Happy New Year from Posse Ecosse

It is the last days of 2009. The year Ironman identified a new challenge and invited Bigman to join him in their Epic Caper to South Africa in March 2010. This is now just over 10 weeks away. Coverted to days and it is only 75 more training days.

It seems like the season to do reviews of 2009 and why should the Ecosse Posse be any different. The build up started almost 9 months ago to the day when Moonwalker typed ferociously on the keyboard to successfully gain one of the 100 wild card entries to the Cape Epic 2010 Mountain Bike Race. The other 99 had gone within 120 seconds. Bigman had prepared himself for success and so whilst the trepidation grew, a successful entry was not in doubt.

And so our story began with many friends joining the posse on our many training routes. The Posse has toured Scotland in May, seeing the sights from Carbisdale Castle near Bonar Bridge, to Ullapool, the fishing port with the fish and chip shop that imports fish from Iceland, to Saucy Mary's guest house in Skye and on down via Eilan Donan Castle before the snow showers hit the posse near the Cluannie Inn. We were pelted with rain and cars that wanted to get close, passing down to Fort William and met up with soul mates from New Zealand whilst in Killin.

In May, some locals revolted during the Caledonian Etape to deflate the Bigman's hopes of breaking the 4 hour barrier for 81 miles by laying carpet tacks on the road.

As the Bigman was between jobs, he and the Wee Yin headed off to 'do the French Alpine Classic Climbs' over a four week period and the sun shone gloriously for four weeks. As a 'brucey bonus they camped at the foot on Mont Ventoux and climbed the mighty mountain 2 week before Lance Armstrong and his mates arrived for the real gig.

This was all a prelude to the inaugural Col du Carnock International Meet held in August with an international field. Local knowledge won the day with The Ironman winning by a fat margin and a flat tyre.

As the days grew shorter, the nights grew longer and the birds headed for warmer climbs, the posse settled in to the long winter nights with regular outings to climb the Col du Cleish in the dark nights. This encouraged some nocturnal cyclists to join the posse.

Bigman headed off to warmer climates for some winter training in Lanzarote before returning to the big freeze which has decimated the plans for holiday training during the festive period.

And as the year drew to a close, a new generation of cyclists was born, Junior I has added Junior III to the family and Junior II has added Junior IV to the family.

The Posse has had many friends joining Bigman and The Ironman on its outings including The Fit One, The Duracell, Santiago, The Gasman, Wingman, The Wee Yin , Little Nemo, The Shredder, The Marathon Man, Junior I, Junior II, The Boss, Clyde, Knight Rider and some other that have only been known as the unnamed riders to protect their identity.

It is estimated the Posse have covered over 5000 miles been covered in 2009, many tales recounted on these pages, and many deeper friendships built.

In the end, it is all about relationships. As the hours of 2009 slip away and we raise a glass to 2010, we can look forward to the Ecosse Posse riding out once again renewed by the challenge of man against machine and building even greater friendships.

Happy new Year.

Cold blast freezes training plans

It was a disappointing start to the day.A text from The Fit One outlining the truth about road conditions which prompted Bigman to consult with Ironman. The result was a cancelled training run. As Ironman has stated in his update, a broken arm at this stage would scupper all hope of recovery in time for the Cape Epic in under 12 weeks.

Bigman did a reckie on the web to find a leisure centre which was open. Cowdenbeath was the target for a couple of hours hard graft and to get the heart pumping and the shed some of the Christmas excess.

20 minutes on the step machine with an average target heart rate of 150 bpm formed the warm up. Next up came a 30 minute run continuing with the average target heart rate of 150 bpm. A few weights in between to work on the core before moving onto the bike 45 minutes set a a stiff resistance. The first 30 minutes were target 150 bpm with the dial turned up for the last 10 minutes and a lung busting 170 bph. Day 3 and the ascend shaped like a sombrero was in the mind of Bigman as he forced the pedals around another cycle.

It took some amount of paper towels to clean the litres of fluid shed on the bike.

A few more weights for wind down and it was done. A good 150 minute workout and another session planned for tomorrow.

Whilst the Christmas scene in Dunfermline is pretty, it is not good for the training

Icy roads force epic pair indoors

The weather continues to be cold. Very cold. The roads continue to be frozen. Very frozen.

The disappointed duo have been forced onto the spin bikes and gym. We were going to have a big training week but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. With artic temperatures predicted right through until New Year it's not looking good for the holiday training plan. A slip or fall resulting in a broken arm or collar bone would be a disaster with 12 weeks to go.

So for me I'll run - great for fat burning and spin instead of going out. It's good to have the facilities at home.

Wee Yin gets a big surprise from Santa

It was silver in colour, it was metal, and it glistened in the sunlight.

The Wee Yin was both delighted and surprised to find Bigman had been so thoughtful in selecting an appropriate Christmas present.

After all, it is not every husband who would buy his wife a new set of pedals with cleats on one side to aid efficiency of cycling, complete with reflectors on the end to shine in the dark.

The look, as she opened the parcel, was a picture! Clearly the gift was a success as she had not been expecting this.

:-)

Happy Christmas

Christmas brings cape epic goodies.....

Happy Christmas!

A couple of weeks rest whilst not necessarily impacting my fitness levels has definitely affected my waistline. I could body double for Santa if required this season!

The snow looks like it's slowly beginning to melt but the forecast for next week looks like more of this weeks winter blast with snow and freezing temperatures. This has been the most snow I think I've seen in 20 years and it doesn't normally last as long as it has. We're hoping to do a bit of training on the road next week so hopefully we'll get a couple of days respite and be able to get out there. Thank goodness for the spin bike!

Santa dropped of some bike goodies with a suspension seat post and a camelbak being the pick of race necessities. I think I've got most of the equipment that I need for race either on order or already delivered.

Anyway today seemed as good a day to train as any so with the presents opened I set off for my spin bike. I decided since it was Christmas I would have a reasonably gentle 45 minutes but somehow you can't so the spin bike resistance was cranked up and I pounded my way up an imaginary Knockhill with Moonwalker running on the treadmill beside me.

Sadly the 650 calories burnt will in no way cover the Christmas feast that awaits at my sisters today. So I'll be back on the bike tomorrow in the vein hope that the past 2 weeks inactivity and the inevitable high calorie count over the next week or so can be mitigated as best as possible.

Having said that it is Christmas and the months of January and February are going to be particulaly hard in terms of training and food discipline so it's quite nice to relax and enjoy both the occasion and the food. As most people know I do love my food!

Have a fab Christmas and enjoy the day!

Happy Christmas

Just popped online to wish everyone who happens upon the blog over the festive period a very Happy Christmas and wish you all every success in 2010.

It's going to be Epic!

Blog breaks the 1300 barrier with 85 days to go

Old Ironman is back......

Well 10 days of doing absolutely nowt has most definitely done me some good.

I was reading a magazine which was advising a break at this time of year so the timing of my abstinence has probably worked pretty well. Having pulled 3 muscles the weekend before last I thought that was me until after Christmas but with a bit of stretching, rest and some anti-inflammatory drugs I'm 90% recovered.

The cold turkey treatment has been tough. I've become accustomed to training regularly, in fact very regularly. To take it away was a nightmare. I missed my endorphin fix.

So I wondered what the impact of enforced rest would be? Well it turns out very limited. Back on the treadmill today and it felt good. The snow is falling, so much that we couldn't get Moonwalkers car out of the drive and running outside is only for those braver than I. So I jumped on the treadmill and did 4 miles at 8 minute pace. Happy days.

Spin tomorrow and back on to the road on Monday, snow permitting.

It's good to be back!

Men of a certain age

The heat of South Africa seems a long way off, whether measured in days or miles. The forecast for today was -1 degrees before windchill from the westerly 12mph wind.


In little over 90 days, it will be no good complaining about the short days and cold weather when the Posse Ecosse are faced with 800km and 49000 ft of undulations!


After an expedition to Glasgow yesterday to experience the festive season, Bigman was keen to return to the saddle.


A quick text to the posse to check availability last night brought a mixed response. The Fit One was going Christmas shopping. The Ironman is falling to bits!

With his groin strain from last week still in recovery, his back returning to its normal twist degree, he now has an infection in his chest and on painkillers. The heart said 'get on out there' and the head said otherwise. After an appropriate amount of consideration he decided the most sensible thing was to focus on recovery or to put it another 'he is a man of a certain age'.


And so Bigman was solo posse member as he headed out in the bleak midwinter scene. It could have been a pleasant winter scene and that was the aspiration. On the Col du Cleish the scene was a little different.



Icy, snow covered road with blizzard conditions on the summit meant the Christmas Card scene envisaged was anything but. Even the riderless horses were asking why any nutcase on a bike would come out in this weather.


And the reason, is the peacefulness you experience on a crisp winters afternoon. In the shelter of the trees, there is an eerie silence as the nobbly tyres of the bike crunch through the fresh snow.It also provides an opportunity for balance development as the ice under the snow seeks to dismount you in some sort of rodeo style antics. Concentration is key.


Several cars had previously attempted the climb and found themselves in the ditch with the side of the verge impossible to distinguish from the single track road.


At one point a Landrover pulled into a passing place to let The Bigman pass. As he tried to move back to the road he was well and truly stuck in the ditch. Bigman wrapped a chain around the Trek 6500 and with the nobblies digging deep into the snow and a low gear selected ,the muscles built in the Alps in the summer slowly, inch by inch, cranked the pedals and the Landrover was freed.

It was indeed a relief to return to the black surface of the main road and blast down to Dunfermline. At the Museum Bus Sprint, Bigman stayed ahead of his Shadow as he pushed for the line.


Having kept his feet out of the cleats whilst riding the snow and ice, the cleats had now frozen up and refused to allow his feet to clip in.


Scotland is a brilliant country in which to cycle. All the variety of scenery and seasons make it a joy to be part of the Ecosse Posse.

Merry Christmas from the Cape Epic team in South Africa

Oh I never get injured.....

What a day. Sore hip flexor, sore right pec (ha ha I hear you laugh call those things pecs) and feeling sorry for myself. I never get injured. I get the odd niggle but nothing to speak of. This is different, this is sore.....

Not only that I still had my accounts to do - it was going to be a cracker.

So at 9.50am I was well into the sorting of receipts, invoices, bank statements and credit card receipts and it was going well. I was finding the info I needed and a brief wave of happiness engulfed my generally optimistic soul. I was going to nail the task and get everything done in double quick time.

Then I turned to reach over the desk to pick up a stray receipt from August and bang, immediate pain in my left upper back. It was searing and sharp and stopped me in my tracks. A third muscle in 2 days - I'm truly falling apart. At the tender age of 46 my old body is finally catching up with me and maybe it's telling me it's time I spent a bit more time stretching and easing off after exercise rather than charging on with the next thing.

Anyway recovery is the name of the game and getting back to full fitness is my priority.

One small step backwards in my Cape Epic journey - looking forward to being able to leap forward again shortly.

The Ironman suffers groin injury

It was billed as a friendly game of fives.

The Ironman was taking the safety of in goals to avoid any frenetic tackling. A simple twist , a small turn, and 'ping' it was gone faster than you could shout Merry Christmas.

The Ironman was planning a winter shut down in any event to allow recovery an take on carbs before the final mile run in to The Cape Epic.

This will accelerate the enforced recovery period.

Bloggers will be unaware whether it is stealth training or enforced rest.

You can be assured you will read about it here first!

Hip flexor won't flex any more.....

Now I'm not a Doctor. Well not a real Doctor but I do watch House.

Now I've watched all of series 1 and most of series 2, so whilst I may not be technically qualified I do feel ready for the odd prognosis and now is the time for my first major prognosis.

On House they would show the blood rushing through the vein but sadly I can't re-create this on the blog sadly but close your eyes and you can picture the scene.

I'm playing football with the guys Duracell, Fit One and Bigman. The match was coming to a end the teams only separated by some outstanding goalkeeping by the Fit One. I turned, a sharp pain and then the hobbling began. My hip flex was done. So back to House, the wee molecules would be rushing to the damaged bits - namely the previously mentioned hip flexor......

My match was over but as one door closes.....my medical career was just beginning. I may just be a junior housedoctor (self promoted!) but I reckon I'm off to flyer......

Doc Ironman - a new career born.

Compo remembered......

Photography courtesy of Fit One Foties

I'd been out in the fog yesterday and man it was cold.

When I was in the States in November I'd invested in a pair of over-trousers. These are not any over trousers but Eddie Bauer overtrousers. They are very well made, warm and very waterproof. All of which are excellent except when climbing Knockhill on a milder than expected morning.

By the time the Bigman had lead the charge up the climb I have to say that I wasn't just up to temperature but well overheated. I had to stop. Whilst dis-robing the boys noticed I was wearing a rather attractive designer belt over the top of my waterproofs. As a note on the blog in my defence I only need the belt because I've lost a pound or 2. The reveal was like one of those scenes in the biggest loser where the newly slimmed down person stands beside his previous attire.....

My fashion reveal went down very well and I became the butt of much good natured humour. I enjoy the company of the posse because they are inevitably relentless and genuinely very funny when the opportunity arises.

It was interesting but after being released from the 'wrong' trousers I felt much better and released to climb in relative ease.

The scones in the coffee shop were so outstanding the Bigman announced that he was on his Christmas diet and promptly organised an empire biscuit - well it is Christmas! Over coffee we debated our trip.

We climbed over the hills back to Saline and despite the miserable weather had a great time.

Cheese Grommit!

Ironman wrong trousered

And so the fog continued into Saturday. The start was delayed by 30 minutes in the hope the forecast ice may have cleared and the fog lifted. The frost had gone however the fog remained. To get the mountain bike miles under their metaphoric belt ( as opposed to the Calvin klein version) Bigman and The Ironman were riding their mountain bikes with The Fit One pace setting on his roadie.

In the words of the movie, the posse set off at a fast and furious pace climbing up through Wellwood and onwards up to Mont VeKnockhill. The Ironman has been suffering recently from a technical difficulty with his gears which have not yet been sorted and so he literally spun his way up Mont VeKnockhill. This led to a requirement to de-robe his waterproof trousers as the posse crested pass.

As he heaved up his waterproof jacket, a belt was displayed in all its full glory. A brown leather belt and mega metal buckle resembling something that Greengrass of 'Heartbeat' fame would have been very proud.

It is an understatement to say Bigman and The Fit One were bent double at the sight! Tears streaming down face moments followed. As we crash towards the end of the year, it is always going to be difficult for any new cycling incident to gatecrash the top 10 memories of the year however this one definitely goes straight in top 10 category.

Amazing

The race down the north side to Powmill was an anti-climax, each with an image of the Ironman dress style emblazoned in our minds.

At the climb up to Yetts of Muckart, the fog cleared and a brilliant day now showed the Ochils in all their splendour.Then it was down to the coffee shop in Dollar for a hot drink and carbing up.

The Fit One decided we should tackle the Coalsnaughton climb which certainly got the heart racing and then it was back through Saline and over to Gowkhall. All the chat was about the preparations for the Cape Epic which is less than 14 weeks away.

Foggy Friday.....

The day was dry and a good chance to get out on the bike.

It wasn't to be a huge ride but a quick blast. Within 5 minutes my glasses had fogged up matching the misty air. I had put my lights on as a precaution which I think was absolute necessity.

I ended up doing about 45 minutes which was 45 minutes better than doing nothing.

The logistics of the trip are coming together and slowly but surely the plans are being finalised. Hotels are booked, cars will be getting hired and the good news is that the organisers are putting a bike repair centre into the hotel. This will avoid a trip to the industrial estate and the opportunity to dodge meeting the locals high on 'Greenhorn'! Whatever that is!

It's getting very exciting....

A mistake called experience

Bigman bumped into a cracking Oscar Wilde today.

“Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.”

He is seriously hoping that Cape Epic will be an experience but not one ever considered a mistake!

The stretching and core muscle exercises in Lanzarote, prompted Bigman to keep up the exercise regime at home. Working long days makes it tough to train at night particularly as the week crashes towards Friday.

Tonight was a stretch and relax night with a few ( 100 ) situps built into the routine. The Domestique working at LA Santa had stressed the importance of the core muscles to build efficient breathing patterns and encourage greater depth of breathing, thus increasing the oxygen intake and resulting in greater strength in output.

That's the theory, time will tell when the starter's gun goes, the dust starts flying and Bigman and The Ironman take off up them there Cape Epic hills in 99 days time!

Stealth...........

I have been training, by myself and in the house but training nevertheless. I couldn't make the ride out tonight because of other committments so I felt it important to mirror the hill climb the guys were taking on up Cleish.

So at precisely 6:08 I rolled out of bed, grabbed my shorts and T shirt and headed down to the gym. That makes my rather small house sound like a mansion which it most definitely is not! Anyway the gym consists of a treadmill ( a good one ), a spin bike ( a good one ), a gym ball ( a not so good one ) and weights ( not really weights at all ) and during the long dark nights I find myself increasing attracted to the delights of indoor training and TV watching.

Today I thought I'd try subtitles. Have you ever tried to read subtitles. They are a vague interpretation of the spoken word littered with errors. Whilst spinning up the virtual Cleish I mused on if the nature of subtitles. Was there a very fast typist knocking out the words in some dingy office building or was it done with voice recognition software. I'm pretty sure it's the latter but deep inside I kind of hope it is the former!

So this mornings training started with a wee 4 mile run to release the endorphins. I followed that up with my virtual Cleish climb - it was a relentless 45 minutes that passed slowly this morning. The minutes seemed like hours and the hours like days - I ploughed on until I'd done the job. It was worth it because the weigh in proived fairly good overall. Progress is being made at sail boat rather than speed boat pace. By the time of the race I will like all the other racers....

Well the chubby one's from the northern hemisphere in any event!

Knight Rider looks forward to Light Nights

It is Wednesday night and the return of teh Dark Knights Posse. Numbers have reduced as the cold winter nightsbit harder. However in the posse tonight was The Fit One, Bigman, The Wee Yin, and Knight Rider.

It was a cracking night for a blast up Col du Cleish. Dry and Crisp with a hint of frost on teh edge of your breath. It has been a few weeks since the posse rode out on Wedensday eveing and so there was much chat to catch up on.

Junior II was unavailable for team selection to Junior III on the way!

The Dark Knight is gaining in fitness. A good test is the ability to carry out a conversation on the final drive for the summit of the Col du Cleish. The crest arrived before he even realised he had arrived. Could even be a prospect for The Caledonian Etape next year.

The view over Perth and Kinross was majestic. Indeed The Knight Rider commented on how much he was looking forward to the light nights when he could see it during day light as he had not been up there in years. He may even get a scare when he sees the gradient of the slope he has been zooming up!

Only 11 more nights until the shortest day and we start easing our way back to summer. Yahoo!

Today is the official centenary of our trip to the Cape Epic. 100 more sleeps and we start the Cape Epic 2010 race in South Africa............................ but who is counting?

Bigman is!

Little Nemo thinks BIG

Little Nemo, fresh from her cycling exploits in Lanzarote doing BIG miles, spotted this quote which should help the Ironman and Bigman think BIG thoughts in South Africa during the Cape Epic.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." – Marianne Williamson.

Ah, the power of a positive mental attitude

Spinning with the Blue Brazil

Bigman returned to the spinning class at Cowdenbeath. It may not have had the sunshine of Lanzarote however it did have the heat as the pace increased and the fans failed to cool the participants down.

With a little imagination it was not too difficult to transport yourself back to Fire Mountain and the race back down into La Santa.

With only 100 more sleeps before the Cape Epic begins, the final preparations are underway. The Ironman has been disolving him in the local culture as he sorts out local arrangements. Both Bigman and The Ironman are keen to have a taste of the 'Greenhorn' however will probably leave until the end of the race!

The hotels for pre and post race are sorted.

After Christms celebrations are over the training will be stepped up to ensure the team enjoy the experience as well as survive it!

Ironman and Bigman taken in by the Bull......

It was a day to remember, a day to get wet and a day to do some proper 'mental' training! The day was a promised on the forecast, wet. Very wet. Bigman, looking a bit like a skinny Jimmy Calderwood with his Lanza tan, was on great form.

We shared the craic on the climb up Knockhill. The Bigman has returned a very fit man. A week of training in Club La Santa has worked wonders and I realised as we climbed up to Saline just how fit he is. I was breathing hard whilst the Bigman was practicing stealth breathing i.e. breathing hard without being heard!!

We turned up towards Knockhill and just after the top turned off road. We lifted the bikes over the gate and set off into the unknown - the Bigman took a while of convincing that the track existed but eventually Doubting Thomas believed sufficiently to risk the off road. Sadly having just gone off road we were stopped at the next gate.

All it said was BULL IN FIELD. We stopped, we pondered, we questioned, we considered more, we turned around and scarpered! The race is a going to be a massive challenge in South africa but the Bigman and I decided to defer our practice of escaping from angry animals for another day! On reflection, we should have gone for it in case next time it's a lion!!!

After the turnaround we set off back towards the back road to Cleish and it was off up the North Face once more. It seems tougher on a mtb rather than a roadie. We turned off towards Blairadam off road once more. It was fab splashing through the puddles like 5 year olds in wellies and speeding down the hill to Kelty. There weren't very many hardy souls in the forest.

Our biking compass was missing but somehow we managed to find our way back onto the road exiting the forest and drop off Cleish and head home.

The Bigman knows I'm not a racer. So the usual race to the bus museum came as a little surprise. I was gliding to victory when my right foot pulled out of the cleat and my chain slipped from the big ring to the middle ring. The Bigman sniffed glory and pulled past making a mental note to self that there is always a race at the bus museum!

It was a day of technical challenges. My gears were playing up, brakes rubbing and we eventually stopped at the top of Cleish to point at the bits that weren't working and suggest that we really do go on a techy training course!

So I reckon we covered aboout 60km today. Great company as ever and time passes with ease even in the rain.

One final thing. No matter how bad you think it's going to be it once you're out and about on the bike it doesn't seem as bad - I write this purely as a 'mental' note to self to remind me on the dank dark days that lie ahead! Told you it was a pure 'mental' training day!

Wet, Wet, Wet

After all that heat in Lanzarote, Bigman was delighted to return to the Ecosse Posse this morning. The weather had great er precipitation and significantly less heat BUT it had all the colour of a beautiful countryside and the company of The Ironman.

It was decided to have a day of climbing on the mountain bikes. It started with a climb from Saline up to the Knockhill cross roads. A sharp left and it was up to the Knockhill race course. Down the other side and turn left along to Cleish village.

From there it as back up and over the North Face of Cleish and down the other side before turning into the Blairadam forest and down to the Forestry commission buildings.

At this point, and for some extra fun, the posse turned around and climbed back up to the Cleish road.

By this time, we were wet, cold, covered in mud but happier than being out Christmas shopping!

An estimated 65 km covered and it felt good to be on teh Mountain bikes. As the trip is now only 14 weeks away, much of teh detail is being discussed as we train.

It feels soon, it feels good

Moses appears in Alloa.....

It was another cracking day in Fife, albeit 2o deg lower than at winter training camp, but work was pressing. A late in the day computer crash lost the entire afternoon's efforts. Gutted. I'm sure it's in there somewhere so tomorrow morning will be trying to find the lost work.

So in the midst of computer carnage I had to leave. Footy was calling. We won. Again not entirely due to my finishing skills, Alan Shearer I'm not, Phil Godman might be closer.....I did however run for the entire game and my silky passing skills set up a good number of our goals. The spotty dog experience following my first game back a few weeks ago has gone and my muscles seem accustomed to the game. So hopefully no painful walking tomorrow.

I drove home at speed (obviously within the speed limits) and made it home in time to change clothes and grab my swimming kit. Santiago picked me up 2 minutes later and we were off to meet the Fit One at Alloa (should be twinned with Honalulu!) swimming pool. Santiago is doing the Outlaw with me next year and we are both in the base training phase of that (I'm in full swing for Cape Epic!!) and the Fit One had suggested a training swim.

The Fit One swims about a kilometer every day and without doubt a very good and fast swimmer. His speed is generated through power and he has an incredibly powerful front crawl. So powerful in fact I was convinced Moses himself was parting the water as he flew through the pool.

Santiago is also a quicker swimmer than me and I guess just needs time in the water to build stamina and speed.

The Fit One lost his grace, mind you, doing a length of butterfly. A bit of soap and I could have got my washing done!

Another good day from a food perspective. Day 3 - one more than usual! I'm not sure what tomorrow holds in term of training. I'm considering a rest day.....

Looking forward to a ride out with the posse on Saturday!

Little Nemo squashes Bigman

Day 6 – Winter training camp

It was the final ride out of the winter training camp. Little Nemo was keen to do another outing and the 60km with the Spanish Posse yesterday looked an appropriate route.

The wind was still fearsome however the majority of the ride carried the wind at your back with only the ascent of Fire Mountain head into the wind. A small price to pay for an otherwise idealic route through the vinyards of Lanzarote.

The day started with The Fit One foremost in the thoughts of Bigman. The Primary reason for this was his call at 07:14 to see how the training was going! It was a short call.

Time for breakfast arrived an hour or so later and it was off to the bike shed to sort out Little Nemo with her trusty steed for the day. The temperature was back up to 25 degrees and extremely pleasant albeit the wind was still giving it full pelt.

As mentioned yesterday, the locals are sporting fine woolly jumpers and long trousers to fight the ‘cold’. Best dressed local today was sporting a balaclava. This is not a joke. If Bigman had thought he could have, he would have taken a photo to prove it. Instead, we will just have to trust him!

Little Nemo has certainly gained confidence on the road bike. At times she grew tired of the pace and wished she had a bigger cog on the front as she could not turn the pedals fast enough! It was not unusual for her to fly past Bigman wearing a massive grin from ear to ear ………………. Usually on a downhill.

After a coffee stop in Yaiza, it was time to tackle Fire Mountain. Little Nemo made it look like a damp squib as she fired up the mountain as if it did not exist. And she pushed hard down the other side leading into the wind. She has clearly got a sense of opportunity to race and the journey into LA Santa had Bigman imagining The Fit One was on his tail to inspire and motivate him to stay in front.

After lunch, Little Nemo went off to Fitball class. Not a mis-spelling. The exercise requires you to do various exercises on and with a large ball.

It seemed a bit extreme for Bigman so he went off to do a 1km swim. A 50 metre pool feels a lot longer than 2 X 25m lengths and certainly a lot less opportunity to push off frequently a quarter of the way up the pool.

But the key challenge for today was left until last. The final squash game of the week. It should have been an opportunity for father and daughter to bond, building relationships, however there was too much at stake. A David and Goliath story. Like two gunslingers duelling at noon, this would be fight to the death. A whisp of dust and you could easily mistake the scene for a spaghetti western. The pattern was predictable for the first two games.

Little Nemo takes the first and suffers ‘second game syndrome’ to lose the second. The third would be the decider. Little Nemo suggested best of five should she lose. Time did not permit as the supermarket shut soon and so it had to be now or never. Bigman felt confident that Little Nemo was already beaten in her head. And so it appeared, at 14-12 in favour of Bigman when Little Nemo took back serve to rocket to victory. The entrance to the squash court was not big enough to enable her smug grin to pass through. Note who is wearing the halo in the photo!

An extra match has been arranged for tomorrow prior to departure for the airport.

Day 2 - Pre Christmas Good Food.....

A new day. From the off I was under pressure. Christmas is a joyful time to celebrate, a time to reflect and a time for new beginnings. Why does everyone want everything done and dusted for Christmas!

Anyway after a busy morning I had planned to run or bike at lunchtime. My errant memory drove me back to the office - I'd forgotten something and it needed done immediately. So my trip was postponed. Darkness had settled over Carnock when I left the shed aka office....

I'd dressed this morning for a ride so it didn't take a minute to get ready for the run. I set off at a steady pace and then gently increased to 8mph. It felt good. 5 miles done. Heart rate remained stable and I felt in control throughout the run. One of things I learned whilst doing the marathon is that control over breathing is key to endurance.

Straight after the run I jumped onto the spin bike and did a 40 minute climb. It was hard work after the run. In triathlon you normally run after biking - switching this shocked the muscles. They say that biking helps your running whilst running doesn't help your biking. That what I'm told anyway. I think if your run fit it must be easier to get bike fit and the same in reverse.

I thought of the Bigman enjoying the sun and after reading a text i spent a couple of minutes imagining him on Le Tour supporting Lance - it drove me onwards. Every 5 minutes I ramped up the resistance. Continually building my way to the top of the hill - I'd set a time limit and I was chuffed to reach the top. The evidence of my efforts was visible in perspiration.

A quick 50 sit up on the Swiss ball finished off today's routine.

Day 2 of the good food drive has worked out - no rubbish consumed. Good mix of veg and eh veg and fruit - I am a quasi veggie after all. The cliff approaches - will I make day 3 of the challenge work.....

Only time will tell!

Fast and furious...........

Day 5 – Winter training camp

Today was a day when the sum of the efforts of Little Nemo and Bigman made for a full day’s training. A game of two halves, you might say.

The intermediate Spanish Posse was riding out into bandit country at 09:15 which meant Bigman set the alarm for 08:00. Little Nemo slept on. Bigman had breakfast. Little Nemo slept on. Bigman prepared his stuff for going out for the 60km ride. Little Nemo slept on.

In fact, this ‘slept on’ thing continued until 10:30! No doubt she was dreaming of exercise classes.

The Posse was once again instructed on the rules of the highway and given a ‘warning’ about the pace and the need to self select if you were struggling. The ride was to be led by Paul. Turns out he rode as ‘domestique’ to Michael Hutchison, the author of the book ‘The Hour’ I referred to yesterday. It was fascinating to ride alongside someone who had been with the greats. He was a pleasure to cycle with. The wind was just as strong today. We would have it on our backs on the way out to Soo and then to Uga via Mancha Blancha turning ride towards Yaiza and battle back over Fire Mountain into the strong winds.

The hillsides are bespeckled by black bomb shaped holes. These are vinyards. The vines lie flat as teh constant winds would batter the vines and the walls are built to shelter fro the prevailing winds from the north.

It was cracking blue skies overhead and the company was great. 24 cyclists from all over Europe sharing a common pursuit on some of the finest road surfaces.

Bigman mentioned to Paul he was taking part in the Cape Epic in 2010. Turns out the Sporting Director from La Santa is a regular participant along with the Marketing Manager from one of the big bike manufacturers. A small world indeed. A discussion ensued on the pros and cons of tubeless tyres on mountain bikes. OK so it was a short discussion.

Clearly winter has arrived in the Canary Islands. The locals were dressed in long trousers and wearing pullovers. Bigman tried to imagine the number of layers they would be wearing if they were in Scotland today!

On the climb back over Fire Mountain the wind was like the breath of a dragon, lashing anyone who strayed outside formation. As we approached the crest, the pace quickened. The ‘domestique’ started to challenge his La Santa guide and colleague for a race to the top. It is fair to say they dropped the posse and sped to the top as if it was flat! Bigman held on for a fourth place. Third place went to a man who was a blend of some familiar figures from Posse Ecosse. The physique of the Ironman, the attacking nature of the Fit One, and the staying power of the Duracell. Hard to believe all these attributes could be present in one person, let alone someone making up the Spanish Posse.

As Bigman cruised back to La Santa, his mind mused over an interview by Michael Hutchison with Graeme Obree, the famous Scot who built his bike from washing machine parts. In discussing his driven ambition, after a lot of counselling he now felt he can read a book because he wants to, not because it would improve him as a person, or because the knowledge will be useful some day. Before, he would only do something useful. Everything had to have an achievement, and there was a terrible guilt at enjoying something that was not an achievement. There seems to be a lesson for life in this short extract.

Meanwhile the downhill into La Santa is shaping up for another race. The young pretender from La Santa staff is winding up the pace. Bigman hangs onto his wheel and sits in his stream. The pace is fast and furious. Cyclists are being dropped faster than the pound against the Euro. A German goes for a flanking movement however as he moves out, the full force of the wind hits him and his attack is over before it began. He merely sits on the outside spinning his legs and moves backwards.

Bigman holds on for a second place. The boys back home would be cheering from their office chairs if they could see the race live on Eurosport.

Back at La Santa, Little Nemo has signed up for Stretch and Relax class at 15:00 followed by Body Toning at 16:00. Bigman plans a 1km swim for the afternoon.

Discussions overlooking the pool subsequently eat away the afternoon and the Stretch and Relax is well missed. As the clouds gather, Little Nemo disappears for her Body Toning whilst Bigman retires to the bar to re-hydrate and so some ore reading ……….. for relaxation!

The daily squash match was a tough affair with Little Nemo winning the first game easily. The second game lacked the usual ‘syndrome’ and Bigman had to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat. The third game was a close affair however age once again triumphed over youth.

Good to see Ironman has come out from the closet with his recent training. He has also been busy organising the next stage of kit production and support when we are in South Africa.

Tomorrow Little Nemo will join Bigman for a trip over Fire mountain on their penultimate day of winter training camp.