2017. Changed; A year of difference - (Part 2 of 2)

Written by Dave on 17 January 2018.

I started my training on the bike in 2017 in March, I’ll be very upfront and honest here, I really don’t like cycling in the cold or the rain, I know this is reversed in a 24 hour race because you can’t do anything about that, But on my own I can, and I prefer to cycle in the dry I spent good money on kit and a Bike which I felt I couldn’t afford to drop on a icy or wet road.

What I decided to do was keep active by walking, I did try running but really didn’t get along with it, hmmm I still have very nice running shoes to go walking in now though…. I also kept going to the gym and tool Pilates class too, the gym was good for making me slightly stronger and Pilates for my core, once I had spoken to the guys at the gym about my 2017 goals they we’re honest and said start riding more as muscle memory for a specific sport comes from doing that sport, I got hold of a static bike and used when I could along with run-walk-run-walk 2 minutes at a time, my legs became well balanced and by March I was ready to jump on the bike. I had booked a trip to Majorca to ride with an Ex Pro Rider in May who runs a school near Palma. So, I now had a positive Goal and to me I had 8 weeks to ride a few miles I mean how hard could riding in Lovely Spain be right?

I wanted a new year of change for the better, it was May and I was about to change my life for the better once again #Happy.

End of March I had a good ride then due to work being busy I missed the following week but by mid-April saw a great ride of 3+ hours, followed by 4 hours the next week, I was feeling good about being on the bike I was going out hour by hour looking for what hill’s I could find in the flats of Berkshire where I live, in those 6 weeks I gave myself to prep for Spain I had put in around 14 rides mainly short bursts but great for clearing the mind and putting myself in a far better position of clarity muscle memory and good positive energy, Although my biggest challenge was to come but I was lucky I didn’t know any of that…

I wanted a new year of change for the better, it was May and I was about to change my life for the better once again #Happy.

May 20th, 2017 travel to Palma, Majorca, Spain. A Saturday Meh in the UK sunny in Majorca! I had decided to hire a bike in Spain so Travel was easy a suitcase full of training kit and then a suitcase for er hmmm normal beach & holiday clothes, Got to the hotel in Palma Nova it’s close to Magaluf a place many will know for a party lifestyle, Palma Nova is usually nice a quite for families so I opted for this, the Cycling school only 2km away is close to enough for me, just along the sea front prom each morning which I used as my warm up ride, I scouted the area for good places to eat the right food and places I could rest up in the evenings with a glass of something cold, I felt ready to roll.

Sunday 21st May, Collect bike from Stephen Roche cycling holidays, I opted for a very nice and pricy Pinarello as I thought I could buy one if I liked it, I had to bring my own pedals, bike shoes etc so once these we’re fitted I went on a little recce around the area with a couple of the others I met that day I went on my own so meeting nice people to ride with was a great start.

Monday 22nd, Met at Cycle school early thinking the worst, But I was put in a group of experienced but slower riders from the UK and USA, all had done big events and 100-mile rides. I hadn’t so thought I could gain good experience from some of them, Our ride was around 3.5 hours and did include a massive hill, which we thought was a mountain but nope, it was a hill our guides told us tomorrow is about the mountains Oh-No, I was very happy after this ride I’d kept up with everyone and was faster downhill so the Pro riders asked me to go into another group for the next day #gulp

Tuesday 23rd Next level I was about to learn the difference between a hill and a mountain, and the real meaning of the term, Blood-Sweat, and Tears. Ride to Calvia, Esporels the long way around of course, back via Mt Grand Esporels and the big climb of Puigpunyent before heading back to Palma total distance of 78, which was long for me, and climbing 3481 feet was a very new experience with one climb alone being 1481 which I would have to climb for the rest of the week each day Phewie I said or something along those lines yes…

One on of these climbs I lost everyone in cycling terms this is called Bonking (I know) during this Bonk I couldn’t breathe I was hitting bottom gear way to soon and just spinning out all the way up every single incline I was all out of sorts and then Nathan Stephen Roche’s son in law came to my aid, He dropped back and stopped me, we just sat on a rock for about 4 minutes and I sucked in the air, Right Dave jump back on we are going up this climb together and you will catch the others up trust me on this your faster downhill and your going to learn to love climbing mountains, ( I think he knew he was lying about the last bit) On the bike I got, went side ways trying to gather pace and then up ok I was slow but I was going up slightly higher gear too, what he did was speak to me got me to think about breathing and what I could do at the top, I turned a corner thinking I was near the top and saw a sign saying peak 2 miles well you can imagine the smile on my face, oh no wait I turned a shade of Casper Nathan just smiled however telling me I had this, He asked me about my journey and why I picked to go to Spain with very little experience we spoke for hours after this during the next few days, and I got to the top stopped for 30 seconds to take on water and I said lets catch up the others I had around 6 miles of rolling hills and then a massive down the other side of the mountain, this was the inspiration I needed to move like I’d never moved before, I was leaning into the curves going flat out hitting speeds of 45 then 50 then boom 60 MPH.

I was bouncing around like Tigger I was on a natural high with life

Before we reached the bottom I saw the others in the distance, we looked at each other and one last burst of energy we caught them up ok I hadn’t rested but I was full of excitement, I loved this, But, how on earth do I learn to climb suck it up fat boy I said, the Pro’s spoke to Nath at our coffee He told them about ‘cancer being fat losing 6 stone wanting to be a better person, they told me they would help me up those mountains, I was now part of this group and I didn’t want it to end, The ride back after coffee I did again fall back slightly from the others on the climbs but not much along the flat parts I was pushed to my limits to go faster, the downhill sections I was screaming like a kid at a fair-ground those hills oh those hills Ha! The afternoon back at the hotel I may have had a few cheeky beers negative 2300 calories I was bouncing around like Tigger I was on a natural high with life, We may have partied until late, unless other riders partners read this then we had a glass and early night 1am ish early.

Wednesday 24th May, This was set as a rest day, But as I was feeling good, a few of us decided to meet up, we decided this about midnight however, Beer sweats were going to be fun then, 30 degrees and I wanted to try those little (very big hill’s) off we popped a small ride a couple of hours we laughed and talked and whizzed down and then sweated ourselves up those hill’s I really enjoyed this morning ride after this we meet went into Palma to look around before meeting the other club members at a drinks reception late afternoon,

25th Thursday, Back to the group rides our group set off second meaning we had 60 miles of joyfulness to conquer and only 1900 feet of climbing to do over the same mountain twice I think todays Pro was very cool he took it on-himself to drop back and push, pull, drag me up those slopes. What he said might help was Sports Psychology this was something I took up soon after, as my mind-set was about work and enjoying life it wasn’t about going up mountains on a bicycle that much I knew. We continued onwards and upwards, I was growing to love this sport now although going uphill was not part of my mind-set I had to just sweat my to the end of this holiday, we went to Santa Maria and Sollar, then back again to Palma Nova, on the way back I was upfront then that blooming big one caught me out yet again everyone came past when the last guy came past he said something was hanging off the bike oh dear I’d broken a derailleur which is part of the gears, it’s needed apparently so I needed the service car to fix, I had fallen behind yet again I was down, bike fixed and on my own I cycled up to meet the others, they had waited for me and cheered me up the last few hundred meters I paused for water, the last 10 miles back was going to be epic, fast downhill section followed by a good sprint finish, this would test me and I was up for this part, soon reaching top speeds going down then kept up the speed on the other side rolling flats is brilliant and the run in I felt good again, on the last mile the part broke again oh poop I said, so close yet so far, I got back without needed the broom car, and handed the bike to the guys to fix before tomorrow, I felt good so I hit a few bars that afternoon had had fun with the guys I met,

Friday 26th May, This would be my last ride in Majorca due to flights back on Saturday I decided not to ride meaning I could make the most of todays ride and of course the evening’s entertainment shall we say.. This was put to us as a nice ride a little bit of climbing but mainly flat and short back early, Well I never thought 52 was short in distance before, and 2000 foot of climbs we’re only little hills I’ve really got a lot to learn! We set off to tour Palma or, so we thought, Our 2 Pro’s today didn’t speak much English and my Italian is some what lacking, Spanish slightly better so we muddled on by, going totally the wrong way for 15 miles, as they wanted to show us Palma from afar so it seemed Ha! We just went along thinking OK we will miss out and skirt by then head back, but nope we got to see every thing from afar then very close up, From riding in the city traffic to lanes where we saw no traffic for an hour, great to view Majorca this way and possible 3.5 hours of great community cycling with a ragged group of misfits who all got along and laughed together, the final part of the ride back from Palma to Palma Nova a mere 8 miles or so was busy exhilarating and made me smile, soon it was time to kiss all goodbye give back the bike, I was gutted about the odd fault but hey these things happen I guess I go back again to the same school for sure, knowing what I have taken away with me now, I’d hopefully be a stronger and a more positive rider with the mind-set looking better a cycling holiday to kick start each year is on the cards. OK it’s not lying on a beach all day, it’s about having the best of both worlds I think.

I did go out that day and the Saturday we flew home on the Sunday I went for a 20-mile ride around my area and blew around several Personal Bests so all in all I know the holiday, the Pro’s everything had come together and given me the boost I needed to move forward.

In part 3 I will talk about the rest of the years training leading up to Revolve 24-hour race, and hopefully my feelings after another great year which saw me laugh and cry my way to a better me

Tags: 2017, changed, spain, daveschanged, happy