength was consistency uphills so once a climb started they let me take the front, which suited me fine. Coming into the last turn our lead rider took the wrong turn though as the marshal was sort of oblivious and we had to hang back to regroup. In the end we got 2nd in Limit/Semi Limit and missed first by 3 seconds, so pretty happy although I felt every metre of the last few km.

    Thirty third week: Very little cycling for most of the start of this week as I was on holiday. In fact most of what I done involved servicing the bike and making sure it was in top nick. Not a great plan as I had the Wexford 2 day at the weekend. I finally got out on the bike the day before and took a tour around stage 3. Lots of long drags along the first 50km, it was going to be horrible and I wasn't feeling great just taking my time as if I was on a club spin. This said I span up the final climb which is the one that catches everyone out with ease and at a good clip.
    Stage 1. Despite the lack of good feeling I got around the first lap OK, stayed in the front of the bunch. One or two lads went off but never made any ground and no one chased them down, they sort of rolled back in but that happens when you make a break on the straightest bit of road. I took the corner coming into the home stretch nicely and sat at the front for a bit with another lad, the pace was quite sedate for awhile although once we crossed the finish line, the pace upped again with everyone trying to get near the front for the two climbs. The first climb was grand, I got caught in the bunch but when they all slowed I managed to work my way through with relative ease and span up the hill and ended up at the front with a few others, although 3 lads had made a break up the second climb, I was not going to burn myself out trying to grab them. One was reeled in after a few km but one stayed away for along time but eventually came back in, I think he dragged it out to a minute but that was 40 by half way through lap 3 and down to 25 by the start of lap 4 and 9seconds only a few km out of that. Still at the front my legs started to cramp coming onto the first climb of the last lap, which was weird as I had not over exerted myself at all, and then I got dropped completely by the second climb. I could see the lead car lights untilt he final turn but by them muscles were cramping front and back (even though I felt OK). I couldn't even stand up. I rolled in with 2 others at the same time, down a minute 20seconds over only a few km, I was very annoyed.

    My BG levels were reading really low, so I went for food and cake, and liquid and stretching. Nothing brought them up and were still very low at the start of the TT and I felt awful.

    TT started slow but I gathered pace, followed my own rules and never blew. I felt really bad after the bump at 2.5km but started gathering speed and covered the last 500m in 53 x 14 and pushing flat out. I was only about 15seconds behind my minute man. i promptly threw up and rolled back. As it turns out, when I got home I checked my BG with my other machine. Looks like the first machine had failed and my blood was as sugary as caramelised lucozade. this explains the cramps and the vomiting and I was then really annoyed. I spent the next while hovering around the bathroom waiting for them to come down as I tried not to vomit.

    Stage 3. Well the TT tiems were scrapped, which I am not sure if I am happy or not about, there were very good times put in but I would have been far higher in GC if it was accepted but I suppose I was only 1.5 minutes off the leader so not a terrible time. The route then was subject to a last minute change, taking away all the hard climbs I had recced two days before. The weather was a battle, a few breaks went for it in the first few km (with one guy sitting on the lead cars bumper all the way through the neutral section ( after he had tried to leave early at the start). I grabbed onto a chasing group and took a few turns keeping the pace up but once we were on the N25, it was just one long onslaught of rain and up and down pacing. We finally broke off and then sullz went flying up the road. When we slowed on one bend, I decided to jump and chased him for a few km, and we made a reasonable gap (I lost sight on them). We stayed away for 11km before a Clonard lad caught us but soon after he caught us the bunch snuck up. I tried not to get pulled in but it was inevitable. Moved around the bunch quite a bit for the next while and nearly killed another rider coming into Enniscorthy as when I took the left turn my wheels wouldn't hold and I skidded sideways across the road, missing his rear tyre by an inch. I recovered and carried on up the N11, I had a few goes on the front but stayed in the bunch pretty much until near the Ferrycarrig. The pace jumped and I took the A4 route of firign up the outside, cleared the bunch but as I came into the turn the marshals were waving furiously to slow down, unfortunately it was too wet. One of the marshals was slightly out around the corner so i was left with hitting him or trying to correct. I tried to correct and both wheels came out from under me. Road rash came into full effect last night with very poor sleep. Also just found my handlebars are slightly bent, rear derailleur is broken, hanger is gone and a few other issues. Hopefully fixable issues. I managed to spin up the final climb and get to the end so at least I finished it this year.

    Probably off the bike for a week or so though but the racing year looks almost done.

    Two weeks data:

    Weight: 84 kg
    Average BG: 9 mmol/L
    km's rode: 400km

    BG looking like this: 54 on target, 38 above target, 8 below target


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Thirty fourth week over.

    Very little this week, one spin up the embankment but the road rash is really annoying as hell. This said I lost a bit of weight. Most likely due to highly decreased appetite.

    Hoping I will be back commuting from tomorrow.

    Weight: 83 kg
    Average BG: 9.2mmol/L
    km's rode: 40km


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Thirty fifth week over.

    Road rash has finally started healing properly and have started commuting on the bike full time again. Average speeds seem to be up. Interestingly, I threw on a HR monitor the other day, average commuting HR was about 160/170bpm but I seemed to go upto over 200bpm without issue on any minor effort, certainly not red lining and at one stage stayed up over 210 for a few minutes without issue. I was tempted to push to see could i redline it and where I could push it but certainly felt like there was more in the bank (not much more mind). I had a max of just shy of 220bpm and a resting heart rate of 50bpm

    Weight: 83 kg
    Average BG: 9.6mmol/L
    km's rode: 120km


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,319 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Thirty sizth week over.

    Road rash has healed with just a tender red patch remaining. Commuting is back upto normal although I am finding it really difficult to go slowly on the commute. I want to slow down and enjoy it more now but I seem to find myself hammering it even when I don't want too.

    Done the Morgan Sparrow this week which was a great spin and highly recommended. Full Garda escort for the first quarter, followed by a military police escort the rest of the way. Really enjoyable, in spite of the weather.

    Weight: 82.5 kg
    Average BG: 9.5 mmol/L
    km's rode: 320km


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