2) I've made some progress today with the house move which is happening this week. All very stressful but a couple of steps forward today.
3) My new book arrived, 'Tour de France - The History, The Legend, The Riders' by Graeme Fife. Thanks to Rich for the recommendation and also for what I've just seen on his blog re the Cervelo Test Team film. I'm looking forward to watching that later.
4) I managed at last to buy the March Cycling Plus with the SIS DVD recommended by Karen. I even managed to watch it this afternoon while I was training and it is brilliant. I know it is a plug for SIS products but there's a great insight into the Etape, some good advice and it's just useful to see amateurs taking on the same route as we will. Really really enjoyed this one. Check out Chris Hoy doing squats! He's a strong guy.
5) After yesterday's ride I feel that I need to structure my training better. So I've returned to The Time Crunched Cyclist and I'm thinking I will try to follow it from now on. I feel the structure of it will help me focus and I've decided that from now on I will only train with weights/kettlebells twice, max three times a week. Always full body and the rest of the time dedicated to the cycling with a bit of running thrown in. As the purpose of this blog was to log my training progress I will come back to this subject but for today I did 1 hour of kettlebells, pull-ups, chin-ups, squats and push-ups. Going forward my 'coaching team' will be messrs Carmichael, Rutberg and for core/flexibility Tara Stiles. What more do I need?
glad to hear the lurgy's cleared up.
ReplyDeleteThe pain some of they guys seemed in on ALL of the 3 climbs on the etape recon was pretty eye opening! Better get hill repeats on the agenda pretty soon!!
Cheers Rich. It was indeed an eye opener, and more keenly felt than watching Mike Cotty master those climbs so brilliantly in the Cyclefilm recon. I can't believe how much food and drink they put away!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like this SIS video is a bit of a must watch. It'll be interesting to see the contrast between Mike and a regular cyclist taking on the gradients.
ReplyDeleteIt will either make you more determined than ever or put you off! Watching it with my family I think brought home to them the scale of the challenge and in fact surprised me a bit.
ReplyDeleteHi guys
ReplyDeleteI do not have the etape 2010 cyclefilm dvd with Mike Cotty as yet, have the 2008 one which was good.
So how would anyone that has the two compare the information between the two in in their own opinion? Would be interesting to know.
@Andrew: What more do I need? nothing thats legal ;)
Cheers, Alec.
The Mike Cotty film is very good and contains some great advice re kit, food etc but if you are experienced I'm guessing that you know this already. It's well worth seeing and I like it. the contrast with the SIS one is the pain that those guys are feeling because they are of mixed abilities. Both DVDs good in their own ways but for a reality check I'm glad I saw the SIS one today.
ReplyDeleteHa Alec...re What more do I need? After seeing that SIS film I need to ride some hills - lots and lots of them. EPO would be going a bit far.
ReplyDeletelol yeah epo :)
ReplyDeleteI am sure Mrs Cycle Gringo will get me the Cyclefilm DVD for my birthday :)
Yeah getting the bike sorted is important, the last think you want is worn pads going down the col du soulor. The cyclefilm dvds cover these issues well from viewing the ones I have.
Mike Cotty tends to make things look easy ;) first brit in the 06 etape 22nd overall! Anyway it is good to get some insight to these massive etape rides.
Cheers, Alec.