Friday 22 July 2011

FAILED

Unfortunately due to work and having to get some other training in i have not been on the Moss since last friday and due to racing tomorrow i will not be getting in any more ascents so i am stuck on 20. I have enjoyed giving it a go but another rapha failure for me. Lets hope that going up the moss 20 times in 2 weeks helps my hill climbing exploits later in the year.

Friday 15 July 2011

A RIDE IN THE SUN

The sun was out today so i was looking forward to my ride. Again it was over to Holme to put a few more ascents in. You would think that after 17 times up the moss i would be getting to like it but for some reason it is just a climb that i can't fall in love with. The first time up is always hard but then you get your climbing legs on and the third is normally the easiest.
On the Moss today was a gentleman climbing it for the first time as he has just got into cycling over the last six month's and wanted to see if he could climb it. He did stop a few times but made it to the top and the great views today. It's always good to see people challenging themselves and the moss is a good challenge for any biker.


Total Ascents Needed 47
Today's Ascents 3
Current Total 20
Total Meters Climbed 8989m

Wednesday 13 July 2011

DAY 6

Well after 3 days of not tackling the Moss i headed back over to Holmfirth for a few ascents. As i set of the sun was out and i was hoping for a warm day. 20 mins into the ride and the clouds came over and the temperature dropped. I was a little cold for the rest of the ride and especially on the descents of Holme Moss.

I think everyday i have seen other cyclists on the Moss and today was no different. On my way down to start my third ascent i passed at least 6 people. A few from the ctc cycling club going up steady 2 other riders that i did not know and young Leon Taylor-Woodhouse of Holme Valley Wheelers.  The Moss does attract a lot of local cyclist as it's the gateway in to the peak district national park.

Total Ascents Needed 47
Todays Total 4
Current Total 17

Tuesday 12 July 2011

HILL CLIMB TRAINING

No ascents today as i needed to get some practice in on my fixed wheel hill climb bike so i drove out to a climb just outside of Clayton West. The climb goes up into High Hoyland. The surface is good and there is not to much traffic so makes it ideal for using it to train on.

I think Featherstone Road Club use this climb for there club hill climb which this year takes place on the 18th September.

I was doing all the climbs seated as to try to build up the strength need. I only did 4 reps as i want to get some big days in on Holme Moss this week. I do like the fixed bike but i do have to get a lot more practice in on it and also do a full race pace test to see what type of gearing i am going to use when the Hill climb season starts.
The casti in training prep. Seat to be changed to a Selle Italia slr and the wheels will be my hand built mavics with Vittoria Tubs.

Saturday 9 July 2011

LAST ONE FOR A FEW DAYS

As i didn't have much time today i could only get 1 ascent in as had to be back home to do a train station run for the girlfriend. Even tho i only did 1 ascent i was still on the bike for 2hr 40mins. As i am at work for the next two days it will be tuesday before i can add to my tally. Next week will have to be a big week as i am behind schedule already.
My recovery meal waiting for me when i got back.

Total Ascents Needed 47
Todays Total 1
Current Total 13

Friday 8 July 2011

A WET DAY

Well the weather forecast for today was rain rain and more rain so i wasn't expecting to get any riding in today other than maybe an hour on the rollers. So when i woke up at just after 7 the rain had not arrived and the sky's looked a little dark but i thought i would risk it and get out early and try and get some more ascents in. I don't normally go out till about ten so as i miss the commuter traffic and also i do like to chill for a couple of hours before i go out on the bike.

So i set of at 8.30 am and hoped that i would make it over to Holmfirth before the rain came. The clouds were beginning to gather as i hit my pit stop point in holme for a natural break.

For anyone old school who needs to make an emergency call but make sure you have a ten pence piece.

So the climbing started. I went up a little quicker today as it looked like it could rain at anytime. One ascent done and back down to the bottom and the drizzle had started so i thought i would get just 1 more ascent in. The legs were feeling the 1st half of the climb as i think this is the hardest part to try and get into a rhythm. As i crested the summit the drizzle had turned to rain.


Looking grime at the top.
I decided to get to the bottom as soon as possible so i didn't bother to stop to put my rain jacket on and on the decent i got very cold and was glad the rain had come so i had an excuse to cut my ride short and make the hour + ride  home. I do seem to feel the cold prity easy these days but when you are 5"11 and only 69kg it is not surprising.
I am hoping for some good weather next week as i can not ride sunday or monday and i think i will only manage to get 1 climb in tomorrow as i have to be back early doors.

Total Ascents Needed 47
Today's Total 2
Current Total 12

Thursday 7 July 2011

DAY 3

So my 3rd day of riding up Holme Moss after missing yesterday so i could do a local 10 mile tt. The legs felt ok this morning but the wind was up and there were many a dark cloud looming above.

Today my plan was to just do 3 ascents as the weather wasn't looking to good. It takes me about 1hr 20mins of riding before i hit the base of Holme Moss so none of my rides have been below 3hours. The head wind was the strongest it's been so far so half way up the first ascent i was thinking maybe i would only climb it twice but i always have a few negative thoughts on my first ascent.
The return down to the bottom was fast to say the least. I hit 83.8 kph before i had a twitchy bum moment and hit the brakes. I think that if i had been on my race bike and not my winter/training bike then i might of even hit 90 kph and that is free wheeling i didn't even pedal.

So on the second ascent the clouds started to get a little darker and i thought that i might cut the ride short but as i crested the top 3 old cuys on touring bikes started the descent fully loaded up with 2 panniers. I caught one who was going about 20 kmph around the corners. It had started to drizzle at this point so i will let him off. I didn't pass him i just followed him down slowly. I did do the 3rd ascent but the drizzle had turned to rain by this point so i was clad to hit the top and turn around for my ride home.

Total ascents needed 47
Todays Total 3
Current Total 10

Tuesday 5 July 2011

TOUGH TODAY

Well my second day of tackling the moss. The weather was nice and sunny and the wind was up and as i was riding over to Holmfirth i knew that it was going to be a head wind up the climb. The legs felt ok but i was a little tired as i worked night's last night.

As soon as i started my first ascent i knew that today was not going to be as easy as yesterday. The first 2 climbs felt hard and it reminded me why i don't normally like Holme Moss as it is a little to open to the elements. Coming down the Moss was a little bit twitchy with the wind and even without pedaling i hit 77.9Km'h before i hit the breaks so i took it steady on the way down after that.

After the second ascent the legs felt a little better on the 3rd but the 4th was a bit of a struggle.

Giving my feet a break after the 4th ascent.
A cycling geek taking a photo of Radio geeks in the carpark at the top.

So 4 ascents done today but i am time trialing tomorrow so it will be thursday before i am back on the mountain weather permitting as it is ment to be raining.

Total Ascents 47
Todays Ascents 4
Current Running Total 7

Monday 4 July 2011

START OF MY RAPHA RISING

Well as i have been working over the weekend my rapha rising started today on a warm but cloudy day in West Yorkshire. As i do not own a garmin or anything like it i am only including the climbing metres that i do up Holme Moss.
I had a bit of a Dickie tummy this morn so i wasn't sure how i would feel on my ride today but after the first hour before i started to climb into Holme i felt better.



As i took the above photo of the base of the climb a cyclist rode bye so i caught him up and rode up for the first time with company. He was riding Holme Moss for the first time after seeing it in a book he recently bought (100 greatest climbs in Britain) so it was a nice easy ride up chatting. He also said that he was going to do the Jackson Bridge climb at some time so gave him my thoughts on the climb. The wind was being kind to us as there was virtually none which is an advantage when climbing the moss.
So today i planned to do 3 ascents just to break me in gently. I took all 3 steady so i could start the week steady. Tomorrow i will do 4 ascents and then 4 each on thursday and friday.






Oh what joy. lol

Total Ascents needed 47
Current Total 3