Running Man?

Following completion of 4 weeks of rehab for my Achilles, I am now supposed to commence running – EEEK! The plan is to start very gently and stick to running on soft surfaces. However, the important part is that I meant to run with a changed technique?! I have never been into the running technique debate. I just put one foot in front of another and run. So to consider changing what I have been doing for the past 45 years feels rather daunting. So much so, I am wondering if it is worth it at all. Why not just stick with biking? With no triathlon racing on the horizon, my swimming has already tailed of to zilch. To start running now just feels like an activity to tire me out and take away bike energy! We’ll have to see how things develop!

The club evening TT got rained off last Wed so I teamed up with John Batch’ and we did a wet and windy 10 mile 2-up TT. It was around 24:30 and a painful ride. I used my training bike and just concentrated on a good work out. On Sunday I ride a 25 mile TT on the F1 course (up and down the A1). I don’t particularly like this course but at least it fits in with home life by starting at 0645. Paul Fullalove and Hamish, both RAF cyclists/triathletes here at Wyton, are also racing – their first 25 mile TT, I believe? Let’s hope that the weather is kind to us!

Specialized Transition Pro Used in Anger!

After receiving my new TT bike at the beginning of June, I had yet to use it in anger. I have been tweaking it to get the right position and training on it but it needed to be tested for real during a full on 10 mile TT. I am having real problems converting my Campag disc to Shimano and it is still not sorted. After a grovelling plea amongst St Ives CC members to borow a Shimano campatible disc, non other than TT legend Ian Cammish was willing to lend me a Planet X disc. He is a thoroughly decent chap and very generous!

I had entered the Fenland Clarion Open 10 mile TT event today. The TT was on our club course, so it would be a good marker to see how the Specialized would ride.

As it turns out, it was fantastic! A course PB of 22:52 and a second overall place in the competition.

I am thinking of selling my Campag disc now; any interest out there?

Injury Blues

Changed the Blog pic to remind me of better times!

TDF

It's all about the bike lately eh?! Not been swimming for 3 weeks now but I am relaxed about things. The Tour has started to get interesting and I am now a confirmed Twiggo fan! Some awesome riding from him in the mountains and if he can continue to recover and ride a good TT in Annecy, a podium place could be his!




Another club 10 mile TT for me this Wed evening but unless we have another decent evening weather wise, I doubt I can produce another sub 23 clocking. I also have an open 10 mile TT on Saturday; it's on the club Sawtry course again! I hope to have the Specialized out for this race.

Off for an appointment with my turbo. . .

Rename The Blog?

The lack of triathlon content in this blog is rather worrying! Recent posts have all been about time trials, as that is all I am doing. Maybe I should change the name of the blog? I was thinking of 53/11? Or ‘Time to Trial’? Or The trials of Time?

Anyway, to continue a theme, I raced at the evening club TT last Wednesday. Although it was blustery, the weird course that we used produced a number of PBs for many people – me included! I rode 22:54. My first time under 23 mins on this course and a time that I thought was beyond my capabilities! It wasn’t enough to win overall though! Pete Galpin, fresh from his 9:16 at Ironman Austria clocked 22:52 (another PB!). However, the most impressive PB of the night must go to Paul Fullalove (Raf Triathlete). He knocked a whopping 1:46 off his best to clock 24:05! He has either been blagging and not trying hard or those Mavic Cosmic Carbonne wheels I sold him have motors in them! A great ride.

My Specialized should be ready to rock next week. The disc conversion kit should be at Grafham Cycles and a new stem also. Can’t wait to ride it in anger. . . GRRRRRR!

Here is a pic of Hutch riding my bike!

Numbers

More contemplation from me this weekend. I like numbers – yes, I know, that sounds weird! In my youth, when I was seriously into running and athletics, I used to love scouring the record books and noting the fantastic times that mega talented athletes had clocked. Without realising, I began to memorise these times. Back in the early 80s I was able to recall every running world and Olympic record there was! I figured this weekend that my youthful infatuation was still with me! This is why I like searching results and analysing time splits within a triathlon. More recently, my interest has focussed on the time the cyclists do in a time trial competition. Could my strange interest in numbers be the reason that I like time trials? I love striving to amend my PB and searching through the results.

This year, due to my Achilles injury, I have competed at far more TTs than normal. As in my youth, I am drawn to the focus on times. True, there are many factors to consider when riding a time trial – conditions, terrain, road surface. But when it comes down to the basics, it is about numbers! It is a race against yourself, in an effort to beat your best time over a set distance. Of course, there are specific ‘course’ PBs to be categorised within an overall PB. This just makes things even more interesting!

There we have it; I like numbers. Here are my latest numbers from the 10 mile TT I did on Saturday on the F1/B 10 course:

Time - 21:23
Average speed – 28:05 mph

A massive overall PB and a guaranteed course PB because I had never ridden that course! It was still but steady drizzle made the road slippy at the roundabouts. No excuses! Happy enough with that!

TDF - Edge of Seat Stuff!

Well, stage 6 almost saw David Millar grab a stage win. He got swallowed up with just over a K to go - poor guy!

Tomorrow promises to be a real hum dinger! Just look at the profile:



We could finally see Lance crack? Or see him glide away from Contador? I am off to bed early so I can get to tomorrow quicker!

Mr Big Likes Mr Small

Evening Club 10 mile TT last night. Result:

23:15

A new course PB, knocking 22 sec off my previous best.

Very happy with that!

Yes, Mr Big (53 Chain Ring) really does like Mr Small (11 Tooth Sprocket).

TDF Time

The TDF has begun! Already the race has taken on a fascinating twist, with the returning Lance Armstrong missing taking the Yellow Jersey by 0.22 of a second! Importantly, Lance is 19 sec ahead of Contador – the so called ‘leader of the Astana team. But let’s not get carried away here. The big mountain stages will sort the GC out and I can’t see Lance matching Contador when the gradient goes up up and away. Personally, I would like to see Lance recapture his climbing prowess of past years and sock it to the other climbers! The interesting thing is, though, with Contador in the same team as Lance, I doubt that Contador will attack in the mountains. Therefore, it is up to a rider from another team to take the fight to Astana. If lance and Contador can match whatever is thrown at them, then, in theory, the 19 sec difference could remain. I know! The likelihood of that happening is slim at best! Let’s see what happens!

I am fascinated by the positions of some of the pro riders. Look at Cadel Evans above! His knees pop inside his arms. Obviously this position works for him. This goes to show that we are all different and the ideal TT position for all does not exist! The other day a guy expressed his concern at my position on my TT bike. This guy rides 1:10 at best for a 25 TT. . . Need I say more?

I am set to ride the club 10 TT tonight and hope to crack 23:30 on this course, if the conditions are good! My Specialized TT bike is still awaiting the converted disc wheel. Until I get the wheels I want sorted, I am not racing the new machine. So, it is back onto the Caygill. I have a frayed gear cable on the Caygill so I hope that holds for tonight.

I also have an Open 10 mile TT booked for early Sat morning. It is on the F2b/10 course on the A1 between Sandy and Biggleswade. Not sure how fast the course is, but surely it has to be faster than the club 10 course!
I am progressing with my Achilles rehab nicely. Today, for the first time in a long time, I awoke without tenderness in the affected area. Hopefully, this is good news. I really hit the rehab hard yesterday too, so it is surprising to have no soreness. I went to the gym and did an hour on the spinning bike as 10 mins spin alternating with 5 min Achilles rehab on the Power Plate. To keep the momentum, I need to keep progressing with the rehab exercises. The thought of being able to run again is rather mouth watering! However, it will be a long road to get back up to speed. . . I like a challenge!

Quick Post

Man I am busy! No time for all the things I want to do. So this is a quick post.

Off to Stoke to stay with Julie's parents Friday and Saturday. Should be linking up with Jase Walkley for a longish bike ride on Saturday, though not sure whether I should take the single speed for this ride?

Rode the Club TT last night. It was very hot, which I like! Normally the club TT is a 10 but once a year they do a 25 miler; this was last night. The course is a renowned slow drag - honest!! Not many people break the hour. True to history only 2 guys broke the hour - yippee, I was one of them with 59:17. After my 55:49 on the super fast E2 course I was well pleased to go under the hour. Paul Davies (53:41 on the E2) won with 57:36. That is a good ride on this course. I was on my old TT bike as I am still waiting for my disc to be converted to Shimano. I have made the decision that I will not ride the Specialized in anger until I have the full race set up sorted - wheels included.

Anyway, well pleased to log a serious bike speed improvement this year. It has been a week since I commenced my achilles rehab. I am pleased to say that the achilles is hurting more! This is the plan and I am told that it would be worrying if it did not get worse before getting better! Will the achilles be recovered enough for me to run on October? Time will tell.

Train well

TDF on SAT!!!!! SO EXCITED!!!!