training

Kiwi Brevet: preparation

2012-02-02T16:17:00.001-08:00

As ever, I'm doing everything at the last minute, but I think it's all coming together nicely. I am packed for my flight to Blenheim this evening, too late for my liking, but I did book the flight myself. I arrive into Blenheim at 2045, then need to bike into town, that should take about 30 minutes.

I have to admit to having been anxious these past few days. I can't quite work out what's wrong, I know I'm not in the best of shape, having spent the first five days in NZ with a cold or mild flu, something I should have expected on such a long winter time flight. I also feel like my preparation for navigating the brevet isn't optimal. Too late last week, I realised I needed some maps, something I thought would be obtainable at the local DOC office, however they only stock the local maps. I'm going to see if I can copy some maps at the briefing tomorrow and also be cautious on any sections I'm not sure on. I have my Garmin Edge 705 loaded with the maps and the route, as well as brevet style cue cards to use in combination with a cycle computer, so I'm not totally unprepared, however I think navigation could throw the proverbial curve ball. I've traced the entire map with turns and it doesn't look too bad, however I'm not quite tall enough to get the satellite perspective offered by google maps.

Other than that, I am really excited, so maybe it's just nerves of excitement. I've also just made the decision to take a sleeping mat, I have no idea what kind of ground I will find to camp on, but considering the dry summer to date, I expect the ground to be hard and devoid of any lush cushioning grass. My camping setup is simple, and I hope effective, a Rab Neutrino 200 down sleeping bag, a Rab Survival Zone bivi bag, and a closed cell foam mat, trimmed to head-bottom length x shoulder width. Should this prove uncomfortable or to rob me of the sleep I'll need, I am prepared to bunk up in a motel.

Another thing I hadn't considered fully, was the amount of water I'd need to carry on the "dry" sections. This includes the first day, hopefully the 200km from Blenheim to Hanmer Springs, the route containing only one water source, likely requiring treatment. As a result, I will take 4.5l on day one, and have the capacity to increase that with an extra 3l platypus. Last week highlighted my unpreparedness in this department with a rushed order on a Salsa Fargo fork with two extra bottle cage mounts, affording me an extra 1.5l. It's something I'd considered but thought unnecessary. I hope it works well. In any case, the bottles will have an extra velcro strap around the neck of the bottle to reduce the stress on the cage and prevent them being ejected on rougher terrain.

To sum up, I am traveling as light as I can do while carrying all emergency supplies, extra rations, a decent first aid kit, weather protection, communication devices, and a 3kw electric generator, just in case. I'll leave you with some photos, you can follow the brevet progress on:

the kiwibrevet site: http://kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz/

on twitter @kiwibrevet

and on track leaders: http://trackleaders.com/kiwibrevet

A big thanks goes out to Sam from Singular Cycles, this bike is so much fun, the Gryphon has served me well for the past year and I look forward to more adventures aboard this bike. To Andy from One Industries EU, thanks for the fresh Maxxis rubber, an Ikon front, a Crossmark rear.

Most of my stuff out and about

Not my setup, but just a photo of some bits strapped to my bike :-)

My old bike, ah the good old days of small wheels, gears and suspension.

New Salsa Fargo fork, cages will be added after flight.

The tail end, the seat bag is under utilised, so it might fill out.

Off to NZ: the flights

2012-01-29T13:10:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday I hit the road early, headed for the train station for the first leg of my voyage. I took the train up to Hounslow, located five miles from Heathrow, both as a way to get a sense of adventure and to avoid the extortionate price of a Heathrow Express ticket. Rain was on the agenda however, so it was a bit of a miserable ride, until I pulled up alongside one of the Heathrow runways. First I experienced the brutal thrust of a 747-400 taking off, followed closely by an Airbus A380, a serene experience by comparison.

After drying off, I prepared my bike for air travel, removing the pedals, turning the handlebars sideways, and then putting the bike directly in a CTC plastic bag, then wrapping with FRAGILE tape. I had of course not deflated the tyres, as this was not necessary. Whilst waiting in the check in queue, I was however rudely informed that I should deflate my tyres, and that I was in fact wrong. Whatever happened to "the customer is right" or at least a normal conversation. The necessity to deflate tyres has also been refuted by Jobst Brandt, cycle guru. I was also later to discover that as a result of deflating my tyres, my rear tube had a pinch flat (2 holes). Great! Anyhow, the rest of the process was rather painless, after a burger and an hour flight delay, I was on the first flight of my airborne sector.

The flight itself was quite relaxing, flying in a brand new Air New Zealand 777-300ER in an all black livery, rather a special sight from the tarmac (yes, we had to take the bus out to the boarding point, felt like were were back in NZ already). We were quickly ushered past the sumptuous leather business class seats, the smell following us into economy. The seats back there were actually very good, enough leg/knee room, and good support. The in-flight entertainment was top notch too, with dozens of films and TV series to watch. I'd planned to forego sleep and food on this leg in order to aid in the resetting of my clock to NZT, 13 hours ahead in time. Toward the end of the flight, this became very difficult, but I pulled through to LAX without a wink.

The stopover in LAX was a non-event, just over an hour in a transfer lounge eating crisps and drinking water, and it was time to board the second leg to Auckland. The plan was to eat then sleep on this flight, the former not a problem, but I found the sleep was hard to come by. Some more TV watching later, I arrived in Auckland, at 7am, to glorious sunshine. My bike had the quick once over from MAF (biosecurity) and after prizing off my rusty SPD cleats and scrubbing them clean, I was on my way to the domestic terminal. I transferred my bike which looked to be in good condition aside from some new holes in the bag. I lounged around in the sun for another hour before boarding the flight to Queenstown, a scenic 2 hour direct flight. Flying over the Alps and the rugged high country of Central Otago, my mind was set alight with the possibilities that the country must offer. Stock tracks, farm roads and wide river valleys dividing the mountains, I was imagining spending weeks exploring some pretty remote wilderness. While the weather was perfect, the winds were swirling around the Wakatipu basin resulting in an unsettled descent into Queenstown, I suspect this would not be too pleasant on a "bad" day. I spotted my parents waiting in the arrivals hall, happy to see me back in Queenstown after a 3 year absence.

More later.

The Maxxis has landed

2012-01-16T02:41:00.000-08:00

I guess this is a good time to start writing again. I've finished up work until the end of February, and now I'm preparing for my trip to NZ.

Today I got a very useful delivery, some awesome Maxxis tyres. Team Singular is sponsored by Maxxis, and as a result I've had the opportunity to try out a number of their offerings. The current winter tyre of choice is the Beaver, a real treat in the mud that's to be expected this time of year, as well as any other month of the year in England really, although I've mainly been using one on the front in combination with a rear Crossmark. That may have something to do with the fact that the Crossmark is a UST variant mounted on a Stans Arch rim, a ridiculously tight combination, one that I wasn't able to mount, but Sam somehow did. Regardless, I think this is a good combination, as in all but the sloppiest conditions, I have enough rear traction.

So, on to my tyre choice for my upcoming attempt at the Kiwi Brevet. I've been riding the Crossmark on the rear throughout the summer with an Ikon up front, and prior to that I had a pair of Ikons mounted. All of the guys on the team riding the Ikon have been impressed by their combination of cornering grip, predictability, and smooth rolling. It performs well on anything from loamy soil to loose over hardpack. The only thing I have had issues with is their reaction to flint. This was early season with freshly exposed flint, only an issue on the rear though. During my South Downs Way Double, I rode tubeless up front, slime tube in the rear, and had no punctures, I think they were both the EXC/EXO variant, but I'm not sure now. In any case, I don't think there are many tyres that can stand up to flint abuse, maybe the UST Crossmark with its heavy weight LUST sidewall. I have decided to stick with the Ikon 2.2 EXO/EXC on the front, and the slightly better rolling Crossmark 2.1 folding rear. The Brevet will cover large distances on coarse chip tarseal and gravel roads, so I think this is one of the best options on the market. I would not be keen running flyweight tyres nor cross tyres as I know some people will be. It's a personal choice, but the extra cushion a large volume 29er tyre affords is essential on these long distance rides. I will be running both tyres tubeless and taking two spare tubes, a repair kit and a colgate "tyre boot". More info to follow.

LondonX League, Race 2, Happy Valley Park

2010-09-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

This was my introduction to CX racing in England. It's actually my first CX race ever. That's maybe a bit of a surprise, but I never felt compelled to race cross in The Netherlands during my 5 year stay. Maybe it's due to my dutch riding friends there being more into touring and mountain bike riding. I guess CX there is more for road riders ;) . I was hoping to try my hand at it last season, but my "stretched" AC ligament put paid to that idea.

Welcome to England. Since arriving, I've been riding the MTB more frequently, done a Singlespeed race in Wales, enjoyed a ride with new friends in the Surrey hills, and now I've knocked off my first CX race. Great, what a wonderful introduction to England. I think this winter season is going to be filled with joyous mud-filled riding.

Now, as for the course, I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I wasn't expecting an XC course, but I was expecting some mud and no more than a few obstacles. One lonely obstacle in the form of a 20cm high plank did its best to add to the difficulty, but considering I could bunny hop it at 20kph and others were going over it at full speed, it didn't really pose much of a challenge. The course was grassy, dry, and windy. Not really ideal for a singlespeed mountainbike. But hey, it was still fun spinning past gearies on the downwind sections.

Looking at my heart rate graph, it seems like I was "turning myself inside out". Reality was it wasn't too bad, and I felt OK when I finished, admittedly I thought I had another lap to go. Still good to see I can ride up there for the best part of an hour.

I'm currently working with a friend to sort out a new racing rig, something that should help to eliminate comments at the start line - Not that they had a chance to repeat them during the race.

FL24: Race day, pt.2 - Mean feet

2010-07-14T23:04:00.000-07:00

Finally I have made some time to finish my race report. I've had a long recovery from the race and I'm still not back to normal. As I mentioned in pt.2, I suffered from foot numbness after the race and that still a lingering issue. I've also had some achillies pain and now I'm camped with "hot feet". Personally I'm convinced this is caused by an inflammation of the posterior tibial nerve, but the doctor and physic haven't come to that same conclusion yet. I'm actually waiting from a phone call from my doctor to receive my diagnosis. As a result of these problems, I've been on the bike less, and the build up to SiS is not going very well. I think I'm still much stronger than last year, but I'd like to have good feet before I race SiS. Anyway, time will tell.

So, I finished pt.2 just after dark. What happened then? I was keeping a good rhythm until my lighting meltdown, but after that I got back into the 2 lap rotation. Shortly after dark I put in an order for pasta. Two laps later I was greeted with two massive plates of penne, one smothered in basil pesto, the other in a tomato sauce, both topped with generous helpings of parmesan cheese. The change from sweet treats was welcomed with a big appetite and I took on plenty of good carbs. An unseen supporter refilled my bottles with water, and Sam funneled some energy powder into them to finish the task. This saved me plenty of time messing around in the pits. Each time, I was able to concentrate on eating, replacing batteries, and some idle chat. I do remember forgetting my glasses at one point, but I was no worse off for it. The dust penetrates everything and mud wasn't an issue. Upon retrieving them, I realized how dirty they'd become.

What surprised was that at around mid night, the race village seemed to fall asleep. Having only raced during the night at SiS, I had expected an all night party. Selfishly, I thought everyone would stay up to support the solo riders. The atmosphere, while good, was nothing compared to SiS. Every lap at SiS is greeted with a cheer from an unseen face. The race course was also less populous as many of the teams went to sleep. What is this? 24h is for racing, not sleeping. Not to worry, I cranked up the beats, and despite the quiet outside my head, my motivation was still high, and I charged toward the 1/2 way mark. Wow, 1am, and only 1/2 way. This is going to be tough. I was fighting my mp3 player throughout the night with ear plugs falling out, the too-long cord wrapping around the nose of my saddle on a descent and almost causing a crash. It's all part of the learning exercise, like how long can I go without coffee. Well, looking back and talking to the eventual solo SS winner, I should have been downing espresso shots all night. Cheat. :) . The hours crept by, and I felt good, no issues with cramp, I was riding well, no handling mistakes, I was awake, and life was good. Sun rise was due around 5am, and I'd heard the stories about how beautiful that would be. The sky was clear, and the lighting effect was slowly decreasing, we're almost on the home stretch. 6am. Clouds rolling in. Sun behind the cloud. Failed sunrise. Rain shower. Now I'm bored. The post dawn stint was very hard going. I'd missed out on a good sunrise, got wet, and I was bored of riding slowly and pushing my bike up so many climbs. I was still taking a beating on the downhills, wishing for some damping for my feet. I have a similar sensation in my feet as I sit here typing, It makes you want to jump in ice water.

As the camp came to life, I started to find leaving more difficult. Everyone seemed to be relaxing and I was jealous. I had no idea of my position, but I guessed I was doing OK. I'd been in a battle with another SSer during the night and he was in good spirits. Good to see a fellow rider suffering the same inconveniences (solo, SS, rigid). 9am, I pulled in for another scheduled pit stop, only this time, I stayed for longer. I'd made a deal that I'd do one more fast lap at the end. I was totally bored with riding. A strong cup of stovetop coffee soon changed that, and after seeing I was in 7th overall, I headed out for a quick lap. I kept pace with the team riders, and my motivation was back. The only problem was that I'd never be able to keep this pace until 1pm. After another stop to express my happiness at riding fast again, I did one more lap, and then pulled in for some more chat. I was told Auselia was out on track waiting for the finish, so I set off to find her. It seems she is good at hiding, and I was unable to find her. I completed my final lap at 12:58 (damn) and I was greeted by Michael with a cold Munchenbrau beer. I did it. All the training over the last couple of years has made me strong enough to finish, and while not fast, I know there's more in me. I have no idea when my next 24h race will be, but I am sure of one thing. I will bring Cheryl to support me next time, and someone to shout supportive abuse when I get bored.

Thanks to all the duded and gals who helped me during the race.

Relaxing at base camp, Singular tent

-Leaving for Savona, a view back to Noli.

Waiting for the train in Genova

Train itinerary rubbish. I spent the night reading at Milano Centrale Station, good 24h practice.

Come on, open your doors. I need coffee! It was good coffee when it arrived.

FL24: Race day, pt.1

2010-06-06T04:48:00.000-07:00

Race day. Sun beaming in through the mesh of my bivy at 7am. I'd have liked some more time to recover from the previous nights' feast. We'd been with the group from Los Lobos and BWR-e to the local Osteria (set menu, basic restaurant) and after an amazing continuous three hour eating and drinking session, I finally lay my head to rest around midnight. The day ahead will be a long one indeed. Not to worry, take it easy and just meander around preparing, pre-eat and drink, and enjoy the atmosphere. Most of the day is spent in and around my adopted team area of the Singular Cycles tent, and later on I set up my food and equipment stand in the pit area. There's still widespread confusion as to where the track runs and I'm not too sure my pits are well located. The race briefing for teams is held at 10am in three languages, and soon after the first rider of each team rides down to FInale. This is in an attempt to split the field and allow the solo riders to get onto the track and avoid congestion. As opposed to last year, FL24 is now part of the Italian 24h series, and as a result there are 130 entries compared to 60 in 2009, and the team entries are also at record levels. Another change from last year is the extension of the track from 8 to 11km. It included an extra climb and descent and really adds some nice single track to the already amazing course.

Now, let me tell you about the course. At 11km long with about 300m of climbing, it's a good length course and with lap times of 40-50 minutes, it gives for plenty of variation. There's a mixture of single track and 4WD access roads, allowing for enough overtaking opportunities. It's a reasonably SS (singlespeed) friendly track, but there are some very steep sections, that 90% of the riders walk. Not too much of a disadvantage there. I was running a 34x20 gear on my 29er which seemed like a good balance and also forced me to take to foot on the steep parts. It gave me a good chance to stretch the legs. The rocky underground was difficult to get a good foot hold at times, and my shoes are destroyed. I'm sure glad I didn't buy a nice shiny pair for this race. Compared to other races I've ridden in Europe, this was physically demanding, and almost unsuitable for unsuspended bikes. I'm still suffering from foot numbness and my back also had a few unkind words after the race. Pushing one gear puts a lot of strain on the lower back muscles, and after a night of battering, they're crying for a break. It's an ongoing debate. I know I can do it, and I've proven I'll survive, but the question is do I want to just survive again. I had suspension, gears, light, and support crew envy during this race. Since arriving back I've been researching the options for a more forgiving ride. Something to take the buzz out of my feet and prevent the L5/S1 disc from rupturing and DQing me from biking altogether. Well, there's nothing like this race on the cards for this season, so I'll keep this experience at the top of the toolbox. Back to the course. It starts off with a short climb out of the "change" area, into some windy singletrack with a couple of nice rock step drops, out onto the road. Now there's an easy climb, blasting past the spectator cars, neatly parked a foot away from the kerb, allowing just a single bike to edge past on the tarmac, escaping a section of bumpy grass, only to be nudged off by a poorly parked Belgian camper (including middle aged woman in deckchair). Across the road, keep going, watch the course-tape fencing, into the trees, tricky rock garden including photographer, pop up into a campsite, hammer it down a dirt road. The next rocky section requires a good memory of left-right combos as you weave through one section, then wade through the next, fingers crossed for the right balance. This is a wonderfully quick section and the course is full of technical delights. I'll spare you the rest, but it's really a track on which you can pass time quickly, each lap a new test of your memory and desire to find that perfect line. As the body tires, this becomes all the more important.

OK. It's really time I told you about how the race went. 1pm start, all the solo racers in the start "cattle yard", bikes placed in what we thought was the best position. Of course, with a Le Mans style start, you never do know what's "best". We're all herded to another start line and then the countdown starts…..quattro, tre, duo, uno, VAI! And we're off! In the wrong direction, running, in bike shoes, running the course, getting further away, glad I've got a camel back, 30C, still going the wrong way, I want my bike, fast starters are being reeled in, up a climb, what's the idea, a good course recce, drinking water, turning towards the start, still a technical up and downhill climb to go, careful on the ankles, no hurry, plenty of time to ride, ah finally back at the bike, 3km cross-country run, glad I bought my running legs and water, aaaaaand we're off on our bikes! Coach's orders, take it easy, no problem, it's too hot to do anything crazy, but the first two laps I'm averaging 16kph, not too slow. It's a good chance to figure out where I should walk and which climbs are rideable over the 24h period. The cramping I experienced at SiS is not something I want to deal with for 20h of this race. The climbs are generally steeper and shorter and that's the kind of thing that can set off a leg cramp. Anyway, the plan is to ride 2 laps between pit stops which works out to be about 1 1/2h and during the heat of the day that's 1.5l of energy drink to replenish. 30-50g of carbohydrates per hour as the coach ordered, satisfied with a mix of chocolate, nutella twinkles, bananas, and energy drink. It's super dry and there's a perpetual dust cloud hanging over the race course. The combination of sweat and dust makes for some dirty racers as you'll note in the photos. Four hours in and I'm feeling good, the sun's dropping quickly, with many sections hidden from it's beaming rays. I'm feeling confident and I've settled into a good rhythm. It's early days yet, but I feel like the challenge of the heat has been conquered. I keep turning good laps, two at a time, and each time being greeted by other team riders at base-camp. There's good support and always someone wanting to clean and lube my chain. At around 7pm I come in for another stop and gear up for the first night shift. Batteries, wind vest, arm warmers, order some pasta, eat some pringles, chain lube. Marcello was on standby with the squirty bottle to wash my face, only he forgot to have something on hand for me to dry it off, so I was left blinded by my own sweat and dust. Youch! Soon solved, and back on my way. As the day draws to a close I ignite my dyno powered light. Not yet dark enough to make a big difference. At the top of the Toboggan DH, I know it's time to engage the helmet light. Click-click. Nothing. Click-click. Nothing. Stop, pull off my helmet, inspect. Batteries dead. Damn. There are still two tricky descents to do before the pits. This is a challenge I don't need right now. The downside of a dyne light is the slower you go, the less light you get. It's exactly in those slow sections where I need all the light I can get. Thanksfully I know the course OK and I'm able to navigate safely to the pits and replace the batteries. It's broken my flow and I'm very nervous about my energy supply. If there rest of the batteries don't play, I'm in a big spot of bother. I put my burned batteries in the charger and note to my surprise that one of my packs is missing. Expletives run through my mind as I enquire as to the whereabouts of my batteries. To this day I don't know who took them, and I think it's good to keep it that way. I took exactly enough to last the eight or so hours of darkness.

This is taking longer than I thought. I think this is enough of a read for now, but more will follow. Too hot here, melting.

FL24 introduction

2010-06-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

After riding my first solo night race at SiS (Schlaflos im Sattel) in 2009, I was in the hunt for something bigger and better. I'd been talking to Isaac during the SSEC race in Dresden, and listened with interest to his experiences of endurance solo racing. SiS was already on the cards and it gave some good training for the Oetztaller Radmarathon in late August. Looking back, SiS was physically and mentally very tough. Riding through the night, suffering from cramp after four hours, and struggling with motivation, finishing the race at dawn I was very emotional. As far as motivational support at the race, it was about the best I could have hoped for. Cheryl my wonderful girlfriend was always on hand to give me my drink bottles and buy me a braatwurst. Ed was shouting abuse every time he spotted me, and shoved a caffeine laced gel down my throat when the sleep monster came knocking. Without this support, the lapping of this course would have been too tough for me. My training in the lead up to this race neglected night riding and sleep deprivation. I understand this is a contentious issue, but knowing how to deal with it is very important. Descending at 40kph on a technical section requires a lot of concentration, often sorely lacking at 3 a.m.

SiS 2009

Riding SiS solo opened my mind to the enjoyment and satisfaction of riding at night and over longer distances. It was time to find the challenge on the next rung. The 24h of Finale Ligure quickly came into scope after talking to the Italian and German contingent. Stories of the sunrise over the Ligurian sea making the butterflies flutter, and very quickly I had registered for my 2010 obsession. A fellow BWR-e team member was enlisted to help with training, and after a cold and wet winter, a few sickness periods, and the arrival of spring, it was time to head for Italy. My condition has never been better this early in the season, so I was confident of attaining my main goal of finishing the race. In hindsight, "finishing" is too vague a goal. I can finish by sleeping 8h during the night and then doing the last lap at full speed. This however had nothing to do with my definition, firmly believing racing a 24h race is all about non-stop riding. So, my goal, ride the race, no sleeping. With the outlook to a 2011 ride down the Continental Divide, it was time to get used to pedaling for a long time.

Amsterdam to Basel sleeper

I arrived at Terre Rosse, venue for the 24h of FL on Wednesday after a long train journey. This gave me some time to recce the course and also acclimatise to the improved weather. Rain had just passed, but the course was already dry and dusty, so I prepared to chow down on the red and white stuff for 24h. The weather was constantly improving, less cloud, more sun, temperatures on the rise. By Friday they were predicting 30C on race day, not the kind of conditions I ride often, let alone during my toughest race. Not to fret, the strategy, as outlined by my coach Justin, was to take it "easy" until sunrise, then start burning my matches. The hottest part of the day should be disposed of without too much fuss.

The rest of the post is in progress, I promise it'll be done by the weekend with lots of pictures.

Change of itinerary

2010-05-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

0905, "Ash cloud closes Dutch airspace". Bugger. Time to make a plan B. First instinct is to call the train travel agents. Open at 0930. On my bike, off to Treinreiswinkel on the Singel. 2nd in line, great service, 200euro, I'm leaving tonight at 2030. Great, that's one thing off my mind.

One thing that's been on my mind is a lack of time, and, despite being unemployed, I have been rushing all week. I wanted to build a more sturdy and functional frame bag, but as I had a prototype available (of dubious quality), that task was relegated to the bottom of the list. Below are some of the items I did still need to complete:

finish building front wheel
solder light fittings
mount tyre
mount light
refill rear tyre with latex
buy food
install bags
pack bags
agonise over whether to take a backpack, yes is the decision
buy a light weight lock
get medical certificate
hug and kiss girlfriend

I'm going to try and get on here during the next two weeks for some updates. The big race is next Saturday 1300, finishing 24h later. I can't wait, I've had some health hickups along the way, but I'm confident of finishing this one.

Giro Mania in Amsterdam

2010-05-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Under the weather

2010-05-03T00:47:00.000-07:00

I'm still a bit under the weather and struggling with a mild chest infection. I feel like I get these too often, but it may just be a yearly occurrence. Other than a phlegm producing cough, I feel fine, and I'm just not ready to hit the training hard until it's gone. I believe conventional wisdom says that if it's below the neck, don't ride. Add to that the weather outside is cold and wet, and I don't think riding will help me right now. I need to concentrate on recovery so I'm fit for the race in less than 3 weeks. Exciting!

Mixed effort to Beach and around Ringvaart

2010-04-29T00:33:00.000-07:00

After a good ride yesterday, I wanted to have a gentle spin. I'm still suffering a little from a chest infection with a bit of phlegm output. Plan was to cruise out to the beach and stay in or under Z2. The HRM was playing games and not reading consistently, so I ignored it and just went for a medium effort ride. I was aware that the PE was higher than usual for this pace although I felt OK heading into the westerly (W3) wind. Weather was great with the sun strutting it's stuff. Temperature at the beach was noticeably cooler, but my clothing was just right (undershirt, shirt, bib, armwarmers). I guess the temperature was between 15 and 20C.

I stopped in at Heemstede to visit family but they weren't home, so I continued to the baker for some fuel. Sausage roll and doughnut :O. There was another 50km back around the ringvaart and I was still feeling fine. All up, a good 100+km despite the chest issues.

Sub Z2 with Jimmy

2010-04-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Ride was kickstarted by a couple of tasty Kenian espressos. Can't fault that as a ride starter. Still, resting HR was 59 standing. Maybe I'll order a double espresso next time.

Stunning weather (15-22C, W2), although we noticed that since the planes have been flying again, the SMOG is back to it's usual self. I'm convinced that I get sick more often in Holland than I did in NZ. I think a lot has to do with the air quality. I seem to get a sore throat and cold every month. This time it's a deep chesty cough with nothing letting go. Shortness of breath while the exertion is quite low.

Never-the-less, it was an enjoyable ride taking in some new paths for Jimmy and I. Just shy of the 100km, but we were content. More food and water next time for both of us.

Sunday bunch endurance

2010-04-25T02:01:00.000-07:00

A pretty cruisy ride with Emile and Christian. The weather is conducive to early morning starts and we hit the ferry across the Ij to Amsterdam Noord just after 8am. The warmer weather is coming from the south as is typical for this time of year, so we had a gentle tail out and slightly stronger head wind on the return. I tried to keep in Z2, but this wasn't possible on the way out and on the return I was right in the zone.

Over all, I felt OK in Z2 but not really that great above, although that wasn't the goal for this ride. I find it difficult to do focused training sessions in groups.

18/04/2010: E2 4hr Ringvaart and Bloemendaal

2010-04-19T03:27:00.000-07:00

Today's ride was reminded me of the lovely weather we get from time to time here in Noord Holland. 21C was noted as I cruised past one of the small villages lining the Ringvaart canal. The summer riders were out in their hundreds, with a "hello":"hello" ratio of less than 10:1, the good weather doesn't make road bikers any more social. I spent 2 hours saying hello to every passing cyclist, ranging from weekend warrior, to cycle tourist, to commuter. Just as I was losing hope, I got a response. "Hello", "Quack". I soon spotted my error. It was duck responding, not Assos-biker.

All in, a very enjoyable ride, the start of my biker tan, nature in full flight. Nothing to complain about here, not even a flat tyre!

11/04/2010: E2/3 2:30h

2010-04-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

This was supposed to be a nice ride in new terrain (still tarseal though). There was a NE3 blowing and with a temperature of around 7C it was pretty fresh. With a reasonable tail wind, it shouldn't have caused any issues. I'd been feeling a little unwell during the day, and this was confirmed out on the bike. The KMs didn't pass well, and with some rain expected, I was not very happy. The speed was OK, but after finishing, I felt like I'd been out for double the time.

I snapped a couple of nice shots of the impending rain, however I was never really caught by it.

The weather this time of year is very unpredictable. Don't be conned by the sun, it's still too cold for shorts.

Riding next to the snaking Ijssel river.

15/04/2010: E2/M2 80min

2010-04-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

First ride since Sunday. I felt unwell on the Sunday ride with symptoms ranging from tiredness to upset stomach. A few days later and I am much better and the body is back in riding state.

I rode out to visit Mum and Emma in Heemstede. Weather was beautiful with a nice NE3 pushing me there and the same wind slowing me on the return leg. I found some new aero positions leaning the forearms on the bars and resting them along the hoods. This makes a huge difference into the wind.

Tour to Middelburg: part 2

2010-04-09T13:12:00.001-07:00

see part 1

After being passed by numerous pelotons on their weekly blast, I once again hit the concrete and made it about 20 meters before I notices my rack clinging for dear life to the seat-stays of my machine. Alarmed, I stopped to improve the situation and re-set the position of the rubberised p-clamps. I set off again, but not 10 meters further I realised my mistake, One of the nuts holding the stay bars had come loose and now one of the struts was flailing in the wind, hoping for a chance at freedom from this train wreck of a construction. Once the stay was attached and the bag seemingly secure, I jumped on the pedals, hoping to make up for lost time with a concerted effort into the ever present southerly. *Crash*, *BEEEEEP*. Yes, in my rush to resume the tour, I had neglected to properly re-secure the bag with the strap. The car I had just passed in the opposite direction mashed the horn in an attempt to alert me, no need, the noise of my bag hitting the concrete was enough of a warning. Cursing my bad planning and hurried repairs, I took my time to ensure everything was as secure as possible. Lesson learnt, take all the tools you need to tighten every bolt on your bike, at least when the goal is making your destination.

After this series of misfortunes, my motivation had waned and I was just hoping for no more problems. The bag stayed atop its perch despite the lack of emotional support from the stays. I hit the cobbles of the countryside roads near Wassenaar, and at some point I remember crossing some shiny brown rubbish. I thought no more of it and continued to make good progress. A few minutes later, the feeling of softness returned to my bottom. Puncture. This was almost the turning-back point of the day. I had convinced myself the rain was about to fall and I'd have another two punctures by noon. After another patch job, I hit the road and made it to Scheveningen without another stop. Finally, progress. There was a lot of weaving through the traffic system of west Den Haag, but it was generally good going. Around 11:30 I felt the need for some food, and after a photo opportunity upon entering Monster, I strolled into the bakery. "One sausage roll, one beef stew roll, and an apple round please." This was a little ambitious and after an hour of riding, my stomach was struggling to process all the butter and my legs were given low priority as a result.

Tour to Middelburg: part 1

2010-04-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

Finally, time for a write up. The goal was to ride down to Gent to watch the Tour de Vlaanderen on Sunday. I mapped a route following the coast, via Zeeland. For various reasons, I didn't make it that far. Here is a report of what did happen.

The weather forecast didn't look too promising on Friday night, so I prepared accordingly, rain jacket, warm clothing, dry clothes, and enough snacks to keep me fueled. To give me enough capacity and reduce the load on my back, I decided to mount my Nitto R10 rack on the back. This is a rack that can be used on a frame with no eyelets, and in theory this is a good design. It's a very nicely welded piece of kit, and it served me quite well on a 160km offroad tour along the South Downs Way (highly recommended). Climbing out of the seat does induce a big of sway with around 5kg, but it's still straight as new. The only issue I could see with this rack was the reliance on the support of the rubberised 'p' clips on the seat stay. I got the feeling they might slip, but when installed, they seemed reasonably sturdy.

The first effort of the day was lowering my considerably heavier bike down the steep and narrow staircase. Thankfully I'd swapped out my road footwear for my more comfortable MTB shoes and pedals. It makes life off the bike much more pleasant. I left Amsterdam under overcast skies with a mild southerly wind and with the mercury showing 5 degrees celsius. The first way point on my desired route was Bloemendaal. It's a common destination for my rides during the Winter and it always give me something to look forward to, be it a sunset, rough seas, headwind, or snickers.

The ride down to Noordwijk is also a common feature of my training kilometers. It's about 55km (65km via Ijmuijden) from home down to Noordwijk, and I have a favourite petrol station to fill up on water and food. Today I was on another mission though, so I quickly passed by the beach side town and headed into a less familiar set of dunes. I've been there before, but it's been a long time. I took a rest by jumping on the wheel of a fellow weekend warrior. This particular example was a bit tougher though, riding without water. That's something I can't understand. How can you go on a proper ride without food or water? Tssssssss. The sound of air escaping its enclosure. I wave goodbye to my lift and pull off the bike path to attend to my tyres call for attention. I expressed doubt about these tyres prior to the departure, having had too many punctures in recent kilometers. I'm used to riding without incident, but I guess this is part of the process of building a new bike. After inspecting the tube for holes, I found a small opening with a corresponding stone embedded in the tyre. A stone! Not even glass. Time to upgrade in the rubber department. After a quick patch job, I was on the road again, not before being told "nice eh, broken bike" by a passing jogger. Dutch people find it hard to resist saying something. Very strange.

08/05/2010: A1 intervals (x5)

2010-04-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

See details here on Garmin Connect

A great day with perfect riding conditions. A NW3 wind and around 12C. A gentle Z2 warmup ride of 10km to a stretch that allowed me to ride the interval with a tail wind to increase cadence and pull 40kph. Felt pretty good and the rest interval was done at ~28kph into the wind. There's a real quick change from around 170bpm from sub-anaerobic to anaerobic. Good to get the legs used to pumping out the waste. I feel fine today in the legs. On any given ride, my legs suffer more than the lungs. This is therefore good training for me.