THE AVERAGE CYCLIST

[ajay khandelwal]

I'm going to keep my Mr Average Blog on the Addiscombe forum through this year...as a background to my dealings with those crazy people at CW who plan to put me through all sorts of pain...So far this week I've spoken to Jackie Dabinett at SPARC to book an assessment appointment. She asked me a couple of tricky questions like, 'whats your preferred cadence?', 'Pedalling forwards...rather than backwards,' I don't think she was impressed...'Ok 90'...I thought that sounded respectable enough. 'Best time for 10', '27 I think', 'and 25?' , now thats a good question, ' a Short 50 ?', 'I've always wanted to say that, 'Short 50', sounds neat and compact..but what came out my mouth was actually, '1.10' although I think that's a fabrication because I've never actually done that time, i just reckon I could if it was all down hill. I've got no idea what they do at this place, the SPARC centre, but I'm booked to go down with a CW photographer on 22nd Feb. Jackie's told me to prepare for it like a race. I'm starting to feel slightly embarassed about having my picture taken by CW as a Mr average with his lycra stretching all over the place. So my training regime has started this week. I made a pack lunch for work...to control the calories going in...and I went for an hour breast stroke on Monday...followed by a hair cut to increase the weight loss and make a good start. Tuesday, I cycled to Eddies funderal and back, but then invited Sean in on way back for a Pizza and couple of beers. So that kind of cancelled itself out. Today i've already eaten my pack lunch and its only 11am. But will go for a swim. Tomorrow I'm going to put my vital stats on here: weight, girth etc, and I'll track them each week. If you want to join my on line cycling weight watchers...then the weigh in is every Thursday.

[Toks]

I kinda have that first date feeling with this one Soop's. Does she really fancy me? (Is he really gonna bother?) She says she does? (He says he will); will the relationship be over in matter of weeks and we wonder what all the excitment was about;(will he go for it for a little while and then quit) or will we get become boyfriend/girlfriend do all that sweaty stuff (will he really go for it get race fit and really try to race make 3rd cat). Oh who cares I'm still excited for ya

[Jon H]

[quote="ajay khandelwal"]Tomorrow I'm going to put my vital stats on here: weight, girth etc,

[ajay khandelwal]

Hey, look, Mr Average is very average. I ran the marathon in 6 bleeding hours ! You can walk it in 6.15 ! I am famous for starting many things and never finishing them. I have been noted for my talents in completly divorcing anything I say from what I actually do. I think the phrase 'actions speak louder than words' was actually invented for my specific style of talking in the big ring, whilst cycling in the small ring. As someone in the club pointed out, 'You need attitude training, not altitude training.' Yes its all true. I'm the guy that just never improves. Mr Plateau. So here's the thing, i got the 1% inspiration, now can I add the 99% perspiration and change the habit of an accumulated life time. Add two small babies into the mix, just to make it a little more tricky this time. Most people wouldn't stand a chance, but I got you guys, the addiscombe cycling club, my conscience and motivator and enforcer. I know if i don't get with the programme here...I'll never live it down. Pleased today. Did 1 hr fat burning run at lunch. Yes - I could do with 6 days of that stuff - but that's another story.

So I'm thinking of tips I have had over the years from ACC members. I rememeber Apples on the way to the club dinner, I asked him, how did you lose weight ? 'I stopped drinking alcohol, and eating biscuits'. Ok Apples can you pad your theory out about a bit, perhaps a little intro about your life to date, some graphs, a little bit of sweat and struggle, a massive alcohol and biscuit eating bender for 3 weeks ? Relapse and redemption? 'No I just did it and the weight fell off'. The only thing about Apples philosophy is I heard that exercise + moderate alcohol means you've got less chance of a heart attack (about 50 % less than a couch potato, versus 40 % less if you just exercise). So i'm thinking some alcohol might be good to wash away that bad cholosterol. Ok, so i'm going to cut out desserts (fruit) and take the wine and beer down to 3 nights only. That's committment - I've signed up to the Apples diet from today.

[Andrew G]

Plenty of apples in cider .

[ajay khandelwal]

[quote="Andrew G"]Plenty of apples in cider .

[Grahame]

34cm waist?

That's only 13.4" even beanpole Williams' waist must be twice that size. Perhaps your weight loss has been *a bit* too rapid.

[ajay khandelwal]

haha...ok 34.9 inches i think is the accurate measurement !
had a fabulous club run this saturday ! Yo-yoing off the back of the 18mph group mainly...
Thanks to Ian's unwavering grip on his group I was told off several times for threatening group discipline
I spent a lot of time yo yoinng off the back of the group, pretending I was helping some guy off the back...except the guy off the back was always in front of me when i shouted, 'i've left him in a ditch...bloody 17.5 mpher rider trying to join our group'...'no you haven't mate, i'm here.' Luckily my group slowed down, as they were afraid of slipping on ice...so i kept up for a while. Until i spoke to Chris Scarlett...I've got this test at roehampton Chris, what do they do ? 'A ramp test..its horrific'..they make you work, and then make it harder and harder until you fail'. Fail ? Collapse ? At that point I took a queasy turn and my mini pump started working loose. I told Chris I needed pull over to fix it. Chris insisted on staying with me to give me a tow back. I put my pump in my back pocket after about 3 minutes...and then I couldn't get my foot in the cleat. 'Chris please go ahead', 'No Ill give you a tow back, no problem'...'Chris xxxx off and leave me'...I think the point got through. Sometimes you got to leave a man alone to nurse his carefully staged mechanical in order to preserve some dignity. Arrived at cafe with Terry, who was looking super slim. 'What training programme you been following Terry ?' 'Norovirus, I lost half a stone'. I spent ten minutes trying to get Terry to sneeze in my direction to assist me with my weight loss plan, but he seems to be over the worse off it now. Had a nice egg on toast and tea at the cafe.
Good ride back with Ian Munnery showing some nice form and Dave Discwheel riding at the front too ! Il capitano was nestled in well towards the front. Good effort from Jo too ! Peaking just in time for their Feb trip to Mallorca. I soon konked out as a slight gradient appeared in the road. But my heart was really pumping, ouch. Regrouped at the coulsdon south cafe, and sat in the shade of our very own laughing buddha, John C, as I rang various train companies to arrange a ride home. At this point Huw 'Fine Wine' Williams arrived for a spot of lunch and the chat continued. No trains, so over to GBs to get a repair, something squeaking in my rear hub, and a ride home on with Sean Hogan express, making it my longest ride in about a year !

Sunday : 2 hours of hoovering and mopping on sunday, in lieu of a recovery ride...

[kieran]

Ajay, 2 tips from me:
1
If you work away from home then control over your eating is much easier during the day (no fridge and cupboards full of stuff to tempt you) - put in place a set routine for eating and mind what you eat ('healthy food snacks throughout the day - apples, bananas, natural yoghurt, ward off the munchies ) that doesn't change during the week. Hard at first, especially if people bring in nice treats to share but after a while habit and routine kick in and your desire for mid day snacks should decrease.
2
If it's at home its within easy reach so don't buy the biscuits/beer etc in the first place - if you are really desparate for a drink you'll be motivated enough to go and buy one.

[ajay khandelwal]

Yes I think its time to get drastic...no more beer or wine purchases...
And I may have to just cut out the booze completely...
And I brought in my own home made chicken soup today ! Had a slice of chocolate cake at a meeting though..
Am riding to work now - so that's 30 miles a week I was nt doing

[ajay khandelwal]

Just measured my waist with measuring tape - its 39 " before dinner
I wear 34 " jeans so just assumed that was my waist...
I need a drink

[Sylv]

That's better - I couldn't see the humour in the previous post!

[ajay khandelwal]

Thanks Sylv...in fact was talking about your role as unofficial bike and kit supplier to the Addiscombe on Saturday club run. We had Eliot out on a titanium merlin you sold him...Brian Robinson's bought your Look 585...and I was using two carbon bottle cages provided by you. The history of your falling in love and when the next model comes along - falling out of love with bikes, is contained in the addiscombe peloton. Its mechanical archive of your quest for perfection ! Good to see you out on your latest shinest white Look 585, lets see how long she lasts !

I've been taking it easy after the club run, concentrating on some behind the scenes thought and research. Watched some dieting tv...'Superskinny' vs 'Supersize' where a fat guy swaps his diet with an undernourished woman...and am thinking I may swap diets with Kieran, Slyvan, Toks or any of the other ACC mountain goats, whilst they get a week on my 'rouleur diet'...and also watched these two doctors eat a diet of fermented walrus meat...apparently good for the heart...Maybe its time for a 'Fermented Walrus Clubrun Energy Bar'. I'm in takes with Rapha's marketing department on that one. Really enjoyed the CW article on Malcolm 'age is just a number' Eliot. Appears he just trains as hard as he ever has, just making small adjustments in his plan to compensate for his age (47). He's keen on weight training for his legs, and focuses on the basic formula of maximising his power to weight ratio. The CW's definitely improved and I was so impressed I took out a subscription. However, certainly not impressed with Fine Wine's plagiarising of my Average Cyclist thread by a bunch of definitely non-average cycling obsessives !

In terms of eating and drinking, have been caught red handed with sly cigarette this week (watching all those skinny models on America's next top model has taken me to the edge) - so they're going in the bin...

Last night :

Did a 6 mile run with Dulwich Runners, at 10 minute mile pace, but did some heel sucking of a faster group towards the end, and ran some 8 minute miles...
I was absolutely convinced i got some wind shelter running at the back of the group ! . Post run drink reduced from 2pints to 1.5 pints. Progress is being made !