View from the pit

RobFowl

Ok excuses in first
I've had a few health issues in the last few years and last raced and trained properly in 2007.
I'm at the tail end of a cold/man flu now but started training properly this weekend.
Short term aim is a duathlon in Feb and to try to appear looking less like Big Daddy then I did coming off the Turbo Sat.

This week did 1 hour on the turbo Sat concentrating on spinning and pedalling at 120 rpm with a few 2 minute moderately hard sessions.
Sunday a 1 1/2 hour spin with bcmf and another friend where I was embarrassingly drained every time the road went up (and we did no hills!)
Long day at work today and 60k commute planned tomorrow.
Will aim for a 1-2 hours spin Thursday with a few hills thrown in and then a club spin Sat (3 hours or so).
Will be commuting about 9k each day as well but don't really count that!

Will try to structure things a bit more over the next few weeks abut that'll do for starters.

What are my aims ?
Well to feel good on the bike and be able to ride hard enough to enjoy myself properly is the main one.
I'm aiming to do some A4 races, the Swords league and some TT's up North.
Have a 24'11 pb for 10 miles which I'd like to get close to again or even beat.
Will do 3-4 sportifs. Probably the Tour de Foothills and the Swords tour and 1-2 others.
The Swords Sat spins are good fun and to me are an end in themselves.
Will be messing about with the kids off road at various points and might try an MTB event or two.

Weigth is an issue 5'10 and 87kgs now (previous racing weight was 78kgs and should be able to get there again). Also 41 now ...
Work is an issue as I do 50-60 hours a week and then another 5-6 hours doing a combination of other jobs.
Family time is the most important thing too and all the above will be secondary to it.

Looking forward to many spins with Swords and the many decent members there, looking forward to TT's with Killankerr and Beasty if we can plan them right. Most of all looking forward to being able to ride 100k and come in feeling strong rather than empty...

Will miss a week during the RAS and 2 weeks holidays mid summer. Other things may come up and am also doing a post grad diploma which takes a bit of time.

Anyway here we go.....

mloc123

RobFowl wrote: »

Short term aim is a duathlon in Feb

Careful now, Lumen was almost excommunicated in 2010 with that kind of talk.

Any race in mind?

RobFowl

mloc123 wrote: »

Careful now, Lumen was almost excommunicated in 2010 with that kind of talk.

Any race in mind?

Please forgive me for I have sinned....(or am about to)

It's one of the Fingal Tri club ones based at Ring Commons. About 3 miles from my house which is the main reason I'm looking at it.

morana

9km not counted... I know people who have done that and went from being out the back to up the road...

best of luck with it and I hope to see you up the road at some stage where we can discuss your appreciation of fine football!

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

Please forgive me for I have sinned

You're not the only one:

morana wrote: »

we can discuss your appreciation of fine football!

RobFowl

Going to plan so far.
Thanks to Bcmf for good company on the spin today.
Looking strong himself and a decent sprinter.
If things work out could see him doing well and even winning at IVCA or Swords league events.
Thanks for all the "thanks" and much as I would love to thanks Beasty's post I simply can't....
If any one is looking for a spin Thurs about 2-2:30 ......

RobFowl

Weekwent as planned apart from touching wheels and coming off at 30mph on the sat spin. Landedon my left knee and elbow andlimping away today.
Rode an hour Sunday to try to loosen out the knee (which is now twice as big as the left one)and was ok.
Alltogether did 8 hours last week. (and another 3 hours commuting)
Similar plan this week. 60k tomorrow (half with bcmf who's strong and good company). Study group tomorrow night and maybe a jog wed.11/2hours over somehilson thurs then the Swords spin sat.
Some hiking planned for Sunday. Might even try an interval session that evening too.
Felt like a cyclist agin this weekend and the log certainly helps motivation....

Image of beauty below !!

RobFowl

Odd week.
60 odd k commute tues but temp of 38 that evening so bit wasted. Good company again though (thanks bcmf).
Study group wed evening so brain workout rather than spin.
Thurs limited to turbo as knee sore.
Good spin with the early lads Sat (slower climbers and the 140 bpm Ironmen nutters). bit of a drama queen session when slowed then hit from behind and dropped my Oakleys ....
Spent 10 mins looking for them with no luck while watching the rest of Swords disappear. Gave up and met up with some good lads (including an ex RAS stage winner on the run home).bcmf ,me and the kids drove back and found the glasses after an hour searching.....
Some good exercise Sun (airsoft (guilty secret but great craic at Redbarn)).
Tues another 60k commute with bcmf for half it and pushed it on the way home and averaged over 29kph for the last 30k.
Study again tonight and hopefully a spin with some good guys tomorrow (includine 2 ex leinster riders on the come back trail...)
Over all getting there.
So much so selling old wheels and buying new to bling up the bikes for the new season......

Knee looking lovely btw. :rolleyes:

bcmf

RobFowl wrote: »

nutters). bit of a drama queen session when slowed then hit from behind and dropped my Oakleys ....

You werent hit! You ...errr....slowed down too quickly

midonogh

RobFowl wrote: »

Odd week.
60 odd k commute tues but temp of 38 that evening so bit wasted. Good company again though (thanks bcmf).
Study group wed evening so brain workout rather than spin.
Thurs limited to turbo as knee sore.
Good spin with the early lads Sat (slower climbers and the 140 bpm Ironmen nutters). bit of a drama queen session when slowed then hit from behind and dropped my Oakleys ....
Spent 10 mins looking for them with no luck while watching the rest of Swords disappear. Gave up and met up with some good lads (including an ex RAS stage winner on the run home).bcmf ,me and the kids drove back and found the glasses after an hour searching.....
Some good exercise Sun (airsoft (guilty secret but great craic at Redbarn)).
Tues another 60k commute with bcmf for half it and pushed it on the way home and averaged over 29kph for the last 30k.
Study again tonight and hopefully a spin with some good guys tomorrow (includine 2 ex leinster riders on the come back trail...)
Over all getting there.
So much so selling old wheels and buying new to bling up the bikes for the new season......

Knee looking lovely btw. :rolleyes:

Who are the these slower climbers of which you speak? I only remember me, you and the triathletes.

morana

cools legs! reminds me of the famous poster of Ulrichs legs...think yours are more Daniel Agger-ish or perhaps....dare I say it a large version of Robert Fowlers?

Big day tomorrow robF......

bcmf

midonogh wrote: »

Who are the these slower climbers of which you speak?

Me. but uncharacteristically I got to the top first. It wont happen again. I promise.:D

morana

btw If I were you I'd get myself off to a good doc with that! I can recommend the CI medical officer

RobFowl

morana wrote: »

btw If I were you I'd get myself off to a good doc with that! I can recommend the CI medical officer

He was busy this weekend doing a course kindly part funded by Cycling Ireland
By all accounts learned some good info on treatments of benefit to elite cyclists....

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

He was busy this weekend doing a course

... much better than lazing around all day watching footie on the telly

morana

RobFowl wrote: »

He was busy this weekend doing a course kindly part funded by Cycling Ireland
By all accounts learned some good info on treatments of benefit to elite cyclists....

Elite cyclists...I will be over on Monday

Keep training RF and you will be back on your perch in no time!

RobFowl

Well keeping to my schedule.
Done 60k every Tuesday so far with bcmf for company for the first 30k. Averaged 28kph this Tuesday which was nice !
Thursdays I've missed 2 one due to injury ( knee was too sore) and last week which was due to sheer lazyness (i was tired and the weather was crap).
Saturdays with Swords I've only missed one and that was due to a course i'm doing which has tutorials every 6th Sat.
Sundays a bit more hit and miss as Mrs Fowl has a veto there. I-ve got 4-5 in though including messing on the Mtb with my 10 years old which was cool and a few nice hilly spins with a friend.
Over all averaging 200k a week for the past 7 weeks with 1420k in total.

That said i'm not feeling as good as i feel I should. recovery seems slow and ideally I'd take a few rest days but the time I have for spins is very limited so have to take whats on offer...
Climbing is still atrocious but less so than before.
Stamina is certainly better with 80-90k spins not taking too much out of now.
My knee is swollen and sore still following the crash and I've a low grad upper respiratory virus which is hard to shake. Manage to get a first even kidney infection last week too which was "interesting" (feckin sore).
So distance is going to plan but fitness not where I wanted or expected it to be. Also missed first goal as I can't run on the knee just yet...

So onwards and upwards.....

PS weight now down to 83kgs (mainly due to more disipline re diet and reducing beer/wine intake ...)

Beasty

You're either a hypochondriac, or need to make an appointment to see your doctor Rob

RobFowl

Beasty wrote: »

You're either a hypochondriac, or need to make an appointment to see your doctor Rob

Bit of both

Seeing one tomorrow for bloods and a physio for me auld knee...

RobFowl

Still plugging away. Blood tests were all fine (best ever ffs) and knee steadily better.
Think the lack of top end is almost vertainly a result of the intentional weight loss and restricted diet.
Ate more carbs after getting a kicking on sat and felt much better today.
Still pluggign away at 180-200k a week and (fingers crossed) starting to feel the benefit.
Signed up for my A4 licence and as of today the IVCA too.
Weight 79kgs now which is the lightest I've been since 2005 (last year I raced properly).
Good bike back together and new wheels (Kysirium SL's) and far better than my talent deserves, bloody nice to ride though
Plan is to train Thurs with the lads (missed bcmf badly today, seems I've been dumped for a better offer) and Sat with the club.
Might try a race the following weekend if I feel up to it (will know by how I go on sat).
Out of interest off all beer/wine since Jan and not missing it at all which surprised me!

bcmf

RobFowl wrote: »

getting a kicking on sat

Ah now in fairness Sat was just a case of bad timing* and you almost got back on at the airport!


*though I lol'd after I said "f**k here they are!!!" when I saw the group coming around the bend at speed after you had just gone around the same bend in the opposite direction

RobFowl

Still plugging away.
Registered with the Vets so first race prob this Sun (exams and a course on Fri/Sat first though !).
The IVCA in their infinite wisdom have decided a year or 2 out of racing has made me better as I'm now handicapped in "whites" so apparantly faster then Beasty and Mc2000 !!!


Anyway 2512Kms ytd and highest commuting average speed last Tues was shelled out from Swords group last Sat though I have excuses (but don't I always..).
Weight down to 76.5kgs.

Beasty

You're lucky - last year the newbies were put into semi-scratch. Sounds like the LoF has put in a good word for you.

It also means that to all intents and purposes, other than point allocation, you are handicapped at exactly the same level as me, mc2k and that 71 year old

RobFowl

Enjoyed the Vets race and felt very comfortable until got spat out the back with 14k to go. Had an exam/course the previous 2 days and was a bit tired but actually managed better than I expected. Ended the race with a 35.8kph average and wasn't too far back.
60k commute on tues in absolutely heavenly conditions which contributed to a record time (2:15 for combined including various stops so less than 2 hours cycliung time) which was nice.
Another 55k today on the hills cut a bit short due to knee pain.
Knee has troubled me since falling in Jan and I had been diagnosed with a ligament strain and maybe torn cartilage, an MRI scan on wed though showed I'd torn my posterior cruciate and vastus lateralis (outside of the Quads). No quick fix and a 2-3 month rehab program but will be able to cycle, just no running. Explains why I feel a bit weak when I get out of the saddle , basically I have to relearn the proprioception and endpoints. My footballing days are now officially at an end though....
Weight up to 77kgs but suspect thats muscle gained now so happy enough.
Swords spin sat planned and prob Vets race sun. Spectating at the Harry Reynolds on Sat afternoon as well, great race circuit, fast and hard with a good finish and lots of spectating points.
Was impressed with Mc2000 esp on Sun, very comfortable riding in the bunch and never in any trouble. Beasty is looking strong too and from a style point of view his upper body moves very little and he pedals at a good cadence. Well done to them and looking good for the season.

RobFowl

IVCA race at Kentstown today finished in the bunch (tried to get up for the sprint but was a bit manic and was boxed in).
75kms and average speed 36kph.
There was a good drag each lap (3 in total) and there was some attacking riding with breaks getting away regularly but never too far ahead.
I was close to my max 3-4 times and once felt was on the verge of getting dropped but held on and on the last lap actually felt quite strong.
Over 3000 calories a/c Mr Garmin...
Anyway first proper goal ticked off

RobFowl

Since the last post keeping up the 180+ average. Managed 260k last week too.
Racing with the IVCA going well. Dundalk 2 weeks ago was fun, fast and crossed the line in the bunch after getting boxed in again (my fault and lack of practice in getting in the right place but it'll come :rolleyes:).
Punctured last week and got a bit of a cold as a result of the sitting around after that...

Club league last night a disaster (slight overreaction there ). Sprinted into the first steep section and provoked an asthma attack which is still bothering me today. All bit stupid and should have known better but hey, gives me an easy time to improve on for next time...

Overall really enjoying the bike so far this year. It really is a great sport and lifestyle too. Just shy of 4000k so far this year (compared with 1500k on the car over the same period ).

Roll on the summer

RobFowl

Off the bike for almost 3 weeks due to exams (passed ) and the RAS (which went well from my angle).
did the tour of louth as my first cycle since with bcmf and jam from boards. Some Stamullen riders and Wardie form swords braved the elements.

Great spin at a good streay pace climbed well although started too slow as wasn't sure how I'd go. Nice to pass guys who sprinted by me earlier stopped gasping at the side of the road .

Got Gold the last 2 times I did this (Astra monti and I personally dragged about 20 other suckers to gold in 2010) nut decided to take it easier and settle for silver pace.

Averaged 37-8 for the last 40 which was nice.

Good event as always but think they've gone to far with the platinum.

Anyway plan to do a few more races , a few more sportifs and enjoy the bike primarily.

The track interests me big time and I plan to get accedited and see if it suits me.

Antway good luck to all of you out there and what ever your goals (even if you have none) enjoy the bike as the main thing..

Best of luck Rob

PS for a chance completely injury free !!!

RobFowl

Good few spins since including the North Down Coastal challange where I met ElTel and a few old teammates from NDCC.
That week was a particularly good one as hi over 500k.
Managed to come practically last in the club champs too which was impressive!
Club tour this weekend hopefully, club race tonight is a 35 so heading out for a spin with a few others instead.
Should top 400k this week to make it 6500kms from Jan1st to July 1st although will be on hols for 3 weeks July/Aug so that'll reduce the average.
In a funny place cycling wise hust now loving the Tours/Club spins and gettign out but no real desire to race just now but that'll come back i', sure.

RobFowl

Hit 10k for the year yesterday