10,000km

My target for the year 2017 was 9000km. This would have beat my previous best by 1000km but in my head I always had the goal of 5 figures in the km total and I managed that with 3 days to spare of the year.

The first half of the year saw a good spring so I was well ahead of target at the halfway point however the onset of autumn and the cyclocross season made the miles harder to find. With CX races curtailing long runs on a Sunday and efforts short and sharp the mile finding became harder. Commuting became an issue with some awful weather and a busy work schedule so the turbo trainer had to help make up some of the shortfall. The Turbo does a job but my goodness is it boring. Anyway the year finished with 3 good real world efforts which saw me over the 10,000km mark.

The Highs
Obviously there were some cycling highs. The cycling in Mallorca being the outstanding high of the year. In particular my day out on Sa Calobra and the Puig Major. Never to be forgotten but hopefully repeated in 2018.

There was of course a podium finish when I became the club (handicap) TT champion plus a 4th place in a mountain bike race in Dalmellington.

There were some excellent days out for fun too. Two century rides, 1 to the "Golf Ball" above Wanlockhead and 1 entirely unplanned ride in February which ended in snow in the dark!

There  was also my first loop of the 5 Ferries route which was a brilliant day out in great Spring Weather and numerous trips into the Ayrshire Alps and Dumfries and Galloway.

The Lows

There were of course some lows. This was the year the commute got boring. I've been riding it for 8 years now and its getting dull, not quite as dull though as the turbo. There is only so much Netflix can do to help the tedium.

While managing the 10,000km I am still the same weight as I was last year. My eating habits and waistline are holding me back. Cyclists who do less than me are leaving me behind because they are not having to carry extra padding around with them. Time is running out for me to fix this.

I felt I did well at the cyclocross this year but it can be disheartening to have your arse handed to you every Sunday and find yourself dying for 64th place. Maybe I am being hard on myself but I'd like to see some improvement next year. Some change of lifestyle and training habits could and should help this out.

2018

So what about the year to come?

More mountain biking. With a new 29er in the stable I want to race some XC and MTB Marathons, get back to my off-road roots.

I need to train smarter. I've done the miles this year but to get faster I need to go for more quality over quantity and again EAT SMARTER!!!!!

As always I just want to enjoy my cycling whether it be in a club run, a race or as the name suggests as a lone biker!

Here's to miles and smiles in the year ahead.

Ayrshire Alps 17

I didn't do many sportives this year, in fact this might be the only one but the Ayr Burners CLub sportive in the wonderful Ayrshire Alps was back in August. Great day out and the weather wasn't to bad either. The Ayrshire Alps is a great playground for cyclists which you should head to if you get the chance.

Club TT Champion

I have been particularly lazy in updating my blog so I didn't mention that I became the Loudoun Road Club (handicap) TT champion. It took place over the Cronberry Circuit used in the Bruce Cockburn Memeorial TT and I recorded a PB to take the win. It was a great way to mark my first year in Loudoun Road Club which I have thoroughly enjoyed and made many new peloton friends. I also got to pick up a trophy at the club's annual dinner which was a great night.

Cyclocross Winter 17

So the Cyclocross Scottish Season is over (kind of: There's a postponed race slotted in for February) with the Super Quaich races to come in the new year. I feel I have done a lot better this season. I have moved up at least a good 10-15 places on average. I am placing in the 50's which to the rest of the public must sound poor but with races of over 120 competitors some of which have competed professionally or the Olympics I feel that's not to bad. In all races I have been finishing ahead of those guys I usually find myself racing around so I am pleased.
The races were an unusally slipper Callander Park in Falkirk, Muckfest at Fife College, a greasy Lochore Meadows and my favourite sand storm at Irvine Beach. Irvine was my best performance of the year and my favourite day to as, you can see from the pictures below, my daughter made her cyclocross debut coming 10th in the under 8 category which being only 5 is awesome.
I'd still like to get better though and although I'm never going to win these races I think I can do better.
Anyway check out the stats and a selection of pics below.

New Bike No. 7

So I haven't posted in ages and I will be updating the blog on the last 6 months but latest news is I have went back to my roots and bought a new mountain bike. Hoping to do some XC and MTB Marathons in 2018.
Check it out my new Giant XTC 29er Advanced 1. It is awsome!

Lowther Hill

Last Sunday  a fellwo clubmate and I headed into the Leadhills. Its a loop I have done before but my young clubmate wanted to climb to the Radar unit (The Golf Ball) on Lowther Hill above Wanlockhead. It is a private road to the top but you can lift the bike over the barrier at the bottom and head up the steep climb. It was a tough one which steepens as you near the summit but at the top you are rewarded with views all the way to the Lake District.
The day gave me my biggest day of climbing on the British Isles and my second century ride of the year.

Cycling the Tramuntana Mountains

This year I was holidaying in Peurto De Pollenca in Mallorca. I had been looking forward to my holiday in the sun as I always do but more so for the cycling on offer for which the island is famed.
The hotel I was in, The Villa Concha, was perfect for the family and also for the cyclist.
The hotel had its own bike shop, bike storage, tools, water and washing facilities for guests (see pics) that and rental bikes which were of a high quality. I found myself riding a carbon Bianchi Intenso full Ultegra for the week with fulcrum wheels which was fantastic.

Cap de Formentor

The first of my cycles was a favourite from my last visit to the island. Out to the lighthouse and back along the Cap De Formentor was spectacular and as awesome as always. This time though I added in the small (if rough) climb to the pepper pot which gives great views of Port De Pollensa.

Alcudia and Femenia

The next cycle was a bit of exploration. I headed out along the Cap De Alcudia. It was a nice winding road with some small climbs and switchbacks. There was a lighthouse at the end which I was hoping to get to however I came to a tunnel with giant gates across the front advising that it was a military zone so I turned around. I headed back towards Play De Muro then inland to Sa Pobla. I then truned and enjoyed the rolling hills and the sounds of the crickets as I headed to Pollensa old town before turning on to the Ma10 to climb the Col de Femenia. It was just spectacular. Limstone cliffs and mountains either side of the road gave me stunning scenery as I climbed the switchbacks and at one point I was accompanied in the sky with what could have been an Eagle or a Mallorcan vulture. The decent back in to Pollensa was just as enjoybale bfore heading back along the carpet like road surface to the hotel.

Coll de la Creueta

My next cycle was a small before dinner jaunt up the first climb out of Port De Pollensa called Coll de la Creueta. Its not long 10 mile round trip but the heat saps everything out of you and makes even the smallest of climbs feel like an Alp.

Sa Calobra and Puig Major

This was the biggest day of cycling in distance, climbing and in bucket list stakes. I met up with a fellow Ayrshire cyclist Jim who spotted me on the island on STRAVA and sent a message to go a joint ride.

We drove in his rental to Lluc and then set out early in the morning to take on the Col De Reis before descending the infamous Sa Calobra. Wow. Wow. Wow. Its like someone built a scaletirx track for cyclists. The switchbacks scenery and road itself are breath-taking. We reached the bottom and after a coffee stop started the climb back up which was equally spectacular. I have never cycled anything like it in my life and my words do not do it justice. You will have to go yourself to experience it for yourself.

After completion and with a lot of the day ahead we rehydrated and headed towards Puig Major, the highest peak on the island. While you cannot get to the top as it’s a military road you can reach the Mannibar tunnel which itself is at 900m above sea level. We made the descent into Soller down a twisty serpentine road. We then poured water into our bottles and over our heads (the heat was 38oC) and started the climb back up to the tunnel. The 14km that took us around 20 minutes to come down took us over 2 hours to climb. The heat just sapping all energy and even though its full effort the heat means you can never go fast enough to be out of breath. Once through the tunnel again we made the descent back to Lluc past the beautiful Gorge Blau.

This was by far the most spectacular day of cycling I have ever done and has only left me pining  to be back in Mallorca every time I see the rain outside or cycle on Scotland’s diabolical road surfaces.

The Best of the Lot

The only thing left to do was the best cycle of the holiday. A totally different rental bike with child seat and My daughter and I cycled along the coastal cycle track to Alcudia and back singing as we went.

 

Mallorca is a magical place. the Tramuntana mountains typifying this. I cannot fully describe how incredible these island mountains are for cycling but one things for sure, now that we are booked up for next year in the same hotel July 2018 can’t come fast enough.