Lance, the Cheater

Now I am sure! After reading a few books about the life of Lance, I know for certain, that he wasn't a nice guy!
Espcially in this book http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/books-and-dvd/books/cycling-reference-books/product/review-david-walsh-seven-deadly-sins-my-pursuit-of-lance-armstrong-12-46843/
it is very clear, that the guy was a bully and tiran in the group of riders. I don't understand how he always got away with it. Even before his cancer, he was using already all kind of stuff and none of people cared or wanted to find out. Of course it was a different kind of time and it seems that everybody was using a kind of blood doping, or using EPO.   Respect for the writer of this book(David Walsh).

Three at one day.

Yesterday it was finally time for our benchmark! We changed the date for this many times, but it's nice that we still did it.  At 7 o'clock we were all ready at the swimming pool. I am not a fan of mornings swim but it wasn't so bad. The water was surprisingly warmer then I thought and it was nice to swim in a broad lane. The whole 1,9 km I swam with the breaststroke, no problem with that. In 56 minutes was the job done :) Not especially tired or something just done the job. Next time I really hope that  I can do the same distance in free-style, that should go a lot faster then \o/ . At one o'clock we left for our 90 km road bike trip. It was rainy and wet and my brakes didn't work well, so it was a slow trip, more then 4 hours we were on our bicycles. We toke some breaks to have something to eat, but still it was a long long trip. Maybe in the top 5 of my longest trips during this year.
When we left for the half marathon, the knee of colleague started to give some resistance and after 6 km we had to stop running. It doesnot matter, my legs felt nice after the biketrip and that was the  most thing of the trip, the first kilometers of the running felt a little stange but after that no problem.
So I got really excited and when I am excited I do something :) . I plan to start at the Olympic distance at the triathlon of Kuopio! http://kuopiotriathlon.sporttisaitti.com/ . In fact I reserved ( and paid) already the hotel and the entry-fee :) . So this a good reason to enjoy the swimming course tomorrow! I guess the swimming is the part where I can improve myself the most.
Let's wait and see!
     

A new milestone

So tomorrow w'll finally have the benchmark, I wrote about. In the morning we go to swim the 1,9 km at the swimming pool. The target is to swim under the hour, that shouldn't be a problem because 1,5 km went in 41 minutes a few weeks ago. The riding at the bike will be in the afternoon and let's hope that we'll be home before the dark, I guess some 3,5 hour will go to that. For the half marathon I am not worried, that isn't a problem.  I didn't do any preparation because it is more for fun.It is anew milestone, never before I have swom more then 1,5 km and never before I have be praticing 3 different endurance sports on one day !

Also fun will be the swimming course, which starts next Sunday, I hope that I learn it quickly, so I can swim a lot in the spring to get some kind of routine.

Our bicycle project has now moved to the autumn of next year. So Ventoux has to wait for a while :)
A nice quote over the mount Ventoux: "The Ventoux is a god of Evil, to which sacrifices must be made. It never forgives weakness and extracts an unfair tribute of suffering."

To be honest, I think also about combining the climb of the Mont Ventoux with another mountain( Alpe d'huez? Col du Madeleine? Glandon?
I have no idea which mountains are in the same area as the Mont Ventoux, we'll find out :)

A good weekend!

This weekend we went to Vierumäki to spend some time in the sportsacademy. It was a sportive weekend. I have been swimming for 3 days in a row ( inside of course, 3 x 500 ,) and I've been boxing for 2 x 1,5 hour and there was also time for running. My legs feel good after the marathon, I am happy about that. Last thursday I was riding 50 km on my bike, so all kind off activities are going on. Lets hope I am not forcing anything. The most important thing is to staty fit untill the benchmark of 29 october, because at that time I should be rested and really to do the distances (1,9 swim, 90 riding, 21 running) wihtout driving myself to the limit.

The Man announced last week, that he is not going to make it to the Mont Ventoux in april, so we have to transfer this to next year autumn. It is not so bad idea, now we can train the whole spring and summer (!!) and we'll be in good sharp to ride upon the Mont Ventoux in september.

I found this site http://wattbike.com/fi/ and this is very interesting. If there is a place in Helsinki while I can try this thing, it will be very nice. I am not sure if the bike can simulate some climbing or something, but it seems like a good and professional alternative for bicycling in the winter. I heard that it makes a lot of noise, so buying one is not an option( also not because it cost a lot of money)

To remember!

Because I am still a newby in the world of bicycles, I looked into the parts of Shimano and trying to understand the hierarchy of the parts. Finally I found a nice table:

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-797814.html

ROAD BIKE PARTS.
LEVEL 1 (entry level) 
SIS. 
SORA. 
SIS is not found on many road bikes now. However Sora is extremely popular. Many general commuting and entry level road bikes will be Sora equipped. Sora has STI levers and a very reliable gear and braking system, without being too pricey. Sora is a 8 speed group set and will come on bicyles ranged between $700-$1200.
LEVEL 2 
Tiagra. 
Tiagra is the first road group set that is 9 speed. Tiagra is used a lot by road cyclists that want the reliablity and smoothness of 9 speed without the price tag.
LEVEL 3 
105. 
This is a very commonly used component set a lot of top road bikes and training bikes will be equipped with 105 as it is exceptionally smooth in its changes and a very durable and reliable group set. 105 is also a 9 speed group set and its body predominantly made of alloy, thus making it very light. People who want good stuff that will last this is it.
LEVEL 4 
ULTEGRA. 
Once again used a lot for top end racing. Not often used for training bikes, however it is durable enough to do so. Very smooth and very light on its actions. This means changes with little effort.
LEVEL 5 
DURA ACE. 
The top of the line. Fairly expensive for the general rider.Dura Ace has been converted into a 10 speed system, with massive changes to the levers and crank sets, both so much smoother and lighter to use.

Nice to know!! 
The marathon went just ok, nothing to be proud off. I like to set some targets when I am running to measure my improvement.  Yesterday I started to look what to do next year and I am really looking into the olympic distance of the triathlon. It will be held next my house and early in the season: http://www.triforfun.fi/

Tomorrow a marathon...

So finally I'll run a full marathon tomorrow ( after 2 half marathons in the last month). The first marathon in 5 years, let's see how this goes. At this moment I've some pain in my right hamstring, but the pain should be away tomorrow (?). In a way I don't like to run a full marathon: It take two weeks to prepare( you have to taper and rest a lot, you have to be carefull not to caught a flue( quite a challenge while travelling in the metro two a day.. ;)) and after the marathon you have to rest for a week or so. So It disturbs the training for three weeks, that's quite a lot. It stresses a bit , but ok let's not complain!  End scenario's for tomorrow:

• Endtime > 4.00 , I'll be dissappointed, and a lot! How is this possibel anyway??
• Endtime 3.50 - 4.00 Mmhh, It was a experience but I'm not happy at all
• Endtime 3.40 - 3.50 Ok, it's fine.
• Endtime 3.35 - 3.40 Good run!
• Endtime 3.32 - 3.35 Very good run!
• Endtime < 3.32 perfect run!!!!!

Anyway..... the trip to the Mont Ventoux will be moved to autumn of 2014. It seems that The Man can get his leg in condition and will be not able to train on the bike anymore in this year. No problem of course, The Mont Ventoux will be existing for a long time and better to go there with some kilometers in your legs than in a bad condition. 

In November my swimmcourse will start and in december I'll think which sportsevents I'll attend in 2014. Maybe more cyclingraces and even some triathlon( basic distance).  I liked this sportsyear a lot because the combination of bicycling, running, boxing and swimming suits me and my legs well! 

Fingers crossed for tomorrow!! I'll be back

Autumn has come to town

It's was a nice autumn day, this day. I was plannng to run a long run, but unfortunately my legs started to stress too much, so I stopped after one hour. In the coming weekend I'll have a new try for a long run. Of course this blog goes over my trip to the Mont Ventoux, but it isnot yet certain, if we are going on the 30 of april to France. The Man has for a long time allready some legproblems and can't train at all and is desperately waiting for the snow. When it snows, he can start to ski and if he hasnot any problems while skiing then we can go in the spring 2014 to the Mont Ventoux. Wooww
Anyway.... I bought another card for another gym, so I have two places to go to ride on the bicycle when it's too  rainy outside. Also I signed up for a swimming course in November this year. A lot going on, but I have to stay healthy and at least try to run that marathon under 3.30 :)

P.S. The half marathon last summer went well. 1.33.35 was my time, I can live with that..