Happy new year (2013... it's been fun but thanks!!!)

Well looking back on 2013 I can safely say it has indeed been the most unexpected year of cycling that I could imagine!!!

I started my blog nearly 12 months ago after an new year with flu that turned into pneumonia and I eventually ended up in hospital with pleurisy which was a very painful experience indeed.

This did give me the motivation to go and do something that I saw as a real challenge.

WHY?

I sat in my hospital bed feeling like someone was trying to extract my right lung using a red hot poker in the lower side of my rib cage and i listened to the rants of some chap that was properly delirious from goodness knows what drugs he was on. He was ranting on shouting "I am not finished yet! I wanted to do more but never got around to it!". Made me think really that by the time I am old and losing my marbles (even if my wife thinks I am already barking mad), would I be able to look back and say I did something worth while and not only pushed myself to my very limits then went one step further, but also touched other peoples lives along the way and hopefully made a bit of a difference. With my already long and varied history I cannot say I have wasted my life, but I still feel that I can do more too.

Maybe have a giggle along the way and get screamed at by Sergeant Major Matt a few times too!!!

In January once I was back on my feet I decided to get on the Turbo trainer and get the heart working hard.

The original old girl!

I started by really hammering myself but also having no idea of what I was doing and no way of figuring out my power output and cadence etc. I still am a little clueless on that to be honest but the best thing is I was enjoying it at the time.

I had to drop out of the first sportive I was booked on for the year though so I was really not impressed! however I did think that I would have been stupid to try especially since I felt like I had half a lung missing still and my fitness had really dropped.

February.. I was feeling good about myself and really getting back into the groove. I had started setting new personal records again as my fitness got back to where it was before the new year and I was looking forward to the first sportive that I was going to be taking part in from Poynton.

Then fate had a different idea as WHAM! I managed to get clipped by an idiot that didn't look when he crossed the road and I went down hard breaking a bone in my foot in the process.

So back to hospital for me and I can safely say that having tried both the local hospitals I would not recommend a stay in one!!! never a fan of them in all honesty and really prefer just going to visit or have children at them.

I was then on crutches for just over two months and hated every minute of it. However it did just strengthen my resolve that I would do more and go further than I previously thought  possible. At the time however just the 1.5 mile walk from town was a killer for me and was proving to be hard work.

March brought snow, and lots of it! bad for those on and off bikes. I was still hobbling about on crutches and having to catch the bus everywhere. On the upside though the Cheshire Cat was postponed until July so I was back on it and looking forward to it too!!!

April put me back on my feet and back on my bike. Probably far too soon in the eyes of the doctors but I was determined to get back up and running again working hard on my fitness and cycling endurance (much to my unimpressed wife's cost). I was out spending time on my bike going the long way too and from work and getting some good hills in to match. I did have to reign myself back a bit but then in May and June  just went into hill climbing mode and went out to find some local big ones in the process.

Lashing the snake! Top of Snake Pass

A Monk and Two Passes. The foot of Winnats Pass

Rolling the Moss! Top of Holme Moss and Happy for the first of many times.

 I was wise to do this as I think it stood me in good stead for the miles and mountains ahead as I took part in the sportives I had entered.

Finally at the end of June I made it to my first sportive. The Great Manchester Cycle! No hills, No cars, just nice flat(ish) road and 50 odd miles of cycling as fast or as slow as I wanted. It was great and I really enjoyed it. Some people can do with being reminded that it is not a race though as I actually saw some overly aggressive riders force others off the road. But hey! it just goes to prove that even BMW drivers can ride bikes. But it takes a bit more to be a cyclist!!!

Just a few weeks later and on probably the hottest day I have ever cycled on in my life came the Kilo to Go Cheshire Cat. 104 miles of Cheshire plain with some of the steepest hills I have ever ridden up thrown in for good measure.

Mow Cop! The very steep bit

The picture makes it look flatter than it is!

The map doesn't lie! Its really very steep.

After an emotional killer mile and then a just as emotional 103 other miles I had completed my first big distance and got my first tick in the box (in my mind!). I had pushed my limits and found that I could do this without killing myself totally. Even if the wife did comment saying I was wiped out when I got home afterwards. I was still capable of doing more and felt really good about it.

The heat had hurt, the miles had hurt and the hills had really hurt, at the end of it though once I returned to ride HQ in Crewe I was still smiling and ready for the next one!

Still smiling after over 100 miles! I must have been mad.

Just as I thought I was back in the swing of things and looking forward to throwing myself back down the open road for the Jodrell Bank summer Sportive were my obligations and responsibilities as a Husband and Parent put through there own paces. I was at home helping my much loved and overworked wife deal with two very poorly children. Much barfing in the night as I remember and I just couldn't justify then going out for the day on my bike leaving Her in door to cope with projectile vomiting girl and barfing baby, whilst feeling rubbish herself and trying to run the house at the same time.

After a few more little training rides as well as the usual commute to work I warmed up for the next big challange by riding in the DM Keith Skoda Sportive over from Wakefield. This was a good run out and a stretch for the legs but it would fall very short of testing myself again "THE ONE!!!"

Ride With Brad 2013 was really emotional. I can safely say if all the knights of the realm think the route he had put together is a jolly nice little training ride, then it just goes to show people like Sir Bradley (The Dark Over Lord) Wiggins really are something special and go way beyond what we mortals are capable of. It was certainly an inspiration and something that I want to do again in 2014. I was certainly found wanting this time as I actually had to get off and push a few times. Next time however I will be giving Sir Wiggo a run for his money, then getting my arse handed to me on a silver platter as the Grand Over Lord wipes the floor with it and leaves me in his wake! Should be fun!!!

My next big disaster came not through thoughtless injury or mishap but more of my own stupidity as I broke my bike in an effort to fix the old girl! September was going to be the Manchester 100 for me, however I was suddenly without steed and massively pissed off as it was my mistake that essentially broke my bike. That and using old second hand parts I had purchased from eBay at the lowest possible price.

The Old girl! In the shed but not forgotten!

The Old girl did me proud however. I had ridden a 20+ year old bike for over 2000 miles, over the hills in all weathers and at scary high speed too (45+mph, that's over 100 Kph in metric). Thankfully someone was smiling on me as I was able to replace the broken frame in just a few weeks and now had a bike suitable for doing some real damage with!

The new steed!

I would be putting this one through her paces on the Hidden Peak National Trust Sportive. The bike was a great ride and I was really impressed with the performance it gave me. I however had a bit of a directional fail and managed to actually get lost. Or as we cyclist call it, just making sure another route would be safe to use too. I didn't go too far out of the way and managed to have enough sense to realise that I was not on the right track, however I did manage to finish 30 seconds late for a silver medal and got only a bronze finish. Bummer I was really pushing hard and let myself down a bit. Overall though it was a really nice ride and a great way to end the sportive season.

As the dark of Autumn and winter set in I took to the track, I want to ensure I am not starting back at square 1 with my fitness levels for the coming year. This was only interrupted with a brief meeting with the side of a minibus that was being driven by a blind man. However after much thought and discussion with her that must be obeyed, we have decided that I can either go road or track, we just can't afford for me to do both.

The year ahead!

The coming year will hopefully start with the Evans Ride-it Rochdale Sportive, The same one I missed last January.

February I currently have nothing planned as I think she would kill me if I went cycling on her birthday.

March is the return of the Cheshire Cat (weather permitting, even if I did enjoy and prefer it in July).

April will see me starting to race on the Tameside Closed circuit races on a Tuesday night. This is the start of the annual amateur racing league  season for 2014 and is on pretty much every Tuesday night until October. I don't think I will race in all of them but I do intend to compete in a few!

May will see me Race in and around Holmfirth in the Team Cystic Fibrosis Road Race and then June a race around Doncaster City centre. Those should both be great fun and mega challenging too!

At the end of June will come the event that I have been building up too and training for all this time, The Coast to Coast in a day! The ride I am still trying to get a place on as it sold out on the first day it opened, but also the point of me writing this whole blog and the reason I have been smashing myself for charity!

After that I of course hope to Bump into Sir Wiggo on his ride as well as keeping on competing on as many local races as I can get away with riding in, (Wife and children permitting).

Einstein was happy to cycle too

It's all happy cycling and on the open road even with Sergeant Major Matt screaming his lungs out at me to get up that hill or eat the person in front of me once I have caught them. It's a sport I really enjoy and something that I have been able to apply myself too. It helps me burn off the excess energy and release the aggression that I have from my days as a soldier! I do believe it has made me a better person and if one person reading this blog is by this inspired to get out on two wheels too, then it is worth it.

2013 has certainly been Hell and I have gone through it mainly on two wheels but for some of it on crutches too! Good-bye 2013 and hello to 2014! Now bring on the PAIN!!!

Loving every minute of it!

Happy Christmas!

Its Christmas 2013 and I am not cycling today. In truth I will be off the bike for a few days as I could do with a rest. However lots of new bike related bits for Christmas...Hurrah!

I now have a pair of race wheels and tyres. A new cycling jersey but most importantly a new cat eye cycling computer that I can use to monitor my power, cadence, speed and workload. It's all about the numbers and that is what I am going to be looking at to gauge my performance training over the next few months in the build up to the racing and sportive season. I have many events in the calendar and only a few of them currently paid for. A bit frustrating but I am limited on budget.

Anyway I am looking forward to getting home so I can get out on the bike again, I am getting the itch that only a flying hard ride can scratch. Plus shiny things play with on my bike too. 

The local Strava segments are going to get a hammering when I get home. Well that is the plan anyway :)

Happy cycling ;)

The secret is in the SOAP

A more advanced track session for Friday!

It was still counted as a tester session when it comes to how the national cycling centre advertise these sessions but having said that they did also say that all the tracks in the country had the managers come to a meeting in Manchester on Friday and they made decisions!!! One of these was to call the "advanced taster" Level 2 of 4. Kind of makes sense to me as otherwise you have no idea as to what you are doing or how far you have to go.

So anyway I trudged from work in the centre of Manchester sown the Ashton canal on my bike. I really wasn't feeling it tonight but non the less I was looking forward to a good hard session at the track. Maybe a few good fast laps would help clear my head and I would be feeling a lot better afterwards. Cycling tends to do that for me when I am enjoying it. The ride down the dark wet canal wasn't doing it for me tonight but it was better than the usual life of limb route on the road! I do actually like the canal just simply because it is quieter.

I arrived well in time for the session and made my way to the reception to get booked in and hire some shoes. Then off to the track and get sorted out of my outdoor road cycling kit (mainly the outer layers that I wear at the moment to keep warm and dry), I simply made sure that I would have just enough to keep me covered (stops you losing skin in a fall) and not so much that I would overheat as I was working hard on the bike.

So the bike! Where was my bike??? The track staff are usually really good and put the bikes out on the hire racks with your name on for collection, this time however myself and a few others had to go and find a member of staff to get a bike each out of the store deep under the track. Not to worry though as it gave a little insight into the underground workings of the track and a warm fuzzy feeling that says these bikes are really well maintained and looked after by staff that clearly have an extensive workshop. It was impressive with more bikes, tools and shiny things than you can shake a stick at.

However now it was time for the session and all the gloom had gone from my mind, now it would be time to concentrate (even after a long hard tiring week in the office). This was my first advanced taster session (hopefully not my last as I would still like to progress) and as the two British cycling coaches said to us, "If this is your first time then it will be a bit of an eye opener for you! just stay safe and keep calm.", These guys are the real deal! They are professional coaches and they have between them probably about as much experience as you could ever need.

Quickly I got out onto the track to do a few warm up laps. Get the legs working and the heart rate up was my aim. Also get comfortable on the bike, every bike is different and I wasn't too happy with the saddle height so I pulled up a lap or two early then everyone else came in for the first exercise briefing.

This is where SOAP comes into play. Nothing kinky but it will make your brain hurt after a few laps!

Exercise 1

     Ride in a line on the blue line and change the front rider every 1/2 lap.
     On the change power away up to the top of the track looking that you are clear at the same time.
     Once at the top of the track return to the same pace you had previously so you drop to the back.
     Rejoin the line and continue in the circuit.

How difficult could it be??

Not many people know but a track has 2 hills on it. Into the corner (when you are on the blue line) is uphill and adversely out of the corner is down hill.
To carry out this exercise and riding in a line of 16 riders we must all maintain the same pace going uphill as we do going downhill. That is the simple concept that is going to take time to master and make my head and several others on the track heads hurt. and to add to all of this the coach then throws in some SOAP!

Thankfully only as an acronym as a real bar would have just spelt disaster

S - Smooth actions (keeping it smooth helps the rider behind not having to react fast)
O - Observation (just a look over your shoulder in your intended direction of travel)
A - Anticipation (of what you are about to do, go up/down change etc.)
P - Pace judgement (Squeeze it on slightly going up the hill, let off slightly going down,)

Well all the SOAP makes it sound really easy and certainly I was confident that I wouldn't have a problem mastering this in a session..... Oh how wrong could I be!

We set off in a line of 16 all at the same time. I entered the track and closed on the wheel in front. straight away I was finding it hard to keep the right distance and just couldn't get settled like I did in the previous sessions. Round and round we went the rider at the front peeling off every 1/2 lap. The pace not massively high but good enough to do a great speed around the track.  Finally it came to me at the front. Concentrating on keeping up with the coach pace maker for the group, then came the shout "CHANGE!" my mind went blank for a second as my brain went "Thank you for calling, Matthew is cycling at the moment and will answer your call shortly, here's a little music to listen too while you wait!"

Argh! dam you brain!!!
 
The coach however had other idea's. He knew exactly what was going on in each riders head and shouted the relevant instructions to get you going!I opened up the pace and accelerated up the track, with the slight delay I was on a steeper section than I would have liked and so had to work a little harder I then returned back to normal pace and let the line pass under me as I rode the greater distance around the top of the track. Suddenly I did start to notice that the line was creeping up[ the track towards me. Now being at the top side of the track that wouldn't really give me anywhere to go! The reason that the line was creeping up the track is simple. If you are too close or just simply catching up to the rider in front you just move to the right of the rider and let the natural curve of the track slow you down and you can slot back behind the rider. However at this time everyone seemed to be coming up the track in one long line.

Things started to get a little stressful for a second as I was dropping further back then to my relief the line dropped back down and I slotted in at the back. A few laps later and me stressing about my legs not doing as they are told. Either I was too close to the rider in front or too far behind. I struggled to get the pace balance right and it is something I will have to really work on.

Next came "The Mesh!". The mind boggles!!!

With 16 of us (17 including the coach out on the track with us) we all numbered off.

Exercise 2

An reiteration of the SOAP principles but this one would also be a pace and acceleration exercise. It was to be a simple one. Keep your position in the line and maintain your spacing. Again it was all about pace. The coaches explained that we would ride around on the blue line again. They would then shout the instruction of "ODDS DOWN" at which point the odd numbers in the line all drop down the track onto the red line and the even numbers continue on the blue line and visa-verse when "EVEN DOWN" is called. "Easy Peasy!!!" (in a remarkably bad French accent) you may say!

Reality would be quite so easy but at least not as bad as the first exercise. Again this involves the careful application of SOAP!

Not too bad as we entered the track this time and again we cruised round at a comfortable pace. "EVENS DOWN" the chap in front of me peeled left and I just concentrated on keeping him in the same place as well as the chap now in front at just over a bike length away. EVENS UP and he slid back into position with the minimum of fuss. Then ODDS DOWN Hmm this was different as I slowed to keep my position in the group as I dropped onto the red line. In a corner you travel 5 meters shorter distance on the red line than on the blue. Again pace, distance judgment and then acceleration back up the track and into the space. Not an easy thing and pace judgment is something that even the pro's have to work hard on. this being lesson 1 for me made me feel a bit better.

Finally we all came in as a line (looked rather good too) and stopped on the barrier. The coaches then decided that we could all go do some individual interval training on the whistle for the last 10 minute of the session. This was simple find some space, get up to speed then on the first whistle sprint like hell and on the second relax and recover! Hmm 10 minutes later I was jelly! I got onto the track did 2 laps then whistle 1. So I did exactly as told and went for it hard. Lap 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.... I was starting to think the coach had lost his whistle then thankfully he blew it again!! bit warm now and my legs complained that I had been cycling all week and now this, SHUT UP LEGS!!! 2 laps later the shrill sound of the whistle again! Not being one to waste the opportunity of a good workout I pushed hard again. By Lap 5 or 6 I was breathing though my ears! They repeated this about 2 more times then brought us all in for a post session chat!

It covered most of what I have described above but the coaches also gave us a good insight into how difficult this can be at the higher levels with 40+ riders on the track, now that must be really stressful sometimes, however they did also reiterate that as long as you keep a good lookout and stay safe it is never a problem! I look forward to my next session!

This is all good training too for the race season next year that I will be going into. Now that will be an eye opener too.

Great fun and even though I haven't yet got another session booked I am looking forward to it and just want more!!!

The ride home after was a bit emotional too! I still managed a few good personal bests though and 8th on the leader board on the route through Gorton too,

I will be stepping up my training in the new year and knocking up some more leader boards too. It would be good to dominate the area before starting the next racing season in March/April time!

More happy cycling!

On the Blue line!!!

The past week has been unusually harrowing but today it was rewarding.

Last Friday after having an entire week of commuting too and from work by bike, my luck ran out... so to speak.

The fact is I got a minibus in the face! As it goes, I was hit on a roundabout by a driver that was cutting across traffic and by his own admission was in the wrong lane to be turning left.

The only left I had at this point was the gravel rash to my right knee, elbow, shoulder and hand plus a very sorry looking bike. I wasn't too happy at all as I would have to repair my bike over the weekend and in the run up to Christmas money is tight!!

I had a very badly damaged rear derailleur a good knock to my handlebars and gear/brake levers, a huge gash out of my saddle and now my wheels don't feel right either. Not happy at all and considering I wear a high-vis jacket and have more lights than Blackpool the bloke actually said "Sorry Mate I Didn't See You". Makes me angry!!

 After a good knock and a bit of a bruise I was back on the bike on Monday for the usual commute to work etc. Plus tonight I was back at the velodrome!!!

Hurrah Hurrah! Great fun to be had smashing myself around the track!

This time however after a good thrashing for a warm-up, high pace for about 10-15 minutes to get a bit of a sweat on. I had to pull my eyes back in as there were a few riders all wanting to ride for the fabled Blue slip.

As I previously mentioned in an earlier post this allows a rider to progress to the next level. I have a feeling it may just be a whole different level of suffering to enjoy :)

We rode around in a tight line like formation. It does make it so much easier if you ride in a line as the person in front shelters you from the wind as you travel through the air. You actually end up doing around 30% less work to maintain the same speed. Great fun and is a very good thing to practice.

At the end of it all after many laps, changing over from the front position and dropping to the back. heart stopping moments when we all went to exit the track and didn't quite manage it in formation. Turned into a bit of a cluster really, but we handled it safely and recovered well.

The Coach for the session finally uttered the magic words "You are all passed for your Blue slips, See me at reception afterwards to collect them". Great stuff exactly what I wanted from tonight and time to take it up a knotch.

So the Blue slip!

 

I know what you are thinking!!! Yes it doesn't look much, but this is the the first step towards getting accreditation  as a rider. If you want to know more about what it involves just have a look at the link here. This is the National cycling centre website and gives an outline of what you have to do.

I am now going to be on level 2 and ready to really push myself to improve my cycling speed stamina and overall fitness. I know I am far fitter than I was 12 months ago but that is what doing so much fitness (if only just cycling to work and back) does for you.

Tomorrow however I think my legs will need to be told what to do as they where jelly when I left the velodrome and are starting to ache a bit now. My Sergeant Major Matt was loving it tonight and at the end when we got asked if we just wanted to go around fast he kicked me in the arse and just went "I'll be doing some fast laps please!!!" in my voice then got all shouty in my head demanding I go fast enough to make my eyes bleed and anyone watching feel tired! It's like the good old saying that I remember Sergeants of old saying "You'll be doing press-ups* until I'm tired" (*substitute for required exercise e.g. star-jumps, hill runs, sit-ups etc. all the greats that make you hurt like buggery).

Anyway I did some fast laps and rode right up until the last minute. In all I rode for about 50 out of the 60 minutes. I then got changed back into my outdoor kit and after booking my next session cycled the 8 miles home, wibbly wobbly style. However I must have still been on a adrenaline high as I even managed to get a cup on my Strava ride on the way back, I must be mental!

So in other news! 

I am now registered on the Tameside Closed Circuit Cycling Racing league, I am going to start entering events in the new year however the first event isn't until April.

I have entered the first sportive of the year too. The Evans Ride-it Rochdale road ride that is about 70 miles but takes in a few good lumps including Crag Vale which is part of the Yorkshire leg of the 2014 Tour De France (Stage 1 I think). Anyway it will be a good ride and my second attempt at doing it as I missed it last year due to coming down with plueracy!! (not an experience I want to repeat any day).

After that I am looking at doing a mixture of races and sportives all running up towards doing a really good challenging ride later on in the year.

Looking forward to it all already!

Happy cycling :)