2018 challenges

[eccc whippet]

I thought this shouldnt be that difficult...we have the internet...do a bit of research and find out how  to eat right...wow was wrong...one person tells you eating meat is so bad for you...the next...diary is bad for you...the next fish and then you have the people telling you high protein is the way to go...what is common among all of the complaints..."the stuff the that kills the bugs"...what they spray on the grass the cows eat...apples which are suppose to be so healthy...etc etc....we pretty screwed any way we turn....it seems everything is bad for you...event the stuff which grows in a skin and under ground...everyone has proof that the other is not good for you ...so who do you believe ?

 

so what do i do...look back a couple of years and take note of i have done and what has worked and what hasn't...what has improved my health...but more important...blood test results...because at the end of the day...who cares how fat or skinny i am...if my body shows i am fit and look healthy...yet my blood results show i am dying from cancer or have clogged arteries...i am gona die...or am i?

 

one thing stands out from all the experiments i have done since 2015...i eat a balanced weighless diet...which includes portions of everything...meat...fish...rabbit food...and even a little sugar...cycle and walking...i feel good...my cycling improves...i loose weight...my blood sugar levels drop...my cholesterol levels drop...my blood pressure drops...my resting heart rate has dropped...i no longer snore...i dont any medication...i dont get pains in me chest as much...i still pump my hr up to over 195 bpm @50 + 

 

it seems another common factor for sick people...the huge volume of food they eat...you get fat you get sick...no matter what you eat...its not the bug killer on the food making you sick...its the litres of coke you have with the 10 burgers and fries.

 

my wife always says "moderation is the key to everything."

 

dont eat the whole cookie jar...have one...you dont need to get up at 3 am on saturday and sunday and spend the whole day on the water fishing...go out and have some fun with the lads ...unfortunately i am an all or nothing kind of person...it is just who i am. 

[NotSoBigBen]

Saw this earlier this morning sent to someone by a coach and made me think ....

 

"You training like a dog and eating like a pig, choose one animal, can't do both"

[eccc whippet]

"What the health" ...a video causing a bit of a stir...interesting to watch with an open mind.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-c54Xy931E

[eccc whippet]

managed to complete a 100 km ride yesterday and finally just broke the 300 km mark for the week...everything hurt when i got back from the ride....it was like i had never ridden a 100 km...at least there was no cramping.

 

having my sister visiting from the UK certainly has helped to motivate me to get my buttt back in the saddle.

 

was sitting yesterday looking back at were i have come from since i started cycling...the most important improvement has to be my health...second my weight..then fitness.

 

it has helped chang my eating habits...from lots of processed junk...before cycling...my day started with a 500ml coke with a packet of chips and if the sammosas were warm a couple of them...at tea time...a proper steers burger chips and a coke or back in the day kfc had a cheap R5 burger (it would be 4 of them)...maybe stop a little later if we passed a kfc again during the day...lunch time another coke and chips or a chocolate...diner what ever was on the plate...it was always a beeeg plate...then after diner...i hit the fridge and cleaned out all the scraps/left overs or the sweet cupboard if the fridge was empty.

 

i am by no means cured of my bad eating habits...however they have improved drastically...i honestly havent eaten a steers burger or KFC burger in the past 2 years...i do eat a lot of Afros salads or my sandwiches (4 slices of bread) down from 8...normally with tuna...i have managed to maintain my weight  until i started riding again a couple of weeks ago...at the moment my weight is climbing faster than i can eat a muffin.

 

a good support system is one of the key ingredients to loosing weight...i find as soon as my wife comes on board and helps me fix it...it works... as soon as i am left to do it alone...the wheels start to wobble...they dont fall off but it is more difficult...ask for help if you find it difficult to do it alone.

 

30 second improvement on the M19 climb this weekend...and only hit a max of 185 bpm on the hr monitor

[eccc whippet]

took that step and went out and got a juicer and a blender.

 

every time i visit a doctor...the pill cupboards gets more clutter...the problem with medical aid...i shouldnt even waste my time collecting the pills...i never take them...time to try use food to heal my knee...shoulder and fingers...i first have to clean out the crap in my body...i know if i go back to the doctor about my knee he is just going to prescribe more Anti inflammatory pills...i have a draw full of them...i hear one of the problems with not taking the pills is scare tissue. 

 

got a few green juice mixes to experiment with...a little planning is required to get through the first 3-4 days. 

 

if i could turn around the cholesterol numbers without taking statins...i dont see why i cant fix my knee problem...with a little healthy food...i have nothing to loose.

[Jehosefat]

If you're not going to take the pills why bother going to the Dr in the first place?

[eccc whippet]

If you're not going to take the pills why bother going to the Dr in the first place?

because the quack makes the list for the blood tests and advises about the results and the limits etc...i had to get something cut out my neck twice because he didnt get it right the first time...to check nothing was broken after the last accident...blood pressure...etc etc.

 

like the cholesterol tablets i dont bother getting a script anymore (havent for about 2 years now) was told it was a family issue and couldnt be fixed without pills...hopefully the last test results were correct...because i was told there is no way to lower LDL without medication...you cannot do it by eating and exercise.

[Odinson]

because the quack makes the list for the blood tests and advises about the results and the limits etc...i had to get something cut out my neck twice because he didnt get it right the first time...to check nothing was broken after the last accident...blood pressure...etc etc.

 

like the cholesterol tablets i dont bother getting a script anymore (havent for about 2 years now) was told it was a family issue and couldnt be fixed without pills...hopefully the last test results were correct...because i was told there is no way to lower LDL without medication...you cannot do it by eating and exercise.

 

Absolute bull****. Eat right and you'll lower your cholesterol. 

[eccc whippet]

Absolute bull****. Eat right and you'll lower your cholesterol. 

I would agree...and my blood test results from 2015 and December 2017 are proof of it...however i am not sure the pharmaceutical companies would agree. 

 

just a note...we are talking about LDL...not HDL...make sure you understand the difference...HDL will vary all the time depending on what you eat.

[eccc whippet]

Shimano has replaced my new XC7 MTB shoes...i just hope this is not a common problem.

 

The reason they were replaced was because a ridge forms just in front of all your toes on the top section...after 2 weeks (7 rides) ...when you take off the shoes (both) it feels like your toe nails have been pushed back and lifted...not a pleasant feeling.

 

i did a fair amount of research to make sure i got the right size and have since been to a shop to verify my foot size using the measuring device they have in store. 

 

the XC 7 is a snug fit ( what i expected from all the reviews)...i ddint feel i needed the "wide " version (as many people have suggested)...there is a 1 cm space between my big toe and the front of the shoe...taking into consideration that the shoe is used for both road and mtb...and i do walk in them.

 

going from velcro straps to the boa system is such a pleasure...it works like a charm...very happy with it.

 

the shoe is very rigid...which is what i expected...my thought was instead of upgrading to a road shoe and road bike pedals to get the solid platform...instead go with a more rigid carbon mtb shoe.

 

the rubber under the shoe is also a blessing...no more slipping on rocks when you get held up on a single track with rocks...and what a pleasure when you cant get to clip in straight away as you pull away...the shoe doesnt slip off the pedal when the middle of the shoe is on the pedal.

 

riding round and round the circuit...i didnt notice any improvement using the rigid shoe...however getting out the saddle standing and powering up hills...what a pleasure...it makes a huge improvement.

 

I have noticed my left foot gets numbness...while wearing both my old and the new shoes...only my left foot for some reason...i have tried loosening the velcro.

 

The downside to wearing bling shoes...you dont want to get dirty or wet.

[eccc whippet]

took my new shoes out for a spin last night...climbed a few hills...made some adjustments to the cleats...moved them slightly back...then out for a morning stroll around the circuit...they feel much better...legs felt like lead this morning.

 

I noticed there was an accident on the circuit this morning (SUR group)...not sure what happened...it looked like a pile up of cyclist.

 

something i noticed this morning on the circuit...the robot at the stadium...a few cyclist stop at the robot and others dont...some shout clear as they go through and others still stop...i am sure we gona see a few more pile ups at that intersection.

 

this morning i put my hand out to stop... the person next to me also slowed down...there was a car coming from the left (off ramp from the M4) and 2 cyclist from behind decided to keep going...the person next to me shouted car to the left and they stopped just in time...i believe i would have witnessed another death this morning had they not stopped...that car would not have been able to stop in time...people need to be a little more careful at that intersection.

[eccc whippet]

slowly getting back into it...a 100 km road ride on Saturday...pace was good...but more important...i wasnt cramping at 80 km and didnt spend the rest of the day on the couch recovering.

 

The Marriott freedom ride on Sunday (40 km)...the route has changed...there was a lot more single track and less tar this year...it is not a seriously technical route...the bridges were solid...sand bags to help through some of the more difficult rocky parts...some people did battle over the rocky sections...so there was some bottle neck places.

 

I started right at the back again this year then worked my way through the slower groups...it is good to see so many people out there trying...it is a bit frustrating getting stuck behind people who walk over ever rock...but if the plan is to race and make a good time...get to the front at the start.

 

water tables were ok...they had juice and water...but no fruit...only the worse tasting energy bars...i didnt need to stop for food...just for water...saw the energy bars and decided to try one....eeeeeiiish...bad idea...i notice a lot of people taking a bite and dumping them.

 

the last stretch from the river to the finish line was the most difficult part of the ride...straight into a pumping SW...glad to see i had the fastest time on that segment for the day...it means i could have put in a lot more effort during the rest of the ride  

 

what makes for a good ride...good company...a little preparation (the engine)...training...nutrition...a decent bike which is comfortable to ride...well maintained...sized and fitted correctly.

 

will be back next year...for the 60 km.

[eccc whippet]

chatted to the doctor about my knee...looks like a huge bill coming...visit R1000 consult up front ...xrays and maybe even an MRI scan...lets hope no MRI ...they get flippen expensive...made an appointment for the week after the tour durban...might have to sell a bike to visit the doctor so that i can ride a a bike

 

asked the doc if i should take it easy on the bike...his reply..."no ...riding a bicycle is good for you" 

 

rather take it easy at work...climbing ladders and scaffolding puts a lot of pressure on the knees...my kinda doctor

[eccc whippet]

completed the tour Durban in 3:09...more important...what i took away from the ride.

 

i had a plan and stuck to it...i know my strength and weakness...on flat and downhills no problem...hills beeg problem.

 

stuck with a bunch until i felt ready...then broke away and moved forward to the next bunch...kept doing this until the M7 climb...once i reached the climb I set a comfortable pace and just kept my cadence at around 80 rpm...i past a few riders and got past by many others...i stuck to the plan and still felt good when i got to the top of the M19...then it was time to push it again...i only manged to get 79.2 km/hr (still cant break that 80 km/hr mark)... went past lots of people on the way down...once on the flat...caught up with a bunch and pushed it all the way to the M4...i manged to hany onto the bunch until the climb up past Sibaya...got dropped again...found a comfortable pace and stuck with it all the way to the top...at the turn i just kept going until the last water hole...i decided to stop and get a banana and some coke...i was on my own again...noticed another person ahead of me trying to push against the wind on his own... i called to him and said we should have turns trying to catch the bunch ahead of us...i went in front and pushed it...i needed help and slowed down to let him have a turn...he had got left behind...i had to just keep going on my own...i eventually caught up with the bunch...broken...hung on the back and recovered...eventually the bunch got bigger and bigger...we turned up over the bridge and i pushed it again to the finish line...my legs started to cramp 200 m away from the finish line...so i just literally free wheeled to the line...almost fell over when i realised i couldnt unclip...i lent over to hold onto the fence but the shape of the fence made it difficult...so i just went round and round until i could unclip and put my foot down.

 

i am very happy with the result,..it was a good ride and i enjoyed it.

 

what did i learn...the most important thing for me to improve my cycling at this point in time...loose weight and just ride more often.

[eccc whippet]

Looks like it is time to start putting in a little more effort...shova last year 3:36...if i want to break the 3:30 mark i am going to have to try harder.

 

after the tour durban i realized a couple of things...

 

i need to start hammering it again...i have got into the habit of "saving" myself...i try not push my HR over 180 bpm...it is making me lazy...instead of getting out the saddle and pushing myself i tend to stay seated and cruise up the hills.

 

being comfortable at around 100 kg is also bad news...i need to change my mindset and think about all those hills to climb from PMB to Durban...and how much easier and faster i could do it below 90 kg...hell maybe if i put in the effort and train harder i could even do the shova under 3 hrs if i got to below 90 kg.

 

from 3:36 to under 90 kg and under 3 hrs in 6 months at 50 + ...i wonder if it is possible ?

[eccc whippet]

The first real challenge for 2018...I have decided to attempt a sub 3 Amashova...i have 6 months to prepare...i am told it is possible and i believe i can do it.

 

How do i plan to complete the challenge...i am told it would require 3.4 watt/kg 

 

so i have a few options...loose weight or get really strong...or both.

 

I weigh around 100 kg...some days less and some days more.

 

Food plan...to eat as much real food as possible...lots of fruit and veggies...cut back on sugar and processed food as much as possible and cut back from 8 slices of bread to 4 slices a day...then down to just my 2 pieces of toast with peanut butter and syrup  in the afternoon (will burn off the toast during training in the afternoon)

 

training plan...train on a bike with a power meter...signed up with cadence for 6 months...which finishes just in time for the shova...2 sessions a week at 5 am...including a few recovery rides at an easy pace...a few long slow rides on the weekend...a structured plan will be in place soon.

 

Do an FTP to determine the training zones...test done today...glad to see i have improved from 235 watt to 250 watt avg for the 20 minutes...not bad considering my strava activity profile has been pretty empty since November last year...with a few rides on the weekends with the club and a tour Durban.

 

A stretching plan will also be put in place...to fix my knee and loosen up...spoke to someone about it this morning.