Now I know how Hugh Grant must feel as the paparazzi pursue his every move in the search for a newsworthy photograph. It's perfectly natural to doze off on the settee at the end of a tiring day, without being stalked by the wife and her camera. I don't know about you, but reading always makes me sleepy. A weak excuse.
The book is called 'Maximum performance for cyclists' and contains some very interesting training ideas. A lot of the content revolves around the principle that a cyclist needs to undergo some physiological testing to determine his baseline fitness, and then formulate a specific programme of exercise. This will include a lot of intense sessions using a heart rate monitor, plus weight training and flexibility exercises.
Yesterday was a bit disappointing on the cycling front. My muscles were still tender after Tuesday's 50-miler, and experience has taught me that piling on another session of exercise doesn't really get me anywhere. The muscle is sore for a reason, and the positive effect of the training effort comes from the repair, not the breakdown phase. Depressingly, as you get older, it takes longer to recover. The heart and lungs are stronger than the muscles, tendons and ligaments, despite the will power and resolve of Steve Redgrave... well almost. Us over 40's are also injury prone, and that is the other problem.
I have a boat which I've just taken out of the water on a trailer in order that my mate can service the outboard. It's been sitting in the drive for a few days (catching leaves and sticky sap). I have to climb up a short ladder to climb over the gunwhales, and as I bounded up yesterday afternoon my right calf muscle gave an almighty twang.
So, that put the kybosh on my intended training sesshy.
Thanks to Jacko and Mark for their advice on the saddle front. I took that photo of my saddle a few weeks ago and so it is in a different position as compared to the picture. I'm using Assos chamois cream. I think I will try a thinner saddle.
So, we've got a 3 day weekend ahead. Hopefully the weather will hold up for the biker rallies, the cyclists, walkers and tourists. We're going to be busy. Childcare commitments means I'm anticipating little free time for the bike.
So, I'll study my book, fiddle with the saddle and try and sneak out really early in the morning for a couple of hours.... and try not to snooze on the settee.
Thanks to all the A&E docs at St Mary's for their donation to the Prostate Cancer Charity.
Friday 4 May 2007
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