Aye cheers merry. Kinda starting from the beginning again with it...but I'll get there.
You to Mr F!
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Ahhh, Toff and I got company again at last :)
Good riding young master Al :)
I did a couple of hours tonight, into the Llanthony Valley, to the bottom of it, or should that be top? Toff knows what lies at the end of that lovely valley ;)
Well done mate , nice one
50miles for me tonight which included a lot of climbing. Crich, Middleton Top back, Black Rocks, Alport Heights, Belper , and finally Drum Hill. God knows how many thousands of feet that is. A lot though.
AL just keep knocking your mileage up mate and take it steady and enjoy it.
Stagger id forget the rest day and go out again on the bike. Enjoy this better weather and get the miles in. You was looking a lot leaner at Ian Roberts and thats good mate. Pleased for you. You should set a mileage now for the year and day the clocks alter again. Why do you need a rest day tommorow. Instead of that rest day just go very easy on the bike. Just spin and turn your legs over, take a flatter route and most of all look around and enjoy the fact your becoming a bikie.
daz is right, save the rest day for sunday and watch Paris-Roubaix, mind you, it makes me tired watching it.
50km morning commute. Good.
I agree with Daz too, an easy spin on the bike is better than a rest day, especially in the current weather!
Glorious here, so I will go out for about 4 hours this afternoon, rather than ride around the track for 3 hours. Top up my Majorca suntan:thumbup:
Did a google search on the Paris-Roubaix as I'd never heard of it. Think it's on Eurosport unfortunately, but it sounds like there are some good books/films around it.
I enhanced the tan lines :-)
Four hours in the saddle, on the roads, didn't dare risk the knee off road yet, as I can't really afford to twist it walking/running carrying the crosser over unrideable sections :(
Lovely lovely ride though, threw in loads of climbing. Toff will know what I mean by: Abergavenny - Usk - Chepstow - Devauden - Trelleck - Monmouth - Rockfield - Cross Ash - Campston Hill - Llanvihangel Crucorny and home :-) avg pace 17 mph, not bad considering all the climbing... well pleased with how the knee held out, as this was a long and hard ride for me :-)
Is the Paris-Roubaix the single day with miles of cobles and loads of falls race and one of Merckx' favourites?
Bit late but yesterday ride into work, blooming windy on,t tops...
http://www.sportstracklive.com/track...to-work/152890
Two hours recovery spin in the glorious morning sunshine for me. High cadence, little ring, HR neatly in Zone 1 all the way and still managed to average 30 kms/hr for two hours:thumbup: oh, well, I did cheat a little, as it was a flat route :closed:
Well happy with that! Legs feel better now too... so another couple of hours tonight after work... :)
Abandoned the idea of another ride... had to wash the car, as I am on commissaire driving duties tomorrow and the last time it got washed was last year for the Welsh National RR Champs... took me an hour to scrape off a years worth of filth LOL
Now I ned to go and remove all the rubbish from it and hoover and wipe the inside as well...
I can see a light round the last bend in the tunnel!!!!
Recent significant changes have seen my run/bike training go to shit but I am pulling a plan together.
Now I have escaped stupidly long day/night shifts I have the perfect opportunity to use the bike for work. There is a fantastic canal towpath route of around 10 miles which will suit the CX bike nicely. Also I now have the luxury of a 1 hour lunch break so intend to use that to go for a short trot. Things have lined up nicely - just need to make sure I grasp the opportunity.......................
Just a good 21 mile this morning, great to be out.
Couldnt resist not going out yesturday. I was abit short for time as I wanted to watch the grand national so I managed to fit in about 15 miles....I accidently stopped my watch half-way round so I dont know how far/fast I actually went. I caught and passed two roadies on a big climb which I was a little worried about as Ive never over-took a 'proper' roadie before. I did my "oreet" as I passed and powered up the climb and bombed it over the otherside. I looked back to see them both coming back at me, at which point my quads went but I couldnt let them pass me...so I spend the next 3 miles draining my quads for everything they were worth, and they eventually gave up and sat up and I took it as a small victory ;)
Then again today...I wanted to grasp the last of the sun before it rains again.....Id been out on the beer till 4am last night and id been out walking the dog, but I nipped out for a 17 ish miler.
Quads were absolutely wrecked by the end, but I was catching another roadie in the distance and it gave me a 2nd wind and I managed to catch him before completely blowing up but just managed to hold him off and get home. Garmin Connect isnt working so I dont know what my average speed was....
Good stuff Al!
Big '100' for us today. Good peloton out, weather gorgeous, so nothing for it but the classic circular route from Cardiff, up over Storey Arms(yes, 31 miles of uphill), then the mainly undulating down thereafter, Brecon, Crickhowell, AberG, Usk, Caerleon, Newport, Cardiff. Moving time 5hrs 36 mins at a 18.3 mph ave, so not at all shabby. Mind you we were helped on our way by two proper cyclists who seemed determined never to cycle less than 20 mph and two generous cafe stops for bacon rolls. Even so, sunburnt and happy(and tired)!:thumbup::thumbup:
I rode a 100 km MTB reliability ride, the Hell of the North Cotswolds, with my dad. It was bloody hard work and I'm very sunburnt but I reckon I've put a bit of strength in my pins for the Anniversary Waltz.
13km commute into work. Maybe do a 50km ride on the way back.
Hell of the North Cotswolds Donkey? On a MTB? Some mates tried to convince me to do it, but I was otherwise comitted as it was the road race my club organises and I was on officiating duties... They did it on roadbikes... as would I have done???
Got out again tonight when I got home from work.
Christ the wind-chill was bitter.
My quads were pretty much dead from the off, and some nasty head winds made it hard going.
I did my old 12 mile circuit that gives me about 700ft of climbing. Ive got round in just over 38 minutes in the past, but with the way my quads werent talking to me I was expecting a horror story of a time.
I was about a mile from home and I saw 35 minutes on my watch, so I sprinted for all I was worth and bagged 37:50 exactly and 19.4pmh average so I was well chuffed.
One question for daz and co.
There is this very short but sharp climb I go over on my rides. I really attacked it today, and when I was powering down on the pedals out of my seat, with each stroke my back wheel kept lifting off the ground? Am I messing up my technique?
I didn't see anyone on a road bike and my arse was sore enough from riding on an MTB! It was very dry and bumpy. There were a fair few on cross bikes though but most looked pretty rattled. Are you sure you're thinking of the same event? Here's a link: http://www.honc.org.uk/
Sounds like you're riding in a gear thats creating too much torque and therefore lifting the wheel off the ground. Changing to a harder gear should sort it out. Thats what I think anyway, one of the more experienced guys like Ady etc may tell you different and I might be completely wrong.
If you want to learn the best technique for climbing watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdR6kw7qe7o
He's not pushing a massive gear.
Thats normal if your standing and pushing hard.
You need to have a long term goal mind. My tip would be to do longer rides SLOWER.
I wouldnt worry about 19.4mph or how long it takes you unless your going to start doing time trials.
That hill you do
Next time you do it, Go up it then do it 5 more times but sit in the saddle and spin in say your 39 x 25 gears. Dont stand up, finish the reps and you will have gained much more.
Crack on.
14km morning commute. After 1mile 7:00am swim. Maybe a little jog tonight if home early.
INdeed it will be Daz... I know that part of the world well :)
1st bike commute of many now it fits in with my hours (+ lunch time runs from next week). Oh how I will miss my new gut - NOTTTTTTT!
2 rides today, to and from a fell run. 14km each way, plenty of climbing on the outward leg, plenty of descent and only 100m climbing on the way home. Probably explains why the ride out took 35 minutes and the ride back 26min.
Pretty good ride both ways, not been out for a week so legs were a bit slow for the first bit. Set out in crappy weather and nearly didn't bother, but in the end it was an excellent afternoon.
I cant actually ride 'slower' though. I get on my bike and instantly going hell for leather from start to finish.
So you reckon I should stay in my saddle to build leg strength? That was going to be my next question actually....when do you decide its time to get out of the saddle?
My log term aim - To ride a 50 in under 2:45hrs before Im 21. Ive got 3 months exactly as of tomorrow!