The Picture That Changed My Life

This picture changed my life. To me it is a thing of pure beauty.

Actually to be accurate it was a picture like this not this one.

But it doesn't matter because the beauty lies not in the picture itself but what it represents.

Way back in 2007 I became interested in taking training more seriously and followed the blog of Flamme Rouge Tony. 

http://www.flammerouge.je/home/home.htm

He's a guy who lives in Jersey and he was way ahead of the trend in many ways. Just one was his love of sportives, at a time when most British cyclists had never heard the word and he was was on the reasons I started trying them for myself.

But the thing that was really special about him was that he was power mad. He was absolutely clear that power meters were the way ahead and his infectious enthusiasm came across in every one of his posts.

He was so convincing that I arranged to go and see him, in order to perform my first ever ramp test. He made me very welcome and also took me on a tour of the island with a couple of his mates. One of them owned a bike shop and before the trip we had agreed a price on a Powertap wheel, my first ever power meter.

After the island tour Tony opened up his lap top, connected his Garmin, did a bit of stuff then told me to take a look. This was another baptism, my introduction to WKO.

He took me through the ride we had just done, explaining the various graphs and I loved every minute of it. Seeing the long steady drags, the really tough hills and the peak when we had a sprint.

But then he showed me the picture like the one above. He explained that what it showed was something called "mean maximal power" (or MMP). This is a complicated name for a simple idea. It just captures on one line how much power you can produce and how long you can hold it for.

It's a plot of watts vs time so it starts high in the top left because you can produce a lot of power for a short time. But if you try to push for longer the power comes down. In fact it comes down very quickly. The time axis on the bottom is a logarithmic scale, so the left hand side is represents much less time than the right. (It has to be like this or it would not be possible to see any detail,)  For illustration, In the example above the line near halfway is just under 2 minutes while the extreme right is 20 hours.

As an example, at my best, if I go all out I can just about produce 800W. But for a minute the max is around 500W. For 5 minutes its around 400W, for 20 minutes 340W, for an hour 310W and for 4 hours 250W. So its very obvious how quickly power changes with time, In fact my power changes less than most others which is why I'm more comfortable doing longer events that do not involve and sprinting.

You can choose to report on any time period. So the line may just be for a single ride. Or a week, or a month.

But the magic came when Tony told me what he was showing me. He said the bottom line was this year's power. The upper line was his best ever power. He explained that he had a simple mission, every year he wanted to get the lower line to meet and ideally pass the upper line.

In plain English this meant that his goal was to set new personal bests, but seeing it as a picture like this felt so much more real than just a set of numbers.

My life changed at that instant. From then on, through to the present and for the rest of my days Tony's goal became my goal. I love going for rides, downloading my stats and seeing how close I have come to a new PB.

I reset the bottom line every birthday and the graph above is about one month in. It's obvious I still have a way to go. Still there is already good news, which the line highlights, I've already managed to a small nudge up.

One of the main reasons for starting this blog is to give me the motivation to keep pushing so I can post updates when another breakthrough happens.

Technology has moved on so now I can even see the picture when I am riding. On many occasions it has been the spur to make be push harder as it changes colour at that point which means more to me than any race finish position,

But watts are not all that there is to this picture.

The really great thing about it is the bottom time axis, because it ranges from 1s to as long as you can ride a bike. So the quest to move the entire line upwards means I have been encouraged to try pretty much every form or road bike riding from criteriums where I could try (and fail) to win a sprint finish to 1000 mile epics riding continuously for days with barely a pause to sleep.

I would never have done this or even a fraction without the drive to raise the line. I will forever be in Tony's debt for changing my life for the much much better.

Moving Goals Post

Training is all about chasing goals. But then so is life. These can come in a variety of forms and this post takes a brief look at these and what they entail.

One aspect it highlights is that goals can shift and change with time. What can start as just a hobby can become an all consuming passion. And vice versa, it is easy to be a jack of all trades but being a master of one (let alone a few) takes focus and that requires discrimination. In my case for example I had a period from 2006 to 2010 when it was all about cycling. Then my wife and I did the walk of a lifetime so cycling played a second fiddle as it continued to do so while I took gaming to the limit and explored the world of WOW. 

When I returned to cycling around 2014 or so ish it was just to lose the weight I had gained, then I tried to reignite my time trialing but failed to really do so. But instead I discovered a new world, that of VR.  This allowed me to ride the climbs I love any time of the year in my own four walls. This in turn reignited the desire to improve and the self belief that I could do so despite getting "older".  Now I fully returned, my passion greater than ever. 

Here then is my take on types of goals along with brief reflections on how they relate to my here and now.

Fun

The simplest but also most essential. It is perfectly OK to ride a bike just for the sheer fun of it and nothing more. Ditto just about anything, be it doodling, gardening, cooking, taking a walk, whatever. 

My take: Fun is funny in that it is in the eye of the beholder.  What I have discovered is that for me the fun of cycling is the buzz of riding hard. It's probably the main reason I have become as good as I am. I just love smashing myself up, picking myself up and going again.

Benefit 

The other basic goal. For cycling the main benefit is that of fitness, along with the ability a bike gives you to just blow away the cobwebs and head off in any direction seeking pastures new or familiar. However ideally benefit will go hand in hand with fun. Doing something that one hates or even just doesn't particularly like just for a benefit, no matter how important, is unlikely to be something that one can sustain for a long time.

My take: The reason I started cycling. As a way to lose fat. Spurred on by boxed sets of 24 I managed this and only then started to find the fun side.

Completion 

This is the next rung upwards. Now the goal takes a definitive form. It may be to complete a 25 mile ride. Or to climb a mountain. Or finish an event. Whatever, the satisfaction lies in a job well done and accomplishing something. This is great, the only downside is that the first time is often the best time. Reaching the summit of a climb, when all around is new, is often the best experience. The second time round does not always quite elicit the same feelings

My take: This was the vital stepping stone. I started just wanting to be able to ride 25 miles and climb our local hills without getting off to push. 

Progression

The logical follow up to Completion, this is building on success and taking it a bit further. So after riding 25 miles going for 50 and then 100. Or after climbing one mountain aiming for two.

My take: To extremes. Looking back I can't believe that I decided to go from never having ridden a 100 miles to riding the Tour de France in a few months. But I did and it was the experience of a lifetime.  

The other massive take on this was the discovery of power and the MMP curve. I'll write about this shortly but ever since discovering these my whole focus has been about progression, progression, progression. 

Exploration 

Another follow up that may involve any of the above but trying a slightly different tack. So perhaps riding 25 miles off road. Or taking part in an Audax or a sportive. Or aiming to climb 100 different mountains. Or doing any of the above on a tandem.

My take: The tour of course but more interestingly has been that my quest for progression has led to me trying to be good at every type of road bike activity that exists, from short criterium racing to ultra long endurance events and everything between.

Speed – Another logical follow up to Completion, that can also go alongside Progression. Now the goal involves an element of competition. For Completion the main enemy is bad luck. Now it is the clock, though luck may still play a its part.

My take: This was my main goal 2008-2009 and it was very fulfilling chasing and beating time trial records and entering sportives going for the top standards. However after a while it began to pall. On my return I tried to focus on time trialing but it was never really something that I hugely enjoyed and I don't miss it much. 

Ranking – This marks a step change. All the previous goals are fundamentally intrinsic. It is just about doing it.. Ranking goals bring in an entirely new element, that of judging yourself against others. This can be a double edged sword, on the one hand competition brings out the best in many and its spur can drive one on to new heights. However on the other hand ultimate sucess is now in the hands of others for all but the very best of the best.

My take: I got into this 2008-2010 as well. It's fun for a while but really I much prefer beating my own PBs rather than some stranger. Still the spur of aiming to improve ranking can help motivation so from that end I continue to use this as a way to push myself. But I don't think I'll ever get massively into things like Zwift racing. It's just a good way to train and will remain so.

Being the best that one can be – A paradox. The terms can be set as one chooses, the essential point is that one feels one has done all one can possibly do.

In one sense this is the ultimate goal, it means performing to the very best of what one is capable of while taking account of limitations such as natural potential or resources.

However it may, indeed almost always does, require accepting compromise. One may simply never be able to be the best in the country, or town, or within a group of friends. Still being the best that one can be, however defined and whatever it actually means in terms of any of the goals above (though having fun at the same time is pretty essential to achieving this) is probably the best that one can aspire to.

My take: This is it for me. My overriding goal is to use a science based training approach to see how far i can progress in terms of increasing my power and/or resisting the supposed ravages of age. 

Bucket List - Things To Do On A Road Bike

A bike is more than just a means of transport. Its a lifetime ticket to experience the world in many wonderful ways. 

Here is a list of examples. They are types of things rather than specific events to make it as general as possible. 

All should be doable by any reasonably trained cyclist so nothing about winning or finishing in a certain time.  (Some things are distance linked but without the time constraint so they pass the "doable" test.)

While there's obviously a lot you can do on a road bike off road that's a separate topic so there is just one catch all "Ride Off Road" for all of these.

The list also includes a few unfortunate events but not, for obvious reasons, anything serious.

The list follows in no particular order. There are sure to be more so please add your suggestions.


Ride 100 miles
Climb a mountain
Descend a mountain
Take part in a hill climb event
Take part in a sportive/Gran Fondo
Do a solo tour (carrying own gear)
Do a group our with support for gear and aid
Do a group tour unsupported
Ride from coast to coast (or other natural landmarks)
Take part in a training camp
Use a turbo
Ride on rollers
Use a VR training app (e.g. Zwift)
Ride on pave
Ride in a velodrome

Take part in a road race
Complete a multi-stage race or event
Do a criterium
Complete a  short time trial (25 miles or less)
Complete a long time trial ( 100 miles or more)
Be part of a team trial
Complete a short Audax (200km or less)
Complete a long Audax (400km or more)
Complete an epic Audax (1000km+ or similar ultra endurance test)
Ride an Audax permanent route
Take part in a Zwift race
Fix a major mechanical problem while on a ride
Ride in snow (or other extreme weather)
Escape a dog or other wild animal
Ride off road
Ride a bike with a fixed gear
Ride a folding bike
Ride a tandem
Ride a trike 
Ride through the night from dusk to dawn
Transport your bike by plane
Transport your bike by train
Transport your bike by boat
Get completely lost
Build a bike up from individual parts
Bunny hop an obstacle
Pull a wheelie
Ride no hands
Carry a pillion passenger
Cross a border
Ford a stream/river
Commute
Do the shopping

Son of Ergonomics - How To Become A Lean Cyclist Via The 5 Whys

At first glance this post may not seem to have much to do with cycling, but hopefully by the end its relevance will be clear.


Despite the hype there is noting new about the [Global Intergrated Supply Chain]. Web search [Phoenicans] or [Slave Trade Triangle] to find just two examples, one glorious, one infamous from the past.


Nor is the integral part of technology in such chains anything new. The Phoenicans not only spread trade but also their alphabet, the slave trade was an enabler that,in great part, eventually gave rise to the industrial revoloution.


The current global supply chains are more of the same, only this time it is information technology that is their distinguishing feature.


My time in work coincided with the birth of this technology and I was involved in some of its early implementations. In this connection I became aware of the succcessor to my dad's ergonomics, summed up in the single word "lean".


The ideas for this go back in time but had most recently taken forward by post WWII Japanese manufacturing companies, They visited factories in the USA and learned from them, first copying then improving to the extent that the pupils became smarter than the teacher and nearly caused the failure of the very industry that had inspired them.


The essence of "lean" is to focus totally on your purpose, most specifically what it is that you do that is both essential and adds value to whatever you are making. Anything that is peripheral or not relevant in this context should be stripped away to a minimum. This could be through automation, changing processes so that it becomes unecessary or subcontracting to a specialist organisation that can do it more efficiently.


The "just in time" process is one specific example of "lean". Manufacturing companies used to have huge warehouses containing raw materials, parts or sub-assemblies waiting to be used to make something. These implied huge sunken costs in terms of space, manpower and unutilised capital. "Just in time" minimises these by aiming to reduce on-site storage to a minimum and instead take delivery of items only when they are actually needed.


Central to the pursuit of "lean" are the "5 Whys". These are not rocket science. They simply involve taking a look at some part of what is involved in making, say, a widget, and asking "Why are we doing that". On receiving an answer the next question is and "why are we doing that". By repeating this process (5 is just an rough average)  then it should become clear whether or not everything that is being done is relevant and adds value to the enterprise. A special variant of this technique can be used when encountering problems, say that have stopped a production line. The intent here is to keep asking why until the real root cause of the issue is found. This may not be apparent at a superficial level.


So why are the "5 Whys" relevant to a cyclist? Here are three reasons, there are almost certainly more.

1. Cycling to get fitter requires a lot of investment in terms of both time and money. When setting goals and deciding how much to invest in their pursuit the 5 whys can be a great way to determine if you are really doing the right thing. An example is aiming for a specific position or time in an event. These are often arbitrary and depend on luck. Asking why the result matters can be a good way both to check it is an appropriate goal and prepare for failute.
   
2. Once a goal is set asking the "5 whys" during the lead up can be a great way to prepare. This might be in deciding which items to carry with you. Or in building the phases of a training plan. And asking "why" and getting the answer that it will help in achieving a goal is a great way to start every workout.
   
3. Much of the information about how to train is wrong. It is either entirely wrong (maybe due to it being a throwback to the past that has never been questioned) or wrong for an individual (give two people the same training program and they will respond differently.) The 5 whys can act as a useful filter to check that the advice being offered or the information you are reading will actually be helpful to you.
   

Strava Leaderboards and Fake Rolexes

[Strava announced a major change of policy] today. They are putting a lot of their information behind a paywall including some relating to their leaderboards.


This has acted as a nudge for me to raise a topic that I had already planned.


When I started riding my training was very simple. It consisted of riding my bike up a few hills and around a few fixed routes nearby (the latter being especially designed so they could be safely ridden without any need to pause).


My objective for this hills was first to get up them without stopping. After that for them and the routes I simply aimed to go a bit faster each time. As my fitness was improving I usually succeeded. I was also helped that as I got more used to riding my bike I got more comfortable and, I would guess, more aerodynamic.


It never crossed my mind back then to compare myself with others or, for that matter, try to get faster by buying something to make me go quicker. I was just completely happy riding my bike with my only gadget being a very cheap "computer" that told me how long I had been riding and gave an estimate on distance and speed by using a magnet attached to a wheel spoke.


Eventually I plucked up the courage to enter a few events and at that point my obsession with gadgets and numbers began. But I think I appreciated both all the more because of the simple bedrock that my previous routine had established.


I really don't know if, had I been starting now, Strava and the like would have been a help or a hindrance. My feeling is that, for me it would have been more bad than good. I was pretty hopeless at the beginning and if I had seen myself at the bottom of the leaderboards my confidence could have taken a bash and I might have just given up and gone back to only playing golf.


Recalling the recent post on Larry's fake Rolex, I think that Strava is more for those who seek extrinsic motivators, while I value intrinsic ones more.


So it is not that I don't use Strava, I do. I admit I take pride in the fact that I'm pretty high up in the leaderboards. But the main use I put it to is simply to motivate me to set new PRs.


Fortunately, for the time being at least, Strava will still show your segment results for free so  the change has left me unaffected.

Larry's Fake Rolex

Larry was a huge larger than life character who, appropriately for a Frenchman, epitomised the phrase "joie de vivre". He very sadly died far too young and the world is a less happier place as a result of his passing.


One thing Larry loved was a really good argument. Not just for the sake of it. He was a believer, as am I, that the ideal way to test and advance knowledge, in the best traditions of the Ancient Greek philosophers, is to put your theories to the test. Those that survive will come out stronger, those that don't are no good and can be dispensed with.


I remember one of our arguments particularly well. Larry had just come back from a trip to Asia and showed us the "Rolex" he had bought there. It was of course a counterfeit, but an extremely good one. To the naked and inexpert eye it looked authentic.


Larry's view was that he could not see why anyone would pay thousands for the real thing when they could get a watch like his for just a fraction of that amount.


I disagreed. Personally I would never buy a Rolex but if I was of a mind to I could only imagine getting the genuine article. The point for me was not that other people could not tell the difference I would know I would be wearing a fake. In this case I couldn't change his mind nor he mine so we agreed to differ, have another drink and pick another topic to discuss.


What's all this got to do with cycling?


The most important thing necessary for succeeding in anything, including cycling, is motivation. All the physical talent and resources in the world will serve as nothing if this is not present.


There are two fundamental types of motivation. They are not exclusive, indeed almost everyone will have both. However it is important to understand the difference between the two.


The types are


Intrinsic motivation – where something is done for its own sake and the reward is internal, the self knowledge and fulfillment of having achieved something.


Extrinsic motivation – where something is done for an external reason such as money or the recognition of others.


Neither of these is "good" or "bad".


In the case of the fake Rolex Larry's motivation was extrinsic, mine intrinsic. Different strokes for different folks.


I am the same with regards cycling. I get some pleasure from extrinsic rewards such as the status that comes with doing well in competition and setting records, But my overwhelming motivation is intrinsic. I train hard and ride hard because I like to set myself challenges and see if I can meet them. Taking part in races and other events is simply a means to that end as it helps me focus and brings out my best.


While I said earlier neither form of motivation is inherently good or bad I do think that from the perspective of the aging athlete my form of motivation is more positive in the long run.


If your measurements  depend on things like finishing position or rider category then, if these start to decline, then so too will your self esteem.. Motivation is likely to suffer as a result and this can very quickly develop into a vicious cycle that leads to giving up due to "getting old".


The only competitor I care about is myself, a year or so ago. My goal is just to hold my own against him and if possible be a little better.


So far so good on that score, this has kept me enjoying my training and finishing every session looking forward to the next one. Long may it continue.