New Directions

As usual with this time of the year I 'read' with in interest the various pro Riders tweets and blogs about the forth coming season.
The GreenEDGE Antipodeans, The Brit Pack at TeamSky and the Final chapter of The Armstrong Saga. All enthralling, the later of which must surely have been penned into a screenplay by now. If they want pain Id volunteer as an Extra.

For a cycling blogist I can sometimes get away with reading, being in the arena instead of on the stage. Whether it be for research, amusement or Inspiration, I can still convince myself that it has some preparatory place.

Sadly this process can not offer any cardio vascular improvement, although I do get excited when I read about how well Cav and Bradley are doing. The only singular physical benefit of reading that my imagination could conjure up was the skill in sitting in one position for a long period of time.... doesn't that count as training?

Yeah that it, I have been practising sitting down for long periods of time for a the winter months. So what about the bloging then?

Yeah well .....Ok, I admit it my fingers have been as lazy and as sedentary as my maximus glutimous.

This reading process should not be totally underestimated although as it does herald the start of my own preparations, a seasonal alarm clock If you like, to move me from the public bar over to my handle bars.

A gentle reminder to start shedding those winter pounds that I so greedily added when the days were getting shorter. ......that enough now, get on with it Philip !!!!!!!!

So as Geraint Thomas and Co write about 'Balearic base camps' and 'Canary Island carry ons' and I am shamed into action.

With the temperature gauge hovering over freezing and the sky thick with the threat of snow I determine that its time.

Systematically I pull up my sealz socks and slip on my recently acquired cycling BOOTS.

I say Boots rather than Shoes because these Shimano MW81 Gore-Tex Winter babies are all BOOT.

Their downside is that they are heavier than most TDF Road bikes and restrict any real dynamic movement, as if I was capable right now!!!!!!

The upside is that they do ward off the frostbite and keep your feet as cosy as the Sofa seat in The Corner House Pub.

Remember my play area -Its Patrington - Not Palma, Tickton and not Tenerife.
Whilst the Pros add layers of sun block,I add layers of clothing and Vaseline (That's all together another story)

So again the keyboard sees little tapping, but the pedals some as I try and drag by over inflated torso up even the most benign of gradients.

At the start of each year I curse, and then blog about my curses - My unique power weight ratio This could be compared to our currency exchange rate.

Having hundreds of Lbs gets you nowhere these days.

I do get my Lbs and ££££ mixed up.

This year will be different, I promise myself whilst finishing off that weekend bottle of Red and signing up for the Cheshire Cat at the end of March. After I had paid the entry fee Joanne reminded me about why I had not entered it over the past two years.

'Cant you remember the pain and the nauseous exhaustion four years ago, when you were younger, lighter and fitter?'

Its funny how that sort of pain is very temporary.

Well this year has to be different. As well as the usual challenges Paddy(My Twin) holds a carrott, a golden one. The possibility of taking part in the Waves to Wine (San Fransisco to Napa Valley) in September with proper climbs and a brother with a point to prove.

Its no longer a case of 'It would be nice to be really fit'

I have no Choice.

This Saturday I ventured out. It was -3 degrees, with Ice and a dusting of snow.

At one time Simon reached for a drink to find the contents of his water bottle frozen. It was grim.

We went to the Humber bridge and raced back to avoid the Blizzard that was forecast.

I guess we all have to start somewhere