…and I am beginning to think about how we can make next year’s ride even better.
The will to ride is also coming back (I have been out once since the ride, though have done plenty of Unicycling/ falling off!).
Good thing is today the cheque from the Lloyds TSB foundation has come, which add’s another £400 to the pot- taking us up to over £2700!
Categories: 2006 Ride
Well, it’s been 2 days now since the event; all I can say is WOW!
The ride went well- very well. Both groups seem to gel, and work; the ending with the guys jumping in the Barbican was brilliant- and Batman & Robin went fantastic.
But this Blog is about me,and my riding. So how did that go? Great! I found that I could climb well- very well. So much so that I went for it out of Tavistock, to ensure that I was suitable knackered at the end. Yes, my legs were sore afterwards- but it was worth it- very much so.
My mind is now already turning towards July 1st next year. I hope not to put on some much weight this year, and stay riding as much as I can- even if it is just mountainbiking or unicycling.
But I want the event to be good- better- than this year, and we will be taking all the feedback into consideration from the folks of this year.
Thank you if you rode. Half way through my (expected) life, and it has made it worth while. But the best is yet to come!
Categories: 2006 Ride
There’s only one more thing to do- and that’s ride.
And it hit me last night- tomorrow I will be riding over 75 miles! Yes, I have been training- but the last 2 week’s have been organizing and directing, as opposed to riding and sprinting.
It’s a sad fact that I am now at the stage of wanting tomorrow to come and go. Yes, it will be cool, and I will enjoy it; but there are so many things I want to do (and eat) and I can’t until this is out of the way. I have a major battle to fight at work- one which I more than likely can not win, and will be mortally wounded- but I need to fight. I want to spend less time sat on this PC, and more time living. I want my son Ethan and I (who is away now on a school trip, and I miss him madly) to really nail our unicycling, instead of falling with style. I want to help my daugther Holly to start her website, and help her deal with all that a twelve year old girl has to deal with. I want my wife and I to top arguing, because I am always ’somewhere else’.
I want it to be cool- and to raise lot’s of money. This will be my defining hour so far in my life, the thing I have done which will add the most value to other people’s lives.
But then, I want mine back for a bit.
Categories: 2006 Ride
It’s 5 days to go- 5 days!- and guess what- it’s a heatwave! I think the weather will settle down a bit by Sunday though- the longer range is looking cool and calm for Sunday already.
It’s all gone a bit mental the last couple days. An easy 15 miles on Sunday saw me ride a bit with Reg who is also doing the ride (Hi Reg!), which was cool.
Then we had a committee meeting on Sunday- which saw some great work covered, and me getting drunk on 2 pints (it’s umm the weather, don’t you know).
Since then, 3 people have registered- we have 37 now- and I believe we could be aiming for 50 riders at this rate. 50 riders! Seeing the first C2C had 5, and the second had 8… so…50 riders!
I honestly don’t believe I can understand how cool it will be, this thing which has been created. We will have a peleton riding across Devon- finding inspiration (and pain) in the hills and roads of this magnificent county.
Plus there is the money angle- and rightly so. 50 riders at £50 (minimum) each will be (slide rule) £2500! Plus what people will raise above the £50- I am personally (with my work’s donation) on track for £500.
Let’s not forget what it is all for- The Children’s Hospice South West. My previvisitsit’s have always moved me to tear’s, as any parent will say- it is a magical place, but will always be twinged with sadness.
They deserve our support.
We deserve the sun.
See you Sunday!
Categories: 2006 Ride
With just 10 days or so to go, it’s amazing the difference the weather has made to my training.
For the last 3 weeks or so (in fact, since the 50 I did), I have rode like a donkey. No flexibility, no pressure, jerkiness- just rubbish. Thought that I had ‘peaked’ too soon (that’s what my wife says all the time), and that I would suffer.
However, my performance has changed even more in the last 5/6 days- and I think I know why.
About 8 years ago, I started to get hay fever. May time, I get the pepper in my eyes and throat feeling, and I start to take anti-histamines for 3 or months. This normally sorts it out.
In fact, there has been a couple years where I just have not had it at all- but this year has been bad. The tablets wear off by about 7 in the evening, and then I start to suffer big time with it- eyes nose and throat.
I don’t know if you have noticed, but the weather has been damp the last few days- so much so, I have had no symptoms’ (though I still take the tablets- just in case). And with this, my riding has dramatically improved.
So much so, that last night I went out and did a hilly 25 miles- Barnstaple to Umberleigh, across to South Molton, and back to Barnstaple along the link road.
Rode great! The hills were no bother, and I kept up 25 mph along the link road back! Felt 17 again (or how I remember 17 to feel).
So- the moral of this story is, I just got to hope for a damp few days before the ride!
Categories: 2006 Ride
So, Sunday was the big training ride. Before any big event, I like to go and ‘bang’ out a 50 mile on the Barnstaple club’s 50 course, which starts at Bishops Tawton, and goes up to Morchard Road along the Exeter road. I only raced it once when I was racing, and turned in a 2 hours 25 minutes (I think I was 16 at the time).
I have done it several times over the years, and my times have varied from 3 hours, down to 2 hours 45 minutes.
So I started off at a medium pace. It was always going to be more of a mental thing for me; all that time on my own- not even my Ipod for company! I wanted to just keep my cadence up- would have liked to have done a 2 40 something, but as I have said before, I am not worried about the speed.
The wind along this road can make or break a ride, and on this occasion, it was ‘noisy’. Going around a few bends, I could tell it was cross/ in my face, so this meant that I would have some support on the way back after the turn- phew!
Reaching Umberleigh, I was picking up pace, so I clicked it into my big ring on the front. Like I say, not worried about speed- just that I could do it, without cracking!
The wind got stronger and stronger- to the point my speed through Eggesford was only 14 mph, despite the fact I was standing up. This got my heart rate up, and started my speed increasing.
As I approached the turn, and sank my teeth into my Kendall Mint cake, I looked at my watch- 1 hour 23 minutes. That’s not a bad time, and meant that I was on for about a 2 40, which I would be pleased with- but I knew that I had to use the now tail wind to my advantage.
The miles seem to fly by on the return- I kept my pedal speed up, and was feeling good. My thighs hurt a bit when I stood up (too much turbo training!), but other than that, cool.
My first thoughts were if I could keep 25 mph up, I would do a 1 hour return, and beat my record from 20 years ago- but that soon disappeared out, as I found it harder and harder to keep the tempo up over the undulating terrain.
Once I hit Umberleigh on the way back, I knew I was entering the problem area for me, where it would have been TOO easy for me to just sit up and justify it that I was not going for speed. To fight this, I put my head down even more and pushed hard.
The finish soon came, and I looked at my watch- 2 hours and 35 minutes. Brilliant! More importantly, I had made it, and I knew that I can do the coast to coast in the style I want.
Of course, mulling it over at home afterwards (in the bath, actually), I realised that my time for the second 25 miles was 1.12- this made me feel great- when I was racing, I only ever did a 1.06- and that is with out doing 25 miles before hand!
Overall, a great ride. Chuffed to bits!
Categories: 2006 Ride
Been playing around on the way home from a ride today, searching for the perfect climbing position (for me) on my drops. Thought I would share my findings with you.
The first position is the Jan Ullrich hold- on the bottom of the curved parts of the bars (Picture 1). I could not get on with this as it needs the bars up and close- I always feel that if you can climb like this, then the bars are too close on the flat.
Next is the Marco Pantani hold on the ends of the drops (Picture 2)- bit easier to reach, but still down. Ideal if you weigh 1 stone, and you stand up a lot- but I am not, and don’t, so my search continues.
Then, there is the Armstrong in the saddle hold, around the stem with dropped wrists (Picture 3). I do like this one, as it does encourage you to peddle as opposed to push- as soon as I start to push, I find my wrists go up again. So I am getting closer now.
The last is the one I have found most powerful- hands around the levers on the bars (Picture 4)- which is interesting, as I have only started using it today. By holding around the side of the hoods on the curves of the bar, the reach is perfect, and by stretching my hand around the hoods it ensure my arms are set in a position which encourages power. I think it must stem from all the turbo training I have done the last few months.
So there are my results. I shall be using the Armstrong dropped wrists on longer climbs, but when I want to power a bit, I will be using my bar hold. Whoops- there go my secrets!
Anyway, thought it was interesting- hope you thought so. 
Categories: 2006 Ride
The photo shoot went great, with a couple very demanding but pleasurable on the eye ladies bossing us about. We were their tools, and they used us. Went for a bit of a ride also, and I am pleased to say that the strain held out well- think the ride may have done some good, actually.
Went out this morning, as well, and did 27 miles of pure hills- 6 killers, in fact, including the notorious Zig Zag- 1 mile of 16%. Rode very well- I tried to rate my riding this morning as a kind of mental game to play to while away the time, and did well on them all (a couple I rated myself very highly on). Yes, I am not as fast as I could be- but I keep remembering why I am training- to complete the coast- coast, not win the Tour. There is a question on my descending skills; I find the Trek light to go around corners, but it is great on the flat and the hills, so that is something I will have to pick up on.
I need a couple distance rides in now; if I can bang in a 50 before the ride, I will be there.
However, I am also getting distracted by another on of my toys (I like my toys)- my unicycle. I bought it last year, and never managed to get on with it; however, I have made leaps and bounds (not literally) with it this year.
No, I can not go without leaning on a wall yet, but I nearly can. I will be writing about it on my other site, www.life-pie.com- there is a shamefully self publicity link to it below.
Categories: 2006 Ride
Training is going well- went out and banged out 30 miles yesterday, averaging 16mph with some BIG hills- so chuffed with that. If I could find a weakness, then it would be I have temporarily forgotten how to ride- I have spent 2 or 3 weeks on the turbo, and I have forgotten the body English. But it will come back…
However- potential problem. Last night, I strained my groin (don’t ask- nor really, don’t). I have rested it today, but it is sore. Ride tomorrow up to the press meeting- will ride carefully (I am so psyched now, it will be hard to hold myself back). It should do me some good though; weight on my saddle, just spinning.
We will see.
Categories: 2006 Ride
Work of art! As you can see, the stack height of it is shorter than my last stem; but it is also longer, so I have dropped it down on my forks, and put the spacers on top.
The result is the bike fits like a glove- the drop have never been so comfortable (I use them for the intensity part of my turbo workouts- so this must be a great thing).
However, I am nervous about cutting the forks again; once cut, I can never have it back. I have got some carbon spcers on the top, so the weight is next to nowt.
I think I will live with it.
Categories: 2006 Ride
