Training - Going Nowhere?

I started cycling seriously in my mid 40s, to lose weight, improve my health and in anticipation of my forthcoming retirement. I was working at the time for one of the worlds best run companies whose century and more of unending growth and success was built on a constant desire, shared by all who worked for it, for continuous improvement in every facet of its business.

I expected, almost by definition, to find the same ethos in my chosen sport. After all what is sport if not the pursuit of excellence and how is that possible without innovation? And at first I was not disappointed. I purchased my first power meter in 2007 as it was clearly obvious that it provided a step change the quality of information available to me as a rider and that this would provide the basis both to understand my performance and improve it.

However looking back now I feel that I was lucky. I entered the sport at exactly the right time, at a point when it was undergoing a seismic change in many ways, not just the ability to measure things that really mattered.

It is perhaps totemic that my first significant cycling exploit was to ride the route of the 2006 Tour de France, starting in Strasbourg and eventually, after 5 and a bit weeks and well over 3000 miles later returning there. To see Floyd Landis start his own journey. One that would end in ignominy for him but in hope for the future for the sport as his chagrin eventually led the excision of the cancer that had been eating at its heart for decades, reaching the point of being close to terminal.

So my early years were one of continued discovery and constant improvement. But as time wore on I waited for the next step forward.

And I am still waiting.

From the point of view of improving the cyclist, as opposed to their equipment or their training environment, I am not aware of one single major advance that could even be mentioned in the same breath as the introduction of power based training.

There has been no shortage of hype and consequent alphabet soup of new TLAs to try to comprehend. But in terms of something that has changed the sport, to the extent merely that it is fairly universally agreed to be an improvement? Nothing that I am aware of.

I did think, and still do for that matter, that there was a glimmer of hope when Wattbike and the Garmin Vector provided new insights, into the skill of pedaling. Using this information has, I believe, made me a better cyclist. But mainstream opinion seems still, despite the best efforts of enthusiastic souls like Hunter Allen and, more recently, Adam Hansen, to be that this is just useless information.

It has taken the vast majority of the sport, including at the highest professional level, near 15 years simply to catch up with where I was as a novice. Nothing illustrates this more clearly than Team Sky's hegemony based on nothing more than applying the basic principles outlined in "Training and Racing with A Power Meter". The approach they used towards detailed stage planning for Chris Froomes famous 2018 Giro stage 19 win is the same as the one I used 10 years earlier when planning to ride my first Marmotte.

I think things are about to change. In a big way, one that I am not sure that even I will fully enjoy. But change they will.

And the change will not just be to cycling. It will be to all sports where the expenditure of energy be it measured in seconds or hours is a major determinant.

But before looking to what the future may bring I'll return to the past.

I accept my view my be wrong and I have overlooked something. I hope so as it will help me get better.

So a challenge.

If you feel that I have missed something significant in, lets say the last 10 years, let me know what it is.

Let me be clear I set the bar high. I do not want to hear about FRC or MPA or XYZ or any other measure that can only be obtained via the black box of an app used by a minority of, albeit committed, adherents.

It must be something similar to power based training. Something so clear and obvious that 95% of cyclists believe it has the potential to make them better cyclists and that everybody except the diehard 5% will be training that way in 5-10 years time.

And it has to be about the cyclist. Not their bike, or clothing or VR trainer. Them, the human.

Reinventing The Wheel

I first came into the organised side of cycling relatively late, in my mid 40s.

By then I had spent a quarter of a century working for one the best run companies on the planet, a cocoon in which pretty much everyone was dedicated to the pursuit of excellence.

So I had a bit of a culture shock when I encountered cycle culture. What I found was extremely conservative bordering on moribund. The past was worshiped and any change had, by definition, to be avoided.

I am exaggerating of course. There were individuals who tried, successfully on some occasions to break the mold (including three of my heroes, Obree, Boardman and Keen). B

 But my general point is valid and I offer as item #1 in evidence>> the bike wheel.

In just a few years has become fundamentally different in that it now has

• Much wider fatter tyres
• Disc brakes

This change is arguably the most important since the derailleur since it means the "road" bike can now become a "pretty much go anywhere" bike if you so wish. It's also become a "faster yet safer" bike in the process.

Bike pundits are salivating about these changes as are manufacteurrs since they will make a fortune since the new wheels are totally useless unless you buy a new bike.

It's at this point I have to say "I told you so". Not recently but over a decade ago when I first made serious use of a bike.

Wider Fatter Tyres

When I did my 2006 tour two things were blinding obvious to me.

• If I was going to ride 5000km over roads which I thought would be as crap as the UK I wanted to do so in some comfort.
• Comfort means speed. Basic physics means that if your bike is transmitting every nuance of the road surface to your hands it is wasting energy that should be used moving you forward.

So I splashed out and got the widest most comfortable tyres that would fit my frame, some Specialized Roubaix that cost a bomb but had a huge thread count and weird sizing that meant while they could fit the narrow wheel rims of the time they had a much bigger volume of air.

The roads turned out to be much better as it happens but the speed and smoothness of my riding was not something I wanted to give up.

So ever since I have always preferred wider bigger tyres. While I was Tting I did experiment with narrow once which mindless people had tested in the lab to "prove" they reduced rolling resistance. What we know now of course is that the test was meaningless, only valid if you happen to be lucky enough to only ride on mirrors. But it only took one 12 hour time trial on the A30 for me to realise my mistake. My whole body was smashed to pieces by the vibrations and I was lucky to finish with a full set of teeth. Oh and I was slower than with my preferred 25s.

Disc Brakes

Every thing about my tour was great except descending in the wet. All my extra weight meant that braking was extremely hit and miss and I was lucky to get away without doing anything more serious in the hitting line.

So when I got my second bike to ride fast on I went to Banjo and asked if they could convert the front fork of my Roubaix (which would now be only used for touring) to take discs. I was the only person to have ever asked for this, but they found a way by substituting a set of forks from a mountain bike. It wasn't perfect, no drops ofc but then they are not really needed on a touring bike. But it was a lot safer in the rain and much more fun to go downhill fast.

So I can say with absolute assurance that I was years ahead of the cycling establishment and it's head in the sand approach towards progress.

This has given me continued confidence to challenge accepted practice if I think its a pile of poo and based on nothing more than blind ignorance.

Raiding again

With our usual holiday plans put in chaos by covid I've booked myself on a trip at the beginning of August to give my mojo a bit of a boost.

The "Raid Alpine" going from Geneva to Nice

https://stuarthallcycling.co.uk/package/raid-alpine

It actually works out rather well. I'm traveling with Stuart Hall who behaved really well during the early lockdown so I'm pleased I can put some business their way.

The route is some unfinished business. Ages ago I did the other half, from Geneva to Trieste so this completes the route.

It involves some familiar territory but also some new. The final destination is one of the few parts of France that I have never visited so that's something to look forward to.

Unfortunately the logistics of it all mean that Mrs M cannot join me (and ofc double ditto for the nippers)  but will remain at home looking after the ladies (Alfie can look after himself....) 

So something nice, going to Nice.  

And here's hoping normal service will be resumed at some point so that we can all meet up again sometime soon.

PS Received a slightly worrying email from Stuart Hall to say don't pay just yet as not 100% that the event will happen. Too late, I'd already seen the invoice. So fingers crossed that my faith will be rewarded...watch this space

A Non-Cyclists Guide To Common Cycling Terms

I published this ages ago in my previous blog. But I was reminded of it my Mrs M and, taking a look, it still stands the test of time so here it is again. I'll be on the lookout for new terms to add and try to keep it updated.


My note that I rarely bonked in an earlier post caused some splutters. So just for Mrs M (and other non cyclists) here is a short glossary of cycling terms and what they do (and sometimes don't) mean.......

Bonk: Means- running out of energy, usually on a long ride. Caused by not eating enough, solved by eating something... Does not mean: bonking

Rollers: Means- gadget that lets you emulate a hamster in a wheel, pedaling furiously, getting nowhere but getting very hot and bothered. Used for winter training, often in garages due to smell of sweat...Does not mean: things put in hair to make it curly.

Turbo: Means: - another gadget to make like a hamster. Smell of sweat often mixed with smell of burning rubber as back wheel engages with a brake of some sort. Can be very noisy....Does not mean: thing I put on the bike to make it go very very fast.

Wiggle: Online shop that sells bike parts... Does not mean....

Crank: Bit of the bike that connects pedals to bottom bracket...Does not mean: someone who spend his time in garage on Wiggle's turbo rollers.

Assos: Well known, expensive brand of clothing worn by good self on account of it being Swiss like what he is.....Does not mean: what most cyclists have a very big one of, made obvious due to overtight Lycra

Bibs: Shorts with shoulder straps to keep them from falling down when riding a bike. Very inconvenient if suffer pre race nerves....Does not mean: proof that cyclists are all big babies at heart.

Wedges: Something that you put between cleat and shoe to correct bow legs...Does not mean..what wearing too tight Assos bib shorts feels like

Cassette: Something that fits on the back wheel with lots of sprockets. Current record is 12. Does not mean: 70s precursor to cd that made music sound rubbish and that involved spending more time winding/rewinding/getting out of tape recorder when it came unwound than actually listening.

Compact: Smaller chain ring. Used to make it easier to get up hills whilst still looking like a "real" cyclist. Only drawback is that most compacts are used by those who are not compact....Does not mean: what lady cyclists carry in their saddlebags so as to be able to do a quick bit of makeup before crossing the finish line.

Durace: Top of the range brand of bike bits and pieces. Does not mean: Item sometimes worn when bonking

Why I Love Belgium I Prelude

It's occurred to me that since I will be the main reader of my blog it's an opportunity to recount shaggy dogs stories to someone who won't wander off to find something more interesting like listening to last weeks shipping forecast.

So, off and on in between thoughts on cycling and other matters, I'll tell a few of these.

I plan to start with a biggy, that will require several chapters. This being the epic saga of how I came to go from mild distaste through dislike through to a deep love for Belgium and its people.

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.
   

Lessons From My Father - Ergonomics

Marginal gains are, since Team Sky, all the rage in cycling. There is of course nothing new about marginal gains, even in cycling.

One of the many calamities about the sport's obsession with drugs was that the energy needed to sustain the pursuit of marginal gains was spent finding more and different ways to cheat and stay ahead of the testers.

Marginal gains are certainly nothing new to me. I was introduced to the concept as a child by my father, the son on a Swiss peasant farmer who came to the UK and ended up have a key part in the rollout of "System X" a breakthrough digital tecnnology that was an enabler to the communications revolution that we are experiencing today (and is still providing a service to some folks even 40 years later).

He didn't call it "marginal gains". His pet phrase was "ergonomics". But the idea was the same and brutally simple.

If you do something more than once aim to do it a little bit better the next time. And the next time and the next ad infinitum.

If you have to make things for a living as my dad did and as did the company that I worked with for near 30 years you either follow this dictum or you die.

Makers have been pursuing "marginal gains" forever, through the whole course of human history from the time someone improved a blunt rock by turning it into a sharp knife.

In this pursuit these unseen, unremarked makers have contributed more towards all the good things that we now can enjoy, like System X and its successors, than all the kings, queens, emperors, admirals and generals that fill the pages of history books.

Me, I follow my dad's example every time I clip in and ride. I am aiming to just do one thing a little better this time than the last.

This is the fundamental drive that sustains my interest and keeps me motivated. It is the, by far, the main reason for me being as successful as I have been. For me marginal gainis is not just about improving the speed at which I can ride, it's about improving the quality of how I live.

Him Indoors

I love cycling outdoors. If the weather is great and the scenery is fantasic.


That may sound like I'm hard to please but I make this specification for a couple of reasons:

Firstly, I have cycled many tens of thousands of miles on pretty much every type of road from motorways (by mistake ofc) to boulder strewn mountain bike tracks (which my Garmin navigated me down because it thought they were a cycle lane). 

I have also done so in every type of weather condition from 40C+ in the blazing sun and sub zero in a white out blizzard (the latter descending the Stelvio, one of my more interesting days on a bike.) 

I like variety but I think I have had my share of it now and so, as above, I limit my rides outdoors for when the sun is shining and there is more to see than passing cars and hedgerows. 

Secondly, I started riding to lose weight and get fit and these remain my primary objectives. 

Round where I live the only place where I can train safely at the power I enjoy riding at are roads with lots of traffic. Visibility and hazards (e.g. potholes and wildlife) it impossible to ride at high power down narrow country lanes without putting myself or others at risk.



So now I spend most of my time training indoors, previously on Rouvy, now on Zwift. This lets me ride at the intensity I want to and the competition Zwift brings in allowing you to ride against others both helps me keep my power up and makes time fly by.

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.

Canute vs Father Time

As a child some of my happiest memories are of holidays in Cornwall, on its wild northern coast, home to Arthurian legend and some of the best beaches on the planet.

My favourite game was to spend the day building a central castle then reinforcing it in every way I could think possible with protective walls and channels, reinforced by rock, driftwood, seaweed and the occasional seashell.

I knew I was working on a clock. At some point the tide turned and the distant sound of breakers got nearer and nearer. The first tentative assaults were easily brushed aside by my fortifications. But wave came on wave and eventually the ramparts started to tumble despite my frantic efforts to, literally, stem the tide.  

Finally I would be left standing on a pathetic heap of sludge. Defeated yes but proud as the last bastion to fall, the onrushing water by this time having made far further inroads up the beach.

It has just struck me that I am now building sandcastles again. It's not the tide this time but Father Time. The walls are made of muscle not sand. And it really isn't about the eventual victor for there is no doubt about that. It's just for the fun of the challenge.

Blowing My Own Trumpet

I'm a Swiss-English mongrel. Both cultures have a reputation for being reserved and somewhat self effacing. 

I'm afraid I find books and articles that follow the hackneyed formula of opening with a tear jerking account of someone's triumph over adversity followed by a parable of the lesson to be learned a little cloying. 

"Ever since being bothered by a dog whilst rambling when young Chris had a deep fear of all creatures with four legs. But one day an unexpected meeting with a rabbit forced Chris to tackle their phobia head on. Now Chris is a zoo keeper (though still has a preference for snakes and birds).  Like Chris we can all learn etc etc...

However.'I'm writing this blog both as motivation for myself and in the hope that it may provide some inspiration and guidance for others wishing to take on Father Time. So, from time to time I will be posting entries labelled with the self congratulatory tag of "Feats" recording things, cycling related, about which I am especially proud.