Scratch to the new season and hangover recipes

Life is pretty weird – I didn't write a note here for ages, and now I'm here again inside a week from last update. Last time I wrote about last season. I didn't add too many numbers into it, but here is one: 750+. It refers to my training hours last season combined with uni work. Next year this is one of the numbers in priority – I want to get it up.

I'm feeling fresh. I don't think I've ever been as motivated as I'm now. It just feels superb to get back to training. The rough lines for coming season(s) have been set and I think it is the right path to go on. The main targets and races haven't been decided quite yet, but as time goes those things will clarify themselves. Generally, I'm not so much worried about the races coming up, but more on the training and progression. One thing I know for sure, next season will include hell of a lot work on my road and time trial bikes.

And yes, I'm waiting for the hangover feelings, when the freshness is the last thing to feel. But not resulted by an odd night out, more so by training. I do have an easy recipe for that: don't eat, don't eat and if you eat – eat something crappy like fries with milkshake. Two days of that combined with any training will most likely lead to a miserable hangover. Then again, that may not be the way to get the only relatively enjoyable hangover I know. Yep, fairly easy, but don't even think about doing that. Firstly, the hangover caused by improper eating and training is miserable. And secondly especially in my case, the moral hangover by to the idiocy of the whole concept would make it almost deadly. 

So, train hard and eat well, then take the hangover – the best recipe to me.

In a week I'm traveling to Spain (to the very same region) and will train there for some time. It is just so cool to have the possibility to train in the favouring conditions during the winter months. Flat road for time trials and hills and mountains to spice the road work – perfect. Not to forget the Serrano ham and Spanish red wine – even more perfect.

Quick wrap-up – Season 2012

My season 2012 has now been over for a good while, and the only reason for not updating hasn't been my laziness, more like the other way round. I've been super busy lately.

Early season in Spain

Anyway, here it comes. My season definitely had its highs and lows. It started in Wales, finished in Finland, but it was one hell of a year. The proper racing started in London World Cup, which was more of a personal over-reaction more than anything. From there on I had to concentrate on my dissertation at uni and the spring season in Britain. The spring time highlights, cyclingwise, were definitely the BUCS track champs in general – and solid performances across the field. Yet the biggest thing was that I had completed my degree and was only waiting for the results.

From then on I moved back to Finland and started my preparations for Nationals on road and track. The road nats in June weren't for me this year. Equipment problems, stomach problems and finally a crash – such a weekend. Yet, I felt that I had some legs. Then in the Omnium the form wasn't stricking but I managed to gain some solid rides in to my legs building the confidence on the way to my first stage race.

Porvoon ajot

U6 Stage race

In Sweden, I had a good week of racing and managed to finish nicely. Yet some problems distracted me from racing at my best and at the end of the race I caught a viral flu, which was a misery especially after the U6 Cycletour as the track nationals were on the door step. The week before the team sprint I touched my bike once, and then the next week two times or so. Not the preparation I was hoping for. I lost the form quite totally, but managed to scratch a good weekend medalwise. I won again the kilo and IP, but also added my first TP gold to it. Thanks to the guys in the team. The next weekend provided clear evidence of what sort form loss we were talking about, as I was really off the case in some time trials, but as we knew what was going on so it didn't matter too much. The power losses were quite visible.

The original plan was to keep on going until late autumn track races to do some results, but as it appeared the costs to do that were relatively high so we decided to wrap up the season, despite the promising form after Svanesunds 3-dagars and some track training. The power had built back to normal. Therefore, we decided to take a good break and go for the coming season, as I started to wander more and more on the coming years.

Hill prologue at Svanesund

Starting to get back in form

To sum the season up: Good solid season - I took major steps forwards, although it may not have been quite visible at all times. The major proof for me was that I was able to race a week long stage race without dying, but also the times I produced in BUCS track champs. There could have been plenty more to come, but I feel going for seasons ahead will be more beneficial for the future,

Training in Gent

Still no cycling beats the real big thing of the year. I graduated for university with a first class degree – that was the moment by far!

The next is season is on the door step already now. More of that will follow.