Martin’s email VeloUK saying “a little different to the norm but hopefully interesting nonetheless!” You be the judge as we reveal his training for a Lands End to John O’Groats and back again in just 10 days!
A recent return to cycling for Martin has obviously left an impression as he has volunteered to ride from Lands-end to John O’Groats and back again in just 10 days. Setting his stall out for cycling 180 miles per day for 10 days, he has quite a target and he talks with us about his winter – more details can be found at his site www.lejogle.co.uk
Its not that easy to find training material for building up from a novice to a Grand Tour stage length rider in seven months so for me its been about finding a comfortable pace an sticking to it. Distance is coming in week by week as I add more time to the rides, normally 30 mins to an hour (7 – 15 miles). I don’t own an indoor training solution yet so all my miles are done out on the roads so obviously the winter is tough, especially for the really long rides. The cold really does seem to be able to invade the extremities and so far I’ve not found suitable solutions to combat that – plenty more time for that though!
Fitting in the training around running a business is tough, but thankfully I am a good boss and can give myself some leeway in this – however as the rides become longer, the work will take a backseat – come April, the cycling will be in the region of 10 hours 5 days a week to build the backside resistance needed so work will definitely be secondary.
VeloUK:Â Have you started your winter training and if so, how long did you spend off the bike post season and how many hours a week would you spend now training?
Martin Cox: Heck yeah, training started for me back on sept 24th when my bike got delivered in the mail. I hadn’t ridden for about 17 years so the idea of riding 1800 miles was still very tentative then. First up was making sure that my knees wouldn’t object within the first few miles which thankfully they didn’t. Riding started very gradually with me feeling shattered after 20 or 30 miles, but now its bike time every other day if possible. I’m currently spending 3 hrs in the saddle 3 times a week with Saturday being taken up by an increasingly long ride – somewhere in the region of 7-8 hours now.
When January starts, then the rides real start to crank up. For me its important to pace the ride duration slowly, its really not about maximum speed – rather its about a constant pace for along period of time, ideally 15-17mph for 12 hours is what I am looking for.
VeloUK: Tell us about your winter training bike — type of bike and is there anything special about it compared to your summer bike — mudguards, lights, etc
Martin Cox: Ha ha, just the one bike at the moment! Currently riding a ‘cross bike, but hoping to be the recipient of something faster and lighter soon! The key for winter to me is lots of lights – you really can’t be too visible!
VeloUK:Â What is a typical week day ride for you (how long and what intensity) and what sort of rides do you do on a weekend (how long and what intensity)?
Martin Cox: A weekday ride will generally start at 8pm after an early dinner and the 3 boys are all put to bed. Its about getting in 40-50 miles and I have a few good sized loops in my area where thats possible – as long as I can get that distance done in three hours then I am happy. Sundays are church days for me, so the long rides occur on a Saturday. I normally spend the morning playing with the kids and doing essential household stuff that can’t be put off any longer then off out early afternoon.
For me, Saturday is about time in the saddle and letting my body get used to such long periods on the bike. First couple of hours might be at 18-19mph to get the lungs and heart working but then it goes to a steady 15-16mph. Just steady riding, lots of focus on legs and knees and a good sound cadence, keeping my heart rate steady and the body ‘feeling good’. As the weeks progress I try to add 5-10 miles on per week, so mid-April I am happy doing 180 miles per ride, looking at it taking 12 hours in the saddle so just building up that endurance.
VeloUK: Do you ride Xmas day or New Years day?
Martin Cox: I wish! I have got a pass for Boxing Day and will probably get out late on New Years day, but family duties do sometimes take precedence!
VeloUK: Finally, what will be your first races for 2012?
Martin Cox: I guess LeJogLe is the closest I will get to a race in 2012. 1,800 miles in 10 days. I will see how my body feels after that before we look at any races!
Other Winter Training Stories
- Features, Reports, Results
- TT Result: Kent CA 10m Time Trial
- TT Result: Southern Counties CU 25m TT
- HC Result: Elevate RT Hill Climb
- Result: Welsh Road Race Championships 2024
- Result: Will Houghton Circuit Race (Hillingdon)
- STARTLIST: National Youth (GHS) Championship Final
- TT Result: Barnesbury CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Rutland CC 10m Time Trial
- TT Result: VC Glasgow South 22m TT
- BMCR Result: E/F/G/H/W Stallard Finale (Darley Moor)
- Crit Result: Melton Olympic CC Summer Crit 4
- Youth Result: The ‘Back to School’ Youth Races
- HC Result: Dursley Road Club Hill Climb
- TT Report: VTTA 100 Mile Championship
- Tour of Britain: Provisional Startlist
- RR Result: Nick Clayton Memorial RR
- RR Result: Jef Schils Memorial Road Race (Nat B)
- TT Result: Northampton & District CA 10m TT
- Crit Result: YBC & No Nonsense Circuit races
- RTTC 10 Mile Time Trial Championship (Women)
- RTTC 10 mile Time Trial Championships (Youth/Junior)
- RTTC 10 Mile Time Trial Championship
- Sunday: Jef Schils Memorial (National B)
- REPORT: Victor Berlemont Trophy Race
- RR Result: Junior Tour of Wales
- BMCR RESULT: Dulwich Paragon Road Race
- BMCR Result: Dinosaurs at the Palace
- This Weekend: RTTC National 10 mile Championship
- Crit Result: Mountbatten Summer Circuit Series #10
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #25
- RR Result: Victor Berlemont Trophy Road Race
- Youth Results: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League 19
- Youth Result: 360 Cycling North West Youth Tour (Girls)
- Youth Result: 360 Cycling North West Youth Tour (Boys)
- Crit Result: 360 Cycling Open Circuit Race
- Q&A: Killian O’Brien – third in the Junior Tour of Wales
- TT Result: Sussex CA 25m TT
- TT Result: Coalville Wheelers 19.8m TT
- Crit Result: Cliff Pratt Deca Community Crits 9
- Youth Result: Scottish National Youth Circuit Series 4
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #24
- Crit Result: King&Queen of the Bowl Series #16
- Crit Result: Torbay Evening Series 4
- RR Result: Wymondham Road Races
- Crit Result: Thank Crit it’s Friday 12
- TT Result: Sussex CA 10m TT
- TT Result: Border City Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Houghton CC 10m TT
- TT Result: North Shropshire Wheelers TT
- TT Result: CC Breckland District TT Championship
- HC Result: Farnham RC Hill Climb
- TT Result: a3crg 15m Time Trial
- Crit Result: Haus RT Darley Moor #8
- Crit Result: Cambridge Crits
- Crit Result: Omega Portsmouth Circuits 8
- Youth Result: North West Youth Tour Stage 3 (Lancaster)
- Youth Result: North West Youth Tour Stage 2
- Youth Result: North West Youth Tour Stage 1 TT
- Result: Mid Shropshire Wheelers Friday Cyclocross 3
- Junior Tour of Wales: Stage 1 Mountain Time Trial