Having done several endurance rides over the past few years I have learnt that fitness is everything, anybody can complete a ride but how many actually enjoy it?
On previous tours I have concentrated on losing weight and just riding, however found losing lots of weight comes at a cost in the amount of power you produce and lose over a length of time. With that in mind my philosophy for this ride is to concentrate on endurance and power. My fitness campaign is based around core body strength as well as cardio training.
Having been on holiday in spain recently I took my road bike and tested my self on some classic climbs that have been used in the Vuelta (Tour of Spain) as well as battling the heat - the next time I feel heat like that will be as I cross the Arizona desert in March.
Weekly Training
Monday: Morning swim - 1000m
: Afternoon Cardio Vascular - 2km row, 20km bike, 5km run. Followed by stretch/Vibrate and jacuzzi.
Tuesday: Morning swim - 1000m
: Afternoon Core body strength - 100 Lunges, weights, situps and pullups. Followed by stretch/vibrate and jacuzzi.
Wednesday: Morning swim - 1000m
: Afternoon Cardio Vascular - 2km row, 20km bike, 5km run. Followed by stretch/Vibrate and jacuzzi.
Thursday: Morning swim - 1000m
: Afternoon Core body strength - 100 Lunges, weights, situps and pullups. Followed by stretch/vibrate and jacuzzi.
Friday: Morning swim - 1000m
: Afternoon Cardio Vascular - 2km row, 20km bike, 5km run. Followed by stretch/Vibrate and jacuzzi.
Saturday: 3hr bike ride
Sunday: 3hr bike ride
Rest days are important and for me they come in the form of TA nights on a Tuesday and 1 weekend off a month
23-30 September 11
What a week, the launch of the new EMBO Campaign in the Medway Messenger, great support from Bob Bounds and Jenni Horn who are covering the whole event from start to fruition. I set out on a normal weekend bike ride for 3 hours, my ride takes me through the Grain peninsula and back through the Medway towns home. All through the ride I think about a bike ride for all to enjoy as a fundraising event, the peninsula is perfect, quiet roads and beautiful scenery.
The ride takes me through Stoke, Grain, Allhallows, Cliffe Woods and Cliffe on my way I pass through Higham, Cobham, Meopham and West Malling on my way back to St Marys Island. I love riding around Medway there is always so much to see. Riding along the 2007 Tour de France stage is a privilege.
I picked up Caroline from Strood station on Friday night and took her around a proposed route for the CLIC Sargent cycle ride. Caroline was full of beans as a lot of her students had seen the coverage in the Medway Messenger Extra – FRONT PAGE!!! They think she is well cool for being in the paper and that she is cycling across America!!!!!!
We make our way around the peninsula, Caroline is only thinking toilets and facilities and not the cyclists point of view!! “This isn’t the Tour De France” I tell her, however she does bring some valid points to the table. So back to the drawing board, I have enough of a plan to make it work. The route is rural and low traffic especially on a Sunday, it will take in the Thames side of the peninsula as the roads are quieter and there are more Pubs, facilities and with places like Cooling and Higher Halstow the scenery is idyllic.
The way the proposed cycle ride will work is offering all abilities a route and distance to suit all. Using the Olympic theme I (Caroline will try and claim the idea) propose a Bronze route of 10 miles, Silver of 30 miles and Gold of 60 miles. The ride will be marshalled and have drink stops and hopefully mechanical support. Lots to think about and plan.
The test ride goes well, a little tweek here and there will make it perfect and hopefully draw people in and raise lots of money and be the first of many.
Start point - Cliffe
Finish point - Cliffe
Bronze route is from liffe out to Higher Halstow and back
Silver is the whole route
Gold is the whole route twice (I may ammend the gold route to take on more hills?)
