Last weekend of training, training all done and rest week.
As I only have a couple of days to go.......
More of that later. It was weird to see the program and planned rides and seeing that for the weekend I only had to do a 100 mile ride. After everything I've been through to date, 100 miles seams like small fry so I took advantage of the weather and family life to have some fun.
My rock and roll Friday night was sitting at the table with map books, laptops, Strava, Garmin, highlighters, notebooks and de-caff coffee. All the rough organisational notes were polished into course notes, meeting points, feed strategies and pace markers for the support car. There was many discussions and walk through of the weekend to work out the action plan.
Saturday was spent in a much more relaxed manner. The family Stav had the opportunity to go for a roll on fat tyres and enjoy being out in the Sun. Then one of the most important events of anyone's life hardest decision of any dad occurred...........where to start watching Star Wars. For reference, we skipped to Episode 4, because no-one should be subjected to Jaja Binks.
Then the weather change........ As I had planned for a 100 miler over the weekend, to fit in with family duties I opted for an evening ride so headed out around 6 pm just as the winds and rain were entering the region. I took the heavy Genesis with a saddlebag of food and waterproofs and did a familiar route at a solid pace. I did as wise option as at certain points I got hammered by far sharp storms before the sky cleared again. I completed the 100 miles via Victoria Kebabs around midnight, ride done, kebab eaten, formal training completed. Feels like a strange quiet before the storm hits.
On Sunday, I had a hour or two on the MTB with Rufus on the tag-a-long and Rebecca on her MTB to chase around a forest. Legs feel good, sun was out, kids were happy.
There's some more training I wish I had done; I'm glad I've done all I've done; there changes I would have made, but hindsight is 20:20 and the real test is in 2 days 18 hours.
I've also cut out caffeine this week to let me sleep deeper and better on the run up. Of all this diet changes, training, adaption and conditioing I've done...................I NEED CAFFEINE! I'm craving a decent coffee.
As the week started, it was work/life/bike balances and now the job interviews done, my mind is on this weekends ride and what'll happen after. I'm excited that this whole 9 month process is coming to a head and after all that training I'm naturally scared by the size of the extreme challenge, but also very eager to do this and do it well. I think I feel prepared, but I won't know until I've settled into a rhythm and heading towards Lockabie. In previous long distance training rides I've be nervous before starting, but once my bodies settled I flip into a "I know what I'm doing" kind of mindset and off I go.
With all the planning has been the thoughts of the immediate fall out - after the Mall and heading to Woodford, I'm going to be in a state and the challenge will be over. 9 months of everything will have finished and with the exception of some rides which appear very minor in comparison, my slate will be clean. A new horizon?? A new challenge?? What will occupy my mind???
- The weekend before and the last training ride.
- Rest week.
- Mentality.
- A short statistical summary.
The weekend before and the last training ride.
I had training partners......
More of that later. It was weird to see the program and planned rides and seeing that for the weekend I only had to do a 100 mile ride. After everything I've been through to date, 100 miles seams like small fry so I took advantage of the weather and family life to have some fun.
My rock and roll Friday night was sitting at the table with map books, laptops, Strava, Garmin, highlighters, notebooks and de-caff coffee. All the rough organisational notes were polished into course notes, meeting points, feed strategies and pace markers for the support car. There was many discussions and walk through of the weekend to work out the action plan.
Saturday was spent in a much more relaxed manner. The family Stav had the opportunity to go for a roll on fat tyres and enjoy being out in the Sun. Then one of the most important events of anyone's life hardest decision of any dad occurred...........where to start watching Star Wars. For reference, we skipped to Episode 4, because no-one should be subjected to Jaja Binks.
Then the weather change........ As I had planned for a 100 miler over the weekend, to fit in with family duties I opted for an evening ride so headed out around 6 pm just as the winds and rain were entering the region. I took the heavy Genesis with a saddlebag of food and waterproofs and did a familiar route at a solid pace. I did as wise option as at certain points I got hammered by far sharp storms before the sky cleared again. I completed the 100 miles via Victoria Kebabs around midnight, ride done, kebab eaten, formal training completed. Feels like a strange quiet before the storm hits.
On Sunday, I had a hour or two on the MTB with Rufus on the tag-a-long and Rebecca on her MTB to chase around a forest. Legs feel good, sun was out, kids were happy.
There's some more training I wish I had done; I'm glad I've done all I've done; there changes I would have made, but hindsight is 20:20 and the real test is in 2 days 18 hours.
Rest Week.
Rest week has been a bit weird. I want to ride! I miss not commuting and not having the food:bike balance is a bit strange. I couldn't commute by car everyday and I can see who continually grazing at a desk increases waist lines. This week (Tuesday) also had a job interview so it has distracted me a little but I've mainly rested. I'll try and do something just to stir the legs - turbo or casual MTB - because I want to move, but nothing over excessive.I've also cut out caffeine this week to let me sleep deeper and better on the run up. Of all this diet changes, training, adaption and conditioing I've done...................I NEED CAFFEINE! I'm craving a decent coffee.
Mentality
Going into the weekend was all about making sure I'd done what I need to do for the ride and the job interview so I've been busy. Wanting to finish the training kept my mind on the road on Saturday and Brevit style hours in crappy weather suits me well these days and I look forwards to those rides (in a strange way, looking forward to those mid-winter commutes and rides in crappy weather too).As the week started, it was work/life/bike balances and now the job interviews done, my mind is on this weekends ride and what'll happen after. I'm excited that this whole 9 month process is coming to a head and after all that training I'm naturally scared by the size of the extreme challenge, but also very eager to do this and do it well. I think I feel prepared, but I won't know until I've settled into a rhythm and heading towards Lockabie. In previous long distance training rides I've be nervous before starting, but once my bodies settled I flip into a "I know what I'm doing" kind of mindset and off I go.
With all the planning has been the thoughts of the immediate fall out - after the Mall and heading to Woodford, I'm going to be in a state and the challenge will be over. 9 months of everything will have finished and with the exception of some rides which appear very minor in comparison, my slate will be clean. A new horizon?? A new challenge?? What will occupy my mind???
A short statistical summary.
Since October when I had this idea I have:
Ridden 11,750 km (7,300 miles) which has included;
road training, commuting, time on the turbo trainer in the home pain cave and in Loughborough Uni labs, time on Zwift and virtual trainers, lactate and VO2 testing, MTB'ing and chasing kids.
Around 295,000 calories (or around 240 Big Mac meals) have been logged as being burnt in that activity.
I have spent 456 hours clipped in pedals or in the saddle.
I've climbed by bike around 68,500 meters in elevation.
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