Onboard Camera

There's a new video of Ant C and me making idiots of ourselves while exploring the Lickeys last Saturday. All filmed for prosperity using our new cheeapy onboard camera system. Take a look if youre bored at work!

Anthony vs Anthony

Today was the first real test of my road riding capabilities - trying to keep up with Anthony Hill!

I met Ant this afternoon at Alvechurch Train Station and then he led us along a tortuous 25 mile route over some of the steepest hills I've ever tried to cycle up [since Wales, anyhow]. I had to use the smallest gear on my Boardman, for the first time since I've owned it.

The rain came down for the last 7 miles or so which made descending a little difficult but didn't cause too much of a problem.

The difference in fitness levels was apparent and huge. Ant explained to me that his average speed these days is 19+mph and he didn't want to let it drop below 16mph. Unfortunately, waiting for me meant that the average speed for the 25 miles was less than 14mph. Sorry, Ant.

When climbing up the hills, Ant was chatting away about the house he wants to buy, his Dad, and his experiences in Europe. All I could do in reply was gasp a yes or no between ragged breaths...

When descending, Ant would forget the brakes and weave his way down the hills like a bearded Eddy Merckx. He wouldn't even bother shifting his position. I, on the other hand, would be low in the drops and feathering the brakes as if my life depended on it. He always waited for me at the bottom...

After the ride, we went for a pint [one of the worst bitters I've ever tasted] at the Weighbridge and we were very glad to bump into Jake and his family enjoying a Saturday afternoon in the pub.

In conclusion, 2 months of 'Enduro Training' is no match for a life of cycling and a tour of Europe, coupled with an obvious natural talent for endurance sports.

Today's details according to Roger's Computer:

Time: 1:49.52

Distance: 24.99 miles

Average speed: 13.7mph

Max speed [for me]: 31.5 mph

Enduro Training - Final Day!

I made myself get out of bed at 6.30am this morning, and I have to get up even earlier tomorrow to make it to Dan's by 6.45!

The advice from everyone was to rest, eat loads of good carbs and drink loads of water.

So:

2 bowls of muesli with soy milk

1 granola bar

2 bananas

1 small orange

A few prunes

2 wholemeal toast with peanut butter

2 wholemeal toast with 2 fried eggs

1 chicken breast with wholewheat pasta and a head of broccoli

Loads of water

That should do it!

It was very frustrating not being able to do a training ride in the sunshine and in the end I decided to take a very slow trundle down to Halfords in town. I kept in the small gears and took it easy. I was very worried to find that my left knee was aching - maybe a result of the hill climbing yesterday?

I saw Adam, Nic and Nat - the lads at Halfords - and they told me they'd enjoyed checking out the Coed Y Brenin video on our website. They took a look at my front brake, changed the pads [for free!] and cleaned the front disc. Good blokes, hopefully I'll get to ride with them soon.

At home I contemplated doing a spot of weight lifting but decided not to risk it. I did some vacuuming instead.

Well, there's nothing more to be done. I know my training was not as good as it should have been but there's no use worrying about it now. I'm pleased with the amount of miles I've put in, but I'm disappointed with my eating habits over the last 2 months - I really could have been so much more sensible with my diet. I've lost a few pounds but nothing significant. Hopefully, the miles on the bike will have made me mentally stronger if nothing else.

My personal plan for tomorrow is to go full tilt out of the blocks in order to get to the descents as quickly as possible, get my breath back, lay off the brakes, and then hit the climbs full-on once again. Repeat until finished...

Good luck to Dan, Lloyd, Matt, Nick, Pete, Nathan and Dave. AMBS for the win!

Enduro Training - two days to go!

I'm finally back home after two fantastic weeks stopping with Lucy and the girls. It was a whirlwind of homecooked dinners, bike rides, Pokemon, homework, waiting for the bathroom to be free, and having my knees licked by MontyDog.

I still managed to ride a bike every day and even took Lucy out to Cannock Chase. My diet was crap - but that was all down to me and not Lucy. She was very restrained while I gorged myself on ice cream, chocolate cake and rice pudding.

I've arranged to go for a ride with Solihull Cycling Club in a couple of weeks' time so that I have something to focus on after the race: I don't want to go back to a 'couch and XBox' lifestyle with every weekend lost to drunkenness.

Anyway, today:

Breakfast was muelsi with semi-skimmed milk. Lunch was ham and cheese rolls, two oranges, a banana and a small flapjack. Dinner was two huge chicken breasts with green beans. Then I had more muesli cos I was hungry.

I did a bike ride after work. I took the mountain bike out and really went for it. It really hurt and I aimed for the biggest hills in the area:

http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/Teece/4kf3847thjfhl1a2

Not feeling nervous about the race yet, but I imagine that will start tomorrow.

I'm 10st 6lbs.

Enduro Training Day 46

This Saturday, I journey to Cannock Chase with Brendan, a chap interested in taking his mountain biking a little more seriously. We met at 9 and then headed to follow the Dog. Brendan doesn't really have the bike he needs, but it's certainly good enough to make a start in the sport. He tackled Follow the Dog and was eager to have a crack at The Monkey Trail. The main thing was, he was loving it - he said it was even better then he expected!

On the Monkey Trail, Brendan had two crashes, bleeding from his shin, knee and elbow, and still threw himself down every descent with the same fearless he has displayed at the start of the day.

Here's the video:

In the afternoon, Mom spoiled me with a lovely sandwich and tea.

In the evening, Lucy and the girls spoiled me with homemade curry, loads of junkfood and booze!

Enduro Training Day 45

Up early for the usual muesli and skimmed milk and then cycled into work. To my dismay, I realised that Lucy wasn't at college today and so I wouldn't receive my flask of homemade soup! After the initial panic had simmered down a little, I made my way to the canteen and purchased vegetable stir fry with rice, followed by a flapjack. Phew.

Cycled home and then loaded the car with my two bikes, tools, cycling gear and 56 Star Trek-Voyager videos.

I got to Lucy's at about 6.30 and immediately downed my one and only beer of the evening. Tilly had made a lovely dinner of homemade fish fingers with chips and salad. It was fantastic. I had accidently brought a load of ice cream and Maltesers with me which Tilly, Mouse, Martha and I got stuck into as soon as Lucy went out. We played on the Wii and got very over-excited. When the sugar-crash started, we played Monopoly until Lucy got home and then it was time for bed.

Training? What training?

Enduro Training Day 45

Breakfast: Muesli with skimmed milk

Cycled into work

Got really bored so cycled home for lunch.

Lunch: Lucy's homemade soup with 6 oatcakes

Then I cycled to Lucy's parents' house, then back to work.

Cycled home after work

Walked to Venture Bikes to visit fellow AMBS member Ben.

http://www.venturebikes.com/

As it turns out, Ben wasn't sure what the AMBS was, but never mind that. Picked up my mountain bike with it's newly-serviced brakes. Immediately set off on a 17 mile ride on the canal and on the roads:

http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/Teece/e0arsediks8l8nns

The bike now feels horribly slow and sluggish compared to the Boardman and I'll probably never take it out on the roads again!

Dinner: two veggie burgers, two veggie sausages, pasta and broccoli

Mini-workout:

80 push-ups

70 tricp-dips

80 sit-ups

3 sets of dumbbell curls at 15kg

Snack: three wholemeal toast with peanut butter