A Mixed Bag.............

This week has been an interesting one with a variety of sessions. On the bike it has been all about speed and raising the threshold. Tempo cycling and raising my heart rate in great conditions so it has been a cycling paradise. The odd run and tomorrow a double session of first of all cycling and then a swim in the evening! Love it...........

Riding In The Sun!

The perfect conditions continue to present me with a perfect training window for the bike! Heading out today for a nice leisurely 2 hour ride was simply majestic. Riding rural roads in sunny conditions means that you just dont want to return home. It felt effortless today and is a good sign that I am in good condition. A low average heart rate of 129 beats per minute shows that it was a very easy workout!! On May 1st I will enter full time hardcore training so this low key approach is the calm before the storm.............

Ride The Ride & Live The Dream!

Today I exceeded my own personal expectations with a ride much faster than I anticipated!
Pre-ride I adopted the frame of mind associated with racing, it was going to hurt so meet it head on and done feel sorry for yourself! My heart rate quickly elevated to 93% of Maximum and I was clearly riding into a minor headwind but who cares you cant always have it your own way!
I finished my test with an average speed of 22.1 mph and a maximum speed of 30.2 mph so I start the season very pleased indeed. I felt great and after easing up still finished my warm down with an average speed of 19.5 mph! Now I will start to train full time on the bike and look to improve. I am sitting at 10st 8lb quite light and feeling fit!!

Today Is The Day!! Judgement Day!! Fuelled by ORBANA!!

Today is the day when I will assess the start of my cycling training programme with an all out ride! The Time Trial bike is prepped, the weather is perfect and I rested yesterday in preparation for an average speed check! I will go out and warm into a nice tempo ride and watch as both my Heart Rate & Average Speed climbs until I can push NO MORE!! This is known as "Judgement Day". I will ride a fast road on a fast bike until my HR hits the roof and then I will maintain it!!! Wait for the statistics to follow because this is ONLY the start! After today it will just get FASTER, LONGER & most importantly MUCH MORE PAINFUL.................Bring it on I am ready to suffer like never before................

Just Perfect Cycling!!

You know when 1 hour turns to 2 and the best laid plans just go out of the window? Well it started ok but with perfect riding conditions in glorious sunshine on a perfect cycling road you have to ride on and on! Haverhill to GT Dunmow via Finchingfield the sun was absolutely superb with a light breeze it was only work that prevented me from staying out all day! Feeling very fit at the moment body weight around 10st 8lb I feel a great summer of training is approaching! It will only get better!!!

Haverhill Hills!! Painful.............

Its not always the most exciting of sessions but hills are an essential part of any training programme! Building leg strength and the ability to tackle hills confidently it was only a 30 minute session yesterday but how painful!! Repeated climbs are both physically and mentally challenging so they are a good all round session! Today I will look to smash both my legs and lungs to peices by completing a very tough 60 minute tempo session! Yesterday my heart rate was up in the 90% region of Max HR. Today it will be the same for a sustained period of time! Overload time....................Pain & Suffering!! Bring it on.....

Monday Is Rest Day

It is and will remain a very important day when I put my feet up and rest before I get back to it tomorrow! It not only gives me a break but it makes me want to hit the bike even more tomorrow. I can't wait to get this week started...........Bring it on..................