Friday it is... ahead, another weekend off the bike.

Friday already, the week went quickly. A few months ago, it would be like: - Yes! I don't have to work Saturday morning, I can race at Nundah!!! But no, I won't be racing this one either, in fact, I might not even get on the bike as the shoulder is still giving me grief.

The good news is that I did get on the trainer this morning after a couple of days off as a flu kept me out of action for a couple of days. Action? Did I say action? I even had a book with me...

I try to listen to the radio while on the trainer but the local stations are really bad. For every song they play there are five minutes of stupid jokes or somebody calling to tell what was the most interesting thing they found in something they were eating... Who cares???

Back to the weekend, there is a great event happening on Sunday, The Sol Rainbow Ride . The 120 km race starts in Byron Bay (NSW) and finishes in Currumbin, Queensland, passing through some beautiful areas and with a couple of really good climbs on the way. How good will that be?

I will have to wait for next year. In a better note, Sandra is racing and I get to be her DS. That is what she says, I see myself as being the driver/water man. I am looking forward to that.


Getting tubed

This week, I also finished fixing the tubes that I had sitting here for ages. The final result was 9 out of twelve. Not too bad, I think!

II. Testing Phase

III. Packaging Phase

A dish to remember

XXXXXXX

The other nice thing this week was deciding to cook some Brazilian food for Sandra (and myself). After watching a cooking show on SBS, I went to their web site and chose a seafood dish. My mother had cooked the same dish for us during our visit to Rio - Moqueca de Peixe. Very simple to make and very delicious.

Cycling News: Barack Obama, the number one!!

Barack Obama is back on the bike, with a smile. It has been a long and hard 2008 season for the young rider which ended with him in the number one spot in the world. It was an expensive campaign, with sponsors spending around U$ 1,000,000,000 to get the 47 years American at the top.

Messages arrived from around the world, including a warm SMS from the French association. He will soon travel around the globe representing his new sponsor in exhibition events, although the contract won't be signed before January 20, 2009.

Lance Armstrong, who is returning to the main arena under the Kazakhstan flag, is yet to congratulate the new numero uno. He has spoken to his Team Manager and old friend, Johan Bruyneel, about a new challenge and that the next nine Tour de France events will be part of his preparation for this long term goal.

We are looking at a very exciting 2009.

America... You've changed!

Just woke up from an afternoon nap (got up at 3 this morning) to learn that the people of the USA has elected Barack Obama, a young African American, as their new President.

XXX

Or, am I still dreaming?

XXX

"It's been a long time coming. But tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change is coming to America," - Barack Obama

XXX

It is like waking up to a new world. I never thought I would write a sentence like that...

XXX

Congratulations, America!

XXX

PS. When is Lance gonna show up to present him with a Trek?

Sunday blues and the Irish revolution

Another weekend gone!

XXXX

Not that it felt like it has gone quickly as the popular belief that on weekends the clocks move faster. In fact, it was just right. After a relaxing Saturday, the Sunday shaped up to be pretty much the same. Coffee, breakfast, coffee, newspaper... I think I was suffering from Sunday blues.

XXXX

Luckily, Sandra got a text from JW inviting us to come around his place and jump in the pool. The weather person had forecasted 29 degrees plus for the whole weekend. I said it was a great idea, as long as I could watch the "Cadel on Tour" doco on TV instead of immersing myself in the pool straight away. The answer was a big "Yes!" as John and Sandra had the same priorities.

We watched the program as if it was all new to us but for John it was different as he was there with his partner, following Cadel's attempt to be the first Australian to win the Tour. So, after the doco we moved to another room where a huge screen displayed another Tour image, this time produced by John and Narelle.

No pool activity was to take place as we looked at dozens of images and heard some nice stories of their adventure following the Tour instead. I didn't mind as I have spent years of my life immersed in water, been in the pool or in the ocean. Sandra and I had a few questions to ask also because we have been talking about doing something like that for a couple of years now.

We headed home for our Sunday lunch and a little dream time. Sandra had organised a ride for the afternoon and I wanting to occupied myself by doing something productive (and trying to find an excuse to watch another cycling program on the TV) got the tools out...

The tools

...and here is the result:

Eight but the final count was twelve

We all know how TV shows tend to inspire us a bit, nothing different here. After talking and watching cycling for 1/3 of the Sunday, I had to get on the bike. On the trainer anyway.

Geared up for a spin downstairs

Just an easy spin

Time: 1:16; dist: 26.2 imaginary km; AvHR: 89 bpm; MaxHR: 107 bpm

An Irish Revolution

I found these two lads on the Net somewhere and decided to see what they were really up to. It happened to be an amazing exploit of riding a bike for 16 months around the globe. And for two great causes as well. People like that really deserves our support, I reckon!

Click here for the Irish Revolution.

I really admire people that set up to do things like that and sometimes wonder if I could put myself through such an epic venture. All the planning (not my forte) and organising, seeking finance, all the hardship and lets not forget the thousands of km on the saddle... It would be so much bigger than winning the local crit or the state championship. These guys really love cycling!!!

So far so good!!

Saturday, a recovery day

Getting out of bed this morning, after a late(ish) night, wasn't very easy. The brightness of a sunny morning outside the windows wasn't enough but an early rise of the temperature in the room did the job of getting me up at around 9(ish also).

The plan was to go to Nundah, watch a couple of races, say Hi! to a few friends and attend a club meeting... but chose to stay home and have a nice breakfast with Sandra. So much more civilised some might say... It was nice, specially these days when my erratic working hours added to Sandra's very early training sessions (in preparation for the Tour of Bright) give us sporadic mornings together.

As my training is restricted to the indoor trainer now, I haven't been getting up early either. I can start my training mid morning when working in the afternoons or late in the afternoon when working the morning shifts. Handy, I must say.

To make it a really civilised day, Sandra and I went for a drive, bought a couple of nice things for a light lunch, visited a couple of bike shops (we are hopeless...) and went to visit David and Donna. It was a hot afternoon, perfect to open and share with friends the Chilean sauvignon blanc I had found earlier in the week.


The training week

It was a more than a training week, they were nine consecutive days on the trainer. Yes, under the house! Now, that's something I didn't think I was capable of. OK, nothing much for our friends who live in Europe and North America, where the winter keeps them off the road but in Australia, in Spring... It must be unheard of.

The training sessions

At this stage, I am doing sessions of 1 to 1.5 hours and three different types of exercises. They are meant to work on strength, leg speed and Lactate Threshold. With those exercises, I am hoping to be able to increase power and improve my level of fitness. I am confident that if I keep up with these sessions, I will be able to get back on the road and start racing the crits in good form, and with fresh legs, half way through the season.

I start all the sessions with a 30" warm up and finish with a 15-30" warm down, where I include short one-leg spins to help with pedalling technique. Some shoulder exercises follow and 15-30' of stretching.

1) High Cadence Exercise - 6 x 3' w/ 3' recovery

- trainer on medium resistance (3/5); gears: 39-17; 130-150 rpm

time: 1:30
dist: 34.1 km
avHR: 115 bpm
MaxHR: 162 bpm

2) Strength Exercise - 6 x 2'30" w/ 2'30" recovery

- trainer on high resistance (5/5); 53-11; 60-65 rpm

time: 1:17
dist: 24.9 km
avHR: 108 bpm
MaxHR: 162 bpm




3) All out efforts - various duration and recovery times

- trainer on medium resistance (3/5); gears: 39-17; high rpm

time: 1:00
dist: 23.1
avHR: 101 bpm
MaxHR: 160 bpm




4) Recovery - light spin

- trainer on low resistance (1/5); gears: 39-21; low rpm

time: 1:00
dist: 22.2 km
avHR: 84 bpm
MaxHR: 105 bpm




This is the first set of "data" from the training (didn't want to put all the nine sessions in). As this is all done on the trainer, in my lab, analysing the changes over the weeks will be a lot easier and the results more accurate I would say. I am certainly looking forward to those changes...

All good fun, also!

Back to training, sort of...

Officially, I have been taken off the road by the Physio. Not the sort of advice I wanted to hear as the Criterium Season gets closer with some great events in November and December. "Luckily", I have been given the OK to ride on the trainer. So, here is the bike I crashed set up under the house and permanently on the trainer to make things easier. As I can't fit the front wheel due to a badly bent fork, hanging the front of the bike with a rope seemed to be the best thing to do... And I wouldn't put the R3 on the trainer anyway.

The 370

Training

First, I planned to just get on the bike/trainer and spin my legs for 1 1/2 hours a day, hoping to stay somehow in a state where I could just ramp up the training when allowed on the road again. Then, I asked myself why not get some real value out of this and try to improve my form slowly to a point where once on the road all I would need to do is sharpen up.

Basically, what I want to do is to increase the intensity and length of the efforts over a period of time and, as I am doing it in a more controlled environment, measure the changes. Hopefully, when I get back into racing again, whenever that will be, I won't need to drop a Grade to avoid being dropped by the bunch...

The training I am doing is partially based on an article by the Fit Chick, a coach that publishes some great training tips in my favourite cycling magazine, Bicycling (USA). I am doing high cadence, strength and lactate threshold sessions. The sessions start with a 30 min warm up before the 5 or 6 efforts that can last in between 30" and 3' each. They are high-cadence, all out efforts or seated 53-11 with a max resistance on the trainer. All of them made to hurt a bit!!!

The mag with great tips, gear reviews and stories

The Bicycle

In the last edition of Bicycling (pictured above), they have a feature on the R3-SL. The R series have been used by Sastre and Basso since the introduction of the 2.5 model. Now, with the R3-SL and other new models, Cervelo is going to run its own Test Team in 2009 (with Sastre as team leader and Simon Gerrans as a helper in the mountain stages). Interesting times ahead!!

On the matter of bikes, I ask: Why don't we see many Cervelos in the bunches/races? We even have an amateur team racing Cervelos in Australia but that doesn't seem to make them more popular...

At the time I got mine, over 2 years ago, I did think it was a good reason for riding a Cervelo.

R3 - SL featured here...

The shoulder

Unfortunately, I have no good news on that, yet. I have been taking it easy at work (too much, in fact) and have been going to the physio twice a week. Plus, I am doing some exercises at home with some fancy rubber band. The truth is... I am not experiencing a lot of improvement at the moment and even have been feeling a bit more pain and a stiffer neck. I guess it is going to be up to the specialist to come up with a better solution in a week.

The fancy rubber band

What has been going on...

It is time to come back here for an update on what has been happening lately. Looking at the stats for this blog, over 186 visitors (50%) this month are Returning Visitors so it is just right that I keep the blog going.

Training and racing

Well, well. That's officially on hold now due to the shoulder injury I am carrying which has turned into a more complex issue that once believed. Numerous visits to a GP, a few physio sessions and an appointment with a shoulder specialist is the program.

The Crash Training program that I put together for the Tour of Bright has been put aside as the volume and intensity wouldn't help my shoulder.

Crash Training Program (J Friel)

In fact, I did start the program with a trip to the Gold Coast last week and a couple of discovery rides on the Hinterlands. They were great rides in amazingly beautiful places but they were hard rides as well. Unfortunately, they proved to be fairly taxing on the shoulder, indicating that I needed to decide on training or fixing my shoulder.

After a little chat with the Physio, I decided to stay off the bike until my shoulder is completely healed... Time to set up the trainer permanently!!

XXXXXX

XXXXX

Greg's Home, my base in Currumbin

XXXXX

XXXXX

Greg and Juan, barbie night

XXX
XXX

Greg still teaches the art...

XXX

Ride One: Currumbin - Springbrook - Currumbin

Dist: 108 km

Time: 3:59

AvSpeed: 28 km/h

AvHR: 126 bpm

Ascent: 1,050 m

Old surf spot: Burleigh Point
XX
XX

Start of the climb to Springbrook

XXX

View of Surfers from Springbrook

Ride Two: Currumbin - Murwillumbah - Springbrook - Currumbin

Dist: 110 km
Time: 4:44
AvSpeed: 25.5 km/h
AvHR: 119 bpm
Ascent: 1,627 m

Plenty of stops on the way...

Sugar Cane fields in NSW

XXX

XXX

My favourite feed station

XXXX

It couldn't get any better...

XXXX

End of climb #2 (Av 7.9 %) and a fast run into QLD

XXXX

Higher peaks in view

XXXX

The last climb (Av 6.5 %)

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/3-Climbs-on-the-Gold-Coast-Hinterlands

Ride Three: Currumbin - Mermaid Beach - Currumbin (recovery)

Dist: 36.3 km

Time: 1:31

AvSpeed: 24 km/h

Racing

The last race I entered was the club Hill Climb on Mt Mee road. It's a climb that I always wanted to have included in one of the club races and the club managed to get a permit for an ITT on the 8+km (Av 4.5 %) in a afternoon with temperatures reaching 33 degrees. Just the way I like it.

Dist: 8.2 km

Time: 21:21

AvSpeed: 23.2 km/h

AvHR: 166 bpm

Ascent: 345 m

Didn't mind the pain...

XXXX

Sandra powering up Mt Mee road

XXXX

ITT Profile

Time to get creative...

One month later...

It has been a while since I posted on this blog and I am sorry for that. Not that I have been too busy, I couldn't lie, but the last month was a little "odd" for me. After months of struggle with some thoughts on personal issues (not marital), I decided to face that I am not a teenager anymore and shouldn't be one for my entire life.

I am not saying that I am going to change overnight but I will work efficiently to grow and reach adulthood by 2015. I will then, reverse the process and work towards becoming a teenager again by 2020 when I will be retired and will be spending more time riding bikes with Sandra, hopefully up some mountain passes in Southern Europe. Looking forward to that!!

Now, for an interesting issue that we are witnessing, quoting the incredible collapse of the US financial institution, I am only surprised that it didn't happen sooner. I am also surprised that we are not having the same problems here, but that could be a matter of time. I am not qualified to talk or write about that so I am going to leave it to the experts but, as I see a nation (and other nations as everyone wants to have an opinion) divided with the agree and the don't agree on the US$700 billion bailout of Wall Street, I need to throw in my 2 cents.

My solution is simple, get the US Government to ask every American tax payer (and some very concerned experts around here) to vote and decide it in a democratic way. Those who vote Yes! would then have their income tax increased by 10 or 15%, for the number of years necessary to repay the cash .

Would the Agree folks change their mind? I think so... fast, very fast!!

Pro cycling

In cycling, I can recall the Vuelta, the Worlds, the new teams for 2009, all the shuffling of riders and now the news of Lance Armstrong's return to Pro cycling.

Vuelta a Espana - Viva Alberto

The last grand tour of the year was an amazing event. Not as popular as the previous two but equally, or more exciting in my view. Exciting for the inclusion of the Alto de l'Angliru and the 17 km ITT to Alto de Nevacerrada . Perhaps an opinion not shared by David Millar...

Looking at the results, one must imagine what the TdF would have been if the Astana Team had been allowed to enter - Astana x CSC/Saxon Bank.

The Worlds

Erik's last, I read somewhere. And Voigt wasn't there, a friend of mine complained... Agree, but to me, it was sad not seeing Cancellara. Nevertheless, an amazingly hard course, an impossible to beat Squadra Azurre, a wrongful inclusion of McEwen in the Aussie squad and a disorganised Spanish team made it possible for the Azurre double, with Cunego. Possibly, made a little easier by racing on their homeland, too.

Sandra and I watched last year's Championship in Germany. It was huge, I mean huge. We loved it, but it couldn't be as big as in Italy, land of Colnago, Fausto, Campagnolo, Il Pirata and now, home of Ballan, the 2008 Campionissimo.

Ballan's victorious attack

And we can't forget Nicole Cook's win in the women's road race, backing up her Olympic Gold medal...

Riders re-shuffle for 2009

It is normal for Pro riders to start looking for new contracts at this time of the year. Usually, they sign two year contracts with the teams and most renew them once or twice before moving on. This year, partially because of the association of the sport with drugs, a few major sponsors decided to pull the pin, resulting on the termination of a couple of major teams also.

In the other hand, new teams get formed. In 2009, another major team, formed by the Cervelo guys, will be entering the competition. The Test Team, they call it, will have aussie Sunderland as DS and will be headed by Sastre. But lets wait a couple of weeks for the full lists to come out and find out who is riding for which team in 2009.

Lance will be back

Well, that's also interesting. I am not sure why he's coming back. I heard, cancer awareness was the reason, which would be a good thing. As long as he doesn't spend US$15 million to set up a team and raise US$8 million for the Livestrong Foundation.

My training and racing

As I said, it was an odd month, or couple of months. Due to a series of events, including the incident with the van, my focus on training and racing disappeared. I missed or was going to miss some great events so I could not see any point on getting on the bike... Well, not like that. I did keep riding and racing but just for a bit of fun. Without any pressure. And that was a good thing. If it was cold or I was tired, I just stayed in bed.

My shoulder injury is still there. I might need more time away from hard training and some races for now.

The last few rides have been with the Mt Nebo friends, Wednesdays for fast efforts on the series of inclines and Thursdays for strenght work (slow cadence on the 53) on the same hills, all fun. That is all a pre-training program as I am about to start the preparation for the 2008 Tour of Bright.

In fact, I haven't decided if I am going to Bright or not and still haven't decided if I am going to keep racing the bike, or not. For now, I will keep riding (hard sometimes) and having fun.

A Grade at Lakeside: Finishing top 6, officials don't give a s..t!

B-day gifts, Yeah!!

My B-day Dinner (1), Yeah!!