...and what a challenge it was! Jason from Wiggle kindly sent me a cassette with some smaller gears for my Kiron and without those I would have been walking up some of those steep climbs as many people were having to do. The weather was perfect for this day out and I loved every minute of it! I had The Dutchman, Toby and Sten with me who did a great job of keeping me out of the wind all day. I did eventually take my turn at the front...for the last 2km but they signed up as my trusty domestiques knowing that! The aim of the day was to try and get the fastest time for the women and due to a flat and an extra stop we had to make we managed 2nd fastest and gold standard which was great.
The ride started at Missenden and after getting out of the town we went straight up. It didn't feel like there was a flat bit the entire day, it was either up or down and really hard work. I haven't done any long rides this year so was a little bit worried about how I was going to hold up on the day. The longest ride had been 104km a month before but my secret weapon, and a hangover from my IronMan days, is that I am a pro at eating on the bike. I eat every 20 mins and whilst this may sound like overkill, I have tested it time and time again and it actually makes me get stronger as the race goes on. The feed stations were also really well stocked and the volunteers who make these events possible were wonderful. There were some little kids on the 2nd stop and didn't quite know what to do when asked where we get the fish and chips from. :)
I went out to Nice last weekend for 3 days of training in the lovely sunshine. The Dutchman and I did a really tough ride on Friday where I went out for 3 hours and split with him so he could do a longer ride and I could get back to Nice do my swim. I am getting better at pushing myself hard on the bike. It is like a reprogramming exercise where I have been told for 2 years to hold back on the bike to ensure I can run a marathon, and now it is about pushing super hard all the way through.
The water temp is so lovely! I am swimming in a Zoot suit which is a mid thigh, sleeveless number and keeps me protected should I swim into any jelly fish. I'm not really that pleased with my swimming at the moment, and the harder I try the slower I go. Not good given race season is here and the swim has always been my weakest discipline. Practice makes perfect so you can find me in the pool at Hampstead a few times a week :)
Saturday I went out for a fast run along the promenade and was checking out the waves which were looking pretty mean. I decided to postpone the swim until later in the day hoping things would calm down. After some DIY painting the terrace furniture we headed to the water only to find the police getting everyone off the beach. The waves were massive (for the med) and coming way up the beach. All very entertaining sitting there watching it but not so good for the swim training.
Sunday we did one of my favourite rides from Nice, across to Menton and then up Col de la Madona. It is a tough climb! I think I have this romantic notion about it in my head because I am surprised each time just how tough it is. I am yet to go under the 40 mins to get to the water stop at St Agnes, but I am determined to get there!
This weekend I am looking at doing the Ride to The Horns which is a sportive organised by Mark Webber the Australian F1 driver. There are still places and it is easy to get to on the train so why not! Happy training!
Cx
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
1st Triathlon...1st Place
1st Tri...1st place!
As mentioned in my last post, I had signed up to do the 220 Dorney Lake Evening Triathlon. This was going to be my first triathlon of the season and I was really looking forward to it. I am very pleased to say that not only did I have a great time, I managed to win!
Dorney Lake is easy and fast for me to get to, it's a short train ride from Paddington to Slough and then I cycle the 5 or so miles out to the lake for a 7:30pm start. I was one of the last ones into the water and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't freezing. We set off for the 750m swim and I went out fast to try and find some nice big feet for me to draft off. It didn't quite happen like that and I lost the front pack within the first few minutes and ended up doing most of the race on my own between the faster group and ahead of the 2nd pack. I had done a very hard 4km set in the pool Tuesday night with Terry so my arms were tired and were not willing to co-operate. My stroke was disintegrating so I decided not to push it too hard and just settle into my Olympic distance race pace and make it up on the bike.
Into T2 which was just a joke because I managed to get stuck in my wetsuit. I had pulled it down at the front running into T1 and started peeling it off my arms when it got stuck on both arms and I couldn't move. I really was Team Wiggle trying to get myself out of it! At one point I actually considered riding my bike wearing my wetsuit as it was not budging. I am sure it provided some entertainment for the spectators seeing me squirm about. Lesson learnt: don't forget the wetsuit lube! Once finally free of the sticky suit I leapt onto the Focus Izalco Chrono and started the 5 laps, a total of 20km, along the side of the lake.
Dorney Lake is a purpose built rowing lake out near Eton and will host the 2012 Olympic rowing events. It makes for a great traffic free race with smooth paths along the side of the lake. Of course you are then confined to doing laps, but hey, a sprint distance race isn't about enjoying the scenery.
The bike leg went very fast and I managed to rein in all of the girls to get into 1st place. It was very windy out there which actually worked to my advantage. The Dutchman and I have spent the past few months tinkering with the Focus Izalco Chrono so I am as aerodynamic as possible. I have also been doing quite a lot of training on the bike to really get to know the gears and what works best. Last night I felt like I was slipping under the wind and it didn't feel like a hard effort. The twice weekly Regents Park intervals are paying off!
I did a quick T2 quickly slipping into my new Pear Izumi running shoes I received last week (thanks Pearl Izumi & Wiggle!!). The great thing about them is they don't have any seams which means no socks. In previous races I always had to put socks on because of problems with blisters but last night I was out of transition super fast.
I decided to put the hammer down early and try and open up a gap on the run to give myself some breathing space in case it went wrong later in the race. It was a 2 lap course for 5km and the wind was really blowing. I wasn't really over taking many people but felt like I was running strong. On the way home on the 2nd lap I tried to put a bit more pace in and managed a slight increase in speed. I had seen a few of the girls at the turn around points but was confident that I had enough of a lead that they wouldn't catch me so I reverted back to my original target of going under 1:15. I finished strong and was pleased to be home in 1:14:33 nabbing 1st place by a 90 sec gap. I have a £50 voucher and some new goggles to show for it so not bad at all for a bit of mid week action.
Happy training and more after this weekend 100 mile challenge in the Chilterns.
Cx
As mentioned in my last post, I had signed up to do the 220 Dorney Lake Evening Triathlon. This was going to be my first triathlon of the season and I was really looking forward to it. I am very pleased to say that not only did I have a great time, I managed to win!
Dorney Lake is easy and fast for me to get to, it's a short train ride from Paddington to Slough and then I cycle the 5 or so miles out to the lake for a 7:30pm start. I was one of the last ones into the water and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't freezing. We set off for the 750m swim and I went out fast to try and find some nice big feet for me to draft off. It didn't quite happen like that and I lost the front pack within the first few minutes and ended up doing most of the race on my own between the faster group and ahead of the 2nd pack. I had done a very hard 4km set in the pool Tuesday night with Terry so my arms were tired and were not willing to co-operate. My stroke was disintegrating so I decided not to push it too hard and just settle into my Olympic distance race pace and make it up on the bike.
Into T2 which was just a joke because I managed to get stuck in my wetsuit. I had pulled it down at the front running into T1 and started peeling it off my arms when it got stuck on both arms and I couldn't move. I really was Team Wiggle trying to get myself out of it! At one point I actually considered riding my bike wearing my wetsuit as it was not budging. I am sure it provided some entertainment for the spectators seeing me squirm about. Lesson learnt: don't forget the wetsuit lube! Once finally free of the sticky suit I leapt onto the Focus Izalco Chrono and started the 5 laps, a total of 20km, along the side of the lake.
Dorney Lake is a purpose built rowing lake out near Eton and will host the 2012 Olympic rowing events. It makes for a great traffic free race with smooth paths along the side of the lake. Of course you are then confined to doing laps, but hey, a sprint distance race isn't about enjoying the scenery.
The bike leg went very fast and I managed to rein in all of the girls to get into 1st place. It was very windy out there which actually worked to my advantage. The Dutchman and I have spent the past few months tinkering with the Focus Izalco Chrono so I am as aerodynamic as possible. I have also been doing quite a lot of training on the bike to really get to know the gears and what works best. Last night I felt like I was slipping under the wind and it didn't feel like a hard effort. The twice weekly Regents Park intervals are paying off!
I did a quick T2 quickly slipping into my new Pear Izumi running shoes I received last week (thanks Pearl Izumi & Wiggle!!). The great thing about them is they don't have any seams which means no socks. In previous races I always had to put socks on because of problems with blisters but last night I was out of transition super fast.
I decided to put the hammer down early and try and open up a gap on the run to give myself some breathing space in case it went wrong later in the race. It was a 2 lap course for 5km and the wind was really blowing. I wasn't really over taking many people but felt like I was running strong. On the way home on the 2nd lap I tried to put a bit more pace in and managed a slight increase in speed. I had seen a few of the girls at the turn around points but was confident that I had enough of a lead that they wouldn't catch me so I reverted back to my original target of going under 1:15. I finished strong and was pleased to be home in 1:14:33 nabbing 1st place by a 90 sec gap. I have a £50 voucher and some new goggles to show for it so not bad at all for a bit of mid week action.
Happy training and more after this weekend 100 mile challenge in the Chilterns.
Cx
Monday, May 25, 2009
Mid Week Racing
A long weekend is one of the rare times I feel like I can have my cake and eat it too. In this case get in some great training and have enough time to enjoy the weekend. Terry has started a Saturday morning coached session in Hampstead Lido which is a very reasonable 9:30 start for a hard hour of swimming. The lido is even starting to warm up from the 10 degrees it was a few weeks back and I would even go as far to say it is ‘pleasant’. If only my Aussie based friends could hear me say that. There was a time I wouldn’t get in the water unless it was at least 25 degrees.
On Sunday The Dutchman and I met a friend in Stevenage and went and did our 100km loop around the country lanes. It is very deceiving how tough the ride is as it is short sharp hills and never flat. As our friend is from Cambridge we rode back with him and did some sight seeing in the beautiful sunshine. One of the punters on the river even obliged and fell in whilst we were watching. He was a good sport and very entertaining.
The purpose of the ride on Sunday was to bed in a new cassette in preparation for this weeks 100 mile Challenge in the Chilterns. It isn’t going to be easy and there was no way I was going to be able to cope with the larger gears I normally have on the Kiron Scandium. I have managed to recruit a few guys to protect me for the ride so my plan is to stay tucked in behind them and hold on for dear life! I am really looking forward to it, but made the mistake of looking at the ride profile. I generally avoid looking at things like that because then I just think about it and how hard it is going to be. The thing is, I am going to ride it regardless and in my case ignorance is bliss when it comes to nasty climbs. I will be in my Wiggle jersey so please do say hello if you are also out there doing the ride. Also feel free to give me a little push along, or even better hook a bungee cord onto the front of my bike and drag me along behind you.
I decided Monday was going to be an easier day as I am racing on Wednesday night out at Dorney Lake in a sprint tri (750m, 20km, 5km) and my legs are not really recovering very quickly at the moment. I had 2 sessions of plyometrics (lots of jumping, step ups, star jumps and explosive exercises) last week and I can still feel it so decided to just do an hour on the Focus Izalco Chrono around Regents Park more to test getting in and out of my tri shoes whilst riding. I can just see me having to ride the entire bike leg with my feet on my shoes because I’m not co-ordinated enough to get my feet in before the end of the race. I think it is safe to say I won’t be attempting that at Wednesday’s race. Respect to anyone who has mastered that skill, I need to sign up for transition 101 training I think.
I am feeling very positive about my training at the moment and really loving that I can race so much more frequently doing short distance races having stepped back from Ironman distance. Next Monday I have signed up for a 5km race in Battersea Park and will be leading a guy called Chris who is blind. I think it is incredibly inspirational that Chris took up running 11 months ago and he is racing doing really great times. Hopefully it really will be me leading Chris around and me not being dragged around by him which could cause a few problems :)
So, for those of you out there wanting a bit of short course mid week action there is plenty of it going on at the moment.5km Monday night races in Battersea Park. There is also a mix of shorter and longer distance races all at a very reasonable entry fee. www.srichinmoyraces.org/uk/races/london/ 220 Evening Triathlon Series on the last Wednesday of the month. This week’s on the 27th May is still open and they are taking entries on the day. www.humanrace.co.uk If you are based near Hammersmith and want to run with a bunch of other people at lunch time I have kicked off a Wednesday 12:30 5km time trial along the river from Hammersmith bridge to Putney bridge and back. This starts on the 3rd June and please do get in touch if you are interested. Twitter: IronCaro.
Happy training.Cx
On Sunday The Dutchman and I met a friend in Stevenage and went and did our 100km loop around the country lanes. It is very deceiving how tough the ride is as it is short sharp hills and never flat. As our friend is from Cambridge we rode back with him and did some sight seeing in the beautiful sunshine. One of the punters on the river even obliged and fell in whilst we were watching. He was a good sport and very entertaining.
The purpose of the ride on Sunday was to bed in a new cassette in preparation for this weeks 100 mile Challenge in the Chilterns. It isn’t going to be easy and there was no way I was going to be able to cope with the larger gears I normally have on the Kiron Scandium. I have managed to recruit a few guys to protect me for the ride so my plan is to stay tucked in behind them and hold on for dear life! I am really looking forward to it, but made the mistake of looking at the ride profile. I generally avoid looking at things like that because then I just think about it and how hard it is going to be. The thing is, I am going to ride it regardless and in my case ignorance is bliss when it comes to nasty climbs. I will be in my Wiggle jersey so please do say hello if you are also out there doing the ride. Also feel free to give me a little push along, or even better hook a bungee cord onto the front of my bike and drag me along behind you.
I decided Monday was going to be an easier day as I am racing on Wednesday night out at Dorney Lake in a sprint tri (750m, 20km, 5km) and my legs are not really recovering very quickly at the moment. I had 2 sessions of plyometrics (lots of jumping, step ups, star jumps and explosive exercises) last week and I can still feel it so decided to just do an hour on the Focus Izalco Chrono around Regents Park more to test getting in and out of my tri shoes whilst riding. I can just see me having to ride the entire bike leg with my feet on my shoes because I’m not co-ordinated enough to get my feet in before the end of the race. I think it is safe to say I won’t be attempting that at Wednesday’s race. Respect to anyone who has mastered that skill, I need to sign up for transition 101 training I think.
I am feeling very positive about my training at the moment and really loving that I can race so much more frequently doing short distance races having stepped back from Ironman distance. Next Monday I have signed up for a 5km race in Battersea Park and will be leading a guy called Chris who is blind. I think it is incredibly inspirational that Chris took up running 11 months ago and he is racing doing really great times. Hopefully it really will be me leading Chris around and me not being dragged around by him which could cause a few problems :)
So, for those of you out there wanting a bit of short course mid week action there is plenty of it going on at the moment.5km Monday night races in Battersea Park. There is also a mix of shorter and longer distance races all at a very reasonable entry fee. www.srichinmoyraces.org/uk/races/london/ 220 Evening Triathlon Series on the last Wednesday of the month. This week’s on the 27th May is still open and they are taking entries on the day. www.humanrace.co.uk If you are based near Hammersmith and want to run with a bunch of other people at lunch time I have kicked off a Wednesday 12:30 5km time trial along the river from Hammersmith bridge to Putney bridge and back. This starts on the 3rd June and please do get in touch if you are interested. Twitter: IronCaro.
Happy training.Cx
Friday, May 1, 2009
Wiggle Thunder 10km
Last weekend was the Wiggle Thunder 10km event. The race was on the Saturday and weaved in and out of the bike course to be used for the night time trial and Wiggle Enduro 6 the following day. It has been years since running a cross country race and I loved it! Not one for usually getting out into the mud (with the exception of Tough Guy!) I surprised myself and really enjoyed being back out in the paddocks.
There was a lovely ceremony at the end where the top 3 men and women and the winner of the runner and dog category were presented with medals with some Wiggle vouchers on the way.
I caught the 6:24 train out of Euston with the Focus Izalco Chrono equipped with a bag of food that I munched through for the 2 hour journey. I am an expert when it comes to cycling from train stations to events, but it proved to be a bit more of a challenge riding the Focus as it isn't really a bike to be ridden with a back pack along an A road :) It was only a 20 min ride so I got to the race site with plenty of time to spare.
Registration was easy and I went next door to say Hi to Jason, Rob and Ben from Wiggle who were manning the Focus tent with the collection of demo mountain bikes as well as taking part in the night time trial scheduled for Saturday night. After a quick warm up in the pouring rain, I headed out to the start chute for the final countdown. Lucky for us the rain stopped just before the race started which I thought was a nice touch from the organisers ;)
The race started and we went out across the timing maps straight into the fields. It took a while for me to get into my stride as I was wearing my cross country runners which feel a lot different to my normal running shoes. I was having a bit of a laugh with some of the guys I was running with as it was all a bit fox and hound. There was a 'runner with dog' category in the race and the 7 or so dogs at the back of the pack were all excited and making a lot of noise when everyone started running. I think it was why I went through the first km in 3.50 and realised I had better slow it down if I wanted to finish :)
The course was lovely and had a great mix of wooded sections and some open undulating sections, made all the more challenging by the uneven ground. I wasn't sure what place I was in, but was content to stick to my 4.30min km's which was tough but wasn't killing me. The field spread out within the first 3km and I found that I ran most of the run on my own as I was too slow to stay with the front pack and just a touch faster than the guys behind me. I had seen the lead lady go past me as we crossed the start line and I was beginning to wonder if I had imagined it as there was no sign of her at all.
I thought that the race was well thought out with the little things that can sometimes make or break a race. Every KM was clearly marked, there was a water station just after the 5km mark and the course wound back towards the start line so there was some support halfway through the race which was great because it was also going up hill! Best part is you get a great medal for finishing! I was very pleased to cross the finish line in 2nd place in 44:50. Given it is only April, I am really happy with the way my running is coming along. I am doing a weekly track session in Hampstead every Thursday which is certainly paying off along with 2 other runs throughout the week.
There was a lovely ceremony at the end where the top 3 men and women and the winner of the runner and dog category were presented with medals with some Wiggle vouchers on the way. I wore my 2XU calf guards and also my 2XU compression tights for the run and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I really notice the difference if I don't wear them in that I get sore calves whilst running and it takes me longer to recover. If you don't have them, get them! I used to spend 15 mins in a cold bath after hard training sessions and I now find that wearing compression tights gives me the same results and it is a lot more pleasant than the cold water torture!
As you can see from the pictures I was in my Wiggle Jersey for the race. I use my commute between Marylebone and Hammersmith on my Kiron as extra speed training and as I have a few Wiggle jerseys I often wear those. I have had a few people chat to me when stopped at lights which is really cool, so if you do see me out and about do say hi!
Happy training!Cx
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
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
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 verticalEveryone 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 verticalWe 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 verticalWe 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 verticalFinally 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
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
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 bu
ilding 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 :)
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 trolle
y 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!
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