Friday 31 July 2009

Little rest...

I am back after a while. I had 5 days of from the bike. I had a 12 hours night race in my calender after 1 week the Etap, but I didn't do it. Why? When I came back from France, I wasn't too well. My legs still ached where I had a cramp and I got a proper sunburn... but over all of this was really painful sit on the saddle. I thought it is just a skin damage... but I had to realized on Friday morning (1 day before the race) it is not going to be better... and actually it isn't just skin problem. I had to find out, I have cyst. First I had a big panic, but after a little research and chat couple of friends, who had a same problem, I realized it isn't the end of the world. I just had to change couple of things. Because my cyst was inflamed, it wasn't a point racing on the weekend. I canceled everything in the last second and changed the complete plan for the weekend! 5 hours later me and Adel (exgirlfriend and best support team on the world) had a Eurostar trainticket and hotel reservation to Brussel for a long weekend. After 7 months hard training and a lots of problem around the Etap I felt that I need some rest! We had a lovely time in Brussels, it is a great place, but if you are on diet, you shouldn't go there... I picked up 1,5kg under 3 days.. may be I ate too much belgian chocolate, waffle and drunk too much belgian bier! :)
I sat back on the bike Wednesday evening. I felt my lower end is ok, I changed my saddle for a more padded one. Thursday I just rode in work and back home, but today I did a bit "longer" distance with Liquigas SuperSix(Star) Dave after work. We just had one lap in Richmond park, but was lovely feeling to ride again after 5 days. I take easy this week, I will ride 2 hours tomorrow morning and may be 3-4 hours on Sunday. I am starting again the proper training on next week. I feel myself fueled up now and I have to concentrate the hungarian 24 hour race.



Belgian diet:









Kwak and strawberry beer









Chocolate...chocolate and more chocolate (FAT FAT FAT) :P


Tuesday 21 July 2009

Le Etap-the most painful ride in my life



18/07 Saturday:


I woken up very early, 3:30. I arrived to the airport around 5:30 and my check in was already open. I got shocked when I realized that how long is the line. Gatwick airport was ramped, thousand and thousand people went for holiday. I had to wait one and a half hours until I checked in. I passed the security control surprising fast, quick breakfast and run to the gate. I met with one of our customer on the plain, he came with the British Sky TV's brunch. We had a quick flight 1 hour and 40 minutes. Passport check was terrible on Marseille airport... 1,5 hours kewing again. After I met with my tour organizer, Sports Tours UK. It is a really good company, everything was well organized in the 4 days, I can highly reckon for everybody! 1 hour coach transfer to the Hotel Novotel Avignon, quick check in, little shopping and rest in the bed on the whole afternoon. My room mate arrived after 5 o'clock, really nice guy, he came from London and after the Etap he will stay couple of more days and do some cycle touring.


19/07 Sunday:


We had a coach transfer in the event village, Montelimar after breakfast. We had to assemble our bikes in the bike storage and live it ready for the tomorrow morning start. I built my bike and I had a quick test ride on. And that was the point when my whole Etap has been fucked up. After 50 meter ride my new "friend" turned up. The cramp! Cramp everywhere, what you can imagine! In my boom and ham strings. Honestly I don't know what a fuckin hell is wrong with me, I never had the same before and quite strange that only just happen on events and never happen on weekday training! I rolled back in the bike storage and tried to strach a bit. When I was able  to move, I walked in the event area and picked up my start number, couple of free bits and visited one friend of mine on the Rapha stand. On the way back to the coach I visited on nougat shop and bought couple of world famouse Montelimar Nougat. After I got back in the hotel I tried to give some treat for my legs, massage, streching and cold-hot shower. Around dinner time I felt myself pretty good and I was hopeful that I havn't any more problem with my cramp tomorrow. We went in the bed really early, around 9 o'clock. 


20/07 Monday:


The big day! We woken up 3:30, quick morning seans and go for a breakfast. The transfer left the hotel 4:45 and we got in the bike storage around 5:50. I rode for my start area, my number was 4668. Ohh well.... nearly 4500 people front of me and a same amount behind me. The start was 7 o'clock but when I started to moving the time was 7:20. I rolled out from the village gently, my legs felt ok, but I was scared. Everything looked fine..until the 5 km, when the mayhem started. My own mayhem. the most painful ride in my life. The ride which one was planed quick, strong. I was peaking on this weekend, everything was timed for the Etap. But the plan went broken after 5 km. The cramp started, and it didn't start gently...cramp never start gently! The feeling was incredible! I tried to spin but didn't change anything. I was slow, really slow. I thought that, may be better after couple of miles, but didn't. After 40 km I had to stop for strach my legs, because I wasn't able to move. I sat down the pavement and tried to strach. One french local woman came and asked me, that I wanna doctor. I explained for her the situation and told for her doctor can't help... may be a riffle can help... somebody shot me down PLEASE! She was really sorry and offered me a coffee ... I thought: why not! :) God bless her for the help! The coffee was helpful, after 10 minutes I was on the bike again. I thought, OK, I can't stop ...I have to carry on... And I rode slowly with my cramp. Unfortunately I had to stop one more time for 10 minutes around 90 km. But after this I went mad... NO MORE STOP! And I carried on. I past couple of friends, Rene, Chris and Gavin. I felt myself pretty shit, I was slow but tried to enjoy the day. When I got bottom of Ventoux , I felt that I can do it. I did 150km with locked and cramped legs, this 20km more is nothing! I have to say Ventoux is a brilliant and beautiful climb, but yesterday on the way up I had different things in my head. It was my life's longest and most painful 20km, but I did it. On half way up the pain was incredible, I just cried but I didn't stop. I had on every kilometer 2-3 minutes when I could ride just on leg, other one was absolutely locked up. People just given up around me, temperature was around 36 degrees. The last kilometer felt ages. When I rolled over the finish line I didn't feel anything. I was a bit empty and disapoined. But when I turned over on the first corner and stopped for look around from top of the hill, I started to feel the satisfaction. I was satisfied with everything, with the whole day, with the pain, with the view, because I did it! I don't wanna find excuse, that why I didn't finished in better position! I don't give a shit for what other people thinks , when they see my result on this race, because I know I am a winner! I really won this race my inside! Because I got ower my pain! I finished with 6:53 and I did the Ventoux climb 1:54. 

After this really inward couple of minutes I rolled down to the event village where I met with Nick. I think he did around the time then I did! Well done. We had some chat and in the same time we produced the most unbeliavable combintions of cramps. And we had a laugh on the whole day! 


I really look forward the Saturday 12 hour night race and hopefully I can do without any cramp... :)

Friday 17 July 2009

Monster drink...


We received the whole pack of Monster energy drink from Madison today. Three of us nearly finished half the box....everybody is flapping around on the shopfloor. Dave may take off soon!!! I am little bit worried with my heartrate... I think is bit too early , because Etap is 2 days away!

Thursday 16 July 2009

One more day to go...


One more day and I will fly out to France. I am going to ride the Le Etap on next Monday. I packed up nearly my stuff's 80% and my bike is ready to the mission. I did a full strip down and rebuild on it. I think the last time was 4 months ago when it got a proper service. Only I have to change my tubs tomorrow morning and I have to fit the bike in my new red Alan BikeBox! :) I am off the bed now! I need some sleep!  

Monday 6 July 2009

Short Sunday


After my Saturday interval session I didn't feel the freshness in my legs yesterday morning. It was hard to get out the bed and got prepared. I was on the bike 9 o'clock which one is one hour later start than the usual. I pointed my stem to Box hill directions, because no better mental training on the planet, when you are tired and you do the same climb 10 times! I got to Box hill very quick, around 50 minutes, traffic was quite and weather was bit windy but nice. I did 5 climbs already when one friend of mine (Vlad) came opposite with me. We had a quick chat, he did some Sunday group ride with London Dynamo club and he had a think may be he want to do one climb with me...... and one more... and one more.... :))) End of the day we did 5 all together. After he rode back with me in Richmond, because I had to pick up some stuff in the shop. On the way back he offered me a original italian pasta lunch and a recovery drink... Oh, yes, I just started to be hungry! (Ok, I am all the times hungry..). Quick visit in the shop, 5 minutes chat with James about our new Storck Fenomalist demo bike and we rode Vlad's place to Parsons Green. He cooked some really nice lunch under 15 minutes and by the time him girlfriend joined for us. She came back from cycling is well, she did couple of laps in Richmond park. After the lunch I had a real italian espresso and after a short chat I rode home. 
The plan was 5 hours,I did just 4,5, but I think the 5 climbs with Vlad was a bit stronger what I should do....  :) It was a great but short Sunday with a wonderful lunch! Cheers Vlad! :)

Sunday 5 July 2009

English Marathon Championship 2009


Ohh well, I had a ramped week, and I just have time to do my report about EMC 2009... after a week.
I have to tell the true , I wasn't sure 5 days before the race that I can do it. I had some trouble with my Lefty fork, we sent back to 88+ Belgium for a tune, and the fork went to be lost by Belgian post office, but finally I got back after 32 days! I finished quickly my bike and did my first ride with it 2 days before the race... 40km in Richmond park. I did the race just for training and friends with the bike. 
I did the logistic under 5 minutes on Saturday morning. Two phone calls and everything were sorted, thanks for my friends Tibi,  Eva and  my exgirlfriend Adel, who did my support! 
This race was Marathon Championship... but I can call more hardcore 100km XC race. I never heard this before, but it was a XC course and we had to do 8 laps on... which one is fit for me! Everybody asked that what do I think... I told, if I will in the first 10 I will be more than happy! 100km is too short for me. 
Sunday morning:
Everything went well, we met on Tibi's place, quick pack in the car, pick up Adel and go! We were already in New Forrest National Park at 8 o'clock. I picked up my start number and prepared myself and the bike. I wanted to ride 1 lap on the course before the start.  The weather was really hot and the humidity was unbelievable high. 
I started my course checking laps, but I never finished... After 2km my new "friend" showed up... I got a massive cramp in my boom again... middle of nothing. I couldn't move.... and was really hard work to get back to the car. 
15 minutes before the start:
Ok, I told, I couldn't race today....but after 1 minute I started to walk for a start line.... 
10 minutes before the start:
Hehehe.... funny situation, somebody realized, that I am hungarian, 2 seconds later I got the "nice" comments from every directions. ( you know what I think guys! All of you can FUCK OFF, everybody who pocked me got bitten! Strong guys ever talk! ) I didn't give a shit, because I knew first I had to deal with my cramp and after the new bike....... I just wanted to ride!
Start:
Ohhh yes, but not for me. Everybody pulled off, I started really slowly. This was slower than the typical Szabi start. I didn't want the cramp back I was really careful.
First and second laps:
I came back somewhere the last position after the first lap, and I realized that I rode one of my best bike in my life end of the second lap. The bike was amazing! Everybody felt in my support team, that something wasn't right with me... yes, the cramp!
Third and fourth laps:
I started to be better end of the third lap and I started to race in the fourth lap. I started to take over other riders and nobody pasted me, which one was a good sign!
Fifth lap and sixth laps:
I felt myself really well, I felt the power, but I couldn't push hard enough, because the cramp.... but I rode quite good laps! I started to enjoy every meter on the course, and I really felt the bike! I got my new bottles and gels very laps, thanks for Adel and Eva! The temperature was high, lots of rider started to give up the race. If you didn't look after your drink and food, you died! 
Seventh lap:
Tibi shouted to me, I am on the fifth place! Ohh gosss, thats good, I didn't think! I was really happy!
Last lap:
I past one more guy from the same category, I didn't know he was the 4th or I just given a lap for somebody, but after twenty minutes, when I pass the finish line, I got the information, I finished 4th! I was unbelievable happy! 
End of the day, I got quite lot from the first and second guys, but I know if the race is 3 or 4 laps longer and I hadn't the cramp problem in the morning,  I could finish easily on the second or third place! But in the sport NO BUT! I got the 4th place and end of the story, nobody interested with the excuses. And I shouldn't do any! I am happy and thats the important thing!!! 
It was really good feel, that the first five got a prize and the event guys appreciated our hard work! It was a tuff course, tuff race in the inhuman hot! 
I wanna say really big thanks for my support team Tibi, Eva and Adel! If you guys didn't help me in the last minutes I never did and finished this race!  Also BIG THANKS for my shop and sponsor - Bicycle!