Go The Distance

3 March, 2016 By Administrator in Sports & Fitness Comments Off

There is nowhere better than the saddle of a bike to do some serious thinking. On my recent trip down under I got to thinking about the fact that good old fashioned ‘miles’ is a pretty inaccurate way of describing how tough a day’s riding will be. Some factors, such as headwinds, are very hard to take into account but the most obvious other variable is the amount of climb. Surely, I thought, it would be possible to come up with a fairly simple equation that combines distance ridden with climb to give a unit of measure that allows comparison of rides in all terrains.

Ladies and Gentlemen (drum roll), I give you…… the Terrain Adjusted Mile (or TAM).

To calculate TAMs you start with the distance to be ridden and add (or subtract) miles according to the actual climb against a ‘normal’ value. This ‘normal’ value, and how you convert any shortfall/excess into miles is bound to be contentious but I reckon the following works for me:

‘Normal’ climb is 50 feet per mile. The adjustment is 1 mile per 150 feet (either plus or minus). Here is how a 100 mile ride looks, based on 6 different amounts of climb:

Miles ridden	100	100	100	100	100	100
Feet climbed	1000	2000	3000	4000	5000	6000
Standard climb	4000	4000	4000	4000	4000	4000
Difference	-3000	-2000	-1000	0	1000	2000
Mileage adjustment	-20	-13	-7	0	7	13

TAMs	80	87	93	100	107	113

Or, to put it another way: A 100 mile ride with 3000 feet of climb is the same as a 50 mile ride with 9500 feet of climb.

I’m going to try this out on the next trip (Camino and Portugal) – I’ll work out each day in TAMs and see how this compares with a subjective ‘how hard was that ride?’ test.

The Lunatics Have taken Over The Asylum

21 January, 2016 By Administrator in Sports & Fitness Comments Off

You are probably wondering how it is that Bike Adventures tour leaders rock up at the start of the season all bronzed, toned and fit as fleas. Well, it isn’t easy! It is a measure of our dedication that Chris Heywood and I (we are the good looking ones) will shortly be heading down to Brisbane to start a 2000 mile unsupported trip around the Australian Pacific Coast to Adelaide. If that doesn’t sort out the tan and the leg muscles nothing will.

You may notice that all my blog entries have a song title as the subject. Sometimes these are obvious and sometimes a little lateral thinking is required. I’ll give you a clue for this one but don’t expect one every time: there are three of us going, we are boys, and we are going to have FUN. Got it yet? The third member of our ‘Fun Boy Three’ is Neil: part friend, part customer, part carpenter.

We set off on Jan 25th and start riding on the 27th. Our route is pre-planned but the schedule is flexible; we are aiming at 80 mile days with 3 rest days but it all depends on what happens during our month on the road. We already have plans to visit friends from the Bike Adventures community in Sydney, Batemans Bay and Melbourne but if you live on our route please get in touch, we would love to see you. As well as having a great time and drinking more beer than is probably wise, we will be looking for a suitable route/itinerary for an inaugural Bike Adventures trip to Oz for 2017. I will file the odd blog entry to let you know how we are doing but if you want the whole day-by-day account (and aren’t easily offended) try my personal blog.

If you can’t wait until 2017 to cycle ‘down under’ why not take a look at our 2016 New Zealand Tour.

The Long and Winding Road

6 January, 2016 By Administrator in Cycling challenge, Sports & Fitness Comments Off

The longest-standing record in cycling (and probably in athletic endeavor of ANY kind) is the Highest Annual Mileage record, or HAMR. Or rather is WAS! In 1939, Tom Godwin (a Brit) rode an astonishing 75,065 miles and for most of the last 76 years it looked like the record would stand forever. However, on Monday an American named Kurt Searvogel (aka ‘Tarzan’) notched up his 75,066th mile since starting his attempt on the record on January 10th 2015.

I don’t want to belittle Kurt’s efforts (they are truly incredible ) but:

His final tally will probably only exceed Tommy’s by about 1000 miles despite having access to the very best kit the 21st century has to offer. Tommy Godwin set the record long before Lycra, carbon composites, high intensity LED lights and 22 speed gear sets.

Kurt has been riding in the US, where he can chase the good weather. He has mostly been riding in Florida and I can tell you from a recent trip out there – it isn’t the same as plugging away through a British winter!

There is obviously no way of making a meaningful comparison between the two efforts. Kurt is the new record holder and deserves to bask in the glory but what Tommy Godwin achieved remains, in my book, the greatest cycling feat since the dawn of time.

Kurt better enjoy his moment in the spotlight because it may be brief. Until April another Brit, Steve Abraham, was snapping at his heels when a prat on a moped knocked him off resulting in a broken ankle. Steve kept riding but, having lost about 6 weeks while it mended, the attempt was effectively dead in the water. The beauty of the HAMR is that it doesn’t have to be a calendar year, so Steve re-set his trip meter in August and effectively started again. This means that, at the end of this new 12-month period, he will have been riding 200+ miles per day for 19 months!!! The man is clearly bonkers but you can’t help admire him. Anyone whose response to a broken ankle isn’t ‘bollocks to that – I think I’ll stop’ but ‘OK, I’ll just cycle an extra 36,000 miles’ is clearly pretty determined and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a new record holder come August.

If all of this has pricked your conscience, or you have already resolved to up the mileage a bit this year, take a look at Bike Adventure’s longer-distance ‘epic’ trips. The US Pacific Coast Highway, New Zealand Middle Earth Tour or London to Venice (or even London to Dubrovnik) would all make a splendid 1200+ mile contribution to your own personal HAMR in 2016!

End of Season? – Five turbo sessions to try.

3 November, 2015 By 7pxadmin in Sports & Fitness Comments Off

With advances in sports science and testing many of the old rules we have come to rely on for performance development may no longer apply.

Science laboratories and sports institutes around the world are publishing new research daily questioning the relevance of existing theories.

Among the most common of these is the relevance of long training rides. Whilst they have a place in any training regime they are no longer to be considered in isolation, more miles doesn’t necessarily mean better performance. Psychological milestones, the 100 club for example, are relevant targets for motivation but have limited physiological effect.

It has been proven however that 20 minute high intensity intervals i.e. above 90% effort help to develop anaerobic capacity (the maximal point at which adenosine triphosphate (lactic acid) can be resynthesized by the body) by as much as 28% where moderate intensity long miles will not. Continuing from this max efforts (100%) of 20 to 60 secs will develop vo2 Max (your body’s ability to absorb, distribute and utilise oxygen).

These intervals can be added into road sessions but are more commonly used during indoor training sessions on turbo trainers or in spinning classes.

To discover more on the relevance of high intensity training and its relevance in cycle performance take a look at British Cycling’s Insight Zone.

With the autumn and winter upon us now is the time to think about indoor training to support your Bike Adventures trip. Listed below are 5 Turbo Training sessions to mix things up. Try to add one or two sessions a week to compliment your road riding.

If you are off to Bhutan this autumn with Bike Adventure’s on their Mountain Bike trip I will see you there. I need to get on the turbo!

NOTES TO AID TURBO SESSIONS

Rear cassettes come in numerous forms (9/10/11 rings) of differing teeth ratios, the sessions below are based on 10 ring cassettes but can be adapted to match your setup. Always use the larger ring as your start point for warm up and progress from there.

It is more appropriate to manage turbo sessions by RPE (rate of perceived effort) and specifically % MHR (percentage of maximum heart rate) where possible.

Maximum heart rate can be approximated using the calculation 220 – Age = MHR. However more accurate results can be achieved through specific heart rate or vo2 testing.

FOR YOUR GUIDANCE:

TRAINING ZONE		%MHR	RPE
RECOVERY		<60%	0-1 EXTREMELY EASY
ZONE 1:	BASIC ENDURANCE	60-65%	1 VERY EASY
ZONE 2:	ENDURANCE	65-75%	2 QUITE EASY
ZONE 3:	TEMPO	75-82%	3-4 MODERATE
ZONE 4:	THRESHOLD	82-89%	5-6 HARD
ZONE 5:	VO2 MAX	89-94%	7-8 VERY HARD
ZONE 6:	NEUROMUSCULAR	94-100%	9-10 EXTREMELY HARD

THE TURBO SESSIONS DETAILED BELOW SHOULD BE FOLLOWED AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE BUT YOU MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR HEART RATE RECOVERY, YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS REACH THE TARGETS SET HIGH OR LOW. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR ABILITY.

TURBO 1 – PROGRESSIVE GEARS

Progressive Strength and resistance session – Hill Simulation – Cadence 90rpm – Effort 60 to 90% progressive

12 min – Ring 1 (Largest)	60%	ZONE 1
11 min – Ring 2
10 Min – Ring 3
9 Min – Ring 4
8 Min – Ring 5	PROGRESSING TO
7 Min – Ring 6
6 Min – Ring 7
5 Min – Ring 8
4 Min – Ring 9
3 Min – Ring 10	90%	ZONE 5
5 Min Recovery – Ring 1

75 Min Total (this session can be simply progressed by increasing the start minutes and decreasing accordingly with ring change)

TURBO 2 – MINUTE MADNESS

High intensity sprint intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Effort maximal at interval

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)	Warm up	65%	ZONE 1
5 Min – Ring 2	Warm up	70%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 4	Warm up	75%	ZONE 2

2 Min – Ring 5	Recovery	75%	ZONE 3
1 Min – Ring 10 (Smallest)	INTERVAL MAX EFFORT	100%	ZONE 6
Repeat 10 times

5 Min – Ring 4	Cool Down	75%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 2	Cool Down	70%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)	Cool Down	65%	ZONE 1

60 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply change the warm up and cool down rings accordingly)

TURBO 3 – SIT/STAND

High resistance technique intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Effort maximal at interval

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)	Warm up	65%	ZONE 1
5 Min – Ring 2	Warm up	70%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 4	Warm up	75%	ZONE 2

1 Min – Ring 10 (Smallest) – standing		85%	ZONE 4
1 Min – Ring 8 – seated – INTERVAL MAX EFFORT		100%	ZONE 1
1 Min – Ring 5 – Recovery		75%	ZONE 3
Repeat 10 times

5 Min – Ring 4	Cool Down	75%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 2	Cool Down	70%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)	Cool Down	65%	ZONE 1

60 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply change the warm up and cool down rings accordingly)

TURBO 4 – AEROBIC

Progressive aerobic intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Efforts at % Max Heart Rate

10 Min – Ring 1 (Largest) Warm up	65%	ZONE 1

2 Min – Ring 6	Progress to 70%	ZONE 2
6 Min – Ring 6	Hold at 70%	ZONE 2
2 Min – Ring 7	Progress to 75%	ZONE 3
6 Min – Ring 7	Hold at 75%	ZONE 3
6 Min – Ring 8	Hold at 80%	ZONE 4
Repeat 3 times

2 Min – Ring 4 – Recovery	65%	ZONE 1

90 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply increase the times of the held efforts)

TURBO 5 – RUSSIAN STEPS

High Intensity short intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Maximal Efforts

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)	Warm up	65%	ZONE 1
5 Min – Ring 2	Warm up	70%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 4	Warm up	75%	ZONE 2

15 Sec Max Effort / 45 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9		100% / 75%	ZONE 6 / ZONE 3
20 Sec Max Effort / 40 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9		100% / 75%	ZONE 6 / ZONE 3
25 Sec Max Effort / 35 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9		100% / 75%	ZONE 6 / ZONE 3
30 Sec Max Effort / 30 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9		100% / 75%	ZONE 6 / ZONE 3
35 Sec Max Effort / 25 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9		100% / 75%	ZONE 6 / ZONE 3
40 Sec Max Effort / 20 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9		100% / 75%	ZONE 6 / ZONE 3
45 Sec Max Effort / 15 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9		100% / 75%	ZONE 6 / ZONE 3
7 Min – Ring 4 – Spin recovery to allow for maximal effort		70%	ZONE 2
Repeat 2 times

5 Min – Ring 4	Cool Down	75%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 2	Cool Down	70%	ZONE 2
5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)	Cool Down	65%	ZONE 1

58 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply add additional Russian steps)

The core to cycling.

17 September, 2015 By 7pxadmin in Cycling challenge, Sports & Fitness Comments Off

A stronger core can help improve your cycling.

This is an undisputed fact, but why is it that many cyclists only concentrate on working their leg muscles? Often it is because they don’t really understand the relevance of a strong core in relation to cycling; either that or it’s a time issue.

For cycling you need power (i.e. the production of watts). Power is an integral part of cycling and strength is the main component of power. When we say strength, we don’t mean bulking up to look like a muscle-bound meathead, we mean lean and strong.

Even amazing leg strength is not enough, as without a strong stable core you will not be able to properly utilise that strength. This quote from Graeme Street sums this up perfectly – ‘It’s like having the body of Ferrari with a Fiat chassis underneath’.

So now that we have established that a strong core is essential for great cycling, surely we should understand the reasons why? Having a solid core will help reduce unnecessary upper-body movement; this in turn will deliver the energy you produce from your legs into a smooth pedal stroke.

The traditional cycling position requires the core to support you, however it doesn’t really develop your core whilst riding. Without a strong core, a long ride will often finish early or become a real problem due to some kind of pain in your body other than your legs, usually your back or neck. This will normally come from your abdominals, obliques, latissius dorsi and the muscles around the spine quitting before your leg muscles.

Cycling, just like any other sport, should be fun and we should enjoy it. Pain takes the pleasure away from most sports – building a stronger core could help solve many pain issues for cyclists.

So how can you improve your core? There are a vast array of different core exercises out there and you just need to pick routines that work with you and your lifestyle. The great thing about strengthening your core is that you don’t have to have much time, any equipment (unless you choose) or much room. You can strengthen your core from home if you choose, and by not having to attend fitness classes or a gym you will be quids in. Those savings can be used to put towards equipment for your bike or maybe a cycling tour!

Starting out on a new regime to improve your core? Google ‘exercises for the core for cyclists’ and I think you will be amazed how many different sites, boards etc. there are. If you were to pick just one exercise to do, then it would have to be the basic plank ,also called a hover. The plank will work more than just your abdominals, it also works the glutes and hamstrings, supporting proper posture and improving balance. Here’s how to perform the plank:

Lie face down on the floor. Raise the body up with the forearms while balancing the lower body on the toes.
Do not sag around the abdominal region. Keep the body as rigid as possible.
To hold this position, you will notice that you need to brace and contract the abdominal muscles.
Hold for 30 seconds (less if that’s all you can do), lower and then raise again. Do 10 repetitions or less to start with.
Alternatively, hold until failure (you flop down), or three minutes, whatever comes first. Do three of these in a set. You will feel the abs burn.
Test yourself to find what your maximum time to hold the Plank position is, and then try to beat it as you develop strength. If you can hold for three minutes, you are doing well.

(Don’t forget to breathe. If you feel pain in your lower back then you need to lower it and rest as the abdominals have stopped working.)

Remember preparation & prevention are essential for longevity in cycling; if you are planning any of our wonderful cycle touring experiences then being ‘core ready’ will ensure your cycling is so much more enjoyable.

The Tour de France peloton cycling along the road

Has the ‘Tour’ inspired you?

29 July, 2015 By 7pxadmin in Cycling challenge Comments Off

Has the ‘Tour’ inspired you?

I don’t know about you but whenever I watch a fellow cyclist, or any other sports person do well I cannot help but feel that warm fuzzy feeling of achievement on their behalf. One thing is for certain: Chris Froome deserves the glory and should be soaking it all up and taking a well-earned rest. Winning the Tour twice is an astonishing feat.

All the excitement has boosted my urge to get out and cycle, and I know it will have had the same effect on many people who are maybe looking to set themselves a challenge for the coming year. Did you know that in the latest survey (http://www.cyclinguk.org/resources/cycling-uk-cycling-statistics) about 8% of the population aged five+ cycle three or more times a week – that equates to around 4.64 million people.

There is obviously a big difference between just cycling to get to work or taking on a cycling challenge. The dedication required to cycle the Land’s End to John O’Groats route is way higher than that of the leisure cyclist who cycles to the pub and back on a Sunday afternoon, but many people decide on this particular tour as the first one to do. By riding for charity it adds to the incentives to get out on your bike even when we seem to have endless days of rain and other poor conditions.

Many of our team have been on the journey of getting back to fitness and completing a challenge after a period of injury, illness or just to push ourselves further. We can help guide you, offer training and kit advice but at the end of the day it is down to you. So here are our top 5 inspirational tips we are going to pass on from Chris Froome’s performance on the Tour –

Set your goal and enter the challenge – you cannot complete it if you have not entered!
Believe in yourself – Chris overcame much criticism and abuse to win.
Get kitted out – it need not be expensive but the right kit can make training more comfortable and effective plus cycling in your undies can turn heads – you need to think about road safety here!
Join a club – Chris could certainly not have won on his own, team Sky were phenomenal. The advice, support and experience will advance your training physically and mentally.
Enjoy it – relish the new fitter you, boast about how many miles you cycled before breakfast and be sure to flood your Facebook page with images of you at the end of your challenge.

P.S. remember to also share them with us so we can share your glory too…

Go get ‘em tiger…..

I’ve just turned 40 – I’ve discovered Lycra – what’s to do….. GET ON YOUR BIKE!

8 July, 2015 By 7pxadmin in Road Cycling Holidays Comments Off

It’s that time in one’s life when it feels like the good years are behind you, but the great ones are ahead. You need a challenge, something to show yourself that you’ve still got what it takes to bring muscle power and will power together. But you also want to give back to the world around you.

A charity bike challenge is just what you need.

If you are reading this, the chances are you own a bike, love to get on your bike and relish the idea of a challenge on your bike!

One of the most popular challenges for most people looking to do a charity bike ride is the Land’s End to John O’Groats – otherwise known as the LEJOG (or JOGLE if you want to do it in reverse – cycling backwards is not a requirement!)

It’s not a challenge to be sniffed at – it’s a trip that takes in just over 1000 miles of some of the most beautiful countryside of the British Isles. You will cycle through North Cornwall, cross the River Severn, taking in the scenic views of Herefordshire, and on into Northern England and up to the Scottish Border. Pass through the hills of Southern Uplands, and, if you have the energy to lift your hands off your bars, wave to ‘Nessie’ as you near your final destination – John O’Groats. Phew! But it’s not all in one go; at the end of each day there is a bed and a hot meal waiting for you.

So you may not complete the trip in 44 hours, 4 mins and 20 secs as done by Gethin Butler in 2001 but by riding with Bike Adventures you will be in very safe and experienced hands. Our trip durations range from 9 days for very experienced cyclists, through 15 days to a more leisurely 21 days for those with time to relax and enjoy the beautiful British scenery.

Bike Adventures have been running the LEJOG tour for over 14 years and can help you every step of the way in getting your charity challenge off to a racing start. From the initial advice about training plans and the best way to go about fundraising, to having the best tour guides in the business, we are there to assist you.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s no time like the present and no present like time, so ‘Get on Your Bike’, choose your charity and tick the LEJOG challenge off your bucket list: https://www.bikeadventures.co.uk/bike-tours/road-cycling-lands-end-to-john-o-groats/

cycling challenge

Go The Distance

The Lunatics Have taken Over The Asylum

The Long and Winding Road

End of Season? – Five turbo sessions to try.

FOR YOUR GUIDANCE:

TURBO 1 – PROGRESSIVE GEARS

TURBO 2 – MINUTE MADNESS

TURBO 3 – SIT/STAND

TURBO 4 – AEROBIC

TURBO 5 – RUSSIAN STEPS

The core to cycling.

A stronger core can help improve your cycling.

Has the ‘Tour’ inspired you?

I’ve just turned 40 – I’ve discovered Lycra – what’s to do….. GET ON YOUR BIKE!

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