CYCLING
Nearly the end of January 2010 and so far training is going well even though the snowy weather has done it's best to spoil it, I finished last year training on Saturdays with the Yorkshire Road Club lads then when the snow and ice came I could not get up to the Leeds area to join them so I spent a lot of time out on my own. On the 24th of January I telephoned Trevor Mayne and arranged to meet up with his group of riders and it turn out to be a good fast workout, something I could do with more of.
The first month of the year might have been a good one as far as training is concerned but the first week of February was just the opposite. I came down with influenza and still had to keep working in the garden preparing for a new fence and filling in the fish pond. I got the job finished on Saturday, feeling a lot better, and hoping to get out on the bike by Sunday.
Well Sunday arrived and I am still bunged up in the nose so I decided to leave recommencing training until Tuesday to be sure of not setting myself back any more than necessary.
Tuesday the 9th and Thursday the 11th of February I got out for steady rides and on Sunday I did an easy one to watch a duathlon with Reece my grandson. Tuesday the 16th and my first ride into zone three, getting to Thorne with 18.6mph on the average speed of my computer, then I rode back as far as Darrington with Jack Granter and got home at about 2pm having covered 62 miles.
All ready to set off training on a cold damp morning
February the twentyfirst, a Sunday morning and I was looking forward to a good session on the road with some fast guys from Birdwell Wheelers, but I woke up to a blanket of snow and I could see that the roads weren't in a fit state to ride on. Two hours on the Turbo Trainer was all I could do to make up for the loss of road miles. Below is a 10 minute clip of that session.
7th March and Birdwell Wheelers 100k Audax, the day was the sunniest so far this year but it was still very cold. I set off with a group consisting of their fastest riders Trevor Mayne, James Allen, Craig Wilson, and more. Four of the grup dropped off on the first climb but I hung on until Hampole then spent the rest of the ride outward determined to catch them so I was on the limit so to speak.
I rejoined them at the checkpoint and though they set off before me I caught them up as they where leaving Thorne thank to British Rail and their level crossing, after that I clung on to them all the way as far as the climb out of Brodsworth and I had only lost 10 minutes on them when I got back to HQ. All in all a good days training.
4th April
At this point in time my weight is down to 11st:3lbs from 12 stone a month ago and my times on my test rides are also down though these can vary with the weather conditions. There was a strong wind today but my ride was still the fastest this season giving me a bit of confidence in my progress so far, I suppose next weeks ten will either verify or kill the notion.
My total training miles so far since the 1st of January amounts to 1,868.62, compared to the same weekend last year which was 1,840.34. I am just a touch up.
I had good rides in the VTTA 18k and the VTTA 10 at South Cave, then in the Team Swift 25 at Ranby I seemed to have lost all form and had a dissappointing ride. The following Tuesday after a visit to the dentist I did an hour on the turbo then went and raced on the hilly Birdwell Wheelers 5 mile course where I finished in 15:54 having climbed half the event against a very strong wind not a good time but it was certainly a good work out, my lungs were bursting. On the return leg with the tailwind I was travelling along at 40.6 mph. My annual mileage is now up to 2,264 miles.
Riding in the Birdwell Club Five
Saturday 24th and I rose early to ride up to Aberford and join the Yorkshire Road Club chaingang led by Vince Macklam. I did not know what to expect as I knew the pace would be high, but how high? Well I soon found out, having already ridden 24 miles at 20 mph average I had a short rest and then the group arrived. I had to kick hard to get on and thought that I wouldn't be holding on for long. What a surprize I got after a few miles to find myself taking my turn on the front along with the likes of Steve and Vince and with carefilly planned rest nearer the back occasionally I was still there at the end, though I still had a ride of 24 miles home which I did trying to hold on the the average speed. My annual mileage is now 2,456 miles.
Last day of the month and and my weight is down to 10 st : 12 lbs and the mileage at 2,604. my next outing will be the YCF 25 mile TT tomorrow.
Over the last three weeks on Tuesday evenings I have been riding the Birdwell Wheelers five mile time trials. The first one was on a very cold and windy night and my result was just as poor, the second was a much better evening mild with just a light breeze, I did improve but the time was still dissappointing and on the third the wind was back and so was the cold but my result was a bit more pleasing.
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20/04/2010.....15:54
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27/04/2010.....14:55
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04/05/2010.....14:18
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11/05/2010......D.N.S
Week ending 15/05/10 was a good hard working week with 45 miles on Tuesday followed by a 100 miles on Thursday at 19.3mph covering the distance in 4Hrs:10 mins then a workout on Saturday with the Y.R.C. chaingang 80 miles in total with the ride up there and back. Annual mileage now at 3,061.63
The end of May tomorrow and over the month I have ridden two poor twentyfives due to bad weather conditions and one good ride hitting a time of 1:00:14 in the VTTA National championships. My weight is now down to 10 stone 10 lbs and my total mileage has hit 3,510 miles.
Today the 30th of May I did four and a half hours covering 70 miles of famous climbs, Holme Moss, on via Torside to Glossop and up Snake Pass down to Ladybower then halfway up Moscar before turning left over the Strines pass.
The View as I passed Ladybower Res.
June started off well with a P.B. in the Newark Castle 25 mile T.T.of 59:55, then the weather changed so I did not get out for my Sunday ride the day after, and Tuesdays training was a hard turbo session plus a bit of work with the weights.
June 16th turned out to be a rather painful day as I came off the bike after hitting some debris in the road while riding in the VTTA afternoon ten at Ranskill. I was taken to Doncaster Roral Infirmary where my treatment was second to none. I owe a lot of thanks to all involved, the local residents who came out to look after me, the paramidic who was first to attend to me, the ambulance staff and all the doctors, nurses, radiographers and anyone else concerned.
Images of my injuries
June 24 and the staples come out today at my G.P's. My head feels as though it is healing well but the other injuries are still very sore and keep re-openong against my clothes.
June 26th and Out for my first decent training ride since the crash happened. I took my fixed gear bike (shown below) so that I did not overdo it. I covered 57 miles at a nice easy pace. I fond a bit of pain in the knee an occasional twinge in the hip joint and I painful rib when my breathing increased.
July 16th and training is getting back to normal as far as speed is concerned but I have not done any endurance work since my accident, and with the Elmet 12 hour only a week away heaven knows how I will cope, on top of that I will have no assistant with me this year, butne can only try!
My weight is now down to 10 stone 7 lbs and my annual mileage stands at 4,378 a little down on this time last year.
There are still a few aches and pains but nothing near as bad as they were.
My preparation for the 12 hour went ahead as normal with an increase of calories in the last week but the lost miles could not be regained. On the day of the event I rose at 3:00am and set off to drive to the HQ at Melbourne in North Yorkshire. It was a lovely calm morning to start with but as the day went on the wind kept on getting gradually stronger. I had no support vehicle this year so I had to carry the extra weight of pump, spare tube, small saddle bag and two bottles and cages as opposed to just the one. I also had my pockets stuffed with food stuff. On top of all this I had to make two 10 minute stops at HQ to refill pockets and bottles and grab a quick bite while at the car. With all this extra weight and my under trained legs plus the increasing wind I ended up some 20 miles down on what I would normally do for a twelve hour. Result was 214.92 miles, second fastest North Midlands rider but I am way down on standard for the North Midlands Vets B.A.R.. I now need a good fast 100 and a fast 50.
August and a 50 on the first day. My form was still a bit down when I started the ride but I seemed to go faster as I went along, then on the last leg I got confused as to which traffic island was the last, and lost time checking with the marshal. There are two more 50's to come so I am still in with a chance. My next event will be the Team Swift 100 for which I am now training. Yesterday I rode 105 miles at an average speed of 18mph in preparation for it and I shall continue to do two similar rides per week up to the event on the 21 of August.
My annual mileage for this year has just passed 5,000 miles and my weight is holding steady at around 10 stone 7lbs.
Sunday 8/8/2010 I set of for a ride in the hills and as I past throgh Holmefirth I came across the CTC Phil and Friends sportive so I tagged along with them. I covered 108 miles of very hilly terrain in the Pennines. Great day out and good training
26 of August, and my head as now healed nicely and training is going well again, though my twelve hour was spoiled and the weather spoiled my 100 miler. Twoo fifties to come and if training continues as it is going now I might just manage to get a CTT certificate for the B.A.R..
My head as it looked at the end of August. As you can see the healing has gone well.
Some good time trial rides were done in September though the results were down a little due to the strong winds that seemed to persist all month. On the 26th I rode my second Audax of the year put on by Steve Myatt of Birdwell Whs and gave it everything hoping the get back first, in that I failed but did arrive back third with the second fastest time as Craig and James got back together having passed me six miles before the end.
Climbing up Green Moor in Birdwell wheelers "Randt Tarn" Audax
October Well the season is now over and what a season it has been. It started off well and looked like I was going to be successful, but then I crashed and lost a months training so I ended up with a poor result in the 12 hour and from then on all rides seemed to be against a strong headwind. The end of the season was a lot better with the news that I had accumulated enough points to win the VTTA(NM)'s Prestige Trophy, and was also part of the winning team in the VTTA(NM)'s ten mile time trial.
Finally my 61st birthday arrived and my wife Jackie bought a new time trial bike for next season.
Above and below my new Planet-X Lo-pro
And so I converted the old Quinatna Roo Lo-pro into a road bike.
Compact and aero-dynamic, Ready to Ride.
What a year this has been, what with the crash and the resulting time off the bike yet still taking the Vets BAR and Prestige trophy. Also Jackie treating me to the new Planet X to start out on next season.
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