Day 401/New stuff is obviously the answer...

Right on the weight front i made it down to 99.6kg. The cold weather and a large volume of cakes and carbohydrates, they are separate food groups, later and i'm back to 101.6kg. So need a couple of weeks of vegaramma.

Work in the gym is cranking along being back to what i would consider no longer totally embarrassing, 3x4 @ 90kg power clean, 3x6 @ 90kg front squat, 3x4 @ 150kg deadlift. So after a couple of months i'm probably only now at a decent starting point. Also my O/H squat has improved alot managing 3x6 @ 45kg so if i keep going i might be able to stick on a couple 20's by the spring.

the answer to my climbing....or just lose some terry

Went out on monday for the first time in a couple of weeks due to bad weather and felt like i'd never cycled before. Part of that was the pause the other the gym work. I had a crack at Pirio a couple of weeks ago and didn't quite manage it but wasn't too far from the break where the climb eases off.

My goal is to do Monte Madonna, Pirio and Rocolon in one cycle of about 3hrs, it's only 60km but it's about 1200m of climbing. I did pirio with one stop then Rocolon up the back road got to Via Monte Madonna and turned round because i could feel my legs were empty. Breakfast and some carbs the day before could of helped but probably not enough.

Also stopped the fat burners and am going to try and get in a couple of threshold runs @ 100rpm, did 2x20mins with 10min break and felt pretty good although 5 min from the head HR was starting to creep up.

Next summers wheels have been chosen the Pro-Lite Bracciano. €300 1482g hopefully they will help me sail up the hills. Would quite like to offload my polar cs200 which is doing my dome in and splash out on a Garmin 500 but we will see. Still best advice is to loose weight and lift more.

Day 387\ Bad weather .....

It's been a pretty constructive month all round and obviously when i compare it to this time last year i'm well ahead of the game.

vineyards in the autumn

will get round to publishing some numbers. But on a nice day it is beautiful out cycling with the vinyards changing colour and the farmers out working the land before the winter hits.

As a total fairweather cyclist it's not looking good for getting out so we'll just have to wait and see, do what i can get done. When i can get out will probably take the opportunity to go long and keep it in my legs.

Day 355\ back in the game....and the challenge of via pirio

Haven't written anything for a while but july in essence till about the 22nd of August i did very little kept ticking over on the bike but nothing particularly long or intense. Since the 22 of my main objective has been weight loss. I've been eating loads of salad and cold cuts and almost eliminated all carbs, in general i've managed about 5 days each week like this. The good news is that after about 2 weeks of nothing i'm now on the brink of getting under 100kg for the first time since 1996!!!!

last time i was less than 100kg donovan bailey was the 'cock of town'

This has been assisted by my return to the gym. I really missed the core and back work i had been doing when i wasn't able to get to the gym. I now have better access to facilities and will not only be able to do  the pre-hab and core work i want but also just work at getting strong again.

Goals

Current Weight 100.2kg Goal 97kg

Gym Goals
Front Squat 120kg
Deadlift      180kg
Pull Ups       20
Chins            12
DB Bench      55 ea


All things being equal strength is the difference plus if you consider last year i was 103.5kg when i did Lapinarello if i can get to 97 or a bit less plus maybe change the wheels on the bike that'll make a massive difference. I'm already miles ahead of where i was this time last year.

THE CHALLENGE OF VIA PIRIO
When i did Lapinarello i did feel a touch disappointed that i didn't do the long course because i felt so good. However this was dispelled when i had to get off my bike and take a break during a climb up Via Pirio. This is a climb of about 250 and about 20% climbing much shorter and less than the Salta Di Capra. Goal is to do it on my longer run before the bad weather sets in.

Training at the moment, is 2 sessions in the gym of about 40mins, 2 fat burners of about 1hr 20mins and a longer cycle of about 2hrs with some hills.

Day 279\ 13 days to go...

13 days to go. Yesterday was very pleasing. I managed 101km alone in 4hrs and 20mins with plenty of climbing maybe a bit less than 1000m and finished strong feeling good, speed of about 32km/h, 90rpm and a hr of about 132bpm. That is a significant improvement over previous rides, it is certainly the best ride i have done by myself. The weather was absoulutely beutiful, no clouds cool air and a light breeze. Magic. Could of bottled doing the last big climb but chose to do it and reaped the rewards. Don't even feel too tired today as i did after my previous two long rides, i may almost be looking forward to Lapinarello?

this is where i go cycling, Fontanafreddo

Day 150\ Falling apart...

Right, the team part of Athletic Population would appear to be falling apart at this point. After the withdrawl of Smernicki in order to cruise round a German industrial estate in Lycra. Then followed little Hill, who has chosen to move house in order not to have to buy a bike. Now Head of Tour Ethics, Langton, is hanging in the balance due to back pain from his extraordinarily long back. Doesn't sound like anything some deadlifts couldn't fix.

literally falling apart

Day 148\ Back in the swing of it....

Back into the swing of things, the last 3 weeks training have made me feel like i am making some progress at least one of my two interval sessions i would rate as decent, and i need to start making the second session count. Rattling up any sort of distance is going to be difficult until i'm sorted out with a proper bike. However i'm out and about again and feeling the better for it.

a swing

Last week i also had my fitting done at Lab3cube in Padova so i have had the recommendations back and am waiting to see the video of myself on the bike. On the weight loss front i have managed to drop 3kg which is not bad going maybe 4 as i suspect my 103 however many weeks back was a little doctored. I'm feeling better having shed a few Kg's and see no reason why i can't sit happily at 95kg. My main goal for the rest of Feb is to make both interval sessions count and get down to 98kg. There i've said it.

Day 128\ Back at it....

Right back from a week in the hills, and the big push started yesterday morning at 7am with 47mins in the gym on the TRX. Completing the session outlined here. Objective for the next 4 weeks is to get the numbers back to where they were before the whole lurgy, weather, christmas episode do some testing and get a bike, very important.

'Back at it' gives you a view from the hubble telescope!

Backed up yesterday mornings TRX session with cycling to and back from Tombelle where i was coaching some kiddies. It was cold but not unenjoyable although the run home was a bit of a drag. Quite nackered this morning. Some intervals tonight, bring them on.

Day 99\ Time is slipping by....

It's the eve of 100 days since taking up the reigns for this challenge. Looking at my numbers the first 9 weeks i am overall very pleased with. The objective was really just to 'Get Back in The Habit'. The habit of structured exercised, the habit of recording and progressing my training, the habit of  writing a blog, putting messages on Twitter and Facebore. The last 4 weeks however have been garbage, illness, weather, facilities, dubai, illness. The main positive is the double bought of sickness has got my weight down to 100kg!!!

the sum total of the last 4 weeks

Need to sit down and work out more precisely I'm going to manage training through Jan & Feb along with the financial costs costs associated with this challenge. So far its cost me a pair of shorts and a set of lights and a pump but i don't think that's going to last for long.

Day 92\ Lurgified....

In a karmic week of payback, last weeks immense fun in Dubai has been paid back in full with being totally lurgified the last 4 days. It hasn't been pleasant. Managed two sessions last week, 40mins steady and on thursday my last activity 5x4min with 90s recovery. Practically another week of training lost, balls, and with heading back to the UK saturday i don't see me gaining much in the next couple of weeks....Objective has to be to get back to Italy weight Neutral!!!!!!!

The Dreaded Lurgy

Day 85\ Back on the wagon post Dubai....

Right had to get back on the bike today. The last two weeks training have been a complete load of spam. 2 weeks ago i struggled to get into it then some bad weather and my long awaited call up to go to the Dubai 7's which is absolutley brilliant. I wasn't quite sure what to expect if i'm honest but it exceeded everything. Met lots of old faces and some new old faces plus had the chance to play on no.1 pitch in front of 30,000 or so people. MAGIC. Would love to go back to without my sciatica and break into a jog when i'm playing. Didn't eat much drank far to much so got back on the bike today. 40mins at 143bpm. Good sweat on and not too taxing. Tidy.

can't quite believe i played here less than 48hrs ago

Day 79\ Weather Problems....

There has been some fairly brutal rain here the last week and i didn't get my long cycle done at the weekend. Overall last weeks training was good. Interval sessions good and gym was ok. With the Interval sessions now giving me some intensity in my training am going to shift the focus of the gym workouts from circuit type work to simple strength work. WIth the TRX i'll do this by progressing the difficulty of the exercises and the sequencing.

TRX Stuff

Day 73\ Wet feet..

After last weeks easy week i am feeling much fresher. Sunday went out on the bike and it started to pish down. It was amazing how with completely inappropriate equipment my hands and feet became really cold on the bike. It could also be said i'm just turning into a soft italian twat. Anyway that was Sunday 70mins on the bike and around 30km, monday gym, yesterday 12km + 5x4mins @ 160bpm with 60s recovery. Rest today, back into it tomorrow. Done.

Day 58\ Interval Training

Having for the past 6 weeks concentrated on getting into the habit of exercising again and, almost more importantly, making records of what i'm doing i'm now ready to kick on a bit with the introduction of some Interval Training. Very briefly Interval Training is comprised of short bouts of high intensity work interspersed with brief periods of recovery, the volume of work done and ratio of work to rest will determine what adaptations to training are obtained and when they are completed in the training calender.


When performing intervals cyclists have traditionally used Heart Rate information to determine training intensity. This has shifted in recent years to Power Output. As i have not had any testing done as yet and am reliant on a Heart Rate Monitor and will be using an old spinning bike for my Intervals i will be using the age old method of 'can i feel captain lactic?' and 'am i breathing out my arse yet?' to determine my work intensities. 


So tuesday sessions will comprise of the following for the next few weeks


17mins (6km) warmup
5x(4mins high intensity + 2min low intensity)
5 min cool down

'This program is supposed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. It gives you 20 minutes at very high oxygen consumption, but it is not designed to be ridden to complete exhaustion. Your VO2 max may gain improvements even at a more comfortable pace. It is, however, still important to push yourself very hard during the intervals. In the resting periods you should maintain intensity at about 60% of VO2 max.' Says the man in the white jacked....

Day 10 \ Steel ball bag protector required...

although i'm sure Phil Collins the born again Man Utd fan could write a song about this i really want one. Another 71 mins on the bike split 50m and 21min, 1050kcals, 25.6km and 111bpm av hr and excluding ball pain i would rate it as  a 6 out of 10.

Day 9 \ The wheels have started to turn...

Ok we are up and running. Last night i rode to one of the clubs i'm coaching this season and then cycled back. 13km there about 14 on the way back.....don't ask. The good news was i actually quite enjoyed it despite at first riding liz's bike with the seat post cranked right up felt like a penny farthing. The narrow handlebars made the bike feel like i was riding along a tightrope and italian car drivers desire to be close to me aside i felt more comfortable after the two runs than i thought i would. All good i say as i think this bike will be fine to get out on the road and get my numbers up. Oh except that i'm hoping there will be some adaptation round my knackers, like my skin turns to steel.

My first ride........

Right cycling is just a numbers game which is why i shall be regailing you with mine. Last night i cycled 27km in 1hr 11mins expending 1111 kcals and i would say out of 10 i would rate it as a 5. This morning i went to the canal and did 32mins with the TRX expending 340 kcals and i would rate it as 5.5/10. More about the ratings in a week or so.

Day 7 \ Bike PORN...

Today was significant on two counts 1. I managed to resolve the unusual valve size with a remarkably usual looking pump and adapter bought from a quite usual looking shop. 2. i went to the Biciexpo in Padova today.

team sky pinarello time trial bike....nice, even if there was a picture of that ginger wigwams next to it

A number of things jumped out at me...

1. the technology is incredible
2. you could lose a lot of money if you had it
3. why do cyclists think riding a bike is a license to dress like an arse
4. cyclists are a bit weird

After wandering around for a few hours i decided that i really like cars, scooters, motorbikes, watches, clothes, food, most things really, more than i like cycling and although it would be great to have a bike made exactly to your spec by someone such as Crisp Titanium, i really just want something comfortable that looks quite cool and rides better than either a Muddy Fox Courier or a Halfords Pathfinder. I could however spend lots of money with Cycleops which is sports science/technology heaven. There are more pics of my day here 

I did also find Lab3 who can do a bike fitting and VO2max /ramp tests and they're based in Padova and another shorter race in Tuscany a couple of months before hand so that's all a bonus. Anyway all in all a good day's work i'd say.

Day 5 \ Team formation...

Right first up not great news, it would appear that the ascent is actually a touch shorter than 1800m and not 1400m as reported yesterday doh!!!!!!! However the team is looking strong and i have been very pleased by the positive response from the 'select few'. As things stand the team is looking like this:

Allan
Funny Billy 'Head of Entertainment'
Even Funnier Alex 'Head of Pretty Ladies'
Smernicki 'Head of Poofy Behaviour'
Langton 'Legal Envoy'
Williams 'Custard Research Assistant'
French 'Head of Cigs n' Ale'

Alongside this there have also been mutterings from Kilbourn, so it is shaping up as a wedding reunion on Bikes minus birds!!!!!

Day 4 \ There was a sign....

Almost inevitably the tyre is still flat but the positive spin is that it's only flat on the bottom....boom boom. What with it being a rather odd size and the, at times random, opening hours of italian shops as yet no tyres have been turned in anger, not even in mild confusion. Added to that i have come down with some sort of hayfever/cold/flu type bug yesterday and have been struggling, so even if the tyres were as hard as supermans pants, nothing of significance would be happening.

For as long as i have liked bikes and machines and stuff, i have wanted a Bianchi, stupidly i rode past a bike shop last night after training and spotted this lovely, but it was lovelier with white tyres. It must be a sign.

it was a sign

Good news as there is a Bike Expo in Padova this weekend so perhaps could find some valuable contacts for the expedition, which is what it is. Plus and let's have 3 hips for this, the ascent in the big loop is ONLY 1400m, not 1800m. Piece of piss then, maybe i could use mums shopper with the Sturmey Archer 3speed!!!!!