Had a great weekend just gone. Amanda took her cycling ladies out for a jaunt around the Hatchets Pond area and I elected to do my so called Killer route again - this time doing the whole route and not falling off.
The weather has been very dry for March and nice daytime temperatures with little breeze made for a perfect cycing day.
I did do the whole route - nearly fifty miles in 2 hours 50minutes with an average speed of 17.3 mph. Got home feeling good and happy that my climbing legs seem to be coming back. Just as well since the timing chip for the Fred Whitton Four Seasons arrived yesterday - no turning back now, and in a way, I am actually starting to look forward to it. Huge challenge.
I had a go with a helmet camera while on the route and got some (very shaky) footage of Winchester Hill and Beacon Hill which I will edit and then put on here - when I work out how to.
Old Winchester Hill
Beacon Hill
Sunday brought another superb day for weather and myself and Amanda took to the New Forest for a gentle 64 mile route that she designed. Very good it was to with a few areas that I had not been to before.
Lake District next week and hopefully a report on a successful Fred Whitton Challenge.
Hardknott ( and Honister, and Wrynose, and Matterdale, and Kirkstone, and Whinlatter) here I come! - bet they are not very scared.....
Alpe D'Huez
Training in the Lakes
Pain on Newlands Pass
Wednesday 30 March 2011
Sunday 20 March 2011
Al's First Crash
It has been a sore week, and hence the reason for no update following last weekend.
Amanda was at her Mum and Dad's and I was looking forward to getting out following a week off the bike to regenerate tired limbs.
I have protected my Madone all winter and resisted the temptation to take him out during the winter months to protect him from salt and mud, but following a dry period, I decided that this should be the first time I take him out this year.
I felt like climbing so I thought a route that I had used as training for London to Paris, which I had called the "Killer", would be ideal - although having done Exmoor and the Lake District since this route, it's killer status is somewhat diminished.
What a difference - I love my trek 1.2 but the Madone is just a completely different beast. Everything about it is fast and responsive, and it seems to want to go up hills.
The Killer route takes in two different ascents of Beacon Hill and the three steepest ascents of Old Winchester Hill.
Unsurprisingly it has a warning sign at the bottom but this is a fairly long climb with a steep start that then steadies off to around 7%.
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Riding home was not too bad either. I got in and after cleaning my bike down, I got straight into the bath and found various scrapes, a nasty burn to my right forearam and a very sore left thumb.
Amanda was at her Mum and Dad's and I was looking forward to getting out following a week off the bike to regenerate tired limbs.
I have protected my Madone all winter and resisted the temptation to take him out during the winter months to protect him from salt and mud, but following a dry period, I decided that this should be the first time I take him out this year.
I felt like climbing so I thought a route that I had used as training for London to Paris, which I had called the "Killer", would be ideal - although having done Exmoor and the Lake District since this route, it's killer status is somewhat diminished.
What a difference - I love my trek 1.2 but the Madone is just a completely different beast. Everything about it is fast and responsive, and it seems to want to go up hills.
The Killer route takes in two different ascents of Beacon Hill and the three steepest ascents of Old Winchester Hill.
Unsurprisingly it has a warning sign at the bottom but this is a fairly long climb with a steep start that then steadies off to around 7%.
I fairly bombed up this bit and even had time to ride one-handed to take some pics on the way up
Feeling suitably pleased I descended down towards West Meon and then turned right, up a short sharp hill and towards Coombe.
This stretch of road is lovely as it clings to the side of a hill in a heavily wooded area. The road was covered in debis and I can rememeber thinking to myself to be careful - only to come a cropper.
Turning left towards a farm building, my front wheel hit a patch of mud and slid away from under me, I nearly got control back but then hit the loose garvel in the middle of the road - down I went. It happened so quickly that I can't really remember what hit what but I picked myself up (very shakily) so see some (thankfully) minor damage to my bike, but as the shock subsided, more painful bits became apparent.
The shredding to my top was the first giveaway as I felt pain in the left side of my chest, but also pain around my right elbow and left thumb, both of which were swelling up as I watched.
Realising I was in shock, I sat down on a wall for a bit and started checking my phone and music player, all of which seemed undamaged. Relieved, I looked up to see a elderly gentlemen making his way towards me with a mug in his hand - This very kind man had seen me come off while he was in the car park of the Meon Springs Fly Fishery and had made me a cup of coffee - what a lovely, kind thought, and many thanks to him.
After probably 15 minutes I thought, "this is no good, I am about as far from home as I could be and I have got to get home before things really start to hurt". Getting back on I now realised that my right hand was also hurting just below the palm. Still, I thought, I have full movement in everything so nothing is broken.
The first obstacle to overcome was the ascent of Old Winchester Hill from one of the North Easterly routes which are by far the steepest - I used to think that these were horrendous but it wasn't too bad on this occasion and I got to the top with no issues.
Riding home was not too bad either. I got in and after cleaning my bike down, I got straight into the bath and found various scrapes, a nasty burn to my right forearam and a very sore left thumb.One week on and I have been back out on the bike with Amanda and have all but repaired...... all in all a very lucky escape.
Sunday 6 March 2011
Ditchling Beacon, Steyning Bostal and Confidence
Confidence is all about state of mind and perception.... Mine has taken a bit of a dent recently as I seem to be lacking my usual power and I am reaching for smaller gears when normally I can power through....
With Amanda meeting some of her friends for coffee and a night out, I thought it was an ideal time for me to do some more hill training, and the fact that she did not need the car meant that I could go a bit further afield from my usual training areas.
Ditchling Beacon had been on my mind as a significant climb within a distance that I could get to. Not only that but, after consulting my 100 greatest cycling climbs book, there was another, Steyning Bostal that I could do in the same ride.
I poured over the maps the night before and tried to make sense of a route which was becoming increasingly awkward to plot due the fact that both the climbs, once completed, descended to the (very) main A27 which is a dual carriageway and not a road that I wanted to take on.
It meant plotting a route that, once over this first climb, meant going over what I thought was going to be a bridge to get across - wrong! - I had to navigate the central barriers and then take a rather convoluted route through Shoreham-on-Sea in order to get back the other side of the South Downs for the climb of Ditchling Beacon which is from the north side, beginning in the lovely town of Ditchling.
So, Saturday morning I set off early for Storrington which I thought would be an ideal starting point, and so it proved with a nice little spot on a side street easy to find.
As I started to get changed, I felt cold - not that surprising since in the last few days the weather has turned much more winter-like, but still, not the best start.
I loaded myself up to the hilt with all the necessary tackle and some jelly babies, 4 snickers, 3 energy gels and a banana ( I was determined to make sure that I had enough to not suffer - or so I thought). After donning my rain jacket I set off for Steyning, which is a charming town at the northern base of the South Downs. A right turn later and I was at the bottom of the first climb - Steyning Bostal.
You pass a sign saying something like "narrow road with passing points" - all climbs seem to have this - and then you rise gradually until you meet a road coming in from the right. You then swing left and the gradient increases markedly as you pass a sheer chalk face and as the road then sweeps steeply around to the right you reach the summit and a long flat stretch before a fast descent interupted sharply by the A27.
Some 20 miles later I was beginning to wonder if I would ever arrive at Ditchling. Yet again I was beginning to feel tired and despite taking regular food and water, my feet and hands had only just warmed up.
I finally did reach the town and was a little disappointed that I did not have time to hang around longer as it really is a picture. I was also surprised at how busy it was but I definately had a sense of expectation building in me.
As I turned onto Beacon Road the road was flat enough but full of traffic. This clearly was a little different from the previous climb and the reason is that this is a major route into Brighton - I wasn't quite prepared for that.
The road continues for some time at a gentle pitch before you come across a left hand bend and this is where the climb begins in earnest as the gradient increases sharply and you head into a heavily wooded area. This steep section is sustained and the road snakes as it clings to the side of the Downs, emerging from the woods briefly, before becoming even more steep, whilst affording incredible views of the surounding area to the North.
The view quickly disappears again though as the still weaving tarmac, heads back into the trees and one last notch up in gradient sees the road swing to the right and the summit.
I really found this hill tough. At no point was I out of breath and my heart rate was not too high, but my legs just did not want to know. I did of course get up but I really did have to slow right down and just concentrate on getting to the top - not what I am used to at all. I certainly seem to have lost my climbing "bounce"
I am not used to struggling up hills and it is certainly starting to play on my mind a little - don't get me wrong - Ditchling Beacon is a testing climb but I have done far harder and with better form.
Am I over trained or under nourished, or both?
Well, this week I am dispensing with careful intake and calories and fuelling for a big weekend. A few days off the bike should help with the recovery and a large plate off liver and onions (One of Amanda's many specialities which I have just polished off), should help rebuild the muscles.
Anyway with the Beacon out the way I promptly puntured on the descent and while repairing the hole I became aware of just how many cyclists were going past me. The hill is clearly used as a training run by a large number of locals - I saw one guy complete the hill three times!!
At the bottom, a lack of options meant the only way to go was to turn around and go back up and down the same hill - the other ascent is far longer and therefore nothing like as steep. Enjoyable in its' own way though.
After a couple of wrong turns on the way back to the car I finally arrived having done 68 miles (more than I intended), but was greeted with the hot coffee and sandwiches that Amanda had made for me that morning - What a Star!
With Amanda meeting some of her friends for coffee and a night out, I thought it was an ideal time for me to do some more hill training, and the fact that she did not need the car meant that I could go a bit further afield from my usual training areas.
Ditchling Beacon had been on my mind as a significant climb within a distance that I could get to. Not only that but, after consulting my 100 greatest cycling climbs book, there was another, Steyning Bostal that I could do in the same ride.
I poured over the maps the night before and tried to make sense of a route which was becoming increasingly awkward to plot due the fact that both the climbs, once completed, descended to the (very) main A27 which is a dual carriageway and not a road that I wanted to take on.
It meant plotting a route that, once over this first climb, meant going over what I thought was going to be a bridge to get across - wrong! - I had to navigate the central barriers and then take a rather convoluted route through Shoreham-on-Sea in order to get back the other side of the South Downs for the climb of Ditchling Beacon which is from the north side, beginning in the lovely town of Ditchling.
So, Saturday morning I set off early for Storrington which I thought would be an ideal starting point, and so it proved with a nice little spot on a side street easy to find.
As I started to get changed, I felt cold - not that surprising since in the last few days the weather has turned much more winter-like, but still, not the best start.
I loaded myself up to the hilt with all the necessary tackle and some jelly babies, 4 snickers, 3 energy gels and a banana ( I was determined to make sure that I had enough to not suffer - or so I thought). After donning my rain jacket I set off for Steyning, which is a charming town at the northern base of the South Downs. A right turn later and I was at the bottom of the first climb - Steyning Bostal.
You pass a sign saying something like "narrow road with passing points" - all climbs seem to have this - and then you rise gradually until you meet a road coming in from the right. You then swing left and the gradient increases markedly as you pass a sheer chalk face and as the road then sweeps steeply around to the right you reach the summit and a long flat stretch before a fast descent interupted sharply by the A27.
Some 20 miles later I was beginning to wonder if I would ever arrive at Ditchling. Yet again I was beginning to feel tired and despite taking regular food and water, my feet and hands had only just warmed up.
I finally did reach the town and was a little disappointed that I did not have time to hang around longer as it really is a picture. I was also surprised at how busy it was but I definately had a sense of expectation building in me.
As I turned onto Beacon Road the road was flat enough but full of traffic. This clearly was a little different from the previous climb and the reason is that this is a major route into Brighton - I wasn't quite prepared for that.
The road continues for some time at a gentle pitch before you come across a left hand bend and this is where the climb begins in earnest as the gradient increases sharply and you head into a heavily wooded area. This steep section is sustained and the road snakes as it clings to the side of the Downs, emerging from the woods briefly, before becoming even more steep, whilst affording incredible views of the surounding area to the North.
The view quickly disappears again though as the still weaving tarmac, heads back into the trees and one last notch up in gradient sees the road swing to the right and the summit.
I really found this hill tough. At no point was I out of breath and my heart rate was not too high, but my legs just did not want to know. I did of course get up but I really did have to slow right down and just concentrate on getting to the top - not what I am used to at all. I certainly seem to have lost my climbing "bounce"
I am not used to struggling up hills and it is certainly starting to play on my mind a little - don't get me wrong - Ditchling Beacon is a testing climb but I have done far harder and with better form.
Am I over trained or under nourished, or both?
Well, this week I am dispensing with careful intake and calories and fuelling for a big weekend. A few days off the bike should help with the recovery and a large plate off liver and onions (One of Amanda's many specialities which I have just polished off), should help rebuild the muscles.
Anyway with the Beacon out the way I promptly puntured on the descent and while repairing the hole I became aware of just how many cyclists were going past me. The hill is clearly used as a training run by a large number of locals - I saw one guy complete the hill three times!!
At the bottom, a lack of options meant the only way to go was to turn around and go back up and down the same hill - the other ascent is far longer and therefore nothing like as steep. Enjoyable in its' own way though.
After a couple of wrong turns on the way back to the car I finally arrived having done 68 miles (more than I intended), but was greeted with the hot coffee and sandwiches that Amanda had made for me that morning - What a Star!
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