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Archive for the 'Team Wiggle' Category

Lee Williams Blog : Cyprus Sunshine Cup

Friday, March 12th, 2010
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Cyprus Sunshine Cup.

Firstly my apologies for being a little quiet on the blog front, however since 19th of Feb I’ve been fortunate to tag along with the guys from Orange Monkey Cycling Team, and jet away to Cyprus for three weeks to train and race three UCI early season mountain bike races (Cyprus Sunshine Cup Series).

The guys'n'gal

After an early morning wake up call Friday morning, a drive to Gatwick, and a 4 hour flight, I found myself in a climate where getting up early to train wouldn’t feel like as much of a chore as it have been at times in most parts of the UK lately. Upon arrival at our luxury villa, most of the Friday evening was spent building our bike’s ready for the following day’s training and after getting a bite to eat it was time to get a good nights sleep. Waking up on the Saturday (day before our first race) to clear blue skies and temperatures more than 20′c higher than than back home, I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear and be extremely eager to get out on the bike and practise tomorrow’s course. It feels quite strange to be racing cross country this early in the year, as I only finished the cyclo cross season two weeks previous to this race.

I normally have 5-8 weeks between the end of the cross to the start mountain bike season, which would mean that I’d be able to put in a bulk of base mileage before the season starts, where as now I’ll be doing a lot of miles as well as racing on the weekends. However, I’m sure that the good weather will make this feel easy. A couple of hours on the course, then back to the villa to dangle my feet in our very own private pool seemed like the perfect way to make sure that I’m well relaxed before the race.

Sunday 21st Feb. Race Day. The first race was just outside Larnaca in a little town called Voroklini, which was also where we were staying, meaning that the start line was at the end of our street….convenient!?!? The course itself was really good with steep challenging climbs, technical rocky descents, loose dusty trails and with 2 start loops and 7 laps to get through, it would make a good hard race to kick off the season. Being placed 28th on the grid would mean that I should have a good chance of putting myself up there and mixing it up against some top World Cup riders including World Marathon Champion Roel Paulisson (BEL). Off the start I managed to get inside the top 10 and in the lead group, where I stayed for the until the end of the first lap.

On one of many technicals rocky descents my front wheel scuffed a rock and I ended coming down hard and resulting in a lot of skin loss and a flat tyre. From there I got myself to the pits where I changed wheels and carried on with the race to try and get back in the points, but I’d lost a fair bit of time and as the race progressed I was getting stiffer and stiffer and ending the race feeling extremely sore in 49th position. Needless to say not the best of starts to the trip!

Sunshine Cup 2010

The Following day I woke up with a really sore back as at one point in yesterdays crash I was face down in the dirt with my feet still clipped in and all the time my bike wanted to leap frog my body and I think this must have wrenched it. I was debating whether it might be worth going to find a chiropractor to have it seen to, but when I was doing a few little movements to try and ease it out all my lower back crunched and I felt instant relief so I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. By mid week my back was good, and I’d put in a few quality long road rides before getting ready to meet my family (Fiance, Daughter, Mam and Dad) who had come out for a week to watch the next race of the trip, which would be a three day mountain bike stage race (Friday-Sunday). Thursday the weather took a turn and it was pelting down with rain, so we decided that maybe it would be best to ride the course the morning of the first stage hoping that the weather would be better.

Lee Willaims Cyprus

Friday 26th Feb. Stage One. The first stage was up in the mountains near Kapedes and was a one lap time trial of the cross country course that would be used in stage three’s cross country race. Unfortunately the weather hadn’t change and a mud fest it was going to be. The course itself was a mix of sharp steep climbs, fast fire roads and some ‘bum on the back tyre’ muddy descents. My start time was 3:05pm in the afternoon and with only having a small breakfast early in the morning my plan was to race light and hope that this would benefit me on the climbs. I’d done a few laps of the course in the morning and with the weather being so wet and cold, my warm up would be to sit under the extremely hot heaters in the car until 5 mins before the off, as I thought this was the only way to line up with warm legs. Off the start I think my warm up worked as I got into the effort quick and was covering ground well. 2/3rd’s of the way into my lap I had chain suck causing my chain to come off and in a fluster I somehow managed to knock the release clip loose on my Lake shoes making my foot flap around in my shoe. After putting my chain back on, then tightening up my shoe I carried on the effort to the finish. In the end my finishing time for the time trial was only 30secs shy of 3rd, which was a bit frustrating as I know I lost 30secs easy, giving me a finish position of 10th. However, positive start for the first stage.

Saturday 27th Feb. Stage Two. The second stage was a point to point 50km marathon style race, with the highest point being at altitude before dropping down a 30min decent and ending on 1 lap of stage three’s cross country course (all in dry conditions). The race itself started like a normal cross country race….FLAT OUT! Everyone was shifting positions to try and get on the front of the race. I managed to sit in the top 5 at times but every time I was getting to the front, handful of riders would make their way past leaving me to fight my way back into the same position I was in 2 mins ago. Just before the lowest part of the course before the long climb to the top, not too long after the start I somehow with my current luck, I managed to slice my tyre leaving me to ride on a flat until I could get to the first of two pits. By this time I was very nearly last, but with good legs I managed to catch a lot of riders finishing in 25th.

Sunday 28th Feb. Final Stage. The third stage of the race was just a normal style cross country race, but again the weather had changed and was again pelting down and with a really cold wind. Shocking conditions! My plan today was to stay positive feel good about the whole weather situation and finish the race! Off the start I knew there would be a lot of people going off quick and end up paying for it later in the race, so I just rode my own race. At the end of the first lap I came through in 35th position, but By half way I was still smiling when others clearly wasn’t and I started pulling riders back. I crossed the line in 16th, with my hands and feet completely froze! I have to say though I was well impressed how well my dhb Earnley base layer held out the cold, it was fantastic! I’m not going to say I crossed the line lovely and warm, far from it, but if I didn’t have it on I wouldn’t have been able to finish the race, and for that give it a thumbs up! After three days racing I ended up finishing 16th overall.

After the cold race’s of the weekend, I caught a cold resulting in a few days off training and feeling pretty poor. All I could do now was rest and hope that I would recover in time for the final race on the coming weekend. I did get to spend the days with my family though while I was keeping my distance from the other riders in the villa as I didn’t want to pass on any germs, which I’m sure they were happier with even though they are to nice to admit it! By Thursday I felt like I could manage an easy ride, which my legs really needed as they were starting to stiffen up from just shutting off and not doing anything. I continued my easy rides right up to the day of the race on Sunday where it was a case of ‘kill or cure’.

Sunday 7th March. Race Day. The course was situated on the outskirts of Limassol in the archaeological grounds in Amathous, right on the sea front….quite the picture. The course was very bumpy/rocky single track for 90% of it, with a boardwalk over the sea for good measures. After my warm up, I felt a lot better about the coming race as I didn’t feel like I was in that bad shape, however still a little unsure as you never know until the race starts how good your going to feel in a race even when not coming off a cold. On the fast start loop I managed to make my way into the top 15 and feeling fairly normal and holing my position well. by the end of the second lap I started to feel tired and I continued to go backwards from that point on to the end of the race where I came in a disappointing 32nd. However, not to disappointing considering the week I’ve had, and I’m happy that I got to race and not end up watching from the sidelines.

Lee Williams Amathous Cyprus

Overall the trip was superb, cracking bunch of guys an gal (Sue Clarke, Anthony Morris, Paul Beales, Chris Andrews and Ben Roff) to go away racing with. Lots of in house banter made the trip fly by, despite a bit of bad luck at times. I hope they invite me again next year as it was a trip not to be missed and certainly not forgotten! Really looking forward for the season to kick off fully and feel there’s some good races just around the corner!

Lee Williams Amathous 2

Race Reports + Gallery’s
www.sunshine.mtbcyprus.com/

Orange Monkey Blog
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/mtb/article/mtb20100301–Brits-Revel-At-Sunshine-Cup-0

Nikki Wheeler Blog: My First Race Of 2010

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Introducing Nikki Wheeler to Team Wiggle, Nikki has been cycling for about 8 years at a competitive level racing both local and national events. Nikki is also a 1st category rider with her preferred style of racing being road and crit events rather than time trialling or Sportive events.

She also competes in the National Women’s Team Series and usually rides for the Surrey League Women’s Team, which is the case for 2010. She trains very hard during the Winter months and spends many hours turbo’ing during the cold dark and wet evenings and many hours in the saddle over the weekend with the local cycling club (i-team.cc). We’ll keep you posted on Nikki’s 2010 season in the saddle via the Wiggle Blog.

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My First Race Of 2010

I always aim to make my first race the Mountbatten Centre Circuit race with the 3rd category men towards the end of February, as I use it to see how my training is going and to help me establish what areas I need to concentrate on. I also had another reason – I wanted to try out my new bike as I’ve treated myself to a Felt ZW1. Considering I had only ridden it for an hour the day before it felt great and extremely comfortable to race on.

Now I don’t know what it is about the first race of the season, but I’m always really nervous until I am actually on the bike ready for the off. I suppose it has something to do with being a lot closer to riders than I have been used to over the past 5 months, as well as the thought of having to exert myself and push my body much more than I would probably like – especially at this time of the year because it is cold and the weather is still fairly miserable.

Let’s face it when us ladies are in with the men and the season hasn’t really even got off the ground yet, it can be quite a daunting prospect. I ask myself the same questions and, as I never really know how well my training is going, self-doubt tends to kick in – how fast is it going to be, will I be able to stay with them, and will I get dropped? My partner, Rich, just thinks I’m mad and laughs at me, but I know I’m not the only one going through this very same process before a race – it’s just not that many will actually admit it.

Nikki

After all that worrying, and my nerves getting the better of me before the race started, I was actually fine during the race itself. It was very fast for me at times, which was really good practise training for the many races to come, and I could begin to feel the positive effects of the turbo training sessions falling into place. Several times I had to dig deep, grit my teeth, and ignore the fact that my legs were screaming at me, but it was good to get my heart and lungs used to responding to the faster speeds. There were quite a few attacks, but the strong wind meant that the breaks were brought back each time finishing in a bunch sprint.

I’ve got used to riding on the outside edge of the race so that I am able to move up whenever I can, but I do tend to ride in the wind more than I should, which I actually prefer, as I like to be able to take evasive action when necessary!, but a strong wind takes its toll on me and wears me out more than I would want. I guess I’d like to think of myself as superwoman every now and again, but in reality it just knackers me out far too quickly, and as I’m a Vet that’s far quicker than I’d like to admit!

The race lasted for about an hour, which was probably just as well as towards the end of the race my legs were definitely starting to feel it. I stayed at the back of the bunch as I didn’t want to get involved in the inevitable ‘argy bargy’ of an early season race and ended up off the back when they all sprinted to the finish line – my legs just didn’t have anything left at that point. Like everyone else, the extreme weather conditions we have had since the beginning of January have played havoc with my training.

Well, that’s the first one out of the way, with the next ones probably being at Thruxton Motor Circuit. No doubt it will be extremely windy with the possibility of rain – like it normally is.

Jez Hastings Blog – Snow, Rain & Tears In The Cote d’Azur

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Jez Hastings

I was really really looking forward to training with David in Nice. We had been invited to join a pro training camp based at the great Tour De France, Giro D’italia and World Champion, Stephen Roche’s hotel and it meant we were to have some quality, dry hard miles in the mile Alpes Maritimes. Fabulous! Sadly David was still carrying his injury from the crash he sustained in Snowdonia. Luckily enough our team soigneur and remedial masseur, Peta McSharry, had also come out to administer health and well being and ride with is as well. You will, if you have been following this crazy story, know already that David’s Achilles did not magically self fix and after a wee ride out at the start of the camp it had become obvious that the injury was much more serious than we all thought.

David Washing The Bikes Down

The riding therefore has become solo this past week and after the hard rouleuring in Nice which also took us to Monaco, Italy and of course San Remo I have spent five days in the Corbierres. That is the region between Toulouse and the Mediterranean. It has been dry but very windy. I have been tired but sleeping well, being looked after by great hosts, who ate well and enjoyed laughter song and great conversation . They are professional musicians and dancers. Great food, good company and a fantastic time. My digs are in their 16th century gatehouse overlooking the river Orbieu.

I used to live in this region so know the roads well and can pick and choose whether it will be hard, hilly, rolling or whatever our super team coach, Colin Batchelor, has set us. Road surfaces are excellent and traffic very little. Days start cloudy but by afternoon the sun is shining a well warm 14C, so very comfortable indeed. I have been doing 5 plus hours a day- originally it was supposed to be up to 12 but what with David’s injury and the first attempt postponed, Colin has pulled us back on the miles.

Do I head west and the rest of team wiggle tandem head home? I ended in a fabulous part of France, quiet roads, stunning scenery and great food. What more could an cyclist require? It was hard being without an eqippe and I was tired but got out and rode – rode well and successfully. Measuring my wattage output and energy usage. It was good. It was also good seeing my dear French friends – to be able discuss weight/food issues with them. As dancers they share the same passion for weight/food balance so it was no surprise to them that we still had lots in common!

It was nice to be able to be part of a different nature too with kingfishers, early martins arriving, montagues harriers and egrets too.

Soon it was time to get on the train and all too quickly to leave the relative warmth – 14degrees – and head for the snowy hills of Scotland and eventually Islay and home. The Endura boys were heading south to race in Murcia, Spain – the big time for our young Scottish pro team. It’s been a long time for all of us but a worthwhile journey all the same.!

Follow Team Wiggle Tandem on the Wiggle Athlete‟s Diary www.wiggleblog.com

Or at the team‟s website, www.teamwiggletandem.com

Alternatively find the team on Facebook and Twitter

Ben Simmons Blog: Revolution Series & Update

Monday, March 8th, 2010
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Revolution Series & Update

5th March 2010

Revolution Series

I have been the team manager for Team Slicks this year and what a team they have turned out to be. The Future Stars were a mix of Wales’s best up and coming riders and with such a huge pool of riders to choose from its not surprising that they are also the best young riders in the UK showing all the other regions up at the Revolution series. Team Slicks has also had four super team coaches who have played a massive part in Team Slicks success and they are Kyleigh Mannors, Mark Griffiths, Andrew Russell and Alan Davies.

We also had a strong team of elite riders for both endurance races and also sprint events. Sprinting legend Craig McClean was our team captain and you could not meet a nicer gentleman who really helped out with the younger riders unlike some of the other team captains. We also had Welsh double Junior Sprint World Champion Becky James for our most recent event and put in some fantastic results competing against senior World Champion Vicky Pendleton. Welsh senior riders Luke Rowe and Sam Harrison put in some of the strongest performances in the elite races and for Revolution 26 had one of the most respected British riders Bradley Wiggins.

Team Slicks won two out of four races and still managed to finish second on the other two events only one point behind on both occasions. This meant that Team Slicks won the Revolution series with ease and were rewarded with a trophy presented to the team in front of a sold out audience at Manchester Velodrome. Amy Roberts and Owain Doull won the majority of the races they competed in and this allowed Owain to ride in the Leaders Jersey for all four events proving to every one that he was the strongest male Future Star there!

Revs Madison

At Revolution 28 the final round I told the Future Stars to ride the Madison event steady so they would save their legs for the main event and stay safe y avoiding crashes. Robbie Westwood and Matt Cross where up first and were soon off the front leading the race (I’m standing there scratching my head) and they eventually finished second and they did not find the race hard so just shows how strong these riders are. Newt up was the girls’ team Amy Roberts and Amy Hill and again I told them to conserve their energy, the next thing I know they are also off the front leading the race (I’m still there scratching my head thinking will they ever listen). The girls finished second with ease and said they felt fresh and didn’t push too hard which gave them confidence for the main event. Not only did the Future Stars do well in the Madison but also Team Slicks rider Luke Rowe and his partner Mark Christian won the 200 lap British National Madison Championships with an average speed of over 30mph!!!

Revs Final

I’m really proud to be part of this exciting and successful team. I can see all these riders producing some top results for the following season and am now already looking forward to the next Revolution Series!

Well Done TEAM SLICKS!!!!

Products and Promotion

Recently Paul (Big Boss Man) from Wiggle asked me if I would be available for a photo shoot at Calshot Track and as ever I couldn’t miss the opportunity to promote myself and Wiggle products. The photo shoot was for a new Ford S-Max advertisement and the idea was to get us riding around the track and find an angle that would suit the shot they were looking for. The idea was to have us super imposed on to a Damn wall with the Ford S-max sitting in front of it (easier said than done). After a few hours of waiting around for the crew to set up they finally found the correct shot, I made most of this time to rip around the track. I have never ridden at Calshot before and it is a lot shorter and steeper than Newport or Manchester Velodrome. It was great fun to ride, you get a real sling shot out of the bankings but I must say I wouldn’t fancy racing on the track with more than 10 riders!

This week I had a delivery of some custom Exposure Lights with my name etched on them…what a treat! I now have a Diablo front light with Micro Red Eye attachment for use on my helmet or for commuting on my road bike and also a MaXx Daddy Front Light with Red Eye attachment for off road use. I have used plenty of light in the past but these are such high quality and look super cool compared to the others. Not only to they have a longer burn time and also the added bonus of the smart port for additional battery or other attachments but there are no cables so it is very neat on your bike. I would describe them as being the ‘iPhone’ in the lights market, sleek looking and very practical.

Custom Etched Exposure Lights!

Not only did I receive my lights but I’m also starting receive my 2010 kit. I have already got my 2010 Focus Cayo Expert Compact training bike which is a dream to ride and my Crud Roadracer mud guards make it a lot more comfortable to ride in the rain and keeps your kit clean. 2XU Compression tights have been a life saver when it comes to recovery from riding and for use when running or in the gym. My Saucony ProGrid Paramount 2 running trainers have been a great tool for my training as it is something I never really used to do but have found that it is a good form or exercise if you are short on time or when it is dark I find it safer to go for a run. I am looking forward to the rest of the goodies I am very lucky receiving! Thank you Wiggle :-)

One last thing I have been working on is a website to promote my sponsors and also professional services which I am qualified to do. So for up to date news and information check out the following links:

My Website: www.elitecymru.com

Facebook Fan Page Link

Follow Me on Twitter

Enjoy the dry and sunny weather while it lasts!

Ben

Carolyn Hewett Blog : Is This Winter Ever Going To End?

Friday, March 5th, 2010
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Is This Winter Ever Going To End?

I had call out of the blue this week from Joanna Ebsworth who is the Editor of Health and Fitness magazine. Jo contacted me as she is doing a case study in conjunction with Shock Absorber in preparation for the Shock Absorber Women’s Only Triathlon and got in touch because I won that event last year. I spent 40 mins on the phone with her today doing an interview and on Saturday I am meeting up with her and her team to do a photo shoot! I’m really excited about it and promise to take some ‘behind the scenes’ shots to share on the blog.

So it hasn’t all been sitting on my butt talking to journalists, there has actually been an increase in training! A trip to the US and a cold I picked up there slowed down the training but I have recovered and I am back on track doing 2 sessions a day and loving it! I had a lesson last week in punctuality when I turned up at my track session 10 mins late by which time those who were on time had already decided the weather was too awful to do the session. I ended up running the session with another tardy athlete who took this shot of me running in what only be described as a downpour.

Carolyn Runing In The Rain

I have also started doing some technique classes to sort out my swim stroke with www.Triforfitness.co.uk My swimming lets me down big time so I have committed to more hours in the pool and some of that on correcting the bad habits I have picked up. It is frustrating to have to slow down but as my coach Terry keeps telling me, you have to slow down to get faster. The big thing that keeps resonating through my head is that I have to make every stroke count. Unfortunately that involves memorising at least 5 things to do differently and staying co-ordinated whilst doing them!! I can already feel an improvement and if nothing else I am much more conscious of what I need to improve on.

Usually I duck out to Nice to get some warmer weather, but this year has also been exceptionally cold there, so much so there has been snow in Nice which is very rare. The Dutchman and I went out for a ride and we were very surprised to be hitting snow at low altitudes. Rather than fight it we did our ride on the Saturday and embraced the snow and went skiing on Sunday.

Happy training and more after Saturday’s photo shoot!

Cx

Photos

Africa Mason Blog : No Rest For The Wicked!

Monday, March 1st, 2010
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No Rest For The Wicked!.

Not that I’ve been wicked this week… I’ve just returned back from a hard weeks training camp in the (very snowy!) Gloucester countryside. Training with the German team was great! They gave the British team some great competition, although we kicked ass in the swimming and running events. I enjoyed a great track session running in the freezing snow, I felt really strong throughout, must be all the tough winter training! Then it was back to the hotel for a nice hot shower, ahh heaven!

It’s been a tough few weeks getting over a fluey-bug but I’m healthy at the moment, lets hope it stays that way. I had a couple of days off but I am continuing to train hard despite this, and looking forward to my updated Focus bike arriving any day now, and a training trip on the horizon to a Spanish training centre near Barcelona!

I have been increasing the amount of endurance runs I do and as I live near the beach I run a lot on the sand and along the sea front. It’s great to get out in the fresh sea air! Some Thursdays my club do a great session running up and down the zig-zag slopes on the seafront cliffs – which is a killer. The new puppy is also proving to be a fantastic new training partner apart from when he cuts me up!

Africa On the Beech With Kips

Lately I’ve had a non stop schedule with the National cross country in Leeds and Birmingham and soon the Biathle and Triathlon season will start too. I’m really looking forward to getting back into some open water training again. It’s up to Leeds for XC this weekend, bound to be cold and muddy – my favourite: come on Team Dorset!

Jon Cannings Blog: Apologies

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Apologies.

That’s my first line. I have been pretty damn busy and hectic of late. And have thought about all the Wiggle blog fans missing out on my tales of adventure and life. Where do I start? How about the news of training? OK. As for nearly everyone in the UK, the bad weather has disrupted training plans and the thought of smashing the km’s indoors is really quite hard. I spoke to a friend of triathlete friend of mine last week, he had done an obscenely high amount of turbo trainer sessions, I had a lump in my throat upon hearing the news!

However, I’ve tried to fit in as much as possible when I can/could. I had a week in Fuerteventura training. It was fantastic to leave the really cold spell of weather in England and head over there. The roads are generally in pretty good shape and the island is very similar to the neighboring island of Lanzarote, my former home of two years. Managed to get some long rides in with the added benefit of being in shorts and short sleeved jerseys everyday! A day I will not remember in a hurry was a 170km ride, with an 85km headwind, before i turned to head home, and the wind also turned, giving me another 85km headwind all the way back! Wind-burnt, not sun-burnt.

I also met some nice cyclists from Denmark whilst out on the roads, did part of one of my rides with them. Before I decided to do some more hill efforts on a suitable climb that I discovered. I must also mention the weather again, it was between 25-30 degrees Celsius. This was ideal to test out my new Catlike Whisper Plus Helmet. I’ve been interested in these helmets for some time, and the stand out from the crowd design of them certainly appeals to me. It’s very lightweight and the fit is very comfortable. In the heat it performed brilliantly and never did I feel “hot-headed”, as I have done with some other helmets in the past. Visits to the Gym at the sports resort every day to increase core strength/stability too. I slept very well every night! And the

Then onto personal news, I decided to leave London, departing Rouleur magazine, and joining the staff at Wiggle! I start on the 1st of March and cannot wait to be part of the strong and enthusiastic workforce. This should also hopefully be better for my training as it’s much more accessible to the countryside, where I love to train and enjoy riding my bikes. I shall be lodging with a mad keen cyclist, he shall remain anonymous for the time being, but let me tell you, he does more miles than a space shuttle.

Until next time, “tot straks”.

Team Wiggle Tandem Blog: Crash Landing

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

I have to say that up to now just about everything has gone right for Team Wiggle Tandem. Our sponsors and crew have been phenomenally supportive and with a steady diet of training and the honing of our knowledge of records and each other as riders, it couldn’t have been too much more on song.

However neither of us is in the first flush of youth and inevitably injury has come upon us both as we have ramped up the intensity and the hours. In the space of 10 days the collective Team Wiggle Tandem medical sheet has racked up a knee injury, a slightly torn left Achilles and a crash resulting in heavily bruised chest and hip.

Specialist knowledge and treatment is absolutely key to both containment and eventual treatment of any problems that have cropped up during this project and Peta McSharry at Sports Massage Zone in conjunction with coach Colin Bachelor of Total Cycle Coach have swung into action to make sure that with only around a month to go until the Side to Side, everything humanly possible can be done to keep 2 aging bodies together and improving.

A switch to Speedplay pedal systems for Jez seems to have vastly diminished the strain on his right knee. The process of active pedalling analysis included video analysis on a static trainer and slow and careful adjustment of the cleat and stroke pattern until the pain began to easy, fascinating stuff.

The left Achilles tendon tear will prove more problematic but even so I have to say that I am not too disappointed in either what level of fitness I had exhibited last week in Snowdonia with two 8 hour rides and a 10 hour under our belts, even after a heavy crash into a stone wall that left me gasping for air.

Now in Nice on the Endura training camp, there are an awful lot or bike riders kicking their heels as huge storm waves batter the seafront and the walls of the Roche Marina Hotel, making long rides a waste of time for the boys, especially those desperate to avoid any situations that might lead to injury before tomorrow’s Tour du Haut Var race. Jez however, being the ‘wee hard man’ of Islay still put in 5 hours while I could appreciate the interior comforts of the hotel and a little remedial work on the ankle.

Roche Marina Hotel Storm Waves

So what happens if injuries plague the team right up until the day of an attempt? Well such is the nature of record breaking that if 100% of the circumstances aren’t 100% right on any one day…you just don’t go. I am still slightly envious of the young bucks around us who tomorrow will line up to duel with the cream of French racing but the more professionals we come into contact with as Team Wiggle Tandem the more it’s apparent that there is still huge respect and regard for riders who train and ride for those old and well regarded records and playing the long game is all part of the romance and the science of record breaking.

Keep riding. Be safe

DH

Exposure Lights The Way For Team Wiggle

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Team Lights By Exposure

Team Wiggle & Team Wiggle Tandem have been provided with a superb range of Exposure lights for this 2010 season. This will no doubt provide the athletes with plenty of extra hours in the day to help fulfill their training needs. The Exposure range has been fully customised with Wiggle branding and individual member names which is a such great touch.

Huge thanks to Rory and the team at Exposure!

Each athlete has a set of the following:

MTB’ers
Exposure MaXx D
Exposure Diablo
Exposure Red Eye
Red Dot

Road Cyclists & Triathletes
Exposure Toro
Exposure Joystick
Exposure Red Eye
Red Dot

See the full range of Exposure Lights.

Team Wiggle Custom Exposure Lights

Lee Williams Custom Maxx D

Emma-Kate Lidburys Custom Exposure Toro

Where did January go?

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
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Where Did January Go?

Training has had its ups and downs the past few weeks. I am becoming increasingly frustrated that work, weather and other commitments are getting in the way of doing some decent outdoor training. I have been moving house this week and my work travel schedule has picked up which always makes training a challenge.

I got out a few weeks ago for a long ride with some friends around Hitchin and Stevenage. Unfortunately the smaller, quieter roads were still too icy for decent riding so we had to get onto some frankly terrifying roads. We made that decision after we had to get off our bikes a couple of times to get through some treacherous patches of ice. After crossing one of these and getting back on my bike I then hit a patch of black ice just down the road and went down like a sack of potatoes on my right side. No damage done to my Kiron, just some bruising to both my body and ego.

I got a place in the 8km Southern Counties Cross Country Championships at Hampstead Heath at the end of January. Up until that point I had thought a time trial I did at the beginning of last year was the most awful event I had ever done, but this took the cake. The juniors had gone off before the women so the course was already nicely churned up, that coupled with the FREEZING temperatures that day it was going to make for a tough race. The race started at the bottom of a hill that got steeper as it went up and I went out way too fast. It wasn’t my fault; my Uncle was there with a video camera! I had that awful moment of when the adrenalin runs out, my heart was hammering, I was breathing like an emphysema patient and I realised I was only a third of the way up the hill and still had 7.75km to go!

The single worst moment of the race was plunging into this huge bog and having icy water soak both feet. In my head I went from ‘OK, just get through this’ to ‘stop this madness now’. If I hadn’t made my visiting Aunt and Uncle come and watch the race I am sure I would have slipped off to the side in search of dry socks and my sanity! I survived it, just, but will certainly not be lining up to do that again. I have nothing but the utmost respect for cross country runners now.

I did one of the winter series 10km races in Regents Park last Sunday which was much more my style, no bogs to wade through, no spikes required and you got a banana at the end. I hadn’t run a 10km without it being tacked onto the end of a triathlon in quite a few years and I am certainly not in race shape yet so I was pleased to get round in just under 44 mins. My aim was to keep my pace consistent which I did and I really enjoyed it. I was 6th woman overall which was also encouraging.

Next up I am doing a duathlon at Dorney Lake. I haven’t been on my Focus Izalco Chrono anywhere near enough lately but we will see how it goes. It also gets me out of unpacking boxes for the morning!

Happy training
Cx