The heat is on!

Although Alan’s words, to keep ourselves hydrated, are still ringing in my ears, the water in my bottles are so warm I could make myself a cup of tea. Not at all inviting. Still I force myself to take a sip of the disgusting liquid as it is imperative to keep hydrated. In reality I have used up more water attempting to cool myself down by throwing water down my neck than actually drinking it.

Another drawback that I have is that I still haven’t fully mastered the technique of drinking and cycling at the same time, at the same speed, without hugging some pavement or plant or whatever happens to be in my vicinity at the time. Yes Grace is not my second name.  So I try to play it safe and limit the damage to those around me. 

The warm breeze that brushes against my face is not welcome. I suddenly think about the times, early in the morning, when I complained about the cold and humid breeze that would hit us especially in valley areas. I longed for a whiff of cold air to hit me, but I knew that that wasn’t going to happen this morning. 

It is ten o’clock and nearing the end of this week’s group ride which saw us loop around the Airport – Birzebbugia road a couple of times.  The heat is on with a vengeance. What a change from the previous week. Although it is still May the temperature is around 7 degrees higher than average.  It is a shock to my system. I am hoping that it will cool down a bit but really and truly I have a feeling that the worst is yet to come, especially when we get to Turkey and Syria in the sweltering August heat.  

A little after ten o’clock we are directed to go towards Birzebbugia centre, where we stop at the local Band Club. The barman immediately asks us if we want ice cold water. No points for trying to guess that answer. I down two small bottles so quickly that I realise how dehydrated I am. I have to make sure that this does not happen and I need to start thinking about this from now!

Alan once again stresses the importance of hydration. Adequate fluid intake is essential before, during, and after exercise. I've read somewhere that each day we need to replace about two litres of fluid to balance off water loss - this does not take into consideration the amounts of fluid lost when we sweat during a workout. When the body heats up, production of sweat helps to reduce body temperature. A good comparison is that of our body to a car's radiator. If the radiator is not kept full, then the car overheats and will either break down or start giving problems. The same will happen to our bodies if we don't drink enough fluids. The impact of this will lead to a gradual reduction in physical and psychological performance.

Filling up my bottles with cold water we set off home.  It is almost 11am by the time we leave Birzebbugia. As soon as I pour some water over my neck it dries up instantly so much is the extent of the heat. Every so often I force myself to have a sip, even though fifteen minutes into the ride the water is warm again. By the time I get home I realise that my water intake has increased from this morning. 

A good step in the right direction I think to myself. 

Photos courtesy of Ray Pace, pacemedia.tv

Lifecycle summed up

Yesterday I missed the group Sunday ride as I was participating in the last event of the Equestrian season, organised by the Malta Equestrian Federation.

Having said that, this does not mean that I missed the actual training, as I undertook the planned 80km route, on my own on Saturday morning - and I sorely missed my cycling buddies.

Since I was not present to give my side of yesterday's story, I am publishing, with his kind permission, Alan's weekly write up , which sums up a lot of my many thoughts regarding Lifecycle.

Read on and enjoy!


"That was a 20km loop today, and already some of you are realising just what all this is about. Hours and hours of training sacrificing your family and friends around a small island which you not only are familiar with but which you get sick of the sight of. Saturday evenings become a non starter, holidays sacrificed as you need the leave time for the event. New cycling equipment and all the gizmo’s required for the trip mean money will be tight. Spare time at a minimum and that’s before the challenge starts.

Over there it is more long hours on a bike, days on end with no proper recovery. Sometimes those hours are spent with friends but invariably there will be periods when you find yourself alone. Strange country, tired body and psychological warfare going on in your brain. Basic field conditions each night and the odd accommodation which is not exactly “what the brochure” promised.

So what the hell are we doing this for? Why do we all volunteer for such hardship? Well of course we would love to convince ourselves that it’s all because of the cause and that it’s a sense of public duty but it goes far deeper than that. We all like to get ourselves out of the comfort zone we live in. We get turned on by the challenge, we need to test ourselves, find out what makes us tick. We need the adventure, to form a bond with like-minded people and hopefully come out of all this a better person.

Of course some of you will identify with the spiritual side of all this and there is no doubt that by identifying with your inner self you may hit on something that is hard to explain in tangible terms. One thing’s for sure and that is if you believe this to be just any old endurance event then you really will get a surprise and are missing the whole point.

Whist you spend 11 days on a bike some man or woman will be dragging themselves to the renal unit three times. They sit down on a couch probably donated by this organisation and have a large needle inserted into their arm which is connected to a machine also probably donated by this organisation. They will then spend the next 4 hours having their blood changed due to their dysfunctional kidneys being unable to do the job. Imagine the despair, the feeling of inadequacy. Fears for the present, fears for the future? It’s all there believe me. But you are lucky enough to be able to help them, to make their lives better.

Next time we start feeling sorry for ourselves let’s try using that image as an inspiration. Let’s focus on what the main reason for all this effort regardless of any personal goals.

Life Cycle is what it is because we try and bring to the attention, the plight of the patients in their daily struggle. By doing such an extreme event we get the attention of the media and sponsors and therefore raise the funds required to keep that man or woman on that machine.

Don’t know about you but I think apart from all the other reasons you are doing this for, that’s a pretty good reason for making those sacrifices we mentioned earlier?"

Highlighted text reproduced with kind permission from the author Alan Curry

Unsung Heroes

Carolyn Bonello at 17:59 on 12 May

We were bored at Splash and Fun roundabout so thought we'd pose.....each week we shall take progressively funnier pics for you to treasure....that's the danger of giving me your camera :)

This comment,posted to this photo, on a Facebook album I uploaded after a Sunday training session depicting our two physiotherapists fooling around with my camera, made me think. 

The general public see cyclists training together to reach a common goal, wearing their Betfair Lifecycle tops proudly as they cycle around the island. But in reality there is more to a team than just those who wear the cycling top. 

Just stop and think for a moment about all the work that is entailed to organise such a massive event. Who plans the route, ensuring the safety of cyclists and back up team? Who prepares the marketing material and PR making sure that the event gets well publicised and sponsors get the coverage due? Who takes care of organising logistics, flights, transportation, visas? When in Turkey and Syria meals won't just materialise at the end of each day - they will have to be planned in such detail to ensure that cyclists are getting the right nutrition required for such an endeavour. Preparatory cyclists meetings need to be organised, topics for discussion researched and thoroughly prepared. All this happens because there is a dedicated team working hard - since November to ensure that everything falls into place.

It's not only that. Each Sunday the backup team turns up, at the early hours of the morning, to support the cyclists. Whether it is to give directions at various checkpoints, solving any issues (like the closure of the Coast Road when a training session was planned there) that might crop up, taking photos and filming of the event or simply giving words of encouragement to struggling cyclists they dedicate time, away from their families, friends, hobbies and beds, to support the cyclists. 








Let's face it - waiting on a roundabout or in a corner, with a Lifecycle banner next to you, is not the height of major entertainment especially in the hotter months when am sure most of the team would prefer to go and laze on a beach.

Working behind the scenes often than not does not yield much gratification by the general public perhaps through lack of awareness. So this one's for you guys! Thank you for all the hard work and support you are giving us!

Photos courtesy of Ray Pace, pacemedia.tv

Shadow of Doubt

The snooze button on the alarm clock was created to prolong our agony when trying to wake up and acclamatise ourselves with the fact that is it time to get out of bed and get on with what we are supposed to do. Automatically I hit the snooze button numerous times but then the guilt sinks in and I reluctantly get out of bed. Today is no different. Actually today is worse. At 545am I just cannot accept the fact that it is time for me to wake up and face a four hour Lifecycle training session.

Although I wasn’t in bed at 9pm, I did not sleep late, drink alcohol or eat the ‘wrong’ type of food, I realize that today is not going to be such a bright and chirpy day for me. In a split second I try to find an excuse why I should skip training and stay in bed. It doesn’t work. I know that by missing training I won’t achieve anything except a free guilt trip which will probably stay with me until the very end of the Challenge.

I go downstairs and have my staple breakfast prior to any training. A banana. I guess by the end of Lifecycle I will not want to see another banana in my life but for the time being I will just have to like them. After usual checks on the bike, I set off to meet Robert. Seeing that he lives close by in Lija we cycle together up to Mater Dei.

I guess my face says it all this morning as the first thing he asks me is whether I am alright. I mumble that I am sleepy and we set off to Mater Dei where we find Shirley distributing the much awaited Betfair Lifecycle cycling tops. These tops will be our uniform which we will be required to wear at least during the Sunday training. The cycling tops are cool! Red and white are the primary colours with Maltese crosses, the Betfair logo – as our major sponsors and the Lifecycle Challenge Logo. The tops are a success with everyone commenting positively on the design. I will wear it with pride! I hope I won’t let the organisation down when I am cycling up a hill at a slow pace!

Alan is not here today. Mario and Gilbert take over. Explaining the importance of high cadence so as to build endurance and limit the risk of injury they also go over today’s route which was sent to us electronically a few days before. Today we are including some up hills in our training. The toughest climb being the St. Paul’s Bay Bypass.



As has become tradition, prior to leaving Ray takes a group photo – but today we are more colourful with our new cycling tops. The pride in wearing these new tops is evident as couple of cyclists pose like proud peacocks showing off their ‘feathers’.

Off we go!

It seems that there is quite a lot of energy in the group today as a large chunk of the group set off at a fast speed. I start off slowly, keeping in mind the words of a friend of mine who did Lifecycle two years ago advising me to take the first couple of kilometres easy so as to avoid burn out. But suddenly I realize that my taking it easy is the only speed I can face this morning. My legs feel taught and my heart rate is very high even though I am not doing any up hills but simply cycling on the B’Kara by Pass.




As soon as we get to the Mosta – Mgarr road I am faced with my first incline. As I no longer see other cyclists in front of me I start to panic. I know there are some other cyclists behind me but I have never fallen this far back and although I am trying to keep a high cadence I am not managing very well. I try to keep a constant speed but I must admit I am struggling.

I start getting visions of the long road ahead. Xemxija Hill. Bahar ic-Caghaq Coast Road, Splash and Fun and back – as many times as possible in two and a half hours. Even going downhill I find my pace slower than usual. Again negative thoughts start slowly creeping into my mind. Why am I doing this? Why inflict this torture? No one has forced me to do this? I could have easily stayed out partying with friends last night and had a nice lie in on this glorious Sunday morning. Turning towards Xemxija I am aware that there are members of the back up team waiting for us to give us directions. My reverie is broken when I hear Mario’s words of encouragement “Ejja Mariiiiiiiii” – two small words that don’t cost anything but they are such great motivators.























I encounter my first major hill soon after. The Xemxija by-Pass hill, an approximate 1 kilometre of steep incline. It is not as bad as I thought it would be and I soon start upping my pace. At least I am not cycling alone as I join Simon, Lenny, Ian, Luke and Nick. Reaching the Salina coast road we realize that the road is closed. I recall reading something in the newspapers of a Triathlon event but we keep on cycling until a pint sized warden with a high pitched voice starts waving at us to stop. We try to convince her to let us pass, assuring her that we won’t disrupt any activity but she won’t listen to anything we have to say and reluctantly we start heading back.




Nick suggests that we loop around Burmarrad and Salina roads but we all agree that we should not go off on a different route without telling the back up team. So we head back to St. Paul’s Bay where we inform Fr. Pierre and Shirley. We suggest Nick’s idea but we are told to loop until the St. Paul’s roundabout (from Burmarrad) till it is time to head back to Xemxija at 10am.

The Xemxija – Ghajn Tuffieha by pass is a mecca for motorbike riders who every Sunday congregate at the Apple’s Eye Café in Golden Bay. One after the other, powerful bikes whiz past us, leaving a cloud of dust and exhaust in our faces. I can’t help but think wistfully of my beloved Honda, currently in hibernation in my garage. I turn round to Simon and jokingly tell him that if I don’t make it to Istanbul with my Canondale I will turn up with the Honda! After all I still would be riding two wheels!!

Starting the loop from scratch we see the group that was in front of us finishing their first loop. They have nearly caught up with us. It seems that they managed to get past the pint sized warden and managed to get to Splash and Fun but now they have to complete the same loop we were instructed to undertake.

10am. Our meeting point is the Apple’s Eye. I feel a surge of energy and motivation as soon as I get close to Golden Bay. The heat from the sun’s rays is increasing by the minute and because I am still getting used to drinking more when riding, I feel dehydrated. The water is no longer cold so it is not exactly enticing to drink warm water. Mario flagging us down to stop was such a welcome site! I am out of breath. My heart rate is around 155 beats per minute. I am relieved this training session is over.

Hiding my feelings was never my forte. In fact if acting had to become the only available profession I would probably end up unemployed. Exhaustion, hunger and fatigue have hit me all of a sudden and it is showing. Carolyn and Francesca, who have known me for sometime notice this immediately and come over to see what happened. Getting a bit of pep talk from them makes me feel better. I have to learn to find the balance when pushing myself and being too hard on myself. Being to hard on myself is not the best of ideas.



We all have our off days, when we feel like throwing the towel and walking away. I think Mario summed it up “some people talk about it, the stronger people do it. Running away from it is not an option”.

Wearing my Betfair Lifecycle T-Shirt with pride I look forward to the next training session!



Photos Courtesy of Ray Pace, pacemedia.tv

DRIVING LESSON No: 1 - The use of Indicators

The use of indicators on a car's dashboard is for the sole purpose of indicating (showing) to other drivers one's chosen direction of travel. It is not an aerobic exercise that requires stamina or strength and thus can be performed by all with the minimum of effort.

Why, are you asking yourselves, this sarcasm? After all sarcasm is considered to be the lowest form of wit since it is a bitter form of irony intended to taunt its target.

What has it got to do with my training for the Lifecycle Challenge? In all truth and honesty, rather than taunting ‘my target’ it is more the venting of my frustration, which I think I can safely say is that of many other cyclists on Maltese roads, caused by lack of regard to us by some drivers.

The more I spend time cycling on our roads, the more I realize the substantial amount of morons out there that declare themselves to be drivers. The Highway Code should be renamed Law of the (Maltese) Jungle since quite a few drivers have adopted this stance. Perhaps not always through fault of their own but the situation is as it is.

Take this morning for example. Am out for my daily ride. Driving up a narrow road in Lija, I stop to wait for a car reversing from a garage. Fair enough, the road is narrow and there is not much one can do except wait. So far so good. Behind me is another car also waiting. Once the reversing car drives off I wait for the car behind me to continue driving. Logic – I am slower than he is, so why hold him up. But does he drive on? No! He just starts dishing out expletives and swearing at me because I am blocking his way into the garage. Like I am supposed to read minds! There was no indication of him turning right so how could I know what he was planning on doing?

Another instance. Car coming out from a side street in Rabat. Position of the car indicates that it will turn left. But no. Again with no sign whatsoever, it decides to take a right turn. Straight into little invisible me! This was at 7am. It was daylight. I was wearing bright clothes.

So considering the circumstances I feel I am allowed the pleasure of being sarcastic....at least for today!

PS No cyclists were hurt during the making of this post! :)

Comfortably Numb

For someone who gets bored very easily Lifecycle can be a Challenge. Now don't get me wrong here. I am not bored of the Challenge but of those moments that see me and the other cyclists looping round and round a particular route. The Airport – Hal Far road, or the Zebbug by-pass for example.

As I said in previous entries boredom is one thing we have to cope with seeing the size of our island. But these loops are necessary. They help us to build our stamina, endurance and patience!

Yet again I felt that today was a good ride.

Today I tried out my new bike. A Cannondale Caffeine C3. A smooth ride I must say. I still have to get used to the gears though as they are the opposite of what I was used to with my Bianchi. In fact I did mess up a couple of times. Not good when you are trying to negotiate a steep incline and tightening the gears instead of loosening them up. But it is all part of the training experience. This will enable me to get to know my bike faster!

As has become the norm, after a detailed briefing from Alan,we set off from Mater Dei. Today we are heading south towards the Airport – Hal Far Road.
























As one of the first to leave Mater Dei, Paul and I couldn't help but comment that we should enjoy this placing within the group as it is the only time we are in the lead! All said in good humour of course. This is not a race. As experienced Lifecyclist William Saliba commented, it's not a matter of who comes in first or last. No one was singled out for coming in first or last.

I must admit my competitive spirit sometimes gets the better of me and falling behind, especially in the up hills annoys me. I try to keep in mind that there is no point in speeding up and burning myself out. What I need to do is keep a constant speed and follow the training programme that Alan prepared for us.



Our final checkpoint is at the Safi Band Club. Following directions given by the Backup team near Lister Barracks we head into a country lane towards Safi. Being a country lane, the road is not exactly smooth. Paul commented, good natured as ever, that cycling is a pain in the butt and is waiting desperately for numbness to sink in so that he won't feel the pain any more!

My sense of direction helps me to get to Safi, though I do stop to ask a man walking his dogs for directions. Sympathetically he looks at me and tells me that I am not far off. Do I look that bad I think to myself. Although it is hot and we have cycled for over 50kms I am not feeling dead but perhaps the impression I am giving is different.

I must admit that the Safi Band Club is a welcome sight. I still have to cycle home but I really feel like some coffee and a banana to give me some more energy. And catching up with the rest of the team is always something to look forward to. Comparing of notes, getting advice from the more experienced and sharing a joke is all part of the experience.




Some cyclists even found their way to Damascus today! - a bit earlier than expected!
























Heading home with Maria, John and Robert the first phase of training comes to an end. This week will see us cycling 60kms instead of 40kms in the longer route days. An extra hour of training. Slowly building up.


I will end this entry by quoting Alan from his weekly write up “Lifecycle is not some kind of game, some “nice” experience, an “enjoyable” adventure, this is Life Cycle with all its blood and snot! Sore arses, stressed bodies and pressure cooker environment is what faces us not some walk in the mountains with a rucksack on your back”


This is what we are going to be facing and we'd better be prepared for it!

Photos courtesy of Ray Pace, pacemedia.tv Shirley Cefai

Crash Boom Bang!

A sultry sun and a cold wind greets me as I cycle up towards Mater Dei. A far cry from yesterday’s warm and sunny day but, I think to myself, that such weather could be a blessing. After all I’d rather undergo training in cooler conditions – at least for the first couple of weeks. We will have time to cycle in the heat and humidity I reckon.
 
As I get to our meeting point at Mater Dei’s entrance, I meet Nigel. I cannot help but jokingly ask him whether he has taken his breakfast, following last week’s episode.  Slowly other cyclists start to zoom up the hill. Some looking quite fresh others looking as if they haven’t got into training mode yet and still recovering from a late night.
 
Briefing starts at 7am. Alan introduces Carolyn who has just joined the back up team as a physiotherapist. Carolyn already has Lifecycle experience, having been part of the back up team during the crossing of the Arctic Circle.  Following up on the previous Friday’s meeting, Alan stresses the importance of developing an efficient fat burning system and  to progressively build up the strength in the muscles so that as we progress with our training our bodies can cope with the intensity of such activity.  The name of the game right now is building endurance.
 




Alan briefing the team prior to the day's ride


Alan also explains Drafting. Drafting is a technique wherein cyclists go in single file to block the wind for the other cyclists behind them, taking turns at being the one in front. The trick, Alan explained, is to remain as close as possible to the bike in front of you, keeping a constant speed.  Alan stresses that this technique requires concentration, precision, and good communication otherwise it could lead to a potential chain reaction accident. 
 
This technique will be part of our training today, which will take place mainly on the Zebbug by Pass. I groan inwardly as most of my weekly training took place on this road. Unfortunately boring routes will be part of the stress that we will have to cope with. Malta being a small island means that we are limited for route variety. The plan today is to continue to gradually build up our aerobic base. Increase our mileage and getting a feel of what it will be like to be sitting on the bike for longer periods of time. Feeling comfortable being on our own should we, for some reason or another, get isolated from the rest of the group.
 






Off we go!


Guided by the backup team we leave Mater Dei and head towards Mosta, following the same route we took the previous week.   However this time we turn towards Rabat. The road surface is relatively good and traffic quiet. The road leading up towards Zebbug is a steady incline albeit not steep. Shifting gears I realize that my muscles haven’t warmed up fully and admittedly my pace slows down slightly but I still maintain a constant speed.
 
Upon reaching the roundabout close to the Military Cemetery on the road leading to Ta’Qali, Alan encourages us to form groups and start drafting. I team up with Simon, Lenny and Carolina. With Lenny in the lead we head towards the bottom of Saqajja hill. Here one starts to realize the level of concentration one requires for this technique as you really have to get close to the rear wheel of the cyclist in front of you!.
 















As we get to the first roundabout, which leads towards Mtarfa, Rabat or Zebbug, Mario from the backup team signals us to go towards Zebbug until the roundabout that leads into Siggiewi. From there we are to keep looping until we are told to stop or proceed to another location.















 
Whilst we do our best to keep drafting, it is not easy to keep the same tempo especially in the early stages of training where we are still figuring out many things ourselves – let alone our cycling mates’ performance.  Although we keep this rhythm for quite some time eventually the group breaks up.  I try to keep my cadence as stable as possible, changing to lower gears when the incline gets a bit steeper and vice versa. A downhill bit is always welcome, enabling me to stretch a bit, taking a standing position on the pedals.





 


As the morning progresses, so does the amount of traffic and careless drivers. Unfortunately cycling lanes only exist at short intervals and lengths and they either stop abruptly or else are used as parking bays by some irresponsible pick-up van owner or used for a leisurely Sunday walk by some pedestrian who decides that the Zebbug by-Pass is a great location to get some fresh air. Does it require a degree in rocket science to understand that these lanes are for cyclists?  Whether it is lack of logic, ignorance or inconsideration the end result can be potentially fatal as it gives cyclists no option but to cycle on open roads anyway.
 





















Cycling on the road leading up to Mtarfa, I find myself crashing onto the pavement, dangerously close to an electricity pole.  What caused it?  An inconsiderate driver, who decided to come up close and personal with my bike. This was totally unnecessary and uncalled for as I was driving close to the pavement, thus not blocking the driver’s lane, moreover the road is a dual carriage way and traffic is usually flowing at this time of day, so it wasn't a case of me blocking the road. I do realize that some cyclists do tend to drive in the middle of the road, and this can be very frustrating for drivers however that does not condone such behaviour.
 
To add insult to injury the driver just drove past, as if nothing had happened, leaving me to nurse a graze on my elbow and knee. Although my wrist feels slightly sprained, I just pick up the bike and start pedalling again. Fuelled by my fury, I feel my adrenaline pumping even more. Heading back towards Zebbug I realize that blood is flowing from my knee so I decide to stop and pour some water over it.  As I am trying clean the wound as best as I can, Shirley from the backup team stops to see what happened. She immediately informs Alan who promptly dispatches Carolyn and Francesca, our physiotherapists, to give first aid. Catching up with me they attempt to stop me but I insist on continuing with the ride, annoyed that I have fallen behind fro the rest of the group and affected my timing. Carolyn is not surprised. She knows me and my determined nature well.  In reality it is nothing serious. I have had worse falls. It’s more fright and a bruised ego.
 
The ride reaches it’s end soon after and we stop for a coffee in Zebbug. I put some more water on the wound and have a very welcome Espresso. Adrenaline is still pumping through my body as Alan gives us a short de-brief on today’s ride. Soon after we are ‘dismissed’ but most of us keep chatting, comparing notes on what affected us the most in today’s ride.
 






















Memento of today's ride!

Francesca is still concerned about me and offers to give me a lift home but I am fine and can go the short distance back to Lija. Still concerned, she finds out that one of the cyclists lives in Attard and arranges for us to cycle down together.   At least one good thing came out of the fall. It gave me the opportunity to talk to other cyclists and start getting to know them even better.

 
Another week of training is over and overall it is a very positive experience. I am enjoying Lifecycle. I just hope that motorists out there would show a bit more concern towards our safety!
 
Photos courtesy of Ray Pace, Carolyn Bonello