Faster, Stronger and For Longer



OK, Yes, I took this phrase from the Lucozade energy advertisement, but it sums up everything that is desirable in cycling performance. You wont achieve these attributes by training alone. Glycogen reserves and calorie input are key to your performance; what you eat to achieve that calorie requirement is even more important. Being mindful that its not just about the eating however and that hydrating well before, during and after a ride is equally important. Eating a balanced diet with good quality protein in it will be vital to maintaining yourself at tip-top condition too.

Some nutritionists recommend that carbohydrate should be at the core of your diet all week and that you should consume 1 to 3 grams of carbs per day for each Kg of your body weight. They also say eating omega-3 rich salmon is good for blood flow too. My favourite pre-ride (the night before) dinner is roasted salmon on a bed of wholewheat noodles with stir fried vegetables. This ticks many nutritional boxes.

Pre-ride (and I mean 1Hr prior to the ride) eating for me is all about the carbs - a mix of slow release and sustained release carbohydrates to be precise. That's a sugary juice drink and porridge to the layman. Scientific opinion would broadly back this choice, although some journal articles talk about this regime in terms of high and low GI carbohydrates, my regime amounts to the same thing. You can find more information on the subject here: http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/nutrition-weight-loss



Keeping up a 17mph pace for 3- 4 Hrs Requires Energy



Even someone who works in the sports nutrition industry, like myself, can get carbohydrate intake wrong. I've twice now hit the wall during rides of about 100 - 125Km in recent weeks. This could be a combination of pushing myself really hard and because of the other riders in the club hitting their peak performance, or poor pacing with my new found speed on the flat. Either way, I did not have enough energy to see me to the end of the ride in a way that I would of liked. A slight lack of fluid intake may have contributed to this

A science experiment was undertaken. I decided to try out various eating and drinking regimes throughout the ride whilst keeping the pre-ride eating the same. I have to say that the results are from what I like to refer to as an n=1 study and should not be taken as absolute fact. It's just a description of what worked for me, not a statistically powered study.

OK, so, the first big finding was that by having a cup of tea at the "tea stop" made me feel a lot better (less sluggish) than having a cup of coffee. I really love a coffee too and loads of magazine articles recommend a cup as a good cake stop drink. Evidence points towards both tea and coffee being poor hydrators and largely due to the large caffeine dose in such a small volume of water. Scientific opinions are very mixed on this subject. Next time I'll just have a soft drink without caffeine. The toasted teacake is not up for debate however.

Secondly, caffeinated gels, specifically the Maxi Viper Active gel, seem to provide that extra kick towards the end of a ride. Add to this a noted benefit from taking a gel (any gel) at about 1.5hrs in to the ride. The benefit of this being the maintenance of .To do this properly, researchers recommend about 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrate each 30 minutes you ride beyond the first 60 minutes. Gel sachets contain about I found that the Torq gels taste the best with Rhubarb & Custard flavour being my favourite but these are not caffeinated they do contain about 30g of carbohydrates however. The torq bars are very good too, except sundried banana flavour which is quite disgusting.

Drinking more. Cyclists must make a conscious effort to drink fluids before, during and after riding to stay hydrated. Becoming dehydrated is one of the worst things that can happen to you and so it is important to be proactive and push lots of fluids, even before you feel thirsty. You'll want to drink at least 250-375ml  of fluid immediately before a ride, another 250ml every half hour during a ride, and enough when you're finished to gradually replenish those lost fluids after a ride. I have upped my fluid intake and this seems to be making a difference if not to performance then certainly to my state of mind. I can't explain it but when I take a drink and especially on a climb, I feel good all over. Psycological perhaps, but dehydration can increase heart rate and thus sap energy. The constant replenishment of carbs via the drink is beneficial too. I use SIS GO electrolyte blackcurant flavour.

Post ride, I like a milk shake as this seems to get me back to normal than say just drinking water. I like nesquick strawberry milkshake as it provides a good balance of carbohydrate and protein. Its not a scientificly researched brand but again the experts would broadly agree with the approach.

So in conclusion. Eat well during the week. Eat plenty of carbohydrates but be sure about the amount and type required depending on where you are in the cycle - pre, during or post ride. Drink well and ensure you top up fluids regularly.

When I put all the pieces together last Sunday, things seemed to work out better. I had the kick at the end for which I was looking for. No fading, despite my legs feeling a bit ropey and the 27Kph pace. I still never made a quick pace up Houndhouse Lane, but you can't expect a miracle.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=467110





New Forest With Friends

Anyone would think that I have an obsession with the New Forest, given the amount of times that I've been out for a ride there this year. They would be right too. I do have an obsession; the whole park is a treasure and an absolute cycling paradise. I use a 100Km course from Brockenhusrt early in the season to get me into the groove as it does not present much uphill work. This time I was here with friends from work, introducing some of them to the delights of the Hampshire countryside for the first time.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=457411

In my kit bag, I carried a base layer, 3/4 length bibs, arm warmers, gillet, leg warmers and two sets of gloves - one pair of full fingered and one pair of fingerless. The weather had been pretty awful  leading up to the specific weekend, but remarkably the sun was in full display come the Saturday morning. What not to wear? I stuck with the arm warmers and bibs and decided against the leg warmers and full fingered gloves.

After what seemed like an eternity to get ready, the 7 strong group gathered at the mouth of the Brockenhurst train station car park and I gave the lecture about having fun and waiting for everyone on the hills. On the flat we would probably be riding as a pack, but the hills are where strength and power to weight ratios show there hand big time. You have to be aware of this if you are going to lead a ride.

Off we go and it's a steady lead out through the town centre, through the ford, which was a bit of a surprise and onto the beautifully named Rhinefield Ornamental Drive. The scenery bursts out from behind the trees almost immediately. Then as quickly as it appeared the open heathland disappears and  the first steady ascent begins. Shaded by Pine and Douglas Firs on either side of the smooth tarmacked road, we climb up to the busy A35. The road gets a bit flatter and so the pace quickens; I warn of the nearing punchy hill. already were making good time and mostly together as a group.

The punchy hill arrives and there's an inevitable break. Some of this group are new to riding, some of them are new to group riding. A few of them are really good at both. The riding is good and consistent though, despite the straying horses and donkeys. Up the hill, over the other side and down again; cycling is a bit like that. One of the wee foals tries to head me off the road on a tight downhill corner, I out turn it but the foal strays rapidly to the other side of the road to repeat its manoeuvre. Slowing, I try to brush past the stubborn creature without scaring it. Eventually I give up and unclip and just as I do, the damn animal walks away.

What is staggering about the new forest is the way that the heathland suddenly opens up from behind dense wooded areas. Long straight roads in open plain. A cross wind is thrown in for good measure; the road turns and were into a headwind. Someone else takes the lead and is quickly pinned back. We're making staggeringly good time however and soon its time for a cup of tea. As most people in the group, actually everyone, has or does work in the sports nutrition world, the talk turns to energy gels. Nik has a cigarette; to increase his lung capacity. Its hot, so most people are glad to have a rest and a drink of water. Looking at the map, we're were very close to the turn off for Bucklers Hard. This represents about two thirds distance ridden. The route is virtually flat from here. Flat but with strong on shore sea breeze to put you off your stride. The Isle of Wight looks lovely in the sun however, all white cliffs, blue shimmering water and shiny yachts. 

"The wind will be behind us in a minute". its a long minute bu eventually we turn for home. Over the bridge at Lymington, up the hill out of town and back out onto the vast heathland. There are a couple of good downhill sections here. Time to get some free motion. Its over too quickly though and soon enough the Red Shoot Inn passes us by. Another ford to cross, past the rather splendid Moyles Park School and onto the flat section home. The pace goes up and people are dropping out the back, the front group eases off. I'm still shadowed by a couple of riders but people are getting tired as we only have 8 miles to go. I can almost smell the chips; I always get a craving for chips. The final sections are very flat with minimal traffic; very straight too, interspersed with the odd roundabout. We turn off the A35 and head for the open moor again.

Rhinefield drive is upon us again as the loop is starting to close. A nice downhill section to finish. Time to really go for it. I can hear the clunking of a Colnago behind so someone has come with me. we hit 63Km/hr and then the brakes. A sign for Brockenhusrt whizzes past. Left turn into town and through the ford once more. The finish line. Everyone is still intact and hopefully pleased with their effort.

Plain North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire, for those unfamiliar with the territory, is a nice mixture of wide open flat expanses and some of the most brutal hills that I have had the (dis)pleasure to climb. A route that I have found to provide a good 60Km training ride, follows the Tees Valley near Richmond, dipping slightly into some of the more picturesque parts of County Durham. A start point can be easily reached from Darlington Bank Top train station although this will extend the loop, but in a good way by about a further 10Km.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=354979

Where I live is undulating at best and there are very few long flat sections to be found. It seems that everywhere I go involves hills. The area is known as the Surrey Hills, so its no surprise really that cycling in this part of Britain involves a lot of up and down. I like this territory however as it keeps me in very good condition, but a break from the routine is sometimes very welcome. 

On the day of the ride I forgot my heart rate monitor. I had chosen the route based upon the fact that I could probably maintain a 65 - 75% of max HR for about two hours. Not to worry, I'd just keep a very even high-ish tempo. I managed an average of 17.6 mph and I have to say, everything felt great afterwards, so I knew that I hadn't pushed too hard.

About the route: Setting off from the outskirts of Darlington, the first notable point is the crossing over the A1(M). The profile shows that the first 30Km are largely on an upwards incline, however this is not really noticeable. There are certainly no hills in the first 20Km of any note. Past the delightful Walworth castle and on towards Ingleton and Staindrop Village via the B6297. Good lord, its quiet on the traffic front but then this is not a densely populated area - another reason to visit with the bike.

The route starts to get really interesting on the quiet back road from Staindrop to Whorlton Village. The Only Hill of note on the route, followed by an incredible sweeping downhill section towards the River Tees. A slight wobble on a hairpin bend and onto a wooden bridge. I take a brief glance left down the river and see the dark waters of the Tees all turbulent, dark and uneasy. Quite stunning, encased in its stony riverbank setting. 

Now into North Yorkshire proper the roads are narrower, the tarmac smooth, but only from overuse and age. I meet a couple of clubs coming through the opposite way, it is afterall turning into a nice day. Following the riverbank for a while progress is swiftly made through village after village. Forcett, Aldborough St John and finally Melsonby, before being turned back home by the boundary of the A66(M) and along the extremely straight road through the Roman settlement of Piercebridge.

On the homeward stretch now and back along what is known as Staindrop Road. Down on the drops, tucking in out of the wind. The speedo is back up to 22mph. I hold that speed for the remains of the ride, until I see the School Playing field, all overgrown now and left to return to nature. Not like I remember it at all.

I turn off the road and up to mum's house. I can smell coffee. It's been a great 2hrs. 

The New Forest Rattler

Taking the racing line on the 125Km New Forest Rattler

Camping in the New Forest is a wonderful experience. Sometimes the native wild horses snuffle around in your tent for food and end up wearing it as a ceremonial headdress, or, as in our case, some years ago a squirrel ate one of our nutty breakfast bars (such a cliche) and very noisy it was too. None the less, it's great to be so close to nature.  Something which was quite unnatural however, occurred at about 4.00am, when my wife and I were abruptly awoken from our deep slumber by the screeching of tyres, an engine under heavy breaking and the inevitable loud dull thud of a moving metal object hitting something sturdy and unmovable. We didn't dream this, as many of those lucky enough to be camping in the grounds of Moyles Court School will testify. As the car was heard reversing, albeit with a slightly less than healthy noise, we assumed that the occupants were unharmed and so returned to the arms of Morpheus for a further 3 Hours.

On awaking at 7.00am proper and feeling very well rested, I opened the tent to reveal a different world to the one that I had last seen on zipping up the door. Cyclists everywhere, people running around with clipboards, ladies serving porridge and tea and most essentially, Claud the Butler (http://www.claudthebutler.co.uk/) was serving his most excellent array of coffee, cakes and smoothies.

I stumbled out of the tent and over to the porridge stand. I have a pre-ride routine to adhere to. Before any cycling in the morning, I make sure of eating about an hour  beforehand, followed by a cup of tea and a glass of diluted cordial. This regime has served me well in 2012.

Lara ensures that I have sun cream applied on all my exposed areas- factor 50 as it was due to be very hot and in fact temperatures reached 30°C. I knew I'd be under the sun's harsh rays for at least four and a half hours and sunburn is not fun.

People start shuffling their bikes towards the start line, so I make my way over the field and join the others wishing to make an early start. 8.30am on the dot and we were off. 

The route was fairly flat, with only one hill of significance and perhaps two to three sections which could be described as a moderately long steady ascent with nothing more than 6-7% to offer. I had decided to try and maintain a high tempo and had trained to do so in North Yorkshire the weeks previous.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371242

Straight out over the start line and off towards the Red Shoot Inn. I found rhythm fairly quickly and was soon enjoying the pleasant surroundings of the new forest. One of my favourite descents is in the New Forest, just before you get to the M27 underpass on Furzley Lane. Its beauty is in its alpine feel and smooth tarmac. I seem to remember that it went on for a long way - not so today, its over in a flash. As are the first 25 miles. It took me about 1hr 25 minutes at an average of about 18.0 mph or 30 Kph for metric enthusiasts. Luckily I had made my drink a bit too strong, so the first feed station was an ideal opportunity to dilute it down to normal strength. I had a flapjack too.  The second 25 miles went past fairly quickly too. I didn't feel like I was pushing it, but I must have been my average was at about 17.8 mph. I felt good. I was mixing it up with a couple of groups, passing through twee villages . I had been pedalling at nice even cadence, not too high, but high enough. 2Hrs 50 mins have gone and were two thirds of the way around. I stop for 5 minutes at feed station 2. I take on an energy gel - my second of the day and refill the bottle. I stretch out my legs and pop a flapjack into the fuel tank.

Away we go for the last leg and its not too long before I feel troubled in a physiological way. It was hot and I started to feel if not unwell then a bit depleted. This is commonly known as hitting the wall. Despite the stunning scenery, I must say that I noticed very little about the next 10 miles. I just fuelled up and hydrated. Even the most innocuous of climbs became demanding. I told myself that I must ride through the discomfort. The photographs of myself along that 10 mile stretch, tell the story of a man in need of a finish line.

Feeling Better - standing up to put the hammer down.

At about 5 miles from the finishing line came Blissford Hill. Not particularly long, but it does weigh in with a 25% gradient. If I could make it up that, then the ride would be a coast from there. 11 miles to go, 10 miles, 9, 8. I kept counting down the miles, knowing that Lara would be waiting for me and hopefully with an ice cold drink. I reflected on our good life together, keeping my mental state positive. Then Blissford Hill arrived. I couldn't get a long run up for it as two cars were coming up the oppposite way. There was also a bit of a bottle neck of cyclists too, choosing, probably sensibly, to walk up the hill. I rode it out in the lowest gear (34,28). Standing up to push me and the bike over the pinnacle. I had made it!  and best of all, I felt better - enough to crack the last 5 miles at a pace more familair.

With the finish line in sight I put the hammer down. I saw Lara waiting and clapping at the side of the road with other onlookers. I felt emotional. I gave her a salute. An amazing ride in a beautiful corner of England. 4hrs 30 minutes, averaging 17.2 mph. I think that deserves a celebratory drink.

Coming Back After Illness

A few Sunday's ago I made a serious error of judgment. In my bid to make 2012 my best year for cycling to date, I eagerly set off for a club ride on saturday morning knowing that I wasn't feeling great. I was infact suffering from a virus.

My lungs felt like they were on fire by the end of the ride, I was shiverring and sweating at the same time - not a good sign. The reality was that I had made myself a lot sicker than I would of been otherwise.

Sometimes you just need to recover and I mean properly recover. I had the following week off the bike and got myself better. In part this was made easier by the fact that the Tour de France had just started, the TV coverage of which was comprehensive and not forgetting that the weather was again awful for most of the week. I'll save a review of the TDF for a future blog entry but needless to say, this was the greatest TDF ever!

The following Sunday, feeling back to normal, I was eager to get out and ride. The weather was good, the route that someone had chosen, up to Lasham gliding club, looked good, all was good. I had a geat ride. I like the gliding club. Not sure if they like cyclists, but none the less its a lovely place to ride too.

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=442947

So the big lesson here is: if you feel even slightly il, you'll be doing yourself more harm than good by going out and riding. Take it easy, put your feet up and look after yourself.

Koga, Cube and Rose Cycles

Back to the original brief of the blog, which was: bicycles for taller people.

Rose Xeon

Scanning the pages of cycling plus a few weeks ago I came across an article about the Rose Xeon. http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose-xeon-crs-3000-double/aid:556682. they come in a 63cm frame, which claim Rose, is good for a 94 -96cm inside leg. Bike radar gives them a good review and although I have chosen to point you towards the carbon variant, their aluminium bikes get a good write up too: http://m.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-rose-xeon-rs3100-12-45931

Kimera Alloy 6069 Ultegra (G)

Koga bikes http://www.koga.com/koga/#5 make an unbelieveably big 66cm alloy frame - I think this would be big even for me! They also make 63cm carbon framed bicycles. I have never ridden one but if you want well specced carbon or aluminium in a big frame, then this Dutch company's products are probably worth having a look at.

Cube Agree GTC

Cycling plus were raving about the cube agree. http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-cube-bikes-agree-gtc-race-12-45968, and I would say that this is a brand I will be looking at in the future. Carbon 64cm frames are offered with finishing kit options to meet anyone's need.

http://www.cube.eu/road/pro-comp/agree-gtc-pro

Amazingly however, when comparing the geometry of all these bicycles against my own and the Trek Madone (I talked about in one of my earlier posts) the label claim of 63cm or 64cm frame seems to be a bit of a red herring. All the frames discussed here, bar the enormous Koga, seem comparible in the seat tube length at around 610mm and head tube length of about 220mm (240 for the 66cm Koga), which is all good. Seat tube length is not the only cosideration for a tall rider however. Looking at the top tube length and angle will give you an idea of how much reach you might have - no point in being perched high, but cramped up in the cockpit. Seat tube angles here range between  73 and 74°. A steeper 74° vs 73° angle adds about 5mm to the reach of the frame.

So, in summary: looks like theres a few more options to consider but be weary about manufacturers quoted sizes. Remeber that an actual on-bike fitting should always be undertaken to guarantee a good fit.

Keeping Up With Myself

I've started keeping a training log. Having bought a Garmin 800 Edge some while ago and  mainly for the mapping and sat nav guidance, I thought it about time to put the vast quantity of data that is produced on each ride to good use. A particularly good feature is the compare activities functions, where you can monitor any improvement or change in performance.

The Garmin has a virtual partner function whereby a little graphic of a man pedalling furiously, indicates whether you are ahead or behind where the computer thinks you should be. After the first ride of a single course, virtual partner then measures you against the best time you recorded.  This can be either a benefit or demoralising depending on the kind of day you are experiencing. I usually scroll to another page.

So, it is said that monitoring your performance over time can be both motivating and demonstrative of how you are improving. I learnt a while ago that one ride a week wasn't going to get gain me any improvements. My (at least) twice a week regime is paying dividends. I can see from the charts - I started out using a spreadsheet and I would recomend this to anyone. It can be as simple or as complex as you like.

The Excel spreadsheet however gave way to the data already listed out for me on Garmin connect, a place where you can upload your activities and as previously mentioned, compare activities.

But how do you know you are improving? There are after all a lot of variables to take account of. Weather, road conditions or surface changes and wind speed and direction. I even found that different times of day can seemingly make a big difference. The internet recommends you repeatedly ride a route every 2 weeks or so and make a note of the conditions and any variables. I chose the route below as my standard.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=412419

I used to monitor improvemnets in two ways. Firstly, by seeing how much faster I am versus that predicted by the toaster software and secondly, by a complex calculation I have devised which takes account of distance, average speed and elevation gain. Neither methods worked well but it amused me for a while.

The Garmin data is useful however, showing you speed and pace along the route and highligts where you were quick and where you were slow. It allows you to add notes as well, so I make a note of the weather  conditions. So, have I got any better between the first time I rode the so called "Petworh 50" in May and the last time on Wednesday 20th June. The answer is: I think so. By about 1mph or 5mins under similar weather conditions. I did note that it was almost effortless on Wednesday 20th June and also noted that I climbed the infamous Three Gates Lane, a 10-13% 150m ascent which comes at the very end of the ride, without much difficulty at all.

Mind you I did have a sugary raspberry Ribena drink on the way home that night...... 

Still Room For Improvement

No more excuses. I know where my weeknesses are now. I've improved my downhill technique, upped my speed on the flat, have greater endurance and have conquered any fear of tackling exceptionallly steep inclines. I'm doing about 160Km a week. I have a 9 to 5 job. My weekness is now climbing speed. Its been evident now since I kept getting overtaken on the climbs in the little lumpy sportive - only to retake my position on the downhill.

I was staggered at how this lack of climbing speed affected my ability to keep up with main group in a club ride out to Box Hill the other week. Whilst on the flat, although difficult enough, I kept nicely in with the main group. Come the hills and I was lagging behind.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=412395

The magazines tell me to do the following:

1) Lose weight and Thus Increase My Power to Weight Ratio. I'm 6'8" and 90KG. Any thinner and I'd be starting to look unwell. I could lose a few more Kilo's maybe.

2) Reduce Bike weight. At about £1 for a gram reduction in weight, on an already fairly light bike (8.5ish Kg) weight reduction is going to be expensive and probably not worth it. Having already fitted Kysirium Elite wheels, the best I could hope for is shaving off another meagre 300grams with a new crank. They cost about £380. This doesn't seem like good value.

3) Climb in Low Gears. Already got that one in the bag. I run a 12-27 on a compact. Any lower and the crank would double up as a winch. Spinning up hills, although easy on the kees, isn't improving my climbing speed. I could fit an ultegra 11-28, but as I have found with this configuration on my tourer, the gaps are too big for smooth gear changes.

4) Change Up if You Stand Up. Check. I've been deploying this technique for a while. The trick is not to go too early. Most people go too early. I like to sit as long as possible, which brings me to point 5.

5) Sit For as Long as Possible. Nature dictated that this was always going to be the best way for me. What I have found is that by going on to the drops and sitting, I can spin in a higher gear whilst going up hill. I believe this to be counter intuative but effective.

There is another point, which the magazines and internet fail to mention however, and that is by riding hills more often youwill improve your climbing ability, simple. I havent been avoiding any hils for sure, but this could be the first year of sustained training. I'm expecting a result through the natural course of events. This includes, eating and sleeping well and most of all, maintaining a thrice weekly ride programme.

http://www.active.com/ Get on Up: 5 Ways for Cyclists to Improve Their Climbing.

2 Lumpy

When the weather is hot, get out early. That's my advice. Last Sunday the temperature peaked at about 28°C, which I have to say was lovely. Just to ensure you don't fry yourself in such weather, getting out and back early is sage advice.

The little lumpy sportive challege route, http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=399819, looks tough on paper and indeed it was. I have respect for anyone even attempting the Epic route as that must of been a ball breaker.

I surprised myself on this ride and pushed myself to the (current) limit. I could not have given any more. I came off the start line like a bullet out of a gun, despite all the advice to take it easy and find a good solid rhythm. Once the adrenalin had subsided, I found that rhythm.

The route itself was fantastic, let down occasionally by poor road surfaces and newly laid loose chippings. Neither of which were good for speedy progress. The scenery, however, made up for all that (just) and once into Hampshire proper, I was back on old familiar turf; The South Downs, the place where I started with cycling proper.

Downs is an odd description of the most hilliest places in the South East. The first test came on Harting Down, via the back door I might add. I found this tough and riders were passing me at an alarming rate. The gradient was between 9 and 18%. On the downward slope however, I caught up and passed by many of those who had pipped me to the peak. My downhill technique must be getting better at least! The pattern of being overtaken on the ascent and retaking fellow riders on the downhill continued throughout the morning. Until that is, the group that I seemed to be hanging around with hit the slopes leading up and over to the village of Buriton. For reasons beyond my comprehension, I broke away from them.With 25 miles gone, finally, I was alone. This solitude was a mixed blessing. I like to see a wheel in the distance for the purposes of  motivation. The camaraderie of a group can be motivating too.

On the inward stretch I passed a few of the people doing the sport route. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the glorious morning for cycling. The miles rolled by and despite a few aches, I was still in good form at the top of what is called Older Hill. occasional glimpses of a rider in white assured me my pace was consistent. He'd been in front of me for a while now. He was wearing Mark Cavendish's white world champion jersey; I was in elite company.

Through the village of  Fernhurst with ease, Dial Green in a breeze.  Black Down was then looming, the final climb of the day was upon me. This would be the third time in a week. "I know this" I told myself in an unusual American fashion. I knew it all too well. Crappy road surfaces, really narrow strips of tarmac, 17% gradients, the highest peak in West Sussex. I felt the previous 93Km come to bare resistance to my upward struggle against gravity. Fading fast. Get to the top and roll down the otherside, I kept telling myself. The top came and the hammer went down. Freed from the shackles of the incline, I gave it everything I had left (not much) to blast down the hill to pleasant town centre of Haslmere and eventually over the finish line. Rubber squeaking on the dry hot road. 3Hr 57 mins. A Personal Victory. My wife was even there to see me come home, which made the whole thing perfect.

Next years target is 3Hr 45 mins

North Yorkshire Highs

North Yorkshire, a county of contrasting landscapes. The relatively flat vale of York, gives way to the rugged, remote and hill laden Dales in the North and East; and the scenic beauty of the almost-as-hill laden North Yorkshire Moors to the East. Perfect cycling territory.

I was staying in the North Yorkshire Dales, in a village just outside of the not so busy Reeth. I know this area very well as I grew up in nearby County Durham. This delightful North East corner of the national park is my favourite part of the Dales. With the scars of lead mining, heavy skies and treeless vistas, it's all moody and rugged-like.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=384842

Not a particularly long ride at a shade over 28 miles, but with over 740m of ascent and most of that coming in the first half on the way up to Tan Hill, Britain's 40th highest road (whoo-hoo!), I knew it was going to be tough and it proved to be just so.

The weather was uncharacteristically dry. Fresh, cool and sunny; at least on the way out to Gunnerside and Keld, from Fremington. At Tan Hill itself, the moor was in shadow and the eery bleak landscape was bitten by a chill wind which stayed with me all the way home.

Straight off the bat is a short, sharp climb through Reeth village and away out to Gunnerside. It's a steady climb al the way up to Tan Hill, requiring various levels of effort. Theres plenty of 10% grade out that way as you follow the River Swale; at some points it goes to 15%. Annoyingly, the road loses height many times along the way and so the final ascent is a bit brutal, combining two 25% inclines over a 4 mile stretch of all climb. The first 25% comes a little after Keld as you turn off the B6720. To add to the pleasure, the incline has 2 hairpin bends. Strangely, I made short work of this climb and once on top, where the gradient levels out to between 2 and 3%, the scenery was stunning. Riding to the sound of the curlew, the morning spring sun bouncing off of the tarmac and dodging the odd over-excitable lamb or two, it was by far the most stunnig place in Britain that I have had the pleasure to be on a bicycle. That being on top of the world alone kind of feeling.

Tan Hill itself came into view just as the final 25% incline had been tackled and by this time my legs could feel the effort being asked of them.

I'd like to say that the ride from Tan Hill to reeth was a cruise downhill, but there are still plenty of undulations, cattle grids and tight bends to keep you busy. A free ride home it most certainly was not. Well, maybe the last 3 mile section, where I hit 40 mph.

The Night Time is the Right Time

There are plenty of references to being at your best for cycling during the afternoon or the evening. Apparently, our body's rhythmic influence can heavily impact on our ability to excercise. The following article is my reference.

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/training-whats-the-best-time-of-day-to-ride-1037/

Although this article probably explains why I had such an enjoyable short ride on Tuesday evening, it does say that you are better off training in the morning. I'd broadly agree with that.

Let us put science aside for a minute however. Tuesday evening was ideal cycling weather. Mild to warm temperatures and low wind speeds. Conditions which have not been seen since before Easter Monday. An opportunity too good to miss and so I went out for a 30Km loop around the Surrey Hills.

What I noticed is how, all of a sudden, the countryside has come into bloom. Cherry blossom was diffusing from the trees in celebration of the coming together of the elements, the birds raucous with the oncoming of milder climbs and everything so green. So very green, in an array of sensorial aspects. Who could not  want to ride through the year and witness the evolution of the British seasons. It was a tough, cold winter and I for ione am overjoyed at the prospect of ditching the colder weather gear. No more long fingered gloves for a start.

Trek Madone 5.2

Trek Madone 5.2 (Image from Trek website)

The weather has been awful again.To compensate, I've been looking at bikes. I don't need another one right now, but, I like to keep an eye on the developments from the few manufacturers which I know make larger frame sizes (62-64cm). The Trek Madone 5.2 is a thing of beauty. I particularly like the 64cm frame option and of course the ultegra finishing kit.

The important geometry facts are that it has a maximum seat height of 90cm, a standover height of 84.1cm and a rather long wheelbase of 101.8cm. Thats just slightly bigger than my Cannondale Six. You can buy it in a rather splendid electric white and blue but for me, the stealth black would do just fine.

Details can be found at http://www.trekbikes.com/

Just one more thing, It costs £2850. Which is a lot of money.

A Little Lumpy

It certainly will be a little lumpy. A sportive on your doorstep is too good to miss. Billed as being 59 miles long with 4073ft (1241M) of climbing, its going to be murderous on the knees. The route runs out from Haslemere and down to South Harting; a lovely spot on the South Downs. The website describes the journey from thereon as that "You will encounter your first ascent of the South Downs up the North face of Harting Down" - Gulp! It goes on. "This year we are sending you back over the Downs three more times before you return towards Haslemere, only this time with a last hurrah over Blackdown, the highest point between the (North & South) Downs".  Well, thats daunting! The only good news that they're telling me is that "We have pared it down it bit from last year, cutting out climbs at the end over Marley Heights and Fernden Lane". Lord knows what the epic (100 miles) is going to be like. I'll stick with the standard.

A ride taking in Marley Heights or not, this will be a monster. The details, should you wish to join in with the insanity can be found by following the link below,

http://littlelumpy.co.uk/

My training regime has already started with a ferociously paced 90Km up to Leith Hill and back via Holmbury St Mary (bagged yesterday - Saturday 21st.) The Saturday club ride is a step up in pace versus that of the Sunday version. I was taken to the edge of my current ability just keeping up. I took a turn on the front a couple of times, albeit briefly. The average speed was about 16mph and given the total ascent was over 800m, I was shredded.

Midweek training sessions have to be the norm now, rain or no rain. Longer, faster riding on a Saturday and a roller session somewhere in between should be expected. Dedication.

I'm not going to predict a time for the lumpy, but to come in over the line without being burnt out would be enough to aim for right now.

Il Pleut des Cordes.

Officially the South East of England is in drought. It hasn't stopped raining since Sunday. Admittedly this wont cure the drought but it has put paid to enjoying an hour or so of riding after work. Bicycle riding just isn't pleasant when its tipping down, even less so when accompanied by blustery wind.

I could get the rollers out, but that requires more motivation than I currently have. Its been a dull, energy sapping week at work just to add to the generally grey ambiance.

I can only look to the weekend for a spin out and in that thought there is hope. Glancing at the club calendar, there's a ride out to Abinger Common, via Cranleigh and Leith Hill. Even in the rain this could be a good ride. Very good coffee stop too I seem to remember.  

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=33044

Undoubtedly, rain or no rain, there will be an abundance of cyclists out towards Leith Hill. Its the cycling Mecca of the South East and will be awash will club shirts and fine bicycles. Last time I was out this way the climb up through had an almost Tour de France feel about it, the roadsides littered with cyclists enjoying a drink and a rest in the glorious weather. I'm not expecting the same atmosphere this time.

Lest I forget, the little lumpy sportive will be coming up in May. I need a few longer rides under the belt, interspersed with a few short ones. Thing is, anything over 100Km inevitably takes you to the seaside and that probably means more wind and more rain.

2012 - Fulfilling the Promise

Its mid April and I've made the best start to a cycling year since 2009. The difference, I expect this year, is that I have the motivation to keep going. I became a bit dispondant after last years accident and had put on a bit of weight. 2 sportives in the bag already and a frequency of riding that I have found beneficial to increasing my performance, continuing weight loss and general well being, I'm feeling good about 2012. I'm back riding on a very regular basis with the club too. The company of other riders has been great, they're a friendly bunch and my riding has improved massively because of them, even in such a short space of time.

I wont lie, the first sportive was tough. The Hell of Ashdown - it was just that. A harsh winter put paid to a sufficient training regime and as a result I found the ride tough going, unrewarding and thoroughly demotivating. A missed turn (lets say poor marshalling) that added an extra 15KM to my ride didn't help. My time was awful and I felt suitably dreadful. As I look back on the ride now I largely think about the scenery, the great route and the way that my 2012 cycling effort was kick-started albeit brutally.

In my last blog, I listed out a number of events I was going to enter. Further to this, I'm going to publish my achievements to chart my steady progress and add an element of motivation.

The Southern Spring Classic

Good weather, good preparation and a cracking route through the tri-county area (Surrey, Hampshire & West Sussex border) all made for a pleasing day in the saddle. I opted for the 80Km Route, which you can view by following the link below.

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=352393

I highly recommend this sportive. The route takes you through some surprisingly good countryside and quiet roads. The major climbs were mainly towards the end, the climb up iron hill to the finish post being the most gruelling. As this was the innaugral ride over the new cycle path atop the devils punchbowl (apparently!) the scenery along the section from Thursley and alongside the new section of the A3 was spectacular.

I posted a time of 3Hrs 20mins, which although is by far not my best, I usually average about 15-16mph on my own, but having spent the week leading up to event by working some very odd hours in the morning/night, I am fairly pleased with the progress. Subsequent club rides have been faster still.

The Tall Rider. Preparing for yet another slog uphill!

So who could of thought it? regular riding with company improves your technique! Tea and cake adds motivation! And lest us not forget, with cycling, you only get out what you put in.

2012 - New Year, New Goals.

The latter part of 2011 was a disaster as far as my cycling was concerned. My accident during a ride on the Isle of Wight left me needing physio and I was in bad shape for about 6 weeks after. A whole string of social commitments had me out and about for most of November and then the inevitable bad weather during December and of course the Christmas holiday, followed by an illness had me away from serious riding for a good long while. The calender is free now and Britain is experiencing a patch of unseasonably mild weather, so time to get back out and ride.

I've signed up for the 50Km hell of Ashdown, which I last rode in the extremely cold and wintry February of 2009. 50Km is enough for the start of the year I feel, although there is a 100Km option. More details can be found here http://www.hell.gb.com/. 2Hrs would be a good time over this hilly, but not mountainous course - almost 700 metres of climbing, enough to get me out and into the groove.

The good intentions continue. A list of intended rides for 2012 is as follows;

Hell of Ashdown 50Km

Southern Spring Classic 80Km

New Forest Ratler 110Km 

4 Abbeys (non sportive ride in the Borders)

Manchester to Blackpool Nightride ~86 Km

Plenty of good stuff there I think. In particular I am looking forward to the night ride to Blackpool and hopefully getting back with the club, which was some of the best riding I experienced in recent years. More about that in the next post.

Happy new year and good luck,

Christopher