Monday 21 March 2011 (13 Days Later)



Team Elliott Wood



We have been back in Blighty now for nearly two weeks and normality has returned after our six day adventure – I would say reality but I’m not sure that is true.

Anyhow, my last blog and an opportunity to say a big thank you to all the companies and individuals who generously sponsored Gary and me in our efforts to raise money for BEAT.  I know that Paul and his family have been overwhelmed by the support.  We have exceeded even our most optimistic expectations – with well in excess of £8,000 raised when gift aid is included.

Thank you.

Having had a few days to reflect I think it is fair to say Gary and I are pretty pleased with our cycling efforts and a little surprised at what can be done. 



Discussing team tactics with Gary



When I first started the blog I could not have imagined cycling 780 miles in six days – I don’t normally get close to that distance in a month!  It was certainly attrition but my prediction that it would be ATTRITION spelt out in my blood, sweat and tears was possibly a little overdramatic – maybe aches, pains, sweat, tears and laughter.

Our achievements where undoubtedly helped by the fantastic organisation that is Cycle to Cannes – it would take me too long to thank everyone or describe how slick the whole operation is – but I will quickly say thanks to the physio's who soothed some of my aches and reassured me that they were not going to end in a permanent limp and the mechanics who worked through the night to keep my bike on the road – cheers.

Is the road bike up for sale – not just yet – I’ve signed up for the King of the Downs – a one hundred and thirteen mile road jaunt that takes in ten big climbs in both the South and North Downs – I will never learn.

But, I now hand over the fund raising mantle to Paul Wood and his son, Mathew.

Mathew is training hard for the London Marathon on 17 April and his fund raising page is here.

Paul and Mathew will also be cycling from London to Paris in early June.  Their fund raising page is here.

To find out more about the valuable work of BEAT, please click here.

Best wishes and once again thank you.        

Tuesday 08 March 2011 (Day 6)

Aix en Provence to Cannes

We’ve done it!!!!

But what a tough last day.  It was gloriously sunny as it has been all week but the wind did exactly as forecast and blew hard into us from the east all day.  You did not want to be dropped by the peloton and left to fight it on your own - so full concentration to keep tucked into the wheel ahead.

It has also been the hilliest day of cycling with about 6100ft (1859m) of climbing over about 106 miles; very hard work on very tired legs.  They really, really hurt when the power had to be applied from about half way through the ride and I had to retreat in to my own little world of pain for a few of the climbs - so apologies to anyone who tried to have a chat with me on the latter climbs – I was having a private moment.  Although I doubt anyone was actually chatting at those points.

On the upside we did travel though some of the most beautiful country side and on a normal day I rather perversely enjoy climbing, so probably the best day on the bike and I was glad I got on it for the whole day (although my legs disagree).

Garmin Connect stats here 

After yesterday’s effort on the bike Gary decided the first stage was best left alone this morning – the motivational speech just before we set off didn’t help either – to summarise it essentially said - the wind is brutal and if you feel tired you should get on the coach now! Gary completed just shy of 70miles

The final stats are as follows

I managed 781 miles (1257 km) completed in the last six days (that’s about 85% of the ride) with only four stages missed.

  

Gary managed 702 miles (1131 km) completed (about 75% of the ride) with just seven stages missed.

Both over 1000 km and still walking – good result

Boris joined us for the final run into Cannes – he managed just shy of three miles and about 87ft (25m) of climbing.  Not bad on Boris bike to be fair

Monday 08 March 2011 (Day 5)

Chanas to Aix en Provence


Another absolutely stunning day as we pushed further south. The landscape gradually took on a more Mediterranean feel with cypress trees and pantile roofs becoming the norm. Spring’s also arrived with blossom and fresh buds on the trees. The hills of the Rhone Valley afford some spectacular views of this, but also present some grinding climbs on tired legs.

The riders (including Gary) leaving      
for stage 3                                                  .

Gary took the opportunity to stretch his legs on these climbs after he got hoodwinked by Joe Morris and took on stage 3, which includes 'shark tooth' mountain, Joe assured him it was flat!? He's in a world of pain now as he had already ridden the first two stages and was obliged to ride the next 'team' stage. To make matters worse the support coach got lost and left Gary pushing through to complete five stages (just over 160 miles).


So a full day in the saddle for Gary – to his relief the sixth stage had to be cancelled as the problems caused by the coach wrecked the very tight riding schedule.

The stunning hill village of Bonnieux      
was at the top of the big climb in stage 5  

It was my turn to be sensible and I stopped at four.  All done I managed just over 130 miles and nine hours turning pedals).


Garmin Connect stats are here for stages 1 and 2 and here for stages 4 and 5.


I feel a bit fresher for taking it a bit easier today, but this is relative – just standing still hurts and thats after a massage!  My only consolation is Gary probably hurts more than I do.


Tomorrow I suspect is going to be a bit of a big day - only(?) just over one hundred miles, but hilly and the weather forecast suggests that we will be cycling into a bitterly cold easterly as we cross to our final destination - Cannes.


To make the day even more special we have our mayor Boris Johnson joining us on a Boris Bike for the last few miles. Fantastic!

Sunday 06 March 2011 (Day 4)

Dijon to Chanes

Another day with almost perfect weather for cycling.  So perfect, in fact, that I was tempted to stay on the bike from dawn to dusk.

All five stages completed, 167 miles covered, and just shy of ten hours in the saddle pushing forward.  I am now completely exhausted and every part of me aches.  It hurts just sitting still - tackling a staircase is horrific.  

The bike is also beginning to suffer and is spending the night with a mechanic who promises me I will be able to select all the gears tomorrow.  I hope he's right, the big hills start tomorrow - I'm going to need all the help I can get.

Garmin Connect stats are here

Gary completed four stages bringing his daily total to 135 miles.  He wisely took stage four off to get a rest before the big climbs of stage five - Climbs that are apparently just a taster for what's ahead.

Saturday 05 March 2011 (Day 3)

Reims to Dijon

 The bike lined up, ready to go

Another horrendously early start, but it got better as we pushed south and enjoyed the sun rise over the vineyards of the Champagne region.  It developed into another beautiful day with a slight tail wind and crisp blue skies making for perfect cycling.

I managed four stages of the six today; discretion being the better part of valour I decided that trying to repeat yesterday’s efforts was likely to end badly.  Still pleased with (about) 125miles completed (just over eight hours of pedal turning).

The cycle computer stayed with me to the end this time, so the Garmin Connect stats for stage 1 are here, stages 3 and 4 here and stage 6 here.

Gary also did four stages, putting the effort in early by doing the first three morning stages with a big break after lunch before completing the final stage of the day.   

Friday 4 March 2011 (Day 2)

Calais to Reims

The frenzy that is the feed
station at a stage change

Went a bit crazy and did every stage today!

Over 12 hours in the saddle turning the pedals – I’m shattered.

I doubt I have it in me to do that tomorrow.  Mind you tomorrow’s three miles shorter and the last three miles where by far the longest today, so it should be easy?

The cycle computer did what I should have done and packed up soon after it got dark, so the Garmin Connect stats (for what it did get) are here.

Gary did the sensible thing and got a beer after four stages (a respectable 130 miles)

Thursday 03 March 2011 (Day 1)

Greenwich to Folkstone.

The start and support coach at Greenwich

A chilly start for the 83 riders setting off for Cannes but mercifully dry, even a little sunshine!

We only had 61 miles before we ran out of England, so today was a bit of a shakedown to get used to how the next five days in France are going to work.

I have to say I do like the motorbike outriders stopping the traffic; sweeping through red lights and roundabouts makes a change from my usual commuter experience – I’ll have to get see about getting a couple.

Feeling pretty good for tomorrow, but notice we have a 5:00am wake up call.  That’s 5:00am French time, so make that 4:00am UK time.  Mad.

Garmin connect stats for today are here

Wednesday 02 March 2011 (1 Day Left)



The Route



We leave Greenwich tomorrow at 9:00am - Thought I might take a peek at the map and see where we are actually going! 

Day 1 - Greenwich to Folkstone (61m - two stages)

Day 2 - Calais to Reims (200m - six stages)

Day 3 - Reims to Dijon (198m - six stages)

Day 4 - Dijon to Chanas (168m - five stages)

Day 5 - Chanas to Aix en Provence (187m - six stages)

Day 6 - Aix en Provence to Cannes (107m - three stages)

Of course, I'm only obliged to do two stages a day as a minimum, but there's an 'opportunity' to do more, with the ultimate prize to go the 'whole distance' and ride every stage!  People have done it!  

I shall see what I can do without breaking myself too much.  Watch this space.......

Oh and the results from Sunday's Navigator race have been posted here.  I was placed 29 out of 62, not exactly the result I set out for - lets hope I don't get too lost tomorrow! 



Tuesday 01 March 2011 (2 Days Left)

Trying to relax, trying to pack

Monday 28 February 2011 (3 Days Left)

Just a couple of miles on the bike today - and that's it, no more bike until we are off, full relaxation for the next two days - if such a thing can be achieved by getting off a bike and on the underground.

I've also sent the bike off for a quick pre-ride service.  It's only a shade over seven weeks old and needed a new chain!  This either reflects the Chris Hoy style chain chewing power I can now deliver through my newly honed legs or the horrible chain chewing winter weather that I've been training in.  I suspect I know the answer given it also needed its rain worn brake blocks replaced.

Sunday 27 February 2011 (4 Days Left)

Sort of wrecked the tapering today and went and did what I enjoy most on a bike and competed in a navigator race in the village of Chilton, Oxfordshire.

A navigator race is essentially orienteering on a bike.  The idea is simple, visit as many checkpoints (described on a map) as you can in three hours.  Get the most checkpoints in the time and you win.  The use of cunning to devise and navigate the most effective route can compensate for a lack of fitness, but more often than not, it's fitness compensating for a lack of cunning.

Today it was evident that any cunning I may have had had been replaced with stunning stupidity.  I was rather hoping my improved fitness would rescue me from humiliation; but no, the clawing chalky mud of the Ridgeway made it hard and slow.  To see my catalogue of route choice and map reading errors view the Garmin Connect stats here.

I suspect that my recent roadie activities have left me unable to fathom anything more complex than a simple road atlas.

Fortunately I couldn't hang around to see the results as I had to get back to see James Blunt at the Hammersmith Appolo.

Oh dear, admitting to enjoying orienteering and going to a James Blunt concert - I suspect my stock has just crashed.

Saturday 26 February 2011 (5 Days Left)

0 miles on the bike today.  A full day of rest and relaxation with the family.

Not sure where I take the tapering from here, or am I being a bit literal with this tapering business.

Friday 25 February 2011 (6 Days Left)

20 miles in the saddle today, so still tapering.

I've also taken delivery of some last minute supplies to help protect my delicate derriere:  Two new pairs of bib shorts (I now have a fresh pair for every day on the ride) and, what I hope is a diamond investment, the wonderfully named Assos Chamois Creme.  

The roadies seem to swear by this stuff and I do hope it does what it says on the tin - promising to reduce 'frictions' and keep me comfortably cool.

Worried, not me.

Thursday 24 February 2011 (7 Days Left)



Seven days left to get fit!  The hard work has been done?  I'm starting my tapering - the gradual reduction in training effort to ensure I turn up at the start line fresh.  I kicked this off with a tad over 30 miles in the saddle today.  That's less mileage than yesterday so tapering has started well.



Questions and answers at the rider briefing



I also attended the riders briefing at Aedas's offices where I learnt the full horror of what lies ahead.

I was presented with my team jersey (team Bluefin) and a rider booklet that lays out the route over 26 pages!  Each page includes a helpful elevation/distance graph - at a glance these are a little spiky - what have I done?

Wednesday 23 February 2011 (8 Days Left)

I managed to get myself to the final Cycle to Cannes training ride this morning at Regents Park.  Ridiculously early.  Ridiculously wet.

I have summarised my thoughts on training in the rain in a short video.

Garmin Connect stats here.

Tuesday 22 February 2011 (9 Days Left)

I've been reading a book, The Complete Guide to Endurance Training, a wee bit late I accept, but none the less some useful tips.  Apparently rest is 'the forgotten edge' - good news, as my training plan has been pretty 'edgy' at times



It also goes on to say that fluid replacement and nutrition are critical for endurance cycling.  Not really surprising, but once you give it some thought the quantities of water and energy that need replacing are huge.

Mmmm, energy, tasty.



The author recommends 150-200ml of fluids every 15-20 minutes - that's getting on towards a water bottle every hour.  Not as easy as it sounds; drinking from a water bottle is a little nerve racking for a novice peloton rider like me.  I am conscious that a mistake could wreak havoc upon everyone behind me.

That said if I don't get water and energy down me I'm going to run out of go-go after a few hours, regardless of the training I've done.  So with this in mind I've been stocking up on energy bars, tubs of energy drink, recovery drink, and so on.  It all tastes pretty disgusting, but needs must.

Just look out behind if I'm trying to unwrap a tasty Go Bar or sipping from my high energy drink.

Monday 21 February 2011 (10 Days Left)

Twenty miles on the bike today plus another leg buckling circuits session with British Military Fitness.  I suspect that tonight's session will be the last I do before we set off - my thoughts are turning to tapering.  

Tapering is the apparently tricky business of reducing exercise just before the start of a big event so that you arrive fresh, having made the best of  training. There are, it transpires, as many opinions on this as there are stars in the sky.  So I'm taking the average(ish) of the advice I've heard (so far) and going for about a week.

I'm now looking forward to Thursday.

Of course, I'll blame any poor performance during the ride on this critical period and not any possible short comings in my actual training!

Sunday 20 February 2011 (11 Days Left)

No rain this morning, so out bright eyed and bushy tailed to join the regular Cycle to Cannes training ride in Richmond Park.  This time we ventured out to Box Hill and I got the opportunity to climb the 2012 Olympic road route up it (in contrast to yesterdays off-road route).  I reckon the road route is a little less punchy but that just means you can climb faster, so no, not any easier.

I had turned up to the park expecting laps so a proper ride was a pleasant surprise.  A bit of pressure though as I had promised to be back by 11:00am and was a little sceptical that a trip to Box Hill and back could be done within 3 hours - it can, with time to spare.  So, a big Big thank you to the chap who led the trip - spot on with the estimated timings and a gem of a route out to the Downs - direct and keeping to the quite roads as much as possible.  I'll be using it in the future.

50 miles covered, no one fell off this time.

Route and Garmin Connect stats here

Saturday 19 February 2011 (12 Days Left)

A proper bike, at last

I had planned to get up early this morning and do a long ride but the sound of rain beating against the windows robbed me of all motivation.  I rolled over and turned off the alarm clock for a relative lie in.

When I did get up, I decided that whilst I couldn't face the road bike in this horrible weather I was prepared to take out the mountain bike.  It's not been ridden since Christmas and I could resist no longer - any excuse.

Mud, and more mud 

So I blew off the dust, oiled the chain, and took it on one of my favorite trundles around the North Downs.  The route takes in three particularly beastly ascents of the North Downs ridge - just to make sure the blood gets flowing.  It would also be fair to say that today's trip featured mainly mud, making it a bit challenging (that is to say I fell off twice).  I also got a double puncture that meant I had to start patching inner tubes - not easy to keep the glue dry in the mud and rain.  Despite this I had fun trying to stay on - a bit of light relief to the serious business of the road bike.

The route and Garmin Connect stats are here

Friday 18 February 2011 (13 Days Left)

Have taken it easy on the bike today, a sort of rest day - I'm absolutely shattered and need some sleep.  I'll be in bed as soon as I can.  Another wild Friday night!

Thursday 17 February 2011 (14 Days Left)



Fame and glory in Cycling Weekly

A relatively easy day today; just 20 miles on the bike.  I also popped over to the Estate Gazette HQ for evening drinks to catch up with the host, Sam McClary, and the other Cycle to Cannes riders. Everyone appears very serious about their training and talking of their multi day long rides. Mmmmm, not quite got round to that yet. Still plenty of time, two weeks, plenty.

I also got an opportunity to flick through a back copy of Cycling Weekly to peruse an article on the Evans Cycles Ride It! Sportive that Gary and I did in Chieveley back in mid-January.  I was glad to discover that the author also struggled with the wind too (yep, another brutally windy day).  But what caught my eye was a photo that I think has Gary and myself in it.  I say think because we’re not really in focus.  But none the less, amazing, we’ve been road cycling for only a few months and we are already featured in Cycling Weekly - well almost, maybe.  I think I’m on the left of the picture just behind Gary before we climb the big hill.  I shan’t say who got to the top first (but I didn’t have to wait long).

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Ok, yesterdays post was a little foolish with hindsight and I may have tempted fate too far. 

Why? Well I got another puncture whilst riding around Regents Park at some ridiculous pre-dawn hour with the mid-week Cycle to Cannes training session.  Fortunately it went pop on the last lap so I didn’t miss too much.  Even more fortunately I had had the foresight to swap over my spare inner tube for one without a hole in it last night!

Next week will be the last Regents Park training ride – the 'off' is looming up faster than I care to think about!  Small twinges of panic rise when I do give it some thought.  I’ve realised it’s not like an exam, you can’t just cram the night before – can you?


No Garmin Connect stats for today's training - I forgot to turn on the cycle computer! 

Tuesday 15 February 2011

I got a puncture this morning.  I hadn’t even got on the bike.  A drawing pin stuck fast in the tyre - old school sabotage?  On the plus side I managed to try out my new tyre levers. 

I guess I can’t grumble this is the first puncture I have had since I started training seriously about four months ago.  I would normally consider myself lucky if I managed four hours without a puncture on the mountain bike!

Rushed back this evening to do circuits with British Military Fitness for another leg busting session, spent most of it wishing we were concentrating on abs.

Monday 14 February 2011

Valentines Day, I‘ve not forgotten.  An opportunity to thank my wife for supporting me on this and all the other madcap misadventures I get myself in to.  Thank you.

Sunday 13 February 2011

Another windy weekend so another planned SCUBA diving trip has been cancelled.  So, not wanting to waste my pass, I joined the regular Cycle to Cannes training ride at Richmond Park. 

This time we took our wobbly peloton out of the relative safety of the park on a jaunt down to the Surrey Hills and back.  This involved over a dozen of us trying to keep our group together on real roads with proper road junctions and cars and stuff.  We didn’t do too badly, a bit messy at times and we did have one rider take a tumble in the traffic.  He was fine, a few bruises, and lucky really, as apparently he took the main impact to avoid damaging his bike – the dangers of owning an outrageously expensive machine (and I note, not a dedication I have seen from many car drivers).

I find the Sunday training rides very useful.  I have to be honest I have done very little ‘group’ riding roadie style before.  Problem is that group riding for a mountain biker generally means getting together with a bunch of friends, showing off, having a chat and stopping for a pub lunch.  Group riding for a roadie is profoundly different.  Its all about order and discipline, you are expected to ride as one beautifully synchronised unit with particular attention paid to the gap between your front wheel and the rear wheel ahead of you.  There’s a set of rules, a sort of etiquette, that has to be adhered to – you can’t just go and bunny hop that puddle. 

I would go in to more detail about the etiquette; but I don’t really understand it yet – when I do…..

But I have learnt enough to conclude that the first day of the Cycle to Cannes will be a little chaotic as a group of sixty riders attempts to work as this beautifully harmonised formation.

Training wise not a bad day either, with a few extra laps of the park and I managed to get 70 miles in - and still have time to see the dinosaurs at the Natural History museum with the family – roar!  

Garmin Connect stats here 

Saturday 12 February 2010

Chaos, My son’s third birthday party today.  No cycling, but plenty of jelly and ice cream.

Friday 11 February 2011

The 2012 Olympic road race route has been announced.  Now you would have thought they would have pitted the world’s elite cyclists against the UK’s biggest climbs.  Maybe take them up to the Lake District or Yorkshire Dales.  Nope, they are running them from the Mall, through west London and out to the Surrey Hills and back; practically past my front door.

So some of my commute is going to be part of an Olympic road race – you can’t make it up.  Look out for the number 93 bus Cavendish!  I trust they will be resurfacing Putney Bridge.  It has possibly the worst road surface in the whole of London (sorry about the pun).  

I look forward to watching them struggle up Putney Hill. 

Thursday 10 February 2011

Only three weeks before we’re off!

Weather took on a bit of a Welsh flavour this morning; a sort of fine drizzle that gets you wetter than it should.  I can’t really complain though, I’ve managed nearly three weeks without getting a thorough soaking.  That’s long enough for me to forget just how casual the old Raleigh brakes are in the wet.  Not what you need in the melee that is London traffic.

Talking of stopping power, I’ve been slowing down my mountain bikes with some pretty fierce hydraulic discs for about a decade, but I can’t recall ever seeing disk brakes on a road bike?  I guess you aren’t supposed to dip your road rims in the grinding paste they call mud?

Wednesday 09 February 2011

Got up insanely early this morning and hauled myself up to Regents Park for one of the 6:30am Cycle to Cannes training session.  My first one, I can’t think why?  

Given the hour there was a pretty big turn out, probably accounted for by the free bacon rolls and coffee laid on at the German Gymnasium, Kings Cross afterwards.  This was generously offered by The King's Cross Central Partnership as an enticement to get a group photo of the riders with their bikes and lycra.  Normally avoid a camera, particularly if in cycle gear, it’s not flattering.  But I’m a sucker for a bacon roll and it would appear I’m not alone.

Also feeling pretty pleased with myself.  Just shy of 45 miles in the saddle today (and no sign yesterday’s twinges, imagined or otherwise).

Garmin Connect stats here.

Tuesday 08 February 2011

Just when I thought it would never end the wind has been replaced by calm blue skies and pleasant warming sunshine – what a transformation.

A few worrying niggles are haunting me today – my right knee started to twinge a little on the ride home.  This seemed to set me to imagining the return of numerous other little niggles once I got to being brutalised at British Military Fitness circuit training in the evening.  I was convinced I could feel my right hamstring reminding me I tore it whilst trying to show off windsurfing a few years ago and my upper back was chiding me for cycling into an opening car door in the past.  I’m rather hoping that these niggles, that are occasionally very real, are all figments of my imagination this time.  However, the seeds have been sown and I won’t be surprised to see them at some point during the ride. 

Note to self; pack plenty of ibuprofen.

Monday 07 February 2011

Still blowing – it can’t keep on doing this, can it? 

Have had a few answers on the roadie storage issue.  Apparently luggage is the wrong way to think about it.  Think essentials, think small and it will all go in your jersey pocket?

My list is:

Pump

Inner tube

Tyre levers

Multi tool

Mobile phone

Cash

Energy bar

Small bit of gaffer tape

Zip ties

His list is:

Credit card

Funny, but not very helpful.

Sunday 06 February 2011

Out the door before sunrise for my sneaky training ride this morning - Yeovil to West Bay and back.

Gaffer tape - a solution waiting for a problem

Before setting off I had to pack a load of stuff.  Now roadies don’t seem to use map boards or camelbacks (a sort of rucksack that carries all your water and includes a bit of handy storage), favouring water bottles and a pocket on the back of their jersey instead (and who am I to question why).  Upshot of this is there isn’t much space for luggage.  The solution - I gaffer taped the majority of my spares to the frame and jury rigged my maps to the handle bars.  Wrecked the beautiful lines of the bike, but needs must.  I’ll ask a proper roadie how you get round this problem another day.   

Hills, lots of hills - not all went down. 

As it was still blowing dogs off chains I marked up my maps with a route that I hoped would bring me home with the wind behind me.  I’m also not particularly familiar with this part of the world so my route avoided the busy main roads.  The problem with this strategy, I discovered, is that the main roads tend to follow river valleys.  The back roads don’t.  They tend to go via the hill tops and the river valleys.  They also build the hills a tad steeper here than in London.  I was slightly shocked when I realised I had run out of low gears and all I could see was hill in front of me, getting steeper.  I have learnt that, when presented with this situation, the next step is to get out the saddle shortly followed by having a near stroke.  

West Bay and Wind

My plan with the wind worked beautifully, it was merciless on my way out (and I mean merciless), but gave me a much appreciated push on the way home.  Managed just shy of sixty miles, would like to have done a few more (but I had promised to be back in good time for lunch). 

My only disappointment of the day – the Harbour Cafe in West Bay was shut.  My protracted deliberations as to whether I should try and get an egg and may be even black pudding in my bacon sarnie had sustained me an awfully long way.  A bit of flapjack from the newsagents was not what I had in mind.

Garmin Connect stats are here.

Saturday 05 February 2011

My rest day and I was supposed to be pursing my greatest passion – SCUBA diving.  All set to immerse myself in the cool, clear waters of the English Channel, but alas the wind has given nothing up; a force 7 is blowing from the south west, that’s just a tad too sporty. So, off to Somerset to visit the in-laws instead – I’ve packed the bike for a sneaky bit of training on Sunday morning.

Friday 04 February 2011

Blowing an absolute hooligan today and I’m on my wife’s bike again as I’m running my son to and from his nursery.  I sort of fixed the seized gears. I say sort of as they quickly got stuck in the large ring rather than the small one, so between the wind and the bike I got a proper bit of resistance training to pile on top of last nights pain.  Joy.  There is a happy medium somewhere – I just have to find it.  Maybe if I just fix the bike properly?

Thursday 03 February 2011

Positively spring like this morning, although this was very short lived.  The clouds had darkened and quickened by the afternoon.  The forecast looks a bit blowy which means headwinds.

Circuits again this evening – I’m sure the instructor could sense the pain in my legs and was thus keen to improve our leg strength -  I felt all of my years and some – I just hope it makes some difference; just four weeks until we set off – gulp.

Wednesday 02 February 2011

Got my beater back this morning – the cranks don’t wobble, at last – but careful what you wish for, the shop had neglected to adjust the front derailleur so no big ring and I got another enforced high cadence journey to work.  Quick to fix - I can only guess that when I told the bike shop to leave all the other worn out stuff alone they took me at my word – thanks.

Tuesday 01 February

Finally admitted defeat; I am time poor.  I put my beater into the bike shop to get the bottom bracket fixed.  An hour later I got a call pointing out that the chain, rear cassette, brakes and all the cables could all do with replacing and would they like them to do this for me? – nope.  As this bike is in the bike shop I cycled in my wife’s mountain bike again – if I was worried about my low cadence this machine will fix it – the gears are (still) seized so I had to pedal like a lunatic to go forward at any speed.

Monday 31 January 2011

My belt has returned to a notch that hasn’t been used for a decade – This commuting is great, my body is getting younger.  Fantastic.

Sunday 30 January 2011

Legs still a bit sore this morning despite rest but they managed a shade over 50 miles on the Richmond Park Cycle to Cannes training ride – even got up early and put in a few extra laps, as last week.  I’ve also got a new toy - a bike computer that measures and monitors all sorts of stuff.  The upshot is that I’m worrying about things I previously didn’t know existed.  Today it's cadence and I’m concentrating on speeding it up.  Apparently turning the pedals faster will keep my legs working aerobically and reduce fatigue.  That sounds very appealing, but is more difficult than it sounds and my legs seemed to hurt more.  Thing is, it works for Lance Armstrong so who am I to argue.  So I’ll probably keep working at the cadence rate, but fear it might be too late. 

Also am I in danger of  getting completely sucked in to this roadie stuff – I couldn’t have given a monkey’s what my cadence was on a mountain bike as long as I got to the top of that slippery slope. 

And to make matters worse I'm becoming a nerd - see my training stats here via Garmin Connect.

Should I just turn off the new computer now?

Saturday 29 January 2011

Rest…………

Friday 28 January 2011

Ouch, apparently pain is just weakness leaving your body – my slightly sensitive legs are letting me know they need a rest.  The pain is not helped by a bitterly cold head wind (and my rear tyre rubbing against the frame).  Lots of effort for very little return, well at least until I adjusted the rear wheel off the frame.  I can’t tell you how much I hope we don’t get any headwinds on the ride, they rob me of strength and resolve.  I also trust my new ‘weekend’ bike won’t let me down with wheels coming out of alignment.  This new bike is beautiful, but boy, an enormous investment considering it’s a road bike - that is to say I don’t quite understand why it’s so expensive when it’s so simple - no suspension and hardly any gears - maybe it’s because it's mind bogglingly light?

Thursday 27 January 2011

Yep the wind is blowing from the north – I always enjoy a head wind, particularly a cold one, the cloud to yesterday’s silver lining.

Also after a long break I have finally managed to get to do circuits with British Military Fitness – brutal but effective.  I’m off to collapse into bed.  Looking forward to the prospect of sore legs tomorrow.

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Very rare thing occurred today, I had the wind behind me on the way in to work and by the time I came home it had turned and was on my tail – wonderful – and just as well as I peddled my son to and from nursery so was on my wife’s mountain bike – I have to admit that it has been a little neglected since its last outing in the snow, ice (and road salts) just before Christmas – almost everything has seized up.  My list of bike repairs is increasing; I still haven’t fixed the bottom bracket on my beater yet, it now makes an awful noise and the cranks wobble from side to side; must do this soon.

Tuesday 25 January 2011

An enormous crane was parked on the Fulham Road this evening with a chap in little cage dangling from it knocking loose bricks and stuff from the edges of the hole left in the terrace by the building collapse – smart way not to get buried – looked liked someone has done this before!  Hopefully the road will re-open soon – traffic chaos at the moment.  

Monday 24 January 2011

Disaster my routine has been disrupted – they have shut the Fulham Road where I join it on my travel across Southwest London.  The reason - part of a Victorian terrace undergoing renovation has collapsed.  Some poor structural engineer is having a very bad Monday morning.  By the way, it’s not one of ours, of course.   

Sunday 23 January 2011

Fifty miles under my belt before 10:30!  Got up a bit earlier and did a few extra laps of Richmond Park before the Cycle to Cannes training ride started.  A decision I regretted to be honest as the pace was a shade quicker than it has been in the past.  But I felt pretty strong after my rest day so spent most of my time trying to find opportunities to ride past Gary Elliott (my boss) whilst appearing, as best I could, to be making no effort at all - particularly on the hills.  He’s not at all competitive and nor am I!

Saturday 22 January 2011

No pedals turned today, although I did have a go at the bottom bracket on my beater – it was not pretty, I just put it back together as best I could and I will have to go to the shop to size up for a new one as cheaply as possible.

Friday 21 January 2011

My beater, a slightly shabby 1981 Raleigh Carlton, that does the commute come rain or shine (and probably won’t get nicked when I leave it locked to a lamp post) is beginning to make some odd noises, a sort of knocking, and its gradually getting worse.  I think the bottom bracket is in some trouble.  It just doesn’t make sense to put in the bike shop  - spending money on it will sort of give it value and then I’ll start wanting to look after it – which is not really what a beater is about.  So I’ll have to find my tools and strip the bracket myself – hopefully the ball bearings are still round and a bit of grease will sort it out.

Thursday 20 January 2011

Blindingly quick ride in this morning, the ride back was slow as normal so I can only imagine that by setting off at seven, an hour earlier than normal, I avoided the worst of the rush hour traffic.  The biggest difference I noticed was how clear the cycle lanes were.  So may be it’s not the cars that get in the way but other bikes?

Wednesday 19 January 2011

I have been commuting (furiously) to the new office in Oxford Street since late December and calling it training.  I have to say the gods have not made it easy, my first day marked the start of Britain’s arctic spell and when it finally gave that up it started raining.  So at last it has stopped that nonsense and my first proper blog is made in sunshine – and glorious it is too riding through Hyde Park with the early morning sun casting long shadows through the early morning mist and hoar frost.  Far better than the dismal grind on the tube.

Tuesday 18 January 2011

How did I find myself signed up for this? Well I signed up because in part I didn’t really understand what I was signing up to, but mostly because I am cycling for the charity BEAT.  BEAT is a charity that is dedicated to helping both those who suffer from eating disorders and their families and carers.

Elliott Wood the company I work for and who are sponsoring me on this escapade are raising funds for BEAT by supporting a number of charity events this year after founding partner Paul Wood sadly lost his daughter, Anna, on 26th March 2010 as a result of her anorexia.  She was 15 years old. 

So I find myself joining Gary Elliott, another founding partner of Elliott Wood, on this crazy trip. Hopefully we can raise some loot on the way.

So only one thing for it now, get on a bike and get the miles in – no particular training plan – It’s too late and besides I have a job, a wife and a two year old son – I don’t have two hours a day to go ‘hill training’.  I’m just going to ride furiously, everywhere, and hope for the best.

Monday 17 January 2011

Welcome to my blog for the Cycle to Cannes 2011 charity bike ride.  Over the coming six weeks I shall try and describe my journey from a keen mountain biker who enjoys nothing better than a sweeping single track to a fully integrated road warrior capable of devouring miles of tarmac each day.    

A journey that I thought would be as simple as swapping bikes.  How naive.  In the few weeks that I have started to take this seriously I have worked out that a mountain bike is fun and a road bike is about pain, more specifically how much pain you can take.  I have only flirted with road bikes in the near thirty five years since the stabilisers were taken off aged five.  On the rare occasion I have come by one it has ended with it being either nicked or breaking and I never felt moved to replace them in a hurry.  Thinking about it I have probably lost and bent more mountain bikes, but I can’t imagine life without one of those, so I guess those small tentative flirtations with dropped handlebars have never really led to anything meaningful.

But now I have signed up to something truly insane.  The Cycle to Cannes involves, rather unsurprisingly, cycling from London to Cannes.  Lovely, but as with most things there’s a catch: it’s all done on the road in six days.  What with London and Cannes being a trifling 1000 miles apart, that’s a whole load of tarmac.  Only word comes to mind - ATTRITION - written in my blood, sweat and tears.

To be fair, the organisers have recognised this insanity and to make the whole thing possible they have divided the ride into stages and split the riders into three teams.  Each team is expected to complete a share of stages, normally two a day, to ensure a relay baton reaches Cannes.  With each stage approximately 35 miles long an individual rider will complete over 70 miles a day as a minimum. 

A relay I here you scoff, but 70 miles a day is a London to Brighton ride each day for almost a week!

That worries me.  But to make matters worse there is an 'opportunity' to do more with the ultimate prize to go the 'whole distance' and ride every stage.  The whole distance requires herculean distances to be covered – up to 200 miles a day.  People have done it!  That worries me a lot.

Oh and I now own two road bikes - How long will it last?