Exactly like riding a bike

Light week. Ate all around me. That ends now.

Thursday 26th December

45 minute turbo session. Very short interval set, 10 minutes high resistance and the rest was steady spinning. Immediately followed by 3 mile run @ 8:38mpm pace


Saturday 28th December
Club cycle. Great to be out.

Distance: 85.2km
Av speed: 25.8km/hr
Elevation Gain: 584m


Sunday 29th December

5 mile run @ 7:58mpm pace

The last couple of bits for the year.

Monday 30th December

4.5 mile run @ 7:50mpm pace


Tuesday 31st December
Club cycle. Last one of the year. Having seen very little rain on the bike, it seems 2013 would not let that one slide. Got soaked to the skin in driving rain and hailstones. I didn't complain too much. Small price to pay for such a good year.

Distance: 77.4km
Av speed: 25.3km/hr
Elevation Gain: 576m

Had a bit of a think about 2014 and this is what I like to get done:

1) 8,000km for the year
2) Lose weight
3) More climbing
4) Do some more sportives and improve on those I did in 2013
5) Do some racing

I think the distance target is more than achieveable and anything over it will be a bonus. I'd hope to do some more commuting when the mornings are brighter. I will substitute some of the flatter routes of 2013 with more trips up Mt Leinster to get the climbing numbers higher. I will never be a climber or anything like it, but it would be nice to be stronger and less under pressure in the hills.

It would be nice to travel a bit further for the sportives. I've made a provisional list and hopefully I can pick my way through most of them. My wife has already kindly offered to accompany me to any events which require an overnight in suitable accommodation, preferably with spa and beauty therapy facilities....so supportive:rolleyes:.

I'm looking forward to the racing, although ask me later when I'm getting dropped here, there and everywhere. I'm not going to be contesting much, but it will be a start and I'll give it my best shot regardless. It seems like there's "fit" and there's "race fit".

Now we come to the weight loss. Currently I've crept back out to 14st 7lbs and at 5' 11'' its not what I want to be. Unfortunately, I'm the kinda guy that has to keep the exercise pretty regular and watch what I eat. I put on the weight very quickly and find it hard to get rid of it. Even when I look slimmer the scales tells a different story. I really need to lose this "Ah I'm training, I can eat what I like, I'll burn it off" approach as its doing me no favours. I'd really love to get down to about 13st 3lbs.

So that's the easy part done.....roll on 2014.

No post last week. Little to report so its included now. Got a physio session on the hips. Have booked an appt for a full health check up.

Saturday 4th January

30 minute turbo session at medium resistance 80-90rpm. Immediately followed by 4.5 mile run @ 7:52mpm pace


Saturday 11th January
Went out with a guy I know. Back roads were shocking but the main roads were much better. We ambled along steadily.

Distance: 87.1km
Av speed: 23.1km/hr
Elevation Gain: 473m


Sunday 12th December

I had been thinking of doing a local running event but thought better of it. It's fine doing the odd short run here and there but cycling is the focus now. I headed out on the bike to spin the legs. It was dry and breezy when I started out but deteriorated quickly and I got absolutely soaked in a strong headwind.

Distance: 32.1km
Av speed: 21.5km/hr
Elevation Gain: 331m

Had a health check on monday and got my bloods taken as well. Didn't get a chance to collect the results. Will drop in for them next week. Rest of check went well with no issues. Blood pressure was spot on and resting heart rate was 55.

Monday 20th January
Didn't get out till a bit later in the day for this fartlek session. Nice and dry, by far the best day weather-wise all week.

Distance: 65.7km
Av speed: 26.7km/hr
Elevation Gain: 449m


Saturday 25th January
Was supposed to be a longer spin but the wind was pretty wild with heavy showers. Had a couple of close calls with strong gusts.

Distance: 91.3km
Av speed: 22.2km/hr
Elevation Gain: 948m


Sunday 26th January
90 minute turbo session. Threw on a film on the laptop to help the time pass a bit easier.

- 30 mins warm-up at medium resistance/high cadence.
- x 5 Interval sets of 5 mins high resistance/low cadence with 5 mins of medium resistance/high cadence.
- 10 mins cool down at low resistance/high cadence

Tuesday 28th January
45mins Turbo Trainer. 10mins warmup, 10 x 1min intervals with 30sec recoveries, 20mins cooldown.


Sunday 2nd February
Did the Barrow wheelers 100k today. Not a bad route at all, but it didn't go to plan I'm afraid. A call of nature early on meant I lost the group. I pushed on with a very sound guy from the barrow wheelers and after about 50k I had av speed of just over 28k/hr. I didn't bother stopping and kept going. Then The cramps hit, both legs, quads and hammies simultaneously on a small incline. Don't know how I managed to clip out in time but I did. Couple of wheelers guys got me going again, fair play to them and I just took it handy for the last 30k odd. On a positive note, I did help a girl to get through the last 25k by giving her a wheel to follow and she was delighted, good time too.

Had a bath with a couple of tablespoons of ground ginger and some stretching when I got home. On reflection there was no real mystery. I didn't train hard enough for the last few months, went out to kill it and got my a$$ handed to me. Cycling knows when you haven't put the work in, it knows and it doesn't like it and you must pay.

Distance: 102.0km
Av speed: 26.7km/hr
Elevation Gain: 795m

Plenty of stretching this week but not enough training. I wanted to get the legs back to normal after last sundays epic fail. Good news on the body weight. Had hit 14st 8lbs after christmas. The diet has been pretty clean since. Portion control and an increase in protein for the last 5 weeks has meant a reduction to 13st 12lbs. Still a good bit to go though. Next week may see me racing for the first time.

Tuesday 4th January
30mins Turbo Trainer. Medium resistance @ 80-90rpm.


Sunday 9th February
Handy spin. Mostly tempo with some fartlek at the start

Distance: 75.8km
Av speed: 25.7km/hr
Elevation Gain: 535m

A poor week and no racing either, which was no harm cos I'm nowhere near ready.

Monday 10th February
50min Turbo Trainer Tempo Session.

Tuesday 11th February
50min Turbo Trainer Tempo Session

Saturday 15th February
90min Turbo Trainer session. Warm-up, some intervals, a fartlek session and a cool-down.

Sunday 16th February
Fartlek Session.

Distance: 48.8km
Av speed: 27.0km/hr
Elevation Gain: 342m

Monday 17th February
50min Turbo Trainer Tempo Session. Good workout.

Tuesday 18th February
60min Turbo Trainer Tempo Session. Another good workout and an increase in resistance while maintaining tempo.


According to the rest of the training logs there's plenty of solid work being done, races and even points being won, kudos to all.

My contributions this week are very small. It started well, but I got the flu on wednesday and that put an end to it. Don't remember ever having such a heavy dose. Wednesday and Thursday night were like scenes from the exorcist. All attempts at solid food have been punished. Got plenty of fluids in. The chest is not great now so I'll have to get that that sorted tomorrow. The only thing I'm not complaining too much about is the almost 7lb drop in body weight since wednesday morning, but I wouldn't recommend the process.

I'm worried now about all the missed training for events coming up, considering I wasn't exactly nailing it as it was. Hopefully it gets better from here on.

Monday 3rd March

Distance: 28.2km
Av speed: 28.5km/hr
Elevation Gain: 259m


Tuesday 4th March

Distance: 28.2km
Av speed: 29.1km/hr
Elevation Gain: 259m


Sunday 9th March
Did my first ever race today, the Newbridge GP. Weather at home was not great but much better up the country. Got up in plenty of time and got in a warm-up, met a few guys and had a chat. Well organised and thanks to all involved. Met macbane66 just before the start and a quick chat with nilhg afterwards.

Rolling start, and we were off. I had started at the back and was still there when the race started. I should have pushed up closer to the back but I let myself slip back a bit. I wasn't strong enough and no shelter to catch back on and the writing was on the wall, I was annihilated. I stuck it out to the bitter end as I told myself before the race that I would do all 3 laps no matter what. I pushed it all the way, despite being sort of on my own for 95% of it, but only managed just over 31.4km/hr:o.

Am I dissappointed? No, not a bit. Great buzz around cycling and racing, I'm hooked. In fairness, there's no way of getting away from the fact that I am slow, embarrassingly so. But I met more really sound, genuine, supportive, like-minded people and got more useful advice.

All I can do is learn more, train more and race more and hopefully some day I will finish in the bunch. But for now, it's a home-measure of whiskey and the fire:cool:.

Distance: 52.2km
Av speed: 31.4km/hr
Elevation Gain: 376m

Very light week. Checked the wheels on the training bike last sunday night after hitting a pothole. Nice bit of damage done to both of them. In fairness they were close to the end of their life anyway. Ordered up a new set. Got the cassette, tubes and tyres transferred with no issues. Got the wheels on. Noted contact of the rear derailleur with the spokes. Bit of consultation with nilhg (thanks dude) and I went about slight adjustment of the derailleur. Couldn't get it quite right without upsetting the indexing. Had to head to town anyway so dropped into LBS next morning and discovered it was the dropout hanger which needed re-alignment. Starting to learn a bit more which is good.

Tuesday 1st April
Handy spin. Followed it later with a 4 mile run, about 8min/mile.

Distance: 23.5km
Av speed: 25.0km/hr
Elevation Gain: 166m


Saturday 3rd April
Short, handy spin again on the race bike, carbon rules.

Distance: 20.5km
Av speed: 26.3km/hr
Elevation Gain: 147m


Sunday 6th April
Was supposed to do the 3 peaks challenge but the morning was miserable and I wussed out. Afternoon was beautiful, albeit windy. Got the training bike out to see how it was after the work on it and see how the new wheels were. Everything good. Wheels are very basic and low end but good enough for what I need and way better than the old ones, confirming that a change was around the corner either way. Tried a small session of sprints and the rest was steady with plenty of headwind to help strengthen the legs.

Distance: 104.3km
Av speed: 26.8km/hr
Elevation Gain: 778m

pprendeville wrote: »

http://youtu.be/wQncKmddahk

Arts Cyclery do great videos for bike repairs. I've built and repaired my own bikes/wheels (occasional trip to LBS thrown in as well) the last few years and these guys make the process much easier. I've written out the instructions for RD adjustment and will edit this post shortly to include. Haven't come across too many farmer cyclists apart from a fella I met in Broadford last year. In fairness, it must be one of the busiest jobs going but also one of the most rewarding (maybe not financially). Used always love watching Ear to the Ground and marvel at the really innovative farmers who went fully organic or just became really efficient. I remember this one farmer who grew organic oats and has his own brand of porridge and a big restaurant in New York is one of his main clients. Nice to hear a success story like this. What do you farm?

pprendeville wrote: »

I have my own theory that cyclists get sick more often than the general population with one of the main reasons that cycling is quite a fatiguing sport. Throw in work/study/family commitments and it can leave you drained whether you realise it or not. It's important to know when to take a break and also to replace all the calories your burning. Carbs (spuds, rice, cereal, fruit) after training are especially important and for the rest of the time focus on proteins and fats (eggs, meat, oily fish). Here was a recommendation I got from a nutritionist recently:

"Apart from a following a healthy diet, some general vitamin and mineral supplements can significantly improve health. Athletes need more than the RDA’s. Modern farming has reduced nutrient contents of foods.
- MultiVit - Normal Strength (general health): Quest , Solgar Earth Source Nutrients, Natures Aid, Lamberts, Life Extension
- Fish Oil (protects muscles& joints, helps heart & brain): Natures Aid/Lamberts or Aliment
- Vit D3 – new but excellent research, v useful for athletes (increases energy levels, reduces stress, improves mood, controls insulin, boosts immunity): Solgar VitD3 1000IU or NATURES ANSWER D3 OIL Note: not required if getting >30mins of direct sunlight per day
- Protein: Best ones are with Natural Whey/No sweetners: see www.pulsin.co.uk

I haven't started on anything yet but will probably get some fish oil when I get home and some protein from Pulsin to throw in recovery drinks. I won't be going mad though. Was on Vit D3 during the winter as the smog was so bad and I was indoors 95% of the time so I had no exposure to the sun. Might be worth considering in the future.

Thanks for the repair link and the dietary info. Very helpful and much appreciated. Still very inexperienced cyclist, so all help is very welcome.

I'm a part-time farmer at best, have a full-time job as well. My dad is still full-time farming. We have a tillage farm. We've grown many things over the years, sugar beet, potatoes, oats, wheat, barley and oil seed rape.

Very much an advocate for innovation, it's what secures the future of farming or any business for that matter. Even more important, I think though, is the bottom line. By that I mean it's all very well taking on new things but you've got to be smart. Everything you invest in needs a purpose, needs to add value and needs to work for you. The days of putting in savage hours and hoping for a return are no more. You need a return on investment, whether it be a new product or a new tractor. You've got to break it all down and do the maths. This is probably true of all businesses. Sometimes the start up costs mean you may only break even or worse. I don't think you have to move completely away from what you are doing, you have a platform already so use it. Of course this is only my very humble opinion.

pprendeville wrote: »

Spoken like a true business man which is what farming has become I suppose.[/QUOTE

You are very right though. It is rewarding. Its a lifestyle and that is also very important. A lot of satisfaction to be had at the end of the day.

Not a bad week again. I was out on Sunday night at a gig which I thought was going to be a heavy session beer-wise and I had 3 pints beer and 3 pints of water. The old me, who resides now in a very small room at the back of my brain, was disgusted. It felt like I had done more cos I was wrecked by friday. Next week I am resting more. I'm marshalling one night and had planned to race in the league but I've knocked that on the head. Signed up the Frank O' Rourke next sunday so I think I will gain more from rest/recovery than I will lose from not training as much.

Tuesday 22nd April
Handy enough spin.

Distance: 38.2km
Av speed: 27.2km/hr
Elevation Gain: 305m


Wednesday 23rd April
Tough morning and an emotional one for my wife and I. Some family news means we have some challenges ahead but nothing we can't deal with.

Had my first league race later that evening and I was ready to burn off some steam. Unfortunately I punctured and that was that. Felt good though and not nearly as under pressure. It would have been interesting to see how later laps went but it was still a great buzz and also a great confidence booster. I am definitely stronger than I was a couple of months ago.

Distance: 10.0km
Av speed: 37.8km/hr
Elevation Gain: 14m


Thursday 24th April
Plenty of fire in the legs after previous day. I did this route about 5 weeks ago on paddy's day at about 29.5km/hr. I hoped to maybe up the average speed by 0.2 or 0.3. Found I was going better than expected and pushed on. As I neared the end I could see that 31km/hr was possible, so I floored it. Was delighted and, when I adjusted, it gave 100km in under 3hrs 15mins. Big jump from the last time.

Distance: 102.8km
Av speed: 31.0km/hr
Elevation Gain: 586m



Friday 25th April
I was wrecked before and after this recovery spin. Did not think I'd had a heavy week distance wise. A quick look at strava showed me that in the previous 7 days I had done just over 400km. Not a lot by some people's standards, but the most that I have ever done in that space of time.

Distance: 48.5km
Av speed: 24.0km/hr
Elevation Gain: 425m


Saturday 26th April
This was a bad idea. Nothing in the legs. Got soaked. Shattered for the rest of the day. Plenty of foam rolling on the legs and an early night.

Distance: 31.0km
Av speed: 23.7km/hr
Elevation Gain: 316m


Sunday 27th April
Club cycle. Legs were much better today but rest is still on the cards for the next week.

Distance: 45.1km
Av speed: 26.7km/hr
Elevation Gain: 318m

pprendeville wrote: »

Hope the bad news isn't that bad. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger as they say.

400km is a lot by anyone's standard in 7 days if you ask me so maybe time to back it off and super compensate. That's a period of less bike time and more rest (not lazing about and eating all around you mind) which allows your body to physically adapt to the training and extra load your placing on it. It is during this period that your fitness improves. Plenty of sleep as well will help a lot although that might be hard in your line of work.

You seem to be flying it. Keep up the good work. Great diary and a very clear format, must copy it (the structure) if you don't mind. Alls that's missing is a few pics of your spins.

The news is not bad as such, but it is life changing, to what degree we are not sure yet. We had our suspicions. But you know yourself when something is confirmed its a whole different matter. But you are spot on.....it will make us stronger.

Thanks for confirming the resting option. Nice to get info from someone more-in-the-know. I've started an iron supplement and will continue with the zinc and magnesium that I have been taking for a while. I seem to suffer a good bit from low iron with hard training.

Glad to hear the format is ok. Wasn't sure how to approach it but its easier for me to look back on, so I suppose that's the main thing. Well that and the fact that I'm not very technical when it comes to cycling training.

No problem copying the structure but if you copy the content you will regress I'm afraid.

Dilbert75 wrote: »

The advice about magnesium supplements which you gave me a while ago, but I only heeded recently, seems to be paying off in our house too. We've been having much better sleeps since, which of course allows better training and living. Hopefully it's not just coincident with Easter holidays but the next couple of days will tell.

Good stuff C. Glad to hear that. I find the zinc and magnesium great. I really do sleep like a log on it. It has been reported at times to promote more vivid dreams but I don't remember dreams usually. Taken one hour before bed on an empty stomach......give this stuff a serious run for it money:D