Managed another ride around Anglesey on Saturday,
67 miles total,
I decided that this time I would leave the island by Menai Bridge and get back onto the island by Britannia bridge. Last time I did this ride (a week ago) I was worried that the ride to Menai bridge was a big downhill and I could not figure out where the uphill section was to compensate for it, but I needn't have worried, it is a massive downhill from 4 crosses to the Menai bridge but a relatively gentle uphill on the mainland as the two bridges are set on different heights of terrain, so there is a massive downhill to Menai followed by a short uphill stint to Britannia , which then leads to a very long almost flat section through LlanfairPG and Newborough.
It was a great ride, but I'm suffering for it more today (Sunday) and I'm not sure why, I managed to sort my nutrition issues, This time I bought 4 cheese and ham sandwiches with me, I ate 1 every 15 miles (ish) and I never felt like I was running on empty, So a definite improvement of last week, I avoided the massive 12% hill at City Dulas by riding through Moelfre which added a little distance to the ride, and a little altitude overall but it was an easier gradient so overall it worked out well.
I'm still struggling to understand the relationship between food/water and performance, I know the principles but when you feel great and are making good progress it's really hard to stop for a drink or a snack just because you might feel like shit in half an hour.
I'm sure I'll get to grips with it in the end....
Stretford to Anglesey again next Friday, I have bought some new pedals on eBay tonight (they have a slightly bigger profile to the ones I'm used to as I suffer from foot pain a lot, I hope these will help with that) and hopefully they will be much quieter than my current pedals which 'creek' all the time.....
Axe
Sunday, 24 April 2016
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
16th April,
Managed 63+ miles around Anglesey
Need to work on my food/hydration regime.
After 40 miles of hills the tank was well and truly empty.
Going to do it again this saturday but include a meal stop at Benllech.
I've already figured out that I need to stop every 10 miles for a drink and cereal bar/haribo but anything longer than 20-30 miles needs more nutrition than snacks :-(
Training is coming along well though,
This month 40+ miles in the week followed by 60+ on saturday and maybe an extra ride on a sunday.
May will be another step up to 60+ in the week and 70+ on a saturday (at least thats the plan)
Axe...
Managed 63+ miles around Anglesey
Need to work on my food/hydration regime.
After 40 miles of hills the tank was well and truly empty.
Going to do it again this saturday but include a meal stop at Benllech.
I've already figured out that I need to stop every 10 miles for a drink and cereal bar/haribo but anything longer than 20-30 miles needs more nutrition than snacks :-(
Training is coming along well though,
This month 40+ miles in the week followed by 60+ on saturday and maybe an extra ride on a sunday.
May will be another step up to 60+ in the week and 70+ on a saturday (at least thats the plan)
Axe...
Monday, 11 April 2016
Things are looking up.
So,
I didn't rebuild my whole wheel, I finally decided that aero spokes might be cool and light, but in reality it's probably better to lose some of my excess bulk rather than piss about with spokes. :-)
I did replace the broken one, thanks very much to the overworked Bike tech at Evans who found the correct one for me, and let me have it for free (and a spare) rather than charging me 69p each for them (it's a small victory for me but it cheered me up no end)
I then had to go and buy the tool for removing the rear cogs as I didn't realise I couldn't get the broken one out with the cogs in place. Rooky mistake, but now I have the tool. (As I said in my last post, I used to do stuff like this for a living but it's a different world 20 years on when you don't have a whole cycle shop of parts and tools at your disposal.....)
This weekend I managed 33 miles on Saturday morning, up and around Holyhead, followed by 30 Miles on Sunday (back up the mountain)
It was a good weekend, nice weather (a bit cold) but not very windy. Saturday morning was dampened a bit by a sudden and painful hailstorm, but after it had passed the sun came out and I started to warm up. :-)
The plan for next weekend is a 60+ mile ride round Anglesey on Saturday followed by a 30 miler on Sunday.
I managed to set off early (before 8am on Saturday and before 9am on Sunday) last weekend so hopefully I can do the same next week.
Feeling much more positive about the ride now, although it's only 12 weeks away......
Axe.
I didn't rebuild my whole wheel, I finally decided that aero spokes might be cool and light, but in reality it's probably better to lose some of my excess bulk rather than piss about with spokes. :-)
I did replace the broken one, thanks very much to the overworked Bike tech at Evans who found the correct one for me, and let me have it for free (and a spare) rather than charging me 69p each for them (it's a small victory for me but it cheered me up no end)
I then had to go and buy the tool for removing the rear cogs as I didn't realise I couldn't get the broken one out with the cogs in place. Rooky mistake, but now I have the tool. (As I said in my last post, I used to do stuff like this for a living but it's a different world 20 years on when you don't have a whole cycle shop of parts and tools at your disposal.....)
This weekend I managed 33 miles on Saturday morning, up and around Holyhead, followed by 30 Miles on Sunday (back up the mountain)
It was a good weekend, nice weather (a bit cold) but not very windy. Saturday morning was dampened a bit by a sudden and painful hailstorm, but after it had passed the sun came out and I started to warm up. :-)
The plan for next weekend is a 60+ mile ride round Anglesey on Saturday followed by a 30 miler on Sunday.
I managed to set off early (before 8am on Saturday and before 9am on Sunday) last weekend so hopefully I can do the same next week.
Feeling much more positive about the ride now, although it's only 12 weeks away......
Axe.
Sunday, 3 April 2016
April already......
Uh Oh,
Had a couple of weeks with no training (not even Turbo)
Then last weekend we were back on Anglesey, I managed 25 miles on Thursday (it was a long weekend for Easter)
I only planned on doing 8 miles to the racetrack and back as it was very windy, but the road got the better of me and I pushed on for 25. I was using my handlebar phone mount for the first time which was great, I was able to use my phone Strava app to find some back roads and keep out of the wind for some of the ride.
My phone is a Sony Xperia M4 so it's waterproof which makes it ideal for handlebar mounts as I don't mind if it starts to rain (although I have found that big raindrops act like a finger press and make the phone do things I don't want it too)
I've also noticed that the clamps to hold the phone in place press on the volume buttons on the side of the handset which is very annoying.
After that the best weather of the weekend was on Friday, I managed 45 miles on the Island, the first 15 of which were from the caravan site to the top of Parys Mountain, I managed it in 1 hour 5 mins which is brilliant, It was only after I'd gone down the otherside of the mountain to Amlwch and turned right towards Benllech that I realised my rapid assent had been aided by the following wind.
this was now causing me a nightmare and I had to peddle down several very steep gradients as the wind was enough to make me stop if I had a rest.......
The ride past the Pilot boat was mad worse by a few groups of people enjoying an early afternoon pint whilst I struggled up the hill past the pub!
And this was followed by 1/4 mile of 14% uphill, This was a killer, I don't think I've ever cycled up a hill like it (other then out of Stanhope 2 years ago, where I walked the whole way) I had to stop twice, but each time I got back on the bike and struggled on. I'm happy to say I didn't walk a step the whole 45 miles.
This was followed by a few days of terrible weather, where I didn't bother with the bike, Hurricane Katie was knocking on our door and I figured it was much too dangerous to be on a pushbike in 50+Mph winds.
That was it until yesterday (Saturday 2nd April) where we stayed at home and the usual group of riders (Andrea, Cath, Sharon and I) planned to go out at 9:30 this was called off at about 8:45 as it was raining, but as I was already out of bed and dressed in my cycling gear I decided a bit of water wasn't going to stop me.
I hit the road without any real idea of where to go, but decided to go where the road took me.
I ended up doing 30 miles, through Eccles, Irlam, Cadishead, Black Swan, Glazebrook, Culcheth, East Lancs to Langworthy Road (where my favourite chippy is, (It was closed :-( ) ) them back home through Trafford park. 30 miles, 2 1/2 hours very happy :-)
Today the group decided that the weather was good enough to go for a ride, So at 9:20 I set off for Caths (even though we were meant to be setting off from my street)
I met Cath and we made our way back to mine where we met Andrea.
Same as yesterday we had no real plan our route other than it would probably involve Lymm.
We followed a few quiet country lanes (apparently we went past Manchester Uniteds training ground) then a few very muddy tracks (trans pennine way?) and ended up on the far side of Lymm. After a quick back track into Lymm centre for a drink and a photo Andrea set off (as she didn't want us to watch her struggling up the hill over the canal (It's a very steep canal bridge, I think most people have fallen off their bike there at some point, (I have))) she was followed by Cath as I had another cereal bar and I followed a minute later.
We all met up again about a mile or so down the road and headed over Warburton bridge to the Black Swan. At this point Andrea and Cath decided they were going to head home, A total trip of 23.5 miles for them, which is brilliant as they are both riding simply for fun. I decided I needed a bit more though and carried on through Glazebury (where I snapped a spoke :-( ) then through Culcheth and up through Lowton town (which is in Wigan, Random!!) then onto the east lancs and along the east lancs to Walkden and home through Worsley and Barton Swing bridge, past the trafford centre. total distance 37 miles.
I'm happy with that, but not happy with how sore I am after 2 days on the bike, I need to toughen up more, I have also started to suffer from fatigue which is not good, I have managed to stop myself from riding at approx 10 miles and have a drink and a cereal bar, but this is not enough as I'm getting tired after 30 miles, I'm going to try adding sugary snacks to my routine as well, I think a pocket full of gummy bears might help keep my sugar levels up as I ride, If that doesn't work I'll have to try the Energy Gel pouches everyone else seems to use.
Now that I've had one semi major failure on my bike (snapped spoke) I'm contemplating taking my hybrid as well for LEJOG, I don't like riding it as it's not as comfortable as my Cyclocross, but If I have a stand by bike, My support can be getting mine fixed whilst I continue riding then I can swap back when he catches me up.
Not sure If I'll bother with that but it has at least crossed my mind.
Need to get my spoke fixed this week, Cant decide between just getting the broken one replaced or replacing them all with aero light weight spokes? (I can replace spokes and build wheels myself, I worked for Halfords many years ago and did a few back then)
Until next time...
Axe.
Uh Oh,
Had a couple of weeks with no training (not even Turbo)
Then last weekend we were back on Anglesey, I managed 25 miles on Thursday (it was a long weekend for Easter)
I only planned on doing 8 miles to the racetrack and back as it was very windy, but the road got the better of me and I pushed on for 25. I was using my handlebar phone mount for the first time which was great, I was able to use my phone Strava app to find some back roads and keep out of the wind for some of the ride.
My phone is a Sony Xperia M4 so it's waterproof which makes it ideal for handlebar mounts as I don't mind if it starts to rain (although I have found that big raindrops act like a finger press and make the phone do things I don't want it too)
I've also noticed that the clamps to hold the phone in place press on the volume buttons on the side of the handset which is very annoying.
After that the best weather of the weekend was on Friday, I managed 45 miles on the Island, the first 15 of which were from the caravan site to the top of Parys Mountain, I managed it in 1 hour 5 mins which is brilliant, It was only after I'd gone down the otherside of the mountain to Amlwch and turned right towards Benllech that I realised my rapid assent had been aided by the following wind.
this was now causing me a nightmare and I had to peddle down several very steep gradients as the wind was enough to make me stop if I had a rest.......
The ride past the Pilot boat was mad worse by a few groups of people enjoying an early afternoon pint whilst I struggled up the hill past the pub!
And this was followed by 1/4 mile of 14% uphill, This was a killer, I don't think I've ever cycled up a hill like it (other then out of Stanhope 2 years ago, where I walked the whole way) I had to stop twice, but each time I got back on the bike and struggled on. I'm happy to say I didn't walk a step the whole 45 miles.
This was followed by a few days of terrible weather, where I didn't bother with the bike, Hurricane Katie was knocking on our door and I figured it was much too dangerous to be on a pushbike in 50+Mph winds.
That was it until yesterday (Saturday 2nd April) where we stayed at home and the usual group of riders (Andrea, Cath, Sharon and I) planned to go out at 9:30 this was called off at about 8:45 as it was raining, but as I was already out of bed and dressed in my cycling gear I decided a bit of water wasn't going to stop me.
I hit the road without any real idea of where to go, but decided to go where the road took me.
I ended up doing 30 miles, through Eccles, Irlam, Cadishead, Black Swan, Glazebrook, Culcheth, East Lancs to Langworthy Road (where my favourite chippy is, (It was closed :-( ) ) them back home through Trafford park. 30 miles, 2 1/2 hours very happy :-)
Today the group decided that the weather was good enough to go for a ride, So at 9:20 I set off for Caths (even though we were meant to be setting off from my street)
I met Cath and we made our way back to mine where we met Andrea.
Same as yesterday we had no real plan our route other than it would probably involve Lymm.
We followed a few quiet country lanes (apparently we went past Manchester Uniteds training ground) then a few very muddy tracks (trans pennine way?) and ended up on the far side of Lymm. After a quick back track into Lymm centre for a drink and a photo Andrea set off (as she didn't want us to watch her struggling up the hill over the canal (It's a very steep canal bridge, I think most people have fallen off their bike there at some point, (I have))) she was followed by Cath as I had another cereal bar and I followed a minute later.
We all met up again about a mile or so down the road and headed over Warburton bridge to the Black Swan. At this point Andrea and Cath decided they were going to head home, A total trip of 23.5 miles for them, which is brilliant as they are both riding simply for fun. I decided I needed a bit more though and carried on through Glazebury (where I snapped a spoke :-( ) then through Culcheth and up through Lowton town (which is in Wigan, Random!!) then onto the east lancs and along the east lancs to Walkden and home through Worsley and Barton Swing bridge, past the trafford centre. total distance 37 miles.
I'm happy with that, but not happy with how sore I am after 2 days on the bike, I need to toughen up more, I have also started to suffer from fatigue which is not good, I have managed to stop myself from riding at approx 10 miles and have a drink and a cereal bar, but this is not enough as I'm getting tired after 30 miles, I'm going to try adding sugary snacks to my routine as well, I think a pocket full of gummy bears might help keep my sugar levels up as I ride, If that doesn't work I'll have to try the Energy Gel pouches everyone else seems to use.
Now that I've had one semi major failure on my bike (snapped spoke) I'm contemplating taking my hybrid as well for LEJOG, I don't like riding it as it's not as comfortable as my Cyclocross, but If I have a stand by bike, My support can be getting mine fixed whilst I continue riding then I can swap back when he catches me up.
Not sure If I'll bother with that but it has at least crossed my mind.
Need to get my spoke fixed this week, Cant decide between just getting the broken one replaced or replacing them all with aero light weight spokes? (I can replace spokes and build wheels myself, I worked for Halfords many years ago and did a few back then)
Until next time...
Axe.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)