Another 2 weeks worth of blogging.
Monday 15th July
Today was just a nice recovery ride on the rollers, as my legs were feeling quite tight and my recovery tights seemed to have disappeared. Half hour nice and easy nothing to report.
Tuesday 16th July
Rest Day
Wednesday 17th July
Solo tempo ride, only a short one as I went out late in the evening, nothing done during the day as I was too tired. No point training when really tired as that's when injuries and accidents happen. I had a few mechanical issues which resolved themselves as I went along. It wast meant to be a tempo ride but ended up being mainly lactate threshold training with some tempo work. I felt fairly good after the quick blast 12.7 miles at 19.5 mph.
Thursday 18th July
Today I planned to go up to Hog Hill and race, but I chickened out in the end, for two reasons I am bad at hills and there is a steep hill on every lap. Secondly my gearing the day before was playing up and I thought that if my gears slip up a hill and end up causing problems for other riders. So I went and played a few holes of golf.
Friday 19th July
Rest day, back was pretty stiff after golf.
Saturday 20th July
Today I decided that I needed to do a long solo ride, long for me anyway. My back was still tight from golf. I Planned my route a put it into my Garmin 500. 35 miles in total with a few climbs. It was painful, I seemed to find a lot of head winds and a few of them were downhill. My legs couldn't cope but I carried on anyway and just got through it. My bike seemed to resolve all the issues it had on Wednesday. I am definitely finding it takes my legs probably about 45 minutes to warm up before I feel I can push them a little more. For the 35 miles I averaged 16.9mph which I was quite impressed with considering how my legs felt from the headwinds. It made me feel a lot better about the 100 miler I have a coming up on August 4th.
Sunday 21st July
I am learning to do recovery rides as they seem to make my legs feel a lot better. 30 minutes on the rollers nice and easy.
Monday 22nd July
Rest Day
Tuesday 23rd July
Rest Day
Wednesday 24th July
Rest Day, as you can see I have rested a lot this week. This was enforced due to my back being in agony from golf and the long bike ride.
Thursday 25th July
So I decided with the closed circuit racing coming to an end, well the ones I can make anyway. So I decided to go up to Dunton test track as I thought it was fairly flat up there. As usual my preparation was shocking for my first race. Why change the habit of a lifetime? In all fairness it couldn't be helped. Got to the track and registered, then I got my bike together and heard the whistle and headed for the start line.
I am not sure how many of us there were maybe 30-40. The race started the pace was fast, warm up was definitely required but that couldn't be helped. Instantly I found myself feeling my legs burning from a climb so much for my thought that it was flat. My aim before the race was to finish the race with the group, I knew that wasn't going to happen instantly so my new goal was to stay with the group for 5 laps. Two laps in and I was still in the group and thought if I managed to get to 5 laps was achievable.
Lap 3 it went wrong and the bend at the start of the lap I decided to keep to the inside. This was a bad idea as I got a bit twitchy being so close to the other riders and ended up on the gravel, my reaction was to come straight back on the track bad idea, I heard a few shouts realising people were still behind me I headed back for the gravel and let them all go before trying to join the group. I had lost all momentum and had to put an big effort in on the downhill section, it was into a headwind and my legs wouldn't propel me any faster and group were getting further away.
At that point I realised I wasn't going to catch them so just decided to make this into a solo threshold session. I could of easily pulled my bike up and watch the race but I have never been one to quit. The group started to catch me so I moved to the outside. Stupid as I was thinking of my old athletics days, faster people on the track yelled track so you would move to the outside. It isn't like that in cycling as people were all around me. I should of nestled in to the group but didn't and ended up losing them again bad times.
More solo riding, the group came round again but this time I was prepared, I upped the pace as they came along and nestled in the group and kept well away from the gravel this time. I stayed in for a lap and a half and then one of two break away riders crashed, we all slowed down to avoid him but I stopped, paramedic mode kicked in. He told me he was fine and to carry on, I lost the group again. It seems being out of sport I have lost my competitive edge, that will soon bee back. I finished the race in last place. 18.9 miles in an hour my HR peaked at 189 and averaged 170 for an hour. My heart must hate me.
I am not ashamed of finishing last I put in everything I could, in two weeks they race there again and I will aim to race again and stay with the group for at least 5 laps.
Post race I had a slow recovery ride home and actually didn't feel too bad, immediately after the race I rung my wife to meet me and pick me up but as soon as I started cycling again my legs felt ok I rung her back to say I wouldn't need the lift.
Friday 26th July
Rest Day
Saturday 27th July
I must learn to prepare myself better for club rides. Basically I was running late, I got to the meeting point and realised the group had gone and I had no water and no money to buy any. Someone else was late so he said lets try and catch the group. We got going and he told me to get in his wheel. He hammered it and even in his wheel I was thinking I might have to leave him to catch them and me just do my own ride. I stuck with him and we must of caught them after about 6/7 miles. He continued straight to the front of the group I nestled into the middle to let my legs and heart have a bit of a rest. A few minutes later we had stopped as someone had a puncture. A welcome break considering I had no water.
We started off towards the Blue Egg again. It was a nice steady ride until one of the category 1 riders went off the front of the group then tempo of the group went. I was comfortable sitting in the group of 8 riders who were taking it relatively easy. I arrived safely at the Blue Egg and my guardian for the day gave me some money, beans on wholemeal toast and a sprite. That was finished and it was back on the bike. I had a energy gel before setting off for a little boost.
I was at the front of the group with the club captain and we started a nice gentle pace. The pace started ramping up again and I drifted towards the back. They key I am finding is when that injection of pace comes in put a little bit more effort to hold on. I did that this time round it hurt a lot though. I got dropped on a hill but caught them back up at the top as they waited for traffic. I got dropped again along with one other and I sat in his wheel for a couple of minutes and realised he was struggling more than I was. I got out his wheel and in front of him and he sat on my wheel and I actually managed to relay him back to the group. I was chuffed with myself considering where I was physically when I started cycling. At 18 miles another injection of pace came this time I was running on empty and delved into my pockets and found an energy bar. I scoffed that down and got my boost about 10 minutes later. The last 7 miles I done on my own and as my energy levels upped so did my pace. Considering how badly equipped I was for the ride I was happy with what I had done.
Sunday 28th July
Rest Day
After racing Thursday it has shown me how far I am off the pace, the fact that I missed all of the winter training means I have had to play catch up in terms of my fitness base that's not an excuse. I am looking forward to winter training just need to work my socks off so next year I can be more competitive. I have been told that it takes up to 5 years to get your cycling legs. I'm not 100% sure what that means but when I do get my cycling legs you'll be the first to know.
Next week is the Prudential RideLondon100 so I will take it pretty easy next week, as it gets closer I am getting more nervous as I realise that I will be in the saddle for up to 6 and a half hours possibly more, I can't even remember the last time I drove for a hundred miles!! My main issue is nutrition as I seem to mess it up so I have to remember to keep drinking and eating on the bike and make sure that that I don't 'bonk'. If you want to sponsor me for a great children's charity The Maypole project the address is http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GaryDCohen
Target for the ride finish with 6 hours minutes.
Showing posts with label team. Show all posts
Showing posts with label team. Show all posts
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Introduction
Warning this first entry is a lengthy one.
I decided to create a blog about my trials and tribulations as I try and get myself into road racing. So you may be asking yourself what makes me any different from anyone else in the same situation, in all honesty probably nothing. You're either going to be interested or not.
My name is Gary 29 years old, born in East London and now living in Essex. I work full time and when not at work I am a Dad and Husband. After being completely sucked in by the greatness of the London 2012 Olympics, I decided to set myself a goal. Brace yourself it is a massive goal. I decided that I wanted to be an Olympian. I know crazy right? Some of you will now be thinking this guy must be on something but I can assure you that I have never touched any drugs.
Let me tell you about my background before you think I am completely delusional. I grew up participating in every sport going even if I was rubbish I competed in it and just tried to be the best I could in whatever sport I did. As a kid the sport I participated the most in was football, my Sunday league team were brilliant from the age of about 6 it didn't change much and by the age of 11 we had pretty much won everything that we could enter. At 8 years old I was Tottenham's books, I enjoyed my time their but at the age of 13 I knew I wasn't in their plans. So I asked to be released so to go on trial at Watford.
The trial didn't work out the way I wanted it to and the then Youth Team Director at the time told me I would never make it as a professional footballer. That hurt but it made me more determined to prove him wrong, 2 years later I was back on trial at Watford, the trial lasted an age because the Youth Team Director changed mid trial so everything was up in the air. John McDermott was the new Youth Team Director and wanted me to come in for two weeks over Easter holidays and train with the current Under 17s. I was excited. 6 weeks before I came on for the Under 17s playoff match within a few minutes I was back off the pitch with an ankle injury. They don't nickname me touch tackle for nothing, my first touch was never the greatest but this time it landed me in a spot of bother. It took me past the defender towards a rushing goalkeeper, like my whole life I fully commit to the challenge. My ankle was in agony and I couldn't walk and the keeper was limping around. I came of worse as he played on.
The next morning my Dad took me to the hospital and they took an X-Ray of my ankle, it was good news it was just badly sprained. So I reported the findings to the physio and looking forward to my two weeks training over Easter but as it grew closer my ankle was still they same. So Watford paid for an MRI scan for me, which revealed I had a hairline fracture of my right tibia, I needed at least 6 weeks in a cast. I was gutted, I thought that was it they wouldn't want me now. No way to prove myself to be worthy of a YTS contract. John McDermott came to me and offered me an alternative. Train as I had been with the Under 16s on a Tuesday and Thursday and see where that takes me. I was delighted, that summer I worked hard and trained full time until I went back to Sixth form. Ashley Young followed this path too a year after me and look at him now.
I spent two years doing this under the guidance of David Hockaday and then D-Day came and I offered a 1 year professional contract. They were going to offer me two at first but the few months leading up to the decision my performances hadn't been the standard I had set. I know the exact moment when I started to struggle. During one of the school holidays I was about to start training with the youth team and David called me over and told me I was training with the Reserves. I was over the moon, I had trained or played with the majority of players before but the title of the reserves scared me and I was like a rabbit in headlights and that affected me for a few months and lost me a second year, but I was appreciative of my year and the day got better we were playing a behind closed doors match against Arsenal as they wanted some of their First Team players to have a run out after injuries before a game at the weekend. Seamen and Adams played, I came off the bench and was marked by Adams it was an honour.
That season didn't go to plan and and I knew I wasn't going to get my contract renewed. The then manager Ray Lewington called me in his office. A senior player stood outside as I walked in singing 'There maybe trouble ahead' I get banter but that was just unprofessional another person to prove wrong. Ray told me my contract was not to be renewed, but he told me don't give up and always play with you heart on your sleeve. I never forgot those words and use them in life as well as in sport.
I left and joined Scarborough, then onto Gretna in Scotland, on loan to Workington where I helped them gain promotion to the Conference North via the playoff. Then my final professional team was Grimsby, got to the playoff finals and beat Derby County and Tottenham in the League Cup and I picked up the young player of the year award. Not bad for someone who was not good enough to be a professional. The next season I spent injured and left at the end of it.
The next winter I decided I wanted to try American Football, I tried out and got in as a running back. I loved it and meant my natural physical side could come out without getting into trouble. I played for the Essex Spartans, a lot of us were new to the sport but in general we did well considering. I picked up the MVP award. I have always tried to be the best I can be in whatever I try and so far it has served me well.
I went back to football playing Semi-Pro for St Albans, I found it tough playing football part time and working full-time. In my second season I won Goal of the Season which can be found here at 1:44. Shameless plugging I know.
Up until last year I hadn't done much in the way of sport, I had even got lazy going to the gym. Then an opportunity arose to take part in a charity boxing event for LeeBrownEvents. I couldn't resist I had always wanted to do it, so I put my name down. 3 months preparation, not much but it was 3 x 1 min rounds.
I trained hard with my old school friend and a lot of sparring with him, even if he was 3 stone heavier and 6 inches taller. I learnt to take a punch in that time. He then arranged some sparring with another school friend who had had a few fights. Being the competitor I am I thought it will be a good marker for to see where I am. In my head I thought I would be OK. I wasn't I got hammered every punch he threw landed, every punch i threw hit thin air. I accepted my beating but didn't give up probably should of done. His boxing coach then verbally hammered me, the main part being that I would never be in any condition to fight in such sort time. I went back the next day for an hour long training session with the coach. He couldn't believe how quick I picked up what he was teaching. A week before the fight I sparred with my mate again, it was even and I have managed to make him throw a few air shots. If you want something bad enough you will find ways to achieve. Fight night came and it was a massive buzz which you can view here.
My family has a sporting background too my Dad competed at two Olympics for TeamGB in the 400m and my Mum also ran for GB in the 100m. My Auntie also Ran for GB in the 100m won a World Championship Silver and competed in the Olympics. You can't ask for better role models when it comes to sports or being a good human being.
This has gone on longer than I had expected, so back to my goal to become an Olympian, I needed a sport football was out the window, athletics was also out the window as I didn't think me knees would be able to take the impact. I had always rode a bike but during the Olympics they cycling was phenomenal and so the love affair began.
I have told friends, family and work colleagues my aim. Why? Well the goal I have set is at the top of the mountain and I will more than likely fall short, but goals aren't meant to be easy to achieve you have to challenge yourself at all times to be the best you can. If I can inspire at least one person I have told to aim high for a goal and achieve it this blog will be a success. For me to achieve my goal I need to work hard and dedicate as much as I can to it while working full time and being a good Husband and Dad. It is going to be difficult and at times I will probably want to give up but I am determined to push myself as hard as my body can tolerate and only time will tell on where this next sporting adventure will take me.
I decided to create a blog about my trials and tribulations as I try and get myself into road racing. So you may be asking yourself what makes me any different from anyone else in the same situation, in all honesty probably nothing. You're either going to be interested or not.
My name is Gary 29 years old, born in East London and now living in Essex. I work full time and when not at work I am a Dad and Husband. After being completely sucked in by the greatness of the London 2012 Olympics, I decided to set myself a goal. Brace yourself it is a massive goal. I decided that I wanted to be an Olympian. I know crazy right? Some of you will now be thinking this guy must be on something but I can assure you that I have never touched any drugs.
Let me tell you about my background before you think I am completely delusional. I grew up participating in every sport going even if I was rubbish I competed in it and just tried to be the best I could in whatever sport I did. As a kid the sport I participated the most in was football, my Sunday league team were brilliant from the age of about 6 it didn't change much and by the age of 11 we had pretty much won everything that we could enter. At 8 years old I was Tottenham's books, I enjoyed my time their but at the age of 13 I knew I wasn't in their plans. So I asked to be released so to go on trial at Watford.
The trial didn't work out the way I wanted it to and the then Youth Team Director at the time told me I would never make it as a professional footballer. That hurt but it made me more determined to prove him wrong, 2 years later I was back on trial at Watford, the trial lasted an age because the Youth Team Director changed mid trial so everything was up in the air. John McDermott was the new Youth Team Director and wanted me to come in for two weeks over Easter holidays and train with the current Under 17s. I was excited. 6 weeks before I came on for the Under 17s playoff match within a few minutes I was back off the pitch with an ankle injury. They don't nickname me touch tackle for nothing, my first touch was never the greatest but this time it landed me in a spot of bother. It took me past the defender towards a rushing goalkeeper, like my whole life I fully commit to the challenge. My ankle was in agony and I couldn't walk and the keeper was limping around. I came of worse as he played on.
The next morning my Dad took me to the hospital and they took an X-Ray of my ankle, it was good news it was just badly sprained. So I reported the findings to the physio and looking forward to my two weeks training over Easter but as it grew closer my ankle was still they same. So Watford paid for an MRI scan for me, which revealed I had a hairline fracture of my right tibia, I needed at least 6 weeks in a cast. I was gutted, I thought that was it they wouldn't want me now. No way to prove myself to be worthy of a YTS contract. John McDermott came to me and offered me an alternative. Train as I had been with the Under 16s on a Tuesday and Thursday and see where that takes me. I was delighted, that summer I worked hard and trained full time until I went back to Sixth form. Ashley Young followed this path too a year after me and look at him now.
I spent two years doing this under the guidance of David Hockaday and then D-Day came and I offered a 1 year professional contract. They were going to offer me two at first but the few months leading up to the decision my performances hadn't been the standard I had set. I know the exact moment when I started to struggle. During one of the school holidays I was about to start training with the youth team and David called me over and told me I was training with the Reserves. I was over the moon, I had trained or played with the majority of players before but the title of the reserves scared me and I was like a rabbit in headlights and that affected me for a few months and lost me a second year, but I was appreciative of my year and the day got better we were playing a behind closed doors match against Arsenal as they wanted some of their First Team players to have a run out after injuries before a game at the weekend. Seamen and Adams played, I came off the bench and was marked by Adams it was an honour.
That season didn't go to plan and and I knew I wasn't going to get my contract renewed. The then manager Ray Lewington called me in his office. A senior player stood outside as I walked in singing 'There maybe trouble ahead' I get banter but that was just unprofessional another person to prove wrong. Ray told me my contract was not to be renewed, but he told me don't give up and always play with you heart on your sleeve. I never forgot those words and use them in life as well as in sport.
I left and joined Scarborough, then onto Gretna in Scotland, on loan to Workington where I helped them gain promotion to the Conference North via the playoff. Then my final professional team was Grimsby, got to the playoff finals and beat Derby County and Tottenham in the League Cup and I picked up the young player of the year award. Not bad for someone who was not good enough to be a professional. The next season I spent injured and left at the end of it.
The next winter I decided I wanted to try American Football, I tried out and got in as a running back. I loved it and meant my natural physical side could come out without getting into trouble. I played for the Essex Spartans, a lot of us were new to the sport but in general we did well considering. I picked up the MVP award. I have always tried to be the best I can be in whatever I try and so far it has served me well.
I went back to football playing Semi-Pro for St Albans, I found it tough playing football part time and working full-time. In my second season I won Goal of the Season which can be found here at 1:44. Shameless plugging I know.
Up until last year I hadn't done much in the way of sport, I had even got lazy going to the gym. Then an opportunity arose to take part in a charity boxing event for LeeBrownEvents. I couldn't resist I had always wanted to do it, so I put my name down. 3 months preparation, not much but it was 3 x 1 min rounds.
I trained hard with my old school friend and a lot of sparring with him, even if he was 3 stone heavier and 6 inches taller. I learnt to take a punch in that time. He then arranged some sparring with another school friend who had had a few fights. Being the competitor I am I thought it will be a good marker for to see where I am. In my head I thought I would be OK. I wasn't I got hammered every punch he threw landed, every punch i threw hit thin air. I accepted my beating but didn't give up probably should of done. His boxing coach then verbally hammered me, the main part being that I would never be in any condition to fight in such sort time. I went back the next day for an hour long training session with the coach. He couldn't believe how quick I picked up what he was teaching. A week before the fight I sparred with my mate again, it was even and I have managed to make him throw a few air shots. If you want something bad enough you will find ways to achieve. Fight night came and it was a massive buzz which you can view here.
My family has a sporting background too my Dad competed at two Olympics for TeamGB in the 400m and my Mum also ran for GB in the 100m. My Auntie also Ran for GB in the 100m won a World Championship Silver and competed in the Olympics. You can't ask for better role models when it comes to sports or being a good human being.
This has gone on longer than I had expected, so back to my goal to become an Olympian, I needed a sport football was out the window, athletics was also out the window as I didn't think me knees would be able to take the impact. I had always rode a bike but during the Olympics they cycling was phenomenal and so the love affair began.
I have told friends, family and work colleagues my aim. Why? Well the goal I have set is at the top of the mountain and I will more than likely fall short, but goals aren't meant to be easy to achieve you have to challenge yourself at all times to be the best you can. If I can inspire at least one person I have told to aim high for a goal and achieve it this blog will be a success. For me to achieve my goal I need to work hard and dedicate as much as I can to it while working full time and being a good Husband and Dad. It is going to be difficult and at times I will probably want to give up but I am determined to push myself as hard as my body can tolerate and only time will tell on where this next sporting adventure will take me.
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