This time last year I felt very much on top of my game and looking forward to the trip to Paris. However a number of events including the appalling weather have conspired against me to wreck my best laid training plans.
I referred to my Garmin stat's a few days ago and noted with some concern that I managed to get out on my bike only 3 times in May, 2 in April and 2 in March. This is not the training schedule of a supreme athlete and I suspect that I will be drawing on my experience of L2P2011 and deep reserves of strength to get me through.
This month I have already managed to get out 3 times and am covering the ground at a reasonable speed which has come as something of a surprise to me. On the basis of my recent runs, over albeit a much shorter distance, I feel that I should be able to manage G4 pace. Whether I can maintain that over 3 days remains to be seen. If I can't then I can always put my feet up in the broom wagon!
I clearly haven't got enough miles under my belt to consider 'tapering' so next weekend I am thinking of cycling from home in Solihull to Aberdovy where the family are gathering for a big party. The full trip would be 133miles and I have no intention of doing that but if I set off a few hours before my wife I would hope to have done 60-70 miles before she catches me up in the car. As Sasha knows I am a fair weather cyclist so if there is any chance of rain I will opt for the comfort of the car for the entire journey.
The only other observation I would make is that my average speeds this year have improved quite a bit which is strange given my lack of training. I don't imagine that my technique has improved so I can only put that down to my new Tarmac which is very comfortable, much lighter and quite a bit faster than my old Trek. I have also only recently found out that I wasn't putting enough pressure in my tyres and when you weigh in at around 100kgs that makes a big difference!
Perhaps if I had properly pumped up the tyres on my Trek I wouldn't have felt that I needed a new bike. This cycling is an expensive pastime!
I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the team next week.
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