Blogs by Professional Cyclists - Professional Cycling Unplugged™

Two weeks ago i bid adieu to Colorado and hopped on a plane to Majorca, Spain, for the Team Columbia training camp.  Laden with a tonne of luggage and an exhaustible excitement for what was to come, i arrived at Club Robinson to get stuck into the pre-season in earnest. 

While my four months of holidaying and fun were immensely refreshing, i have been seriously hanging to get back into some good training.  While I had some ‘business’ to attend to, with team presentations and media commitments, I also had all the time I needed to ride endless hours on the bicycle.  

Upon arrival, i was handed a suitcase of massive proportions which was jam packed full of new bike kit and casual clothes.  I am a big fan of the Columbia line of clothing, and so set about trying all my new gear on and prancing in front of my roomie.  Next i clamoured into the new race apparel and my joy at new kit quickly turned into dismay as i realised the shorts are more than slightly revealing.  They are white and leave very little to the imagination.  I soon discovered that no matter how self conscious i felt, at least i wasn’t a man…. and showing myself loudly and proudly.  Team photos were certainly a giggle as the boys had to swap positions and the photographer mumbled about photo shop and its limitations.  

The hotel was amazing, great food, and gorgeous views along the coastline.  With the resort predominantly catering to German groups, they say Club Robinson is the best part of Germany!  I often forgot i was in Spain at all. 

Having ten days to enjoy the roads of Mallorca, we were lucky enough to have a lot of the teams sponsors staying for the period.  I rode not only with the girls but with some of the equipment sponsors and also staff, and got a great insight into the plans for the year.  Dinner time was also a favourite as we got to chat with media, sponsors and riders we don’t see for much of the year. 

Personally, i enjoyed that we could share the camp with the mens team, hear their stories and learn from their experiences.  Not only the riders, but the directors and other staff who are seasoned veterans in the sport.  Great way to kick that learning curve up a notch.  

The camp wrapped up a few days ago, and i have now moved into my new little house in Girona, Spain.  While i look very much forward to some long epic days solo on these beautiful roads, i will miss my training buddy from camp, Emilia Fahlin.  She and I had some adventures, got lost more than once and extended many days rides by many more hours than intended.  Luckily there seemed to be quaint little villages dotted everywhere that provide an oasis just when we thought the hunger flat was creeping up.  

Off to Ikea for some off-bike adventures, and a good read of the Spanish dictionary each night might just aid me while i fumble my way through a new country.  

Adios!  

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Posted under ROAD BIKE

Seems that time of year has rolled around for official team business to start.  Off to Mallorca I flew, to have some meetings, some fun, and best of all, to pick up the new bicycle for 2009. 

The night we arrived was party time, and Team Columbia, men and women, athletes, staff and sponsors, celebrated what was a tremendously successful 2008.  We oooed and aaaahed at photos and videos of the year’s racing, and the directors took their moment in the limelight to tell some stories of their athletes.  It was special that no athlete got celebrated more or less than any others, but rather an appreciation of everyone’s contribution to the team as a unit.

Each morning we did ‘movement preparation’ before riding.  To me, movement preparation should be lying in bed thinking about dragging oneself out, to then move.  Apparently I was wrong, and we trooped off, lycra clad, to the gym to bend, stretch and laugh at each others inability to stand on one leg….. perhaps the sleep in the eyes was throwing off the balance? 

It didn’t end here, as we had an hour of core strength each afternoon, post training.  While a bit wobbly with a tired body, I think there is a lot of benefit in added strength and flexibility.  It is like taking personalized yoga classes as our strengths and weaknesses are ascertained before the first class, and the workout then designed with this in mind.  In no time I will be able to twist myself like a pretzel, on one leg, upside down.

It rained at some point on most days, and there was at least one ‘character building’ bike ride, but mostly the value of the camp was in the planning for 2009, program designing, meeting the new blood in the team, and ensuring that when we arrive back in Mallorca on January 5^th for camp, we are ready to go.  Less talk, more action.

Naturally I am leaving the best until last.  The new bike.  I am not often super excited to get a new bike. Year after year I have been given all sorts of flashy splendour to train and race on, but by George I think the new Scott Addict takes the cake.  At 6.5kgs (14.2lbs) with a saddle bag, srm and training wheels on, I am sure it is the lightest bike I have ever ridden.  She handles like a dream, and has a killer paint job to boot…… who could ask for more in a bicycle????

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Posted under ROAD BIKE

Thursday November 27^th marked my initiation into the tradition and holiday of Thanksgiving.  Will the aid of good explanation and a little google, I quickly got up to speed on the significance of the day. 

I crawled out of bed and hoped to see some snow out the window, but to no avail.  While I am still hanging out to see Boulder covered in snow, when the ground is dry and the sky is clear it is a perfect opportunity to head out on the bici. 

Before the day progressed to gorging ourselves on mounds of food, we headed out to Halls Ranch for a mountain bike ride.  It was not very warm and I learnt some important lessons about riding in the cold. Firstly, I overdressed, so when climbing I overheated, sweated up a storm and then got frozen once descending.  I also learnt that gloves that are too tight do not make me warm, but rather made my hands a combination of cold and numb.  Luckily I could borrow some extra gloves and windproof layers from the boys when I was shivering.  I am definitely getting better at this mountain biking caper, but I do catch myself pulling faces and making “aaaarrrrrgh” noises at times, terribly girly and not particularly ‘hard core’….. need to work on that if I am going to fool anyone.

Having had a whole lot of fun out on the trails, it was time to come home and roast.  With only three of us in the house, and a small oven, I decided it would be overly ambitious to roast a turkey, and instead chose lamb.  It was the first time I have roasted, and so I wrote my instructions out and followed them to the note.  The lamb was a hit, the potatoes and sweet potatoes also delicious, and although the carrots were still crunchy i think our thanksgiving meal went down smoothly. 

I have much to be thankful for.  My amazing family and friends, the opportunities I am given in cycling and otherwise, and the wonderful experiences I have had and continue to chase.  Although Australia does not celebrate a holiday for thanksgiving, I think it is a wonderful idea when we can pause and reflect on the wonderful people, places and experiences that put smiles on our faces and make things that little bit easier.  I hope we can all take this time to give thanks in the moments that we realize it.

Now off to Spain for Team Columbia team meeting.  Both the men’s and women’s teams finished the season as number 1 ranked in the world, so there is cause to celebrate before moving onto next season’s goals. 

I expect this camp will provide me with much blogging fodder…. Stay tuned. 

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Posted under ROAD BIKE

An off season.  What is that? Until September I thought an off season was  a racing year which yielded poor results.  Apparently not.  As explained to me, i was expected to not race, not even train, but just, well, BE.  Interesting concept for someone who can’t sit still, but i like a challenge, so i thought i would give it a crack. 

After the Olympics were done, all my boilers were cooked and I was advised to take an ‘off season’.  l For the last 8 years, I have raced 11 months on the trot, and I think I found my limit. After a frustrating season with sickness and injury, I have spent the last two months doing nada, nil, zilch.  Okay, I lie.  I am incapable of doing nothing, but exercise and fun without rule and regulation surely doesn’t count as training? 

My first step in seeking an off season, was a move to Boulder, Colorado.  With paradise found, I sought out every possible way to enjoy the fresh mountain air. I started with some mild hikes, not venturing too far from town, and quickly sought a bigger challenge.  Before too long I was rising early and venturing out in the dark to find the thin air at 14,000ft.  Watching the sun rise from above the tree line was truly breathtaking, a moment which a photo can not capture.   

 With my new found love for the mountains, and my obsession with all things two wheeled, it seemed logical to jump on a mountain bike.  All my years of road and track cycling seem to have given me specific skill sets, which I quickly learnt were not necessarily transferable to the off road.  My first ride saw me hit the deck twice, and while I had a skilled and patient guide, my own frustration stood in the way of my progression.  Thankfully the next ride was more successful, and I’ve realised how many wonderful places are accessible by bike.  To think, 15 years of bike riding and I had never realised this!  

So far this off season business was a dream.  I could do whatever I wanted, chasing adventure.  Seeking some bang for my buck, I moved onto trying to learn to ride a motorcycle.  Needless to say, i ended up taking a license course after coming perilously close to hitting a dumpster.  I am now foolishly planning some motorcycle adventures for off seasons to come.  Long deserts and wilderness where dumpsters are few and far between.  

 Time to head back to Sydney for a few weeks, catch up with family and friends and enjoy some Australiana.  With some big occasions to celebrate, and some beautiful Sydney sites to enjoy, my time back in Oz has been delightful.  I managed to divide my time between the beaches, the blue mountains, the south coast and the urban sprawl that is Sydney. My final family meal consisted of barbecued Kangaroo, and some good Margaret River wine from Dad’s cellar.  

Amongst all of these adventures I was having, I  couldn’t help but notice that the track season was starting, world cups beginning, and all without me.  I have never missed a track season before, and it seems strange to watch the results filter in and from such a distance.  For the longevity of my career, and the next progression, a break was necessary, for body and mind, but goodness me, I can hardly wait to get back into it! 

For now, it is back to Boulder for some fresh mountain air, time to brush off the cobwebs and get back to work.  After all, I love my job.    

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Posted under NON-BIKE, ROAD BIKE, TRACK