Since last weekend our preparations for the Etape the Tour have made a dramatic change: Cycling Dave (as we call him) has come into the picture as our personal trainer! And dear me, this guy doens't mock about! It's like being part of that war movie Full Metal Jacket, only Dave doesn't only say things like 'I'm gonna give you three seconds, exactly three fuckin' seconds, to wipe that stupid lookin' grin off your face or I will gouge out your eyeballs and skull-fuck you!' like that Sgt Hartman in the movie, I've got a funny feeling he actually will!!
When we innocently asked for his advice last weekend, he looked us in the eyes and asked us if we 'cunts' were serious about the etape and worth his time... Obviously, scared shitless as we were, we said yes! And there's no way back now.
While we thought, at the start of all this, that we could get away with doing a bit of cycling on a sunday morning and maybe drink a few pints less in preparation for the Etape, now we are involved in Dave's private military training camp. The roads are our killing fields, the bikes are our machine guns, I'm even listening to Slayer again on my iPod to fuel the adrenalin necessary to survive all this. My favourite song 'Reign in Blood' seems all about Dave these days!
Over the next three months our world will be that of Body Mass Indexes, the 6 (war)zones, surviving on fruit alone and checking the colour of our blood red piss every morning! Still, they say cycling is all about 'the Art of Suffering' and that you will learn to appreciate it at some point. There's no room for mercy anymore, we are becoming cyclists!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
We've been there
2 weeks after Malaga, I found some energy to put some photos online! As you probarly know I was stuck out there for 4 extra days cos Tatiana was having bad luck with her health. At the moment she is still not fully recovered from this and she is still hearing only through one ear. We are happy that we have made the right decision to not fly back on monday. Finally I took the airplane on friday and Tatiana took the bus to Bayonne, from there the thalys to NL in order to arrive after 4 days travelling!
Since this week I felt that I had to do something again, so this evening I went to the gym for some spinning for the first time since Malaga and I felt bad after 1 hour jumping on the bike. This made me realise that I that I need to pick up my trainingsschedule, therefore I promised myself to cycle home every friday afternoon from work, 65 kilometers. So far I still not believe that I can cycle 165 kilometers in a row!
So how are you doing?
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
malaga
So we are back (though one, Toine is still out there!)
More comments soon but in the meantime some stats for you......
Summary Data
Moving Time (h:m:s)
12:46:27
Distance (mi )
153.60
Moving Speed (mph)
12.0 avg.
44.8 max.
Elevation Gain (ft)
+20,558 / -20,456
Day One: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5242212
Day Two: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5242211
Day Three: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5242210
More comments soon but in the meantime some stats for you......
Summary Data
Moving Time (h:m:s)
12:46:27
Distance (mi )
153.60
Moving Speed (mph)
12.0 avg.
44.8 max.
Elevation Gain (ft)
+20,558 / -20,456
Day One: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5242212
Day Two: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5242211
Day Three: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5242210
Monday, March 24, 2008
London to Paris accomplished
Chaps
We made it! Almost three days of cycling, and we cycled up the champs elysee as promised. Worked out at around 175 miles, and we averaged 13.8 miles an hour. Which meant we actually spent under 13 hours actually moving in the saddle.
Both bikes rode like a dream, we were stars, stayed in some eclectic hotels, and did it all with just a rucksack on our backs. We had two punctures, it rained most of the time, and it even snowed, but it was still a great adventure. And hardly anything aches - which fingers crossed, bodes well. Next the hills.
Lots to discuss over beers.
We made it! Almost three days of cycling, and we cycled up the champs elysee as promised. Worked out at around 175 miles, and we averaged 13.8 miles an hour. Which meant we actually spent under 13 hours actually moving in the saddle.
Both bikes rode like a dream, we were stars, stayed in some eclectic hotels, and did it all with just a rucksack on our backs. We had two punctures, it rained most of the time, and it even snowed, but it was still a great adventure. And hardly anything aches - which fingers crossed, bodes well. Next the hills.
Lots to discuss over beers.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Bike has arrived
Mes amies
Mon velo est arrive!
And it's beautiful - in the end it was really worth the wait. Have a look.
Today, I need to go out for our first ride in the rain, to stretch out the cables and ease it in before the ride to Paris next Friday.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Lazyness update
Basically I did nothing in the month of February, hardly even went to the gym. Today I did go out for four hours. Normally the ride would have been three hours but on the way back I was cycling in to a gale. Horrible. I dont think I have been that knackered for ages.
Pleased to hear you are out of the country Lard but dissapointed to read you are still keeping fit. Cant you just hang around the bar like normal people?
Anyway, thinking about next week and Malaga
Things to bring -- two spare inner tubes each, puncture repair kit, i'll bring a foot pump and a hand pump, bidon, sunglasses, helmet. I was thinking we should try three of four rides. From 40K on thursday and then maybe try 150K on the last day depending on the terrain and our legs. Talking of legs --- i'll be shaving mine this week!
We should take our time, lots of tea stops, the aim is to get miles under our belts and maybe try a few hills.. What do you think?
Toine, I hope you are as unfit as me.
The airline have lots of restrictions about how you can bring bikes so you should check before turning up to the airport.
Pleased to hear you are out of the country Lard but dissapointed to read you are still keeping fit. Cant you just hang around the bar like normal people?
Anyway, thinking about next week and Malaga
Things to bring -- two spare inner tubes each, puncture repair kit, i'll bring a foot pump and a hand pump, bidon, sunglasses, helmet. I was thinking we should try three of four rides. From 40K on thursday and then maybe try 150K on the last day depending on the terrain and our legs. Talking of legs --- i'll be shaving mine this week!
We should take our time, lots of tea stops, the aim is to get miles under our belts and maybe try a few hills.. What do you think?
Toine, I hope you are as unfit as me.
The airline have lots of restrictions about how you can bring bikes so you should check before turning up to the airport.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
San Diego Stories
This one doesn't have anything to do with cycling, but who cares, this one is about the real life. I'm in San Diego with my friend Nils who's here attending a conference. Normally I'm the one doing conferences, this time I'm a 'cling-on',I've been told. Or, just hanging out in a 5-star hotel, spending my days by the pool, drinking corona's, going for fancy lunches, meeting up with the other cling-ons and crashing the conference parties at night. Could this be the meaning of life?
Just to ensure you that I'm still working hard on staying fit, I went to the hotel gym twice, I swim every day and tomorrow I'll be playing a bit of tennis with the local totty. I've also been riding a bike, but as you know, one with a big engine on it. We drove to L.A. last weekend, had a big night out in 'the otheroom' in Venice and are heading out to the dessert this weekend. Weather is great, nothing like riding down Sunset Boulevard on a sunny sunday morning. A few more relaxing days like this and I'm all set for the next trip: our Malaga training camp. First things first though, time to go to a cocktail party. Be good boys!
Just to ensure you that I'm still working hard on staying fit, I went to the hotel gym twice, I swim every day and tomorrow I'll be playing a bit of tennis with the local totty. I've also been riding a bike, but as you know, one with a big engine on it. We drove to L.A. last weekend, had a big night out in 'the otheroom' in Venice and are heading out to the dessert this weekend. Weather is great, nothing like riding down Sunset Boulevard on a sunny sunday morning. A few more relaxing days like this and I'm all set for the next trip: our Malaga training camp. First things first though, time to go to a cocktail party. Be good boys!
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