Well Type 1 has been it’s usual pain in the bum, pancreas doing it’s switching on and off at random intervals. How’s that affected the training? Well not greatly, I’ve kind of learned to live with random nature of things and learned how to adapt quickly, they are all skills that I need to use when out riding – high glucose levels – ride faster, low levels – slow down and eat more. Straight forward really.
So where has this months training taken me? Cap Formentor! Well not for real anyway. With the lockdown and ban on mass gatherings, I was worried about how we could ride together, the heart of what Sportive HQ is about so I bit the bullet and bought a smart trainer. I tried zwift once, some time back with a ‘not smart’ trainer and plenty of sensors on the bike and can’t say I was a fan, with a standard trainer it felt a bit glitchy on things and not keeping pace with the screen. As well as this, it meant another subscription to another cycling app. I have friend who works for RGT Cycling and had promised to sort out some group rides for MT Ventoux before Christmas and I thought it was about time I took him up on his offer. RGT Cycling announced because of the current corona virus crisis that their premium service was free to everyone. This seemed perfect so I’ve been learning to use the smart trainer and the apps etc – I am an old dog and this is a new trick! I have been using the apps and still learning how to get us all connected to it but I do keep falling back to my old favourite, Trainer Road and the sessions that John ‘mapped out’ for me at the beginning, I do understand that those sessions could be transferred to RGT but that will take a bit more learning before I get there.
When it comes to training at the minute there seems a lot of in fighting and controversy in the cycling scene as what is the right thing to do. My personal thing is staying at home, safe and close to family. Life’s tough at the minute training is keeping me sane and I’m getting up at 6am and riding before the kids get up, and then it’s on with the home schooling during the day. For me it’s what works. The one thing I would say after seeing facebook groups and forums is just make sure you are doing what is right for YOU, let others make their own choices and lets support each other with a common goal – riding bikes together again as soon as we can.
Stay safe folks and look out for each other
Matt