I went to Derby Arena again today this time for a Paracycling license assessment.
Surprisingly I didn’t actually ride on the velodrome which was a shame. They had no velodrome time booked. The Physio’s did a lot of tests to asses the spasticity in my right leg and arm. Then I rode my road bike in the car park quite slowly. The track bike stayed in the car, unused.
Today we went all the way to the velodrome within Derby Arena, some 98 miles away!
I did 10 laps or so slowly to warm up, this was during a tandem session so I just rode around the bottom of the track, I then did a Kilo with a flying start, I am now really getting into doing Kilo’s, kilometre time trials.
I completed the first one in 01’56’40, I am pleased with the improvement over my last time at Derby.
I rested for 20 minutes or so before my second attempt which was: 01’57’06. Initially I was quite disappointed but then I worked out I was only 0’26 seconds slower which is pretty good considering my inability to follow the lines very well, especially when pushing hard.
I know there is a lot more to come both from riding technique and physical ability.
Saturday I rode upon the most fantastic Derby Arena velodrome.
It is an Olympic sized track, so 250 metres long and I think it has 42 degree banked corners.
Thus I found the track much easier and less frightening to ride around than Calshot and that is why I ride at Calshot.
It was still difficult to hold my line precisely, however I am improving.
Toward the end of the session I completed another flying start Kilo to compare with my Calshot time of: 2.17.09
Calshot Laps = 187m:
Lap 1 = 19.60
Lap 2 = 19.21
Lap 3 = 19.18
Lap 4 = 20.10
Lap 5 = 18.88
Lap 6 = 18.70
Lap 7 = 20.40
Total = 2.17.09
Derby Laps = 250m:
Lap 1 = 30.02
Lap 2 = 29.04
Lap 3 = 30.71
Lap 4 = 30
Total = 2.00.90!!!
I went all the way from where I live in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, to one of our nearest velodromes at Calshot Activities Centre, nearly 90 miles away, situated on Calshot Spit in Hampshire near Southamton: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/calshot/ It is housed within UNHEATED, so very cold in winter, aircraft hangers originally built during the second World war to house the Sunderland seaplanes that successfully hunted German U-boats. Calshot Velodrome has very steep 45deg corners and is 142.85 metres long, Olympic standard tracks are 250m long and have a corner banking of 42 degs, I was told by the instructor at Calshot.
I went on 09/01/2017 and 11/01/2017 to Calshot, however when I again travelled there wanting to ride on Wednesday 18/01/2017, just as I was preparing myself to cycle the track the instructor Harry looked at where the roof was dripping water. Harry found it to be dripping on the track so consulted the Manager who postponed the session until another day! Fortunately I hadn’t come far, only 87 miles each way!
11/01/2017 I completed a flying kilo, kilometre long time trial, in 2:17:09, World record held by Francois Pervis at 56:303 from a standing start! Must have been the fact that Francois completed it at altitude or so I have convinced myself! Francois Cancellara Rio Olympics Gold Medal winning time: 1hr 12mins 15 seconds.
I really enjoyed myself and am improving my feel for the track. I just need to do more riding on that Velodrome whilst the Velodrome is constructed in Oxfordshire, please give me the OK/source of funding, I do have some good ideas/location, again I have ideas, to construct a Velodrome Nicola Blackwood, please.
29/10/2016 I was invited to attend a testing session on turbo trainers by British Cycling at Derby Velodrome, nice looking velodrome.
Our power produced on a bicycle was assessed with a view to putting the most powerful riders on a program to make them potential medal winners.
Unfortunately, I was NOT one of these riders. Dr John Lenton, who told me this information, said that he would email me this dreadful information but include training plans and a list of para-races, which I should try and do to demonstrate any improvements.
I only have one chance to go to the Paralympics, when it’s held in Toyko.
I am going to train so hard toward it and get super powerful so British Cycling have to take me.
I WILL WIN!
Today I had an appointment to see Doctor Turner in Woodstock so I rode to there. I was actually 10 minutes early! I then rode a rather circuitous route home and did 22.35 miles in total!
Today I walked with Fleck, the super fast cocker-spaniel, around the field near us in Kidlington passing the Pirate Park, har har me hearties! Down to the far corner, crossing the road and going past The Cherwell Stores and Biggles Hairdressers along to the track towards St Mary’s Church. Left along Church Rd then left again at the end. Eventually I turned up Brasenose Drive and casually sauntered back home.
It took me a very long two hours or so and I was making sure my hip was more forward than it used to be, so parallel with my shoulders as instructed by my physio. I kept my hip forward for an hour or so!
It’s difficult all this concentrating!
No the two forms of exercise were not combined, yet. This morning my Pilates instructor Louise Benoist, louise.b.dance@homail.com previously was a dancer however now she instructs on the correct forms to take in Pilates which is an excellent ‘core’ technique to follow, came over and helped me to perform a set of excercises including walking correctly.
Later in the day I went to the Fluid Motion class at Barton swimming pool again. A lot of walking in the pool and balancing on top of floats was undertaken and I found the Pilates to really help. Although I was my balance in still pretty awful I thought about the Pilates all the time and tried to implement it.
Then the fun bit where I get to ‘warm down’ or swim properly with no extra floatation aid. Initially I completed 10 lengths, 250 metres, then I thought why not carry on as I was more determined than exhausted! Admittedly even when I was less tired my technique was pretty awful with my right arm and hand being spastic still but I carried on and completed 20 lengths or 500 metres, ½ a kilometre! I was very pleased with myself.
It goes to show that swimming three times a week wearing a buoyancy aid, float similar to a lifejacket, does help you to make progress back toward swimming.
Also I stretch my shoulders before swimming, focussing on my right one. I do this by laying down on the floor on my back, holding a barbell, only having weights thus allowing it to roll on floor, above my head then pushing it away from my body holding onto the bar with both hands.
Pilates excercises focus particularly on the body’s core so does swimming so I feel they complement each other.
And Cycling Further!
On Sunday 21/08/2016 I cycled with ex-neighbour Andy, I was always in front though, from Kidlington to Bletchingdon up the hill, on to Woodstock climbing Bunkers Hill, down Woodstock Rd to Peartree roundabout under A34 then turned back up to Kidlington.
18.49 miles and about 9.5 mph so exceptionally slow but that was the furthest distance that I have cycled since my crash. It all felt so easy to do so I shall have to go further in the future and/or faster.
16/08/2016 Fluid Motion at Barton Pool
http://www.fluid-motion.org.uk are a local to Oxfordshire swimming pool based hydrotherapy organisation that I found out about in Northamptonshire! I attended for the first time last week and found that we all did some great balance, core, arm control excercises, best of was the fact that we were allowed to warm up or cool down by swimming lengths and the pool was shallow enough that I could stand up in it for the entire length! Therefore, I completed eight lengths on my own, without any additional flotation!!! SUPERB I could swim again properly for the first time since my crash.
Shead Injury 