To talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing-wax - Of cabbages and kings.

One of the most enjoyable things about doing the rides around the city is that you get to see things that would otherwise pass you by and one rather moving example is a little memorial that we pass every time we ride the Don Valley Trail.

I recently noticed fresh flowers and decided, like many do, to stop and check it out.  

It turns out to be a memorial for Martin McMullan, a 19 year old boy, who commited suicide in 2005 by jumping from the viaduct. I googled his name a found a little more Information and a few comments by Martin's mother. Very sad. As most of you know, I can be sentimental at times, and decided I would share this as if his mother can still put flowers there after 6 years the very least I can do is spend a few minutes telling you about it. 

OKAY ... happy things ....... I am amazed that I have had my 1000th hit and with 80+ people regularly checking out my blog I am very pleased that you are enjoying it. The training, fundraising, blogging and even being auctioned off at one of Harveys fundraisers is totaling up to be a hugely positive experience.

On the subject of fundraising you have blown my target of $6,000 and I am now at $7,026. Our team, "Velocity", has posted $92,350 and I know that we have another $30,000 coming very soon. We are attempting to break the current team record of $142,712. With 5 of the Top 10 Fundraisers on our team and Antonio at number 11 we should manage.

With a new kid on the "Top 10 block" expected very soon and Smokey Joe Rob Veinott's stated goal to 'beat me' my days on the list could be numbered. If you haven't donated yet then this is the time.

 

Harvey, Rob and I did 170km this weekend. We had intended to try and ride the route of the first two days but the threat of storms kept us close to home.

Saturday: cloudy and wet and my pants split. Harvey fell off.

Sunday: more fecking hills route with the wind in our face whichever way we went: how does that work?

After 40 km uphill in the wind we were not very interested in taking in the scenic Musselmen lake so ate and got the hell out of there. Punctures, cramps and emergency pick ups made the return journey a bit of a pain but, on the up-side, rode for the first time with Damian and Frank which was a joy. Cracking pace and very good company.  

In my last offering I mentioned that I was so impressed that my bike didn't get stolen that my Mutiny news would have to wait ...... well here goes.

On the left are the elevation profiles of the training rides. I think you will agree very hilly, some very steep and actually bloody hard. On the right is the profile of all six days of the rides. Hills on days 1 and 2 but certainly not the profile of the training rides. The obvious question is "Why are we doing so much hill training?". Various answers have been;
  
"If you can do those rides then you can do the real ones" - bit like putting a featherweight boxer in the ring with Mike Tyson as saying "If you can beat him you can beat anyone". True: but he is going to get hurt. 


"You are only training once a week so you need hard training on the day you do train" - nope - don't get this one. I don't see the value of 40km up a hill and then 40km freewheeling down the other side when we need to be able to peddle on the flat for 5 hours.

"The training rides are intended for those people who don't train regularly" - logic failure on this one. If this is the case then why not devise some rides (of the right sort) for those people that do train regularly. You never know you might get a higher take-up.


In summary I "think" the rides are too hilly and counter-productive for first year riders. No wonder people don't do them. By all means the cycle junkies, "fixy" guys and fitness fanatics can peddle vertically up a wall if they want to but for first year riders of moderate fitness the rides can be soul destroying.

So my question is, to all you sports/fitness and cycle proffesionals/fanatics:- 

"What is a more appropriate training profile/mix for someone who is prepared to put in the weekend hours?" or have I got it wrong and the training rides are exactly what is need?


Happy, as always, to be told I am talking rubbish if I am wrong.


TTFN
David