T-20 weeks – Training this week

Training Summary – w/c 10/03

Total – 19 hrs
Long ride – 5.5 hrs on a trainer

Weekend ride – Zwift Riders Germany / ZHCC century ride

T-21 weeks – Training this week

Training Summary – w/c 03/03

Total – 13.5 hrs
Long ride – 3 hrs on a trainer

Weekend ride – Zwift Riders Germany

T-22 weeks – Training this week

Training Summary – w/c 24/2

Total – 13.5 hrs
Long ride – 5 hrs

Weekend ride – dartmoor loop

Fighting Back to Fitness

Tired…. It’s hard being crap.

First decent Ride on the new long distance bike

Matching bikes… How cute

17 weeks to go

Its not been a good year

I was going to pull out of tcr no4 at the start of February, but the missus convinced me to wait until the end of Feb before making a decision.  (wise Women)

So at the end of Feb, I bought a new bike frame, (to give me motivation).  That failed.  However I ticked over a bit, and did enough to keep going.  Regular turbos / spin classes, started yoga again, and regular bike commuting.  However, I found almost any excuse not to ride at the weekend.  Its apparently been the warmest winter for ages,  but I struggled to get out.
Maybe its been 5 years of consistent winter riding and I just cant be arsed with it any more – I suffer with cold hands and feet.
Maybe its the 2.5 hrs of daily bike commute – mon-thu, come rain or shine  so on saturday I have a lie in, and on Sunday I just don’t fancy the cold – the duvet is winning.

Now its the end of March.  and its time to go, or not go.

Had to go over to my dads old house at the weekend to check stuff… This was an easy bread and butter ride last winter.  2.5 hrs over and then 2.5 back, or extend it to 3.5 ish each way.  On Saturday, the duvet was winning but  had a heart to heart with my self, and out I went.  Massive tailwind so I had an easy ride
Pondered what to do on the way home – take a train or ride..??  It started raining a bit, but it was warm, so I just rode home.  woowhoo – just a 5 hr ride, but the longest I’ve done in months.  And the strong headwind home was way easier than Greece / Turkey……  I loved it.
So I sat with the missus and discussed things.

I now have a weekly program, and a rough outline of the next 17 weeks.

time to htfu

Austria road trip

Tour of wessex report

Generally going pretty well…. and feeling stronger while not destroying myself, or running out of motivation

Tour Of Wessex… getting there
245k ride there – towing a trailer, with tent, kit, sleeping bag. I’ve used it touring with the missus…
It was tough with the trailer – like riding with a parachute. And the further SW I got, the more rolling and hilly it got. I hit andover, salisbury plain, etc etc
Stopped for a sandwich at 90k, emergency mcDs at andover, then on
10.75 hrs (ie slow), tent up, then straight for a Chinese takeway

Tour of wessex
Rode solo the whole way, going easy on the hills, (300w cap on hills) and 200 ish on the flats. Everyone came past me on the hills, and then I promptly overtook them again on the flats

Camped every night
TOW first day 6.5 hrs – fine – should have added on but had a pint with my end of ride burger. Got bored in the evening. Fuelled the ride with jaffa cakes..
TOW second day 6.6 hrs- fine, got wet in the last 2 hours.. stodgy jaffa cakes….. 😦
TOW third day 7 hrs – the biggie, with 3000+ m climbing. Faster than everyone one on the flats in the first half, (stupidly) leading groups or riding off the front of them… a little (too) hard but I felt very good against the headwind

Climbing – ok, but then exmoor just went on, and on, and on. Thats quite tough Got through it, but throttled back a bit and crawled home

10 k to get to a hotel, (a bit of luxury)

Getting home
235k, felt like I was climbing the whole first 2/3. OK on the flats but not much left in the legs. Granny gear on most of the climbs. another slow 9-10 hrs.
sandwich / chocolate milk near salisbury plain and 2 chicken pies,coke and donuts at frimley. Fuelled rest with harribo.

My fat adaption obviously need work

Rode mod hard in the TOW – not max but I was not hanging around either.
It was not survival getting home, but there is not much left in the legs. Took a long time to accelerate on the flats, and while climbing in the granny gear was easy, trying to go faster was not happening.

So a good 5 days training. Ive learnt a lot, about pacing, charging kit on the go, having food ready at hand, washing and re-wearing kit etc, and how nice a shower is after a days riding

T-13 – Wheels have arrived!

Front:- Son delux dynamo hub, sapim x-ray bladed spokes, Pacenti SL25 rims.
Rear: Tune Kong hub,  sapim x-ray bladed spokes, Pacenti SL25 rims.

Expensive, but as they are disk hubs the wheels should last.  Built by DCR wheels – he also did some last year for someone, Josh Ibbett I think so he knows all about the event – my choice of HED rims got altered to the Pacentis and therefore upgraded rear hub.

Just need to work out all the wiring and I can start playing:-)

T-14 – where have my legs gone?

    kaBOOM!  I am as weak as a kitten 😦

14 hrs, 310k for the week, with a 120k ride to/ from my dads mid week.