5 Days Cycling in Provence

I have just come back from an amazing 5 days in Provence cycling around with The Dutchman and 4 friends. We all met in Nice last Wednesday night with Midori flying in from New York, Oskar from Amsterdam, Pete and Ian catching the train from St Pancreas and The Dutchman and I flying in from Gatwick. Everyone got their bikes together and we pulled out the maps to check out where we would be going. I prefer not to know. I have been riding with The Dutchman long enough to know it will always be 'up' and it doesn't pay to know what's in store!

Day 1 - Thursday
Nice to Entrevaux 101km 2040m vertical.

We set out in convoy along the promenade and then as always with leaving Nice, you have to go up. We started climbing and it was then that people got a little envious that I wasn't carrying any luggage. The Dutchman had agreed to carry everything for me because I knew I would be the weakest rider in the group so for The Dutchman to get on his bike he had to perform a gymnastics routine to get over the tower at the back of his bike. I had been given a list of things I was allowed to bring but managed to sneak in some contraband makeup and clothes without him knowing :)
We were soon onto the peaceful quiet roads and headed up to Vence where we had some beautiful views of the valley. It was a little overcast but dry so it was perfect cycling weather. We continued climbing and had a 10km climb that started to bite a little near the end up to a tiny little village. We hadn't had time to stop for lunch due to some earlier mechanical issues so people were starting to blow going up the longer climbs such as Col de Trebuchet (1141m) and Col de Felines (930m). I was OK, I made it up all of the climbs but completely lost it on the last decent of the day down the Entrevaux where it was technical and steep. I had to stop and have a quick gel after I was about an inch from missing a switchback and launching myself over the edge. It made me realise how much even decending can take out of you. Maybe that is an indication of my current shape that I even blow up going down hill!!

Entrevaux is a beautiful little walled town with a river along one side and a moat with 4 gates in and out across draw bridges. Really quaint and charming. I would really recommend it to anyone who wants to get away cycling for a few days to use it as a base. The hotel in the town in very cyclist friendly, the best part was they gave us all seconds for dinner knowing we had been riding all day!

Day 2 - Entrevaux to Entrevaux 123km 2150m vertical

Everyone was very happy to leave their luggage in the hotel for day 2 and we set out to climb Col de La Couillole, a beyond category climb. This was going to be the toughest climb of the trip being over 16km and 1678m vertical. I knew it was going to be tough, and given how seriously I take my nutrition I was very silly and didn't eat enough before setting out which made the last 6km very unpleasant after I blew to pieces. I was really enjoying the spectacular views and we were riding up through the snow which was a great novelty but such hard work. The climb just seemed to go on for ever and I was getting slower which was not helping my mental state. I was trying to eat some bars but the damage had been done so I was having to stop frequently under the guise of taking pictures :)

I wasn't the only one who blew so after the lond winding decent we were all very pleased to spot a little place to grab some food. The owner didn't really know what to make of us as we consumed numerous cokes, coffees, 2 main meals and dessert each. I was much happier and we started the next climb up to a ski resort. So funny to be cycling along and have skiiers zooming past! We got some strange looks at the top as everyone was having their afternoon hot chocolate and we roll into town on our bikes. After a fantastic long decent with fast sweeping corners along the side of the Daluis Gorge the road started to flatten out and I could start to enjoy the view. We had about 20km to get back to Entrevaux with a viscious headwind which was the theme of the trip! Midori and I jumped on the Dutch express and stuck like glue to the back of The Dutchman who pulled us home to a well deserved cold beer.
Day 3 - Entrevaux to Moustiers-Ste-Marie 86km 1300m vertical

We set off early with the aim being to go along the nouth side of the Gorge du Verdon, also known as the Grand Canyon of France. We set out from Entrevaux and did a wonderful climb to get over and across to the lake where we stopped in Castellane for coffee. It was cold, the wind was really gusting and it was threatening rain so we agreed to cut the ride short by 30km and go around the north side to get to Moustiers earlier. It was the right choice because it started raining just as we arrived at the hotel.

The gorge is so beautiful. There is a river that goes along the floor that is an emerald green and flows into a lake. I took some pictures but it is so hard to really capture how lovely it is. There is a road that goes along each side that has been purpose built for tourists and it is smooth and in great shape. Very welcome after 3 days in the saddle :)

Day 4 - Moustiers-Ste-Marie to Les Arcs 103km 1550m vertical

We were greeted with rain day 4 but decided to brave it. We were so lucky it stopped within 30 mins of setting out and the weather wasn't too bad. Our old friend Mr Headwind was of course with us. We started climbing up through Aiguines to get back up onto the side of the Gorge du Verdon and just had the most spectacular views. We crossed over the Pont de l'Artuby which is Europe's highest bridge with a 180m drop. A real engineering feat to build it!

The group had split so Oskar, The Dutchman and I stopped for lunch on the gorge and the other guys were in Comps-sur-Artuby, 13km away. Oskar was the powerhouse of the group. He is also Dutch, over 6'5'' and is built like an ox. The guy seriously missed a career as a time triallist. You point him in the direction you want to go and hold on for dear life. I was tucked in behind him and have never done such incredible speeds on the flats going into a headwind. He was dragging me along doing between 45 and 50km hour! I was working so hard with my heartrate sitting between 165 and 170 bpm and having the time of my life at the same time! We covered the 13km in a flash to catch up to the other guys. Everyone should get themselves an Oskar :)

We collected the others and continued on down towards Draguignan. The Dutchman was so pleased with himself that he found us a tiny little road that skirted around Draguignan so we didn't have to go through it. The rest of us were not so pleased given that stretches of it were 22% up!! The good news was it was over within 2km. I did try and get a local kid to swap his motorbike with my bike but he just laughed at me!

It was our last night together so we had a fabulous meal in the castle over looking Les Arcs. The castle was restored in the 70's after it had been used for years to grow mushrooms in. French food at it's best and we all had the 7 course dinner. Yum!
Day 5 - Les Arcs to Nice 113km 1000m vertical

Finally the sun decided to come out! We had been very lucky with the weather but it was a welcome change to have some sunshine. We set out on a beautiful small road that was packed with cyclists! Anyone that had a bike was out enjoying the day with it being Easter Monday and also a bank holiday in France. We were climbing out of the valley out of Les Arcs and met some local triathletes who were telling me about the wonderful training rides they do. Makes Box Hill look like a speed bump :) The riding had much shorter climbs of 4km to 8km which suited me a lot more. The strange thing was I was feeling the strongest on day 5 so was powering up the climbs a lot better. We skirted around Grasse and then onto a quiet undulating road heading back to Nice. I jumped back into position behind The Dutchman and we had Oskar take on the head wind. The guys corner so much more agressivly than me so I kept slipping and would then have to sprint to catch the back of them again. Hard work but again very exhiliarating.

We got back to Nice and had an early dinner sitting on the beach. A perfect ending to a perfect 5 days :)

If anyone is interested in the routes we took or any tips about cycling in the Provence area, drop me a line, I am happy to share info.

Happy training.
Cx

A Shiny New Trophy!

I headed out with the Dutchman and my trusty Focus Izalco Chrono yesterday morning to Dartford in Kent to have a crack at my first ever duathlon and first race of the season. My last race, Ironman Arizona last November feels like a distant memory! Despite coming from a running background and loving to cycle, I was not really looking forward to doing a duathlon.
We got there with plenty of time to spare after a 6am start, went through the registration and got the Dutchman a t-shirt. I do the races and he gets the T-shirt. An arrangement we are both happy with :)

We then headed over to the transition area and slotted the Focus Izalco Chrono into an end space. I was very pleased to see that on the next rack was another Focus Izalco Chrono with a lovely Zipp disc wheel. I got organised which took no time at all which is a huge plus to duathlon. You don't need anywhere near as much prep time as triathlon given you turn up in what you are going to wear running and basically need a bike, cycling shoes and a helmet in transition.

They started the race in 2 waves with the majority of the men heading off 15 mins ahead of us ladies and the rest of the men. I started at the front with 1 other girl and stuck behind her with the 2 of us leading the field around the first 500m lap of the field and out onto the road. The other girls and guys seemed happy to sit behind us and see what was going to happen. I was slightly slower than the leading lady and decided I would run at my pace keeping her in sight and let her go for the time being. The boys behind us must have sensed this and started to move up also trying to keep her in sight. 1 guy managed to catch our speedy leading lady about 1km in. By the 2km mark I had slipped back to 50m behind her but was feeling good and actually really enjoying myself.

I sat back for the rest of the race pushing up all the hills and using the flats and downs to recover. I went through the first 5km in 19:33 which is OK for this time of year given I am still in base training phase and building up my fitness. I was thankful for all the recent track sessions as I am usually very adverse to that hard push required for short distance. Having been an Ironman athlete for 2 years I am really not used to pushing hard like that in a race so it is all new to me.

My T1 was a little slow and then out onto the bike. I was a little worried about the bike leg as it was the 4th time I had been on the Focus and we are still getting acquainted. The course was quite hilly and really didn't replicate any of the training I had been doing in Regents Park so was a bit all over the place with my gears and having to get out of the aero position to climb. This is exactly why I do these races early in the season to iron out the bugs as quickly as possible.

I am extremely lucky in that I have no fear descending and I loved the thrill of flying down the hills tucked up in the aero position. The speed is so cool! I don't have a computer on the bike as I sometimes like to race on feel rather than looking at the numbers so I have no clue how fast I was going. I got a pretty good indication when I hit some gravel in a corner and slid a little. Makes you realise how far away the brakes are all the way out to the sides!!

It was an out and back course and I had managed to miss the front runners who were a minute ahead at the first turnaround and working as a group. I was working hard but in hindsight could have been more efficient on the bike, especially climbing. Hill repeats in Richmond Park coming up for me I think :) I am so pleased with the way the Focus performs, as soon as I get in the aero position my back is completely flat and you just feel the bike surge forward. Now all I have to do is work on these legs and get them in tip top shape! It was a reasonably quiet road and the cars very patient. Being only 22km it was over reasonably quickly and I was off the bike in 37:48.

Back into T2 and out again for another 5km lap of the run course. I had overtaken 6 guys in a group at the end of the bike leg and was refusing to look over my shoulder knowing that they would be coming for me on the run. It was spurring me on and was pleased that only 1 of them managed to catch me and he was a great runner so I happily let him go :) My legs were feeling pretty heavy by this stage and it was a case of just keep pushing knowing it was only 5km.

The 2nd lap was quite a bit slower at 21:25, but I was very pleased given I had no idea how I would feel. With transitions I had a total time of 1:21:00, 2nd place and a shiny new trophy to boot. All in all a morning well spent!

The guy next to me in transition with his Focus Izalco won the race overall and broke the course record at the same time! Very impressive. Happy training this week everyone, I am heading to France to go cycling through Provence for 5 days with The Dutchman! Cx

Collecting the Booty

Friday saw Team Wiggle congregating at Wiggle HQ to collect all of our amazing Team Wiggle Kit. I almost fell over when I laid eyes on the Focus Izalco Chrono Is that for me??? This is some serious German engineering. Speed radiates out of this bike and it is so beautiful to look at. This thing was made to go fast, really fast. I think it is safe to say I am not going to get close to the times the Milram boys are going to be churning out on this Beast, but it isn’t going to stop me from trying! I am going to take it out and test it at a 20 mile time trial on the 18th April and see what we can do. I just need to learn how to ride it first! I haven’t been on a time trial bike before so a few sessions on the turbo first I think to get used to the position.
I have been riding the Kiron Scandium for the past few days and the weight comparison to my current bike Matilda is huge! Lightweight and good looking in a lovely bright red with black pedals and wheels. Very sleek. The next challenge is to name the 2 bikes. Any suggestions? If so, put them in the comments below :)

It has been like Christmas this week trying out all my new dhb gear Wiggle have kindly supplied me with. So far my favourite is the dhb Ladies Triple Lens Sunglasses. I must own the largest collection of single sunglasses lens and consistently lose 1 of the 2 lenses. I love that my dhb’s have a combined lens and they are so easy to change. The best part is they don’t fog up cycling or running.

I was on a recovery week last week so reduced volume and intensity. Terry has me do a 3 weeks hard, 1 week recovery cycle. I am lucky to have a gym in my office and I do all of my weights and core sessions there so first thing Monday was an hours session focusing on building leg strength for cycling and core strength. Monday night I jumped on the rollers for a high intensity hour workout with Pod Runner podcast http://www.djsteveboy.com/mixes.html pounding away in the background to keep me going, not that you really have a choice on rollers!
Tuesday morning I was on the Barnes Elm track for 6*1600m reps. I really don’t like that session, it really hurts!! It never sounds like that much when I look at the weeks programme, but the 4th lap of each mile rep is so tough. This morning was even tougher as there was a sprinter out doing a session and she was making it look like I was standing still as she breezed past me multiple times! It always makes me smile when I am on that track that you have to run around the geese who happily cross over in front of you to get to the grass in the middle. Very cute.
This week also saw me take a hard look at my diet. My weight has crept up a little following Ironman Arizona at the end of November last year and I could really do without dragging the excess few kg around with me. It’s like I’m taking the Wiggle deal literally as I have some ‘wiggle bits’ around my middle that have come from somewhere and have to go! Looking at the Focus Izalco Chrono all I could think about was that I am going to be a blob on this sliver of carbon :) It’s very dull but I find it really effective to control portion size and intake to write down everything I am eating including carbohydrates, calories, protein, sodium and fat. Given I have a weakness for cake and we have a lady from our canteen who brings a trolley laden with cake to our desks every 2nd day, it is a necessary evil. The big one is no more booze. I generally quit each year around this time because I find it difficult to stay hydrated doing 16-20 hours training a week, 2 sometimes 3 sessions a day and if I’m drinking alcohol, I’m not drinking water and sinking a little further into dehydration.
So the rest of the week is swim focused where I need to make huge improvements. I have a 1 on 1 with Terry to look at my stroke tomorrow, he keeps telling me how important it is to slow down in order to go faster, something I struggle with. I just want to smash it in every session and I find the slight changes to swim technique so boring and tedious. I’m sure I am not alone with that and will have to learn how to be patient! Anyway, that’s it for now. Happy training Wigglers!
Cxps. Don’t forget, comments below on any suggested names for the bikes!

Race Entry

This week I have been busy entering races and trying to find some suitable time trial to give the Izalco Chrono a chance to run. This weekend I am hitting the start line of the Fast and Furious duathlon run by White Oaks Triathlon club in Kent. It is a 5km run, 22km bike and 5km run. I'm really looking forward to it as I haven't done a duathlon before. It will be interesting to see how I race on it this weekend, this will be my first race since Ironman Arizona last November and keen to get that 'race' feeling back. I have been out a few times in the past few days on the Focus Chrono riding laps of Regents Park. It is a speed machine! I feel like a piece of origami folded up on it, the aerodynamics are so cool! I am so impressed with this bike, it is a dream to ride and handles beautifully. The Dutchman and I went to Nice last weekend to train...and it rained ALL weekend which certainly put a dent in the amount of riding we wanted to do. Next week we are in France again, starting in Nice and spending 5 days riding with 4 friends out through Provence. Hopefully the weather will be better, but too bad if it isn't, we are going anyway! I'm really into the swing of things now and loving the training. The hard graft of the past few months is starting to pay off and my times are going down. I love this part of the year when it starts to come together. Thursday is track night at Parliament Hill with Terry and some of the other athletes he trains and it is the session I probably dread most. There is no where to hide and the clock does not lie. Last weeks session was 10*400m at max with 1.30 - 2 min recovery. I was very pleased to see that not only were my times very consistent across the 10, but they were also 5-6 seconds faster than 3 weeks ago. I was trying to explain to my mother how it is a good thing if after each lap you want to throw up as it means you are working hard. She wasn't having a bar of it and wanted to know if I was ill, she didn't specify physically or mentally :) So, more next week after the duathlon! Happy training.Cx