Here we will keep you up to date with all of the Bike to the Future preparations, both organisational and riders' training preparations. The update will be posted every Monday until and during the event itself.
Training Preparations
Week ending: 21/11
I think most of the riders decided to take Pete's advice of taking it easy towards the end of the training, by 'winding down' their training. A few 30 mile 'quickies' were thrown in, which in itself shows how far we have come. This time 3 months ago, a 30 miler was a major expedition - now it has been relegated to a 'quickie'.
Pete himself did a couple of quickies and a 4* hangover (on the Smit scale), following the rugby - maybe his version of 'carbo-loading'! He has also been accessorising again, with some new cycle shoes, gloves and a buff (the ultimate accessory for the outdoor type). George managed much the same, however, was catching up on his sleep following his trip to Chicago. He returns again to the USA the day after the ride - hope he has lots of leg room.
Andy did some gentle stuff , and his plans were scuppered somewhat by the fact that he developed "chronic back ache presumably due to the cycling and DIY, so spent whole of Sunday laid out on lounge floor". His visit to a chiropractor revealed that a 'riding' position may be the best posture for him, so that fits in well for the weekend plan! PVR managed "15 miles on Saturday and 25 miles on Sunday. The Sunday outing was like being in the Alps; snow, wind and low cloud over the Pennines. However, I did race and catch another mad cyclist who was out in the extreme conditions. I think skis would have been more appropriate"! He cannot resist one last run in the week though. Les too was in arctic conditions, this time ice skating at Rosa's 12th birthday party, and tried his best to injure himself - a hard fall against the boards was fortunately broken by some young girl who came out substantially worse. The party and other Bike to the Future arrangements meant that Les' sum total for the week was 10 miles.
Simon did most of his 80 miles on a static at the gym, including a spinning class - he's training to win the most 'sprint points' of the ride. Smit is getting used to another 'new' bike.
Francis and John went quiet - taking it easy. However Francis did find time last Saturday to take a picture of the ribbons that the riders will wear to advertise the web-site. He said that we might like the picture to be used as a background somewhere on the web-site. Seems a good idea but for the time being we just include them here.Francis also tested the mobile phone technology to provide Sue Ballard with updates for the web-site during the ride. It obviously worked as you can see from the photo of himself.
The final word as usual must go to David who has been scouring the website for long distance cycling tips (well in advance Dave!). David says "I consulted the internet, typing in "long cycle ride" and came up with a web site full of top tips - ww.cptips.com who provide loads of good advice - I quote from their Long Distance opening para...This ride will definitely cause you to bonk .. WHAT? I read on - if you don't replace your carbohydrates, so snacking on the bike is essential. I'm in an American web site I realise, and 'to bonk' definitely has a different meaning, presumably like our 'hitting the wall'. It might you get funny looks if taken out of context, similar to when I mentioned that I was going outside for a Fag to an American. Les has christened me Mr Bonkers, which I hope isn't a premonition that I'm going to hit the wall. Last weekend I did my final practice of around 30 miles and then 50 miles, in addition to some deckchair exercises". Bonkers!
And so now, the fat lady has sung, and we await the real thing...
week ending: 14/11
I don't know if it's the nerves of 2 weeks to go before the big off, but instead of it all being quite and serene and final preparations under way, some of the team seem to have caught the Mr Bonkers bug. Francis has decided to borrow Simon's road bike for the ride with a view to using it on the ride. After about 30 miles of getting used to the new gearing (not as easy on steep hills), Francis decided to give it a go with the result that it felt like "rocket power", only for "...bang, a front tyre puncture at speed - spent 30 mins repairing this - could not get the tyre off the rim and then couldn't find the puncture. After another 5 miles got a second puncture arrrghhhh - nearly threw the bike in the canal and decided to walk home". This came after a another puncture catastrophe 2 weeks earlier where Francis "got a puncture on the way home at Berkhamstead. The weather was so bad that it was like being in an 'It's a Knockout' competition with people continuously throwing buckets of mud coloured water over you. I couldn't keep anything dry long enough to fix the puncture. So I had to push the bike 8 miles back home".
David has borrowed a bike from someone at work (because John and Pete had told him his bike was "not very good"), and felt that his 80 miles over the weekend allows him to face the ride with a higher degree of confidence, but still feels that despite cycling wisdom (well Pete telling everyone to "take it easy over the final; weekend") he needs to put in a couple of long ones to become "match fit". The only downside of the new bike is that Dave has had to "modify my bespoke designed training deckchair to take the different bike, so I can continue training in the garage in the evenings".
Smit too has been getting used to his new road bike (in between 5* and 2* hangovers - oh, the innocence of youth), and will soon have to get used to another as "after approx 10 miles, I encounter a bit of a climb so I got my speed up, hit the hill and started to pedal with maximum power and the next thing I know I'm on my arse in a heap, left foot still in toe clip, right foot still in toe clip but not attached to the bike anymore! The pedal was fine but the bit that's attached to the pedal and the cog, the long metal post (not sure of terminology) just snapped. No stitches needed, just a few cuts and bruises. So I had to peddle back just using my left foot whilst my right
was made redundant".
PVR is finding like the rest that he is eating "like 3 horses", and has done 2 successive 90 mile weekends, and is covering the distance in some amazing times (50 miles in 3.5hrs). Must be the supplements that he and Andy are busy trying out - Isotron re-hydration and steroid drink seemed to be the 'drug' of choice this weekend. PVR is definitely a dark horse, as long as the "testicular ache" does not get the better of him. Andy has been getting in the miles (approx 140 in the week including the now obligatory 50 / 50 back to back). On one of the rides, Andy was struggling a bit with temperature control when he decided to "emulate the real thing so set off at 7am and it was absolutely freezing, particularly feet and ears. The next day I set off with balaclava and walking socks - removed balaclava after 1 mile as head was about to spontaneously combust". Andy's 'drug' of choice is REGO which "despite tasting absolutely disgusting (the banana flavour) seemed to do a pretty good job in aiding the recovery". Nice top tip of the week from Andy "when you encounter an irritating clicking noise, ensure your shoe laces aren't loose before investigating bottom bracket, chain, pedals and adjusting gears".
Les did his second 50 / 50 back to back, and sussed out the route back into London from Oxford (55 miles in 4.5hrs). He will have to go out again to see if "we can avoid at least 2 or 3 of the 4 hills which I encountered on the route. They were tough on the single ride, but could be real killers coming in the last 30 miles of the ride". John knocked out a 60 mile run through Staffordshire, and Pete has decided to 'peak' his training with a 160 mile week, including a whopping 70 miler upto the Brecons (6.5hrs). Pete now feels that he has achieved all his objectives to date, and decided to wind down on Sunday evening by having his mother-in-law for Sunday dinner (beats PVR's eating habits hands down). As for the final weekend Pete smugly says "I plan to just do a couple of 30 milers and let the quads heal a little! I am looking forward to the run much more now, a smile comes rather than a frown when I think about it!!". Even more smugly, Simon spent the last weekend playing his guitar and drinking beer.
The final word must as always go to Dave who informed the team that " to help me get the freedom of outdoor cycling training that I can't get in the garage I've followed Viz's Top Tip of removing your windscreen, and driving with half a melon skin on your head, then jumping red lights and driving the wrong way up one way streets". Bonkers!
week ending: 07/11
Andy was shocked after talking with Dave (Mr Bonkers) and realising that the deck chair arrangement was not a joke, and that Dave was "deadly serious". Dave is deadly serious indeed, and has recommitted to the Bike to the Future ride despite having cracked a rib in last weeks fall. Dave is planning to catch up for the week of relative inactivity. Andy meanwhile has had a reasonable week, and has managed his longest ride to date - 40 miles. Although feeling "pretty good while cycling, I felt incredibly stiff when I got off the bike". Nevertheless, he is aiming for the 50 mile back to back this coming weekend. Top gadget tip of the week from Andy "Spokey Doekey - an ingenious device which can be fitted to your spokes on long down hill sections increasing power - only available on larger packs of cornflakes and there is a complete set of Simpsons characters to collect".
Perhaps Spokey Doekey may have helped local wildlife to flourish as Simon sliced and diced a squirrel as it ran out of a hedgerow straight through his front wheel. Simon was out for a quick blast with the Harrow 'Team Specialized' of George and Les, and was so fast that he lost them somewhere in St Albans. This was despite Simon's best efforts to pick up any cyclist on the road. "After I lost them I stopped and waited, and when I saw a yellow jacket coming up the hill, I assumed it was George.
I jumped out into the middle of the road to say 'we can stop here' only for the guy to go shooting past - I turned for home, alone". Meanwhile, George managed a 45 miler, and despite being tired and a bit dizzy on the way back (due to lack of food), he managed to do the ride in a pretty good time, and is gaining more confidence about the distance all the time. Les' week was uneventful, "just managed the 65 miles this week, but fitted in a few games of squash for the first time in months".
Pete after his week off training "except for me and Liz hiring 'sit up and beg' no gears, pedal back to brake bikes in Amsterdam", got back in with a vengeance, clocking up 105 miles including a 50 mile round trip to Aberdare up and down the valleys. Despite a few sore bits the verdict was "ok", and Pete is aiming to maintain his 80 mile weekend until the ride itself - now less than 3 weeks away.
Week ending: 31/10
The week started off badly with the news that the previous weekend we had our 3rd (and to date) our most serious visitor to A&E. Dave was at John's in Stoke for the weekend with Pete for some serious back to back rides. On the Saturday our intrepid trio were down by the canal, when according to Dave "the bike went one way and I went the other". He goes on to explain "After about 20 miles, we were cycling along the canal, and in order to avoid some silly cycling gates that intersperse the canal towpath you need to go over a slightly raised kerb to go around then. I approached from the wrong angle with the wheel following the kerb and I following the direction I was intending to go, but without the bike. As I was departing from my bike I uttered some expletives because I could quite clearly see I was going to collide with a concrete post head first - fortunately it was helmet first, then head. At first I thought I'd got away with only a few cut and grazes to my knee, but then John and Pete came back and came out with some more expletives before mopping blood off my face and saying I looked a little white. John phoned Nurse Jules (his lady) to arrange to meet us and take me to Casualty. Anyway I'm OK - I've had 9 stitches (see picture) and I'll have to convince Kathy that this bang to my head isn't anything to worry about - I'm not sure myself because I seem think that Everton are 3rd in the Premiership".
Pete and John ever the sympathetic types then went off on Sunday for a 5hr ride leaving Dave at home to read the Sunday papers. Over the 2 days though, both Pete and Dave report that John was flying - must be the new seat post which means that John can now extend his leg fully when pedalling. Next thing you know, John will be putting slicks on, and trying some toe clips (or maybe those are innovations which are just too 21st century for John!). Nevertheless, John has put the willies up Pete and Dave.
After George's puncture episode, George has fitted a gel filled inner tube, and fuelled by the new technology managed his first back to back 40 miler bringing his weekly mileage to the 100 mile mark. PVR meanwhile invested in a cycle computer which has provided him with a whole load of useless information, including "weekly mileage of 53 miles (not enough)" and "top speed of 40.5 mph - I passed a speed camera doing 35 mph in a 30 mph speed limit". Smit meanwhile attempted his longest ride yet, "a whopping 57 miles in about 4 1/2 hours on my dad's mountain bike". It obviously started to get tough at the end as Smit observed that "the last 5 miles seem to last for ever - somebody cycled past me but by that stage I couldn't have cared less if an old lady had trundled past in one of those electric wheel chairs". Smit has finally got hold of his brother's road bike, and after giving it a "makeover", he was about to test it out. The audience is waiting. Les managed another 90 mile weekend, which included his longest ride to date - 55 miles.
Andy has been away and with no access to statics either has only managed 20 miles. Simon and Francis are continuing to knock out the miles without too much fuss. With a month to go, everyone is starting to become a bit nervous.
Preparations 5th September - 24th October
Practical Preparations
