Adrian Fitch's Training Blog

Eleven of us out for the DPNC Saturday ride. Standard Edenbridge loop with the return via Sundridge. It was a gloriously warm, sunny day and everybody was in a great mood.

Rode a pair of Michelin Pro Race 3’s for the first time and they felt great. The Continental Four Seasons I put on for the Tour of Flanders in April managed a little over 2,500 km before the casing began to show. Normally I suffer an increasing amount of punctures as the tyre surface deteriorates but with these the ride just got less comfortable. In fact, I think I may have only had one puncture the entire time I rode them. Thumbs up 25mm Four Seasons as winter and commuting tyres then.

Today’s ride saw my personal odometer hit 30,000 km (18,641 miles). That’s three quarters of the way around the world since I started keeping track almost three years ago.

Dunwich Dynamo next weekend. 180 km (112 miles) to cover from sunset to sunrise. Usual routine is to set off at 9pm to allow 20 mins to get through the fun that is Hackney on a Saturday night, arrive at the stop at Great Waldingfield at around 1am, eat and chat for a bit and then set off again around 2am to arrive at the beach for sunrise. A quick splash in the North Sea is the tradition but I also try and make it a tradition to not get hypothermia. The weather forecast however is currently good so there may be some salt water action but a week is a long time in the world of meteorology.

I’m planning to take it easy these next few days, just regular commuting and early nights, but it will be tempting to get in a longer ride if the weather remains this good.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 06/27/2009
• Time: 08:30:00
• Total Time: 3:30:00.00
• Calories: 3314
• Distance: 90 km
• Average Speed: 25.71 kmph
• Ascent: 1,000 m

Six of us out for the DPNC Saturday ride. Decided to do the standard Edenbridge Loop over coffee at the cafe. Clayton joined us for the first time and he and Pete did most of the work to keep the pace brisk. Pete and Lee broke off after Ide for a longer ride (preparing for the Etape) while the rest of us headed home via Star.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/23/2009
• Time: 08:30:00
• Total Time: 3:25:00.00
• Calories: 3229
• Distance: 92 km
• Average Speed: 26.93 kmph
• Ascent: 1,200 m

Eight of us out for the Saturday morning DPNC ride. We decided to do the Lingfield route over coffee at the cafe and Ken got us started promptly at 8.30. At the bottom of Annerly hill Ken realised he had left his backpack at the cafe and turned back. The rest of us set a brisk pace up to Woldingham and then settled in to a steady tempo until Ide. My legs still felt heavy so I didn’t push it and sat in quite a lot. Quick stop at the top of Ide where I finally had a chance to chat to Dave and Ben who I hadn’t ridden with before. Dave’s got the Etape Caledonia next week. Home via Brasted with plenty of time to have lunch before the start of the Giro.

Next week’s schedule:

Monday: 90min in two easy commutes
Tuesday: 2hrs with a longer commute and a few small hills
Wednesday: 90min in two easy commutes
Thursday: 90min in two easy commutes plus 1hr on the trainer
Friday: 90min in two easy commutes
Saturday: 4hr steady club ride

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/09/2009
• Time: 08:30:00
• Total Time: 4:00:00.00
• Calories: 3148
• Distance: 100 km
• Average Speed: 25 kmph
• Ascent: 1,150 m

Riders were sent off, a dozen at a time, every two minutes so groups of similar paced riders formed early on. For most of the first couple of hours I was in a group of six and we worked hard to keep the speed up. I was managing a good pace at 80-85% when I was taking my turn at the front and then sitting in at 75-80% while others took theirs.

When we hit the first control I realised we were managing a little above silver pace (29.5kph) and figured I could probably keep this up until the end. During this middle section some riders started to miss their turns on the front and eventually drop off the back. Only four of us made it to the second control together. Before we reached it, we came across a vehicle you never want to see blocking the road half way down a hill.

When cycling against the clock you don’t like being held up, but when it is for an ambulance you wait patiently until allowed past and then pick the pace back up. When that ambulance is treating a rider from your event then picking up the pace is done with a little more apprehension.

The last section of the ride was into a blustery headwind which caused many groups to be blown apart. Some riders couldn’t keep up the work rate while the rest of us got into our drops and rode as close to the wheel in front as was safe. I settled in with three others and we pushed each other as hard as we could until the finish. Legs were burning at the slightest incline but we finally rolled into the car park to get our official time. Mine was 4h 1m — the silver cut off was 4hrs!

This is undoubtably the friendliest ride I’ve done and amongst one of the best. The route was fast and following, singage excellent, marshalls at all the main junctions plus the feed stop had a huge tub of jelly beans. I had such a ball, and to miss out on silver by only one minute, you know where you’ll find me this time next year!

This week I’m in recovery mode so my training schedule is quite light:

Today: 4hr San Fairy Ann Sportive
Tuesday: 30min recovery pace on the trainer
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 90min in two easy commutes
Friday: 90min in two easy commutes
Saturday: 4hr club ride at a moderate pace

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 05/04/2009
• Time: 09:00:00
• Total Time: 3:56:00.00
• Calories: 3712
• Distance: 117 km
• Average Speed: 29.75 kmph
• Ascent: 1,125 m

Did the Invicta Grimpeur route again this week, this time on my own. Worked hard to keep my effort up around 80% to simulate event pace. It was my first long solo ride in ages so I was looking forward to pushing myself. Early on I found that I was riding faster than my normal pace with the same level of effort.

The weather was stunning and the roads fairly empty so it was easy to settle into a rhythm. I got back to Crystal Palace around 15 minutes quicker than planned and seem to have raised my average speed a little over 2kph (or 10%) over Spring. So training works. Who would have thought?

Next weekend is San Fairy Ann CC’s Sportive. It is only 118km with 1,100m elevation gain so not too tough. Next week I’m going keep the intensity up but cut the duration of Thursday’s and Saturday’s rides:

Mon: 90min easy commuting
Tue: 2hrs at a brisk pace with a hard circuit of Richmond Park
Wed: 90min easy commuting
Thu: 60min intervals on the trainer
Fri: 90min easy commuting
Sat: 2hrs at a brisk pace with two hard circuits of Richmond Park

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 04/26/2009
• Time: 11:00:00
• Total Time: 4:21:00.00
• Calories: 3421
• Distance: 110 km
• Average Speed: 25.29 kmph
• Ascent: 1,650 m

Seven of us out for the week’s DPNC Saturday ride. Over coffee’s at the cafe we decided to do the Invicta Grimpeur route rather than the Hell of the Ashdown. The Invicta route is 110km and hilly while the Ashdown route is 140km and just as hilly. We’re not a particularly fast group so 140km would have been a long day out.

As is the norm, I was amongst the last to arrive at the top of hills at the start of the day but as the hills kept coming I kept moving my way up the group. I’m never going to be a climber but working on strength, stamina and pacing has meant that I can now sustain a suitably hard effort for five or six hours.

My next big event is the Highclere Castle Sportive in early June and the full route is 200km with 3,000m elevation gain. Currently, I’d expect to complete it 8h30m but I’m toying with doing the shorter 123km route. It only has 1,700m elevation gain and may give me a chance of finishing within the silver standard. I’ve got no chance in the longer route so I may just decide to do the shorter route and push myself. The weather on the day may be the decider as eight hours in the rain will not be fun plus I’ll see how my training progresses over the next few weeks.

The San Fairy Ann Sportive is in a couple of weeks so I’m aiming to catch the train out to Marden on Sunday and ride the course.

This week’s training schedule:

Monday: 90mins in two easy commutes
Tuesday: 2hrs with a few small hills at tempo pace
Wednesday: 90mins in two easy commutes
Thursday: 2hrs with a few small hills at tempo pace
Friday: 90mins in two easy commutes
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 5hrs SFA Sportive recce

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 04/18/2009
• Time: 08:30:00
• Total Time: 4:45:00.00
• Calories: 3735
• Distance: 110 km
• Average Speed: 23.16 kmph
• Ascent: 1,700 m

A gloriously sunny day meant there were about a dozen riders at the cafe at Crystal Palace for the DPNC Saturday ride. Six of us decided on a longer ride than normal and set off down the A212 towards Croydon and the Surrey Hills. Getting out of London was not too much fun but once we got past Reigate we barely touched another A road. The route included four decent hills; Leith Hill, White Downs, Box Hill and Flower Lane plus a nice lumpy section from Red Hill to Godstone.

As usual, I was the weakest climber in the group at the start but my winter training began to pay dividends from around half way when I was no longer the last to the top of the hills.

Next week sees the start of my taper for the Tour of Flanders so I’ll be maintaining the intensity but cutting the duration of my training:

Monday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Tuesday: 45 minutes on the trainer - individual leg training and seated sprints
Wednesday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Thursday: 45 minutes on the trainer - form intervals and 30/30s
Friday: rest
Saturday: Four hour club ride at a moderate pace

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 03/21/2009
• Time: 08:30:00
• Total Time: 5:00:00.00
• Calories: 3910
• Distance: 125 km
• Average Speed: 25 kmph
• Ascent: 1,500 m

Twelve started out from Crystal Palace for this week’s DPNC ride with Ken, Howard and Hassan breaking off at Woldingham to get back early. The rest of us maintained a brisk pace out to the Epilepsy Centre at Lingfield and then back via Toys and Brasted hills.

I’m not quite over an annoying cold so Puddledock Lane up Toys was a struggle and by the time we got to Brasted I couldn’t stay in touch with the leading group anymore. My progress wasn’t helped by a corked calf and sore shoulder caused when I went over my handlebars near Staffhurst Wood. Joe stopped suddenly after dropping an energy bar and I couldn’t get around him or stop in time. Fortunately no lasting damage to me or my bike.

My cold kept me off my bike a bit this week but I’m not going to risk getting sick again by trying to make up the lost time. Instead, I’m going to stick to my plan and try and get the most out of it as it is my last full week of training before the Tour of Flanders.

Monday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Tuesday: One hour trainer: Individual Leg Training and Seated Sprints
Wednesday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Thursday: One hour trainer: Form Intervals and 30/30s
Friday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Saturday: Five hour hilly ride at a moderate pace

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 03/14/2009
• Time: 08:30:00
• Total Time: 3:25:00.00
• Calories: 2672
• Distance: 85 km
• Average Speed: 24.88 kmph
• Ascent: 1,000 m

Caught the train down to Byfleet and rode across to the start at Downside Village Hall, near Cobham. Started with Pete, Adam, Elliot, Mark and Dyanne from the club. The boys jumped right from the start but I held back and set a steady pace with Dyanne. We stuck together across the entire route and were able to maintain a fairly high work rate.

We caught up to the boys at first checkpoint and Mark stayed and rode at our pace for while. We caught him again briefly at the next checkpoint before he shot off. Our official time including stops was 5h 6m [62nd].

The route was more bumpy than hilly and I was regularly able to keep the intensity up a for some reasonable lengths of time. Training through an event has certainly taken off my top end strength but the interval work has raised the level I can ride at for sustained periods.

Surrey Rumble rider times

Surrey Rumble photos

This week is a recovery week so I’m going to cut back on both the duration and intensity:

Monday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Tuesday: Individual leg training and seated sprints
Wednesday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Thursday: Form intervals and 30/30s
Friday: 90 minutes in two easy commutes
Saturday: Four hour club ride at a moderate pace

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 03/01/2009
• Time: 09:30:00
• Total Time: 4:45:00.00
• Calories: 4465
• Distance: 125 km
• Average Speed: 26.32 kmph
• Ascent: 1,200 m

Thirteen of us set out from Crystal Palace to see why the Invicta Grimpeur audax has a reputation as one of the toughest organised rides close to London. The full route is two circuits (in alternate directions) of a 50 km course that includes over 900m of elevation gain each way.

We were only doing one circuit, the easier anti-clockwise direction and at a moderate pace (averaging 23-24 kph), it should have taken us five hours including stops. Unfortunately we could only manage 22.5 kph as a group so it took a little longer. I was the slowest at the start as I was pacing for the planned time. Invariably I was the last to top of the first few hills.

The group split at around 50 kms with six jumping off to get home early. Up to that point we had been on target but then the pace began to slow as the hills kept coming. None of them were particularly nasty but we weren’t keeping up the tempo between the hills and stopping for far too long.

I felt really good throughout the ride. Early on I rode at my planned intensity which meant I had enough at the end to finish strongly. Most in the group did too but some paid the price for going too hard too early.

Next weekend is Twickenham Cycling Club’s Surrey Rumble (125km with 1,300m elevation gain). I’m going to try to train through it to see if I feel as good as I did during today’s ride. A few of us have entered and we’re all planning to start together. I’ll be happy to finish in under five hours but most will be wanting a much faster time so I’ll wave as they disappear up the first hill.

Mon-Fri: Easy commutes
Tuesday: Individual leg training and seated sprints
Thursday: Form intervals and 30/30s
Sunday: Surrey Rumble at a moderate pace

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 02/21/2009
• Time: 08:30:00
• Total Time: 5:05:00.00
• Calories: 3982
• Distance: 115 km
• Average Speed: 22.62 kmph
• Ascent: 1,700 m