Happy Birthday Carla! Yep, it’s Carla’s birthday. Weather is traditionally good. We have a dog to walk, then she’ll be out on her new bike!!!! Yeah!!! A Specialized Epic Marathon. It’s been over 10 years since she changed her bike. She’s been really looking forward to this one, and she’ll be faster than ever on it. Watch out!!!
I can hardly believe it. I’m fifty five years old. Fifty bleedin five! How did that happen? Bear with me while I go off on one for a second will ya? I remember sitting at my desk at school, I’d just become a teenager. I was working out what year I would be twenty one, and how old I would be in the year two thousand. I remember thinking how “old” twenty one would be, and couldn’t begin to imagine how elderley a Y2K forty five year old would be……and now I’m fifty bleedin’ five!
To make up for it, I had one helluva weekend. I played three gigs with Downright Liberty. Great fun, though just to harp on a bit more about my age, I find it quite bizarre to play punk on my pink paisley strat and see all these pogoing old blokes mouthing the words back at me. 😉
So on my birthday? Had a leisurely breakfast then loaded the bikes in the van and went to the wonderous, mythical, Monts de Blond. Spent the afternoon riding my favourite trails with my wonderful wife. The weather was fabulous, and as usual, the Monts de Blond were just beautiful.
On the way home we stopped off at the Supermarche and got something nice for dinner. Dinner was served on the patio, and we shared a drink or two until long after the sun had set. A peaceful end to a lovely day. Thanks Carla, my lover. xxx
The only way is up! 3 blokes, 2 bikes, one challenge…. LeJog!
A couple of my cycling team friends James and Alex are gonna ride Land’s End to John O’Groats (LeJog), in aid of 2 very worthy charities; Hope House and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.
They’ll be starting out on April 11th 2010. Aiming to average 100 miles + per day, and hope to arrive in under 9 days! These guys are determined. It won’t be easy, especially in early April. It could snow or be a heat wave or summat else!!!
They’ll be backed up by their mentor/coach/LeJog veteran, the legendary Dave ‘O’. He’ll keep these boys in line come rain hail or shine! There’ll be no backing out!
The two charities they are supporting, Hope House and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, are very important to them. Please, if you can, take some time to learn about these charities, and consider making a donation. If you want to sponsor the guys you can do so easily on their website – www.theonlywayisup.org. You can also follow them in their training up to the ride, and during the ride itself.
From the guys, “We hope we can raise a good sum of money to help the 2 charities keep on doing the great work they do, every day, to help those who are suffering more than us.“
Bon Courage! The only way is up!
Yep, a Long Hard Rocky Road back to fitness!
Dudes, I have been ill. No really. There’s not much keeps me off my bike, you know that, but it’s been more than three weeks with hardly a pedal turned! Mrs Stratobiker has been ill too. It started off with a sore throat, then got worse, a lot worse. Bad cough, fever, feeling awful. Gotta say there was one night in particular where I was truly scared of how bad it was gonna get. Lying in bed sweating up, chest on fire, breathing hard just lying still. Started to feel a little better after a couple of days, but everything was just such hard work. We didn’t leave the house for close on a week. We were living on the leftovers from our New Years Eve party. By the middle of the second week we managed to get out for a few easy walks, but they wiped us out. I tried a bike ride, just around the block, I felt like shit, it was no fun, and I was coughing up frogs. I gave up. By the third week we were feeling OK, still hacking stuff up, but getting out and about. At just over three weeks I tried the bike again. At last I felt OK, I was actually enjoying it, and felt like I had something in my legs. I didn’t push it though, just rolling along nice and easy.
A message to my French friends…..
Bonjour mes amis
J’ai été malade. Pas de vélo depuis trois semaines. Ca va mieux maintenant, et j’espère vous voir bientôt sur le vélo.
Yesterday I managed and hour and a half on my road bike. Nothing too hard, but a purposeful tempo, it felt great to be back. If the weather is OK tomorrow I’m gonna try and get out with the boys on the Wednesday afternoon bash. But, I’ll be taking it easy, and I’ll pull out after a couple of hours. I’ve been here once before, you try too hard too soon, and it just knocks you back.
So while I’ve been felling a little better I’ve been busying myself on my guitar. I’ve been in the studio doing some recording for a singer-songwriter. I reckon it’s really great stuff, and I’m thrilled to be able to work with her. I can’t let you listen to anything at the moment because it’s not finished. But when it is I’ll let you know.
I’ve also been rehearsing with an ex-pat band from the Bellac area. The idea is to put a set together now to do some gigs through the summer. It’s hard work, but it’s fun, and I get to play my guitar proper loud!!! Rock on!!! 🙂
The picture below is a comp from a set taken by a photographer at “Les Gantiers” VTT Rando. The photographer was stood about 2 kilometers from the finish. So about 38 kilometers in. Now, which rider do you think is using a mudguard?
The trails have been a bit wet and mucky lately so I have fitted my THE Industries front mudguard. It’s a great bit of kit. It’s light, it’s easy to fit, it doesn’t mark your bike, and it does exactly what you need it to do, which is keep the muck out of your eyes. I reckon it’s the best front mudguard for XC racing out there. On the back I go for a Mr Crud Race Guard. Again, dead east to fit, and keeps your rear end dry and clean. It’s not very pleasant riding in wet shorts, and a constant spray of cold water onto your back can’t do much for the strong muscles in your lower back.
Of course there are those who say that mudguards have no place on a mountainbike. They’ll be the ones struggling to wash mud out of their eyes while I’m enjoying a nice post rando cuppa!
Make a nice Christmas gift, some mudguards! 😉
I’ve said it before, but I’m gonna say it again. With the new racing season just around the corner, it’s time to get down to some serious pre-season training.
Whatever your cycling discipline (excepting track sprinters) your season will benefit from some winter miles. Staying safe and warm is paramount.
The following tips, and ideas will help you make those early season sessions pay off.
Here’s how to go about it…
Get dressed for winter!
Slap it on!..
Do like the cyclo-cross riders do, and rub on some hot cream. Knees, lower back, ankles, feet, elbows, shoulders, wherever you need it. Be careful if you have never used this stuff before; wash your hands before touching sensitive body parts. Embrocation is where it’s at.
Under Layer…
A t-shirt will soak up your sweat on the climbs, and freeze you on the descents, and will not do! Get a proper undershirt, one of the manmade fabrics that wick moisture away. A long sleeved that covers your wrists, and lower back is best.
Wear bib-shorts if you have them as they cover more of your torso.
Middle Layer…
A long sleeved cycling jersey, or two, or an old jersey cut up, and positioned to give you an extra layer over your chest. An old legwarmer can make a superb neck warmer.
Legs…
Get a proper pair of winter tights. Essential! Try a few pairs on before you buy, as the cut varies from make to make. Once you have a good pair of these you’ll wonder how you ever managed before.
Outer Layer…
A good jacket with a windproof front, a high collar, and good pockets will do nicely. Keep your cape in your back pocket, and only use it in an emergency. Once your cape goes on you will tend to sweat up, leading to de-hydration, and ultimately feeling colder. Put your cape on if you have to make a stop, but take it off again once you set off again.
Head…
Get a skullcap that you can wear under your helmet. The difference they make is amazing.
Hands…
A thin pair of under-gloves, then your real gloves. Mitts are warmer than gloves but are not so easy to ride in. It depends on your bike set up. If you have to stop to make repairs etc, and need to take your gloves off, put them inside your jacket so that they stay warm. Put them on the ground and they will be cold in a minute.
Feet…
Wear man-made or wool cycling socks. Those nice sports socks might look OK, but if they are made of cotton they will not work. A thermal insole can help. When it is really cold use a pair of overshoes. It is a balance between keeping your feet warm, and having your feet too warm so that they sweat, and then chill.
Accessories…
Glasses, for keeping stuff out of you eyes. Imagine trying to get something out off your eye when your hands are cold.
A scarf, can be great for wrapping round your face, neck, and if it’s long enough and wide enough to cover your chest, even better.
Lip salve, might be needed by some but real bikers don’t use it! 😉
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OK, so you’re done up like a kipper, breaking into a sweat just getting your bike out of the garage, now…
Canal towpaths…
are great for winter training, but they are next to cold water, and always seem to be a colder place to ride.
Roads…
or better still lanes are good, but use a slower bike. Heavy tyres, mudguards, stuff that mean you work harder while going through the cold air. Even if the day is bright, zipping along on your race bike is colder.
Forests…
are warmer! You get more shelter in the forest. Whether it’s an old road bike on the forest roads, a mountainbike, or a downhill bike you’ll stay warmer in the forest.
Wind chills; so if it is windy try to go out against the wind so that you have a tailwind on the way home. If it miserable battling against an icy headwind when you are tired and cold.
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A good winter training session makes you feel good, invigorated, and motivated to do more. But be sensible, please!
Let someone know what your route will be and stick to it. Include alternatives if you need to but don’t go off at a tangent
Small groups, of similar ability, are best, 4 to 6 riders are ideal, and you can share the work and look after each other. Any bigger than this and it becomes too ‘stop & start’ (waiting for x to get their gloves on or y to fix their bike etc). Any smaller than this and it can be dangerous if someone has a problem. Like if there is only two of you, and one has a crash you could be forced to leave the victim behind while you go and get help.
Each rider must be self sufficient, don’t expect to borrow a pump or Allen keys.
Take a mobile phone with you. Then if things go wrong you can call International Rescue! (That’s mum, dad, boyfriend, girlfriend, brother, sister, friend etc.
You could call the Emergency Services, but they are for Emergencies only and should never be used to make up for lack of planning or preparation.
If you don’t have a moby take coins for a phone box. BT also do a phone card which you can use from any phone, this gets charged direct to your bill.
Take a number of a taxi company you could use this if you need to get transport and there is no one else to help.
Watch the weather forecast the day before to get an idea of the best time to do the ride. This could make the difference between a miserable wet ride and an enjoyable one.
Take water – it may be cold but you will still need to drink.
Take food – ideally, pack food into small parcels using cling film, or foil.
Things like dried fruit, fig rolls, jam’n’cheese sandwiches, malt loaf are all good. Carry some emergency food, and to ensure that you don’t scoff it anyway, carry something that you do not really like. A mountain walker that I knew used to carry dehydrated dog food!
Essentials
Per rider: Tube/s, pump, tools, cape, food, drink, money
Group: mobile phone, whistle, light, emergency foil blanket.
Considerations:
Map, thermos flask, first aid kit, zip ties, Swiss army knife with one of those attachments for getting boy scouts out of girl guides!
I dunno why, it just does…….well more of a smirk really!
See, when we do the Cognac la Forét circuit we always have a rolling race down the last tarmac descent to home. It started off as a test of rolling resistance of tyres, it’s turned into a ‘just for fun’ thing that we always do. It’s about a kilometer and there’s a slight rise just before the finish. My usual technique is to let Carla get in front then pass her on the slight rise. However, shes wise to that now, and she’s bagged a few wins lately. Gonna have to change my tactic.
Anyway, for some reason, and I don’t know why, when Carla passes me, crouched in full racing tuck, it puts a smile on my face.
Some people train hard, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after yeah, it’s tough. Some people race hard, go down, get straight back up, and have the scars to prove it. Come summer, winter rain or shine, you’ll find them working hard on the bike.
On the other hand, some people don’t really train at all, and only ride when it suits them, when there’s not something else they’d rather be doing. Some people just flash a smile and get their face on the front cover of a sporting federation’s national magazine!
There’s two sorts of people in the world this month. Those with their picture on the front of a national magazine who ride for CC Beauvallet, and those who don’t. Where’s the justice eh? 🙂
If you’re not doin’ anything on the 13th Sept (apart from toasting my birthday 😉 ), why not get yourself down to Rochechouart and ride my French club’s VTT Rando?
It’s gonna be dry, sunny, fast, and fun. See you there?
Me old mate James from Pearce Cycles was due to come out and ride the 24heures VTT at Bonnac. It’s only 5 weeks away. But I got an email, he told me…
“I fell off on Sunday and proper battered myself! I’ve broken 2 ribs, fractured my wrist, torn my ac joint on right shoulder, banged my head hard and removed a large amount of skin from my back and side! I can’t remember anything from about 3mins before, till roughly 20mins later and i was only knocked out for a couple of secs apparently!”
Turns out that he was riding his bike down the last part of the Downhill course at Bringewood, over-jumped the table top and nose dived onto the fire road! Ouch! That’s one almighty big jump. Now, the thing is, that normally, James don’t jump that far. He told me that. So what sort of speed he was doing on the take off is hard to imagine. He’s examined his bike, and found that the front brake has failed, and the rear shock is blown. But whether the front brake failed as a result of the crash, or whether it was part of the reason for the massive jump we’ll never know.
“Someone said I overjumped the tabletop and landed straight onto the fireroad, but I couldn’t jump that far on my DH bike, so something must have gone wrong. It’s annoying not knowing, it doesn’t make sense!”
One minute you’re there happily riding your bike, next minute you ain’t.Bonne récupération James!
Take care out there the rest of yous! 🙂