Brief updates - 7th Jan 2016

I'll like doing and I've been doing, not blogging.
The Christmas period has been good and I've had fun.  In terms of this Eds-Lon project, I have more updates than I have time to write, so I want to get something type quickly - and more detail when I get the chance.

Tests.
Firstly, I've started to work with Lynsey Wilson of Loughborough University.  Pre-Christmas (23rd December) Lynsey was taking to drawing on me and pinching me with calipers in the name of science.  I've been skin folded, marked, pinched and measured.  After this it was the start of base testing - Functional Threshold Power testing (FTP).  We had hoped to get VO2max testing as well, but the tech gremlins had other ideas.  I wanted to excel here, but (now the excuses....) I had recently been ill and at my lowest form in months.  Excuses I know, but I think I could/should have gone harder.  Lynsey is pushing the numbers but already I'm thinking "should have done better!"
I want to blog a lot more about this, but I hope to get chance to do this soon - just not tonight.

Year End stuff and starting 2016 - 7,500 miles / 12,000 km
To try and top 7,500 miles in 2015 I got one last ride in on New Year's Eve - Glossop (near Manchester) to Leicester.  150km (95 miles) with head winds, a heavy bike and then Storm Frank kicking in at the end.  I can see why I only passed oncoming cyclists because they had the idea not to ride into the wind.  My time was crap, I had two punctures and got soaked to the bones but I'm glad I did it.  I may have suffered like a dog, but then again everyone has to suffer some times.  Year done, miles bagged, beer drunk for New Years.
The years already started and I've been back on Zwift and getting the hang of the workouts.  There are more functions to play with on Zwift to fine tune and dialing the FTP numbers to the workouts is going to help focus this.  I did blog something on Zwift recently, but DC Rainmaker as always does a masterclass.  Although only a week back at work, my legs are starting to feel the goodness of a break and suffering on New Year's Eve.  I managed to blog the VeloViewer infographic.  As my sister-in-law points out "I bet that 499 hours eats at you!"

Workplace Challenge
As an incidental side note, my workplace has started a "Workplace Challenge" initiative to encourage movement and exercise in the workplace.  As I'm riding around 190 miles per week, I don't think I'm the target audience, although there could be some rivalry with one or two runners.  I like these challenges and will probably have a high finishing point if I can remember to update it (Garmin auto-sync??) but I applaud those who do well who would ordinarily do nothing over what I'll do.

Where's my weight gone??
One of the things I noticed this morning is my weight loss.  I hadn't be particularly tracking my weight over the last couple of weeks and I'm usually fairly consistent.  At Christmas you'd expect me (or anyone else) to gain a bit, but instead I've lost weight unintentionally.  Pre-Christmas I had a mass over just over 70 kg.  This morning I was around 68 kg.  Not a major concern as I know I can fluctuate by around 500g  according to dehydration or if I've been for a poo, but not a trend I want to set.  If my fat percentage drops too low I may open myself up for illnesses at this early point in the year, especially when air quality is worse and I'm riding in the damp more often and in office-flu season.  As the office chatter at this time of the year often revolves around diets, New Year weight loss initiatives and so on, I often have to bite my tongue.

Now the big news.  THE date.
As I have family commitments etc and require a support team all to align at the right time, July the 8th - 10th is the window of opportunity.  The date has some family advantages - kids can go to their Grandparents - but most importantly, it gives Mrs Stav the chance to meet me in London at the end of the ride.  This was something she was likely to miss.  The downside will be that she'll be in the smelly support car for 24 hours instead.
The date isn't long after the summer solstice so I should have a shorter night section, but as Strava labs have been informing everyone, this is around the date of the highest temperature last year and also the most active weekend for cycling.  Factors I'll pull in in due course.

Websites
Now I have a PhD in biotechnology, not web design.  I have a URL waiting to pick up this blog, but for the life of me I can't be bothered with the hassle.  If you're reading this on Blogger, it's still a work in progress.  If you're reading this on my fancy website, you're reading a historic post.
Ride on!

Comments

Popular Posts