My Five Most Recent Blog Entries

Life has been a little busy and disjointed over the last couple of months and it felt like things were getting on top of me, so I took a rest week. This allowed me to get lots of small things around the house, work, and bike stuff sorted out whilst still allowing me to get 14hrs of sleep a night. I kid you not and it was Brilliant!!

I didn't feel ill although I was a bit sniffy, but really thought that I had lost my edge as I couldn't concentrate and sleep was difficult. Luckily, I think I'm quite good a listening to my body. When you've spent your life pushing things (mums call it overdoing things)in various disciplines, you learn this: if you're lucky.

No matter what's going on in life, we have to make sure that we don't dig ourselves a hole in overtraining(or poor recovery). Typically, athletes will feel really guilty and get agitated since they feel that they *should* be pushing hard all of the time...

...I eat pizza, guzzle fruit and drink red wine at this important time.

Oh, Yes!!!

That reminds me; I need to go turn the pizza oven on.

My new bike frame came and it's lush!! A lovely Red Santa Cruz Blur XC Carbon frame with the new RP23 with boost valve.

It'll be built up with top line finishing kit from Syncros in the next couple of weeks and will include carbon wheels, xtr, hope, and my favourite Reba WC forks. It is going to be a bit special and I'm very excited.

So, Saturday came, and I felt ready for a day on the bike. Jo thought it would be a good idea for us to go and recce a bit of "The Hobbit's Tale" just to see what it was like at this time of year. At about 11am we set off from Pontsticill car park and made our way up to The Gap descent in the Beacons and on towards the climb that takes you along to Sennybridge Training Area.

The Gap descent is one of the parts that I had to get onto the Northward route. It's part of one of the most iconic and photogenic rides in the UK. It's also a superb downhill and starts with plenty of drop/roll offs and ends in flat out gravel and rock gardens which a downhill rider would enjoy. You can do it as a climb, but I don't know anyone who has managed to complete it in one go. Someone will prove me wrong, though, I hope. I thought about having it on the WC2C but if you can't make a climb when fresh, you are highly unlikely to do it or remember it fondly after 19 1/2hrs in the saddle.

The Gap held some challenges this weekend,as you can see

But it just goes on and on...



I drove up this once when I was in Mountain Rescue. It seemed that the Team Leader wanted to see if I could drive a V8 Landrover. We made it, but I never volunteered again. It scared the pants off of me.

Next off, we headed along the Bridleway from Brecon to a tumulus and Mynydd Epynt, beyond. This is the same Bridleway that was being repaired when I did the WC2C last March: the same one that was 6" deep in mud and hoof prints. Well it's still muddy, but is far better drained than last time. It will be easily rideable in the summer, and was only boggy now due to the amount of rain and snow we've had lately. It took me about 20mins to trudge through it last year so it should be about 15mins quicker on actual attempt.

Speaking of attempts; two of my friends are having a go at soloing the WC2C this year. Steve Heading is doing it, with a twist, and he will annihilate my time. Even with the "twist" he's a faster and more experienced rider. He doesn't look like he's going fast, but he is. Trust me.

Rich Holmes is the next guy who's having a go, and when he does it in the summer he'll be quicker too. A strong rider who is coming back from some protracted illness so he needs to prove things to himself. Nobody else, just him. Awesome.

His mate, Rik, is also going to do Richard Rothwells' English Coast to Coast at the same time. That should help them get some good publicity, eh?

The WC2C (and EC2C) will then exist as current challenges for others to get excited about.

Anyhow, back to our recce ride. We turned around and headed back to Brecon for a posh plate of soup and a coffee, and then followed the original WC2C route back to Ponsticill.

It was the first time I had been on 5 mile climb since March last year and the 1st WC2C. Funny, it felt just the same, and Jo didn't seem to enjoy it, at all.

Back home for Tea and Medals, and a fly bit of trifle.

Lush.

Training has gone very well this month as I follow Coach Chris's Training Plan. The way he manages rest and quality training with no wasted effort or hours is only becoming evident to me after a year of massive improvements.

The "daft" little things that he says to you that get you out on your bike when your resolve wains, and the way he makes sure you rest well just sets you up for improvements.

Try him, or one of his pre-written plans. He's even written a new one for 24 soloists. You guys doing your first solo, not sure if a full coaching program would suit you; this could help you out.

So this weekend whilst I was enjoying my continued endurance gains, I decided to ride my Mountain Bike to North Wales.

Yip. I did.

I didn't quite get as far as I'd hoped due to a nasty headwind, but I got to Oswestry before Jo rescued me with the car and picked me up. I was freezing cold as I had thought I would be clever and time my cooldown perfectly to end as she arrived.

I floundered about a quiet carpark, out of drink and food, trying to stop my legs and back from seizing in the cold due to the 40 extra minutes I hadn't counted on...

...Oops.

We were on our way to Denbigh to see friends, for me to get tipsy and for Jo to do an offroad duathlon run by Uberfit Events at Llandegla. The organiser, Dave Quartermain, is an old friend of mine who used to come to the circuits I taught in the "Y" club in Manchester. In fact, we used to do the circuit together and beast each other mercilessly before the customers came for their piece of the action. They were popular classes, and it's one thing I still miss.

The circuits was the mainstay of our reflective conversation, but he had a job to do in running the event. We'll continue the catch up again, sometime soon, I hope.

As Jo was buying coffee for Wyn and I in the OnePlanet HQ, a chap came up to talk to me about my Welsh Coast To Coast and The Hobbits' Tale. I tried to appear intelligent and articulate as we had a conversation, but the truth was that I was a bit flustered. I didn't even do the introductions thing, so I don't really know who I was talking to. How bad is that?

It was probably the Boss at One Planet, but I should have asked. I feel daft now.

Jo did well on her runs, and blistered past folks on her mountain bike, and finished the event looking strong but muddy.

Wyn and I drank more coffee, after Jo started her race. We then whipped around the black and red runs toute suite, and got back for more coffee, cake and then off to Maccy D for a "meal".

Nice!

No photos this week, sorry.

The Hobbits' Tale is being run to try and raise funds for Clic Sargent cancer charity as it's something that's obviously close to my heart.

Clic24 is the race that got me into soloing, so I have teamed up with Neil Wilkins of Vipermarketing (and the Clic24 organiser) to try and present some form of coherence in fundraising between the two events. Neil is a marketing magician and knows how to get money out of folks, so I'm hoping this gives him an excuse to do what he does best- get inventive.

With that in mind, I now have a virgin fundraising page and we hope to start seeing pledges arriving soon.

Wish us luck!?

I just got off of the phone to one of the organising authorities of the UK 24 SOLO CHAMPS.

Dammit, I can't do it due to "The Hobbit's Tale".

The amount of preparation that is going into this solo only race is absolutely phenomenal. New soloists will have support on tap- That's awesome! And the big boys can go at it hammer and tong in a field of fully like minded racers. This means that soloists will(for the first time)get all of the recognition they deserve for pushing themselves well beyond their preconceived limits.

I'll be there, because I don't want to miss it, but I'll be mincing and supporting.

It's been a good week, capped off by a great weekend, too.

The weekend started with us driving down to Weymouth for a dirty weekend away. Well, a dirty shoe and legs weekend away.

Jo was doing the Weymouth EnduranceLife Coastal series marathon: the idiot.

We got a nice early bed (11pm) and were up at 6 am so that she could have her first breakfast, followed by more roughage free food at 7am. She looked quite cool and ready for action.

I took my bike so that I could ride around the road and catch her at various points on the course. It would be nice to just ride around for 3 1/2 hours at endurance pace.

Mistake.

The race was around Portland and every road goes from one side of the island over the top of it. I managed to get a few photos of the race, but it turned into a 4hr climbathon that saw the "endurance" focus of the ride flying well and truly
out of the window.

The road climb to the top was heart wrenching and then I was met by this...

26 miles of this?

downhill to the lighthouse

I missed Jo at the lighthouse as she had beaten me there as I did some more "efforts" on the hills around the island: Up and down, up and down, up and...you get it.



So I photographed someone else at the lighthouse.

I met Jo on the shingle beach, which she had to run about a mile on, twice. I was in agony from walking about 1/3rd of a mile once. I was impressed with these guys.

Nutters.

She finished it in really good spirits, and with no blisters on her feet (due to the clever insoles I made her specific to running) and immediately wanted food. KFC had a good beating, I can tell you.

Sunday and it was my turn again. 5hrs on the road bike with cold feet and watery eyes because I forgot my glasses, followed by some food, a glass of wine and a cuddle on the floor with my dogs.

Jo stayed on the settee in muscular agony...

...She couldn't get down onto the floor.

MBR magazine have been their usual supportive selves, and are helping with the coverage of my main challenge for 2010, apart from racing.

"The Hobbits' Tale" is basically a Welsh Coast2Coast out and return. It's approximately 410mile long with 22-23000m of climbing, non-stop.

In May, June or July 2010, I will set off from Cardiff and ride to Caernarfon, before turning around and riding back home. I might stop for a wee, but hope that that will be all. I'll be waiting for a weeks dry weather so that the bogs are a bit easier to cross in Ffair-Rhos.

The route runs from Cardiff and follows a similar route to the WC2C, except in a northerly direction. Highlights should be the incredible vista offered as you crest The Gap descent in the Brecon Beacons, riding more singletrack at Nant-yr-Arian, The Chute in Machynnlleth's Mach3, and Coed-y-Brennin singletrack.

When I get to Caernarfon, I'll hopefully still have my full entourage of support crews and I'll turn around and ride the actual WC2C in it's entirety: This includes the stupid steep climb up to Castell Coch on the way into Cardiff. It's a little sting in the tail that makes the last few miles a bit more entertaining as your legs scream at you.

As noted in MBR this month, I'm hoping to be able to have this ride ratified as a Guinness World Record, but this is actually more difficult than it sounds. As far as any of my colleagues know, internationally, this will be the longest non-stop offroad ride ever. Sheesh! It may have to be termed something like "Longest distance covered in 48hrs", or something like that. If I'm not finished the route, I'll bag the record (with luck) and just keep going 'til I finish the double. The double might take a little longer than 48hrs, but I'm not sure.

This is a challenge and a half.

I'm getting sweaty just typing this.

So when it's done, you'll be able to choose to do a WC2C Northwards or Southwards as they will both be defined routes.

Now, to the bikes.

This season we at the newly named Syncros Endurance will be riding Santa Cruz Blur XC carbon bikes finished with top of the range Syncros kit. I'll have two of these beautiful bikes each with slightly different kit on them, but they will both be sinewy speed demons in the racing world.

Most of our other sponsorship deals will remain the same, otherwise, but the websites will change a little to reflect this in the coming weeks. I'm also lucky to have a couple of additional sponsors to announce, but not quite yet.