If anyone is still actually out there after the lull in activity, I apologise for the delay in posting (yet again). It’s been an exceptionally tough few weeks.
The major factor has been the health of my fiancee, Suzanne. Several months ago she caught an infection that was not diagnosed correctly, and when it was eventually diagnosed, she was given the wrong type of antibiotics. As a result the infection spread and she has been suffering from post reactive arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Unfortunately, the post reactive arthritis developed into a sero-negative arthritis and the carpal tunnel syndrome has caused irreparable nerve damage in her hand. This has obviously been a great concern for me, and seeing her in pain and suffer has not only hurt me, but also been a cause of a great deal of stress. As well as this, our income has taken a hit, as she now only receives statutory sick pay. The good news is her arthritic blood markers have come down, and she is on the road to recovery. If the blood markers can drop to 19, she can have the carpal release surgery required to ease her hand paint and reduce the risk of further nerve damage.
Aside from this, I have been training exceptionally hard. I have a training plan that I have been trying very hard to stick to, but let’s get something clear. A professional cyclist is just that - someone who cycles for a job. They have the time and backup to train all day if they need to. I on the other hand work a full time job, commute 2 hours a day, do most of the cooking, and most recently have been doing all the housework for a sickly fiancee as well as playing nursey! I’ve still managed to fit in a training regime that has seen some clear improvements in my fitness and sustained weight loss. I’d like to go into specifics, but I’m not going to.
Winter is now well and truly here, and now that the clocks have gone back, I’m fairly miserable. Cycling is now restricted to the turbo trainer and weekend rides. My stunning carbon fibre Giant has been put into hibernation away from the rain, dirt and salt and my Burls has become my daily ride - a job it does so well as it won’t rust and is such a comfortable bike to ride. The shorts have been replaced with thermals and tights, head warmers and overshoes. Yuck. However, as one member of the Vags says, “Miles in the Winter meals smiles in the Summer”. Why can’t it be “Feed in the Winter, speed in the Summer”?
Realistically, this Winter is about losing the weight, improving my lactate threshold (the level at which I can operate without going into the red - in other words my time trial pace) and improving my position on the time trial bike so I can actually make good use of the machine next year. Whilst hopefully next year I can improve my times, it’s the following year where the real improvements will come. Of course, I know I get older every year, so I only have a short period of time in which to really improve myself to the point of being competitive with other riders in the North East. All I can say is I have the building blocks in place to hopefully do this. Watch this space.
Weight loss, it’s all good news - I’m currently hovering just above the 16 stone mark and quite desperate to drop into the 15 stones. I’ve dropped another waist size to 36 inches, and most of my wardrobe has now been chucked out in favour of 4 or 5 t-shirts.
Again, I apologise for the lack of updates. Don’t take this as nothing is happening as the truth of the matter is my life is now busier and more hectic than at any stage in my 33 year existence. Hopefully, I will have more exciting things to say in the near future.
Just as an aside, if you’ve got Facebook and you read my updates, then add me. My Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Ashberry/1066930369
Let me leave you with this thought. I am now 9 lbs off losing 7 stone…
‘Train in the winter, collect trophies in the summer’
I read an article recently of a 55 year old who was seriously overweight. He took up cycling, is now in his early 70’s and can still turn in a sub 1 hour ‘25′. So I think you have a bit to go yet before you need be concerned about your age. After all I am giving you a 27 year start!
Let’s talk trophies. I’ve won a reading prize, 2 art prizes, and lots of shot and discus trophies.
Winning a cycling trophy of any kind may well be a LONG time coming.
Get into an open early in the year and you could easily win your category
Sorry to hear about Suzanne,
Keep the training going as I keep saying to Alan its going to be great fun next year no quarter asked none given
Danny