I will try to remember where it all started, what I got right, what I got wrong, highs and lows.
I was a quit lad, as an 11 year old cycling was something I was good at straight away, it was my way of expressing myself, it was my way of communicating, I talked with my legs.
Someone quoted on Facebook today that after reading 'Wide eyed and legless' that they thought that if things had been then as they are now for our top Brits, that I could well have done what Sir Brad has done, I'm not quite sure about that! But back then (sound old now) it was the same for all most everyone, it wasn't the thing to have team coaches, nutritionists, phycoligists, it was ride hard, eat well and HTFU!
The last few years one of the things i've learnt from training and talking to riders and looking back on my own experiences, is that the riding the bike bit of being successful on a bike is only part of reaching your full potential. Your head and health will play a big part in getting the best out of your self. Sometimes my head and health let me down, well may be a lot at times, but back when we were racing I didn't know there were people to deal with your inner 'chimp' such as Steve Peters http://www.chimpparadox.co.uk/ and even if I did know I probably wouldn't have ask for help, I was/am good at keeping things close to my chest that people wouldn't have known there may have been anything was wrong. What I really needed back then was a coach/mentor, call him what you like that could read me a bit more, know when something was wrong and try and help me deal with it. As for my health I've realized things I put down to just being a cyclist, tiredness, aches and backpains were part of bigger issues I didn't really known about or if i did know i didn't really known how detremental they may have been to my cycling, but because I'd always had some of them to me
they were just normal sensations and being a stubborn git I just got on with it, because I didn't know
any better! But that's just me I put up with things, thinking that it's normal.
Also, as I approach 50 (2014) this stubborn git wants to try and get fit again (health permitting) and try and practice what I preach, so I'll show you a few training session I've done, and use the advise Barry Murray http://www.optimumnutrition4sport.com has given me and put it to good use.
Mumbled on a bit now, so if some of this doesn't make sense, sorry, I was/am a better bike rider than writer,
ask my English teach!
More later as and when things come back to me.
