Since the injury, it’s been a funny few months. This week I’ve been cycling in the 20 degree sunshine – the first time I’ve been able to go out wear wearing just shorts and a jersey. But that wasn’t the case just a few weeks ago. After this winter’s harsh barrage of cold fronts, I’d decided to embrace my inner Belgian and go out whatever the weather: ‘no excuses now’, I told myself after investing in appropriate wet/cold weather clothing. Sure enough, my new-found mantra was recited one morning in March, where the weather forecast told me it was going to be 0 degrees outside, with light drizzle. ‘Not a patch on those poor suckers in Milan-San Remo’, was my response. Turns out I was quite, quite wrong.

There exists a strange micro-climate where London is always a few degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside. People have told me this is because of pollution, whether it is or not is another matter. So the zero degrees forecast turned into -3 in the Surrey countryside where I was riding, and as could be expected, the ‘light drizzle’ turned into ‘full on blizzard’.

Where normally I wouldn’t dare go out in these conditions, dry weather over the preceding week had meant that the roads were bone dry, and ice not as much of a worry. I’d gone out fully prepared, but despite riding with two pairs of socks as well as heavy-duty neoprene overshoes, I couldn’t feel my feet 20 miles in to my planned 100. When the snow started settling in the creases of my winter jacket, I started to think that maybe these conditions weren’t the best. When it settled in all the vents in my helmet, I wasn’t entirely sure about doing the full 100 miles I had planned. When I lost the feeling in my hands, I decided I was catching the train home.

Upon getting home, I lay in a hot bath while my feet slowly and painfully regained their feeling. I then got dressed, put a snowboard jacket on, and got into bed. I lay there shivering for an hour. I believe that could have been hypothermia…

So what a surprise it was when a couple of weeks later, I found myself at the Gypsy Hill Tavern in Crystal Palace, heart of the South London Alps, lining up for the annual London Classic. Tag-lined ‘An Urban Cycling Adventure’, this ride takes the idea of a sportive (although without the timing), and transposes it to the heart of London, taking in as many of the city’s cobbled backstreets as possible. From there it’s into the forementioned ‘South London Alps’, with some not inconsiderable 20% inclines to be taken in. The ride finishes up in the pub, with Paris-Roubaix on the big screen, and a barbecue outside.

A classic in London… (Tom took the picture…)

This was taken as an opportunity to test the rigidity of my long-term training bike, on-loan from Boardman. When I first got on it back in January, the power transfer and harshness of the ride took me by surprise. I wasn’t entirely sure how it’d cope with Wapping’s harsh cobbled streets – it’s hardly what it was built for. But I was pleasantly surprised. While I’d hardly be using it to ride the Arenberg Forest anytime soon, it was by no means the juddering hell I was expecting. Each ‘sector’ was treated with a full on acceleration, and at no point did I feel the stiffness of the frame was affecting me. Great stuff!

Now that the weather’s turned, the four 40 mile training rides a week have been replaced with three 40 milers, and one 80 miler, with the distance of the big ride increasing every week. Last week, however, I found myself leaving the house three hours late. I had to cut short the planned 100 miles down to 80 again, but to make up for this, I’d decided to absolutely hammer it: go full speed until I blow, but complete the ride no matter what condition I was in. To my surprise, I managed a 20mph average speed over the 80 miles, with 1400 meters of climbing.

I never thought I’d say this, but this training lark is great fun!

Tom is riding a Boardman SLR 9.0, courtesy of Boardman Bikes

Find out more about trips to La Marmotte by clicking here

For more information on the Dragon Ride click here

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Apparently the weather in London last Thursday hit around 22 degrees. I heard tales of people lounging on city rooftops sipping Pimms and leaving the house with just a cardigan for protection from the elements. This was not the case in Cheshire where the gloomy skies cast a grey haze over the otherwise beautiful scenery.

Despite the disappointing meteorological outlook (let’s face it, we’re used to it by now) the 45km section of the Etape Mercia route that we rode was pretty impressive. Weaving through the quiet country lanes of Tarporley and passing by the charming Beeston castle, the gently undulating roads are perfect for first timers to the sportive scene.

At about 20km in, the rain began. What a surprise. However, it didn’t really dampen the mood of the riders who were rallied along by eleven-time gold medal winning Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, who at seven-months pregnant, happily lead the pack (under the protective watch of her husband Barney) to the lunch stop at The Boot Inn in Willington.

This is where we had the chance to catch up with Sarah. “When I came into cycling from swimming I loved that it was such an all-inclusive sport,” said Sarah. “You can have 8 year olds and 80 year olds taking part in the same event. That’s something that really struck me about cycling.” And as she grew up cycling in Cheshire, a local event such as the Etape Mercia suits her well. Especially one that is raising money for an important charity. “It’s nice to have an event that is relatively close to home and not too hilly. And if you hit a wall just think about the people you are raising money for. I visited a Marie Curie hospice recently and it is completely incomprehensible how people manage in that situation. It’s an incredible incentive and if it is your first event and you think – oh, I can’t manage 69 miles – then just think about the people who you are riding for who would probably love to be able to ride 69 miles.”

After some speedy refueling on sarnies and chips (The Boot Inn has arguably the BEST chunky chips in the world) and chewing over Sarah’s food for thought, we were back out into the rain for the final 15km of the ride. Immediately out of the lunch stop we hit a long steady climb. Followed by another. And another. If this is your first sportive, here is where the challenge steps up a level and I am reliably informed that the full route takes in a few more tough climbs to get your legs burning. By the time we’d made it back to the hotel, I was glad to see the finish line and looking forward to a shower and a coffee!

But my lasting impression of the day, and of the ride, was that this is going to be a great event, one that I will be signing up for. I think the Etape Mercia strikes a nice balance between challenging and enjoyable that will encourage new riders to enter the sportive scene.

Sign up to the Etape Mercia, that takes place on August 18th 2013, here!

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In your 50s you should be focusing on club riding and shorter sportives

YOUR STRENGTHS
Your climbing and finishing prowess might not be what it was, but distance (and persistence) could be your joker. Dr Simon Jobson, sports scientist at the University of Kent, says the body seems to compensate for some shortfalls relating to the ageing process. “Leg bloodflow in middle-aged athletes has been shown to be around 10-15 per cent lower than in younger athletes,” he says, “but new research shows this reduction might be compensated by an increased ability to extract oxygen at the muscle site. And while your heart can’t pump as fast, it can maintain stroke volume by increasing cardiac filling.” Translation: you’re getting the same oxygen delivery system you did before, but in a different way.

Older athletes may also have greater fatigue resistance, says Jobson. “Consistent and regular training does seem to provide fitness benefits which can continue well into the 50s, which can counter the inevitable decline in muscle mass with age,” he adds.

YOUR WEAKNESSES
Your bones are still moving targets during this decade. Testosterone levels and bone density decrease 0.4-0.75 per cent annually from age 45. By age 80, men (and women) have lost 20 per cent of their bone mass. But cycling could be the perfect antidote.

“Osteoporosis isn’t exclusively about the quality of bone,” says says Carlton Cooke Carnegie Professor of Sport and Exercise at Leeds Metropolitan University, “it’s also about the quality of muscle surrounding the bone. If your muscles are built up you’re less likely to fall and break a bone, no matter what state it’s in. The fact of the matter is that you will have accidents if you ride regularly, and you’ll get back to cycling in half the time if you maintain muscle and bone strength.”

THE FOOD FIX
You might still have the mental strength to push on through, but you need the fuel to get there, and even a mild iron deficiency can have a negative impact on your stamina.

“It’s a vital mineral used in the transport of oxygen,” says Claire Lane, exercise physiologist at Bath University. “The longer you exercise, the higher the rate of red blood cell production and the greater the need for iron.” Don’t limit calorie intake while upping any training regime, as this will severely restrict iron intake.

Matt Rabin, nutritional advisor to Team Garmin-Sharp also advises any cyclists over 50 to take the antioxidant Coenzyme Q10, which he says may improve energy levels, improve flexibility and general vitality. “It’s much easier to stay healthy than it is to recover from injuries,” he says, “especially as you age.”

THE EXERCISE FIX
Nerve conduction and reflexes slow down as we age, and for older athletes this can translate to deteriorating balance and accidents, says Dr Mark Hamer, exercise physiologist at University College London

Pilates, the Alexander Technique and yoga can work wonders in training and maintaining the neural system, he says. “Work on your proprioception – your ability to know where your limbs are without looking – by standing on one foot with your eyes closed and doing slow single-leg squats and toe-touches.” Core work will help shore up the muscular corset responsible for keeping your back in position as you age.

“Whatever you do, don’t slow down your pedal cadence,” says Andy Wadsworth, director of My Life PT. “People in their 50s think riding in bigger gears will take the strain off their hearts, which is true, but you’ll be putting extra strain on the joints and ligaments and in turn your back, so keep cadence around 80-90rpm.”

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The conditions may have been horrendous, but that didn’t stop the majority of the 1000 strong field completing the route – albeit a shortened version thanks to flash flooding rendering some roads completely impassable.

Only the first wave of riders were able to complete the 114km route, with others diverted onto the shorter, 80km course to avoid flash flooding that left some roads under waist deep water. But over 700 hardy souls still made it across the finishing line.

With no weather warnings in place or flood alerts issued, organisers had made the call early on Sunday morning to go ahead with the event, despite the torrential rain.

It wasn’t until the cyclists were on course that the weather really closed in. Local people rallied behind the riders and scores of volunteers went out in 4x4s, cars and even tractors to rescue any riders who wanted to turn back. However, most seemed to determine to finish the route.

Neil Dalgleish, one of the organisers of the Tour o’ the Borders, said: “We really couldn’t have predicted just how bad the weather was going to be. The forecast wasn’t great, but there were no flood or weather warnings in place. I’ve never seen anything like it – the combination of snow melt, heavy rain and strong winds made for atrocious riding conditions.

“As soon as the storm really set in we sent out a fleet of vehicles to go and pick up riders and help anyone who needed it, but amazingly, only six of them took us up on it. When we were out on course it was great to see everyone helping each other out and just making the most of it – it was a sort of ‘blitz spirit’ mentality. Most people seemed to see the funny side and crossed the line with a smile on their face. I think it’s safe to say this year’s tour will be remembered for a very long time to come. Although it doesn’t seem to have put people off, with most saying they’ll be back next year to take on the 2014 route, which will be a closed road event.”

And one participant, Chris Turbitt, even found himself being rescued by a tractor as he was caught out by the rising flood water on the B711 near Tushielaw.

The 42 year old from Roslin said: “The weather was truly awful but I actually felt more sorry for the marshals than the riders. We put our heads down, gritted our teeth and just got on with it, but they were standing still at the side of the road for hours on end. I take my hats off to the marshals and organisers for they way they handled the situation.”

The riders were rewarded for their efforts with hot food and showers at Peebles High School, with many saying the weather hadn’t put them off.

Peter Wilson, from Darlington, commented: “I have never ridden in anything like it but I will be back to conquer it next year without a doubt. It’s a fantastically well organised event with some great people involved – I’m looking forward to 2014 already.”

www.tourotheborders.com

Photos from Kevin Maclean

In your 40s you can put all your riding knowledge towards success in sportives

YOUR STRENGTHS
Your heart rate declines around a beat a year from your 20s but this has “almost no bearing” on your performance in your 40s, says Carlton Cooke Carnegie Professor of Sport and Exercise at Leeds Metropolitan University. “It’s your VO2 max – how efficiently you process oxygen and feed your muscles during exercise – that’s the real determinant now. The frequency and intensity of training sessions has a positive impact, so even throwing in the occasional 30 to 60-minute quality ride can have a big impact on your VO2 max.”

Again, Rapha Condor JLT manager John Herety says you shouldn’t discount experience: “You might be more cautious in terms of risk taking, but you know how hard you can push yourself, and develop strategies to work through discomfort.”

Andy Wadsworth, director of My Life PT reckons you’ll find that you need longer to recover from harder rides and races. “Combined with more demands on your time, this will mean you’ll probably be riding more for fun and the challenge to finish than hoping to consistently beat any personal bests,” he says.

YOUR WEAKNESSES
Your peak bone mass declines from your 20s, but in your 40s it can start to nose-dive, especially in cyclists, resulting in lumbar spine, hip and knee problems. “While cycling can be beneficial in terms of reducing impact on joints, because it’s non-weight-bearing it doesn’t maintain bone mass the way running would,” says  Dr Mark Hamer, exercise physiologist at University College London. “Without such stress, bones become prone to injury and fracture.”

Also, cycling is notorious for burning up calories, but, says Matt Rabin, nutritional advisor to Team Garmin-Sharp, hardcore cyclists might not be eating enough to offset what they burn, depriving their bodies of bone-strengthening nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D. “These shortfalls could also trigger physiological problems such as lower levels of oestrogen in women and testosterone in men,” he says, “hormones that have protective effects on bones and slow the rate of bone breakdown.”

THE FOOD FIX
Match your calorie expenditure to your activity levels, but make sure they’re ‘good’ calories, Rabin says. “Oily fish such as mackerel is a great source of vitamin D to maintain bone density, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 oils for joint health – and keep snacking on nuts and fruit to maintain your antioxidant intake which will be increasingly depleted from your riding as you age, leaving you open to illness and injury as well as slowing recovery times.”

If you are starting to feel aches and pains, consider taking rosehip supplements, which might reduce the need for anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers. Rosehips are a rich source of antioxidant vitamins, naturally reducing inflammation, as well as containing an important anti- inflammatory omega-3-like fatty acid called Gopo, which has been clinically shown to rebuild joint tissues and cartilage.

THE FITNESS FIX
That so-called mid-life crisis got you blowing the dust from your old steel frame? Give yourself time to get into the groove. “If you start cycling again too fast or too much, you’re inviting injuries,” says Herety, who recommends around two years of regular riding before taking on a sportive if you’re a complete novice.

Cyclists who have been faithfully saddling up for decades need to watch out for the I’m-old-so-I’m-slow trap. Throw in some high-intensity intervals and hills to remind your muscles and your mind that you still have a fourth (or fifth) gear.

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Your 30s is the perfect decade for longer time-trials, sportives and triathlons

YOUR STRENGTHS

Natural strength peaks in this decade, says Andy Wadsworth, director of My Life PT. “Over time, your body learns how to build and efficiently recruit the key muscles specific to your chosen discipline,” he says. That means that in distances of up to 100km, you can clock consistent times until you’re 35, regardless of how you train. “After that,” he says, “you can’t rely on your age to predict your speed. The amount and intensity of your training becomes very important.”

No doubt a set training schedule adds structure to your otherwise chaotic life, but there’s another good reason why 30-somethings try longer rides and triathlons. “Fast-twitch muscle fibres, used for sprinting, are lost before slow-twitch fibres, making it easier for you to go for distance rather than speed as you age,” says Wadsworth.

YOUR WEAKNESSES

The first signs of middle-age spread might be rearing their ugly head, but don’t blame the clock. “Metabolism slows by around two per cent a year after 30, but the biggest factor in putting on weight is less weight-bearing exercise so you lose muscle mass,” says Dr Mark Hamer, exercise physiologist at University College London.

Lean muscle burns 28 times more calories per gram than fat, he explains, and with increasing pressures on your time – climbing the corporate ladder while struggling with nappies – it’s likely that you’ll forego resistance training sessions, and your waist might well start making its presence known at the same time as your times head downhill.

THE FOOD FIX
Avoid upsizing your bib shorts by re-evaluating your calorie needs. Find your ideal number by multiplying your weight by 10, add the calories you burn training (an 80kg adult burns about 700 calories an hour cycling at moderate intensity, when you can maintain a conversation, and 800 at high intensity, when you can’t). Add 10 per cent of that figure to get your daily grand total.

On the days when you don’t cycle or hit the gym, subtract 300-500 calories from your daily total, says Matt Rabin, nutritional advisor to Team Garmin-Sharp. And never skip meals. “This slows your metabolism, which makes it more difficult to manage your weight,” he says. “Keep snacking on fruit throughout the day and keep a bottle of water to hand with you all the time so staying fully hydrated – which aids digestion and speeds up your metabolism – becomes a habit, not a choice.”

THE FITNESS FIX
Resistance training is the answer to keeping your paunch under wraps (or at least inside your Lycra). “Doing whole-body exercises for just 30 minutes twice a week will significantly increase the body’s natural levels of growth hormone to maintain lean body mass at the same time as burning calories,” says Wadsworth.

“You’ll also strengthen smaller, supportive muscles around your joints which prevent injury, and improve your cycling efficiency by maintaining the muscle fibres you need for power in the saddle.” Focus on moves like lunges, deadlifts, squats, crunch variations and planks. “Focusing on variety, form and control is paramount – add light weights when possible, but not to the detriment of control.”

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There’s no doubt that maintaining regular exercise throughout your life can slow and even reverse many factors associated with the ageing process,” says Carlton Cooke, Carnegie Professor of Sport and Exercise at Leeds Metropolitan University. He says too many people give up their usual form of exercise when they age, when what they should be doing is adapting it to suit their changing physiology and lifestyle. Here’s how to stay smiling in the saddle, whatever decade you’re in…

YOU’RE IN YOUR 20s

In your 20s you’re at the ideal age for time-trials, Olympic distance triathlons and cyclocross

YOUR STRENGTHS

You’re virtually bulletproof (handy when sprinting as hard as Cav). Your bones are as dense as they’ll get and you’re as muscular as you’ll ever be. Wear your Lycra with pride and lick the competition from the race track to the sportive, even if you haven’t been doing speed work. Your fast-twitch muscle fibres, used for quick acceleration, are most plentiful in your 20s, and your VO2 max – the rate at which your muscles can use the oxygen pumping around your system – is primed.

“It’s now that you need to make the most of your super-efficient anaerobic system with high-intensity sessions lasting anything up to two hours,” says Andy Wadsworth, director of My Life PT (mylifept.com) and an elite cycling trainer. “Events you should be able to really nail in your 20s are time-trials and other shorter, faster rides – think power over persistence.”

YOUR WEAKNESSES

Endurance isn’t your strength now, according to Wadsworth. “I’ve seen 20-something riders suffer from burn-out because they push themselves too hard for too long – your body can’t cope with really long training rides, although you can recover quickly from shorter, higher intensity workouts. Your VO2 max capacity really won’t take you much past the 2-3 hour mark. I wouldn’t advise doing more than 30 hours training a week as an upper limit – your focus really should be on intensity, recovery and form.”

As you approach 30, don’t be surprised if you start getting aches and pains in your joints, says Dr Mark Hamer, exercise physiologist at University College London. “Shock-absorbing cartilage starts to degrade from your early 20s, and people who focus on just one activity tend to suffer muscle imbalances which put extra pressure on those joints, which in turn wears out the cartilage even quicker.” On top of that, chondrocytes, the cartilage cells in charge of repair, also decrease with age.

 THE FOOD FIX
“There’s a direct correlation between nutrition and performance, something most 20-somethings only learn after years of denial,” says Matt Rabin, nutritional advisor to Team Garmin-Cervélo. He recommends focusing on easily digestible carbs so you don’t tap into your body’s protein stores, and drinking pomegranate juice after hard rides to cope with the oxidant load resulting from high-intensity exercise. “Go for simple organic foods and wholegrain energy bars, and snacking on unprocessed cashews and almonds for heart-healthy fats.”

THE FITNESS FIX
Wadsworth says your 20s should be a decade of fitness foundations. “High power, high intensity short rides and training mean you’re more likely to suffer injuries because you’re less likely to ease yourself into rides,” he says. “Regularly see a physio or chiropractor if you have any niggles, and follow their advice.”

John Herety, team manager for Rapha Condor JLT, says younger riders don’t have the ‘reference point’ older riders do. “Riders in their 30s and 40s don’t take as many chances as they know how much it hurts – becoming more calculating and self-aware makes you a better rider.”

And, he says, don’t discount stretching. “It’ll benefit your riding much more to do 20 minutes of stretching than an extra 20 minutes in the saddle.”

Tomorrow we’ll look at cycling for 30-somethings!

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Last November, I had a stupid idea. I was due to be in the Lake District to take photos of the World’s Biggest Liar competition. Doing some research, I realised the pub was practically at the foot of the Wrynose Pass, the infamous ‘final kick in the teeth’ of the Fred Whitton sportive, which I’d photographed two years previously.

Naturally, I decided to take my bike. Considering it was November, there was a rather large amount of blind optimism involved. Luckily, I managed to go for a ride on the only dry day in the lakes in the past three months. I decided on a 35 mile route that took in the Honister, Newlands and Winlatter passes, starting and finishing in Keswick.

After the ride I had a sudden realisation – I wasn’t totally knackered. In fact, it seemed my body had barely noticed it, despite the fact I was riding 25% inclines with a 34-25 bottom gear (I’d been racing at Hillingdon – pretty much the opposite of the Lake District). While this sounds impressive, trust me, it didn’t look it. At one point I might have been doing 3kph – essentially a very painful trackstand.

On the descent back into Keswick, my mind started whirring. If I could do that ride without lactic acid burning my legs into submission, stick some appropriate gears on, give it 6 months of training, and I could do the Fred Whitton. This started me thinking – which would be harder, the Fred Whitton, with it’s short but vicious gradients reducing your legs to jelly, or the slow attrition that is climbing in the Alps?

After a call to editor Rob Spedding, I was committed to a Fred Whitton/La Marmotte double. It was at this point my friends started calling me crazy.

 Three months later…

I knew this couldn’t be good for me. It really, really couldn’t be good for me. The world looked different from down here, and I was viewing the tarmac rushing by from a new and interesting angle. I’d just hit a patch of diesel at 60kph and was sliding along on my shoulder. I don’t know how long I slid for, but I know it was long enough for me to look around while I was sliding. Luckily, my winter jacket was astonishingly sturdy (Altura, my skin salutes you!) The windproof front panel was not even affected.

The same could not be said for my winter tights, however. It turns out, I’d put my knee out to control the slide (imagine a superbike rider in a corner). There was a large patch of road rash on my shin, but that didn’t worry me. It was the hole in my knee that concerned me most. It was about 10-15cm wide, and was a few millimeters deep. All hint of skin was gone, and I can only describe its appearance as ‘fleshy’, with a long strip flapping about at the bottom of the wound. Years of BMX had taught me to fall properly, and I have that experience to thank for the lack of broken bones.

After posting this image to Facebook, a BMXer friend of mine (a man who considers roadies with the same disdain that Dennis the Menace has for Walter and the Softies), made the comment ‘Oh dear, you’ve laddered your tights!’

Then I thought about my bike. My brand new Boardman SLR 9.0, which has been loaned to me by the good people at Boardman Bikes for my endeavour. When the front wheel started to disappear to the right (it was on a long and gentle right-hand corner), I’d compensated and gone into a two wheel drift, causing the bike to spin around and fall to its drivetrain side.

Not Tom’s Boardman, not yesterday…

As the road rapidly approached, I’d tucked into a ball, braced against the coming impact without putting an arm out, in fact, sliding along the road, I was still holding on to the drops. The long and the short of it, as my clubmates inspected my bike, was that the only casualty was the mech-hanger, which had been scraped along the tarmac.

After a long, expensive taxi ride back to my home in Peckham (Sunday, rail replacement buses, don’t ask…) I dressed the wound and even took a quick bike ride to Dulwich Park for a coffee. I’d been lucky and I’d be over this quickly, I thought.

Waking up in the morning, however, I realised that while the former was true, the latter certainly wasn’t. My entire leg had swelled up to double its normal size and couldn’t be moved. The Fred Whitton was looking incredibly unlikely. A quick scan of the UK sportive calendar however, and I saw the Wiggle Dragon Ride. While the gradients may lack the vicious punch of the Lake District, the 130 mile length could make up for it.

A month after my crash, I’ve started riding and training again. Thanks to the wonder that is the hydrocolloid gel patch, my knee is almost healed, there’s just a scab the size of a 10p piece left, and the road rash is almost completely gone. After a week taking in around 250 miles, I feel I’m back to the level I was at pre-injury – even better perhaps. And now I’ve just got three short months to build the endurance necessary to ride the 130 miles of the Brecon Beacon’s vertiginous slopes which make up the Dragon Ride. Bring it.

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