2018 challenges

[eccc whippet]

back to cadence today...went as expected...another week and i should be ready for a full session.

 

eating plan sill on track...weight up again to 99 kg...not surprised...it should start dropping again as my body gets use to the training.

 

still no sugar or junk...plan has become a habit...daily task.

[eccc whippet]

at least some good news this morning...96.2 kg (using my new scale)

 

thought it a bit strange that people are commenting about how much weigh i have lost recently and yet the old scale is up and down...one day 97 and next thing back up to 99....so i invested in a new scale. 

[eccc whippet]

Treating yourself for your hard work... to a sugary...cream coated...strawberry jam cake is as effective as having a puff while out enjoying a few cold ones with the mates...2 years  after you decided to give up smoking   anyone who has done this will understand where i am right now...not doing anything that might raise my HR and no longer having any goals other than to recover isn't making it any easier.

 

it was frustrating...now just depressing.

 

had every  test i can think of to try shift the blame for the way i feel...everything is clear....blood sugar tests (5.7)...blood pressure (130/95)...resting HR (71)...even had my ears syringed yesterday...right side inner ear is still slightly infected...but certainly not the cause...i have even been taking sleeping tablets and going to bed a 8 pm so that i sleep through the night...hoping to feel right in the morning.

 

I do realise this is going to take time.

[eccc whippet]

Finally...the Grannies have left and birthday parties are over...i made a point of finishing what was left of the cakes last night...did a weight check his morning...98 kg ...not surprised due to lack of training...lack of interest and the amount of crap i have been eating. 

 

Did a ride on Saturday...started off slow with the C group using big rings and low cadence to keep the hr down...at the turning point...i was feeling ok so i joined the B group...went a bit over board...suffered for it when i stopped (eyes were burning like shyte) ...but recovered quickly.

 

Been getting headaches lately...more tension on the back left side of the head...when i tilt my head forward i get a pain in the middle of my back...got a tennis ball put it against the wall and worked my back...felt like i had 3 spines and a few nasty bumps.

 

Been resting a lot...still no training/cadence etc...not actually sure what i am going to do...dont know if it is worth going back to cadence if i dont have a specific goal.

 

Have considered setting up zwift...but it still seems to be cheaper to go to cadence...by the time you setup...bicycle...power meter...smart trainer...monthly premium...wear and tear ...etc etc...for what you cost at cadence and what you get in return...for now it is cheaper to go to cadence.

 

for now the the goal/challenge is to try fully recovery and stay off the mtb....just in case. 

[eccc whippet]

24 days to the shova...too much time lost to try do the shova under 3 hours this year...lets see if i can just beat my last year time of 3:36  

 

some useless info i found under seeding in cycle events

 

Current index - 52.32

Ranking - 25140/104980

Gender - 22383/82244

Age - old ballie

age ranking - 4685/16864

 

I assume it means i am slow and need to try a little harder.

 

Decided to get my a$$ off the couch again...went back to cadence and joined in...had to take a break twice...but recovered quickly and got straight back into it.

 

This morning jumped out of bed and went and joined the off bike conditioning class with Matt at Westville cadence (free if you are  a cadence member)...still not 100 % but gona just see how it goes.

 

Joining the B group for a ride tomorrow and gona try finish off with a 100 km ride. 

 

Looked into the zwift thing...not worth the time effort and cost involved to setup...i can do 2 years of cadence for the price it cost to setup zwift excluding the monthly fee...and there is no wear and tear on my bicycles...good social atmosphere...shower facility...free off bike conditioning class every friday morning  (16 people in the class today...with a lot of banter ...started off with just 6 of us)

 

the stretching and off bike conditioning has made a huge impact on my cycling...especially the longer rides....the top half of my body and my back doesnt feel as buggered.  

 

just realised it has been almost 2 months already.

 

Some good news...still no fizzy drinks and no sugar in my coffee.

 

never thought i was going to have the skin hanging thin...around the gut...it has started...one down side to the loss of fat...when it is full of fat it hold it out...as the fat is getting less so the skin is starting to hang it is even happening on my knees...getting these wrinkles around the top on my knees.

[Veebee]

you will need to do a few more races and try to improve your seeding before having a go at a sub3 shova. Have to start in the first 3 - 4 groups to have a chance.

 

Although you have improved your riding before your crash its still wasn't going to be an easy task.

[eccc whippet]

you will need to do a few more races and try to improve your seeding before having a go at a sub3 shova. Have to start in the first 3 - 4 groups to have a chance.

 

Although you have improved your riding before your crash its still wasn't going to be an easy task.

after my cadence session on thursday...i can feel my legs still have the strength...managed to hold 300-330 for the 30 sec intervals then held an avg of 430 for the last 40 sec interval.

 

its the endurance that is lost...so from this weekend i am going to try doing 100-130 km rides again...i was hoping to be chasing the A group by now...this weekend would have been a real tester...i hear Daryl is taking the A group tomorrow...so the okes are gona sweat...i hope angela is gona ride with them...make them work ...she made my eyes bleed last Saterday trying to catch her up and down those inchanga\ drummond hills.

 

get on your bike and come and have some fun.

[Veebee]

all the new names, have no idea who they are

 

i'll get back on seriously in a few months, just wrote this year off and wont be doing any races.

[Dazshell]

after my cadence session on thursday...i can feel my legs still have the strength...managed to hold 300-330 for the 30 sec intervals then held an avg of 430 for the last 40 sec interval.

 

its the endurance that is lost...so from this weekend i am going to try doing 100-130 km rides again...i was hoping to be chasing the A group by now...this weekend would have been a real tester...i hear darren is taking the A group tomorrow...so the okes are gona sweat...i hope angela is gona ride with them...make them work ...she made my eyes bleed last Saterday trying to catch her up and down those inchanga\ drummond hills.

 

get on your bike and come and have some fun.

My name is Daryl!

[eccc whippet]

My name is Daryl!

 

fixed

[Veebee]

[eccc whippet]

was good to see you out and about on the bike this morning.

 

Glad Darren... i mean Daryl made the call to go North instead of South....nothing like freewheeling at 40 km/hr with a strong NE pushing you home...klapping the PB's

[eccc whippet]

From the coach to 200 km in 3 days...including  an off bike conditioning session...which left my legs feeling very tender.

 

there must be a race coming up...19 members started in our B group on Saturday...didnt quite make a 100 km...but i am happy with the 85 km...that SW coming back from Balito made it an interesting ride back to Durban. 

 

With the route change today...that NE made our ride back an absolute  breeze...got home and soaked the legs in ice cold water....had a minor issue 30 km into the ride...started getting a headache and the right side of my face got that same pins and needles feeling...backed off and took it easy till we got to airport...it cleared and I got right back into it...took full advantage of the north easter on the way home. 

[eccc whippet]

Just no motivation to ride or diet at the moment...finished the shova in a dismal 3.43.

 

used every bit of knowledge i have gained since i started riding in 2015...made sure i started at the front...then just held onto the front group for as long as i could...got dropped near the top of fox hill...took it easy for a while and recovered...the mtb group caught me at the turn (the wood factory) ...this time I had the strength in my legs to hang on most of the way to cato ridge...eventually i couldnt hold on up a climb and got dropped...one guy on his own wearing light blue kit...came past...he pulled me to camperdown...i  decided to back off and recover...knowing i was going to suffer in the hills.

 

made my way through the hills...just put my head down and focused on getting up the hills....on the down hills i made up for lost time...even though my max speed was only 59 km/hr (thanks to the wind) it still helped....got to hillcrest as i started the decent...3 guys in blue kit passed me...so i jumped on the back...gained a lot of time..the pace was too fast for me...they were switching constantly...i manged to hang on until kloof...then i started cramping...i had to backoff.

 

a tandem past me as we started the the drop down fields hill...i eventually i went past them...but not for long...i used them to pull me to westville...they started battling ...so i just continued on my own....got to 45th and realised i wasnt going to manage a sub 3.30...so i backed off kept a steady pace till the last left turn...with the wind behind me...head down...full speed ahead...managed to avg 40 km/hr to the finish line.

 

It is the first shova that i have managed to ride from the start to the finish line without stopping...had the right quantity of water and mix...nutrition (jam sarmies) but most important mental attitude.

 

What did i learn from this experience ...cadence certainly makes your legs stronger (my ftp has improved from 238 - 269)...however without the long rides (120 km) which i had planed for 2 months prior to the shova (but didnt do due to the bump on the head)...you gona battle and cramp as soon as the going gets tough...stretching and mobility classes certainly helped with the aches and pains when you get to the 80 km mark.

 

Moving forward...i need to spend more time riding the bike in general...spend more time using harder gears...spinning at 80 + cadence is great...but you need to grind a bit to build the muscles in your legs...spend more time stretching and doing upper body workouts. 

 

time to take the mtb off the wall and get back in the bush...the summer heat is not great for road riding...still need to invest in a new mtb helmet...gona do a little research before i make the purchase...maybe i should use my RS2 next shark helmet...that thing is solid with a 5 mm thick visor...i might sweat a little ...eeeeeish...just cant afford to take another head knock. ...gona have to slow down and realise i am not in 20s anymore.

[eccc whippet]

Been a while...finally coming right...bump on the head seems to be sorted out...no more dizzy spells...blurred vision etc...so i decided a couple weeks ago to give it stick again.

 

been going to cadence and putting in the effort...have managed to improve a few of the stats...taken my 5 second pb from 854 watt to 1111 watts...and max power to 1196 watts.

 

i over did it last week and suffered for it on the weekend rides...with a NE head wind on Saturdays ride...i still had my fair share in the front of the bunch. 

 

also managing to hold onto the slower cadence intervals...i use to battle to hold the pace at 50 cadence...i have also been spending more time grinding than spinning out on road rides. 

 

as soon as i started increasing the time in the saddle so the weight has increased...sitting at around 99- 100 kg. 

 

i wasnt going to sign up for cadence this month...however Matt has offered to do off bike conditioning sessions twice a week for December and we got a 2 week voucher to give to a friend or family member...it was a no brainer. 

[eccc whippet]

2018 challenges...i did get to spend many hours on the bike and clocked up 6000 km...even though i didnt achieve any goals this year ...i have enjoyed the journey...just grateful that even after 2 bad accident this year i am still riding my bike.

 

seen many accident as they happened this year...the young lady who hit the cliff in drummond...the guy who hit the curb at sibaya...the monkey which dropped 2 riders on the bluff...our group captain went down in westville...and just a week ago 2 riders down in kloof.

 

a tip for newbies to group rides or any rides for that matter...the most important tip............."always stay focused" ............keep your eye on the road or track...your path will always follow where you are looking...loose focus for 1 second and things can go seriously wrong. 

 

weight today 103.8 kg ....This is what happens when you get comfortable...in your weight and your riding ability...and yes it does get easier...been spending too much time hanging back with the B group enjoying my rides...not always chasing a faster group...you only get as fast as the group you ride with...if you want to get faster...just hang onto a faster group.

 

set some goals for 2019 and enjoy the journey.