My Name is...

OK so for the first time in four days I got to ride in daylight. The terrain remained the same - flat and boring - good old Regents Park. I didn't care. I had briefly thought about going to Richmond Park to do the Richmond Park 3 Lap challenge 2009. But I couldn't be arsed in the end. Shit, what if I didn't beat 60 minutes - my ego would be shattered. Anyway its not what you train on its how you train on it. After two laps my breathing settled down to what felt right especially in terms of my perceived exertion. In other words I think I found my Sweet Spot

Up ahead someone familiar, choppy cadence and stiff shoulders, was peddling along in the small ring. As I got closer I put my hand on his back which naturally nudged him forward so that he his pace eventually matched mine. It was a fella who I used to ride with a few years ago in an early morning training group. He took out his Ipod earphones to find out who the liberty taker was that was overstepping traditional cyclist greeting boundaries. I laughed and he jumped on my wheel. Later during a conversation about Mothers' (yeah I know) he reminded me that he's half Nigerian...Mmmm and then he told me his name is Toks. lol... :-)

Back To Black

I think I deserve a pat on the back for tonight's Regent's ride. I pretty much nailed things. The pacing was spot on - working but not suffering, training but not straining. Yeah Baby!

Looking For The Perfect Beat

Early 80's Hip Hop aficianado’s may recall "Looking for the Perfect Beat" as the follow up single to Africa Bambatta’s and the Soul Sonic force's world wide classic hit "Planet Rock". I've always love the title of the track more so than the song. I think 'looking for the perfect beat/rhythm/cadence gearing, perceived exertion' describes a state of athletic utopia; you're in the zone with all the perfect sensations. Your legs feel like they have the power of pistons and the feeling on the bike is amazing as you almost float across the ground (without a tailwind). If you're lucky you'll probably get one of those rides a year (it was the win at Goodwood for me last year - no effort what so ever to get in the breakaway and a nice surge on the last lap to break free - BEAUTIFUL and relatively speaking painless). In The US postal team I think they described it as being a 'no chain' feeling.

Well whatever?? On Saturday morning the beat was far from perfect and trying to hold 20-22mph in 53/19 or 18 was a very unsyncopated. Later on in the afternoon I returned to Regents Park for a number of good steadish laps with Stephanie riding by my side. Steph was on her new carbon fella. He's names Scott. There wasn't any grimacing up the draggy bits from Steph so I expect her form to start building. Mmmm :-)

The darkside

There are loads of things you can do in central London on a wintry Thursday evening. Tonight I decided to do something that I've never done before. I went training. Er what's unusual about that I here you say. Well...it was dark. Yes, yes of course I've ridden in the dark before - coming back from work, friends houses, girlfriends place, work, and even from races. But whenever I go training its always done in daylight.

So there I was tonight circumnavigating one of the capitals most famous parks by bike (of course), in the dark, approximately 12 times. Hey, truth be told it wasn't quite as bad as I feared. It was a cold admittedly but riding quickly keep me warm ;-) The street lighting around Regents Park isn't the best, and what with my embarrassingly ineffective bike lights, and the fact I couldn't see glass, potholes or road markings things were understandably a little unnerving. Despite the vulnerability and the disconcerting nature of the riding in the blackness ,eventually this feeling softened and I felty almost embolden by the training task. I rode for ninety minutes and lived just on the edge of greatness. Ok it was around 20mph - but you get the picture

On each lap other cyclists (commuters) would appear - some looking like greenish apparitions in their ubiquitous green jackets. Most would turn off at the top of the 2.7 mile loop and head towards Camden town, Swiss cottage or Euston; but those that stuck around a bit longer become part of my own video game. I gobbled em up PAC - MAN stylee and then puffed out cold air while still trying to concentrate on my aerobic development.

Spotlight on - Paul Sculler

I'm going to try and shine the spotlight on a few people that I admire and respect from the UK Amateur Road Racing scene so over the next few months expect to see a few different profiles.

Name
Paul Sculler

Who do you race for?
Addiscombe

What type of races do you do?
SLH, Road Races, Duathlon, Triathlon,

Where do you race?
All over the UK - Wakefield, Sussex, Surrey and Italy this year

Briefly describe a typical training session -, terrain etc - threshold, endurance, base miles etc

Typical Training week (if fit, Ive got shin splints at the moment so not so much running) would be
Mon Run 8 Miles 70-75% HR
Tue Run Intervals e.g. 5x1 miles Hard as possible
Thu Turbo 30 mins just under Threshold followed by Run short intervals 2mins etc
Fri Run 8 Miles 70-75% HR
Sat ACC CR
Sun varies Rowing or Cycling

I also Cycle to work and back 8.5 miles each way tue to thu and swim 5 times a week.

Measurement RPE, HRT monitor or wattage
30 mins 314w 166hr

What are your Goals?

This year, I want to win (in my Age Group) the National Duathlon Champs, get a Medal at the European Duathlon (this will only happen if shin splints go away soon).

What have been your best races so far?
5th at World Duathlons
22nd in 1st Triathlon at East Grinstead
in my previous Rowing life
5 x GB National Champion
3 x Comonwealth Medals
Representing GB at a World Cup

Back at R.P.

I saw him before he saw me. I wanted to ease up so he would ride past but he didn't. He went in front and slowly but surely ramped up the pace. I hadn't planned on sitting on any wheels for at least a few weeks but it was too late. I was now taking turns with this guy who couldn't believe his luck. We'd spoken before but hadn't exchanged names. He could tell I was out of shape and now it was clear that he rather than me would be dictating the pace. Oh Shit!

This American dude joined in so we were now doing a 3 up. The American guy asked how training was going and I managed to puff-out "not bad" as a response. The other guy who wore a yellow top annoyingly changed up in gears and I think I may have howled quietly to myself in despair. 60 minutes later the American guy said farewell and headed off towards Camden Town. My man in yellow smiled and continued ride hard infront of me. I tried to ignore the stress it was placing on my lungs and just as I thought about dropping off he finally eased up. I completed two more laps alone at a leisurely pace with Chris from Mosquito Bikes.

I think Joe Friel said that veteran riders shouldn't allow their fitness levels to drop too low because it was such a bitch for older guys to get their fitness back. On my last lap I saw Stefano (Fit-For.com) up ahead. He looked back hoping to find a training partner. I slowed down until he rode out of sight.

Arsenal- Lewisham - Arsenal - Ealing- Arsenal

More commuting - this time I reached double figures. Yes people a whopping 48 mile round trip. Nice and steady - starting North heading South then back to the North and finally heading West before returning to the North. All in all things felt so good that I decided to see what power I had available. A little dig on Harrow Road and then an extra thrust as I approached the Uxbridge Road. Mmm too much power and not enough coordination. I went down on the apex of a slimy wet right hand bend. The bike came to rest just near the back wheel of car that was pulling out of the junction

When I quickly uncliped myself from my foetal position on the ground the driver of the car leaned out of the window and rather jovially reminded me how lucky I was that he hadn't run me over. Cheers mate. Have you got any arnica for my elbow? No probs I was still full of go get em teenage spirit. So much so that I forgot to eat. Still buzzing from my first long ride of the year the return journey was great fun - I bonked spectacularly near Euston and had to summon up what little strength I had left to crawl home.

Its been along time...

Yes I'm back, I hope you're all well. Until today I hadn't ridden a bike for exactly twenty four days. Today's ride was a short 6 mile round trip to a young French client who leaves in Hampstead. It was nice to be back on a bike. The legs still worked and wisely I stayed well clear of the big ring.