We had planned months ago that we will stay over Christmas and New Year in southern spain. We booked everything and until this morning the plan was to catch a ferry over from Portsmouth to Bilbao. However, some might guess what I'm gonna say next. A text message came, not from a friend or a mysterious girl, but from a ferry operator:
'We are sorry to advise that your Brittany Ferries crossing on 15/12/11 at 22h00 to Bilbao has been cancelled because of bad weather. Please call 0870.......'
Fucking hell, just a text message. The I got an email saying the same thing. Then I got another email from them, which wasn't not about a sudden change in weather. Hell no, it was my ticket and they also thanked me for using Brittany Ferries. Cheers for that, much appreciated. The helpful lady in the office was very sorry of course and promised refund our crossing or choose another crossing week later. Thanks again. Not that, it was her fault, but come on: a ferry week later. I tried to laugh at it, but it wasn't real tho. Hah. Now what?
We have a new plan now. We will drive additional 1200 kilometres through all France and to get France we had two options: train or ferry. Not very good ones when considering my latest travelling history, ehh? Anyway, we opted for Eurotunnel train from Folkestone to Calais as it might work, I'm not sure about that anymore. I'm just waiting for another text message to arrive.
Travelling is fun and relaxing, said someone. I seriously doubt that. None the less, training is going alright, uni work is coming together. And also I was so happys to see so many friends at Levi!
'The only way of catching a train I ever discovered is to miss the train before.'
-G.K. Chesterton
Now, I'll pick up some general pointers that are important to me and Paavo when planning. Certain things are just too easily said, but following them might be tough job. Myself, I find the first principle very hard to follow at times, but I'm learning all the time
1. Respect and listen to your body; if I feel that I need to rest - it definetly is better to rest. If physiological fatigue is too high, then rest - like today. If my head is not there, it is better to rest. But I don't make these decisions too easily, especially as my mind plays tricks often after lectures.
2. If there is a plan follow it. For example when I do intervals and have the idea is not to go over certain heart rates - I will not go; I either ease up or stop that particular interval. Also the length and recovery time is there for reason. If feeling good and feeling easy, it still is better to stick to the plan - training is not about individual session, it is more of a continuum.
3. Be flexible. In my case the uni work causes distractions at times, then I have to be ready to adapt the plan. I have a long term plan (mesocycle of roughly 6 months), which quite stable and rarely modified. Then comes the macrocycles (4-6 weeks), which are more often modified due to uni work, illnesses or other things. The shortest ones, microcycles (1 week), are modified sometimes daily and sometimes not at all. It really depends on what else is going on at the time.
4. A target, that is yet challenging but achieveable. I always have a target in my mind. My eyes are on it always when I train. It makes the planning easier and it gives me a focus and a reason to bust my ass off in training. Targets also provide guidelines on how to train as they may vary very much between training cycles. And remember, it can be anything from losing weight to gaining strenght and winning races. I often use power outputs or times as my targets - winning is not necessarily a good target, as my opponents are always uncontrollable.
5. Be honest. If I do well, I want to share it. If I feel good, why would I hide it. Progress is the key towards the targets and once I take a step towards it, I'm happy. If I do badly, I share it aswell. Of course there are days that are nightmares, but afterall I'm often able to take the positive out and laugh at them. I want to say that even the worst days can provide significant data to your training. A practical example for two weeks back: I had felt amazing during last couple days, but then one day after resting the numbers were simply terrible and I was confused, disappointed and angry. However, after analysis that nightmare turned up to a big benefit, as it revealed something very, very important about my performances and it was only one day of training, to be honest it even wasn't bad one - I only had too big expectations.
If any questions come up, please don't hesitate to contact. :)
So as mentioned, the training has been fairly good, I've managed to avoid any flus or illnesses – knock knock and the modifications in training plans have been minor. Also the fact that we have found a really good system to detect the recovery and fatigue has helped me to balance the training load and recovery. I just to have to remember not to make it a rocket science. In near future it is just about training and progressing – this week is a tough one, but next week is easier after the three weeks of increasing load – that I'm looking forward to.
Torn and later exploded tyre.
Today has been a lot better though, despite the ever strengthening winds. This morning I did two hour plus including 18 high cadence intervals on my bike. Although, the legs felt a bit tired the rpm's seemed to come out rather well. And now it is time for coffee and to chill until at 6pm, then it is gym time.
'Not the wind, not the flag; mind is moving.'
Wumen Huikai
Today I had the first longer ride of the season, meaning steady four hours in glorius autumn day. The only thing here is that holding steady pace is almost impossible. This country is just valleys, hills and mountains, which means going up and down almost all the time. And the hills differ from the ones back in Finland – here on a new route one just might take a turn to left and face 4km uphill, nothing spectacular but still loads of work. It ain't funny always, but I've learned to cope with it.
Anyway, today is 21st October and the weather was +13 celcius, partly cloudy with moderate winds. I just couldn't have asked for more. This week the training load has been slightly reduced and I just had rest day yesterday and I started to feel smooth on my bike for the first time this autumn, okay, maybe second. All in all, I rode the full four hours in Welsh autumn day. Next week it is time to get to the real business, as the preparation is successfully over and base training starts.
'Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike'
Fausto Coppi
When a reporter asked him what it takes to become such a great champion.
Here I'm again with this big question. To cook or not to cook – however you want to put it. I really like cooking and chefing, but as if I don't have the energy to do it properly – it might just be better off ordering something delivered to my door. As said I like to cook, I really do and lately I've been even more into cooking than earlier. The thing is, that more or less home made sauces always beat Barillas or whatever. Although I sometime use Barillas or whatever, they just don't taste as good as home made. If I screw totally up with the spices I may turn to some quick options, but for my luck – I prefer spicy tastes, so it just isn't that big deal whether there is bit too much of pepper or even cayenne pepper. Spicier foods even enhance metabolism in body and they're even used in weight loss products, so what's not to like?
Another thing, if I put the fact of better taste aside, is that as I do everything myself, I know exactly what's in there. Alright, I don't grow my potatoes or broccolis on my yard, but still. And as I know exactly what's in it I can eat more, because of the more suitable ingredient content. That I really prefer! In cycling maintaining high power to weight ratio is essential, for that the keys are maintaining weight, training hard and eating correctly. To be able train a lot – one needs energy a lot, but the answers for eating a lot,energy and maintaining weight lays within the ingredients. At times it is too complicated for me, and I ask for a big double whopper mac or whatever.
To answer the header. Now I'm unsure if I have the energy to prepare food properly or prepare at all, so I'm just about to pick my phone up and make call. After that call it would take some odd 20 minutes and I would have a warm meal on my door. Whether I'll make that call today, I dunno. And where should I call? Chinese, Indian, pizza, fish n' chips or burger place? Lets be honest, the latter three are ruled out anyway, and I think you know why. Chinese or Indian, or maybe I just rest for a while and then prepare my own food? Or maybe I don't rest at all and do some yoga? No yoga for me, definetly.
Well, behind this non ending chitchat is another good week of training and tiredness due to that. It has all gone according to plan, and that makes me happy. First, there is a plan and a system to follow. Secondly, it seems to be working. Tomorrow I have another gym session and then the week is over and on Monday a new one starts all over again – riding my bike, going to gym, resting and wondering what to eat. There is plenty more than that, but still to say – that is pretty much what I do in addition to uni work. At the end, I think, it is worth mention how amazing does Coke taste in glass bottle!
'Though the bamboo forest is dense, water flows through it freely'
- Basho
P.S. Apparently resting and streching helped. Time to be a chef.
Today is a rest day and I woke up at 5.45am, but for a good reason. Wales beat Ireland in Rugby World Cup semifinal at 6am this morning. Now I'm almost two weeks into a new season and training has started well. During these two weeks I've completed roughly 30 hours of training so far and I'm feeling good about it – the progression is there. I've been to road rides and gym, but tomorrow we'll have friendly match in floorball.
I'm feeling good on my bike and even better in the gym, that might due to the fact that progression is obvius when at gym, but on the road it ain't so simply as heart rates, speeds and everything varies due to the winds and so on. Although I gotta admit that the performances don't matter really at the moment, as the most important thing is preparation for the coming months. I very much like training at the gym, as it is very practical and it seems to really work for me!
Just to say that everything ain't so well and good – I've had an amazing streak of punctures. Altogether five during last week. Yesterday I ran out of spare tubes, Co2 cartridges and patches. Today I've shopping then. I've filled the stores and I'm ready take on the challenges provided by the Welsh roads again tomorrow morning. Next week I'll get set of new tyres as well, and hope that they'll reduce the puncture rate, ehh?
Photography then. I've been trying to learn to use my camera properly and I think I can just manage the basics now. I've found photography such nice way to get my head off training, it happens almost automatically. Just walk around watching and trying to find something interesting is very relaxing. Here's something that i've managed to make through the lens:
'One falling leaf is not just one leaf; it means the whole autumn.'
Shunryu Suzuki
Blog silence is now broken. I had a bit of break in updating, but to be honest there hasn't been much to report. I've been resting and taking it easy mainly. Now I've moved back to the island and the academic year has started together with new training season.
Off season is now gone and I'm on the prep phase going towards a new season. I had my appendix operated during the offseason and it all went as planned – so those problems should now be well fixed. When I come to think of the next year, I can see so many things to look forward. Clearly the biggest thing for is gonna be in next April, when I'm to hand in my Dissertation. That means graduation from Uni, which is big. Secondly, I can see myself riding my best season so far, as if I can stay healthy for the season during past couple years. The major plan has been created, I know what I'm going towards and I'm prepared to go for it. It's all about the execution now.
At the end I want quote an American speaker and author, Denis Watley, who has counselled and mentored Olympic winners and Super Bowl champions. I completely believe these words of wisdom:
'The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.'
'The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.'
Dagen
Tahko
Tomppa at the top of Kinahmi
Now couple days after the last races of the season, I'm sitting down with coffee and thinking my season backwards. So many things happened last season that I can hardly remember all of them, I really don't, but it doesn't matter really – the main thing is that there were the main moments that I learned from and I'll never forget.
I started my training on October after another disappointing season, with new focus. I decided to leave sprinting for the big boys and took individual pursuit in to my program and adapted my training. From the very beginning it started to work. The winter hours were put into action in late February as I started in my first World Cups. I did a clear personal best and I was sure that it will only get better. But it wasn't quite so.
After a week at home in Finland I was spot on back in work in Wales, but couple days later I started to feel feverish. I thought that alright some viral flu and a rest week will do. It only got worse and worse. After two weeks of more or less high temperatures I flew back to Finland as I wasn't getting any treatment in Wales. I don't know today how long I could have lasted if I didn't come to Finland. As I went to hospital here I was straight away hospitalized and got out only 10 days after. I was diagnosed with acute abscess around appendix, which is rare, but yeh – it all started to get better as soon as I got the right antibiotics. I still didn't know if I was to ride my bike at all this season. I was just happy to get back to full health.
On April the first I got out of the hospital seven kilos lighter and my hemoglobine was around 120s. All the work started from scrap. The goal was to get into some sort of racing condition at the end of the summer as I started my training slowly again. My first session was 20 minutes on indoor rower just trying to hang up the total time. For then on I added the load and got better and better.
I recovered surprisingly well and got on the start line monts ahead of the plan and well I did. That was the first signal that the season wasn't lost and I kept working. Seldom I've felt so good after a regional race than that day. That little trophy for a 2nd place from Kauhajoki Chrono means a world to me. I was second and I had had a decent ride and I was on podium in my very first race only less than two months from the illness. A little race, with hell of a meaning!
The real season started in the beginning of July with NC U23 time trial and I was in rather good shape. I started well, the people in split times and my service care said that I was doing a good job. Then came a thunderstorm and forced me to abandon. It didn't happen that weekend, but to be honest it wasn't supposed to. But that day meant to me that I'm in contest for top places in Finland again and the track season was only beginning. Next weekend was the omnium in which I fought well, but still others were stronger. I knew where i was going, and I knew I had no chance in the omnium, but still whatever the race is I hate losing. It has been always hard for me to do training races without caring about the result, but this season I had to learn it.
The next weekend was a team sprint, from which we got a bronze. But the next weekend was the weekend of my season, the weekend of my first NC golds, the weekend that meant that I'm really back. The kilo gold felt so good, but I couldn't quite yet take everything out of it as we had still the Team Pursuit coming on. The calm Friday night I got one gold and silver. I don't know how it all did happen, I just started to feel amazing earlier on the morning and I somehow felt that the day is gonna be a good one. It had all turned out good. It got even better the next day as I won the Individual Pursuit and was in finals with my good friend. We had a good final, and it felt pretty special to ride with a good friend in the final – I enjoyed it. I had had my best NC season ever after a spring of doubts and emptyness.
Then it was all about the Universiade in China. Tapering went well and I did well in races too. The track was good, but not quite as fast as indoors. I was 12th in Individual Pursuit, 13th in Sprint and somewhere in Keirin. The trip was amazing and I met so many so amazing people. It was the perfect way to end up an unforgettable season.
Now after the season I still can't believe everything that has happened. I ended up with the best results so far and I have many questions without a clear answers, and some of them will never get one. Why did it all come so well together? What made the difference? I'm feeling so lucky now, but at the same time I know that the hard work did eventually pay off. But what happened this season is special for me, and actually I'm sure that this season was a turning point for me and my career. All the special moments this season hail from March. A friend of mine said to me after the track nationals that: 'Can you remember the day when you felt so good after your first road ride?'. And I sure can and still I enjoy riding my bike more than ever. Now I do know that I can be a winning rider, I also know that it is only matter of working hard and one can overachieve.
At last I want to give some thanks and credits to people around me:
My mom and dad – you were here for me on the bad days and on the good days, without you I don't what would have happened.
My friends – the support from you guys helped me to get back on two wheels fast I'd never believed myself.
The staff at Newport Uni – thanks for the support with my academic work, I wouldn't have passed my year without it.
The people at Jorvi hospital – without you I might not be riding.
'Life is the only thing worth living for.'
Chien-ju
After some 15+ hours travelling we got the room keys and I settled in with two archers. The funny detail in the apartments was that they had the toilet and shower on the balcony. We were told that the architect had forgotten them from the drawings. Anything can happen. After a good night sleep it was time to start gettin familiar with the heat and the surroundings. Afterall, organizers took care of the bike and it arrived the village as we were in the opening ceremonies.
The opening ceremony was overwhelming. I have no words really to describe it. Colourful, big, cheerful – everything. They opened the stadium wall and we walked with other teams into a packed stadium with 13.000 spectators. Just hours earlier I figured out how big the Universiade was: all athletes were transported to the ceremonies in buses escorted by police cars on cleared and closed highways. Wows!
After three days of training it was racing time. We started at 8.30am and I was in the middle of the race. I went on too quickly and died a little bit. Finishing with 4.50,231 was enough for 12th place which at the end wasn't too bad. I lacked only tenths from my PB, as many people lacked many seconds. The heat played big – we had tad over 50 celcius degrees in our warm-up area and in the sunshine the temperature reached sixties. I had slight troubles with breathing during the race, but still the ride wasn't a bad one. On that day I still had the sprints left. At the time of the qualification I was white and felt very much uncomfortable. A bad ride, but qualified. I clearly didn't make it easy for myself, hahaha. On the first round I faced Miao Zhang, and he took it quite easily with the last 200 meters being 10.9s. On the repechage I got the place three and went from the whistle. It lasted until 650m when the guys caught me and the second one passed me. Korean won, I was second and the Japanese was third, which meant that my sprint was over. If it had been one-on-one repechage I would have won, but it wasn't and I was out. Still to say that it was the ride that got most cheers from the spectators.
After two days of resting I had the Keirin, which was just a bonus race for me as it fitted the program. The big guys are bigger than I am and I had no chance in my first international Keirin. They went when they wanted and I cried in their wheels. It was more about some more track time than trying to really do the impossible.
My races were now over. I can't complain on the results. They were a good standard in big races in a hot weather. My main race went almost as planned, but I was surprised by the heat. The sprints and keirin were good experiences for me. I'm happy how I coped.
The rest of the days were cheering for other Finns, shopping and enjoying!
Now I'm happily jetlagged in Finland!
I'm up early this morning. I was to go to the velodrome around eight this morning. But as I look out of the window and saw the rain radars, it wouldn't make any sense. Rain, rain and rain, which means no track time today. I'm not really complaining. This summer has been amazing and this is the first morning I've had to adapt my track session because of the weather. So far so good and I'm off here in two days time.
Now it is only less than 40 hours and I'll sitting in airplane on my way to Asia for my first multisport games. The 26th Summer Universiade will be held in Shenzhen, China from 12th to 23rd of August and cycling will make its first appearance in the games. I heard from my Swiss friend that Summer Universiades are only second to Olympic games when considering the number of participants - I'll catch you there Simon! This year there will be 12.000 athletes and 73 from Finland, to me it seems quite big having mainly raced here in Helsinki. I'll be riding the Individual Pursuit as my main event and other events as they seem to fit the program.
I thought that I'll add here some more links for you:
Universiades 2011 – official page http://www.sz2011.org/Universiade/
Official Live Stream http://www.fisu.tv/su4/shen.html
More Live Stream http://eurorivals.net/2011-summer-universiade:-live-other-streams.html
I dunno whether the cycling will be in the streams. In the athlete village there are internet spots, but what I don't know how well I can keep my blog updated. But stay tuned in my Twitter!
http://twitter.com/#!/antonaro
'It is everywhere'
Chuang-Tzu
Competition venue (C) www.sz2011.org
Just today after the last 2km effort it occured to my mind – what's the point in cycling? I figured quickly out that I guess I'm doing this, because I like it pretty damn much and I like to push my limits. I couldn't breathe nor walk too well, but riding hell of a distances or intervals, in my case, can be fun. I'll go back to the moment the question occured: fourth 2km effort this morning after an intense six days of training, dead legs, no power nor did the heart beat any more than 85% of my max. Some would say it indicates fatigue. There I was hanging on my tribars thinking about the answer.
I didn't quite find the answer yet, despite the fact that I like it. But as if I come with a clear answer I'll share it, definetly. That moment pretty much sums up my last week. I've been doing loads of training after training, intervals after intervals to overload slightly – and now I've got there, I'm dead tired and my legs are completely empty. So target achieved - my form is currently low and fatigue high, but fitness is good.
Now it is just to desing the taper and let it its magic. Supercompensation must be the best thing in the world for an athlete. I'm so looking forward to Shenzhen!
'When you get there, there isn't any there there.'
- Gertrude Stein
Changing shifts. (c) TeeCay
Since successful trip to Kauhajoki I've been training loads. Loads of efforts are now bagged, but as I see my schedule there are even more waiting for me. Everything seems to be in order at the moment: I'm having good time on my bike, training is going as expected, sun is shining and the doctors told me that my appendix can be removed after season – good news! Some training then:
Besides all the sport related stuff I've started working on my dissertation. It is gonna be very interesting work. Also some of my friends had their grad parties. Congratulations to Victo, Joppe and Tom (the only party invitations I got, cheeeeeers!). Well done boys, as you see, the world is wide open for you now with that bloody cool hat!
As we have gradually increased the training loads on the daily regime, we've noticed that we gotta come out with some recovery methods. So here are some: cold bath (as I don't have a proper one, we filled our rubber boat with cold water), swim or a beer that serves as a special treat – altogether is the best to me!
'Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought' - Basho
