Biarritz2Barcelona

Day 7

2008-05-25T21:21:00.003+01:00

After a really good night at our hotel in Tora, (many thanks to Mireia at the Tourist office in Calaf for finding this!) we set off for our final day's ride into Barcelona. Approx 20km into the ride we stopped at Calaf for a photo shoot with the ladies at the Tourist Office before setting off again.

Despite my promises that it would all be downhill there were a few hills we had to climb but they were balanced by some really good downhills!!
We all met up again at Martarell for a Tapas lunch in some lovely warm sunshine. With the roads getting busier as we got closer to Barcelona we formed a Pelaton for the final 25km. We were all wearing our B2B Blue cycle shirts and we looked the business!! As we hit the outskirts of Barcelona and started the long ride into the centre, the locals were stopping, staring and shouting out words of support. We eventually reached the Olympic Stadium for a photoshoot of the team at about 5.00pm.

We managed to fit out one of the spare bikes for Tim and found a B2B shirt for him as well. As we left the Olympic Stadium for our final 3km to the waterfront we were now 24 in number!

Finally at about 6.00pm we arrived at the waterfront and a very emotional welcome from wives, partners, friends and families.

We had covered 430 miles, climbed 6 major mountains, been forced to make three diversions, cycled through roadworks that gave us 7 punctures, had to deal with snow, sleet, heavy rain and freezing temperatures. We had seen sights that we will never see again, achieved more than we thought possible, faced up to and conquered everything that had been thrown at us.
We had discovered strength, mental and physical, to carry us through and above all we had found 22 great friends.
A huge thank you has to go to Tim, Corrine and Trudy for driving the support vans, where the word "driving" so inadequately conveys what they did for us. And to Jamie - Thanks for sowing the seeds of the challenge last July; at the time I thought it wouldn't happen. Your determination proved me wrong. What a challenge, what a result.

Day 6

2008-05-22T18:23:00.005+01:00

Wearily we dragged our very tired bodies out of bed for a late breakfast (by our standards but early by Spanish standards)at 8.30. We all enjoyed the lie in although the rain was a bit of a depressant.
No matter, at 9.30 we set off for a glorious, fast ride, mainly downhill for 20+ miles into Tremp, where we all met up for a coffee in warm sunshine. Some of us had managed it in under an hour!
Leaving Tremp we headed for what we thought was a small Col of 13km at 4%. Near the base we stopped for a welcome picnic lunch before heading for the climb.

And what a climb it was!! It went on and on, with sections of 9%. It sapped what little energy we had left.

However the descent was a flying pleasure as we made our way to Ponts for another coffee break. As we enjoyed our coffees we could see the storm clouds gathering so we set off for Tora and our penultimate night's rest.

What a gem of a hotel we had booked ourselves into. A superb day of 125km polished off with the really good hotel. What more could we desire?

Day 5

2008-05-21T19:20:00.010+01:00

As we prepared ourselves for the additional miles to make our way around the Portillion the hotel advised us that the road was passable by bike albeit we would have to carry them through the road works. A quick vote and we all agreed that the Portillon was a better option than the additional 30 k. We set off on a glorious sunny morning with the road to ourselves and a few lonely walkers who shouted out the occasional "Allez, Allez, Allez" in support.
An 8km climb with a few sections of 12% and we were at the top on the border with Spain. Farewell France and welcome Spain.
We all met up for coffee outside a cafe in Vielha and lunch by the river as we prepared ourselves for the 23km climb up the Puerto de la Bonaigua. Little did we know that this was on a par with some of the French Cols. It just went on and on and on with sections that were 11/12%.

The smiles of relief at the top were on everyone's faces!

However those smiles got wiped off as we made the descent. The Spanish don't close roads when they do roadworks, they leave them open and expect you to cycle through them. For three miles we had to endure the worst road conditions we had experienced ANYWHERE. Between us we had seven punctures!

Eventually we arrived in Rialp by 6.00pm where we found ourselves booked into a lovely hotel. What's more they had a television so that the football fans could watch the Champions League Final.

Day 4

2008-05-20T20:32:00.009+01:00

Day four saw us at the top of the Tourmalet, with the promise of better weather than we had enjoyed on Day 3. We set off, carefully, on the descent as the road was still wet. By the time we got to the bottom it had dried out, just in time for our climb up the Aspin. As the sun broke through spirits were lifted particularly as the Aspin was a lot easier to climb than the Tourmalet.
After the Aspin we headed for the Peyresourde, stopping off for a really enjoyable picnic lunch on the way in beautiful sunshine.
Recharged, the climb was almost a pleasure and at the top there was a line on the road plus a road sign indicating the summit. Not ones to miss a chance we lined up across the road and took a photo of the last of the Tour de France Cols. 40 minutes later we arrived in Bagnerres de Luchon, a spa town just inside the border with Spain. A number of the group took the opportunity to visit one of the local spas. The rest off us talked to a few locals and found out that the Col de Portillon was closed due to road works meaning that our route on Day 5 was now 30 kilometres longer.
With that thought in out heads we retired to bed!!

Days 2 & 3

2008-05-19T20:51:00.003+01:00

Couldn't get a signal last night hence no blog . However it was a very wet day with some challenging climbs as we made our way through the foothills of the Pyrenees. We were joined part of the way by a French cyclist, Philippe, who kept us company until midday and provided us with lots of advice on the Aubisque and Tourmalet climbs, having done both himself.
We arrived at Beost about 4pm to find that we had booked a Youth Hostel and we were expected to have sleeping bags and towels. Towels we had. Sleeping bags were noticeable by their absence. However the lady in charge was very understanding and provided towels from her house and enough blankets to keep us all warm!!
A few of us took the opportunity to drive up the Aubisque to see what Monday's first challenge was going to be like. Driving it was enough to make us want to go back home. When we got to the top we found that the descent down the other side was closed to cars although bikes were allowed. There was concern about snow and rockslides!!
When we returned to Beost our ashen faces were enough to put the fear of God amongst everyone else. An early night was agreed with an early start, with the first group off at 7.

Monday, and the rain was coming down cats and dogs as we set off. The climb took some 1 hour and others up to 2 hours, but we all made it. It was freezing cold and wet as we took over the log fire in the summit cafe.

After an hour we knew we had to get on with the ride despite the appalling weather. And with the road closed we knew we had to cover 15km without support as the vans made their way back down and around the Aubisque to meet up with us on the other side. Fingers were frozen, teeth were chattering, and it was almost impossible to hold the handlebars let alone grab the brakes. However we all made it safely in a number of groups. It was too cold to hang around so we made our was to Argeles Bezost only to find out that the Tourmalet was closed!! To get to our next night's accommodation we had to cycle to Lourdes and back up to the Tourmalet from the other side. Fortunately the Tourmalet was open on the East side. Or should I say unfortunately! We now had a 16 km climb to La Mongie. The final group made it about 7.30pm having been on the road 12 hours. The relief was overwhelming, especially when we found that we had a really nice hotel!!!

By 10.30 everyone was in bed dreaming of the challenge of the Aspin and the Peyresourde facing us tomorrow.

Message from Home

2008-05-19T19:15:00.002+01:00

You're all so amazing! We've been texting each other, talking on the phone, emailing any sliver of information that we get from you throughout the day and I know that I speak for all of the families at home when I say that we're so proud of you.

It's the most amazing achievement - we're in awe of you all. Your commitment and determination has been truly tested today, but you did it!

What a team! Keep going, stick together, everyone back home is behind you all the way. So many people are logging onto this blog to follow your progress - keep it coming, and we'll celebrate in Barcelona on Friday when it will have stopped raining, the sun will be shining, and the sangria will be flowing...

You're the best B2B - love from all your families and friends x

Message from The Children's Trust

2008-05-18T08:47:00.002+01:00

So sorry I can't be there to set you off but I would like to wish you all well on your amazing trip across the Pyrenees. I think you have all been absolutely fantastic! I'm so proud of the way you have organised this trip and the professional way you have gone about raising sponsorship for The Children's Trust. It's a truly fantastic sum of money and will be a huge bonus for our new build here at Tadworth.
Every year 1 in 5 children under 16 years old will sustain a traumatic brain injury following an accident or sudden illness. With you help our new centre will be a wonderful purpose designed environment where these brave children, from all over the UK, can come to receive round the clock medical care, and still enjoy space to play and be with their families.
The Children's Trust enables children with the most complex needs to live life to the full. Just think of that when you are struggling up the mountains and I'm sure it will help you get to the top! And when you get to the top and look at the fantastic view remember that's how our children feel when they speak their first words or take their first steps following their accident.
Thank you so much for everythinng you have done so far. Good luck with the ride - I know you can do it! I can't wait to hear all about it so keep on blogging and hopefully I'll see you on your return to the UK.
All the best (and don't forget the Vaseline!).
Lisa and all the staff, children and their families at The Children's Trust.

Day One

2008-05-17T17:25:00.004+01:00

After months of preparation and training, apprehension and second thoughts, we finally set off from London on the Eurostar to Paris and thence on to Biarritz care of SNCFs best overnight sleeper. Blearily eyed we arrived in Biarritz at 7am where we met up with Ian and Paul, who had flown down on Friday. We desperately tried to hide our envy as they told us of the full night's sleep they had enjoyed in their hotel.
After a quick breakfast we set about unloading our bikes and rebuilding them. Just as we finished, the skies opened and it poured for the next hour. Not to be put off we made our way to the seafront for a quick few photos. As soon as Hugh gave us the ok, just after 10am we were on our way to Barcelona!! First stop, Mauleon Licharre a ride of 58 miles. Supported by Corinne and Trudy in Van 1 and Tim in Van 2 we soon found out that the roads were hilly as soon as we got out of Biarritz and got more hilly the further we cycled. The roads were superb with very little traffic, long climbs matched by sweeping descents.
It was the first time the group had cycled together and it gave us all the opportunity to work out where to sit in the 23 man peloton. It was also time for the first breakdown (Robert) and first puncture (Mike) which occurred simultaneously about 15 miles into the ride.
The rain cleared at lunchtime and as the clouds dispersed we could finally see the challenge facing us, the PYRENEES!!
Undaunted we carried on to Mauleon in some pleasant sunshine arriving there just before 4pm and our first night's rest at the Hostellerie du Chateaux.

Our support vans

2008-05-15T16:54:00.006+01:00

This is what our support vans look like now that the graphics have been added. We won't see them now until Saturday morning!!
More news later.

Something for everyone.....

2008-05-14T16:54:00.003+01:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

I did it for the Pain - Lance Armstrong

2008-05-13T11:43:00.002+01:00

Thanks to Graham, who found this descriptive gem on what we all face!!

Cycling is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it’s absolutely cleansing. The pain is so deep and strong that a curtain descends over your brain... Once, someone asked me what pleasure I took in riding for so long. ’Pleasure?’ I said. ’I don’t understand the question.’ I didn’t do it for pleasure, I did it for pain."
LANCE ARMSTRONG, WINNER TOUR DE FRANCE 1999 – 2005

The history of cycle racing abounds with stories of endurance, will power and sheer courage on an epic scale. The capacity of bike riders to drive themselves relentlessly day after day through the pain barrier and way beyond makes them a breed apart. They redefine heroism in sport. The suffering is gratuitous, the mileage they cover Herculean, and both make a crucible in which a unique character is forged: an apparently cheerful indifference to the pain inflicted by bike and road, suffused with the transcendent desire to conquer both.
The greatest battle is not physical but psychological. The demons telling us to give up when we push ourselves to the limit can never be silenced for good. They must always be answered by the quiet the steady dignity that simply refuses to give in. Call no man brave, say the Spanish, say only that on a particular day he showed himself brave. Such strength of character radiates from every bike rider who has shown the requisite courage not to yield, has won his dignity, day after day.
The true test of any rider’s mettle is the road. How much punishment can you take on a bike? You will only find out after you hear the voice in your head saying no, no you’ve had it, any more of this battering and you’re going to weaken fatally, and yet, for some reason best left to God and guesswork, carrying on anyway. Every time that happens, into a savage headwind... on the sharp knocks of the Chilterns... the will-sapping hauls of the continental monsters, the experience is part of a continuum, the repeated battle against surrender.
No crowds cheer us lesser mortals up the big climbs, but the mountains are open and mountains are rarely if ever finished with you. No matter how often you climb them, you never beat them: each time you start at the bottom, from scratch. Reputation will not take you up a climb. The physical battle has always to be repeated. Through every repeat, mental strength accumulates.
The Tourmalet, lassoed by mist, 2000m up in the Circle of Death, where Apo Lazaridès climbed off one day to wait for the others for fear of Pyrenean bears. The dreaded Mont Ventoux, Domain of the Angels. Col du Galibier, the Giant of the Alps, ’premier cru’ to the ’vin ordinaire’ of the rest. That’s where you can follow the Tour, into the thin air, up the relentless hairpins, your tyres hissing across the tarmac catalogue of Tour riders who made the same journey.
Suffering is one thing; knowing how to suffer is quite another. You look at the dizzying peaks and say to yourself: What? Up there? Mad notion... and the experience of the hardest most exhilarating cycling you can ever accomplish is on you. The great gauntlet on two wheels, the triumph of inner resolve over disbelief.
For the mountains are the extreme case, where you really find out about yourself, in the scary realms of physical and mental exertion to the limit. Remote altitudes of geography, unplumbed depths in your spirit. Even local folklore recognises the weird forces at work on the cyclist chancing his fate against horrible gradients. Up here, they say, is where the black-hearted ogres of bad luck hang out: the Witch with Green Teeth and Hammerman, quick to pounce on any slippage in your resolve. Bogeymen personifying the mysterious factors which can freeze your nerve with the lonely prospect of failure.
That’s why we speak of heroism in cycling: it’s elemental.
This is the ultimate proving time. The spells of mind-numbing dysfunction when your head fills with disconnected trivia and only the wheels, still responding to the pedal stroke, like the cogwheels in your brain’s clock, seem to have any logic about them. Mechanically you mutter: if the road goes on, so can I. As Brian Robinson, first Briton to finish the Tour de France (1955) said to himself: I looked at the other guys and thought, they’re the same as me - if they can do it, I can. Good reasoning because there’s no ducking the argument. It’s simple: I can’t go on. I must go on. I will go on.
And through the bleak period when your wandering mind gets obsessed with the idea that you’re finished oh, it happens - you persist and you are learning the core lesson of cycling, just as every true rider learnt it: on this road, in this duress, you live in the moment with all your force, in the intensity, the fullness of the moment. Do you know a better definition of exhilaration?
Riding up the Col de la Core one blistering hot afternoon (First Category, Pyrenees) I was passed by a string of Française des Jeux riders. As their last man went by, dangling off the back, he gave me a wave Courage. We all suffer. Keep going.
But if something hurts so much, how can it be enjoyable? At the point where physical stress begins to take you beyond what you imagine to be endurable, you enter new territory of understanding, an expanded psychological landscape. The camaraderie of the hard road is as much in sharing that insight as in the laughs you have, riding in good company. The bike is the perfect vehicle to take you down those secret corridors of illumination. The pleasure comes when you grasp just what has happened inside your head and spirit. It doesn’t stop when the bike stops, when you reach the top of the col or peel off at the end of the ride, so tired you can hardly think or stand straight. That’s where the pleasure begins. The self-knowledge.
Behind glory lies the misery of training, the slog of getting through bad days, the torment of going at less than your best and the absolute conviction that giving up is never an option. Herein lies the heroism of this beautiful sport the inner revelation that makes the cyclist impervious to ordinary weakness because every ride he has ever made exposes him to that defeatist voice; he has known it, faced it and conquered the fear of it, again and again and again.

And there I was thinking that this was going to be a weeks cycling holiday.....

Day 3 could be a long one....

2008-05-07T14:26:00.004+01:00

I found these two articles to be the most descriptive of the ride which awaits on Day 3. Early morning calls all round, I fancy.

.........however, the opportunity of riding the infamous Aubisque couldn’t be overlooked, I headed off and cycled to the top of ‘the monster’, all 1709 metres of it.

If you’ve never cycled in France, wow! Every car and lorry gives you enough room to swing several cats tied with a jaunty reef knot, and the roads are super smooth (where I went anyway). The weather was perfect, and passing through Pau and Gan towards the feet of the Pyrenees I was able to fully appreciate the size and potential for intimidation the mountains had. Suffice it to say I felt a little insignificant in comparison!

Anyway, I started the ascent without realising it as I think I may have got lost, as I ended up in a strange sloping piazza, with only the comfort of ‘for sale’ signs hanging off dilapidated spa institutes.

However tomtom in hand (the satnav!) I found the route and pedaled off, passing the 11-km to go board, having unwittingly covered 5 already.

All I can say of the ascent is ‘what a bastard!’. Its completely deceiving as the gradient really isn’t that steep, with only a brief 13% section early on interrupting a steady flow of 8-10% sections. However its the sheer distance and altitude that seems to wear you down, and mentally its very hard to understand what’s happening as your legs begin to struggle, your heart begins to pound, yet the gradient seems so slight!

From 1300 metres up I began to have problems and I couldn’t seem to get enough air in. After riding in Derbyshire all my life up way steeper gradients I wasn’t going to give up! It simply came down to forgetting everything and trying to find a rhythm, which began to reap results as I pulled in a jolly Frenchman on a very nice Look carbon bike, ‘Bonjour’, ‘Au revoir’, a grunt which seemed to say ‘Bastard bastard’ and I was off, eventually reaching the top after an hour of toil, and feeling like I’d been steam rollered repeatedly.

Why oh way don’t the French make decent sandwiches? Fromage and Jambon is no reward after all that work, keep your cheese chaps, and the omnipotent canard, give me fresh salad and chicken!!!!!

After a nice chat with a Spanish lady and the aforementioned Frenchman after he arrived at the top, I set off for the descent which was fabulous, although I was careful not to go crazy as it was wet in places.

At the top I was worried about a lack of energy on the return to Pau, but the Jambon sandwich must have had hitherto unforeseen benefits, as I wobbled along at an average of 22mph for the return trip, passing breathtaking fields complete with continental cowbell percussion.

..........and so to the Tourmalet;

If the Aubisque is a monster, the Tourmalet is a giant, at 2115 metres (6939 ft) the highest col on the route. They don’t come any fiercer than that. The Col du Tourmalet is one of the big five continental climbs - the others are Mont Ventoux in Provence, the Alpe d’Huez and the Galibier in the Alps, and the Stelvio between Italy and Switzerland, and for any cyclist to conquer this col is a real feather in their cap - or so it’s said.

The climb proper (if you’re going west to east) starts from Luz St. Sauveur and is unremitting from the start. Three hours it took me, from 10.30 to 1.30, with a twenty-minute break for coffee at Bareges, which is just before the halfway point.

Someone spotted an eagle soaring round the crags which overshadow this steep little hamlet.It was pedal, pedal, pedal all the way, grinding slowly up a narrow valley and through the inevitable forest - I’ve never seen so many trees as I did in the Pyrenees - and then round a bend and out onto the bare mountain.

You could see the road ahead, twisting its tortuous route over the mountainside, a hideous distance yet to climb, and your heart just sank. It went on and on, bend after bend, hairpin after hairpin.

But the weather was fine - it was a beautifully sunny day, and it was high enough not to get roasting hot. Approaching 7,000 feet you start to feel the thinness of the air, and for the last few hundred yards there’s a very steep uphill pull.

I was shattered enough by then to contemplate getting off and walking it (just to stretch my legs, you understand) but I hung on and, in bottom gear with lungs bursting and heart pumping, made it to the top.“Pass the line!” they shouted to me from the roadside cafe, “You’ve got to pass the line!” Which was a white bar across the road, and I did, and that was it, the Tourmalet gained, a fantastic view on which to look back, and an even more fantastic descent in prospect.

The road down goes through the hideous ski resort of La Mongie, a blot on the otherwise pristine landscape if ever there was one, and then down and down and down. I lost count of the number of sweating cyclists coming up the other way, both racers and tourists, my shoulder aching with the effort of applying the brakes at every bend.

There was little respite at the bottom, just a drink of water and a banana, a right turn and then the slow uphill to the start of the Aspin.

From the west, the Col d’Aspin (1489 m, 4885 ft) is easy-paced, a gentle if unremitting climb through the forest, with a herd of bell-toting cows right at the top. Then a long, flying swoop down to Arreau, locate the hotel and then the bar. A worthwhile day in every respect.

That last bit sounds great doesn't it?

Ian

Rules for cyclists and info on dehydration

2008-05-06T12:54:00.002+01:00

What is they say about idle hands? Anyway this lunchtime whilst idling away I came across this useful info on the Cycling Support website.

"Rules for Cyclists – by Vélocio
1. Keep your stops short and few
2. Eat before you’re hungry, drink before you’re thirsty
3. Never get too tired to eat or sleep
4. Add a layer before you’re cold, take one off before you’re hot
5. Lay off wine, meat and tobacco while on tour
6. Ride within yourself, especially in the first hour
7. Never show off
Paul de Vivie 1853-1930

Just being dehydrated will make you feel tired. Drink before you are thirsty is a good tip. A sensible target is to drink about 300ml (half a pint) early in the ride then between 100ml and 200ml every 20 minutes.
There are now on the market a number of different brands of energy products,
which also are of great help though they can be expensive. Raisins and
bananas are also good to help you to keep going.. A combination of bananas
and water can be as efficient as energy drinks however.

If you follow a reasonably balanced diet with sufficient carbohydrate and protein
there is no need to worry unduly about special foods the day before a ride. This
is in any case very much a matter of personal needs and preferences. On the
day of a ride, David Millar has a breakfast of cereal, milk, fruit and yoghurt then
carries a musette bag with jam sandwiches, little cakes and energy bars.

However, after exercise it is important to replace carbohydrate in liquid form
– about 1gram of carb. per kg of bodyweight i.e. an 80kg person would put 80g
into a pint of water and drink it down immediately they get to the end of the ride,
or at most within 20 minutes. Products to consider are: Go Electrolyte, High
Five Energy Source, Maxim Electrolyte or Cytomax."

Oh well, back to work!
Mike

L2B for the B2B riders

2008-05-04T21:08:00.017+01:00

To all of those who made it today, what a turn out. 14 representatives of the B2B team either made it to Hayes for the start of the ride at 8.00am this morning or joined us along the way. The cycle shirts looked great and drew many admiring comments from the other riders.
Well done to those who made it all the way to Brighton sea-front. Hope the lift back was dry and comfortable!! And a big well done to those who turned round on Devils' Dyke and cycled back to Hayes. A round trip of 102 miles.
Word of advice for everyone on the B2B: don't follow my directions. Armed with the latest in cycle satnavs I managed to get us lost twice!! Some work will be required before I am let loose on the Pyrenees!
These are some of the photos from today. More will be forthcoming.
See you all on Thursday.
Mike

......A Solution

2008-05-02T13:09:00.003+01:00

MIKES FRIEND

DOROTHY

CAN HELP YOU WITH

YOUR INSURANCE

NEEDS.

CALL 08449 809520 NOW

LOKING AFTER YOUR BOT BOT!

2008-05-02T12:52:00.005+01:00

Saddle Sores

A warm, humid crotch and lots of pedaling can lead to skin problems, including the classic saddle sore, in all its throbbing, raging glory. Cycling dermatologist and Rivendell member, Bernie Burton tells us why they happen, how to avoid them, and if you don't pay attention, how to get rid of them.

The saddle sore develops in three stages.

Stage 1: Hot Spot or Abrasion. This is caused by rubbing your thighs and skin under the ischial tuberosities (ishi al toober aw cities, but from now on, just "sit bones") against the saddle. Pedaling or just riding over bumps can cause this.

Since abrasion is the cause, decrease or eliminate it.

Here's how:

1. Set your saddle to the proper height. If your saddle is too high, your sit bones will rock over the saddle as you pedal, causing friction.

2. Get a good saddle. It should be wide enough to support the sit bones; smooth, so it doesn't cause friction; and it shouldn't be filled with shiftable mushy gel, which can move around, increasing friction. Leather is a good start. It's smooth, doesn't shift, and depending on the model, supports the sit bones properly. Any sort of suspension -- ranging from higher volume tires at lower pressure to Allsop Beams, may reduce friction, too.

3. Wear seamless-chamois cycling shorts (if you're getting sores in the areas of seam-to-skin contact). Some chamois has a baseball-style seam; some have a single seam up the middle; and some have none at all. Figure out what works for you. Seams in cycling short chamois tend to be flat, and most cause no problem, but if you find yourself irritated by them, get shorts with a seamless chamois.

4. Coat your skin and/or chamois cycling shorts with Vaseline Petroleum jelly. Cover under your sit bones, and any place that might rub, or has been a problem in the past. One concern some riders have with Vaseline is that it might plug their sweat ducts. This is more likely to be a problem on faces, where the ducts are smaller. I've never seen clogged crotch ducts. Vaseline is pure, and nobody is allergic to it. If you ride a lot, by all means, get some.

What If I Still Get a Saddle Sore?

Treat the first symptom (the hot spot) with Bag Balm®. This old fashion medication, designed for a milk cow's sore and irritated teats (from too much frictional rubbing) is available at many pharmacies and animal supply stores. Lot of Bag Balm® applied to irritated areas immediately after your shower will usually result in recovery overnight. This will help heal the superficial wound and prevent its worsening while you're off the bike.

If using a goop originally developed for cow teats makes you uneasy, get a prescription for a strength topical steroid ointment such as Temovate®. There are side effects and dangers with frequent usage, and it costs ten to forty times as much as Bag Balm®. Whether you use Bag Balm® or prescription steroid ointments, apply it in the evening, and cover it with Vaseline the follow morning. If, after riding several hours, this area of irritation again appears, smear on more Vaseline.

Stage 2: Folliculitis

This looks like acne -- small red bumps with puss-filled heads. These are found in hair follicles, and there's often a hair sprouting right out of the puss-filled bump. If this sounds like something you'd like to prevent, just ride with freshly-laundered cycling shorts each day, and/or use lots of Vaseline. Topical antibiotic gel or oral antibiotics may help, too.

Note: If you start your rides with a clean crotch and a clean, Vaseline-covered chamois, and you reapply Vaseline daily, you can go a week or two without laundering your shorts. That's how good Vaseline is.

Stage 3: Abscess

This is an infected, red, hot, swollen, tender bump that varies in diameter between a third of an inch to two inches. These frequently scar over and may form sinus tracks with extensions going in multiple directions from the original lesion. In addition, cysts may form that totally surround the abscess after it has been resolved, or may develop directly from the folliculitis stage without abscess development.

If an abscess occurs, quit riding until they're healed. Go to your doctor (whom you should have seen before now), who then may prescribe oral antibiotics.

Soap Tips For Folks With Problem Crotch Skin.
Cetaphil®, Dove® or Purpose® soap. Wash gently and moisturize with simple emollients like Eucerin Creme®, Aquaphor®, Moisturel®, Curel® or Bag Balm®. You may actively reverse irritant dermatitis by using over-the-counter 1% Hydrocortisone Ointment, or prescription hydrocortisone ointments.

A little TLC to the groin to prevent irritation and lots of Vaseline will keep you riding long and pain-free

Box Hill Billy Goat Gruff

2008-04-27T21:47:00.004+01:00

A few facts worth knowing just for the sake of journalistic integrity.

1) I was not the only person to leave in a motorised vehicle, Martin Long, please stand up.

2) At no point did I say 'I'm off home now', that would have been flippant and inconsiderate. If I remember rightly I think my parting words were 'Blimey, this car is comfortable, and dry'.

3) When we passed you guys in the car as it was starting to rain really hard we did not laugh, point or attempt to run anyone off the road, a clear indication of a compassionate and sympathetic attitude.

4) While you were benefitting from the extra miles in the saddle I had to suffer the torture of a full roast dinner with all the trimmings (pavlova, cheese board etc. etc.). Just think, your weight loss is my weight gain, I will be carrying those Yorkshire Puds all the way up the Pyrenees.

So, you see, there are two sides to every story. It hurt me more than it hurt you.

The reason we are doing this!

2008-04-27T20:23:00.011+01:00

Today was the day that a number of us began to understand why we are trying so hard to raise £50000 or more on what is a personal challenge for each and every one of us but which pales into insignificance when compared to the challenges faced by the children who rely on the Children's Trust for help and support.

----------------A huge thank you to everyone who turned up at the Children's Trust today. A day which had promised rain turned out to be perfect weather for cycling. The ride there, from all quarters of London and the South East, was really enjoyable. From the Children's Trust we ventured on to Box Hill for a photo shoot. We even managed to wrest some sponsorship out of the hands of one of the many visitors there. From there we returned to the Children's Trust for a second photo shoot followed by a guided tour by the lovely Lisa. Then it was back on the bikes as we all cycled our way home just as the rain started. All that is except for Box Hill Billy (now known as Box Hill "I'm off home now" Billy) who, having organised the day's events, had also organised a lift home for himself!!

Thanks for visiting!

2008-04-27T14:06:00.002+01:00

It was really great to see so many of you at The Children's Trust this morning to show you how important your fundraising efforts are to the children we look after here. I'm sure you will agree that it is a very special place where children with the most complex needs can live life to the full.

It was good to show you how the new building is coming along and what we are spending your hard earned sponsorship money on! Each child is given an individual rehabilitation programme which is carried out by a multi-professional team of therapy, nursing, medical and care staff and they also recieve appropriate schooling during their stay. Our aim is to help each child gain as much independence as possible to enable them to return to their family and participate in full time education.

The fantastic new building will not only mean that we can look after more children with aquired brain injury, but that when they come to The Children's Trust they will have everything they need to aid their rehabilitation.

Thanks again for coming to The Children's Trust and good luck for a successful ride from Biarritz to Barcelona - rest assured that it really is all worth the effort!

Lisa Tingley
Community Fundraising Manager
The Children's Trust

Techniques for Hill Climbing

2008-04-22T15:48:00.002+01:00

Something I found today whilst idly browsing. If, like me, the thought of those mountains fills you with dread this may help you.

Techniques for Hill Climbing

When cycling you will invariably encounter a hill, or mountain, that must be ascended. If you are a racing cyclist, you will know this is often where races are won and lost. For some the experience of riding up a hill will be one of elation but for most, the pain of climbing has been enough to see the bike sent to the darkest recesses of the shed or garage and the reintroduction of tiddly-winks to the daily activities. The simplest way of improving your hill climbing is to incorporate hills in all or most of your rides. Avoiding hills will not improve your ability to climb them. The experience of climbing hills shouldn't defeat anyone because through the use of proper technique, even the mountain pass will become a challenge rather than a dread.

If you decide to include hills in your training rides there are several variables to be considered when climbing:

Gear Shifting
Do not down shift too soon as this will lose you valuable momentum. When this happens you end up having to work harder to regain your lost momentum and this puts your legs under unnecessary strain right from the outset. Conversely, do not shift too late as this also will result in a waste of energy by pushing too large a gear. The idea with gearing and shifting is to maintain a "comfortable cadence", shifting when you become uncomfortable and your rate of pedalling drops, but before you bog down and have to horse the gear.
Some top cyclists recommend a cadence of around 80 RPM and shifting up to a higher gear as you near the top. However others prefer climbing at a lower cadence, noting that the higher the cadence the more oxygen you will consume.
This was backed up by an article in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" that found that "maximum sustainable power to be greater at 60 RPM than at 100 RPM, and blood lactate responses to be greater at the higher RPMs".

Standing and sitting
The second variable to climbing involves the decision to climb out of the saddle or in it and the positioning of your body for both of these techniques. A simple rule to start with is that if the hill is long, climb in the saddle. If the hill is short, stand up. Often it becomes a matter of preference as well as what you as an individual feel more efficient at. I once saw Veronque climb a mountain in the Tour de France standing up all the way. A specific note here is that even if the hill is a long one, standing occasionally is recommended as this stretches your back, increases your momentum and shifts the strain from certain muscle groups allowing them to rest for a short while before continuing the climb in the saddle. Often whilst training on long hills I will alternate 20 pedal strokes seated, then 20 standing up and so on.

Climbing techniques in the saddle.
For the small framed cyclist, sliding back on your saddle helps you generate more force through the top of your pedal stroke, also throughout the down stroke and when pulling up on the pedal. Your hands can be either on the top of your brake hoods, or the top of your handlebars but keep them relaxed and periodically change their position.
Your upper body should not be crunched up and your shoulders should be open to allow your lungs and diaphragm to open easily and therefore aid breathing. A relaxed upper body is beneficial as any muscle tension increases your oxygen and caloric demands.
If you are a tall cyclist you will benefit from sliding to the front of your saddle, therefore positioning your hips more over the cranks. This gives you more leverage. In general, climbing in the saddle requires less energy, uses less oxygen and is done at lower heart rates. However there are times when you have to stand, what we refer to as "honking".

Climbing techniques out of the saddle.
The need to get out of the saddle usually happens when the gradient of the hill you are climbing increases, or if muscles fatigue, the climb is short (often referred to as sprinters hills), or an increase in power is needed to crest the hill or drop a fellow rider.
Getting out of the saddle should be done on the down stroke. This minimizes the loss of momentum. You can usually shift to a larger gear before standing.
Your weight should be over your cranks to maximize power during the pedal stroke. This means that you should not lean too far forward or place too much of your bodyweight on the handlebars. Infact keep a relaxed hold on the bars with your hands on the brake hoods. As above keep your shoulders and torso open to allow for easier breathing. Bouncing on your pedals is not advisable. Think of running on the pedals and establish a smooth rhythm concentrating on pedalling in circles.

Finally with both forms of climbing, breathing rate will naturally increase and establishing a breathing rhythm will help this increased demand for oxygen. You must fight against the fact that often when an increase in intensity is called for a person will more likely hold their breath. Work on maintaining a rhythm with your focus on breathing out to rid the body of CO2 and relax on the inspiration. You'll be pleased to know that if you relax, your body will create it's own breathing rhythm.

New outfit - new bike?

2008-04-22T08:20:00.003+01:00

Hey Scott. Instead of worrying about which outfit and accessories to go for with the B2B shirts, why not go and buy a new bike to match the B2B outfit? Problem solved!
Mike

Gok's Advice

2008-04-21T13:40:00.010+01:00

Gok's Top Tips for a Good Ride

Make the most of your figure

In every outfit make sure that you define your waist.

Also use embroidery at the neckline if you are a petite as it draws the eye to the top of the body and makes you look taller.

Details on cuffs and sleeves will keep attention away from big tummies.

An all over cover can help to hide lumps and bumps lurking underneath.

An open cardigan is a great way to create slimming lines for curvy boys.

Knitted tunics can be fantastic at hiding away a tubby tummies.

A vest or tank top is a perfect way to add layers on slender frames.

Whatever your shape and size, if you'd like advice from Gok in respect of your B2B preparation, please post your questions here.

What to Wear !?#

2008-04-21T13:18:00.005+01:00

Our Tour Shirts are fan-dabby-dozie! However they leave me in a bit of a quandary.

SHORTS.......... Should I go Yellow, Red or Blue. Maybe White as it matches all? Black is SOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW Last YEAR!

Its a real dilema, up until now all my kit has been black and red to match my bike. I may now have to buy a new frame, helmet, carbon shoes and shades to match the shirts.

Huffffffff, Don't you just hate shopping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Not)

Scott
Legs of Steel and Looks to Die For

The Noble Art of Plummeting

2008-04-21T11:25:00.002+01:00

Another Sunday, another route.

This time the “Kent Alps” provided the training challenge for Martin, Howie, Colin, Nathan and myself.

Colin resplendent in his new yellow B2B jersey, albeit a little muddy from an outing on Saturday with Mike and Graham.

Martin shivering due to the wait for me at Westerham Green (early morning boiler failure resulting in me hunting around for two boy scouts to rub together and light fires for the slumbering wife and child).

Nathan in good voice despite the efforts at the microphone on Thursday night and Howie feeling a little jaded after his Saturday mountain trek with Scott.

Having negotiated Crockham Hill en route (a painfully long incline of gradients varying between 5-13%) and after exchanging pleasantries with the chaps at the Northern base of Toys Hill, the climbing began.

Colin set off like a greyhound from a trap, with Nathan and Martin not too far behind. Howie and I kept one another company from a little distance back, mindful of the inherent dangers of “burning out” trying to keep up with lighter, fitter, riders and the desperate need to keep my breakfast from view.

A steady climb of almost exactly 2 miles followed at an average gradient of about 7-8%. Nice.

Having stopped for a few swigs of energy potion at the summit, we decided to descend on the Southern side – unbeknown to me at the time, a considerably steeper alternative.

I set off (from the rear of the pack) looking forward to a smooth sweeping descent, perhaps (stupidly) assuming that the South side of the Hill mirrored the path we had just climbed…….whack whack oops!

Within a matter of seconds I was at the front of the group. I was simply plummeting (speedo had me at 42mph) and, looking up, realised that unless my velocity was arrested (and quickly) there was absolutely no chance of my making the oncoming sharp gravelly left hander, that was rapidly approaching, in a still seated position.

Due to the adrenalin and potential ongoing underwear ruining situation, I can’t remember precisely the expletive issued from within, but it was something like “Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!!!

The resultant huge lock up (fairly sure it was BOTH wheels) was not improving the situation down below, but I’m pleased to report that sufficient speed was scrubbed off and the bend negotiated without the need to employ the Kent paramedic unit I had suspiciously eyed on the way up.

Following a brief email exchange with Mike, it appears that he had already paved the way with eventful descents on Saturday by doing exactly what I had done on exactly the same stretch of road. Difference being that Mike managed to skilfully avoid a parked car (on his side of the road) and an oncoming Range Rover whilst plummeting at a similar 40 mph. Ding Dong.

Following my downhill adventure, however, a wave of relief ensued, along with the climb back up. I was quite relieved to see that I was not the only one who struggled with the steeper gradient (at least 16% and, according to Martin’s GPS, possibly as much as 30% in places)…..an executive decision was reached at the top to stick to the Northern side, which was then climbed twice again by the group.

All in all, a very satisfying morning’s work. The legs felt like they’d had a proper workout and my total climbing mileage was roughly equivalent to the Tourmalet. All I need to do now is to do the same again (but twice) to fully understand what awaits on days 3 & 4 of the B2B.

I can feel a few evening rides coming on…….

“Mad Dog” Miller

Nathan and Colin's money raising bash

2008-04-18T20:07:00.006+01:00

For those of you who couldn't make it last night to Colin and Nathan's bash, you missed a great evening. Karaoke, Raffle, Auction, Colin and Nathan in B2B Regalia and approx £5k raised for the Children's Trust. What more could we want? The only thing missing was the opportunity to pledge money to stop Colin singing!!
Here are are few photos from the event: they do not do justice to the evening. Well done to both Colin and Nathan. An example to us all.
Mike

Box Hill Billy

2008-04-15T22:41:00.004+01:00

Having finally (only just) understood the elementary principles of this activity I feel duty bound to post what I now understand to be called a blog. I have been aware of the term for some time but have previously had no real understanding of its meaning let alone how to perform one.

Before I begin I must mention Paris Hilton, The Dalai Lama, Michael Jackson and Barack Obama in the hope that anyone Googling those guys will feel obliged to donate some cash to the Children's Trust as part of their otherwise fruitless journey through our website.

So to the matter in hand - due to circumstances beyond my control I have had little luck in joining up with too many people for the group rides that are now starting to spring up around the stockbroker belt. I have had good but all too rare rides out with Nick, Dave, Graham and Mike. I wish I could make it a more regular pleasure .

I have generally been ploughing a lone furrow but have at least been consistent in ensuring that my preparation is perfect, after a fashion:

I make a commitment to a day for a ride, I generally plan where I am going, I usually check the weather in advance, and just before I leave I check the conditions again - it has been invariably sunny and fair. My next step is to set out suitably equipped. Without fail my ride has started like a dream. What happens next is like a recurring nightmare and I have not yet learnt my lesson. This Sunday was no different.

I had ridden out the previous Saturday - suffered a puncture in Selhurst (irrational and disproportionate fear of bike/'phone/ipod theft during tube change), had cycled through central Croydon (why?). Having then survived a hailstorm in Purley (Tesco Junction) on the way to Banstead and up towards my destination of Box Hill I was feeling quite pleased with my tenacity. However, after riding past Dauphin, over the top and turning round three quarters of the way down the zig zags and then back up again over Box Hill, the weather just got worse and worse and I got more and more miserable.

I got home at six thirty in the evening, drenched, cold and, despite the protection my (removed) overshoes had afforded, I had to hang my feet out of the bath in order that their temperature did not rise too quickly from minus seventeen to the toasty warmth of the water. I therefore narrowly avoided acquiring Ranulph Feinnes like chilblains.

Anyhow I should have learnt.

I set out this Sunday and the weather was just gorgeous, I was dressed appropriately. Planned to meet Ingrid and the kids at the cafe at Box Hill, have a cup of tea, ride back.

Up Layhams Road, Beddlestead Lane, down Titsey Hill, along the A25 through Godstone and Reigate. Beautiful. Along the A25 a bit more, five mins from Dorking. It pisses down. Ride up to Box Hill (great but wet). Ingrid is delayed so I wait with 50 odd cyclists, (happy but soaked, eating cakes and drinking tea) under the canopy of the National Trust shop.

The guys turn up, the sun comes out, we go and look at the view, it's great. They go off in a warm car. I get on the bike, guess what? Rain, sleet, hail. Ipod irrationally turns to repeat so I listen to Scar Tissue five times in a row (four and a little bit times more than is necessary). Stop three times including once in Selhurst (surprise surprise) because, having taken my glasses off as I can't see properly, I find that the acid rain that falls in this part of London has rendered me temporarily blind - no doubt part of a conspiracy involving those who failed to get their hands on my bike/ipod/'phone last time.

I got home and, thankfully, the bath experience didn't involve the same toe chill problem.

Anyhow, if you have lasted through this blog this long (and assuming I have succeeded in 'posting' it), there is a moral (apart from the obvious 'get what you deserve' type thing):

That is that - despite it all - it was worth it. If any of you have either done the ride up to Box Hill or seen the view from the top, or both, then you will know why it is worth heading up the Pyrenees. As long as I can keep the taste of blood in my throat to just being a taste, then the view from the top of the Tourmalet will be a justification for the journey on its own. We all have good reasons for doing Biarritz to Barcelona, personal fulfillment is part of it and the money we will be raising for the Children's Trust is a fundamental goal.

However, whatever we achieve it will give us a chance to understand that we are lucky enough just to have the opportunity to be there.

I am planning my next ride to coincide with a swarm of locusts, please feel free to come along for it...

Jamie (Macca)

Another training ride

2008-04-13T20:26:00.004+01:00

I have just recovered from today's training ride with Scott, Martin and Ian. At Ian's suggestion we all trooped down to East Grinstead to do the 50 mile ride recommended in this month's Cycle Plus. With an 8.30 start and the weather set fair we all looked forward to a great ride. If only!!

Ian wasn't too good and after 10 miles he had a second viewing of his breakfast, followed a couple of miles later by his dinner. When we thought there couldn't be anything left Ian proved us all wrong and produced yesterday's lunch as well. Being of a sympathetic nature we all suggested that there were better ways to reduce weight!! Ian being a brave trooper wasn't going to let this stop him but we all made sure that we were well in front of him for the rest of the ride!!

In the meantime Scott, Martin and I were enjoying a really good ride with some challenging hills varying between 8 and 13%. Good training for those mountains. Alas, our luck with the weather ran out after about 40 miles and we were hit by a thunder and hail storm that left us all soaked to the bones. So we headed back to East Grinstead and home.
Thanks to Ian for organising the ride along some beautiful country roads and some wonderful scenery. Shame about the weather. Let's hope we don't have a similar experience in the Pyrenees!
Mike

A break in the training

2008-04-09T21:39:00.004+01:00

Is it really only 38 days to go?? What was a pipe dream in August last year draws ever so closer to reality........
Welcome to both Phil and Nick who have both joined us in the last few days. We are delighted to have you join us. Our number is now 25 which is the number we had always aimed and hoped for.
I am suffering extreme withdrawal symptoms as I sit on a beach in the Canaries. I can't believe that foregoing one week in my training schedule would make me feel so guilty. I know that you are all training hard and I am falling behind whilst maintaining domestic harmony. I shall have to train harder over the last five weeks! Having seen the video on Youtube of the Tourmalet climb I need every minute of training I can find!
I am out with Scott and Ian on Sunday doing the Ashdown Forest Ride that was promoted in Cycling Plus. Anyone care to join us we will meet at East Grinstead at 8.30am. Thereafter, with the evenings getting ever so lighter, I am going to do a 1.5 to 2 hours training ride most evenings. Anyone else up for it? Meet in West Wickham/Hayes area?
Thursday evening, April 17th is Colin and Nathan's fund raising do in London. I shall be there. It would be great to see this being supported by as many of the team as possible.
See you there?
Mike

6 weeks to go - the smell of fear!

2008-04-03T21:52:00.003+01:00

In the words of the late and much lamented V Meldrew Esq, "I doooooon't belieeeeeve it!

Only 6 weeks until the big event and no matter how hard I have trained / am training, I still can't help but have the odd nagging doubt about whether I'll be able to complete this challenge, probably something to do with the pork pies and Stell....err, bad weather we've had for the last couple of weeks.

I am having my third monthly fitness review in the morning and hope to hear some positive feedback from the fitness staff at Chartham Park as to my progress.

Since my last post on the 7th March, I have been maintaining the work outs at the Gym and, in general, been watching the calorie intake. Having said that, my friends have been really supportive by continually leading me in the direction of the pub whenever Chelsea are on the box (which appears to be weekly at present) and I will admit to having partaken in the odd amber throat gargle!

I've also been out for a few decent rides on Sundays and have some real testing rides booked in between now and "The Big One", so I thought I'd use this forum to put up the dates for forthcoming outings......thankfully these will be on the new Trek that arrived last weekend, rather than my dear old MTB which I have pretty much wrung the granny out of!

I would welcome any suggestions / invitations for the gaps in the diary. Please email if you know of any good Sunday rides....

06/4/08 - Ashdown Forest (as featured in Cycling Plus) to get to know the route

13/4/08 - As above, with a number of my fellow B2B'ers

20/4/08 - "Little Switzerland" - the hills around Westerham / Brasted / Limpsfield Chart

27/4/08 - TBA

04/5/08 - Hayes to Brighton with the BigFoot club

11/5/08 - TBA

As Churchill would say, "KBO !"

Hope for us all!

2008-03-19T08:35:00.002Z

I found this article "Crossing the Pyrenees" by Ken Worpole which he wrote following a bike trip in 1989. It should inspire all of us as we train hard for May 17th!
"I cycled from Bordeaux to Barcelona, a journey of nearly five hundred miles. I went because the trip included crossing the Pyrenees, a mountain range with which, for some reason, I am obsessed. At the highest point we cycled to 6,500 feet, and camped near a Spanish village which at night produced the clearest sky and brightest stars I shall ever hope to see. Cold, indifferent, achingly splendid. But it wasn't a feat of endurance. Everybody who started, finished. Some cyclists were in their sixties, others in their teens; several were overweight and in not very good health. But long distance cycling is not necessarily a matter of stamina but of resilience. It's boring, at times, deeply tiring, hot, frustrating, only occasionally taxing on the lungs, legs and bum. But it requires no superhuman strength, abnormal muscle development, use of steroids, Union Jacks, travelling supporters, training from birth, right-wing political views, knowledge of quiz games, trips to South Africa, dual passports, or any of the other paraphernalia of 'serious' sports. You can smoke, drink, eat carp with a grape sauce, stay up late at night, go dancing, finish on calvados and cigars, and still do it -- as long as you just love the symmetry of Reynolds 531 tubing, the grace and bounce of alloy wheels, and the sheer pleasure of turning two pedals which translate every ounce of human endeavour into four times its value through a simple system of gears and wheels. In short, you either like bicycles and cycling (I do) or hate them."

Mike

Some further nutritional advice

2008-03-12T20:36:00.002Z

Science in Sport has a very good website. They also sponsor a team of cyclists so have good, relevant advice on body fuel, endurance performance, pre-event feeding, dehydration and energy drinks; although you need to make allowances for the fact that it is slanted towards their products.
Have a look at this link: http://www.scienceinsport.com/documents/SISCyclingW.pdf.
Regards
Mike

Climbing: we can all do it!

2008-03-12T20:30:00.002Z

If you are like me the thought of climbing hills fills you with dread, especially if you struggle every time the road goes up. So here is some advice I found that might help:

"With a little refinement of your technique you’ll soon be able to take any length of climb in your stride. Remember, as with any problem that needs overcoming, practice is what counts and the simplest way of improving your hill climbing is to incorporate hills in all or most of your rides. Avoiding hills will not improve your ability to climb them, especially as you will encounter hills in many of your races.

When racing, climbing in a group involves a different technique to climbing as an individual effort. Often with group climbing, the pace goes up and down and quite often you are being forced into a pace that you are not comfortable with – using up some or all of your anaerobic bullets. The individual climbing effort, as with basic time trialling is all about being smooth, constant and controlled. Because of the general nature of triathlon, I will concentrate on the individual effort here.

The first thing to bear in mind is to never forget that climbing a hill means that, at that point, you will be going slower than when riding on the flat – it’s a fact that you have to accept. Once accepted, you can relax and get on with going up as fast as you can. Learning to relax about climbing is, in my opinion, the best advice you can take about the subject. It is different to racing on the flat because if you want to get anywhere you are forced (because of gravity) to put in some sort of constant effort. At least on the flat you can freewheel every now and then to ease the pain without too much loss of speed. Relaxing whilst climbing is as much about body position as anything else. When seated, keep the upper body as still as possible, loosen the shoulders and only ‘rest’ your hands on the bars or brake hoods rather than grip tight. This last point about grip applies to all cycling really as a tight grip only promotes tension throughout the body which will not help in the effort to go fast. Keep your chest open to breathe more easily, sit back in the saddle and drop your heels to get greater leverage on the pedals. So there it is; relax into the knowledge that climbing is going to hurt but that you are maximising your efficiency.

The technique: In theory the best thing to do is to drop the gear to one that allows you to continue at the same cadence as that used on the flat and which keeps you at the same heart rate. In practice, however, because of the additional fight against gravity keeping the same cadence will mean that your breathing rate increases and heart rate goes up. Therefore don’t be surprised if your body regulates this decrease in efficiency and you naturally spin a little slower to regain control of your breathing rate. The cadence drop might be 20rpm but this is preferable to getting into too much oxygen debt. Different length climbs and different gradients mean that you can, and should, adopt different techniques for getting up and over them efficiently. For example a short but steep bump of, say, 100m at 10% might mean that it is more appropriate to sprint up it hard getting out of the saddle all the way. Alternatively, with a 1km drag at only 4%, you might be well advised to settle into a good rhythm and still keep on the aero bars all the way. Then there will be climbs of varying gradient on which you will have to be in and out of the saddle and changing gear constantly.

In training, and on anything but the short and steep inclines, you should certainly concentrate on seated climbing technique at as high a cadence as possible. Although you develop more power whilst standing out of the saddle you also use a lot more energy and are less efficient the longer the climb. Practice the technique with progression; eg, by riding uphill intervals seated, spinning at >80rpm for 30 seconds. Concentrate on maintaining the revs during the effort. Repeat this several times in a session before moving up to doing the same drill for perhaps 45 seconds in the next session and 60 seconds for the next and so on... You should eventually be able to maintain seated pedalling uphill for several minutes at a decent rpm. Practice, practice, practice.

If you hit an increased gradient on a longer climb, it’s OK to stand up for a while to power up the steep bit. Try to maintain a steady pace and cadence here by changing up a gear just before standing, coming out of the saddle on the down stroke to minimize the loss of momentum and change back down a gear again when you return to sitting. Standing is also good practice for injecting a little more momentum when you feel like you are getting ‘bogged down’ on a longer climb. When you stand, get into the habit of practising correct technique; let the bike rock from side to side underneath you (maybe up to six inches either side of the vertical) opposite to your feet hitting the bottom of each down stroke and don’t be afraid to put all of your upper body weight onto the handlebars. This also gives you the opportunity to ease and stretch your back muscles a little, you’ll see cyclists doing this a lot in bike races such as the Tour de France where there are long mountain passes."

Good luck!

Mike

2008-03-07T14:22:00.002Z

Ian's training - the story so far.........

26th January 2008. Having done little or no exercise (beyond the odd walk around a golf course) since the Autumn of last year, I realised that it was time for action on the fitness front.

27th January 2008. Joined Chartham Park Golf & Fitness Club in East Grinstead

29th January 2008. Initial assessment - Not Good.

Weight was 17st 4lbs, blood pressure a little on the high side, but at least my resting heart rate was a "normal" 72 bpm. The instructor put together an initial series of Cardio Vascular exercises to help me achieve my goal of losing 2st 7lbs and being fit enough to give these "French hills a bit of a pasting!".
The exercises comprised of running, rowing, cycling, cross trainer and "wave" machines. All in all about an hour's worth of CV workout for Monday, Wednesday & Friday mornings.

30th January 2008. First workout - Not Good. Breathless on the running (didn't finish the 2.6kms I'd been set), and felt a severe twinge in my right calf. Thankfully this didn't stop me from completing the remainder of the workout which was OK once the initial feelings of nausea had subsided

1st February 2008. First spin class - Not Good. Struggled to keep up with Katie Melua, let alone the Techno stuff. Finished in a bit of a puddle, hot and frankly a bit concerned that I was ever going to make the grade for the trip.

5 weeks and 15 workouts later.........

Weight is down to 16st 7lbs, lower blood pressure and a resting heart rate of 64.

Have upped the CV workout and added about half an hour of weights, concentrating on legs and upper torso/arms. Total Calorie burn is around 950 - 1000 per workout.

Also this week.......fitted clipless pedals and got the Nike Altea's out of the box. What a difference!

Last Sunday I rode a 17 mile circuit from Lingfield, through Dormansland (including a fairly stiff climb of just over a mile) down to Cowden and back through Marsh Green in 1 hour 10 minutes. Average was 14.5 mph which isn't too shabby for my MTB.

Yesterday I rode a bike with lights for the first time since I was 16! - Left the house at 5.30am and rode the 11 miles into Crawley, where I did a presentation of the ride to my business networking group. Subsequently received donations / pledges of £1,285.
Took a full 4 minutes off my time on the ride back home....I wonder why!

Spinning class at 6.45am this morning went well, followed by 3000 metres on the rowing machine.....good prep for the ride planned for Sunday morning to Boxhill and back - some 50 or so miles......should be stopping at the top for a cup of tea / slice or two of fruitcake around 9 am if anyone else is in the area...(?)

Keep on spinning,

Ian

Another week's training

2008-03-05T21:27:00.003Z

I am told that all cyclists come off at some time in the journey that is cycling; I did so on Friday evening as I made my way home from work. Wet roads and a sharp turn don't mix too well and my bike clipped the kerb. I went into and over the handlebars and chinned a Give Way sign thus discovering that they don't. The small scar on my chin gives no indication of the rugby ball sized bruise to my abdomen! Thankfully no damage to my Cannondale Synapse.

It didn't put me off going out with the Bigfoot cyclists on Saturday, the first venture on the recently purchased Specialized Roubaix Expert. Did 46 miles into the wealds of Kent. My first impression was that the seat will have to be changed. The seat supplied with the bike was no thicker than a biscuit! That aside the bike rode like a dream. Graham Cheeseman, Andy Colvin and I will be out with them again this Saturday. If anyone is interested in coming along we meet outside the church in Hayes, Kent at 8.15.

It is great to see the sponsorship fund is increasing day by day. A couple of the team have almost hit the £1000 mark already. Now that the website is up and running and we have a real "presence" it should make it easier for everyone to seek out those sponsors. With 10 weeks to go there is some work to be done to reach the target of £40K.
Good luck
Mike

PS If anyone else wants to contribute to this blog please contact me for the log on details; mike@biarritz2barcelona.com

Training Update

2008-02-28T11:53:00.003Z

A big thank you again to Edd for all his work on the website. By now most rider profiles are in place, along with the links to their Justgiving web page. The total sum raised so far is being updated as the sponsorship starts to roll in, and Edd has installed a countdown on the front page to remind us, as if we needed it, on how many days training we have left!

A very good 10 week training guide can be viewed at http://www.doitforcharity.com/cycling-training-guide.aspx

Nutrition is also very important and some good advice can be found at http://cycling.timeoutdoors.com/health/3MTBLMP01061401E.htm and
http://www.bottombracket.co.uk/cycling-nutrition.html.

If you are unable to read the article at the first link you can either register on the website or let me know and I will email the article to you.

With the days getting longer I have started cycling to work, a journey of 11 miles that takes in Anerley Hill at Crystal Palace. At the moment I am averaging 14mph and I hope to get that up to 17/18mph. If you are like me, hills are a real issue and when I last looked at my maps the Pyrenees are more than just hills. Anerley Hill may not be the steepest climb around but is providing me with lots of practice!!
What is interesting is that when I took the train it took me 60 minutes from door to door. By bike it is taking me 45 minutes from door to door. If you add to that the 15 minutes I need to shower and change, my journey time is identical.
My new bike, a Specialized Roubaix Expert, arrived last week but has remained in the garage as I haven't had time to set it up. That should be resolved on Friday and with the weather on Saturday set fair, watch out BigFoot bike club!

Good luck with your own training.
Mike

New bike

2008-02-22T22:20:00.004Z

Along with a few other riders who are participating on this ride I have bought myself a new bike. Dreading those climbs up some of the most feared Cols on the Tour de France no expense was spared. In fact I bought two so if anyone else is in need of a replacement steed for the event contact me!! Mike

Alive and kicking

2008-02-20T22:49:00.002Z

The website is alive and kicking as of February 20th. Just in time as I head of to Barcelona tomorrow in the comfort of a British Airways Boeing 737. I fancy it won't be as comfortable next time I go to Barcelona.
Many thanks to Paul Williams for his info on this month's Cycling Plus magazine. In case you missed it there is quite a good section in there about climbing those Cols, nutrition, training and includes a DVD Guide to the Sportive.
If you have any comments on the website please let me, mike@biarritz2barcelona.com or Jamie , jamie@biarritz2barcelona.com, have them. It is not quite finished with a few more rider profiles and photos required so if you haven't sent yours in yet now is the time.
Now that we have a really good, professional looking website let's start getting those sponsors onboard!
Mike

We are up and running (or is it riding)

2008-02-17T20:11:00.003Z

90 days, 3 months. It doesn't matter how you say it, it's frightening how quickly the months have gone past since it was suggested, last September, that this would be a nice way to spend 7 days in the saddle raising money for the Children's Trust. At the time it seemed like a great idea. With the venture drawing ever so closer, we are beginning to question our own sanity. No going back now though. 22 riders have signed up, 3 drivers have volunteered to drive 2 vans loaded with bikes, spares, luggage and jar upon jar of Vaseline to Biarritz and accompany us along the way, accommodation has been booked along the route and the Champagne is on ice ready for our arrival in Barcelona on May 23rd.
This is the challenge of a lifetime and we are going to meet it and enjoy it.
Mike

Support us, in May 2008, on a charity bike ride from Biarritz to Barcelona raising £50,000 for The Children's Trust

2008-02-17T18:51:00.002Z

A challenge of a life-time that involves breath-taking scenery, a group of road bikes and a great sense of achievement – support us on a 7 day ride through the Pyrenees, cycling over some of the most notorious climbs in Tour de France history.

The route will take us from Biarritz to Mauleon Licharre, Beost, La Mongie, Luchon, Talarn, Calaf and finally to Barcelona! It won't be easy, but it will be fun and the memory will live forever!