Tag Archives: Euro City Cycle

E-minus 100 (days) and counting…

in exactly 100 days time I will be setting off on my Euro City Cycle ride to Brussels. I’ve been trying not to get too caught up in all the details as it’s seemed such a long way off, but I guess now it’s time to get myself organised.

By my reckoning, there are four things that I need to arrange:

Logistics: I need to get from Aberdeen to London (and back). My preferred travel option is by train. Although this will take about 7 hours, it seems to be the simplest option, not least because it avoids the need to take my bike apart (and more critically re-build it at the other end!).

One of my current challenges, however, is that I don’t know where the cycle starts. I therefore don’t know where exactly I need to be. This issue is countered by the fact that I can’t book the train tickets until 3 months in advance, so I just need to be patient for a few days.

I will also need to stay in London overnight both before and after the cycle. I’ll select a cheap hotel that’s close to where I need to be. Again, a problem not knowing the cycle departure point!

So, not much I can do right now on Logistics other than try to get some more details… I guess knowing where you need to be, and when, are always key elements of good logistics!

Kit: This should be the easiest of to address. I can hear the advice now… “Throw a Credit Card at it!”.

Although I have a “Kit List”, the range of cycling clothes, accessories, dietary supplements, etc. to choose from is huge. Being a relative novice to cycling and a complete novice to cycling longer distances, there is quite a high probability that I’ll select poorly (non-functional, impractical, over-priced, superfluous, etc.).

Green Flash were not cool when I was at school!

I’d like to avoid the schoolboy nightmare of turning up in the wrong gym kit (for example, wearing Green Flash when everyone else has Adidas). Until I arrive on that first morning, there will always be that niggling concern that I’ll spend four days with people giggling at me behind my back! Of course I’ll be grown up about it, but these are feelings that I don’t think ever completely go away, no matter how confident you are!

I’d also like to avoid the situation where everyone else turns up with the one essential, secret item that is the difference between having a safe, comfortable, enjoyable trip… and not.

As things stand, I’ll just have to rely on luck however some advice would be helpful. Any suggestions?

My kit (and luggage) obviously has to work with the logistics. Once I’ve worked out where I need to get to in London, I need to be able to get there safely with bike, bags, etc. I suspect this is a situation in which less is more!

Sponsorship: When is the right time to start fund raising? There is an argument for “as soon as possible”, but if people are like me they will recognise they have plenty of time and do nothing. I could wait until the last minute, but that doesn’t leave much scope for reminding people.

Having pondered this for a while, I’ve reached the conclusion that right about now is a good time to start. 100 days before the event, Christmas is out of the way, everyone’s in need of the feel good factor that giving a little money to charity will provide… the timing couldn’t be better!

Sponsorship will be a feature of the run-in to the cycle, but I’m not going to obsess about it. I am paying for the trip myself so every penny raised will go to the British Heart Foundation. I’ve set myself a target of raising £3,000 but that’s just a target… it’s all good!

Incidentally, my fundraising site is up and running, you can access it by clicking here.

Thanks again to everyone who’s already sponsored me!

Training: So that just leaves training (which I also equate to Health and Fitness). So far so good I’d say. I’m cycling over 40 miles on a regular basis, and around 120 miles a week. I need to ramp it up as we get close to the event, and do more outside on the open road, but I have time. The key thing is that I look after myself.

I also have the small matter of a check-up with the Cardiologist in a couple of weeks. It’ll be the first time I’ve seen him since I left hospital in June so it’s a reasonably significant event. I’m not exactly sure what the check-up will entail. Hopefully it’ll be a formality. Fingers crossed!

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So, that’s it. I always feel better when I’ve made a list. Now all I need to do is start crossing things off it!

It’s not the destination…

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In 4 months time I will embark on my Euro City Cycle challenge. As they say…

“It’s the journey, not the destination, that matters most.”

Even arriving in London to start the event will be a major milestone on my journey. When I signed up for the event in August last year it seemed like a huge challenge… more of a distant dream, in fact.

It was just 2 months after my Heart Attack and I was still in Phase 3 Cardiac Rehabilitation, being closely monitored throughout my 30 minute work-outs. I knew I needed to give myself something to work towards.

I was excited but very nervous at the same time… Was taking on too much? Would I physically be able to do it (ever even)? Was I being too ambitious? Foolhardy? At that stage I wasn’t even sure that the Doctor would allow me to participate.

The sun always shines on the Euro City Cycle!

Now, having got 6 months of structured exercise under my belt I’m feeling a bit more confident. According to the “Welcome Pack” I received for the event, as a Novice I should start my training today. I should begin by cycling 5 to 10 miles, 3 or 4 times a week, and slowly build up from there. I feel like I’m slightly ahead of the curve on this so for the time being I’ll focus on maintaining my routine throughout the worst the winter has to offer.

I can’t wait until the weather improves, the days lengthen and the temperature increases (to the extent it ever does in North East Scotland!) so I can safely get outside on my bike. For the time being I’ll get the miles in on the Turbo Trainer.

Over recent weeks I’ve connected with other people that are doing more ambitious challenges; Land’s End to John O’Groats (854 miles), Southern Spain to Northern Norway (~4,000 miles). To be honest I’m feeling a bit envious, but I am looking at this as a stepping stone.

Cycling from London to Amsterdam to Brussels in 4 days will be an accomplishment in it’s own right, particularly given I should complete it less than a year after the Heart Attack. However, I’m not counting my chickens… I need to keep my head down and do the work so I can really enjoy the London to Brussels leg of my journey!

(Not) Hitting the wall

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I sometimes worry about the frame of my Turbo Trainer failing and me being catapulted into the wall of my office at 25-30 miles an hour…

… but I’ll take my chances.

I am definitely an indoor cyclist at the moment. I’m clocking up the miles on my Turbo Trainer, without moving an inch (and long may it stay that way!). Cycling standing still.

Not the most glamorous location, but it works!

I’m sure the cyclist purists wouldn’t approve, but it’s a convenient way for me to get regular exercise. It will also help build the strength in my legs and my “engine”. Given I had precisely zero miles under my belt in July, every little helps.

The weather really hasn’t been conducive to getting outside either, so this is what it has to be. Having negotiated the winter solstice, the days will start to get longer again offering the promise of evening outside on the bike… in time.

Working out on the Turbo Trainer is different to cycling outside in many ways:

Firstly, you have to pedal continuously as you don’t get any benefit from free-wheeling. This means continuous pressure and continuous effort. A good, controlled work out is guaranteed!

Unexpected Turbo Trainer incidents to one side, it’s obviously safer. It’s very hard to fall off a fixed bike, and there isn’t any traffic to negotiate. Being seen isn’t an issue and there’s no need to navigate pot-holes, ice or any other obstacles that may present themselves.

A very high tech set-up… the picnic table and cardboard box work a treat!

When you’re standing still you obviously don’t get any wind resistance or experience any friction from the road. This makes clocking up the miles a bit easier. The difference when cycling outside amazing, particularly the impact of dodgy road surfaces.

It feels much hotter cycling inside. That sounds a bit silly as it is much warmer, but without a cooling breeze to help moderate the temperature, the only outlet is sweat. I sweat a lot. A variety of towels have been commandeered to help fight back. It’s really not a pretty sight!

One of the areas that concerns me a bit is that I’m not getting a chance to build my bike handling skills. As a result, I’m less elegant and generally more of a liability when I get outside. I just have to gain comfort from the fact that this will come in time. The more time I can spend outside when I finally get there, the better.

Finally, and importantly for me, working out at home eliminates all concerns about me experiencing issues when I’m out and about cycling on my own. Fortunately I haven’t experienced any problems yet, but the concern is always there (for others as well as myself). Being within earshot gives everyone an increased level of comfort.

The Euro City Cycle in May has given me a real focus. When I first decided to do it, it seemed like a HUGE challenge. I’m feeling increasingly confident that I’m going to be physically capable of completing the 300 miles over 4 days. The fact that I can continue to train despite the worst the winter weather can throw at me is a real bonus.

Happy cranking!