its all about diversification....

Its all about diversification....


so I've gone snowboarding for a couple of days to bring in the new year!!! and why not?

Its been been two years, i havent been since i moved to toronto, i used to go 3-4 times a week when i lived in montreal!!

Anyway i'll call it cross training and write it into my training log.

the post slopes hot tub is just a good recovery session....

Av a veRy hAPpy nEw joLli eVEry bOdi!!!!!!

Brr chilly

Woke up this morning, -15c .

Windchill before starting to ride -23c.

The morning commute was interesting.

Everything frozen even with the salt.

One needs to ask one self,

"How much do You want IT?"

Boxing Day post turkey ride...

So tell me how do you work off two days of binge drinking, mild alcohol poisoning and 14000cal turkey fest?

And get back into the spirit of base training again so soon after Christmas?

Well the desire to slip into my new merino, Rapha jersey helps, the paunch doesn't really do it justice.
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Watching all those cute Euro chicks hammering away in the mud, got my motivational juices flowing
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Supplement that with a mild dose of boxing day World cup Cyclo-cross racing from Zolder on Cycling.tv , and its not to hard to drag you're cellulite out for a two hour easy E2 grind in the cold and wet. Actually it was beautiful out there gray skies and the winter sun poking its head out through the twilight filling the wet empty roads with goldern light. There was even a rainbow to keep me company.

I remembered how much i enjoy winter riding.....of course my new Merino, Rapha wolly hat helped as well...


And although my new favourite, Daphny Van Den Brand only managed to come in 3rd today, too much festive excess's perhaps the day before perhaps. Watching all those cute Euro chicks hammering away in the mud, got my motivational juices flowing again.



As for the men well they are just crazy, X races are pretty much an hour sprint in the ice and mud but you gotta admire their commitment.

OK new year just round the corner, new motivations.....new results???

HaVe a mERrY jOllY!!!

A minor Christmas miracle...

And so its Christmas..... to be true i was feeling a bit down actualy, i came down with (another) cold Tuesday so i spent the last two days in a hazy NyQuil daze, sleeping 20hrs a day and feeling like crap.

Its cold and gray with no snow on the horizon for the holidays, but today i awoke somewhat recharged, settled in for another lazy day in front of the monitor (tv is so passe) watching old cycling.tv reruns and "white Christmas", and what do you know a minor Christmas miracle came to pass!!!!

Just as the film came to end in all its snowy golden hearted goodness, i peaked out the window and it had started to snow in down town Toronto!!!! ahhh....

So i hopped on my bike and went for a little 2hr spin along the water front and along back streets. It felt good to get out and about leaving trails in the snow on my bianchi, dreaming of the hot coffee and baileys i was going to neck when i got back into the warm

Might even do the same tomorrow, what else can you do on a winters day in canada!!!

Anyway happy Christmas and all that shizel..Heres to happy trails for the up coming year. hopefully it'll be a little less traumatic than last year!!!

Oh and here's some retro pointy breasts as my gift to the world...apparently they are coming back in. Time will see i guess. Can't wait.....

early base training

Well so it comes to pass...the shortest day of the year weighs heavy on the horizon, and with it the dreams of longer rides, harder training and better times.

Of course there is still the small matter of winter to get through, we still have yet to really get a
full on snow storm here in Toronto. But i'll take any motivation i can get these days.

So it begins I've entered my early base training phase, (having completed my pre base and maximum strength transition at the gym) so its meant to be long easy rides of 2-3 hrs and 4- 6 weeks of ripping it up at the gym, before i head to Tuscon Arizona for a two week training camp on and around Mt Lemon, which rises around 10,000ft from the surrounding desert.

Actually i'm pretty amp'd about heading down there and training with a bunch of fellow base heads. I'll have my MS phase finished up by then and will begin my mid base training. by the time i get back the day will be longre and gthe worst of the weather done with (hopefully) and it'll be time to start to ramp it up in time for the good friday classic which marks the beginning of thew season here in ontario....

can't wait.

lifestyles and sustainability

Well desire is a terrible maiden to have.... I had been contemplating doing some time trials next season so had been on the look out for a new bike , ok well actually a used bike but when the sums came in i figured i might as well take the full advantage of the Pro deals i can get as a sponsored rider and spend the price of a small used car (or 3) on some of the latest technological hype to grace the show rooms ....of course then there are other things to consider like helmet, a new powertap for the rear wheel and maybe a new team issue Skin suit....which might actually go quite nicely with the colour scheme. (more on that to come)

Ah well its only money, which lets face it is an abstract concept anyway...right?

heres the specs..... of what i'm hoping for.

Anyway you can expect lots of ranting about lactate burn and threshold training coming your way within the next few months..and maybe a few comments about bankruptcy and living in bike boxes.....

oh happy days...

mark one: target aquired

Well its been fairly cold and brutal these last few days, but i've been hanging in there with the daily commute to and from work and to school in the evenings so I'm probably getting about 5 hrs or so of riding in a week then I'll do what i can on the weekends.

A couple of hours down by cherry road, or the donut if its not too bad. Sunday was a wash out though, cold is OK, wet is OK but 1c and wet if NO FECKIN FUN AT ALL!!!! not for 4hrs anyways.

A good day to stay indoors and train by sleeping. hmm 12hrs sweet!

Then down to the gym, legs were sore from Saturdays ride but i did the rounds expanding on my core work outs now as well.

Luckily most the pretty people working out at good life have ipods on so they don't hear the odd involuntary passing of gas whilst I'm struggling to do do my pilates.

Of course the real trick is to look confident and tell yourself, they'll just think its the ball squeaking...

Anyway on other news i reached my target weight of 600lbs for the leg press last night, so i guess my Maximum strength phase has started now. I'll do about 6 weeks and should have it completed by the tie i fly out to Arizona for the training camp on the 2nd of Febuary...

hot sexy chocolate lycra butts

Firstly forgive the title of today's blog, I'm experimenting with organic search engines, and seeing how i can lure people unexpectedly into here.

I've been using google analytics's functions to see what brings you all here and apparently a search for hot Lycra butt will do it so I thought well why not embrace the whole thing and promptly kill it all with a picture of me braving the 30mph headwinds and -3c snow flurries to get home today...

Yesterdays morning commute was an adventure, sleet and snow and ice pellets being driven into my face at 7 am on the dark down-town streets, took me nearly twice as long as usual but hey I made it, soaked and frozen to spend the day at work, freezing and wet......which was nice.

Today however I have the day off from work, I should be taking care of all manor of administrative chores but to be honest I don't think I can face much more time out in the cold and ice.

I already have an afternoon appointment I need to get to 30mins (perhaps an hour) into the wind from here, and then the trip to school tonight, which will make perhaps 2.5hrs of treacherous sub zero riding.

That trainer is starting to look more and more appealing all the time

only the hard core!!!

Do you remember that famous ride by Andy Hampsten in the 88 Giro d'Italia?

A brutal stage over the mountians in the snow.

Well thats just around the corner for us riders in the snowy north.

Not satisfied with sub zero temperatures mother nature is planning the first winter storm of the year tonight, with about 10cm of snow and blowing winds.

Which should make my morning commute pretty interesting to say the least...

And then to top it all off its meant to start to rain by the afternoon, and then the temperature will drop below zero for the night time, which will make the next mornings commute even more treacherous...yee haa!!!

This is where you start to figure out just how much you want it!

Anyway crappy cold day at work wadding around in near freezing mud ( so some snow will make a nice change) followed by a trip to the gym, leg pressing 550lbs, only 50lbs more before I reach my target weight for the season.... beefcake!!!

Just for shitz and giggles here how they do in the peleton, old skool stylee!



And the power files from the weekends donut rides as promised....unfortunately sometimes I forget to press start after a short stop so I sometimes miss sections out of the over all ride..

oh well sue me! and if you don't hear from me again go look for me in a snow drift some time in spring.

laterz kids!


Saturday

Sunday

happy happy joy joy

Well the good news is that we have managed to form a partnership with Molson 67 in sponsoring the team for next season which we are all really excited about.

Its a new beer for them aimed at active people that like beer...(sounds perfect) and coming in at only 67calories a bottle it means i can still sink a few after a hard training ride with my mates and not have to worry about lugging the beer belly up the hill next time out.

Also the team is starting to expand in strength which I'm even more excited about to be honest
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Today being a fairly boisterous romp up jane, hammering a 50kmph pace line. Not bad given the -8c windchill factor
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We are looking at anywhere from 6-8 guys on the M1 team for next season. Some old salty sea dogs and some new blood, most importantly though a bunch of focused, hard working guys that will work, train and race together!!!

Anyway amp'd up by this news i managed to do both Saturdays and Sundays donut rides, today's being a fairly boisterous romp up jane, hammering a 50kmph pace line.

Not bad given the -8c windchill factor (before the 50kmph riding). And with a strong presence in the group we were able to lay the hurt down on the rest of the group causing them to do a lot of the work drawing riders back in....

Not really the kind of riding i should be doing this time of year, but it was certainly fun, and with snow in the forecast for next week it might be one of the last chances for some good old road training before the dreaded indoor trainer has to come out.

anyway I'll stick my powerfiles up later on.

Until then kids, keep the rubber side down.

pumping gristle

OK been a bit absent form the blog lately but rest assured I've been keeping my training going on the road and at the gym.

I'm in my maximal transition phase at the moment meaning that I'm starting to ramp up the weights as I head to the maximum strength phase sometime in January.

for now that means I'm leg pressing 4 sets of 15 reps at 450lbs although i closed out the session tonight with 10 reps at 500lbs...I'm heading for a goal of 600lbs by the end of the gym phase of my base training and so far (touch wood) I'm on target.

riding been definitely winding down but i still head in and out of work on my single speed and hit the donut ride this Saturday morning past. You can see the charts here:

so thats about it, although i'm planning a two week trip to Arizona in Febuary for a training camp, looking to buy the flight in the next few weeks, I'll keep you posted on that.

team 67(?)

OK so finally after some long negotiations and a bit of sitting in the corner with naughty boys cap on it looks like I'm going to be racing with my old team again next season.

However this time round we are hoping to ramp things up somewhat, expand the team roster and acquire some financial backing, to off set the cost of drinking beer after Thursday night club rides, and lesser things like entry fee's and the like.

And although nothing has been signed as of yet at the moment its looking hopeful that a major Canadian beer company might be coming on board to offer a helping hand. And if that manifests we are looking at a new team kit, sponsored bikes for the riders and who knows what else.

Of course personally more than free stuff, what I'm most excited about is the opportunity to develop and race as a team with my friends next spring and summer.

Now its up to the rest of us to drum up support, and a few extra "roulers" and set our sites on the upcoming season.

watch this space......

Does my bum look big in this?

Being a cyclist we are often forced to face our limitations in the public arena.

All that tight lycra doesn't leave a whole lot to the imagination. So some of us over compensate by riding $10,000 bikes or by wearing $500 carbon soled Italian machine crafted plastic shoes.

I mean its amazing if you managed to take an objective step back from time to time and take a reality check. I mean carbon is the 6th most abundant element in the galaxy (see table below) coming in just after oxygen and general stupidity so how come it costs so much? (hmm maybe the answer is in the question)
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carbon is the 6th most abundant element in the galaxy
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So ask your self in normal life would you pay $500 for a pair of "crocs" just cause they glued some old vinyl 45's to the bottom so you can't walk properly in them? So why is it we can't wait to do it when they print DMT on the side (I have to admit to having a pair of these BTW)


Anyway the over abundance of stupidity in our galaxy might explain it, along with how companies have now managed to find away to sell carbon wheels to us for $4000, that'll disintegrate shortly after they roll over the slightest pothole or stone, and are only covered under warranty if you weigh less than 101lbs, don't race on them and have never removed them from their original packaging.
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Ten most common elements in our galaxy by mass, estimated spectroscopically^[5]

Z	Element	Parts per million
1	Hydrogen	739,000
2	Oxygen	240,000
8	Stupidity	10,400
6	Carbon	4,600
10	Neon	1,340
26	Iron	1,090
7	Nitrogen	960
14	Silicon	650
12	Magnesium	580
16	Sulfur	440

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Its a Topsy turvy world in cycling. Where lighter and more fragile is the coolest, but its generally only affordable by ageing, over weight, middle aged business men (of European descent) with erectile dysfunction issues from riding on carbon Fiz'ik saddles for hours

No wonder we are all suffering from feelings of inadequacy.

things i hate about cyclists!!!

hmm there are so many things I could write about....

but I guess I can group them broadly between "roadies" and "fixies" and couriers.

Although I could probably find a whole bunch of shit to complain about MTBikers as well but lets face it I never see them so what do I care? So long as they continue to keep them selves to them selves, out in the back woods rolling in poison Ivy....

Here though I think I'll be focusing mostly on the fixed gear fad..
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I understand and support their freedom to do as they wish, but I'll maintain the right to think they're twats at the same time.
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Anyway the current "me too!" trend of rockin a "fixie" in the down town core is fine i guess. Although I personally don't get it! When you crash as much as I do you want all the safety features you can muster.

You know like brakes and the ability to coast when doing 40+mph down a hill! I realise I'm not the best cyclist, but I just don't think I could easily sustain a cadence of 300rpm for long periods of time and still retain that obligatory aura of aloofness.


But I guess if I want everyone to take in my Italian hand tensioned, custom, deep section magenta wheel set and matching hand sewn leather bar tape I'd be cruising around at 10mph as well.

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I lost interest in pursuing that particular folly shortly after the advent of the drive train.
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As it is I appreciate the ability to slam on the brakes when being cut off by a blind Nigerian cab driver, or side swiped by a multi-functioning soccer Mum, texting her estranged 1st husband, whilst snorting coke off her daughters lunch box in her SUV, but hey that's just me.

However I understand and support their freedom to do as they wish, but I'll maintain the right to think they're twats at the same time.

Gee democracy is great!

I know there are those that think they are upholding the purity of cycling by keeping it real on the 42x16, but me, I lost interest in pursuing that particular folly shortly after the advent of the drive train. Either as purists we go direct drive or accept the inevitability of progress and embrace gears, chains and all the other crap that comes along with it like brakes.

Anyway I suspect its just another in the long line of indicators (such as my new found appreciation of sleep, over class "A" drug abuse) that in fact... I'm just getting old!

The choice of function over fashion.



That and becoming yet another grumpy opinionated bastard on a bicycle....hmm maybe I should be riding a fixed gear after all.....or grow a beard and get a recumbent!

ah bUt tHen tHAts aNOther stORy....

A good day at the office!!!

So after more than a few weeks lolling around on the weekends with out the motivation to get out and train that much I finally dragged my sorry ass out to do the donut ride this morning.

I always resist doing that ride but today i gave way and for a change even started from the beginning instead of half way into it.

And actually I kind of preferred it that way.

I hooked up with Rob, my boss and fellow racer and he led me through the rabbit warren of houses to the start location. Grabbed a muffin from the bakery for breakfast and some cookies for later on and with about 100 or so riders out on a damp, misty but unseasonably warm morning we set off.

The donut is a local ride populated by Toronto's riders and racers. It can be pretty unforgiving at times and the timid need not apply. You got to be prepared to bump a few shoulders at times to keep your position so as not to get boxed in or spat out the back of the group.

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With the help of some natty team tactics I won all three!!!!
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The ride is punctuated by several sprints at predetermined road side road signs and competition for the win can be pretty fierce. So the fact that, with the help of some natty team tactics, I won all three of them today makes me pretty chuffed with myself.

All the more so as the first of the three was completely unplanned! I saw Rob go off the front a long way out, so when no one followed him I jumped the gap myself. Now with a good 20 bike lengths advantage, Rob provided me with a great launch pad to kick for the line! By the time anyone realised what was up it was too late and I took it by about 2-3 bike lengths.

The next was somewhat easier, once Rob enlightened me to the actual marker for the finish I hopped onto a passing well and came out from behind to grab number two.

The final one was the most satisfactory though. As the pack started to wind up Rob pointed out the competition, saying in whispered tones "that guys a wheel suck he'll sit on your wheel all the way and come out strong for the last 100m, if you go long he'll be fucked!" (or words to that effect)

So what do I find about 400m out? that very guy sat on my ass waiting for me to kick. I wanted to go but knew that if I went I'd just pull him to the line so I eased up slightly, still maintaining a good position in the pack.

As soon as I saw from the corner of my eye him drift out from behind me to the right looking for another wheel to follow, I kicked out hard to the left of the pack, from about 8-9 back and put the hammer down all the way to the finish, winning the last sprint. Topping out at about 47mph.

Three for three, with more than just a little assistance from Rob on each and every one,

Some things just feel good.

OK I also have my powertap fitted now as well so the link below provides the some what more detailed info on my ride.

Today was 75 miles, about 2700cal burned and a whole lot of fun....

heres my ride.

Happy Sabbath campers!

a chance to sleep, per chance to dream...

There is something about getting older that I'm learning to appreciate as well as become slightly disconcerted by....
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Oh! joy upon joy, the chance to steal a afternoon siesta!
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The fact that the more I train and struggle to live my life at Mach 5, the more I appreciate the feeling I get from a good nights sleep, or Oh joy upon joy the chance to steal a afternoon siesta!

No longer do I want to head out clubbing all night, chasing young women and generally getting all Tom Boonen on your arse! If I manage to get to bed by 10.30 on a week night I spend the next day floating around on a natural high, that would probably be prohibited by the UCI if they realised what an advantage it afforded me.

This is a hard concept for me to grasp, having been somewhat of a party animal for most of my youth and a definite night owl. Part of me feels like I'm losing out on something.

But i guess that just the reluctance to accept the inevitability of gradual cellular disintegration.

lIfE iS Just ToO cONfuSIng sOMetimEs......

Cold winds, warm sun, sore legs and a happy heart

So after my hospital appointment i bunked off work and headed up north, for the first time in ages.

it was a chilly 1c when i got up but by the time i headed out it was closer to 5c.

As usual the wind always seemed to be coming straight towards you, but that's Ontario for you.

Still the crisp clean air and blue skies punctuated by the odd cloud and the fall sun made up for it.

I planned on doing a couple of E2 intervals but my legs had other ideas, I had a couple of hard days in the gym in the days before the ride, so when I awoke I could barely walk properly, I think the 5 sets of 20 reps on the leg press @ 400lb are getting the better of me.

anyway it felt good to go on a longer ride than the usual jaunt to work and back or down to the spit, hopefully i'll get a longer ride in on Saturday or Sunday weather permitting!

winter is , after all, just around the corner!

heres my ride details.

Mas tarde

caballo

Is Pain the new Black?

Well i know the old black was brown, before brown became white, which used to be like the old Pink but is now most certainly darker than pitch,

But one might have heard rumours that black briefly surfaced again as an off white for a short period during the spring classics until the boys from Cervelo Test team complained about it being to hot ( but unfortunatly not in the" damn boyz dat Hott!!! sense of the word) which seemed to relegate it swiftly back to the ranks of prime-colours such as red or perhaps a nice pastel your aunt might have in her living room.

Unless of course the black you're wearing is from Rapha, then lets face it your too rich to really give a shit what anyone else thinks about you, in fact you might even put a pink strip on it and still get away with claiming its a subtle shade of matt noir!

Anyway its all so confusing that I've taken to riding naked wearing only the grimace of pain across my corps! Which means today I must be looking particularly chic as I'm in considerable muscular pain after another hard day at work and down the gym.
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Black briefly surfaced again as an off white for a short period during the spring classics
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I hope to spin some of it out later on toady after what will hopefully be the last appointment i have at my physio (for my broken finger).

convention unfortunately dictates that i wear at least a semblance of clothing whilst appearing at the hospital so they may not realise just how cool I really am.....

DAMN shaMe ReaLLy...

PiMP MI rIDE!!!

Heres my main bike getting esembled by my friend Lee in Atlanta Georgia:

i bought the parts online via ebay, craigslist and various online stores.

Its a LITESPEED titanium frame with carbon forks and Campagnolo Chorus components.

She's a great ride and super tough and durable (good seeing as how i crashed 5 times during last season.)

She great and responsive on the tarmac, and just as happy on dirt tracks north of the city. I even took It (inadvertently all be it) on a 30 miles back country fire break adventure as part of a 90 mile loop 4hrs north of Toronto and ended up fording rivers and getting eaten alive by bugs).

i learnt that day not to always trust my garmin GPS, the old basic base maps showed a road heading north between two larger roads so i took it only to end up quite literally in the middle of no where! thinking well i had better just keep going as after 15 miles of it getting progressively worse and worse, i figured it was going to be just as bad to keep going as to have to turn around and ride the same tortuous 15miles back to the main road again.

oh happy days.... anyway i guess I'm trying to say it can stand some abuse and come up smiling!

today in brief.

OK just a short ride in and out to work, enjoying the warm weather,

Then as its dark about 30mins after I get home I headed straight out again on my single speed for a blat to the beaches and back.

didn't even bother to get changed out my work gear (I ride home in shorts, knee warmers and cycling shoes anyway).

My legs ache from yesterdays gym work but it was good to get an hour or so in despite the restrictions nature is throwing up against me, and the single speed has fenders (mudguards) fitted and pretty much stops you going too hard as well.

Still i like flying past the lycra clad roadies looking like a cycling vagrant, even better if i have my work bag on my back..it confuses them.

Ok early night. rest is training too! I'm going to watch hard ride!

life at the bottom of the road safety food chain.

I find the irony amusing...... who ever did this picture has obviously never ridden or raced in Toronto or with my club.

Aleksandar "Kazakh Thunder" Simonovic.

being the latest victim to pay the pavement piper.

I think our new team should be called "team bounce"
sometimes, it seems to be a speciality sometimes.

anyway barring a little road rash and minor bruising Alex is expected to make a speedy recovery just in time to go off the front before Christmas gets here.

KEEP the RUBBER-SIDE DOWN KIDS

and pray that evolution speeds up the process of moving cyclists eyes to the sides of their heads as speedily as quickly!

its my blog and i'll write what i want to!!!

Been an interesting week, got ill again (FUCK!) luckily it only lasted 3 days, beginning to end still a bit to close to the last one to be taken lightly (still god bless cold FX)

The weekend has had some great weather, so I spent my training time indoors running on a treadmill (of course!) and pumping iron.......BEEFCAKE!!!!

Squatting 20 reps of 400lbs in the AA phase so far with a goal of 600lbs by the MS stage....BEEEEFCAAAKE!!!

Been keeping up the diet and protein shakes!
Down another notch on the belt though the weight is teetering around the same mark. But so far its an improvement on last year so if I can keep it up I'll be on target for next year...... BEEFCAKE!!!!!!

Also things are definitely looking up on the team front, but its still to early to lay all my cards on the table right now, but in general despite the short illness life is looking pretty good at the moment!!!! Combine that with a 93% average grade on my night school class and things are certainly going well.

Must be about time to get run over by a truck or something... you know coronation street stylee!!!

"Oh I've never been happier!!!...splat!"

And to top it off my team captains wife had her new cyclo-cross bike stolen Friday morning from their garage, and then 24hrs later I stumbled upon it in down-town Toronto. Some frantic phone calls and a short confrontation later I had it in my possession.

An hour later my other mate calls me to let me know my favourite bike has finally been liberated from its American capturers and is safely back on Canadian soil!!!

We were reunited earlier today...props to all those involved in its rescue (Jamie and Lee from Atlanta, and Yonton from my home town Toronto, I throw scented flowers in your general direction!!) .

A plague on those behind the torment of bikes and their owners everywhere else in the world....you know who you are!
Me and MY baby! (the bike that is): SHE'S GREAT AND DOESN'T MOAN IS I DECIDE TO SPEND HOURS RIDING SOMETHING ELSE!

Oh and i got my powertap back at last!!!!!!

gym rat

So with my new Gym membership I'm starting to get my strength training ramped up again..

I kind of hate those places all pert asses and testosterone fuelled Bone heads, well I guess the pert butts aren't too bad at least about half of them.

But overall I enjoy getting back into the swing of things and it helps to keep me focused as the night draw in (its pitch black by 6pm now the clocks have gone back).

Anyway with my 40th B-day only a few months away I decided that I would probably benefit from maintaining my strength program through out the season not just through the winter base period so i took the plunge and got a 12 month membership!!! OMG.

for now I'm working on my X-training starting at 20mins of running at around 155bpm about 10bpm above my LTT.

and working on the AA (anatomical adaptation) phase of weights mostly focusing on my core and legs as I'm spending so much time working my upper body at work.

I ordered a few books from Amazon.com

Bicycling Medicine: Cycling Nutrition, Physiology, Injury Prevention and Treatment For Riders of All Levels

The Cyclist's Training Bible new edition

Weight Training for Cyclists: A Total Body Program for Power & Endurance

So I'm looking forward to their arrival to gain some new tips and tricks on training and nutrition.


Its crappy night out there, but i have some new fenders fitted to my single speed so my ride home was decidedly more pleasant tonight, off to the gym again in a bit for a late night blatt.

And god damn if my power tap hasn't finally been fixed at the shop its only been two month I've felt naked without it!

look for lots more numbers coming this way very shortly!

things that make you go OOH!

Ah remember the good old days when everyone was juiced to the gill's made for an incredible spectacle.

This is was of my favourites!




of course no one is suggesting Mr Armstrong was on anything more than carbon and rubber...

Whats occuring?

OK just a little update on how things are progressing.

well the weather has been awful yet strangely mild. My planned ride to Niagara and back got shelved. Morning rain and 35kmph head winds were enough to dampen my enthusiasm for riding 340km, as a fun thing to do...next year, there is always next year!

anyway the weight loss is progressing along, seeing a gradual decline even, with the extra upper body mass I've accumulated from passing the last month or so underpinning and digging out a basement.

So in relative terms I imagine I'm a lower body fat percentage than this time last year. So hopefully when work gets a little more technical again and a little less grunt like I'll start to see the benefits even more, however I'm still about 8lbs above my target weight for next season.

So I passed the day by heading to my old bike shop and getting some fenders fitted to my hack bike, hopefully now I won't have to arrive with a wet butt. Its not a great way to start the day especially as the temperatures drop.

Next I'm off to scope out a gym membership. (UPDATE: 1 year membership secured here we go again)

Tomorrow is the official start of my base training season.

Although team placement is still up in the air for now, things are looking promising and i hope to know within the week.

happy Halloween kids

Another day, another douleur

There something about the Paris- Roubaix classic. Some thing about the mud and the pave (cobbles) the ridiculousness of the pain and suffering the riders put themselves through to endure that race that inspires me.

I woke up this morning absolutely shattered, a combination of work, school, training and emotional stress is getting the better of me.

Trying to do it all, work a really physical job, cut weight, study and train as well as have a bit of time to go out and play on the weekends is taking a real toll on my body and mind. Especially when you throw in a few broken bones, sleep deprivation and the odd virus here and there.

But I dragged myself out of bed, made a protein fruit shake and started to watch, the road to roubaix documentary.



And before you know it I was up and out on my bike again ramped up for the future!!

I have a picture of George Hincapie on the cobbles covered in mud above my computer (see above) to motivate me. I look at it and see myself riding along the Pave, in the wet and cold, through the mud and the pain.

When ever I hit a terrible section of road or dirt track up North, or am battered by a cross wind or sheets of rain or sleet, I imagine I'm out on the stretches of those Flanders fields, and it keeps me going, with a wry smile on my face and a warm glow in my belly.

I smirk at myself for doing this but I guess all you northern cyclists will understand what I'm going on about.

heres todays ride E2 1hr5min nothing special but they are getting easier which is a good sign my base fitness is improving again after the virus

and my nutrition, probably a little low for the output today:

Nutrition Report

Fat - 11.4% (34 grams) Protein - 31.2% (209 grams) Carbohydrates - 57.4% (385 grams) Alcohol - 0% Other - 0% Daily Sodium Intake - 4,244 mg Daily Sugar Intake - 161 grams Daily Cholesterol Intake - 311 mg Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 7 grams Daily Fiber Intake - 54 grams

Nutrition Grade

Date	Calories	Grams	Fat	Carbs	Protein	Grade
2009-10-25	2,622	3,693	34	385	209	A-

just keep swimming! just keep swimming!

Ok been I while since I posted so I thought i had better let you know i'm still going strong and haven't been taken out by a 18 wheeler just yet.

weathers been terrible, cold and windy, works been hard and school keeps me busy as well, but i keep up my daily rides to work and back and even made it to the gym a few days ago, so hopefully I'll be getting my strength training regime up and running by next week. I'm hoping to get a few rides in this weekend as well. Sunday Donuts perhaps?!!

Also on the positive side, some options seem to be on the horizon regarding teams and sponsorship for next year, so I'm feeling good about all that.

updates to come soon.

have a great weekend!

Keep your head up and your chin down!!!

Well it was a funny day today lots of lows and lowers, but what do you want it Monday right?.

Had my return visit to the hospital and hand clinic, where i got referred to a therapist (hand not mind) got some exercises to do each day, over all its not to bad and is on the mend bar a few minor numb spots and lack of motion.

But the uncertainty about my team future is a bit stressful, gotta roll with the punches I guess, seems par for the course this year anyway.

Oh well i took it all and used it to motivate my training, Going to hit the gym again tomorrow for the first time this year to start strength training.

I've had better days , but I've had a lot worse as well. I'll fit some therapeutic Hoegaaarden into my schedule and shrug it off.


Here my ride for today: E2

and my nutritional log:

Nutrition Report

Fat - 20% (78 grams) Protein - 17.8% (157 grams) Carbohydrates - 46.2% (407 grams) Alcohol - 0% (3 grams) Other - 15.4% Daily Sodium Intake - 1,371 mg Daily Sugar Intake - 59 grams Daily Cholesterol Intake - 197 mg Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 11 grams Daily Fiber Intake - 42 grams

Nutrition Grade

Date	Calories	Grams	Fat	Carbs	Protein	Grade
2009-10-19	3,527	3,926	78	407	157	B+