DR,
as many of you know, Dan was involved in an bike accident last
week.
given that safety is a key tenant of the Dendy Riders, I
chatted with Dan
to better understand the accident circumstances and to see if
there were
any learnings that we could take away
Compiling an accident / incident report is pretty commonplace
in businesses, especially
ones that operate in potentially dangerous environments (e.g.
construction,
mining)
So, here goes
I have split it up into :
1. accident report
2. learnings for the DR
1. accident report
So, Lippo was riding to work on the east link bike path. But,
Lippo, being
Lippo, was taking the 'long-route' to work. and I mean long -
like a 100k
morning loop pre-work (impressive!)
The East link path is a beautiful bike path. It is not that
busy and
follows a creek past golf courses etc
Lippo was not cruising, the training program for the day was
moderate HR <135 (have you ever seen him go easy?) - he was
riding
for a good "60k time" - but he was not racing for short
distance Strava records. He was not being reckless
As Lippo came around a wide bend on the bike path doing 27km/h,
a female cyclist coming in
the other direction has cut across Lippo's path (she was aiming
to exit onto
a small path off the main path).
She should not have been crossed the path without looking, but
there she was.
In the collision Lippo's forearm hit the top of the head set
with plenty
of impact and he put a large, nasty gash in his arm. She was
shaken, but her body and bike
unscathed. She has also admitted full responsibility for the
accident.
Lippo remained calm, but needed help from the lady to call an
Ambulance
etc. She went into shock and was unable to even follow simple
instructions
reliably (like, call 000)
The wound required Lippo to stop the bleeding with his jersey,
an ambulance
trip and some very good stich-work at the ER to patch up.
Lipp spent 10 days off the bike, needed a course of antibiotics
to knock the infection that resulted in the open wound
and is very relieved that the wound will fully
heal and that there is no major long-term damage other than he
will not be called upon so frequently as a Baywatch stunt
double.
2. learnings for the DR
Lippo highlighted three learnings from this situation
One; on bike paths, we simply have to make allowances for
other people
and their random actions. For example, on the beach bike path,
there are
many more people wondering out and across the bike path to get
to the beach
in warm weather. Now, in Lippo's case, there probably was
nothing that
Lippo could have done to prevent this accident, but it is a
reminder that
even on a bike path, there may not be cars, but there are other
risks we
must try to manage.
Recommendation: Adapt your riding style dynamically, depending
on the
conditions and the people around. Also, when travelling on a
bike path that
not many people use, people are not prepared for you to come
along, so
extra vigilance is required.
Two: the importance of a great GP. Through Lippo's recovery
phase, he has
relied upon the advice of his GP, a bloke who is a Loco cyclist
himself. Having
a medical professional that understands cycling and your
aspirations for
riding, and your interest in long term health and wellbeing,
has made a
massive difference to Lippo. The GP has advised on the
recovery phase and
when to get back on the bike etc... and has been really
supportive
throughout both this accident and Lippo's recovery from both
recent bouts of pneumonia. A good
reminder for us all.
Three: Response to antibiotics and cycling. To attack the
infection that went through Lippo's body, he had to have daily
penicillin injections - but the infection and antibiotics combo
really knocked Lippo's fitness levels (e.g.the drop has been
much more severe than pneumonia and the related chest coughs).
The learning here is that an infection, illness can drastically
reduce fitness levels, so adjusting ones training and ride
patterns is required . For Lippo, this has meant not rolling
turns last week at all in the faster groups and a Group A
comeback ride.
Recommendation: We should all ride to current fitness levels,
not last week’s, or last month's
So, thanks to Lippo for sharing the particulars of the accident
and looking
forward to welcoming you back on the Dendy Special....
Danger
Sunday, 15 February 2015
Sunday, 19 October 2014
Drop 3 competition - 2014
Launching the Drop 3 Competition for 2014…
Well, it is that time of the year again. Spring - and the time when the Dendy Riders need to come out from their winter hibernation and shed a few pounds to get ready for the beach in summer…..
So, for the third time running, we will be running the DR Drop 3 competition.
To recap:
most of DR are overweight
we could all to with a little extra motivation to get out on our bikes and watch what we eat
summer is coming
The competition:
Start: weigh-in will be 7am on Tuesday morning at Tuci-Brown - Oct 21st (The weigh in will be after the Dendy Special - from 7am to 7:20am)
Finish: DR official kit presentation night, 28th November
So, it is 6 weeks and12 Dendy Specials between the start and the finish…. this is a great time period for the competition to run.
The rules:
it is a pairs competition - so pair up (can usually do this on the morning)
there are points for three things this year:
1. weigh your team loses. 1 kg of lost weight = 1 point
2. the number of Dendy Specials your team does. 1 Dendy Special = 1 point
3. there will be "bonus" elements this year. at my discretion (and I can be influenced)
e.g. to launch the competition, riding on Tuesday morning is worth double points.
i.e. it is a 2 point morning.
I will ensure that any bonus points are declared in advance to ensure that everyone has a fair chance of winning. Let me say that the best way to win the competition is to:
1. turn up to Dendy Specials
2. lose some weight
3. demonstrate the DR values of: fun, fitness and friendship….
Last year recap: There was some great weight loss shown by the teams: see the graph below
TC and Laim dropped dropped more than 5kg in about a month, Fothers, Bruce and Kings also lost more than 3.
Last year, the competition was won so narrowly - with just 0.1kg separating the winning team from second….
Greg and TC took it out last year, just beating Tim N and Sammy G. As you can see from the graph below. the ride points (in blue) make a massive difference - so get to the morning Dendy Specials...
And, a final word on the competition….
In the first year, it was Liam and Lethers who did so well - (but, in year one it was a weight-only competition). Liam himself dropped almost 10kg!
This year, it is weight, # rides and some bonus elements (just to keep things interesting)
We know that Liam has gone out hard, with a dry month and the juice detox in full swing - no doubt there is more to go for Drop 3 and Liam is noted as a regular on the Special - especially during a competition.
Kings is already so lean - I'm not sure my traditional Drop 3 partner can lose any more weight - he might have to get a hair-cut…..
TC - already Mr Consistent on the pedals - can he keep it up in Spring?
And for those DR who have not been as regular as they could be on the Dendy Special…. now is the time…..
OK - see you Tuesday morning for the kickoff and weigh-in. I will have my scales….
Danger.
Well, it is that time of the year again. Spring - and the time when the Dendy Riders need to come out from their winter hibernation and shed a few pounds to get ready for the beach in summer…..
So, for the third time running, we will be running the DR Drop 3 competition.
To recap:
most of DR are overweight
we could all to with a little extra motivation to get out on our bikes and watch what we eat
summer is coming
The competition:
Start: weigh-in will be 7am on Tuesday morning at Tuci-Brown - Oct 21st (The weigh in will be after the Dendy Special - from 7am to 7:20am)
Finish: DR official kit presentation night, 28th November
So, it is 6 weeks and12 Dendy Specials between the start and the finish…. this is a great time period for the competition to run.
The rules:
it is a pairs competition - so pair up (can usually do this on the morning)
there are points for three things this year:
1. weigh your team loses. 1 kg of lost weight = 1 point
2. the number of Dendy Specials your team does. 1 Dendy Special = 1 point
3. there will be "bonus" elements this year. at my discretion (and I can be influenced)
e.g. to launch the competition, riding on Tuesday morning is worth double points.
i.e. it is a 2 point morning.
I will ensure that any bonus points are declared in advance to ensure that everyone has a fair chance of winning. Let me say that the best way to win the competition is to:
1. turn up to Dendy Specials
2. lose some weight
3. demonstrate the DR values of: fun, fitness and friendship….
Last year recap: There was some great weight loss shown by the teams: see the graph below
TC and Laim dropped dropped more than 5kg in about a month, Fothers, Bruce and Kings also lost more than 3.
Last year, the competition was won so narrowly - with just 0.1kg separating the winning team from second….
Greg and TC took it out last year, just beating Tim N and Sammy G. As you can see from the graph below. the ride points (in blue) make a massive difference - so get to the morning Dendy Specials...
And, a final word on the competition….
In the first year, it was Liam and Lethers who did so well - (but, in year one it was a weight-only competition). Liam himself dropped almost 10kg!
This year, it is weight, # rides and some bonus elements (just to keep things interesting)
We know that Liam has gone out hard, with a dry month and the juice detox in full swing - no doubt there is more to go for Drop 3 and Liam is noted as a regular on the Special - especially during a competition.
Kings is already so lean - I'm not sure my traditional Drop 3 partner can lose any more weight - he might have to get a hair-cut…..
TC - already Mr Consistent on the pedals - can he keep it up in Spring?
And for those DR who have not been as regular as they could be on the Dendy Special…. now is the time…..
OK - see you Tuesday morning for the kickoff and weigh-in. I will have my scales….
Danger.
Wednesday, 8 October 2014
Grand Fondo - 2014 Dendy rider analysis and results
This post is about the Grand Fondo - and specifically a bit of analysis and insights on the in-famous Dendy Rider Grand Fondo Handicap and Calcutta.
Those paying attention to their email would have already seen the overall results…… but behind every great result….. are a few more graphs (!!) and in the data, a few pearls of wisdom that may help you with next year….
So, we are going to start from the start…. how did we run the handicap this year?
Perfection for a handicapper is close race. In theory, if the handicapper has done his (or her) job well, all the runners in the race will approach the finish line all together….
We have a building set of data for the Dendy Riders. And taking the old add adage, previous performance is a pretty good guide of future performance….
1 we start with each riders last years climb time up the Skenes Creek climb (almost 10k) as a starting point (2013 time)
2. and then we make small adjustments, based on new, recent information. for example: we weighed all riders and for most, we were able to compare with last year
3. we also recorded the strava recorded km for the last 4 weeks ands if these were especially high (or low) we made a small adjustment
4. for a bit of fun, if you were riding on a beautiful new bike or had upgraded, then we docked you
5. and if in previous years, you had shown "variability" in performance (e.g. Liam smoked up the hill last year) - we docked you..
5. and finally, the handicapper's discretion "danger factor" was applied. and some people asked for special compensation (e.g. Marc White wanted extra time, given he is a smoker…. needless to say, this request fell on deaf ears…)
6. so, all this produced a handicap…..
now, for riders we don't have a lot of info on - it is just hard. Like the smoky on the race track, this year, those riders were Mark B, Chris P and Ben F.
And then there is the Calcutta.
You buy a rider, and if they win or place in the handicap, then you take the $$$.
As you can see below, most riders were purchased for $100+
And, 25% of the pot goes to charity (The AGF), so for a good cause.
there was a lot of interest in Chris P and Leathers (they went for $200 and $175)
How about the changes in actual climb time from last year?
Big improvers are on the left of the slide below….
Improving by even a couple of minutes is massive…. and Greg, Kings, Tim C, Giles, and Tim N and Marc W did a great job in improving their time from last year.
And then what about absolute times up the climb?
Well, Kings took this out with a great ride, and the only DR to dip below 28 min for the climb….
And now, to the handicap times….
It was Ben F, Tim N and Adrian G who were the handicap winners up the climb in 2014.
And who won the $$$?
Well, the Amy Gillet Foundation were a big winner, with $950 going to them
And Liam bought the first and third placed riders - so he really took the rest of the pot….
(no wonder he is organising the collection)
so, if you made it this far, a few observations for next year and a few reminders for the handicapper.
- good punters know this, but the best value is in the "roughies". It is hard to handicap the higher variability riders and they can probably improve by 1min more easily that the faster riders
- but these riders are also just as likely to blow out their times as well…. so, beware.
Handicapper notes:
- I made too much of the Strava km. It is interesting to know the km. But, given I had no history of riders, was maybe a bit of a stretch to penalise people who did high km until we learn more
- Weight changes are worth checking and are an indication of current form. Notables were Kings (down) and Tim C (down)
- For faster riders - maybe need to think about smaller increments of time penalties. e.g. 1 min is massive for some of them….
-
Those paying attention to their email would have already seen the overall results…… but behind every great result….. are a few more graphs (!!) and in the data, a few pearls of wisdom that may help you with next year….
So, we are going to start from the start…. how did we run the handicap this year?
Perfection for a handicapper is close race. In theory, if the handicapper has done his (or her) job well, all the runners in the race will approach the finish line all together….
We have a building set of data for the Dendy Riders. And taking the old add adage, previous performance is a pretty good guide of future performance….
1 we start with each riders last years climb time up the Skenes Creek climb (almost 10k) as a starting point (2013 time)
2. and then we make small adjustments, based on new, recent information. for example: we weighed all riders and for most, we were able to compare with last year
3. we also recorded the strava recorded km for the last 4 weeks ands if these were especially high (or low) we made a small adjustment
4. for a bit of fun, if you were riding on a beautiful new bike or had upgraded, then we docked you
5. and if in previous years, you had shown "variability" in performance (e.g. Liam smoked up the hill last year) - we docked you..
5. and finally, the handicapper's discretion "danger factor" was applied. and some people asked for special compensation (e.g. Marc White wanted extra time, given he is a smoker…. needless to say, this request fell on deaf ears…)
6. so, all this produced a handicap…..
now, for riders we don't have a lot of info on - it is just hard. Like the smoky on the race track, this year, those riders were Mark B, Chris P and Ben F.
And then there is the Calcutta.
You buy a rider, and if they win or place in the handicap, then you take the $$$.
As you can see below, most riders were purchased for $100+
And, 25% of the pot goes to charity (The AGF), so for a good cause.
there was a lot of interest in Chris P and Leathers (they went for $200 and $175)
How about the changes in actual climb time from last year?
Big improvers are on the left of the slide below….
Improving by even a couple of minutes is massive…. and Greg, Kings, Tim C, Giles, and Tim N and Marc W did a great job in improving their time from last year.
And then what about absolute times up the climb?
Well, Kings took this out with a great ride, and the only DR to dip below 28 min for the climb….
It was Ben F, Tim N and Adrian G who were the handicap winners up the climb in 2014.
And who won the $$$?
Well, the Amy Gillet Foundation were a big winner, with $950 going to them
And Liam bought the first and third placed riders - so he really took the rest of the pot….
(no wonder he is organising the collection)
so, if you made it this far, a few observations for next year and a few reminders for the handicapper.
- good punters know this, but the best value is in the "roughies". It is hard to handicap the higher variability riders and they can probably improve by 1min more easily that the faster riders
- but these riders are also just as likely to blow out their times as well…. so, beware.
Handicapper notes:
- I made too much of the Strava km. It is interesting to know the km. But, given I had no history of riders, was maybe a bit of a stretch to penalise people who did high km until we learn more
- Weight changes are worth checking and are an indication of current form. Notables were Kings (down) and Tim C (down)
- For faster riders - maybe need to think about smaller increments of time penalties. e.g. 1 min is massive for some of them….
-
Monday, 1 September 2014
September 2014: Preparation for the Grand Fondo
Well, dear Blog - it has been a while…… but now it is Spring, the Grand Fondo is in 2 weeks - so, I've put together a quick guide to get you to the start line and the finish line in good shape.
Here we go:
1. Check your bike and get it serviced if needed
Your bike has either had a tough winter getting punished in the wet and rain, or has been lying in the back of the shed - either way, it is time to give it the once over. For example, my cyclo-cross bike just went in for a yearly service and here was the repair list: new chain, cluster, gear cables, brake pads, bidon cage (it snapped). No point having a mechanical on ride day. A new set of tyres are also a good thing. Often some specials on the usual web-sites…
2. Do some training - especially this weekend
The weekend weather forecast is looking good. So, this is a great opportunity to get out for a longer ride. And, realistically, it is your last opportunity before the GF to do a longer ride. Given Father's Day is Sunday, get out there on Saturday. Riding some hills would be an additional advantage - but just get out there. Aim for 3 hours + in the saddle. You will thank me.
3. Practise your ride-day nutrition
So, if you are heading out for the 3+ hour ride, then do the same nutritional things you will do on the GF ride morning. Try to have the same before-ride snack / breakfast. Carry the bars / gels / snacks you would usually. And try to aim for about 60-80 grams of carbohydrates per hour. 1 energy bar and half a bison of sports drink, or 2 gels… you do the maths. Unless you are planning on stopping at the Forrest Brewery for poached eggs, then stay out of the cafes until post ride this weekend!
4. Wear your DR kit. Make sure it all fits comfortably and you will look good as well as ride well. It is all taking the same approach in training as on the GF day
5. This weekend, try to ride with the guys you will be riding with on the GF day.
As per previous years, it is hard to keep the whole DR crew together on the ride. But, we can usually form up into a couple of groups. So, if possible, find your similar paced mates and have a conversation about riding together on the day.
6. Check your wet weather gear:
We have had two cracking years of near perfect weather at the GF. I just have this feeling that this year it will be wet and windy. So, pack your best thermals, gloves, booty covers etc…. I last rode the course on Jan 10th and got very wet and cold.
7. Buy a domestique!
Like most things in life, you can always (as one of my mates used to say) "throw a few sheets at the problem". As per previous years, my domestique services will be for sale to the highest bidder on the evening before the GF. Last year, I gave up my front wheel, so you can rest assured that my services have been fully tested. Note: I will not push you, but I'll do everything else that you see on the TdF coverage.
8. For the speedier lads:
If you are going for a fast overall time, and you have done the training, read on…..
The GF is hard because the climb is in the first half of the race and there is a long way to go after that. So, it is a balance of pushing hard on the climb to stay in contact and get in a good group and having enough in the tank for the final 50k - where there are also some pretty solid hills.
So, this weekend, practise pushing up a climb and then still riding strong home. Make sure you really concentrate on good pack riding and drafting. Be safe. Practise eating and drinking while on the bike and riding hard. The fast bunches don't stop for anything.
9. Riding the Climb
OK -Just reviewed my heart rate trace from last year. The things to note. (i) I pushed really hard on the climb (ii) I was able to keep a high, steady HR for the whole climb between 161 and 167 (iii) I was able to push out the last 5 min at a higher rate. So, that is what you are looking for. Steady, high heart rate and a push out on the last 5 min. Good luck!
OK - train safe, have fun this weekend and see you in Lorne,
Danger
Well, dear Blog - it has been a while…… but now it is Spring, the Grand Fondo is in 2 weeks - so, I've put together a quick guide to get you to the start line and the finish line in good shape.
Here we go:
1. Check your bike and get it serviced if needed
Your bike has either had a tough winter getting punished in the wet and rain, or has been lying in the back of the shed - either way, it is time to give it the once over. For example, my cyclo-cross bike just went in for a yearly service and here was the repair list: new chain, cluster, gear cables, brake pads, bidon cage (it snapped). No point having a mechanical on ride day. A new set of tyres are also a good thing. Often some specials on the usual web-sites…
2. Do some training - especially this weekend
The weekend weather forecast is looking good. So, this is a great opportunity to get out for a longer ride. And, realistically, it is your last opportunity before the GF to do a longer ride. Given Father's Day is Sunday, get out there on Saturday. Riding some hills would be an additional advantage - but just get out there. Aim for 3 hours + in the saddle. You will thank me.
3. Practise your ride-day nutrition
So, if you are heading out for the 3+ hour ride, then do the same nutritional things you will do on the GF ride morning. Try to have the same before-ride snack / breakfast. Carry the bars / gels / snacks you would usually. And try to aim for about 60-80 grams of carbohydrates per hour. 1 energy bar and half a bison of sports drink, or 2 gels… you do the maths. Unless you are planning on stopping at the Forrest Brewery for poached eggs, then stay out of the cafes until post ride this weekend!
4. Wear your DR kit. Make sure it all fits comfortably and you will look good as well as ride well. It is all taking the same approach in training as on the GF day
5. This weekend, try to ride with the guys you will be riding with on the GF day.
As per previous years, it is hard to keep the whole DR crew together on the ride. But, we can usually form up into a couple of groups. So, if possible, find your similar paced mates and have a conversation about riding together on the day.
6. Check your wet weather gear:
We have had two cracking years of near perfect weather at the GF. I just have this feeling that this year it will be wet and windy. So, pack your best thermals, gloves, booty covers etc…. I last rode the course on Jan 10th and got very wet and cold.
7. Buy a domestique!
Like most things in life, you can always (as one of my mates used to say) "throw a few sheets at the problem". As per previous years, my domestique services will be for sale to the highest bidder on the evening before the GF. Last year, I gave up my front wheel, so you can rest assured that my services have been fully tested. Note: I will not push you, but I'll do everything else that you see on the TdF coverage.
8. For the speedier lads:
If you are going for a fast overall time, and you have done the training, read on…..
The GF is hard because the climb is in the first half of the race and there is a long way to go after that. So, it is a balance of pushing hard on the climb to stay in contact and get in a good group and having enough in the tank for the final 50k - where there are also some pretty solid hills.
So, this weekend, practise pushing up a climb and then still riding strong home. Make sure you really concentrate on good pack riding and drafting. Be safe. Practise eating and drinking while on the bike and riding hard. The fast bunches don't stop for anything.
9. Riding the Climb
OK -Just reviewed my heart rate trace from last year. The things to note. (i) I pushed really hard on the climb (ii) I was able to keep a high, steady HR for the whole climb between 161 and 167 (iii) I was able to push out the last 5 min at a higher rate. So, that is what you are looking for. Steady, high heart rate and a push out on the last 5 min. Good luck!
OK - train safe, have fun this weekend and see you in Lorne,
Danger
Friday, 8 November 2013
October 2013: Everything in moderation, even moderation.....
I know I'm late this month, so maybe there will be two blogs this month....
I wanted to share with you a saying of mine and then share an example - and challenge you
"Everything in moderation, even moderation"
If you read this blog regularly, you will know that I'm a pretty 'moderation' kind of guy in most areas of my life. e.g. I don't do massive miles (except when I need to). I not that good at putting in 10 beers, being on the dance floor at 4am etc. Also, my PhD studies in exercise physiology taught me that 'extreme-sim' in diet is not great either (e.g high-fat, high-protein, starvation, lemon detox, [insert latest fad]). But what I learnt that sometimes you need to mix it up a bit and throw away the 'moderation' element.
For example, Kings has a powerful story about embarking on his fitness journey. As well as riding more regularly, Kings decided he needed to change it up a bit on the diet front - so he went lemon detox for a few days - this kickstarted his new approach to food. Lemon detox is not moderation - but it helped Kings to get started.... that was a couple of years ago and the rest is history....
Now, I want to explain why I was missing from the Dendy Special on Thursday morning.....
My workmates came up with a bit of an out-there idea: A double ascent of Mt Donna Buang, at night, on a school night (Wednesday).
So, on Wednesday, we did the work day, left the office at 6:45pm by car, arrived at the base of the mountain at 8:20pm and we were on our way. Six of us took up the challenge of the first ascent.....
It is hard to climb a mountain all together, so we paired off and I rode with my 105kg mate Laurence who can generate 400w for an hour on the watt-bike and is a regular front-rider on my Saturday morning bunch (ie can ride)
We rode the first ascent in 1:04 at a tempo pace - at the top at about 9:20pm
We turned and rolled down and then rode up to the summit with the back-markers and then descended together.
Then, there was 'the split' (a bit like the move from the party to the after-party...) and three of us stayed for the second climb. We started the climb at 10:20pm.
This was agreed to be 'hardish'. we all rode solo after the first couple of km. (for the time-focused I did a 58 min climb.... and worked pretty hard). I summited at 11:20 pm (!!)
We got back the the cars about mid-night, home (after "dinner" at 7/11) at 1:45pm and into bed at 2am....For people on Strava, you can see the climbs, HR, splits etc.... (enjoy!). 3:09 ride time, 73km. 2200m climbing (and descending).
Some thoughts on the whole thing....
It was a hard, out-there experience. We nailed the night - it was warm. There were basically no cars - and we were alone on a beautiful climb. But, it is a very extreme way to spend a Wednesday night! we had dinner at 7/11(!!)
but, memorable, bonding, hard, exhilarating - a wednesday night I will not forget. And very little impact on the family (e.g. not really different to having a (very late) work dinner).
If you want a try this... a few thoughts: when deviating outside of moderation - you have to prepare.....
- clear sun glasses are important - to keep the bugs out who are attracted to the lights
- try to pick a good weather evening - makes a massive difference
- have two lights. I climbed just with a small low-powered flasher (but on steady) - all you need and makes it more beautiful
- for the way down, I had a 500 lumen, bar-mounted light - just fine.
- nutrition important (as always) used 1 bidon of Gatorade and a Torq gel at the top of the second climb to be OK for concentrating on the decent
- carried arm warmers and vest for the way down - would recommend a light full arm jacket - I got a bit cold, even on a warmish night.
- I was in no mood to push the descent. Pretty dangerous at night - plus wallabys out and I did not want to hit one.
- also, hard to PB after a day at work, no proper dinner etc - (but that was not the point...). I had never climbed it before - so was a PB for me :)
- there was a 'balancing item' e.g. tired on Thursday, did not train properly today etc... but happy to trade that for a very interesting Wednesday.
- if there was a next time, would probably try to get away from work early at 4:30pm (not 6:45pm) - this would get the first climb down in the twilight and then be home 2 hr earlier!!
- thanks to the PwC crew. Pretty amazing to have 6 workmates who came up with the idea for a 'team-buiding' event (!!) a great place to work... & Laurence who was the instigator.
So, there is my slice of "everything in moderation, even moderation" for a little while..... what could you try that pushes you out of 'moderation' for a short time?
Until next time, see you on the road,
Danger
I wanted to share with you a saying of mine and then share an example - and challenge you
"Everything in moderation, even moderation"
If you read this blog regularly, you will know that I'm a pretty 'moderation' kind of guy in most areas of my life. e.g. I don't do massive miles (except when I need to). I not that good at putting in 10 beers, being on the dance floor at 4am etc. Also, my PhD studies in exercise physiology taught me that 'extreme-sim' in diet is not great either (e.g high-fat, high-protein, starvation, lemon detox, [insert latest fad]). But what I learnt that sometimes you need to mix it up a bit and throw away the 'moderation' element.
For example, Kings has a powerful story about embarking on his fitness journey. As well as riding more regularly, Kings decided he needed to change it up a bit on the diet front - so he went lemon detox for a few days - this kickstarted his new approach to food. Lemon detox is not moderation - but it helped Kings to get started.... that was a couple of years ago and the rest is history....
Now, I want to explain why I was missing from the Dendy Special on Thursday morning.....
My workmates came up with a bit of an out-there idea: A double ascent of Mt Donna Buang, at night, on a school night (Wednesday).
So, on Wednesday, we did the work day, left the office at 6:45pm by car, arrived at the base of the mountain at 8:20pm and we were on our way. Six of us took up the challenge of the first ascent.....
It is hard to climb a mountain all together, so we paired off and I rode with my 105kg mate Laurence who can generate 400w for an hour on the watt-bike and is a regular front-rider on my Saturday morning bunch (ie can ride)
We rode the first ascent in 1:04 at a tempo pace - at the top at about 9:20pm
We turned and rolled down and then rode up to the summit with the back-markers and then descended together.
Then, there was 'the split' (a bit like the move from the party to the after-party...) and three of us stayed for the second climb. We started the climb at 10:20pm.
This was agreed to be 'hardish'. we all rode solo after the first couple of km. (for the time-focused I did a 58 min climb.... and worked pretty hard). I summited at 11:20 pm (!!)
We got back the the cars about mid-night, home (after "dinner" at 7/11) at 1:45pm and into bed at 2am....For people on Strava, you can see the climbs, HR, splits etc.... (enjoy!). 3:09 ride time, 73km. 2200m climbing (and descending).
Some thoughts on the whole thing....
It was a hard, out-there experience. We nailed the night - it was warm. There were basically no cars - and we were alone on a beautiful climb. But, it is a very extreme way to spend a Wednesday night! we had dinner at 7/11(!!)
but, memorable, bonding, hard, exhilarating - a wednesday night I will not forget. And very little impact on the family (e.g. not really different to having a (very late) work dinner).
If you want a try this... a few thoughts: when deviating outside of moderation - you have to prepare.....
- clear sun glasses are important - to keep the bugs out who are attracted to the lights
- try to pick a good weather evening - makes a massive difference
- have two lights. I climbed just with a small low-powered flasher (but on steady) - all you need and makes it more beautiful
- for the way down, I had a 500 lumen, bar-mounted light - just fine.
- nutrition important (as always) used 1 bidon of Gatorade and a Torq gel at the top of the second climb to be OK for concentrating on the decent
- carried arm warmers and vest for the way down - would recommend a light full arm jacket - I got a bit cold, even on a warmish night.
- I was in no mood to push the descent. Pretty dangerous at night - plus wallabys out and I did not want to hit one.
- also, hard to PB after a day at work, no proper dinner etc - (but that was not the point...). I had never climbed it before - so was a PB for me :)
- there was a 'balancing item' e.g. tired on Thursday, did not train properly today etc... but happy to trade that for a very interesting Wednesday.
- if there was a next time, would probably try to get away from work early at 4:30pm (not 6:45pm) - this would get the first climb down in the twilight and then be home 2 hr earlier!!
- thanks to the PwC crew. Pretty amazing to have 6 workmates who came up with the idea for a 'team-buiding' event (!!) a great place to work... & Laurence who was the instigator.
So, there is my slice of "everything in moderation, even moderation" for a little while..... what could you try that pushes you out of 'moderation' for a short time?
Until next time, see you on the road,
Danger
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
September 2013: Being 40+
Dendy Riders.
I am writing this blog because sometimes life just sucks....I now have two close friends who are fighting cancer and I want to tell you about it and make three suggestions
Nick Auden.
He and I worked at Bain together - we lived in Korea for 7 months. I taught him how to run and he taught me how to use excel. He is 40. He has 3 kids, loves football. And he currently lives in the USA. He is a Brighton lad - his house is almost opposite yours, Giles....
But, he has Stage 4 Melanoma. He has literally thrown everything at this fight - but he is not winning.... he wants access to an experimental drug and he has launched a social media campaign. In a little over one week, he has been on TV and in newspapers in the USA and Australia and he has 150,000 signatures on his petition.
Check out:
http://www.savelockysdad.com/
Watch the video to see a beautifully crafted piece of creative communications. Warning - it may make you cry....
I am an advisor and a solver.... and it is hard to do nothing. I've lent on my contacts in the pharma industy in Australia to see if we can get access here. We ex-Bain strategy consultants have applied game theory to the options and developed a negotiation strategy with Nick.... but in the end, he is simply running out of time..............
The other is my closest collague at PwC. He was diagnosed this week with bowel cancer. He is 41, 3 kids. He is staring into 5 months of intensive chemo, radio and a big operation to remove his bowel - with serious and permermant ongoing issues... He is the fittest I've seen him. He rides 200k per week - and his wife wanted to bid for me to be his domestique at this week's GF. In just five days, his world has been turned upside down - from an all conquering partner at PwC, leading a global initiative within the firm and plotting his trip to Europe for the Rapha ride next year - to a very different outlook....
So - what, if anything can come of this? Here are three suggestions to consider:
1. Live a full life - and take your opportunities.
Because things can happen - even to very good people, who are fit and healthy.
2. Go to the doctor.
We ~40 year old blokes, in general are not that good of taking care of ourselves. We should be going to the doctor once per year for a check-up at a mimimum.... and if you sense that anything is not right - then it is best to get it checked out. the "she will be right mate" attitude that served us so well in our 20's is not that good for us now....
3. Make sure you have good insurance.
And not just health insurance (that should be a given), but life insurance, income protection and trauma. As any financial planner will tell you - their first task is usually to protect what you have. And what about for your significant other? The DR have experts that you could talk to about this (e.g. Kings and McQueen Wealth Management)
I know this is a tough topic. The next post will be all cycling, promise...
See you on the weekend at Lorne...
Danger
I am writing this blog because sometimes life just sucks....I now have two close friends who are fighting cancer and I want to tell you about it and make three suggestions
Nick Auden.
He and I worked at Bain together - we lived in Korea for 7 months. I taught him how to run and he taught me how to use excel. He is 40. He has 3 kids, loves football. And he currently lives in the USA. He is a Brighton lad - his house is almost opposite yours, Giles....
But, he has Stage 4 Melanoma. He has literally thrown everything at this fight - but he is not winning.... he wants access to an experimental drug and he has launched a social media campaign. In a little over one week, he has been on TV and in newspapers in the USA and Australia and he has 150,000 signatures on his petition.
Check out:
http://www.savelockysdad.com/
Watch the video to see a beautifully crafted piece of creative communications. Warning - it may make you cry....
I am an advisor and a solver.... and it is hard to do nothing. I've lent on my contacts in the pharma industy in Australia to see if we can get access here. We ex-Bain strategy consultants have applied game theory to the options and developed a negotiation strategy with Nick.... but in the end, he is simply running out of time..............
The other is my closest collague at PwC. He was diagnosed this week with bowel cancer. He is 41, 3 kids. He is staring into 5 months of intensive chemo, radio and a big operation to remove his bowel - with serious and permermant ongoing issues... He is the fittest I've seen him. He rides 200k per week - and his wife wanted to bid for me to be his domestique at this week's GF. In just five days, his world has been turned upside down - from an all conquering partner at PwC, leading a global initiative within the firm and plotting his trip to Europe for the Rapha ride next year - to a very different outlook....
So - what, if anything can come of this? Here are three suggestions to consider:
1. Live a full life - and take your opportunities.
Because things can happen - even to very good people, who are fit and healthy.
2. Go to the doctor.
We ~40 year old blokes, in general are not that good of taking care of ourselves. We should be going to the doctor once per year for a check-up at a mimimum.... and if you sense that anything is not right - then it is best to get it checked out. the "she will be right mate" attitude that served us so well in our 20's is not that good for us now....
3. Make sure you have good insurance.
And not just health insurance (that should be a given), but life insurance, income protection and trauma. As any financial planner will tell you - their first task is usually to protect what you have. And what about for your significant other? The DR have experts that you could talk to about this (e.g. Kings and McQueen Wealth Management)
I know this is a tough topic. The next post will be all cycling, promise...
See you on the weekend at Lorne...
Danger
Sunday, 4 August 2013
August 2013 - Danger Dendy Thoughts: Preparation for the Grand Fondo....
Given that the Grand Fondo is <6 weeks away, this month's post is dedicated to the Grand Fondo.
I've split this blog into a couple of sections:
- Things to do now:
- The week before
- The day before
- Ride day
And, the DR committee helpfully suggested a couple of variations:
- advice for the Clydesdale
- advice for 'cramming' (ie the untrained)
To do now:
1. Ride your bike: preferably twice of more during the week and go for a longer ride on the weekend. It is not rocket science - but it is not easy either. Especially in the cold, wet and dark. As DR we should be trying to get in one Dendy Special per week and doing this plus a longer ride on the weekend should get you through at a minimum.
2. Service your bike: if it is not running well or you have been pushing it through winter. Now is the time to replace a worn chain / cluster or to buy a new tyre.
3. Sign up for the Dendy Rider bike skills training and long ride - scheduled for Saturday 17 and 24 August. We will have Kevin Ford as our coach - and he will check our bike position, your pedalling style and we will get out on the road to practise on a long ride or two
4. On your longer ride, practise your nutrition strategy for the GF - see the July post on what to eat on a long ride for some ideas: www.dangerdt.blogspot.com
The week before:
With a week to go, you need to do a taper - of sorts...
Try to get out for a ride early in the week, say Tuesday's Dendy Special
Fine to go out on Thursday as well - just go by feel and don't smack it if you don't feel 100%
With 1 week to go, it is more about taking it easy and saving your legs for the ride, rather than trying to smack down one more hard session
But do make sure you lay out your gear. Think through all the clothing requirements you might need - for wet, windy, or warmer conditions. Think through your nutrition plan for the ride; and make sure you pack enough gels, sports drink, bidons etc... as an example, refer back to the Ironman report in my blog - with the picture of all my stuff laid out for the day.... - as they say: preparation prevents piss poor performance.
The day before:
- buy me! - I'll be auctioning my domestique services for the day, the evening before the ride. All monies will be donated to charity (tax deductible!) Ask Lethers about his experience last year.... he rode beautifully and way above himself - it was awesome to see. He also was never alone through the day and I was directive (when required) about when to put in a bit of extra carb / fluids. He donated $500 to charity for my services. If you say it is tax detuctible, then for 4 hours - I am a much cheper domestique than a healthcare consultant (!!) - what a bargin!
- get off the legs. You will ride better if you have a rest day. I'm constantly astounded that people go out and ride and ride hard the day before an event. I made this mistake at the 1996 World University Triathlon Championships - held in Prague. I got there 5 days early and had really nothing else to do - so I went an trained with the pros - I swam with Greg Bennet, rode up mountains to ski fields and ran intervals around a beautiful lake. When race day came around, I was a spent force... Learn from my mistake!
- eat some carbs for lunch and dinner. The day before a 4 hour ride is not the time to go Atkins / primal etc. Yes, your muscles can burn fat as a fuel source - and it is super efficient - but, if you want to push hard - then your body needs carbs. You don't need to go crazy, but pass on the steak and go for the pasta...
- don't go crazy on the beers. None is probably best, a light beer better (but I've been castigated by the DR before for even suggesting light beer!), 1-2 beers is probably fine... but, save your drinking boots for Sunday night....
Ride day:
- Get up early and get organised. No need to stress / rush / forget something pre-ride
- Have breakfast. Something you are familiar with - not the time to try spelt porridge...
- It is a long ride - so don't go crazy early on. The ride along the Great Ocean Road was amazing last year - but there are other riders who are going way too fast, and passing too close. Also, we had great weather last year, but it is a very exposed part of the course - so if it is cold / windy - you will need your warm gear.
- The climb is pretty hard. It is a solid 30-40 min effort and it get steeper nearer the top and it is more exposed to the wind. Last year the "1km to go sign" was at about 1.7km to go - and that really added an extgra dimension! I expect we will re-group at the top of the climb. By all means, have a good crack up the climb - but the climb comes just 40km into the 120k ride - so there is a lot more time in the saddle after the summit....
- Take care decending off the mountain into Forrest. The roads can be wet, and the centre and edges of the road often is covered with wet bark. I saw (non-DR) riders scream past me, with really no idea what they were doing and literally only just hanging on. You will definitely not enjoy Sundey night beers if you are in Geelong hospital.... so, ride within yourself.
- For the big guys. Yes, climbing is all about your power / weight ratio. And you are penalised on the climb - no question.... So my advice is to find a comfortable, seated cycling pace and settle into a rhythm - pretend you are climbing with the other sprinters in the Tour de France. They don't try to chase the whippets, they don't waste energy and they don't try to start climbing too hard... so, ease into it and you will be fine
- for the unprepared.... you can still have a good time - but you just have to re-set expectations. Don't try to climb with Kings, don't pull massive turns on the front, keep your nutrition and fluids up. Find another DR to ride with and enjoy the day. There will be plenty of beer at the pub, irrespective of if you do 3:25, 3:45, 4:00, 4:20 or 5 hours... (and really, no-one cares that much anyway) - the important thing is that your ride, have a crack, finish and enjoy the day with the DR crew.
OK - I'll see you on the road, at the Kevin Ford skills training sessions on Saturday 17 and 24, and, of course - at the Grand Fondo. & happy bidding if you want to experience a domestique for the day....
Danger
Given that the Grand Fondo is <6 weeks away, this month's post is dedicated to the Grand Fondo.
I've split this blog into a couple of sections:
- Things to do now:
- The week before
- The day before
- Ride day
And, the DR committee helpfully suggested a couple of variations:
- advice for the Clydesdale
- advice for 'cramming' (ie the untrained)
To do now:
1. Ride your bike: preferably twice of more during the week and go for a longer ride on the weekend. It is not rocket science - but it is not easy either. Especially in the cold, wet and dark. As DR we should be trying to get in one Dendy Special per week and doing this plus a longer ride on the weekend should get you through at a minimum.
2. Service your bike: if it is not running well or you have been pushing it through winter. Now is the time to replace a worn chain / cluster or to buy a new tyre.
3. Sign up for the Dendy Rider bike skills training and long ride - scheduled for Saturday 17 and 24 August. We will have Kevin Ford as our coach - and he will check our bike position, your pedalling style and we will get out on the road to practise on a long ride or two
4. On your longer ride, practise your nutrition strategy for the GF - see the July post on what to eat on a long ride for some ideas: www.dangerdt.blogspot.com
The week before:
With a week to go, you need to do a taper - of sorts...
Try to get out for a ride early in the week, say Tuesday's Dendy Special
Fine to go out on Thursday as well - just go by feel and don't smack it if you don't feel 100%
With 1 week to go, it is more about taking it easy and saving your legs for the ride, rather than trying to smack down one more hard session
But do make sure you lay out your gear. Think through all the clothing requirements you might need - for wet, windy, or warmer conditions. Think through your nutrition plan for the ride; and make sure you pack enough gels, sports drink, bidons etc... as an example, refer back to the Ironman report in my blog - with the picture of all my stuff laid out for the day.... - as they say: preparation prevents piss poor performance.
The day before:
- buy me! - I'll be auctioning my domestique services for the day, the evening before the ride. All monies will be donated to charity (tax deductible!) Ask Lethers about his experience last year.... he rode beautifully and way above himself - it was awesome to see. He also was never alone through the day and I was directive (when required) about when to put in a bit of extra carb / fluids. He donated $500 to charity for my services. If you say it is tax detuctible, then for 4 hours - I am a much cheper domestique than a healthcare consultant (!!) - what a bargin!
- get off the legs. You will ride better if you have a rest day. I'm constantly astounded that people go out and ride and ride hard the day before an event. I made this mistake at the 1996 World University Triathlon Championships - held in Prague. I got there 5 days early and had really nothing else to do - so I went an trained with the pros - I swam with Greg Bennet, rode up mountains to ski fields and ran intervals around a beautiful lake. When race day came around, I was a spent force... Learn from my mistake!
- eat some carbs for lunch and dinner. The day before a 4 hour ride is not the time to go Atkins / primal etc. Yes, your muscles can burn fat as a fuel source - and it is super efficient - but, if you want to push hard - then your body needs carbs. You don't need to go crazy, but pass on the steak and go for the pasta...
- don't go crazy on the beers. None is probably best, a light beer better (but I've been castigated by the DR before for even suggesting light beer!), 1-2 beers is probably fine... but, save your drinking boots for Sunday night....
Ride day:
- Get up early and get organised. No need to stress / rush / forget something pre-ride
- Have breakfast. Something you are familiar with - not the time to try spelt porridge...
- It is a long ride - so don't go crazy early on. The ride along the Great Ocean Road was amazing last year - but there are other riders who are going way too fast, and passing too close. Also, we had great weather last year, but it is a very exposed part of the course - so if it is cold / windy - you will need your warm gear.
- The climb is pretty hard. It is a solid 30-40 min effort and it get steeper nearer the top and it is more exposed to the wind. Last year the "1km to go sign" was at about 1.7km to go - and that really added an extgra dimension! I expect we will re-group at the top of the climb. By all means, have a good crack up the climb - but the climb comes just 40km into the 120k ride - so there is a lot more time in the saddle after the summit....
- Take care decending off the mountain into Forrest. The roads can be wet, and the centre and edges of the road often is covered with wet bark. I saw (non-DR) riders scream past me, with really no idea what they were doing and literally only just hanging on. You will definitely not enjoy Sundey night beers if you are in Geelong hospital.... so, ride within yourself.
- For the big guys. Yes, climbing is all about your power / weight ratio. And you are penalised on the climb - no question.... So my advice is to find a comfortable, seated cycling pace and settle into a rhythm - pretend you are climbing with the other sprinters in the Tour de France. They don't try to chase the whippets, they don't waste energy and they don't try to start climbing too hard... so, ease into it and you will be fine
- for the unprepared.... you can still have a good time - but you just have to re-set expectations. Don't try to climb with Kings, don't pull massive turns on the front, keep your nutrition and fluids up. Find another DR to ride with and enjoy the day. There will be plenty of beer at the pub, irrespective of if you do 3:25, 3:45, 4:00, 4:20 or 5 hours... (and really, no-one cares that much anyway) - the important thing is that your ride, have a crack, finish and enjoy the day with the DR crew.
OK - I'll see you on the road, at the Kevin Ford skills training sessions on Saturday 17 and 24, and, of course - at the Grand Fondo. & happy bidding if you want to experience a domestique for the day....
Danger
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