Training Week Commencing 22nd March

Monday - REST
Tuesday - ROAD AEROBIC 1hr Simple 1 hour Z3
Wednesday - REST
Thursday - TURBO 1hr 15 mins warm up, 4 x 5 mins hard riding Z4 with 5 mins recovery in between each. Then roll down after the fourth 5 min hard riding for 10 mins
Friday - REST
Saturday - ROAD ENDURANCE 2hr To include 3x20mins Z3, easy in between efforts
Sunday - ROAD ENDURANCE 2hrs Hilly ride if possible with no structure

A Cruel Irony

My chief bridesmaid Vix visited at the weekend so I didn't really do any training- I went wedding dress shopping instead! I did manage cycle to one of the bridal shops on Sunday; most brides turned up in their Sunday best with Mums and bridesmaids, I turned up in lycra with bike oil all over my hands. Still, I managed to redeem myself by not looking too shabby in the dresses and by liking the most expensive one. It's a cruel irony that wedding dresses and fully carbon bikes have pretty similar price tags!

Training Week Commencing 15th March

Intermediate 5 hours

Monday - REST

Tuesday - ROAD AEROBIC 1hr 15mins warm-up, 4x5mins hard riding Z4 with 5mins recovery. Then roll down for the last 10mins

Wednesday - REST

Thursday - TURBO 1hr 10mins warm-up, 15mins 70rpm high Z3, 5mins easy, 15mins 70rpm high Z3, 15mins easy

Friday - REST

Saturday - ROAD ENDURANCE 1hr To include 2x20mins Z3, easy between

Sunday - ROAD ENDURANCE 2hrs To include 3x20mins Z3, easy between efforts

London to Brighton for a Party!

Bit of an easy week this week, well except for the end, due to worries about a bad knee. I have a Physio is booked and proper strecthing seems to be helping though.

Simon has succombed as we thought he might and has also decided to do the Etape! He has secured a charity place with Multiple Sclerosis Society and we'll both be working hard to raise sponsorship for them.

The highlight of this weeks' training was a ride from
London to Brighton, the excuse, or rather reward at the end being a friend's birthday party. We set off a 9.30 with some other beginners from work, the ride took just over 6 hours, but the actual ride time was 3hrs 50mins.


Stop off for tea

We made it up Ditchling Beacon without stopping, Simon and I both felt really good afterwards and I reckon we could have cycled back the next day had it not been for the hangovers!


Anna coming up Ditchling Beacon


Boozy night out after the ride

Training Plan Week commencing 8th March

6 hours

Monday ROAD ENDURANCE 1hr To include 2x20mins Z3, easy between

Tuesday ROAD AEROBIC 1hr 15mins warm-up, 4x5mins hard riding Z4 with 5mins recovery. Then roll down for the last 10mins

Wednesday REST

Thursday TURBO 1hr 10mins warm-up, 15mins 70rpm high Z3, 5mins easy, 15mins 70rpm high Z3, 15mins easy

Friday REST

Saturday ROAD ENDURANCE 1hr To include 2x20mins Z3, easy between

Sunday ROAD ENDURANCE 2hrs To include 3x20mins Z3, easy between efforts

The Training is Paying Off!

It's either the improving weather or I am getting better but there was a marked improvement in my riding this weekend. On Saturday Simon and I joined the Dulwich Paragon's again, we did the same route but it seemed much easier and I was a lot quicker. I even over took people on the hills! It was a fantastic ride, I had enough layers on and we took home made fridge cake (recipe on request!) to eat along the way. Had brekkie in cafe afterwards and talked cycling with other riders (am becoming a cycling geek).

On Sunday I went to Richmond Park, it was a lovely morning, a bit tough heading into the wind at times, but a good ride. All in all training has gone pretty well this week and I think I have done almost the required hours. Next week is an easy week, which is great as I am exhausted!

Owww

Cycled home with Rachel via Richmond Park last night, you can see the route and stats here. It was dark so the Park was closed to cars, which was really nice. There were loads of cyclists though! The whole ride took 2 hours which was bang on what the training schedule required. Noticed my knee has started to hurt though...

Fixed new Polar cycling computer (bought from Rachel who has a new fancy schmancy one which does GPS) to bike last night, it tooks ages! It measures heart rate, as well as speed and cadence, this should help me monitor what I am doing and whether I am doing the correct kind of training. Tested it this morning and my average heart rate was a little high, this means I can ease off a bit. Having said that I didn't ride the full hour I was meant to as my knee is really hurting, so I had to give up and take the bike on the train :-S. Gonna take a couple of days off to see if it gets better. Also think I am knackered- I fell sideways whilst stationery this morning at a junction even though I had unclipped one of my pedals. Very amusing for the cars behind me!

First Sportive booked

Booked my first Sportive, a 60 mile race in Surrey on 11th April:

"Description: After starting from the event centre, we warm you up gently on the undulating minor roads to the West of Guildford. The challenging, long climb up onto the North Downs is a great achievement with the reward of beautiful views down over the Surrey countryside. The quiet lanes at the foothills of the North Downs provide a welcome break after the climb, time for you to recover before re-ascending the Downs then a brilliant fast descent back to the event centre for a welcome cup of tea!"

Cycling is expensive!

Last night I bought, a Turbo Trainer (above), padded boxer shorts (!), over shoes, a repair kit and a saddle bag. Today I am buying a cycling computer.

I can't help but think the money I am spending on cycling could be being spent on our wedding. Sorry Si!

On the bright side, all these things will help me with training, especially the Turbo Trainer, it will mean I can sprint train indoors in front of Holby City :-)

I cycled 17 miles this morning in bright sunshine- good weather certainly makes a difference!

Training Plan Week commencing 1st March

Lovely ride in to work this morning the sunshine this morning, heart rate in zone 3, need to do some sessions where I get it a bit higher, but at least I am putting in some miles at last and I am getting quicker!

Training this week:

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - TURBO 30 mins easy gear, spinning and working hard to rev. without a high power. Save your legs but work your CV fitness and burn some calories
Wednesday - NO FRILLS 2 hours Zone 2 steady pace
Thursday - NO FRILLS 1 hour Z3/4
Friday - Rest
Saturday - HARD AEROBIC 2 hours Z2/3 pulse, constant paced hard session
Sunday - ENDURANCE 3 hours Z3