160 Days to Go: Sucking on diesel

Cross training yesterday. Went on a favourite route and felt the strongest I have ever felt on that run. Felt like I was "sucking on diesel". I find that running really helps my cycling as it improves my stamina, which in turn improves my climbing up steep hills.

Today I managed to get a ride in on the road, albiet on my mountain bike. 1st hill climbs in exactly one month, and felt really strong. Must be doing something right! Can't wait to get in some longer distance road rides though......maybe next weekend.

163 Days to Go: Caught Short

Think we booked what was possibly the last hotel in Alpe D'Heuz for the weekend of marmot. Phew! At least that is all sorted. Flights are booked. So just need to book a car, book the bikes on the flight and then train, train, train.

Down to shorts and t-shirt on the turbo yesterday. Did over an hour this time and really enjoyed it. Was sweating like the proverbial pig. Once I put the right track on I just find it really easy to push my self pretty hard. Just hope I feel the benefits when I (eventually!) get back on the road.

Anyway the geeky fact of the day (which I was told btw, didn't research myself) is that contador translates from spanish to english as "Accountant or Bookkeeper". Will remember that next time I am slogging up a col that I am a qualified "contador". (Wonder if that means I get to share a hotel room with Lance Armstrong?)

Now back to the ribble cycles sale. I need a new helmet, 25% discount, new contract landed today, say no more.....where's that credit card?

167 Days to Go: Black sunday

Black ice everywhere today! Tried to go out for a ride as temperatures have been around 0 to 6 degs for a week. What a disaster. Walked the bike to main road, which I was not bothered about as our road is never gritted. Main road was fine but as soon as I turned off the main road, on to a well used road in town, trouble began. You know it is not good when you hear cars skidding, and then next thing I knew I lost my back wheel. Luckily I was able to save a fall as I was going uphill. It just is not worth the risk so I went home and promptly got on the turbo. 48 minutes, average HR of 15o, max 167. Legs feel like I have done a proper ride with tough climbs. Getting restless now as really want to go out on the road. Could probably manage on a mountain bike but it isn't the same. Maybe tomorrow?

170 Days to Go: The thaw begins

At last things are beginning to thaw but the club, who haven't ridden since 21st Dec, are not planning a run this weekend as black ice is expected and minor roads are still treacherous. Training today was a 40 minute off road run in the snow. Great fun and beautiful conditions. The trail was so quiet that the only other soul I saw was a fox.

It is beginning to dawn on me now what a big ride I have signed up for. Reading what others are doing they are doing 3-4 hour weekend rides which makes me feel a bit off the pace. It also disturbs me when others react with awe when I tell them I have signed up for La Marmotte.....but then if you haven't done it yourself then the legend could be bigger than reality.

171 Days to go: On the road to nowhere

The snow is beginning to melt but still not safe to go out on a road bike so today was about fine tuning the turbo training, or as Mark puts it - riding my bike nowhere. Managed to adjust the tension so am getting loads more resistance. After about 20 minutes had to slow down as I was literally going to throw up. This is not due to a lack of resistance but a niggle I suffer from. If I eat too close to strenous exercise I get painful cramps and have to get stop exercising to ease the symptoms. If I don't will end up with the food being evicted from my body one way or another. Family thing - a pain the arse! Still I know now not to eat too close to a turbo session (I usually only have problems running or on a particulary hard climb)

So today I burned 306 calories over 38 mins, average heat rate of 142, max 167. Best tracks were;

Interval / sprint sessions - keep revs high and sprint all out during chorus

The Prodigy - Breathe (all time top favourite interval session song - used a lot in spinning classes)
Kasabian - Stuntman

Resistance - keep changing up a gear with each change in verse / chorus to mirror a climb

Goldfrapp - Oh La La
Kasabian - Seek & Destroy

Really enjoying these sessions - is great to start off in a down jacket / hat / gloves and be stripped down to a summer cycling top and sweat band after 10 mins :-)

172 Days to Go: Freezing beginnings

After a good year, cycling wise, I have decided to enter La Marmotte 2010. This is all on the back of completing a handful of sportives last year, including my first century. My strength is endurance and plodding up cols (emphasis on the plodding). So after registering my husband (Mark) and I, we confirmed on Friday that we are indeed registered for the event.

So you would think that the training would begin in earnest. But the conditions outside are against us. Snow, ice and freezing temperatures for the last three weeks. Today I saw a patch of grass on the front lawn, the first sighting of grass in two weeks. Still I had wisely invested in a turbo trainer in autumn so decided it was time to set the trainer up. After three hours phaffing about trying to fit a trainer tyre I finally got my first session underway. 45 minutes, average heart rate of 141 (up to a max of 160) I was impressed as this mirrored what I would do the road. This was all thanks to some great tracks from Kasabian and The Prodigy, spurring some good interval sessions.

This weekend I have begun planning events leading up to the big one. Needless to say my planning will be principal based but not a rigid training plan. These principals are;

- shock the body early in the season and then use this as the base mileage (i.e. got out for a couple of long rides to get the body prepared)
- increase mileage by 10% a week
- do an event about every 3 - 4 weeks, leaving a minimum of two weeks in between for longer events for recovery
- cross train
- enjoy the post ride treats!

Lets see how it goes.