#Lean

After finishing our latest training camp in Altea, in Southern Spain, my team mate, Scott and I headed back to Barcelona to continue our preparation for the upcoming season. Scott is from New Zealand so we have been fortunate enough to be able to train in the warmth of the Southern Hemisphere while the European riders battled with the cold.

Part of this preparation is to drop the extra kilograms that may have been put on during Christmas and the off-season. Some are better at this than others and Scott has returned from off season at not only his race weight, but probably a little too lean (which I will explain shortly). Personally, I have a little work to do but then again, it is a long season ahead.

Whilst at training camp in Altea, it was cold, but not too cold. We could still train quite comfortably and there were even days where we could ride in just shorts and a jersey.

 

 

The last week here in Barcelona has been a little different. The sun has been hidden behind the clouds and rain has threatened on several days, so the temperature has been far less than ideal.

On our second ride here, I took Scott on what was planned to be a relatively short, easy loop. The sun was ducking in and out of the clouds and as we approached the farthest point of the ride, a heavy mist set in and my Garmin said that the temperature dropped down to 1ᵒC. I was cold, but not that cold so I didn’t think Scott would be any worse as he was wearing several more layers than me. We descended down a mountain and pulled up outside a café that looked closed.

My hands and feet were numb but other than that, I was okay. Scott was a totally different story. He pulled up shivering with a look of grimace on his face and runny nose. He struggled to unclip from his bike and could barely talk. He was cold. Hypothermic cold. Being lean has many benefits when riding a bike uphill, but it doesn’t help when you are going downhill in freezing conditions. We were a long way from the next town and I honestly did not know what I was going to do. One look at Scott and there was no way that he could keep riding.

I had pretty much concluded that I was going to have to hug Scott and share my body warmth with him. As I reached out to hug him, fortunately, two people exited the café that I assumed was closed. We rushed inside and I ordered him a warm drink.

The café owner could see that Scott was in trouble and although she did not speak English, she made gestures to drink his coffee and warm up. Scott struggled to move and it was at this point that the lady became his Spanish mother. She placed two heaters in front of Scott and turned them up high. She then fetched him a jacket, a blanket, a beanie and a neck warmer and rubbed his back. She made gestures about calling an ambulance but Scott slowly warmed up and assured her that he was okay.

Eventually, we were able to laugh at the situation. The lady asked if I was okay and I said I was fine, and it was only Scott that was feeling the cold. She laughed and lifted up her pinkie finger whilst pointing at Scott. She then flexed her muscles like hulk and pointed at me. I don’t need to speak Spanish to understand what she was saying.

Learning the ropes... Again

It's been on my to-do list for a while but a few weeks ago I finally decided to learn how to surf. I know nothing about surfing and my friends know nothing either, so I was jumping straight into the deep end. Just like learning to surf, when I first took up cycling I knew nothing about it and I have noticed several similarities between my two experiences...

1. When I purchased my first road bike, I basically picked one out of the Trading Post that was within my price range and went with it. I didn’t know anything about frame sizes and I didn’t even know how to change the gears. I just figured it had pedals and two wheels so I couldn’t go wrong. A few weeks later, I discovered that the bike was too big for me and spent a substantially larger amount on a new one.

I did the exact same thing when I purchased a surfboard. I saw an advertisement for a board very cheap and sent this message... 'Hi, just wondering if you still have the surfboard for sale? Also, I'm a total nube at surfing... could I learn on this board???' I received this reply, ‘Well my Grand Children surf on it so I guess so.’ Based on that alone, I figured the board would be fine.

I went to collect the board and was greeted by an elderly gentleman named Ray who was dressed in his pyjamas at 4pm. I should have been suspicious when I could basically pick up the board with only my thumb and index finger but I just thought that was normal.

After discovering that the board could barely keep me afloat and that it would be better suited to a 10 year old or Kelly Slater, I went to a surf shop and spent a substantially larger amount on a much, much larger board.

2. While learning to ride, I copped my fair spray of abuse from older, more ‘senior’ riders. Whether it be for not doing my fair share of the work on the front, forgetting to point out a hole in the road or just getting in the way. They are always eager to let the ‘newbies’ know

about it.

It seems that the same rules apply while surfing. After finally reaching the point where I can stand up on the board but have no idea how to steer or stop, I stood up after riding a wave to find an older man pointing his finger in my direction and yelling expletives. I looked around with a puzzled look and said, ‘Me???’. He made it clear that he was talking to me. I still have no idea what I did wrong but I assured him that I was sorry and wouldn’t do it again.

After witnessing a few incidents like this, I can only assume that common surfing nicknames like ‘dude’, ‘bro’ and ‘mate’ have only come into existence from people learning how to surf trying to address and calm down an angry, more experienced surfer.

 

3. I fell off my bike several times while learning. It was mainly while I was using cleats for the first time but I embarrassed myself many times in front of complete strangers. Each time, I got back up and rode away as if nothing ever happened. I can only imagine that I looked like an uncoordinated fool as I struggled with the pedals.

Likewise, learning to surf is essentially all about trying not to fall off and look like an idiot for a fair while. In my first couple of outings, I managed to cut both of my feet on rocks, dislocate my finger and almost get hit in the face by untamed boards.

 

4. In cycling, despite initially being uncomfortable on the bike, it is very easy to appear as if you know what you are doing. If you have all of the right equipment and shave your legs, then you can look like a pro. Well, at the coffee shop at least.

In surfing, it is even easier to appear like I know what I'm doing. Simply put on a pair of board shorts, a rashie throw a board under your arm. As long as you don’t go in the water, people can only assume that you can surf with the best of them!

 

5. Cycling is an expensive sport. Bikes cost a lot of money and you soon discover that there are different types of bikes for different needs. And that you need one of every type. There is the old adage that the number of bikes that you have is always N+1, where N is the number of bikes that you currently have.

Surfing is no different. To make learning easy, it’s best to have the longest widest board possible but as you get better, you may want a shorter board. There is a plethora of different shapes and sizes of boards available that all claim to do different things. I’m already on my second one.

 

6. As I rode my bike more and more, I began searching for a ride that was more ‘epic’ than the last. Longer rides, bigger climbs, faster descents and better views. I was looking for that perfect place to go riding.

Surfing is exactly the same as people search for the location that has perfect waves. For me, that means looking for a beach that provides small, regular waves that I can learn on. When I do find somewhere ideal, like cycling, there is usually a mass of other people doing the same thing and it’s almost impossible to enjoy it.

I have come a long way on the bike since those early days when I was learning the ropes. I hope that one day I am equally as confident on a surf board, however, the lack of waves and a board here in Spain means that my progress will be limited to when I get back to Australia!

The 5 Stages of a Cyclist Post-Bike Crash

Today, a friend and I went for a long ride that included a couple of climbs. The weather was a little unpredictable with random bursts of rain littering our route. 

As we approached the first climb, the skies opened up and drenched us and the roads, however, in the distance, the clouds had parted and we were hopeful of a dry descent down the other side. 

The roads down the mountain were not wet, but they were not dry either. My friend went into a hairpin corner a little too hot and his rear wheel slid out after touching a white line and he went flying over the handlebars as his bike highsided. 

It was at this point that I got to witness the 5 Stages of a (not so catastrophic) bike crash....

Stage 1: Denial. 

The adrenaline is high and the dignity is usually low, so the rider wants to just get back on and keep going. There is no looking the bike over or checking for broken bones, just get back on and get out of there as if nothing ever happened. 'Yeah, I'm fine,' is the usual statement. 

Stage 2: Loss of confidence. 

Nothing rattles the nerves and shatters your confidence like crashing. My friend crashed coming down a hill so when he got back on and kept riding, he did it a lot more cautiously. Before the crash, I was straining to keep up with him. After the crash, I had to slow down and wait. 

Stage 3: The 'come down'. 

Once the adrenaline has worn off and the body has relaxed and cooled down, the aches and pains begin to set in and the road rash stings as it comes into contact with sweat. It's at this point that the person that crashed realises that everything may not be 'fine'. They realise that they could have an injury, or even worse, that their bike could have an injury. 

Stage 4: Acceptance. 

The person finally accepts that they crashed and any damage and/or injuries need to be assessed. For my friend, this meant a stop at a supermarket for some band aids and a quick check of the bike and gear. 

Stage 5: 'What if?'

Once it was established that the person is going to live, they run the crash through their minds over and over, analysing what could have caused it or what they could have done to avoid it. In this situation and pretty much every other crash, the answer is blatantly obvious but rarely acknowledged... just slow down. 

There is one more Stage to crashing a bike which people must go through alone, at home... Stage 6: Stinging in the shower. There are few things more painful than the sting of fresh road rash coming into contact with warm water. It's enough to make you cry. 

Déjà Vu

I recently went to see a myopractic therapist to get checked out. He also just happened to be a good friend of mine so he wasn't afraid to tell me exactly how it is. Basically, I'm inflexible and need to sort out some muscle imbalances by strengthening my lower back and other stabilising muscles. 

When the only physical activity you do for months on end is ride a bike, then most other parts of the body become weak from lack of use. I've always said that when it comes to core and stability, I am in a constant state of equilibrium. But I've discovered that even the slightest breeze can throw that equilibrium out. 

The off season is a good time to re-strengthen parts of the body that haven't been used in a while. So, I dug out the old gym gear and went down to the gym to get to work. A few sit-ups, some stretching and Pilates moves may not seem like much but it is more than enough to remind the body that I haven't done it in a while. 

The first couple of times hurts. Well, it's more of an ache then anything else. Muscles around my ribs ache when I laugh, when I bend over to put shoes on and even when I get out of bed. But it gets easier. 

As I type this, I'm getting déjà vu, as I'm pretty sure I did the same thing last year. And every year, I say this time is going to be different because I'm going to keep doing it throughout the season. This time will be different, for sure. 

If anyone in the Brisbane area would like to see an excellent Remedial Massage & Myopractic Therapist, I highly recommend Simon from www.ozenergie.com.au 

He will sort out what ails you and he is also an all round good guy. If you do go to see him, please tell him I've been doing my exercises every day. 

A Violent Act

I have said it a hundred times before and I will say it a hundred more... Running is a violent act.

At the end of the racing season this year, the team went to Cozumel in Mexico. Outside of the usual duties of meeting new team mates, organising equipment and taking official media for next year, we were told to relax and spend some time off the bike, allowing the body a bit of R&R before we start pushing it again.

This may sound ideal to some, but for myself, I go a little stir crazy when I am just sitting around as I would rather be up and doing something. So to compensate my lack of riding, I thought that I would partake in some other activities. The week began with many of us playing around with scooters, jet skis and catamarans and pretty much any other activity that we could find. 

Despite filling the time, these activities just don't have the caloric expenditure of riding a bike for hours on end, and with the thought of putting on as little weight as possible in the off-season weighing in the back of my mind, it wasn't long before I was itching to do some exercise.

I started to spread the word around the team that in the following morning we should go for a run. A little bit of weight bearing activity to make sure our bones don't fade away to nothing. A lot of people were keen and at 6:30am the next day, 15 people had traded their cycling shoes for joggers.

I'm not sure if you have ever experienced going for a run after not doing it for over 12 months but it is extremely painful. Muscles that you forgot you even had ache within minutes and the constant impact on the feet and joints is almost immediately unbearable. Before we had even made it a kilometer down the road, several guys had already stopped and started the walk back to the hotel.

Being a highly competitive bunch, the rest of us pushed on, the pace getting faster with every kilometer. As we hit the 3km mark, I began to question just how far we were going, aware that we were going to have to run back yet. 500m later, I pulled the pin and turned back, my legs already aching.

That afternoon, I tried to spread the word again about another run in the morning. I was met with very little enthusiasm. At 6:30am the next day, only 3 other people showed up for a run. Of the others that went running the day before, one had huge blisters on his feet and another could barely walk because his ankle was so sore. I ran another 3 times during the week, ignoring my aching legs and assuring myself that it would eventually get easier. I had grand ideas of being able to go for a run with my wife when I got home and just doing something different.

Just before I left Cozumel for home, I still had an ache in my left calf muscle and when I got home, I was limping around. I went to get it checked out and I had a suspected tear in my muscle. This resulted in taking another few days easy and letting it heal, re-confirming what I have always thought about running. It is a violent act. 

Humans were given highly functioning brains for a reason. To invent other modes of transport like the bicycle and the car. Running should be reserved for when you are being chased by a lion or when you miss the ice-cream truck. Needless to say, I have not been for a run since I got home and I have no plans to.

Strava Art

Hopefully, the novelty of Strava KoM's has worn off on you by now. 

There was a period of time where it seemed like everyone was trying to one-up their mates by sprinting up every hill on their favourite rides. But now, most people have reached their terminal velocity. There is only so many times you can do your local ride full gas before... a) you can't go any faster. b) some freak takes your KoM while motor pacing and you have no chance or c) you just can't be bothered anymore. 

So what is the use of Strava now other than to give Kudos to your mates for doing the exact same ride you just did?... Strava Art. That's what. 

I was looking over some old rides recently for some inspiration on where to ride and noticed that some of them vaguely resembled a picture of something. I had to squint and view it with a very Picasso-esque outlook, but it was there. It got me wondering if I could plan out a ride to draw a picture. 

After about 0.00054sec of research on Google, I discovered that 'Strava Art' is a common thing and some people have done some amazing things. 

Here are some of the best Strava Art pictures out there...

After seeing these and sat down at the computer to attempt to plot a course to follow to make some Strava Art. It is a LOT harder than it looks. Actually, it's too damn hard for me. 

Instead, I have adopted a 'shoot first and call whatever you hit the target' approach. Just do a ride and maybe at the end, it might vaguely resemble something. 

Here are some of my best works...

This is 'horse with fire tail'

'Demented pouncing cat'

'Donald duck with backwards hat'

'Fat camel'

Get out there and give it a go! It's a lot harder than you think. Forget KoM's, they are so early 2014. 

Local Training Program

The end of the year is fast approaching which means Christmas is coming which usually means some time off the bike which usually means eating too much which usually means that you have some extra work to do in pre-season training.

 

It is around this time that people claim that they are getting out to do 'base K's' during the holiday period in preparation for next season. Despite their best intentions, a lot of people tend to misinterpret what 'base k's' actually are. 

The Brisbane cycling scene is a thriving one with hundred's of people keen to roll a river loop every morning. However, with organised bunch rides being the order of the day, it is very easy to fall into what I call the 'Brisbane training schedule'. It looks something like this...

Monday: recovery river loop. 

Tuesday: Coot-tha's. 

Wednesday: World's. 

Thursday: Gravatt's or efforts. 

Friday: recovery river loop. 

Saturday: Muzza or Nundah Crits. 

Sunday: Zupps or another bunchie. 

This may seem like a perfectly good week of riding but if you are doing it week in, week out then you will not improve your form. A good training program should be periodised with sections of over-loading the body and then time to recover and let the body adapt. If you do the same thing all the time, you cannot expect that you will improve dramatically just by magic. 

Another downside to riding in Brisbane is the terrain. There are no real climbs and when you think about it, there is not much real 'flat' either. Most roads are rolling with short, sharps rises that you are able to punch it up. This means that a lot of people tend to accelerate hard up the hills and then get off the gas and soft-pedal down the other side. 

At the end of the day, this is just interval training. You may have a good average HR or power output at the end of the ride but more than likely, you were either riding too hard up the hills or too easy down the other side. What you think was some good 'base k's' was simply riding in the wrong zone. 

So what can you do?

Plan your training. Don't just bounce week to week doing whatever you feel like or what ever is handy. 

Ride by yourself once in a while. It's great to ride with others but you will not get quality training while wheel-sucking behind 30 other people. 

Go easy up the hills. Use your gears and don't accelerate up the hills. Take it easy and maintain a steady output. 

Pedal down the hills. Don't freewheel down hills. Keep pedalling with the same intensity. You will probably find that you will actually have a higher average speed at the end of your ride!

You don't always have to stop for coffee. Imagine if you converted the time that you are usually at the coffee shop into extra k's. Imagine!

Well that's it from me. 

See you on the road. 

Summer Do's and Don'ts

Next weekend I head of for my final race of the season in China before going to the other side of the world for our end of year ‘training’ camp in Mexico. This camp is always a good one as there is less emphasis on doing bulk km’s and more on having a break and getting all of next year’s equipment ready. We receive our new bikes and kit, however, for those of us that live on the warmer side of the equator, the numerous arm warmers, thermal knicks and jackets are not much use. Pro-cycling is very much operated on the European season so the early kit is designed for those that need to do their base km’s in the cold rain and snow, not humid 40+ degree heat.  The Aussies need to make do with what summer kit we have left over from this year and save the warmer stuff for our rude intro to the European Spring next year.

With that in mind, I thought I would give my perspective on the Do’s and Don’ts of summer cycling attire. Unfortunately, these tips do not come approved by the Cycling Fashion King himself, Mario Cipollini, but I am sure he would not object.

Don’t mistake a wind-vest for a short-sleeve jersey. This may sound absurd but it is a mistake that I made in my first year on the bike. Having never seen a wind-vest before, I picked up one at the LBS summer sale thinking that it would help to keep me cool and avoid any unsightly arm tan-lines. I was wrong.

Don’t wear a visor on your helmet. You probably think that it would be a great way to keep the sun out of your eyes but then again, so is a pair of sunglasses. As well as being a road-cycling fashion no-no, a visor can also impair your vision on a road bike.  The lower, more aerodynamic positioning means that you will need a swan-like neck curve in order to raise your head high enough to see under it. Leave helmet visors for MTBers and commuters that ride more upright than I walk.

 

Don’t be that guy with the undershirt. You know the one. The guy that is wearing an undershirt in 40+ degree heat and claims that it keeps him cooler because it wicks away sweat. It may draw 95% of sweat away from your body, but I reckon it’s probably responsible for 95% of it too. I don’t care what people say, putting on another layer of clothing does not make you cooler. When is the last time you were really hot so decided to put a singlet on under your shirt? Exactly.

Don’t wear transparent fishnet jerseys. Some companies are producing jerseys from materials that are thin and net-like, claiming that the venting will keep you cool. They don’t tell you that you will end up with sun-burn that looks like you fell onto a BBQ grill. On top of that, no one wants to see your hairy nipples.

Don’t wear a hydration back-pack. Also a road cycling fashion no-no, wearing a back-pack is going to stop any air flow that you can get through your jersey and make you sweat more than normal. Anyway, do you really need 3L of water on you? The 1.5L in your two water bottles is enough to get you to the next tap. 

Do change your post-ride drink. Believe it or not, you don’t have to drink a hot coffee after your ride! *Shock. Why not have a cold-drip coffee, a smoothie with a shot of coffee, a 7-Eleven slushie with a shot of coffee or even one of those fancy ‘iced’ coffees?? Get your core body temp down, not up.

Do wear sun screen. Do I even need to say anything here? It’s Australia. Slip, Slop, Slap.

Do avoid the hottest part of the day. Ride earlier. It will be cooler and you will get to have more time at the coffee shop afterwards. Everybody wins (but mainly you).

Do carry two water bottles. If you are going to ride for over an hour, take two water bottles just in case. Unfortunately, this may mean that you need to break another separate cycling fashion rule and use a saddle bag for your spares.

 

Do drink an electrolyte drink. Sweat takes out more than just water. A electrolyte drink will hydrate you quicker and prevent things like cramps. It also tastes better. If you are worried about the extra calories, don't, there are plenty of sugar-free versions out there.

Touché

I spend a lot of time on two wheels, and I don't mean driving a car like a crazy man. Not only do I clock up a lot of km's on my bike but I also have a scooter that I use to get around town with. 

I'll admit, it's not the manliest of motor bikes and sounds more like a lawn mower but it gets me around the city with ease and allows me to get a parking spot right in front of places where a car would not even get close to. It runs on the smell of an oily rag and requires very little maintenance. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have it for the convenience and not for my desire to look tough a motorcycle.

A couple of weeks ago, I had to make a trip into the city during peak hour traffic so the scooter was ideal. I'm able to zip through traffic and I don't get as frustrated as I do in the car. 

I came up behind some queued traffic and stopped behind a 'keep clear' section that allowed turning cars to pass through when traffic is congested. A few cars made the turn and I also let some others turn in when I began to hear a horn tooting. 

It was muffled by my helmet covering my ears so I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from but I looked around and couldn't see anything strange. Then I felt my scooter move underneath me. 

The man behind me had decided to nudge me forward with his car. I turned around, question his actions and explained that I thought he was a terrible human being in a very uncalm manner. He began yelling and pointing at something but I couldn't figure out what his gripe was. 

Did he want me to move forward into the 'keep clear' zone? Was he upset at the 3m of ground he had lost even though traffic ahead was at a standstill? I'll never know. 

I decided the best course of action was to ride away, satisfied that he will be stuck in traffic while I will cruise ahead on my trusty scooter. So I bid him farewell. 

He continued his indiscernible rant but as I rode away, I heard him yell 4 words very clearly that I had no response for...

'Get a real motorbike!'

Touché

10 Year Reunion

This year marks the 10^th year since I graduated from University and I felt that I should celebrate. Although I have not worked in my field of study for a number of years, I still hold fond memories of my time at Uni. It’s where I discovered beer, many friends and my love of cycling. So what would be the best way to commemorate a decade of being in the alumni? Go back and experience it again for a day!

On my recovery day off the bike this week, my friend and I decided to take a trip down memory lane and spend a few hours back on campus. We donned our best ‘uni-student attire’, which is pretty much anything you want as long as you have a satchel or laptop bag over your shoulder, and head in for the day.

To me, University is supposed to be the pinnacle of research and development so I was expecting things to be drastically different. I mean, in the 10 years since I was last there, I expect  students to be riding around on Segway’s or Hoverboards and lecturers to be nothing but a hologram projection at the front of the lecture theatre from the other side of the world. I was bitterly disappointed to find that, except for a few new buildings, everything looked exactly the same.

When I was at Uni, my Nokia 3310 provided me with very little entertainment or purpose other than to make a phone call or send a text message. As fun as Snake3 was, there was only so many times you could play it before it becomes boring. Wi-fi was something that the rich and famous used and if I wanted to download lecture notes, I would pray that they would fit onto my 1.1Mb floppy disk or spend 5hrs waiting for them to download at home through the dial-up internet. Now, as we walked around the old buildings that I studied in, every single person had their face buried in their phone and walked around with ear phones in. I was surprised not to see people run into each other as no one seemed to look where they were going.

In the library, where I spent many an hour trolling through journal articles and lining up for the photocopier, there was not a single person in the actual book shelves section of the library. It seemed as though everyone was just trying to find some free wi-fi or get in line access to one of the library computers.

After a bit more walking around, my friend and I bumped into a student that I used to teach during my stint as a High School teacher. To give you an indication of how long ago that was, she had already completed one degree and was halfway through her second!! We asked her where we could find a lecture theatre that accommodates a large number of students so that we could saunter in along with them for some free learning and complete our Uni-for-a-day experience. We found a couple of large rooms, so we sat and waited for the hour to tick around to see which room would have a lecture.

At midday, a group of people began to congregate at the entry to one of the rooms so we joined them. As soon as there was a large enough number of people inside (we did not want to attend a lecture with a small number of people where we would be identified as fraudsters) we walked in as if we knew what we were doing and pulled out some paper and a pen. This did nothing to assist our guise as students as we were almost the only ones in the room that didn’t have a laptop or tablet. The lecturer came in and everyone brought up the lecture notes on their screen: ‘MGTS2607- Management and Employer Relations’. Sounds exciting.

I have to admit, it was one of the most boring lectures that I have ever attended and judging by the others in the room, they have also seen better. A few people were on Facebook for the majority of the lecture, the guy in front of us was sending Snapchat messages about how bad it was and a guy in the front row spent the entire time watching football on his laptop. No body answered any of the lecturer’s questions and people began to walk out halfway through. I felt bad, so when the lecturer asked her next question, I answered it, and to my surprise, I was correct.

Perhaps it is down to a some real-world experience or maybe we just stumbled into a really easy subject, but to me, most of the content seemed very ‘common sense’ with a bunch of University academic terminology thrown in just to make it sound official. Either way, we were pretty happy to get out of there at the end of the hour.

To top off our day back at Uni, my friend and I head to the campus pub, ‘The Red Room’. As we walked in, it was funny to see that nothing much had changed in there either. It looked like they still had the same old chairs and the same old pool tables.  And after paying for some food, I am pretty sure that the prices haven’t changed in 10 years either… $10 for a burger and wedges! Bargain.