YACC training thread

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

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

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

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

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

Thirty seventh week over.

Cutting down on the road speed and spinning alot more, although I will be damned if my ego can't help speeding up everytime some young lad nips past at the lights on red, so spinning with intervals. One of them turned to me at the next lights after I overtook him and said "nothing wrong with you". I took it as a compliment, rather than a, your old aren't you.

Going to start drawing up a proper training plan for next year over the next fortnight. Time to get serious about getting points next year.

Weight: 82.5 kg
Average BG: 9.4 mmol/L
km's rode: 160km

Thirty ninth week over.

Absolutely wrecked this week, I think I am run down so not much to report

Weight: 83 kg
Average BG: 10.6 mmol/L (insulin pump failed twice this week, If I exclude those times it drops to just under 8)
km's rode: 180km

Fortieth second week over. (no 41st, first week I missed)

Hospital appointment this week and it looks like I have some underlying issue in relation to my health in general. Nothing serious but it looks like I am carrying something that is just not clearing at the minute. They took a load of bloods and are running a few tests, a few hormone assays as well, to rule out a few unlikely things.

Blood sugars were a mess for the past fortnight though so not expecting much good. It has screwed up my sleep as well as my general demeanour. Regrettably this means my work has suffered, and I am a bit of a jerk to people. Thankfully it seems to be getting better, so hopefully back on track ASAP.

Weight: 82.5 kg / 83.5 kg
Average BG: 13.8 mmol/L / 10.27 mmol/L
km's rode: 140km / 155km

Forty fourth week over.

At this point, I am starting to feel like I can't wait for the year to be over so I can close this thread and start afresh next year.

might get the rollers back out so I get some exercise in, in the evening.

Weight: 84.5 kg
Average BG: 13.8 mmol/L
km's rode: 100km

brownian wrote: »

Fair play to you - it's a long hard grind you're doing. Lots of people would take the ill-health as an excuse to say 'feck it' and stop logging.

I guess most of your kms are commute ones - don't you like to ride at the weekend?

I love to ride my bike all the time, alas it is just not possible at the weekends. Between kids, parents, repairs, report writing and sleeping with 2 or 3 hours, it just doesn't work. I fit in a little but not much. I just cannot seem to find the time.

All of my cycling is commuting to a certain degree, it improves from spring onwards as the club league starts and since I help organise, I play the people are relying on me card. most of the races I do are based solely on whether they are close to my house or close to my parents or in laws housing, so I can work it in, so basically any racing outside of the midlands and the east coast is now ignored.

I realise it is my own fault but it is hard to time manage with a young kid and an older kid, and I don't like bailing on my partner for half the day (although I still do it now and again).

Forty sixth week over.

Still issues with speed and time. I feel like I am pushing along but still, adding on about 10% time wise to my commutes

Weight: 84 kg
Average BG: 9.99 mmol/L
km's rode: 175km

Forty eighth week over.

Blood sugar control is vastly improved this week, although still far from perfect. Weight has gone up again. It really is the most boring training log in history.

Weight: 84.5 kg
Average BG: 8.5 mmol/L
km's rode: 100km

Fiftieth week over.

Still tired but one child has went down with a viral dose, so I suspect I have an underlying "thing".

Weight: 83.4 kg
Average BG: 8.5 mmol/L
km's rode: 40km

Getting close to the end, I want to see where i ended up in regards my goals

- get upgraded from Limit to Semi Limit in the Club League (then to beat daragh_ in one race) FAILED on both counts. I came damn close, and fully expect to be upgraded next year. Never raced Daragh_ in the end, so that grudge match will carry over.
- drop back down to 80kg FAILED I got about half way there but I feel diet is the key here
- get HbA1c down to under 7 by June FAILED half way there, 6 months later

Quite a successful run of failures. I finished the Wexford 2 day which is a first and everything technically improved, which I suppose is good.