Lots happening, not much time to post but we are ready...

Last week just went so quick. I can hardly remember what I did, apart from working, doing a couple of rides on both sides of Clear Mountain, discovering new road where I found this house, a crit race and a terrific day with riders of the QSM Racing Team, checking the courses for this weekend's stage race (BotB).

 

I wrote we are ready because for the first time I am kind of reporting as part of the QSM Masters A Team. We have gone on a few rides together and have raced together a couple of times but now I am starting to see how well this team is going to fuse and perform as the season progresses.

The trip to the Tweed Valley was to try out the Battle on the Border courses. There were ten QSM riders from different grades. It was evident that there is a competitive and fun atmosphere in the group and an aspiration to attain results as a team and to assist individuals achieve their personal goals. A good way to do things.

For this weekend, we might not pull off the big win but I am confident some of the guys are going to make an impact on the race.

Adam "the driver" Baker

Pre-ride chat at Stokers Siding

Clothiers Creek Hill

Darren Toyne, Mark Eltherington
and Craig Briant, Tweed Valley 

Week Sixteen: Peak (1)
Time: 14 h 20 min
Dist.: 392 km
Asc.: 3300 m


The good food and training

I often hear from people how hard it is to loose weight or keep the weight down and I ask myself how well they are monitoring what they eat, and drink. To me, that's one of the keys, not just to control weight but to stay healthy and recover well after training and racing. I also find important to include all types of nutrients and select the least processed foods available.

Eating well is a big part of my training regime and having chosen to follow a semi-vegetarian diet for the last 12 or 13 years, I have to be a little more creative and careful not to miss out in some of the nutrients we need to keep our muscles healthy. There are a lot of books on nutrition for athletes, I recommend reading a couple of those ( I search on cyberspace for information ) and experimenting with a few simple recipes.

From time to time, I will post here an easy to make, easy on the palate recipe for before, during or after training rides. This one is my Vegetable Frittata with Pecorino for a light lunch or dinner:

Small Onion
Garlic, to taste
Olive oil, salt and pepper
4 Eggs (add a bit of water)
Carrots, Zucchine and Mushrooms
Chillies
Pecorino Cheese

How: Chop onion and garlic finely and fry in olive oil; toss in chopped vegetables and chillies; add salt and pepper; cover with egg mix and let cook. Add grated Pecorino and place under the grill for a few minutes. Serve with salad and fresh bread.

Bon Appetit!