Major Improvements New Challenges

I have been planning to write this blog for a while now, it will now have two parts the first part is about how I have noticed the improvement's I have made in my running and the second part will be about my last cycle ride on the 28th July 2015 they should sort of link in?

I now feel that I have moved up a group in the natural order of runs no longer do I feel that I am in the back section just hoping to get round and or do the best I can. Now when I run my thoughts turn to weather or not I can get close to a P/B time or not, whilst I am running my head is playing evil mind games with me. It goes something like this and to be honest it really does screw with me.

"Why do you put yourself through this you know its hurting why not just slow down" I'm not slowing down I have only just started the run its only 10K ease up on me. "Ok your not slowing down why don't you just walk go on take a walking break you know you want to" really behave I'm not walking we are not even at the 5k marker yet there's no need to walk I do parkrun's all the time stop messing with me. "Now I'm pulling out the big guns I will sabotage your run look you have done well to get this far without struggling slowing down to much or taking a walking break no one cares if you slow down or just walk in go on give in and just walk in, it will be ok I promise?" I need a natural walking break about mile 5 for one minute then run in to the finish. "See I got you to walk just relax and take it easy you did good up to now" No sod off I need to start running again, I get to the end of the race/run feeling drained and tired I am happy with my time that feeling is awesome knowing I have two victory's in one.

That is pretty much what happen's now at my runs it's always a tough mental battle. Why have I described what happens and did it not happen before?

The answer to both those questions are that in the first 4 years it was always about finishing if I had a bad run it did not matter I still run and completed that was always the goal, if I had a good run it was a great bonus, it was a different mental battle and one that was not so important to me.

So why does it happen? and why does it matter so much to me now?

Good question and one I can only partly answer, when I now run I am able to run in a large group of the same time group of people, I have spent a lot of time recently running the majority of the race with the same people in sight, I am running to the best of my ability to get me round close to a P/B if not beat it, that means I am pushing my body harder and faster than it has before and that is why I struggle with my inner self, "It never gets easier to run I just get faster and/or better."

That is why it matters so much to me now, I care about my self improvement I am so proud that I can see my improvement I feel like a proper runner now, I have a start middle and end strategy for the run I know when to speed up or slow down if I need that walking break or not. What I am really struggling with is my mental state whilst running is this normal? common? natural? it takes my mind off the race a little, what I would really like to happen is just run a race with or without music (my head plays games with or without music) from start to finish with my game plan in place, I struggle to enjoy the run whilst doing it after the run I can enjoy what I have achieved. This is the part I don't have the answer for luckily for me I may well get some help from a few amazing people who understand this.

Change Gear Sportive 100 Miles Cycling.

I posted on Facebook 2 days before this event how I felt, I did this because I'm human, I needed to get it off my chest I did not do it for sympathy or being a drama queen, I was also aware of the challenge I was about to undertake.

"On Sunday I am taking part in a 100 mile cycle sportive, for some reason I am scared/nervous, being scared/nervous is good to a point but today as I was checking my bike out it really hit me. I have read the email details for the ride and there is a front and rear vehicle so getting lost is not to much of a problem the only real concern is getting a puncture I still don't know how to fix a puncture or change an inner tube? Shocking I know but I'm not hands on. As for the distance/route it is a challenge but I have been close to it before so I am looking forward to ride. Just needed to say how I feel"

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I completed the ride Sportive 100 Miles (you will need to click on the comments section to read full ride details. There were 3 rides 100, 66, 33 miles, we left first and by Demead I was on own last man for 100 miles that was not unexpected but still a sharp realization of what was in store and the fact I was on my own cycling for 90 miles. I had a little company as the 66 mile group caught me up and left me behind, I have one guy stay with me for about 10 miles or so that was great to have someone to ride with and see, The route split at about 30 miles and I was seriously considering baling out and just do the 66 mile course. After that point I never considered pulling out I was going to complete 100 miles even it was cycling,walking, and a car lift to save time up the 3 climbs I could not manage.

At that junction was Ben the rear car marshal I had a chat with him told him my fears he told me I could go on it was a nice cycle part of the route and that he would leave his post in approx one and a half hours and catch me up and follow me home. That was it on my way knowing I would be alone for over 30 miles as it turned out. I have to say that was the best part of the course I even clocked 44 mph at one stage. Cycling on your own knowing you are last by a long distance is so very tough mentally.

The support I got from Ben all the marshal's on course was just awesome, I Thank You all for staying out so much longer just to wait for me to get home the cheers and encouragement meant so much to me as I struggled with my quads from mile 65 onward's. If you guys don't realize the boost I got every time help me to dig in that little bit more and made a painful ride at the point bearable. Change Gear Result

The reason I entered this event was part of my training plan for the Prudential RideLondon cycle ride having gone completed the ride and with all the knowledge I now have from this ride I feel at this present moment with the London ride being a timed event must be finished by 17:30 and no idea of start time (last start time is 09:00) that I may not start this event.

Before you say I can, there are a number of important factors to consider the most important is the fact this took me just over nine and half hours to complete, I had help up the two biggest hills with a vehicle so how much longer would it have taken had I had to walk up the hills? My Quads were shot away so walking would have been painful and slow. There is the mental challenge of the time factor how will it mess with my head and body? Do I want to start an event that I may get pulled from, again mentally tough if that happens.

For the record it was only my quads that caused me problems and they kicked in at the start of Quell Lane I made sure that I had plenty of fluids, gels, and food to keep me going, unless some one tells me different I did good on that score it was my quads that let me down.  

This is the second day after the ride and my quads are still painful it hurts to move do I want/need to put my body through this in 4 weeks time? I hurt more now than I ever felt on the York2Pompey ride. I guess I will wait and see what my start time will be it needs to be really early I clearly need as much time as possible to be able to complete.

For now all options are open I don't have to commit until the day before when I can register in London I will be riding in London on the Saturday anyway so I will wait and see, whatever decision I make I will make for what is right for me there can be no failure, I have the rest of the year and my running events to consider as well, as it stands today I could not run even if I wanted to.      

York2Pompey Cycle Ride, An Excellent Adventure.

Its been a long time since I have blogged, this is my 100th post and its a special one for many reasons.

Last year I was lucky enough to go to Cuba on a charity cycle ride it was awesome the only down side to that was that I could not do the Ride2Bury cycle ride although I rode out of Portsmouth with them. Cuba is awesome the ride was as well but deep down I wanted to be doing Ride2Bury.

So to this year as soon as the ride was announced I was in signed up and ready it was a no brainer. Never have I been so excited to push myself, 4 consecutive days cycling, hard days cycling at that.

We had a team training ride 45 miles up and down hills, to meet some of the team for the very first time and cycle with was amazing, the session went really well a sign of things to come, we started that ride mostly as strangers, we returned on the 2nd May as team mates and friends all made easier by the 2 common bonds that brought us together our love of Portsmouth FC and Cycling and the 1 we hated those bloody hills mountains!

Tuesday 28th April 2015 Leaving day and the first day we are all together, we get the bikes loaded onto the van and bags on the mini buses time for a few photos and then were off. It was very surreal sitting on a coach being taken to York, it was great to talk and meet new people the main point we all agreed on was that we just wanted to start cycling. Before we knew it we had arrived at the hotel and unpacked the bikes and bags. Dinner, team meeting and bed followed.

Wednesday 29th April 2015 As with everyday that follows always up in plenty of time to be ready with no last minute drama's. We leave the hotel car park and head to Bootham Crescent home of York City FC we are made to feel welcome we hand over a cheque for £1000 and then it time to start the ride.

The weather was a little bit of everything apart from snow we even had hailstones that lasted about 5 minutes the showers were short the wind....it was relentless 13-15 mph's for the whole day (Two and half days before it stopped) My Garmin did not last the whole day but the adjusted time and distance is correct. I made sure that the last thing I unplugged every morning and then turned on was my Garmin it lasted the rest of the week after that.

I was just sat here thinking what to write now about day 1 not that I have forgotten more that the first 65 miles went really well. I spent most of the day at the front and middle of the pack I really don't remember any hills of note just the wind it never let up. We stopped for our breaks lunch was in a pub were we pre-ordered it was welcome getting some hot food was needed.

We had a little problem at the very end of the day, 8 of us and the rear support bus got lost. It was bloody frustrating and not such a major drama, the most important thing for me was that as a team we learnt from it and the team ethic rose to another level. No one else was ever left behind or lost and I hope that the riders that helped out, got out of the day what they needed as well.

To all my fellow riders that were able to help us out at the back from the bottom of my heart I thank you all very much you decision to do that from Day 2 made the whole ride and ensured we really were Team York2Pompey. York2Pompey Day 1

Thursday 30th April 2015 Day 2 Oh my Oh dear, lets be very clear this was always going to be tough, but today this was something else the hardest day of the last 5 years? How did I cope with the day? So glad you asked Vern (Team Joke) Two things got me through, first up my sense of humour I know I can go over board sometimes but I really hope I got the balance right and never upset anyone (Bob pipe down you don't count)

Secondly my bloody mindedness again those that know me would not be surprised. I choose the bike to take on this trip based on the hills (I still hate hills) I know that bike will get me up the hills my road bike needs a better gear ratio. The first big hill mountain came the riders went just me and Thunderbird 1 (support vehicle) and I just kept going and going and going I really did surprise myself reaching the top and the applause from the team waiting for me was awesome but we all did the hill it does not matter if some walked we all did it.

There was one rather cruel senna s bend hill this was the only time my body let me down, my quads seized up, again the support crew knew I was in trouble and they supported first and had a laugh after. My victory is my powers of recovery a couple of years ago I would have been in the van for the rest of the day. Within 5 minutes I had walked to the crest of that hill and rode my bike again, sadly a short while we had another big hill common sense had to prevail try the hill and knacker myself for the rest of the trip or take the van. I really am not an idiot (Bob and Vern stop being chirpy) in the van for about 5 miles. then crack on riding the rest of the day with no worries.

When I was a big boy my nick name at work was / still is pies. As we got closer to Melton and I had no idea we were the team started shouting out pies I looked around thinking how do they know that? what a relief when I saw the sign. Never have I been so glad to see the end of a day. As always afterwards you look back and enjoy it,at the time it was such a tough day. York2Pompey Day 2

Friday 1st May 2015 The longest mileage day. As much as yesterday was so long and brutal and a shock, today turned out to be the biggest nice surprise. I checked my Garmin notes and chuckled to myself "The mountains become hills" how far I have come. There were a few hills but mostly the day went quickly we made amazing time all day long. I loved that we drove past Silverstone and there were cars racing round the track the noise was awesome and you could hear it for miles.

I have to be honest and for the only time of the whole trip from about mile 70 I just wanted the day to end it was like I've broken the back of the ride, also I knew I was getting a well deserved massage from Amanda (Pompey Pummellers) when we reached Basingstoke to make the last day better. Its worth noting that at whatever point today my legs are running on empty I have no pain but also don't have a great deal of power, I love that I am able to just to keep on cycling. Bring on the last day. York2Pompey Day 3

Saturday 2nd May 2015 The shortest day, So we start with mixed emotions its only 40 miles but its also our last day and there is something special about seeing the whole team in our cycling jerseys. I have a serious chat with one of the support crew if I struggle and fall back let me finish the hill then chuck me in the van. It will be near on impossible to catch up today.

We leave the hotel, ride round the big roundabout then go straight into a long bloody hill as always its always better when you reach the top what a tough start to the day and a few more hills to come as well, we get to our first stop in good time which is a bonus, I inform the crew forget plan A were on plan B I will get to the end and in good order. Before I know it were approaching Hambledon we are almost home then through Denmead to Purbrook before we turn right onto the London Road to The George Pub at the top of Portsdown Hill.

The last climb of the week, the proudest climb of the week I cried all the way up that hill tears of pride not only for what I have done but the team as well. I caught up with a straggler just before the last bend and steep up hill section having got to the top I waited for him to catch up and we rode the last couple of hundred yards together so fitting to not finish on my own. We have made excellent time and get to spend 1 hour in a warm pub before the glory bit of the ride starts.

So the last part of the ride we have no support crew they are making their way direct to Fratton Park we are cycling down Portsdown Hill to Cosham left onto Havant Road right on to Eastern Road then round by the Milton Arms and the Shepherds Crook what a welcome so glad the lights were red just to take in the atmosphere then we cycle up Goldsmith Avenue and turn right into Frogmore Road PO4 we can hear noise as we turn in and cycle down to be greeted by the support crew family friends and the press. I find Hazel and give her a massive hug and cry again. York2 Pompey Day 4

I want to end this blog about our Support crew 7 amazing people who put up with the mickey taking  the dramas and all the other little bits that no one sees. They have without fail known when to give out the banter and when we were digging in that line never got crossed once which just goes to show the team spirit we had, what some of the new crew did not realize was how hard being the passenger was (and why would they) follow the cyclist it ain't hard is it? Wrong they spent every second           checking mirrors looking for us making sure they knew where were are we alright are we safe what are the cars behind trying to do is it safe to let them pass. They are the true hero's of Team York2Pompey because without each and everyone of them we could not have ridden that distance. I hope this link works Fratton Park Reception

I have made 34 friends, most I did not know before this ride we all had a common bond which has grown over the 5 days we spent together we all have amazing memories and stories to tell and no one can ever take away those 288 miles or the 24 hours and 5 minutes spent in the saddle. I am proud to have ridden with you all, you are all hero's we all had our demons to conquer and we did. Lets not leave it too long before we have another get together. I love you all. Big Pompey Ride