¿Quebrantahuesos 2015? Parece que este año no va a poder ser

¿Qué pasa "biciosos"?

Resulta que el número agraciado fue el 11,682. Es decir, que tienen plaza los números del 11.6882 al 15.443 y del 1 al 3.738.

Yo tenía el número 9.833, lo que significa que estoy en la lista de espera en la posición 6.095. Mi optimismo natural no me impide ver que, después de 5 participaciones consecutivas, este año no estaré en la Quebrantahuesos.

No os podéis hacer una idea de lo que me fastidia perderme esta cita anual. La Quebrantahuesos era mi principal objetivo para este año, incluso por encima de la Paris-Brest-Paris; toca adaptarse y cambiar de planes.

A cuidarse
Javier Arias González

First proper ride of the year

First you break your collarbone back in early November.

Then, when the doctors give you permission to go back on the bike you drag your feet and you don't really ride as you said you would.

If the the logical drop of CTL where not enough you add 4kgs to your body weight during Christmas (I could blame my mother, but that would be too mean, even for me).

And if all these would not probe enough how silly you confirmed it deciding to join a 85m ride to Chilterns that was announced as "K2 pace, for experience riders only". I should have read "too tough for you my unfit and fatty friend" but I couldn't help but read "That's exactly what you need".

I can't say I didn't know what I was doing, specially seeing who was at Laithwaites waiting to join the ride. But, hey, I set very low expectations. I was prepared to be dropped at some point. The idea was to push myself to let the ball of year preparation start rolling.

Things went better than expected. I made it to the coffee stop with the group and the second half was even better. At some point I thought I was going to be able to finish the ride with the group, but reality soon came to put my feet on the ground.

By Lower Sunbury road I was dropped, luckily the traffic light at the A308 was red so I could join the group. But that was a mirage, before Hampton Court I was dropped again. 

Now, here is the thing. When I started the ride I was expecting to be dropped but being dropped that close to the end really annoyed me. I hate to be dropped. I shouldn't because I get dropped so often that I should be used to it by now. As said sometimes I even expect it, but I still hate it. To give you an idea I prefer the Spanish national football team to lose the world champion final more than I being dropped once.

And the worst of today being dropped is how tired I was. Empty, wasted, you put the adjetive and it won't be short of how I felt. Basically I had to spin at 11 km/h all the way home, it took me ages. More time to enjoy my anger and frustration. Switching to another sport looked like a sensible option, chess, darts or snooker looked like the best candidates.

By the time I got home the idea of going upstairs to take a shower made me think that installing one of this would be a great investment for the house, even if I don't know the rules of some of them.

The beauty of all this is that after the shower, a good lunch (which meant some pain walking down the stairs) and writing all this to pity myself I am now thinking when is going to be the next one. Some of my close ones think I'm crazy.

The ride in Strava

Take care

Javier Arias González

Mi CTL (o la evolución de mi estado de forma) en los últimos 365 días

Pues aquí va el gráfico de mi CTL (Chronical Training Load). Por explicarlo de alguna manera, cada vez que sales tienes un valor de "entrenamiento" (TSS, Training Stress Score).

El CTL, la línea azul, es la media de TSS diario en las últimas seis semanas. La idea es que es estado de forma es cuanto has entrenado (lo alto que sea tu CTL) más lo descansado que estés. Por aquello de simplificar el gráfico he eliminado la parte de lo cansado que estas y podemos hacer una aproximación CTL = estado de forma. Podéis encontrar información más detallada, en inglés, en el artículo What is the Performance Management Chart? 

El gráfico es de los últimos 365 días para poder poner perspectiva al asunto.

Os cuento lo que he señalado en el gráfico:

1. Esto son las vacaciones de navidad en Asturias. 11 días seguidos montando en bicicleta me dieron un buen empuje al estado de forma, Una pena que la semana siguiente a volver de las vacaciones tuve que viajar y no pude tocar la bici. Perdí casi todo lo ganado. El llano argandiano que hay después del punto 1 son los meses que me dediqué a competir. Como era un cuarta categoría eran carreras muy cortas por lo que mi CTL nunca llegaba a subir. No me importaba porque estaba entrenando más intensidad que otra cosa. 
2. El Man of Kent 200 hecho a toda pastilla 
3. El Oast and Coasts 300 hecho a toda pastilla hasta que me quedé sin gasolina. 
4. El Severn Across 400 (acabo de darme cuenta que en su día no escribí la crónica) hecho a toda pastilla los 200 primeros km y luego bastante dignamente 
5. El Brian Chapman 600 Los 200 primeros km a toda leche (los más rápidos que he hecho nunca) los otros 400 arrastrándome 
6. El Diching Devil 200 el 9 de Junio, perfecto para llegar en buena forma a la Quebrantahuesos. 
7. Lamentablemente después del Diching Devil tuve que viajar dos semanas seguidas por lo que cuando llegué a la Quebrantahuesos no estaba precisamente en mi mejor estado de forma (eso si, estaba muy, muy descansado). No pude batir mi tiempo del año pasado por 3 minutos 25 segundos. Hice examen de conciencia y le eché la culpa a esas dos semanas, al calor y a no se cuantas cosas más. No me faltaron excusas. 
8. Tres semanas de vacaciones en Asturias rodando como un campeón, incluídas dos subidas al Angliru, una a los Lagos, una a San Lorenzo, la leche bendita. Nótesen los rellanos de los días de descanso activo. Estoy muy orgulloso de esas tres semanas, no sólo por lo mucho que disfruté de la bici estando en tan buen estado de forma, sino por lo bien que me gestioné el cansancio y el descanso. Cuando volví de vacaciones era competitivo en las carreras de tercera categoría e incluso me animé a apuntarme a las carreras que combinaban corredores de las categorías élite, primera, segunda y tercera (e/1/2/3), me descolgaban rápido, pero estaba en la forma de mi vida. Una forma de verlo es saber que la LEL me creó un pico de CTL en 121, pero al acabarla tuve que descansar una semana y cuando volví a la bici tenía un CTL de 97 (lo que sube rápido baja rápido). En este verano había conseguido mantenerme un mes con una media de 107 TSS y dos meses seguidos por encima de 97 TSS 
9. Aquí se me acabó la tontería, a partir de este punto me toca viajar tres semanas seguidas y sólo puedo salir uno o dos días entre semana y los domingos. La caída hasta el punto 10 es rápida de 102 a 85.3 Casi un 20% de pérdida en 3 semanas sin haber estado parado del todo. A pesar de lo rápido que perdía forma todavía estaba en una forma más que decente, al mismo nivel de la que tenía cuando hice la Quebrantahuesos... 
10. Ese es el punto donde me rompí la clavícula. Era una carrera e/1/2/3 y había conseguido aguantar más de la mitad de la carrera en el grupo principal. Estaba contento con el resultado; hasta que me la pegué claro. 
11. Marca el punto donde estaba hace justo un año 56.2 TSS 
12. Marca como estoy hoy 44 TSS Una bajada desde 85.3 que tenía el día que me caí. Un 20% menos que el año pasado por estas fechas 

Si os fijáis la caída entre 11 y 12 no es una recta, tiene algunas pequeñas llanuras. Esas son las sesiones de rodillo que he hecho. Como véis al principio pocas, espaciadas y muy ligeras y luego más concentradas hasta el fin de semana pasada que hice una sesión un poquito más intensa dos días seguidos.

Viendo como ha caído mi nivel de forma y haciendo una estimación a volapluma yo diría que empezaré el año más o menos al mismo nivel que el año pasado. Lo cual es un tanto decepcionante porque otros años había conseguido empezar el año un poco mejor que el anterior. De todas formas la parte llana entre el punto 1 y 2 me da mucho margen para intentar conseguir un mejor estado de forma en 2015. "Solo" tengo que asegurarme de empezar a subir el CTL a finales de Enero, principios de Febrero.

A cuidarse
Javier Arias González

Back on the bicycle

Before:

And, after six long weeks, the doctors gave me green light to go back on the bicycle

Happy!!!!!

Take care

Javier Arias González

Surrey League Ottershaw Series #3

After another week travelling and last week's result I wasn't expecting much from this race, but I wasn't really prepared for the outcome either.

Everything went pretty much as last week at the beginning. No idea when the race really started but really noticed the first big push, and that was when we were about to cross the line for second time, 12 to go (the race was thirteen and a half laps).

The problem I have with a "500m to go signal" before a line that is at the top of "a climb" is that even if we still have 11 to go everyone sprints like crazy to the line... and they drop me.

Luckily this time I was well positioned; when the push came I was fifth or sixth position. Pretty much everyone passed me and before we crossed the line (with 11 to go!!!) I had a gap of around 20 meters with the rider that was in front of me. I tried to push it to get on his wheel but it was too much for me. I gave up, at least mentally. But another rider passed me, he wasn't riding that fast so I decided to jump on his wheel. The group eased a bit later and that rider took me to the back of the peloton. Literally, saved by the bell.

Pretty much same history in every single lap; surviving, but constantly at the limit of being dropped.

When I saw the 6 to go I almost raised my hands in celebration. I was really really happy. I had survived more than half of the race.

Happiness didn't last very long though, I was dropped in the following lap. Nothing brutal, just a bunch that pedals away while you say goodbye and mumble your frustration. A bit more than 4 laps to go so I decided to keep riding and finish the race.

Very soon a WyndyMilla rider rider caught me. Not sure by which mechanism but I felt relived finding out I was not the the first nor the only one dropped. Jumped on his wheel and soon I took a turn as a sign that we could work together. I guess he agreed because we started to take turns keeping a fair pace.

A lap later we saw a lonely rider in front of us and in one of the turns we got him. It was a Pedal Heaven rider, and again I found comfort in the fact that elite riders also get dropped. Silly, I know, but that's how I felt.

We worked well together until one turn that the Pedal Heaven rider instead of waiting for me to pass him he moved to the right. I thought it was weird but accelerated a bit to pass him just to realize he was moving to the right to turn left. Not having time to turn left I went straight, stopped and turned back.

When I was back on route they had quite a gap. I tried to keep a sustainable pace and I think they were waiting for me but still took me five or six minutes to catch them. At the left turn just after crossing the line with 3 to go.

That was a descend so I was sitting at the back recovering. Suddenly they broke and I broke but probably too late and too hard. I fell off the bicycle hitting the tarmac quite hard. A few cars stopped to help me and it took me about a minute to recover from the shock before I could stand up.

The pain in my shoulder and a bulge that was not there in the morning reminded me this tweet from David Lloyd and I figured I had broken my right collarbone.

It was also the time to realize how nice everyone was. The driver and his wife that stopped, called the ambulance and stayed with me until I was taken to the hospital. The personal from the two ambulances that showed up. Paul Altorf, from the Twickenham CC, that offered himself to take care of my bike (It is a huge relief to know your bike is going to be safe when your are taken to the hospital). The Commissaire, Tom McCaw, that got my car key, assured me he would move my car with the bike in it to a public parking and that allowed me to call my wife before he tried (in these cases it makes a world of a different to talk to the husband directly). And last, but not least, the lady from the organization, unfortunately I don't remember her name (update 13/Nov/2014 - It turns out her name is Susan), that came to visit me at the hospital, offered herself to coordinate with Tom to collect my car key and bring it back to me at the hospital and charge my mobile in the meantime (the crash, somehow, drained the battery). Not to mention the sympathy from NHS personal at the St Peter's hospital.

It is in moments like this when you are reminded how fortunate we are enjoying organizations like Twickenham CC, British Cycling and the NHS. I feel extremely grateful for all the help and support received and really sorry for all the hassle I have caused to everyone.

At the beginning the doctor thought it was going to be just a dislocated shoulder but the X rays confirmed it was a broken collarbone.

From that moment a rollercoaster of feelings. Wondering how soon I will be able to jump on the turbo, asking myself how I'm going to make it to not gain weight, despairing at the thought of many weeks (always too many) out of the bike, questioning where bad luck ends and clumsiness begins, struggling to convince myself this is not the right moment to decide to quit racing or even cycling altogether. Finding comfort in the idea that, at the end of the day, this is the best moment to get injured... I'm sure tomorrow I'll have a better day.

The ride in Strava

Take care (something I obviously failed to do today)
Javier Arias González

Surrey League Ottershaw Series #2

First act
I showed up with two right hand gloves (I have two pairs of the same model). I also forgot to remove my saddle bag. A Twickenham rider noticed it when we were lining up at the start and couldn't resist the temptation of making me know. Two more riders commented on my saddle bag during the ride adding to the embarrassment..

Second act
I was wondering why we were riding so slow for three entire laps. I couldn't even tell when the race really started, after the neutralized ride to the circuit. It was only when I saw the lap count twice that I realized the race was really on.

Third act
In the fourth lap I thought, if this goes like this I will do well at the end. That was just a minute before the first big push in the race. It burned my first match but I survived. A second push in the fifth lap, "only" five minutes later, and a second match is gone and with it, Javier is gone. 500w for a minute is more than enough to drop like a stone. End of the race.

Excuses
Still hesitant between two consecutive weeks travelling (and next week I'm also travelling) and the idea that I feel like my body is shutting down, I wasn't there today. Not sure which one will be more convincing.

ps. Or maybe swimming lessons on Friday evenings are not a good idea after all...

Penalty
Post the ride for public embarrassment (here), one hour on the trainer tonight and try the same race next week. Hopefully I won't be that lame...

Take care

Javier Arias González

My PBP 2015 Qualifiers plan

I have checked my dates for next year and these are the four events I have in my plan as qualifiers for PBP 2015.

Sunday - 22nd March - Man of Kent 200
Saturday - 25th April - Oasts and Coasts 300
Saturday - 9th May - Severn Across 400
Saturday - 23rd May - Bryan Chapman Memorial 600

These dates should leave enough room to enter alternative rides if for any reasons I can't ride any of them.

Funny enough these are the same rides I have ridden in the 2014. But I would consider that an advantage, I don't want to mess my PBP 2015 qualification.

Take care
Javier Arias González