Sweet Spot Ride: At The Movies

I gotta give props to my racing buddy Adam Cotterell (TSN) and Hollywood Legend, Micheal Douglas for tonight's workout. In his blog Adam mentioned how his 2hr average power in a recent E123 race was 270watt (nice number to aim at). Micheal Douglas, starred in one of my favourite movies ever "falling down" - a perfect distraction during my 90 minute 'sweet spot ride'


Of course I should've been at Palace tonight but it got rained off.
So the aim was to match Adam's 270watt on the KK trainer whilst absorbing an award winning performance by Catherine Zeta Jones's husband. Things got going as Micheal Douglas (Bill) was outraged at the price of a can of coke in a Korean's store. There were intermediate turbo sprints during the 'breakfast at the Burger Chain Store', 'chilling on the gang members patch', 'shopping at the red necks army surplus store' and finally 'while our anti-hero gate crashed some old fogies playing golf'. I'm sure I was no way as near as tired as Adam was at the end of his race. In fact the 284 AV watts felt pretty good. Poor Micheal paid for his delusional fuck the world effort by dying at the end of the movie though. Excellent!

43 laps around the Sun

Last Friday was my birthday. It wasn't a classic and in fact I would've happily forgotten about it but for work colleagues, family and friends. My 12 year old son reminded me that I'd promised him money towards he's newly opened bank account so my £50 cash birthday money kindly donated by my mother somehow skipped a generation. Oh well my son was happy enough. OK so what bike accessory do you obsesses about most? Mine is helmets I've now got seven of them; and they're not necessarily top quality one's either.

I have a bit of a thing for hats too so I guess it follows suit that I should like Helmets. My latest lid, a white MET, was bought from JE James in Sheffield ...Saturday was also a well earned day off the bike. On Sunday my work schedule meant no endurance riding so I juston huffed'n'puffed my way through a late night set of 3 x 20's. I'm not sure if Palace will be on this week due to lots of the wet stuff about to be unleashed tomorrow afternoon in London. If it is, Wednesday may well be vo2 max training day. Yikes :-(

Hillingdon: OBG's in da house!

Every second Wednesday the League Of Veteran Racing cyclists holds races at Hillingdon. Essentially as OBG's (Oldies but Goodies) we're all grouped together at the start although you actually race in different catergories. I'm in the A's (40-44). The race was the standard one hour plus 5 laps. On show were threshold power god Colin Roshier (Team Quest), the Eastway Sprint king Rapha Condor's Dominic Gabellini and a few tasty Finchley RT boys.

This race was just 'training' for me so I wasn't really bothered about placing. It wasn't quite the do or die pace of Palace but it was still quite spirited. There were attacks pretty much every lap after a 2-3 lap settling in period. I initiated at least three attacks and was part of another 3 or 4 other attempts. Unfortunately nothing got more than 10-15 seconds. Marked man Colin Roshier(Team Quest) tried desperately to power away on numerous occassions towards the end but it just wasn't gonna happen so everyone tightened their straps and got in position for the inevitable bunch sprint. Dominic (Rapha Condor) did the business of course and I rolled in around 20th.

Palace: Bring Forth The Pain

So what's the baddest crit circuit in London? Its Crystal Palace baby, so fuck whatever else ya heard. At 7.15pm the E12 boys rolled off the starting line and forty five seconds later those of us that duke it out at the bottom of the British Cycling's competitive Road Race pyramid got the chance to get busy. I stayed 3rd wheel for most of the first 3 or 4 laps whilst Kieran (Addiscombe CC), a junior De Ver rider and a guy in yellow/white sung the tail end riders an ABA pop classic - "Breaking up is never easy [we] know but we have to go". Accelerate, turn, sprint: accelerate, turn, sprint. That was it, "see ya later" to all the unfortunates chilling at the back.

Oh my gosh, you'd be hard pushed to plan a more painful set of intervals on the turbo. I hit the front with the same intensity and so did the other four or five guys who help to drive the race. There was no blocking or cruising. In short, the pace was relentless and with 10-15 laps to go my thighs were fried. Hal (Addiscombe CC) took the front half way through the race and at one point I slowed the pack down at the top of the bend while Hal went searching for gold

The pack were wise to it this and there was no way they were gonna get gapped. People quickly sprinted around me. Hal (Addiscombe CC) was dieing two laps later so as he eased up at the top of the climb I gave him one big shove(unwritten rule, its OK for heterosexual men to touch each others bums while racing!). With around 8-9 laps to go things got very confusing, dropped E12's intermingled with our race and we began to lap dropped 3/4riders. To be honest it was hard to keep track of where you were in the group. On the bell lap my position wasn't great (10 places back partly due to the fact my right calf muscle was sending me pain signals). On the climb the guys began to pull away with Kieran (Addiscombe CC) in about 8th position I sat up at the top of the climb and cruised in happy enough with my nights work

Chillin with ragamuffins

As some of you know, I ain't really a big mile muncher (right Andrew ;-)). I prefer short fastish training rides in the 1-2 hour duration, well at least until the sun begins to shine on a regular basis. After yesterdays thirty minute blast around Hillingdon with da big boys my legs were humming for more action. So at 7am this morning there was only one thing to do.

I Got to Regents Park and met Patrick (Shavelegs.co.uk) on his way to do some intervals around the inner circle. I didn't fancy that kind of intensity after last nights antics so it was a short meet and greet; then we went our seperate ways.

After the first lap a bunch of shabby looking chaps cruised past in full thru and off mode. Yeah I know I'm hardly Mr sartorial elegance when it comes to cycling gear but these guys were proper 'shabby' - track suit bottoms, rugby tops, football socks, Steve Ovett style running shorts you get the picture.

Anyway they were cruising at a pretty good pace so without a word I joined in. 30 minutes later they peeled off and I carried on for another forty minutes. The rain got pretty heavy at this point so I headed home. On the descent from Holloway Prison down to Seven Sisters road the screeching sound from my back wheel began again. Rather than panick and put the brakes on I continued riding and realised the problem. Doh! The chain appears to be a bit too long; so if I'm freewheeling in big gears the wind blows the chain on to the chain stay. Cool, I'll get it sorted for Saturday. Take it easy peeps :-)

Tales From Hillingdon

I had a bet with my brother that he couldn't tell me the first line to Jam's 'Town called Malice'. It was the first record he ever bought and whenever we play the 'Give me a lyric fom artist X game' he tries to get away with mumbling some incoherent nonsense. Same melody perhaps but definitley not written by Paul Weller. I had to google the lyrics first of course, so just for my little bro here's the entire first verse

Better stop dreaming of the quiet life
'Cos it's the one we'll never know
And quit running for that runaway bus
'Cos those rosy days are few
And stop apologising for the things you've never done
'Cos time is short and life is cruel
But it's up to us to change
This town called malice

Hey but what if someone googles your name. A client recently googled my name and now loves to ask me how many points I got in my last race. A bit weird, I kinda like to keep my cycling stuff with my cycling peeps. Anyways talking about points, tonight I was at West London's cycling Mecca again - Hillingdon. A much bigger meaner looking bunch were in attendence unlike Saturday. In short, the E123 race was fast and furious. But in terms of intensity it felt ok. No way near as hard as I'd imagined. Although I must confess I was a bunch passenger rather than one of the drivers. Frustratingly, I had to pull out of the race with four laps to go because of more screeching from the back wheel. I was plagued with thoughts it might suddenly lock up and before you could say "hold your f'ing line" twenty guys would be sprawled all over the circuit.

At the end of the race Phil Sheehan introduced me to a South African guy called Claud, ex European pro-rider, but now a mechanic. Anyway him and I rode back to North London and he has promised to help sort out the dodgy wheel problem. Hopefully I'll do another crit on Saturday... Oh and guess how many seperate people from Saturday's 3/4 race assumed I or another ACC rider was in the winning break? Three people. And worst still they all thought there was blocking going on upfront but did nothing about it. Grrrr!

Gimme a Break!

Patrick (shavedlegs.co.uk) is upfront speed dating. He's been there for three or four laps now trying to breakaway. Looking for partners to take away with you is clearly fraught with difficulties. Quite rightly, potential suitors have their own agendas or physical limitations so these 'race' relationships tend to be brief, tentative and lack sustainability. Oh and of course all this gets nullified by the bunch factor. If they're up and ready for action you might be a match made in heaven; it don't matter all partnerships are doomed

I had too much bloody time on my hands; and when that happens I'm usually late. I got to the race just in time, and no warm up meant I spent the first twenty minutes of the race mid pack. The pace was very comfortable so perhaps I wondered this would be a good day to try something :-)

So 40 blokes on bikes; a couple of girls, one from BikeHut nice weather and sixty minutes on London's most popular criterium circuit. On duty for ACC was myself, Matt and Kieran. Kieran sat in priming himself for Palace torture next week no doubt ;-) and Matt showed good strength with quite a few digs off the front in the second half of the race


Somewhere near the half hour mark myself and a big fella slipped away from the pack and soon began taking turns in our a bid to escape. I don't think we ever had more than 15 secs but it was great to get away. It got slightly farcical at one point though as my breakaway buddy did a bit of cyclocross by riding off on to the grass on one of the bends. We both had a little chuckle about it and soon enough we were caught a couple of laps later

Now ain't racing a bitch! Successful breakaways often form when an earlier one has just been caught. So there I was trying to get my lungs to re inflate and my tongue off the floor and 4 or 5 guys got away - followed by a few others jumping across. Now, not too much of a problem as long as the bunch continues along at a good pace. Right? Er yeah as long as some sneaker fuckers aren't blocking at the head of the bunch.(A MESSAGE TO IN EXPERIENCED RACERS RIDING NEAR THE FRONT. WHEN THE PACE SLOWS DOWN TO PUSHING SHOPPING TROLLEYS AROUND SAINSBURY'S SPEED IT USUALLY MEANS A PERSON OR PERSONS ARE DEFINITELY 'BLOCKING' TO ALLOW THEIR TEAM MATES IN THE BREAK TO GETAWAY SO PLEASE GET ON THE FRONT AND KEEP THINGS MOVING) Not quite a perfect split. But nevertheless two groups now divided by 30 secs.

So fully recovered but in the wrong group. What da fuck do you do? 72kgs, 300watts FT allows you to sit in really comfortably in 3rd cat race such that you can attack and recover in the bunch. Sadly, however, in my own case it doesn't allow you to close a 40sec gap solo into a headwind. How about an organised chase perhaps? Mmmm...that would be nice. But then again so would a lottery win. Tried both, no luck.

When the 5 laps to go sign went up I decided just to do some extra training and towed our group around as hard as I could for a couple laps Then I sat in and rolled to the back while people sprinted it out on the last lap . Grrrr!

Chicken and Training!

Hey what's up peeps? How's training? I got seduced into a trip to Nandos last night rather than a two hour training ride around Regents Park. Got back at 9pm; faffed around for ages and eventually managed to get through a set of 2 x 20's. The nights distractions were provided by The Apprentice on the TV and Tour Of The Reservoir on my lap top. Yeah just imagine me Kristian House (Rapha Condor), Russell Downing (Pinerello) and the PCA fella taking turns ahead of the bunch for absolutely ages. In reality, those classy domestic pro's were perhaps banging out anything between 360-430watts. Where else in my panflat kitchen in North London my average watts were on the sexier side of the 290. Ok enough of this deluded-wannabe-pro-rider nonsense. Its now 6.15pm and I'm off for an hours leg loosener around Regents before it gets dark. Next post Sunday :-)

I hate Football!

Damn! so thats it then. We're out of the Champions league 4-2 loosers to Liverpool and despite Mr Wenger's optimism we're gonna need an absolute miracle to win the Premiership. In fact I think I stand a better chance of winning a bunch sprint against Mark Cavendish (Team high Road). And the night was going so well! We scored quite early and dominated the game for the first twenty minutes. Similarly I managed to hold 320watts for first twenty minutes on Kylie. My Ipod has been destroyed by excessive amounts of sweat, no doubt, so motivation was supplied by the The Girvan on my lap top and the football on the box. The watts dropped off naturally in the 2nd set of 20's much like Arsenal's performance. I turned the session into half an hour of power - which means riding just below threshold but sprinting for 20 seconds every two minutes. A tasty little work out devised by Master racer Bill Black In the middle of a vo2max effort Arsenal pulled the score back to 2 -2 before Steven gerard scored six minutes later. That was it I wiped down the bike and hit the shower :-( Still at least my at cold is on the wane. I'm spoilt for choice for saturday's racing: Hillingdon, Chertsey or Dunton mmm I'll decide on friday night. Hopefully conditions will be good.

Rubbish Legs

No not Rebecca Romero. She had great legs on the day and is consequently now The Female World Pursuit Champion. In fact I don't mind admitting that I had a tear in my eye when I saw her celebrating after her win. Nine gold medals!: its definitley a great time for British Track Cycling. Today I decided would be great day to include some pursuit style interval efforts in my training. It went really well - NOT! I struggled to hold 18 mph on the flat and unlike on Friday I couldn't blame this on the wind. I'm still not sure what went wrong but my legs were simply incredibly weak. So after 45 minutes of "sit up and beg paced riding" I packed my bags metaphorically speaking and rode back home just in time to catch the re run of Devolder's inspirational 92nd Ronde van Vlaanderen win on Eurosport.

Richmond Park 3 Lap Challenge

I only managed four rides last week. There were three appointments with Kylie (there she is on your right, looking replendent in green). I managed to hold 300 watts on each days 50 minute effort. Last Friday was my day off, so with such glorious weather there was only thing to do to keep my competitive juices flowing - The Richmond Park 3 Lap Challenge. Despite it being a balmy spring afternoon there was a vicous head wind circulating the park. Believe me riding South West London's main 7 mile training loop was real struggle especially up the main drag.

19 minutes for the first lap was quite dissappointing so on the 2nd lap my heart wasn't really in it. I was held up by cars again and coming down the fast descent my back wheel began to make a weird screaming sounds. After a thorough test a couldn't find any problems. More traffic, dozy deer, further wheel screeching and my own paranoia continue to slow me down even further so I was left with a 3 lap time of 59.30 mins. Booo! didn't even make top 10. I'll give it another go later this week perhaps. I still hope to race this weekend but I need a few sachets of lemsip to shake off the latest cold.