Road to the Raid

Left home at 9.30am this morning for what was to be a 90km ride taking in 3 climbs twice (a 2*45km out and back circuit). The idea was to get 3.5 to 4hrs of data to send to my coach.

The weather deteriorated to such a point that high winds and driving rain meant that I cut short the original plan and did 57km. Took approximately 2h45m. By that stage I was wetter than I had ever been, my face was raw from the bitterly cold rain and wind. A sheep farmer out in the weather asked me if I was mad. Quiet possibly.

The route that I actually did was as follows
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/kenmare/897126002618664570

My Garmin died on the last climb (the ascent out of the Black Valley up to Molls Gap) - so all my hard work was for naught from a data point of view.

The Garmin is probably toast now, in that 4 hours after I have gotten home it still will not switch on even though I have tried recharging etc. I am assuming that it just got hot with way too much water.

Anyway, a thoroughly miserable ride. But at least I got out.
Strange thing was that the climbs were easy, but the descents were hellish due to the wind. I actually had to gear down to the 39ring in order to descend from Molls Gap to Kenmare. The wind was so bad that despite turning the pedals, I came to an almost stop at the first hairpin.

Nuts.

Anyway as they say in the pirates, ". . .the beatings will continue until morale improves . . ."

Today my coach (Ryan) set me a task of a 5.6km TT up Cruagh and Kilakee. It started at the bridge past the Merry Plougboy and finished at the lay-by at top of Kilakee.
The first 2km is the toughest in that it is circa 10%.

Anyway as is cycled toward the start on my 13kg commuting bike who rode up past me but Ryan.
That was unexpected and a bit embarrassing in that I wanted no one to witness my pain.

Anyway took on some fluid and set off with Ryan providing an excellent pacing service thru the tough first 2km. Excellent advice when I was pushing too hard and when go sustain the pace.
After 2k he turned off to continue his own training and I progressed up toward Kilakee.

Heart rate for the effort was maintained between 175 - 180 bpm for most of the climb.
I made it to the top in 26m 47s.
Two points, I was pleased in that it was inside 30min and averaged 11.2kmph and this was done on a very heavy but highly geared bike.
However if I was prepared to spend more time in the red I could have put in a better time. So something to work at there.
I climbed at the upper end of the HR that I can sustain.
While weight loss and endurance are very important to my efforts I also want to get to a situation where I can climb the Tourmalet in 90mins. If I could do it today it would more than likely take well over 2 hours.

There were 4 other cyclists heading up Cruagh today. I am not the only crazy out there.

Told to pace at start anx then push hard. I started hard the paced myself and tried to go hard but just kept kept going at a nice tempo (for me).
I luke hanging outside the pain cave but am afraid of what's inside.

Had a reasonable weekend on the bike despite the weather.

Yesterday about 80k and 3h20m. Had company from Emty andGodihatethehills. Living where I do I rarely get out with boardsies any longer so it was great to have company.
Nice flat route thru Kildare at a slowish pace.

Today I completed a sort 45k loop in 2h 15m. Slow train of one to Saggart. There was a horrible headwind.

With the hill TT and and commute there was 190km this week.
It was badly needed as I had Christmas parties and lunches last week so I needed an offset. If I avoided putting on weight I would be veryvery happy. Weigh myself Wed so will be interesting as I have lunches tomorrow and Tues plus headin out for dinner with the missus on Tues night.

MadHatter wrote: »

Top tip for weight management - weigh yourself at the same time everyday and calculate a moving average, weighted towards your most recent reading. This will generate a trend weight that'll help eliminate fluctuations in daily weight due to natural and self-induced (through over-indulgence) levels in weight. Ignore your actual weight reading, if the trend weight is down, your laughing. See this site for info/tools/formulas - forumlas are in the pdf book.

Good luck with the training...

Cheers. I am a bit paranoid about the misuse of statistics and signals vs noise. On that basis I tend to weigh myself at 8am every friday morning. In my line of work the trend is far more important than the actual level, so your point makes a lot of sense where I am coming from. Thanks

Planned a 95km loop with 1450m climbing.
Got 16.25km and slipped on black ice twice.
Fell badly third time. Elbow and hip sore. Rear deraileur fubar after a spectacular skid on road.

Now waiting by roadside for a lift home.
Training cancelled for another week.
Disastrous holidays from bike point of view.
Shudda turnedback after thirst skid.
Strange thing is it looks like a great day.

Made it home thanks Beasty. Collected bu the mother in law (the shame).
I was stupid, I should have turned back after first skid but continued on. I didnt even make it to the hills. Leg stiff, so will put on hiking boots and head for a walk to stretch out.

Sun shining high in sky here and actually reasonably warm,but plenty of ice in patches. Postponing this weeks training. I would rather get to an event underprepared and struggle than not get there due to injuries.

Still I have 4 months to go before I head to the Pyrenees for the 1st time.

Be careful out there folks - 700*23 tyres are not really meant for icy roads.

Managed to get out for 2.5hours today. Kenmare to Glengariff via Caha Pass tunnels. If weather stays the same, plan on doing similar tomorrow.

Up by the pass (only 300m or so) the wind was ridiculous, and took a lot of effort to simply stay upright. Still was great to be out, minding kids is bedlam, (while I love my kids, that is not to say that I always like them!!!).

Anyway, I now weigh 92.5kg versus 94km at start of December. So happy with that at least. However, I am heading out with the missus for taps tonite (yum), and heading for dinner with friends in 2 nights time.

I would be very pleased to be 92.5km by the end of the first week in January. Plan a month of abstinence in January, followed by more of the same for Ferbruary. I got a lovely Christmas present of a 5 day trip to the Pyrenees in early May. Aim is to be closer to 80kg by then.


Garmin data.
http://ridewithgps.com/users/4019/activities

@ Sy:
Am heading to foothills of the Tourmalet. Now many of the peaks will be closed from certain levels, but the plan is to get up as far of Tourmalet, Solour, Aspin, Hautacam, Luz Ardiden as the weather will allow.
4 days plenty of climbing.

Very frustrating few days in that it is about a week since I have been ob the bike. I simply will not cycle in this weather.
I tried a cycle on Friday but turned back at Molls Gap when it dawned on me that cruising at 15km searching the road ahead is not only not training it is not an enjoyable leisure cycle either.

To compensate I have taken to walking. donned my hiking boots at the weekend and spent some time tramping around.
Also I have walked t and from work for past few days (20km) round trip. I reckon that I have walked about 85km in past 4 days.

However I now have a very unusual heavy feeling at the back of both calves. Not sore just heavy and unpleasant.
I quite like walking actually and could see myself getting into hill walking/mountaineering.

Only good news is that despite lack of time training on the bike that I have maintained my weight at 92,5km.

Cannot weight for the thaw, but if it doesn't I reckon I will walk the Tourmalet in Sep rather than cycle it : - )

Raam. What do I do with your book. Great read btw.

Here till Thur. Will bring to work. Pm me and I will get it to you.

Cheers whacked. Had heard that Kilgarvan road was very bad.
Hoping to get out for a spin at wwekend but will very much depend on local conditions.

I was hoping for a loop from Gap of Dunloe to Glengariff and back in that it would get some lots of short sharp climbs over 80k, but we will have to wait and see.
You back on the bike yet.

Not much activity to report, yet nevertheless, dropped to 14st6lbs at this mornings weekly weigh in. Pretty please (and smug) about this I have to say. No weight added over Christmas and much of my wardrobe now looks ridiculous on me. This is the lightest that I have been in 16 years. Pretty happy with that.
When I got into active cycling (as oposed to commuting a few days a week) two years ago this March I weighed 17st 6lbs.

For the past two months I have endevoured to keep average calorie intake below 2200 per day with 3000 on treat days (meals out with the missus etc). In the past I would have consumed about 3500 per day with up to 5000 on certain days. I no longer consume alcohol, saving my "treat" calories for chocolate or tapas.

Other than 50km of commutiong this week I had nt been on the bike for 17 days. I am hoping that 2200 cal/day (more on hard training days) plus active cycling sees me head toward my target of 13stone by early summer.

I completed the Wicklow 200 in 9hours at 15 3/4stone, so I am hoping to do similar this year in under 8 with very little in the way of stopping. I dont feel particulalry fast climbing or on the flat for that matter, but I now know that I can put up with the pain of steep climbs. I know have to get used to (1) back to back days on the bike and (2) climbing for a long time.

In a way having been much heavier has thought me how to endure some serious suffering while climbing, hopefully this will stand to me.

Plans are alread being put together for a Dublin to Kerry cycle around paddys day (100km on day 1 and 190km on day 2). Longest that I have done up to now is a 70km ride followed by a 140km ride, which was last summer. Regarding climbing I will head to the Pyrenees in May to try out as much climbing as possible.

Arrived back in Kerry yday evening to find roads clear of ice but full of d-day landing style craters and torrential rain (however it always rains down here).

Hoping to get 5hours on Sunday every week plus 2*2hours on Tues and Wed plus commute. The Tues and Wed ride will get longer as the light gets better, with the aim by summer to be doing 150-200km midweek and 150km on a weekend ride. All of this plus usual commute.

Time now to put all of this to the test.
Getting my Orbea back next week and taking delivery of Kuota Kebel at end January (so excited). Looking forward to getting out and just putting the miles in.

One thing, while I am losing weight, the stomach is getting flabby, is this alleviated by doing some ab work/crunches/sit ups etc?

Managed just under 4hours today -first proper spin since 30 Dec.
I have to say there were many times that I came close to giving up. I was in pain for most of the trip. Legs like lead, but with regular sharp pain on the backs of my thighs.

I had nothing but hatred for the bike today. Planned 110km and 5 hours actually did 75KM in 3h50m.

On a route chosen as it was lumpy (rather than serious climbing) in order to introduce me back to the bike, I felt horrendour on the climbs, worse on the flat and just exhausted on the descents.

Whatever about losing weight, I actually need to get some fitness back and then once that is back, get more and more fit.

I include the GPS files.

I hate all this bitching, I really do. I would love to be able to have a good ride at a hard effort - that seems like a long way away. In Q2 and Q3 last year my weekend ride was rarely below 100km and often between 120-150km. I recall saying at the time that 100km was becoming pretty esy in terms of recovery. Now it seems for me that I have gine way back, in that 80km is the new 160km.

Need to sort this out, or I will have a lot of bikes to sell.

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/13083

Managed 180km this week. To be honest I am still not feeling much love for the bike.

Despite having lost much weight (now 90.7kg), I have very little appetite/endurance/strength while on the bike.
Going back over old files, I was a lot stronger from April thru to end October last year. Every KM seems to drag, and while I have gone from not being able to climb at all, to being able to climb at my own pace and not be afraid of it, but now I have no stomach for anything over 40km.
This is a big worry, in that for my two goals this year, endurance will be everything. Endurance is back to back 150km. A long way to go.

Anyway, now that the bitching has been completed here is the week breakdown.

Monday: 20km recovery spin in the evening in 1 hour. Pushed 39 ring and an easy gear. Spinning helped push Sundays weariness from the legs. This actually felt good.

Tuesday: 50km (10km in the morning). Two climbing drills out in foothils of Dublin mountains. Managed a combo of 1min seated climbing/1 min out of saddle climbing, but could not combine for higher amounts of time out of saddle. Anyway, spun home. Again, felt reasonably good, even if cycle was slow.

Wed: Morning prework laps of park postponed due to puncture. Bussed to work. In the evening collected my replaced Orbea from Staggs. 27.5km slightly over an hour. Practised 3*1 minute very high cadence "sprint" sessions. Hard, but coasted home feeling satisfied. It was great to be back on the Orbea as opposed to the Tricross. I was going to sell it, but now I wont. It is way more comfortable than the tricross. If anything, I will put tricross into storgage for when wether is pretty bad.

Thur: 10km comute

Sat - was supposed to go out with Lescol (beautiful day) but sick kid and lack of sleep prevented that. Desparately unlucky in that my weekend spin was now going to move from a rare beautiful day, to one that didnt promise much on the weather front

Sunday - got out in what was a truely horrible day. Freezing fog/drizzle for the entire four hours.
Just shy of 80km inunder 4 hours. 1000m of climbing. Over and back route from Kenmare to Adrigole via Healy Pass *2.
High point - took in 4 climbs at a reasonable tempo for me. In particular, managed 39/25 for much of the climbs only moving into the triple ring when legs were too tired, however from a HR/fitness point of view I can climb these in the 39 ring. For me that is progress, but obviously at a cost. In that my legs are a knackered at present.

Low Point: It was absolutely freezing. For last 20km I couldnt feel my fingers, which meant that breaking and shifting became tough to say the least. Hated it. Vile weather. Just cant muster long slow/steady distance at present. Mind and body just to weak.

Garmin files are corrupted in that they didnt record last climb or descent properly (while I was climbing it showed me descending, and while sea level on the coast road it showed me at 100m - bloody Garmins).

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/14413

This weekend I am hoping for something along similar lines.

Hopefully the endurance will come. It could be a combination of (1) solo training is hard, (2) training in this freezing fog on destroyed roads is soul destroying/character building.

Thanks for reading the weekly moanfest.