Long weekend and up coming race...

Ohh well. I wasn't in a really blogging mood in the last two weeks.

After my crash I did a mad ride on the following Sunday. I went in Ricmond park early morning and started to do laps... yes, laps. Couple of laps... 20 laps! :) I have to say it was quite good fun. I really enjoyed my temporarily horse, the CAAD9 . I didn't feel too much difference between C9 and S6 in the first 4-5 hours. But over the 6th hour I started to feel a bit too hash the C9. I think it is a brilliant race horse for crit and road racing but not for endurance!

I managed easily the 20 laps, only I had some food problem around the 16th laps, but after I ate out everything from my pockets, everything was fine. I am sure now, that I can do my stupidness in middle of September.

End of the day I did 239km in 8 hours .

Here is the data!

The following week was ok, it spouse to be a rest week. But the same every time... never happens. I tried to catch up my personal stuff, but everything just turned in a chaos. But the weekend was wonderful! I had a very very long ride again. I rode the King of the Downs and a bit more! :)

My alarm clock started to scream 3 o'clock on Sunday morning. Everything was prepared already, I just dressed up, had some breakfast and my cleats docked in the pedals 4:28. The city was dark and dead when I left it. First of all, I rode down to Gatwick where the KOTD start center was. On the way I watched the sunrise in premier plane from top of Epson Downs. It was a beautiful experience. 5:20 in the morning, middle of nowhere, watching sunrise. I got in the event center around 6, I picked up my start number and breakfast (?!) and launched out 6:20. Last year we had rainy and cold KOTD, this year we had a sauna type one. The weather was wonderful, really hot and sunny. I didn't push too hard, just tried to keep the same pace all day long. I stopped all feed station, fruit cake, go bars and banana...yummi! I have to say it was a very well organized sportive ride. I only lost once, but it was a bit my own fault. I finished of the 191km ride with 6 hours 44 minutes. I didn't spend too much time in the finish, picked u my goodie bag, filled up my bottles , eat couple of energy bars and I headed home. When I got home , my speedo stopped at 9 hours 44 minutes and nearly 281km. It was a brilliant ride but after I couldn't stop eat in the next 3 days... :)

KOTD data!

Last Tuesday was a usual Hillingdon crit day. Nothing extra, good workout, windy weather. Position? Who cares! :)

I had a long Bank Holiday weekend, but I didn't do any long distance ride, because Bristol Bike-fest 12 hours race is coming up on this weekend. We are going down on Friday evening and spending one night in the town before the race. I am looking forward, hopefully everything is going well!

Mad week!

What a mad week! Where should I start....

Okay, Tuesday was Hillingdon day again. I turned up quite early , because I had a meeting with the operator guy and we sorted out my last week result. I finished 12th. He couldn't see my number on the finish photo, because the guy next to me fully covered my side.

Because some really big crash happened 2 weeks ago, the organizers turned the way on the race course for the opposite way to try make to safer the race... I am not sure it was a good idea. I didn't feel right the course on the opposite direction from the first second. Corners just weren't feel right, our speed was really slow, too much people in one bunch, you could feel something wrong. And crash happened again, after 30 minutes in the last corner somebody fallen off in the middle of the bunch and the domino effect started... and all front of me. I tried to stop, but I couldn't. Everything just was too fast and the weather was unbelievable cold and my fingers didn't work. I jumped over the first guy, but I couldn't jump the second one... I rode over his ankles... sorry my guy, I hope you are better now. After the accident, the first pack rode away and I worked hard to get on the front again in the next 10 minutes. Didn't left enough for the end again, but I finished 17th, and I am happy with it! :) Longest I didn't hurt myself I was happy with everything...

Happy... until Saturday morning. I just did my one hour easy recovery ride in the morning, when some silly cow knocked off me with her car on North End road. She didn't realized what is happened and she stopped 400m later, other end of the road... Thanks God, I am ok, I have just couple of small bruises and I hit my left quadriceps. Unfortunately my bike got more damage, and my clothing is absolutely destroyed. Luckily she has insurance and the whole claim is going true on it. I don't know when I will see any money out of it, but my bike needs a new front wheel and other bits and pieces.

After this accident I decided, that I don't wanna do the Hillingdon Grand Prix on Sunday. I felt myself a bit deconcentrated and when I put major pressure on my leg, it hurts. Anyway, I was full of adrenaline and I had to make something silly. And what? Hehe.... you will see soon! :)

Duncton sportive + a bit more

I rode the Duncton sportive last Sunday. One of our customer, Nick, sorted out me a entry and gave me a lift the way down. He picked up me 6:30 front of my house. The kick off was 8:30. The route was 138km and it had nearly 1400m elevation. (end of the day, my garmin stopped on 141km and nearly 1800m). I tried to pick up a good pace and keep continuously. I felt myself really good, even I had a hard week and I managed 8km run day before evening. The course was really good, nice quite countryside roads with beautiful landscape and couple of step climbs. The long distance included 2 feed station. I stopped on both and I treated myself with some banana and lovely flap jacks ( good to eat some different then energy bars on some days). The course was well signed and feed stations were really good. I managed to finish the route 4 hours and 33 minutes. It means I rode the fastest time on the long route. I picked up my free coffee in the finish and bought 2 nice cakes, and I headed back to London direction 10 minutes later... yes, I rode back to London! :D The 4,5 hours wasn't enough for me. I got face wind all the way back, but I really enjoyed the british country side view. When I arrived at home, my garmin stopped 231 km, 7 hours 54 minutes and more then 2800m elevation. It was a storming day with a lots of milage. The weather was quite bad, really cloudy, windy and cold and I got some drizzle on the way back, but these things didn't brake my good mood. I am looking forward the next weekend! :)

The garmin file:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/32829124

Weekly report

I am over my 3rd Hillingdon crit now. I tried to ride a bit more clever this Tuesday. The weather was really cold and windy, it was hard to warm up and I started to feel the morning run in my legs, but the motivation was on the roof. We started really slowly but around half time we started to pick up the pace. Two guys broken away in the first lap and we couldn't catch then. I think it was my best finish but unfortunately I am not on the result list. I contacted already the organizers and I got the promise, but nothing happened yet. I reckon I was in the top 15th and Stavros ( our sales member in the shop, who cheered up me on the race) reckons I was in the top 10... :( I am a bit sad, but anyway crit isn't my party and it is just training for me. After the cat 4th race finished we stand close to the finish line and watched the other category's finish. Unfortunately some proper crash happened. Lots of rider went on the ground and one guy needed a proper medical help. Lots of broken bike is well... lol.... I am not sure , that I wanna go up in category... :)

Week was quite good, I felt myself strong and training went really well, just a weather doesn't wanna change... rain, wind and cold.... I did 2 hours in the rain this morning and I had a 40 minutes run after work. I am in the bed now, because I am up to some sportive ride tomorrow. I will ride the Duncton sportive , which one is 140km and after the event I am riding back in London what adds 80km more to my distance. I have a 7,5-8 hours day in the saddle tomorrow and hopefully the milage is coming out around 220km.

Good night for everybody now! I am off now!

Bank holiday weekend

Box hill- 6 degrees and rain

I missed the Gorrick 100, but if I think back the Sunday weather and read the comment about the race, I am a bit happy with it. I am sure, my Saturday- Sunday long training was much much useful. When I realized that I couldn't do the Gorrick, quickly I replaned my weekend.

I didn't feel myself too good on Friday night, I messed up my carb intake again. My body was starving and I felt the time for some JUNK! I wasn't too shy and I went straight in the McDonalds, I know it isn't the best example, but I can cheat sometime( I think I didn't have McDonalds nearly 7-8 months). I had a massive BigMac with a medium fry and 1,5 Cadbury Chocolate Egg McFlurry and I washed down with half liter of Diet Coke. It was good felling... but I still wasn't satisfied. I rode home and checked the Sunday race food bag's contain. Uhhh lala... chocolate cookies and Wagon Wheels... they lasted 10 minutes. Basically I spanked in around 2000 kcal from junk. After I had a shower and I went in the bed. I had 8 hours deep and sweet sleep. I woken up like a new man on Saturday morning. I felt myself human again. I been on the bike around 5:50 and I headed out Box hill. I did 3 hours in the morning and I have to say I felt myself bloody strong. My NP was 263 watts for 3 hours and the IF is 0.837. Hmm... may be the lots of junk exploded my inside! :))) But this wasn't enough and after I finished the work at 6 o'clock on the evening, I went out 2 hours more in the park. I finished the day with 5 hours and 156km.

I woken up really early Sunday morning, but after I looked out the window, I went straight back in the bad. I waited for some magic, but it didn't happen... finally I rolled out midday with my all Gore-tex and winter stuff on me. Waterproof stuff worked very well... in the first 15 minutes. After I was soaking wet everywhere, but you know, we live in UK and NO RAIN, NO GAIN! :) I rode out Dorking and Box hill first. My average speed and wattage were terrible, I couldn't see anything, but I kept going. I had a new idea top of Box hill and I went to see the Windsor Castle. I been nearly 4,5 years in London and I didn't see the Castle yet, never better time... I had a quick look on the building 1,5 hours later , quick photo, rain stopped( thanks God) and I rode back Richmond and for finishing I did 3 laps in the park. 6 hours and 10 minutes, 172km. It isn't too bad in the hurricane wind and rain.

I was really hopeful , that I could ride some long one again on Monday, but my coach told, time for a rest! Ok....

Windsor castle- yippi

Castle park, cycling is prohibited.... hmmm.. I have to say, it is a fast road! :)))

I spent the whole Monday in the flat with my laptop and couple of nutritionist books and try to work out what a hell is wrong with my diet.... I have to try out some different diet, in calorie wise I eat enough , but weekly once or twice I run out energy... if I start to eat more, I get up weight in the next second. I try to do more carb with a less as possible sugar and junk in the next couple of weeks. In the same time I think I have to cut back on my protein intake... I calculated out and I just realized I eat nearly same amount of protein then couple of body builder.... less shake, less protein bar... dooohhh....

This morning I did 40 minutes run and I spent 1,5 hours in the gym. After I had a little sleep and soon I start to get ready myself for the Hillingdon night party! :)

I am off now, I have to clean my bike... still full of dirt from the Sunday ride!

Gorrick 100- no go....

Oh well, weekend, glycogen storage are on full, bike is ready for a rock and roll... and no go!

Unfortunately Dave just realized yesterday afternoon, he hasn't MOT and tax on the car and no way he can sort out before the weekend. I was hopeful, that we can find some solution before Sunday, but I had to realize it is a dead case! The notice was too short and Bank Holiday is coming up, everybody have a ready plan for a long weekend. I am a bit sad, but it isn't end of the word and I have to be honest, if we check the weekend forecast and injured wrist, may be better if I stay on the road and keep training. I try to do some mad long training on this long weekend.

I did 1,5 hours GA1 in Richmond park this morning. I have to say the weather was lovely and I can't believe the shitty weather will be back soon.

Back of the beginning of this week, I rode Hillingdon crit again Tuesday night. It was mad. Some crash happened in the junior category and our start was delayed. I finished on the 32th place, but without polish myself, I think I did the most work on the front in the first 30 minutes, but I didn't left enough to the finish. I have to say again, on this crit series I don't ride for a good result, I ride it for training. Hopefully it makes me a bit faster. It isn't a point for me, hang on the back 36 minutes and do the final sprint. It isn't match my training expectations. Anyway I really enjoy this Tuesday nights fun.

I got some goodies from Hungary last Sunday. Thanks to Fity for a bag of lovely stuff and to Zsabi for a great logistic! And what was in the bag?

Here we go:

Crank Brothers 2011

Our Crank Brothers rep just rocked up in the shop 10 minutes ago! He had a couple of sample from the 2011 Crank Brothers goodies. CB has a proper finishing kit in the production line next year. You can see the Cobalt 3 alloy stem (132gr), Cobalt 3 alloy seatpost (31.6-400mm 227gr) and the Cobalt carbon handlebar (660mm, low rise; 166gr) on the pics. I have to say these are just samples but all look lovely! The seatpost will be available in carbon version is well. My favorite is the stem, what uses really simular mechanism then Thompson to lock the handlebar and fork steerer for a place!
Mike also brought with him one pedals from the Candy line, what looks awsome! It is full alloy body for next year, gets better bearings... And the weight... Feather light!-
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone