Winter Version 1.0

Well it's started. My winter campaign is underway and I am now into the second week of what I have dubbed Winter 1.0. It was nice to have a few weeks off after the Nationals, and by off I mean have three or four caramel slice runs in my week back home (one of them was a double as well, slightly gluttonous) and then do a 7 hour epic with the Southport CC. Hmm. I hadn't expected it to be quite as long as it was, but it was great fun-new roads, big group, real sense of actually travelling somewhere as opposed to just doing endless loops. Have a look at the report here: http://southportcc.co.uk/ClubRuns.html

Those 3 weeks of beer, curries and chocolate passed rather quickly and I had originally intended to only start Winter 1.0 in December; but a Saturday club run with the Ystwyth club, a few spritely fellow students and resident Team UK Youth Pro Gruff Lewis gave my body an unexpected but not unwelcome kick start last week...so I figured why not start now! I'd been getting a bit bored forcing myself to not ride too much and was really rather looking forward to getting back in the routine and eating properly again. Sunday was a bit dodgy though, a combination of having shredded legs after around 3,000 ft of fast climbing on the Saturday (and the distance, a modest 68 miles-but these are Welsh miles. I.E. nothing flat) meant I was swinging a bit after about 20 miles. It wasn't helped by having the resident Aberystwyth GearMonster being the only other one out on the post club dinner ride...(think Bert Grabsch cadence and gear choice and you've got a good comparison). 

I knew I'd seen him somewhere before...

Normally I would have relished such a motor-pacing opportunity, (22-23mph into a headwind on a rolling road anyone?) but not last Sunday. Long story short, still did nearly 60 miles, very nearly got the fringale, cursed my Uni accomodation being at the top of a f**k off big hill, napped, felt like sh*t for the rest of the day, slept like a log, felt great come Tuesday's night ride! 


These two weekends have largely followed the same template: Saturday, feel good then not so good. Sunday, feel ok then definitely not good. Luckily this week both days were more 'good' than 'not so good'. I could definitely feel the benefits of last weeks unpleasantness. It is interesting how quickly I feel the fatigue now though, I can go from feeling comfortable to struggling in less than 15 mins. Very strange. But then again, I wasn't expecting to start winter with anything approaching race fitness! So yeah, looking forward to seeing what two months of this does!


Things I've learned recently:

• A cup of Big Maggy's coffee is perfect for getting a tired and weary John back home over a couple of nasty 25% gradients at the end of a ride.
• Welsh roads=FANTASTIC
• Flat roads and 'recovery rides' are a relatively alien concept to Aberystwyth cyclists ;)
• I am very glad I specced my winter bike with a compact chainset! Need it round here...
• If you put me in the position where I can buy cake in a cafe, even though I am now 'training' I will buy said cake. 
• Merino wool base layers can take a lot before they begin to smell or feel nasty-student's best friend!
• I am already sick of washing all my cycling kit in my sink and then having it drip dry for days on my airer in the middle of my room :/
• I now need a lot more sleep than your average student.
• And more food.
• I really should go to the Uni library more often.

Speaking of winter miles, interesting riding companions and cake have a look at this, I expect you'll find it rather amusing: http://traumradfahren.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/base-miles-in-winter-base-on-base-off/

That is the end of tonight's stream of consciousness. 

Fin.