Motivation

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Psychology professors define motivation as "the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviours." So therefore, motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or riding a bicycle race to win that said race.

Recently I have very much been considering motivation. It's not the first thought I have had since surgery, but it is the most useful. I started thinking about what motivates other athletes. Then quickly stopped. I put the focus on me. I really wanted to delve into what motivates me. I also feel like sharing it. I don't claim to be a psychology expert, but I do claim to know myself. It's the one thing I am sure of. I won't lay out my full thought process, because that shall take forever. Im pretty sure that'll motivate you to leave, in search of pictures of pantomime zebras doing the running man. Just in case...

First off, I was thinking of a few common motivators I have heard / read from athletes across all sports. Like "basketball was a way out of the ghetto" from Allen Iverson, the NBA player. Or, "running gave me freedom" from Billy Mills, the native American who won the 10km at the Tokyo Olympics. Sure they can be massive motivators. But they don't relate to me. I don't live in a ghetto. My parents have worked hard, own a house in a nice area, let me live rent free. Cycling does not give me freedom. I have it anyway. I'm not confined to live in a place I don't want to, and I'm not trying to get away from anything. Apart from perhaps, the constant stream of cups of tea my mother is bringing me whilst i'm recovering. But as my blood slowly turns to Indian tea leaves, it's not anything to motivate me to stay a professional cyclist.

Annoyingly I had to think a little harder. Even when I have been living in some holes across Belgium, when I'm racing I'm not thinking, "I have to make it to stop living here." Before I was a full time cyclist I loved my bike. More than anything, or so I thought. When I stopped making boxes at a box factory to make money to go abroad, and became full time, I rode my bike the very next day. I recently worked at a Scottish national junior team camp recently and I was explaining this story to one of the riders, who is 17 and looks older than I do, but that's another story. It was really raining hard, and I rode past a group of workers in the road. They were so miserable, I still remember their faces. They were soaked through, tired, freezing cold. So was I. But, they were hating life and I could not have been happier. I was riding my bike knowing I was a full time athlete. It was my job. Even now when I (occasionally) train in the rain I remember that day.

I want to ride and race my bike everyday, to ride and race my bike everyday. I have to. I was never happier than that moment when I rode past the road workers. I have won races abroad, don't get me wrong I was over the moon when I did that. But, at the end of a season when I know I have a team, some funding, support from everyone I know, and good enough health to train - nothing beats that feeling. That feeling only gets better the higher the level of team I go to. I feel like I am a part of bike racing.

To quote that bloke Leonardo Di Caprio plays in The Beach - "I still believe in paradise. But now I know it's not some place you can look for. Because its not where you go: it's how you feel for a moment in your life when you're a part of something". So based on that, bike racing is my paradise. And, I'm here to stay. For a while at least.

I'm gutted it was Di Caprio who said those words. I'd have been happier if it had been James Dean.

Summary of my knee injury

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:15:00 +0000

A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy? Albert Einstein once said this. Clearly he lived in a time when bicycles were not around and fresh air was underrated.

Since my surgery I have been suffering severe bouts of cabin fever. They last for about 24 hours a day. With other injuries I have had, I have at least been able to go outdoors. With recovering from this one I have worn at groove in my bed that wakes me up at night when I lay across the divide my ever increasing ass size has created.

This injury is easily the worst of my lifetime. With my life depending on how my bike racing goes it was a depressing time for me. I don't claim to have had depression itself but I did feel awful. Thankfully my house mates were still racing and my friend came over from America to do the pro-kermesse season so I could still be involved in the racing and give me something to look forward to in a time where waking up and going to sleep were the only things I had to achieve during the day. I don't think they realise how much that helped me.

I was treading water for a long time when I got the injury. My team didn't or couldn't do anything for me. I still don't know which one is an accurate reflection of the truth. I was left to my own devices. Thankfully a new friend came to my rescue and we saw specialists, had scans, and had extensive physiotherapy.

It improved the injury but it didn't solve it unfortunately. I returned home after the physio was completed, after my kitchen burned down, and with a special guest who showed me it was possible to have someone in my life that didn't ride a bike. I saw a consulting surgeon and we had agreed an operation was needed to correct the problem.

In the meantime things had gone a little up in the air regarding what team I was going to ride for next year. It turns out old friends are the best friends and I'm all sorted for this season.

So, this is where I am at the moment. I had new shoes, pedals, and cleat positions. It left me with a month and a half to train hard before the surgery. Fortunately I managed it. Now it's just waiting on my bed with my left knee supported by pillows until the swelling is down enough to train. Then it's a few days of seeing how it feels and how it responded to surgery then full steam ahead. Hopefully into a season that brings me the success of some of my friends were fortunate enough to enjoy this year.

See you on the road. Or when boredom during the recovery strikes and I decide it's time for another blog.

Want to learn a little bit of Spanish?

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Is excellent customer service and good value too much to ask? I don’t think so.

Are hands and feet that feel like blocks of ice during a ride or race acceptable in 2012? I don’t think so.

Is it impossible for form and functionality go hand in hand? I don’t think so.

I propose these questions to myself when searching for cycle clothing (Prendas Ciclismo when talking Spanish) accessories for my entire cycling career. Riding for a smaller professional team, alot of the time you have to search these pieces of clothing out for yourself.

I never looked further than Prendas Ciclismo (re-read the previous paragraph if you missed my non-subtle name drop, you’ll learn some Spanish.) It’s a brilliant bike clothing store based in Poole. I was looking for sponsorship and Prendas were the first company I asked. Thankfully they accepted even though they were over committed in their sponsorship, and I have a silly haircut, they still agreed to help me out. Up until this point I have only ever been a Prendas customer for non-team products. Check out my photos, and look specifically at my socks! First, look how much they sent me, then I’ll tell you about the best products!

The best of a great bunch, in my opinion are the “Air Tunnel” gloves and overshoes. The first day I wore them it was -3 degrees. Warm hands and feet. The 2nd day it was raining hard, and 3 degrees. Warm hands and feet. There’s a trend going on here! My training partner took a photo for me so I could show you just how well they are designed, style and fit wise (have a scroll down if you can’t see it). Everytime Prendas has been mentioned I have linked it to the website. If you missed it click HERE!

New Track Sponsorship...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:25:00 +0000

According to the UCI there are 30,923 people who raced on the velodromes last year. Next year if all the people who raced the track last year continue to do so there will be 30,924 people. That extra person shall be me. To change up my training and keep all my leg speed through the winter were the main reasons I decided to race.

To do this I went in search of a few extra sponsors. And I am happy to say I am partnering up with FFWD wheels based in Holland to give my performance that extra boost. Their wheels speak for themselves. They are used by World Tour team and the worlds top track racers. And, now me...so what better endorsement than that!

They are unbelievable. Here is a photo to make you salivate...

There is also some news coming about my team for 2012. Its something a little different, so I'll say when I can.

Talk soon!

Injured

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:13:00 +0000

Here is an interesting piece of information. The earthquake that caused the massive tsunami in S.E Asia moved the North Pole by 1 inch. Here is a less interesting piece of information. The crash that I had in France 3 weeks ago tore the muscles that attach my shoulder blade to my ribcage.

Form is a balancing act. And, quite hard to explain to a non-athlete. It’s the perfect state of mind, coupled to the perfect fitness levels you can achieve for your body, at one specific time. It’s so delicate, and relatively impossible to predict its arrival. You know when it’s very nearly there, and you are more than aware of when you have it. I nearly had that perfect balance. I have now lost it. Fortunately I still have 2 months of the season to get it back, and I am sure I can before the end of this season.

I suspect that when the French director of the race I crashed in checked the course on the morning of the race he decided to do the entire thing with his eyes closed. After 17km he included a decent that unexpectedly turned to deep gravel half way down. You hit that at 70kph on a tyres that are 22mm wide, I guarantee you’re going to deck it. I went straight into a grass bank, and then into the worst 3 weeks of injury rehab I have ever had. French race director: you can eat dick.

I started training again today. It was a little session, but went a long way to making me believe this season is salvageable.

National Championships

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:51:00 +0000

National championship weekend I will always find myself at home. Only 1 time out for the last 4 times I have taken to the start line. Baring any disasters in the next 2 days I will increase my percentage of making it there. If you wish to be informed of my hate / hate relationship with the nationals, here goes.

2007 - I (forgive graphic image) grew a third ball. Obviously sitting on a saddle was a bit of an issue. I didn't start.

2008 - Less gross, and considerably less painful, my right knee doubled in size. Given 2007's pain issue, this was nothing. I hit it (knee not ball) on the handlebars in a sprint on the first stage of the Tour de Serbie. That's the Tour of Serbia. They don't speak French there, so your guess is a good as mine why they took the decision to be french for a bit. Again, I did not start.

2009 - Shock, horror, I started. I made the split for the front group. Then got a flat. Then got another flat. I didn't have a service car behind the split after the first flat. Then didn't have one after the bunch for the second flat. May as well have not started.

2010 - Denied a start. Was not particually happy about the decision. Went to a quality party instead. Drank champagne, watched a man do some magic. Was slightly happier about the decision.

2011 - To be continued...

Trying to find the way?

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:41:00 +0000

I wanted to give a brief example of how easy it is to ride bikes and not get lost out here. Most of the time! There are 2 ways that guarantee you to have a good ride. Well 3 actually.

Way number 1 – As soon as you swing off most main roads into the lanes (especially in West Flanders) you will see little squiggles on the road. To the untrained eye, maybe someone spilt paint. But, they are way markers. Like sign posts, just painted on the tarmac. They range in distances (from 30 to 200km) but they are indicated in a few places along the way. They also come full circle. It will bring you back to where you started. The picture below shows a few loops just outside Zottegem. They all tell you to turn left. Even though there are 3 with the letter “C” there are subtle differences. One “C” has one arrow above it. One has two. And, the third is red. Easy! Well sort of. It can be difficult to see them at speed. If you look hard enough, you almost, can never go wrong.

Way number 2 – Follow the official bike loop signs installed by the councils. They are raised onto poles. Sometimes on their own, and sometimes with other signs. This one (the picture below) is just under a sign telling you, you have left a town. These signs are made for people on leisure rides, mostly on town bikes. They are seldom over 50km. What you can do is find where the routes intersect and follow a different route and so on, until you arrive at your starting place. You can find the routes on the tourist website – well worth translating the page into English!

Way number 3 – Buy a Garmin. But, that’s almost too easy! I recently lost mine. Hence the new information on trying to find a decent training loop!

Hope that might answer a few questions I have been asked. I wish you luck!

The non-cyclist

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:13:00 +0000

I fear bicycle racing news reporting has become a soap. People read the news, waiting for something bad to happen. Seeing which genius has gone positive now.

I have had a few conversations with complete non-cyclists. They talk about lance, mostly (which I love). Occasionally Eddy pops up. The conversation then goes to the London - Brighton bike ride, how many gears my bike has, then le tour. They ask who won; I say "I'm not sure". I really hate it. We then talk about drugs.

It would be brilliant if the last bit of the conversation didn't take place. We could talk about the feeling riding a bike gives you. About noise you hear with a tailwind, the tyres on the road, the chain going over the cassette, through the derailleur, around the chainrings. And, the clarity of thought that gives you. The poetry, the peloton. The love you have for it. I'll save you, I shall not go on!

A cyclist talking to a cyclist. Mostly about RIcco these days. Or report, after report, after report about Contador. It does have its place, of course. It needs to be reported. But, if you run a cycling website, penetrate that bunch of snore with stories of the good guys. The guys who have been pros for years - the brilliant stories they would have. The guys at the bottom. The ones paying their way to make their way, living in shared houses, repairing inner tubes saving the money - just to have coffee at a cafe. The guys just breaking into the pros. With years ahead of them, brilliant futures to hypothesise about. I do have to say, the cycling weekly website, is brilliant for that.

How nice it would be to see those non-cyclists, and talk of only positives. Or just to those who already ride, or race, about the reports the reporters could report (sorry for the twisting of the tongue). Let them have a positive outlook on the sport we love - unconditionally. The sport they might just love too.

Bike racing is beautiful, let it be known!

On a personal note, I opened my road season on Sunday. The perfs pedal race. I was 6th. I tried my hardest. Used myself up too much. Form is pleasing. Speed will come in the next month. Great report of the race from Yanto Barker here...

Belgium Thursday. Might start packing soon!

Packing that race bag again...

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 21:48:00 +0000

With my season starting last weekend with a few early season time-trials tomorrow leads me into the perfs pedal race.

It will be my first race in the UK that is not the national championships for 3 years. I'm pretty excited. See the full start list here.

Its a little nuts packing a race bag after months of wearing the same combination of clothes everyday. I actually intend on wearing shorts. Wish my knees warmth!

Bit of house keeping....I decided to start twitter-ing. I currently have 4 friends :(. Help me out with that one! Also, if you have messaged me off the site, I promise I am not, not replying on purpose. Bit of a mouthful. Sorry! It does not send me a reply email address. The problem is sorted! Please email away again!

Catch you soon.......

I am not sorry. I am different.

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 20:51:00 +0000

Why have I not updated for a while? Maybe some honestly shall help....

Well, I was seriously de-motivated to write when I was racing badly. The start of this season was a complete shocker. Thanks in no part, to where I was living. It was dismal. Genuinely, unbelievably dismal. Think mental prison. I could not think. As well as not being able to wash, be clean, or be myself. Thankfully that did not have to last all season. As soon as I left, my performance, motivation, and happiness in general happiness increased ten-fold.

I still had 4 months of awful racing to overcome mentally. I sort of did it. I finished between 3rd and 6th place a few too many times. Whenever I found myself in a situation to win, perhaps, I was still weak mentally. I lost the edge or whatever you wish to call it. My confidence had a big dent it in. My legs had a whole season in them.

In retrospect I should have finished my season a little earlier. I ended it on a bad note. I didn’t / couldn’t finish the last race. I was done. It was time for a break.

I spent it reading this book my Mother brought me. Side note - I have got a tattoo on my left wrist (what it is does not matter). She wrote it out and stuck it inside the front cover of this book – after that I had to read it. Maybe she did it to guilt trip me into reading it! Maybe not. Either way, it was a welcome addition! The book is about overcoming physical limitations to achieve success in sport. It was unbelievable. It’s called “Bounce” written by Matthew Syed. It’s genius.

The reading of that book gave me a different outlook. It’s easy to point fingers and say “I did badly because of that person” or “I should have done this instead of that”. It’s not so easy to say it’s my fault. So, to me...I am not sorry, I am different. I am better than I have ever been. I have to believe that. I do believe that. I have grown up.

I hope someone is still looking to read this.....