Newsletter 1 / Winter is coming
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As I write this the clouds circle the mountain peaks around our house, the weather forecast for two days time says snow down to 1,200m altitude – we live at 1,000m. Perhaps winter will be a good time for writing, or perhaps new sports; either way the wood is stacked and Lennox and Piri are both eagerly awaiting getting out and having fun in the snow! Autumn has been beautiful but the trees are nearly bare and winter is coming.
LIFE
We, Isabelle, Lennox, Piri and I, live deep in the Catalan Pyrenees. We bought a house here in late July last year and are settling in well – though there is adjustment to the solitue. It’s a simple life, the village has maybe 10 inhabitants and the small town near us a few hundred or so. But there is a doctor, a school and a shop. Most importantly there is fresh air, mountains and family, the ingredients for a wholesome existence. I am quite sure it could be considered a nightmare for many, however for me, and hopefully us, it’s bliss.
TRAINING
I can’t say I am training heavily right now, or that much. However what I am doing is building a deep base of multipurpose fitness. For many years I’ve been a pure bike rider and these days I think that is possibly to my detriment – injury and overtraining. November has been mostly being active in wide manner of ways. Generally the day starts with a early morning walk/hike with my son Lennox for an hour or so, we take Piri up into the hills behind the house for some fresh air. After this I will head out on the bike most days for two to four hours riding – unplanned and just as I feel. The afternoons are spent either doing laptop work or in the garden doing hard labour – no surprise for which I prefer! Every fourth day I take the day off from ‘training’ and spend the whole day with Lennox, we go walking, shopping, and just play together.
Some days I will go running in the afternoon after riding, this is not a flat run but more of a trail run with some hiking on the steep parts – always trying to keep my heart rate aerobic. This running is to help prepare my legs for some ski-mountaineering but also so that next summer when the sun is out so I can reach the highest peaks. Living where I do, the best areas are only accessible by foot and it would be a shame to miss them, the bike becomes a humble mode of transport again.
I would estimate I am doing 12-15 hours riding a week, plus the running of two to five hours and then hiking of around seven hours. I am not tracking everything right now – it’s better for my health to not become obsessive. So I’d estimate my physical activity is in the region of 25-30 hours a week – reasonable! It’s worth expanding that by physical activity I’d consider this to encompass anything that gets my heart rate above 100 bpm (resting 50 max 190), anything that does this will have some effect on my fitness, or depth. Really at this time of year it’s that depth and resistance to fatigue I need, so that when I want to transition to specific hard training in perhaps February I have the depth there to do so.
OVERTRAINING
As an ultra-endurance cyclist, I am a chronic over trainer and now know it. It’s likely if you’re reading this – if you had the free time – you would be too. These days I will aim to train at 85-90% of what I think I should be doing, even if this figure ends up being less than I should be doing, I feel that come event day my fitness will be higher as I am less likely to have got injured or sick as a result of trying to push the training limits. Perhaps tortoise and the hare.
WINTER
It is nice to be living in the mountains, with fresh air and seasons. In the UK I would cycle all winter, come rain or, well more rain. I think, I feel, living here I need to adapt and move physically with the seasons, to make the most of the terrain. So, sensibly (!) I have bought some ski-mountaineering gear. I skied as a kid, and still have a scar from metal work to show. I then spent time snowboarding with little more success. Let’s hope ski-mountaineering goes better! Really I’ll be just going up and down the piste for now anyway, but in time I would like to enter a skimo race, there will be many near, I just need to find someone to humour me and race with.
I feel that being more multi-modal in my training will help me be a stronger and more rounded athlete both physically and mentally. The hope is that I come into the start of the ‘season’ in March time eager to race the bicycle and very fit. Time will tell.
LOOKING AHEAD
Next year is looking good. I think it’s going to be a re-run of 2022, but hopefully without a broken elbow the days before the Highland Trail 550 and another good run in Kyrgyzstan. I have both the Highland Trail 550 and Silk Road Mountain Race penciled in my mind, I need to enter and be accepted for both. I think two big objectives will be enough for my body. People asked me what I wanted to race back in September, but deciding what I will do is more unconscious than conscious. I simply let the idea develop naturally, this way whatever my body decides it does so with desire and thus commitment. As you’ll know these events are so hard, that you can’t force yourself to go 100% at one if you don’t want it – even if you’re paid!
QUESTIONS
If you want to discuss anything further, send an email or comment below.
Enjoy your weekend!