Scott D Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Introduction March 2004 had been my first training holiday in Mallorca. This camp followed on from a difficult winter for me, where I'd changed pedal system from Look to Speedplay to alleviate knee pain, lowered my saddle 5cm after a bikefit session with Brian Smith (best advice I've received, thx Brian), and had to relearn how to pedal properly. I remember getting dropped all over winter, and in January recovering from a virus struggling to hold 19mph back on the cycle path after a long reliability run with the club. By March that year I'd toughened my knees up to handle the pressures of pushing properly through with the heel and pulling back again. The camp that year had been brutal for me. I'd taken most of december off the bike (bad idea),then prepared for the trip with slow base miles. As a result every day I was just hanging on for dear life on the climbs. Sometimes so wasted on 2 days that I just had a recovery drink, bath, dinner and bed. March 2005 camp This year I'd managed to retain most of my fitness from the previous year. Training consistently over the winter trying to build a strong base for the next season. Trying some new training ideas (inc. power testing as a volunteer at Glasgow Uni, to see how I rated against my peers), and repeating the stuff that works. I've tried various dietary changes, including removing processed food from my diet, cutting down on bread, potatoes and pasta, and increasing the volume of rice, water, fruit and nuts. I've also broken some of Joe Friel's rules regarding periodisation training for overload purposes. There is becoming a cult of sorts surrounding him, but at the end of the day no one knows your body better than yourself. Here are some of the other cyclists who went on the trip, doing their second favourite hobby... eating ! http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... ca2005.jpg mallorca2005meal Alan Robertson (Glasgow Wheelers) Gordon Murdoch (Glengarnock Wheelers) Derek Walker (Glasgow Wheelers) Gareth Gates Bill the chameleon Wilson Kane (Royal Albert) Will Young Peter Collins (Glengarnock Wheelers) Judge Vinny (Royal Albert) Mark Richards (Glasgow Wheelers) And here is another pic. The happy faces say it all. Its raining in Glasgow, sunny in Mallorca ! mallorca2005group Bill the chameleon Derek Walker Gordon Murdoch Alan Robertson Mark Richards Me Some routes http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... e_maps.jpg We arrived about lunchtime on the friday, got the bikes built, went out for a few hours around the area of Calvia climb. This climb is the staple of training camps based on the south of the island. We were to race up it on every run of the holiday -- always saving the climb for the end of a long run to mimic most closely race conditions. On the first day I chased every move on the ascents and overheated each time. Its nice to open the lungs up for the days that follow. The next 2 days were hilly and flat respectively. Although you might not believe me when I say the second profile is the flat one. http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... rofile.jpg http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... rofile.jpg If you look at both profiles you'll see the distinctive bump of the Calvia climb at the end on each one. Ignore distances as I had the GPS switched off at times. On the hills, since I hadnt been able to prepare with intervals prior to the trip, I focused on threshold work and aerobic intervals (or "spiking"). http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... 050313.jpg The graph (of half of a days effort) above shows a good example of hill threshold work around 30minutes on the timeline. While the timeline around 1:40 shows aerobic intervals (the HR spikes of effort+ recovery). Aerobic intervals are a soft introduction for the anaerobic intervals that follow in the weeks ahead. The bunch split into groups of similar ability, so everyone could push themselves as hard as they wanted. Low pulse readings on the graph above usually mean waiting for people -- its nice to be sociable. 4 of us formed a natural group, Mark Richards, Jamie Drever, Gordon Murdoch and myself. We were joined by other people including Peter Collins or Graham Walsh (before he unfortunately became ill), but generally we knocked lumps out of each other each day. On the S bends up the mountains a favourite was to speed up on the flats, and slow down on the corneras, to change pace repeatedly to try and wear out the others. It was amazing to watch Gordon's pedalstroke. On one early climb I remember Graham driving the pace on, and Gordon spinning away in a really low gear. I was keeping everyone informed on how I was feeling. "I'm uncomfortable. I'm really uncomfortable. See you guys at the top!". Gordon just replied, "aye its hard". By the end of the holiday, I could really feel the benefit of quality miles in a warm climate.. on one of the last day I was racing guys from Stockport Clarion up the Calvia climb in the big ring !Hopefully some of this will carry over to my racing in the weeks ahead. If you get a chance to go cycling in Mallorca I recommend it thoroughly. After a few days hard training, it was fab to go out in Magaluf to let off steam as we had a recovery day after. Great bunch of guys. Already looking forward to next year Happy pic http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... ca2005.jpg Scott ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all your computer needs, spares & repairs - PC Express, Love Street, Paisley 0141-561-0323 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott D Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I forgot to attach the group pic http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... up2005.jpg mallorca2005group Bill the chameleon Derek Walker Gordon Murdoch Alan Robertson Mark Richards Me ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all your computer needs, spares & repairs - PC Express, Love Street, Paisley 0141-561-0323 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougie Da Rosa Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Scott,were Julian Cleary and Graham Norton not with you on that trip as the rest of the "boys " seem to have been listed?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Looks good mate. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all your computer needs, spares & repairs - PC Express, Love Street, Paisley 0141-561-0323 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott D Posted March 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Good result for Gordon Murdoch in Stage 6 of Tour of the North... just pipped on the line. http://www.cyclingulster.com/index.php? ... table=news http://www.cyclingulster.com/Races%2005 ... -break.htm Cant believe he's still wearing those red leggings from Mallorca ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all your computer needs, spares & repairs - PC Express, Love Street, Paisley 0141-561-0323 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Collins Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Scott, Hope you are well after your accident, I have some quality pics from Majorca, drop me a line and I can forward them to you, email [email protected]. Cheers and hope you have a speedy recovery. Peter Collins ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all your computer needs, spares & repairs - PC Express, Love Street, Paisley 0141-561-0323 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott D Posted April 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Thanks for the pics.. they're great I've linked to 3 below... Trying to rip the legs off Mark Richards on one of the hairpin climbs http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... imbing.jpg The roads in Mallorca are fantastic for cycling http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreema ... _roads.jpg The Peleton http://www.hometown.aol.com/scottfreemail/LePeleton.jpg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all your computer needs, spares & repairs - PC Express, Love Street, Paisley 0141-561-0323 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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