Trying and testing, trial and error.

Now that I've been doing more volume based work, I've also had time to discover various and new types of training. I've discovered some new things that seem to work pretty nicely. I could say that without some testing continuous four hour rides would be at least a little bit dull.

My testing hasn't only been in close relation to the actual training, but also to improve my recovery. As a result I think I have found a near perfectly effective way to recover from hard days on bike. Lets call it a rest day activity. It takes roughly 4hrs to complete, it includes a bit of walking (very little), some concentrating and some swings. Yes, a round of golf, but not just ordinary one. I'm talking a round of golf with a buggy and chauffeur. It bloody works, as justified by my test. The round of golf (not a spectacular one) significantly improved my performance the following day. So, I rest my case.

Generally, I think that every now and then, it is actually good to test new things to boost up the training - no matter if it is an error or not. At the same time I also might admit that the round of golf probably wasn't such a big booster. Tomorrow we will see how this road block has worked out as I'll take my first starts in bunch races this year. Tomorrow will be BUCS Criterium and on Sunday BUCS road race. My legs feel kind of alright, but as I've been training quite hard past two days, you never know. The actual aim will be to see where I am going and stay out of trouble. If I feel superior in form, I might try something if I see a chance opening.

And as a side note, I also received some good, but yet funny news. A while ago I told about the BUCS 25mile race that I got DQ'd. Tonight I received an email with the official results sheet and I was third again, I don't actually know what has happened. Anyway, my time and winner's time were marked with a small star, which meant '* Riders Anton Aro and Nick Baker were not exonerated of the breach of Regulation 21 but the disqualifications were deemed invalid due to a technicality.' Something, apparently, has been happening behind the scenes. To me this sounds like a compromise, of which I'm not at all aware of. Again, I'll end up saying: it happens.


Furthermore, this is my 100th blog update.


And at the end some photos of my perfect method for effective recovery:

Note to self: Don't ever brag again.

That's what you get when you start bragging – I guess. So, I was supposed to start another well good three day set of training today, which I eventually did afterall, but the morning was quite promising. After a glorious morning, meaning sunshine and so on, I was ready to go out. However, I started to feel a unwell, funny and high at same time. It basically meant that I just waited for another hour or so, if my feeling would improved.

It certainly did improve, so there was no need to call it a day and take another day off. The thing was, although I was certain I could train, I didn't want to go out as if the unwellness came back and I would be somewhere between Abergavenny and Monmouth wondering as if I should try and ride home or what. So the decision was to switch to some interval training on my beloved Wattbike, whilst the sun was stills shining outdoors. I had my 'eat some cement and grow nuts'-moments during the session, as I watched the sunshine and kept the Wattbike humming. To those who are not so much into cycling training: Wattbike/Turbo/Roller training is probably the dullest thing there is after a while. Yet, I have to admit, I find very effective as well, so doing that is quite simply justified whether it was the dullest thing in the world or not.

Afterall, the session was pretty decent despite the starting point and the 'disturbing' sunshine. Maybe I just keep the good training to myself, as it seems that bragging doesn't end up too well. At the end there was no harm done, so happy days, maybe I'm going now out for a cup of tea to watch the sun settle.

A week in Welsh spring

Normally, I don't brag about my training here, and I will not do it soon again after this – or at least so I say. But now that I'm having a well earned rest day and spending it with good coffee, I just think it may be worth giving a word as the week was like perfect. It was solid 21hrs of quality training, including longer rides in the country side and some bit more specific efforts on my beloved Wattbike. From the beginning I've felt that the recovery week in Finland did the trick psychologically, and I've been fresh to get on it again. What really surprised me was the last session last night, as it just came out easily – whilst I was expecting a sufferfest kind of miserable Wattbike hangout. As a bonus the weather has finally improved and I got to ride the amazing valleys and hills here to increase the volumes.

To give an example what I do or did last week, I think this could be a good one. At first an undulating 2hrs on the road bike Then 15min break with something to eat, and then out again with TT-bike and an 60min sub-threshold effort, with efficient cool-down. Some of you may wonder why bother with changing bikes in the middle? The answer is within specificity of training. I have to admit that the effort itself was nothing, but riding an hour trying to control the heart rate – good training though.

Another thing worth mentioning is a target that I achieved. Since the first day here my target has been to get my portrait to the university's sport hall of fame. Now it is true as a consequence to the BUCS track races, and the photo session was held last Wednesday. It was a funny experience and the photographers (Documentary photography students) were such good guys and professionals. They made it easy for me, and for my surprise I found the experience as a funny one, as I normally fail each and every portrait taken...

Now, it is another week of high volume training and then we are back to increasing the intensities. As some of you may know, my time here is over in about two weeks and then I move back to Finland. There comes a time for reflection and flashbacks for my time in here, but the time isn't yet. Racing-wise, it is more about building and training now towards the nationals season in Finland. I'll be riding two more races over here, BUCS crit and road race, and then the next time I'll be seen with bibs is in Finland!

New training block.

Lots of water has flowed through and the blog has been silent. Say ain't so, I should have updated the blog.

Nothing too big has happened racing wise, except fourth in Bucs ten miler and DQ at 25 miler. Standard level races for me, nothing spectacular. And lets not go to deep in to the DQ, it was just a case of bad luck and two guys doing their best to win medals. Neither of us actually did, but he would have won and I was bronze. Anyway, he caught me as I was sparing energy and after turnpoint we were overtaking each other once in a while and afterall DQ'd – it happens.

Now after a recovery week I've started new block of training aiming towards summer races, but more about them later on. Now it is about building the base and we'll see later on about the races that are the targets.

Let's keep the wheels rolling.