A race against time…
Since claiming to begin ‘training’ at the start of May, five weeks have passed and only eight rides have been completed. Three of those were in the past week including the longest so far – 32 miles. It doesn’t take Dave Brailsford to suggest that time is running out.
I’ve got two and half weeks to get myself into a state that can get round Made of Stone. To my calculations, that’s about six proper rides to build up to somewhere within sight of the magical half ton.
50 miles is not easy
Not for me, anyway. For many riders, getting round 50 miles with 800-odd metres of climbing isn’t too drastic a challenge. I write with sincerity that the goal of finishing is not just satisfying, but very much in the balance. I have made a note to ask organiser Paul what happens if I blow up before the end!
This lack of preparation certainly hasn’t been out of complacency for the challenge. I did a ride a couple of weeks ago of just 25 miles and while it was very hilly, severe cramp in my calves with a mile to go was a reminder that Made of Stone is twice this distance. I am well aware of the sensation of crumbling mental fortitude as the legs begin to go. That feeling when there’s still 10 miles left, when pushing round any gear is as painful as it is slow and every little rise in the road appears to rear up as if it were L’Alpe d’Huez.
Rain stops play
Watching the Giro d’Italia the other day, I heard Sean Kelly say that these days he doesn’t ride his bike in the rain. Well, it rained nearly every day in May and it always seemed to start just as the latest Zoom meeting was finally concluding, just as I was about to don the old lycra. A reminder of King Kelly’s words was all I needed to postpone that day’s ‘training’. I’ve never won a grand tour or, to my memory, any of the classics. But if that approach to cycling in the rain was good enough for Sean, it was certainly good enough for me.
It wasn’t just the wet weather that put me off. The daily workload and life’s routine made it tricky to get out. Though even on the days I did cycle, more often than not, plastic bags over my feet and big gloves were in order.
The mudguards are off
That said, with the arrival of tropical conditions, it’s funny how none of those excuses seem to apply. Warm weather is now here which makes all aspects of cycling easier and more pleasant. Probably not as a coincidence, last week’s rides were relatively decent. That is to say, I actually went out regularly and can now comfortably do a ride of 30 miles including the kind of climbing that Made of Stone presents.
That said, in just under two weeks, I’ve got to get out enough to make sure I can at least build up to cover rides of 40-odd miles to ensure I’ve got any chance of doing 50. I’ve also got to do this without ruining myself and derailing my prep, or, worse still, injuring my delicate limbs for the big day. In terms of physiology, will this extra training make any difference. And is it even possible to improve my endurance in such a short time? Well, I’m willing to try, not least for the sake of discovery in sports science.
Anyway, I hope to get up to high 30s this week, then maybe into 40 miles-plus by next week. That will at least give me confidence that I might be able to finish. And as we all know, confidence is half the battle – I hope.
