4th day in the Alps...being tagged as the crazy guy

well, - there was no 4th day in the Alps for us.
However, I said to myself I will probably not be here again for some time, so getting up early in the morning, before leaving back to the airport, I got up and climbed the Alpe dHuez again.

this, again was tough, but I knew what to expect, so not as bad as yesterday.
however - you can see in the pictures I took of myself, I tried to smile, but actually look quite miserable.
it was worth it!!!!

3rd day in the Alps

the 3rd day was the most impressive, as we did the most scenery Col De Galibier which is 2650m above sea level.
and we also did the Alpe dHuez which is really the most notorious of them all - very difficult, but very rewarding.

2nd day in the Alps

Thanks to Gonnen who prepared this table describing the hills we climbed.

Col name	Category of climb*	Altitude	Average gradient	Maximum gradient	Length of climb
Col des Aravis	2nd	1487m	5.6%	8%	7.5km
Col des Saisies	1st	1650m	5.6%	9.6%	15km
Col de la Madeleine	HC	1993m	6.3%	11%	24.5km
Col du Telegraphe	1st	1566m	7.3%	8.1%	12km
Col du Galibier	HC	2646m	6.9%	10.1%	18km
Alpe d'Huez	HC	1815m	7.9%	10.6	14km

So clearly - the Alpe dHuez is the toughest (and indeed - we could feel it)

Col De Madeleine was a tough one and long. it became steeper when we came to the end of it, plus it was never-ending type of climb.
Telegraph was rather short but quite steep as well, so we got to the top breathless.
Some more pictures:

Well - it had started.

HI all followers: today the Alps Challenge has started. our trip included Col Des Aravis and Col Des Saisies.
Col De Aravis was not to steep to begin with and we moved along quite leisurely, until we hit the steep part which was ok.

Col Des Saisies was long (more than 15Km and steep in places. coming down from both hills was lots of switchbacks and very steep downhill.

the day was sunny and beautiful (we have been promised it will rain tomorrow and Sunday)

at the end of the day we are tired and happy, and looking forward for tomorrow.
Tomorrow - Col De Madelaine (Long and steep), and Col Des Telegraph (Short and Steep[er])
Happy days.

If I had to choose my favorite rider

No - it would not be Lance Armstrong (I know its not popular, and indeed Armstrong is phenomenal)

I am not really into such rankings - but I would have to say Miguel Indurain is my favorite: he is about my age, was at his peak when I started being interested, he is a big tall guy, and he is humble and quiet. So he is not only a great rider, but seems a nice person as well.

As far as achievements goes: He was the first to win the Tour De France five times in a row from 1991 to 1995, he built his participation in the Tour from 1985.
He won the Giro Italia in 1992 and 1993, participated in Vuelta a España and all sorts of other races he did, not focused only on the Tour De France which is the most famous and most prestigious of all grand Tours (of which Armstrong is very good, not only in the race, but also in the whole marketing scene around it)

JUST A THOUGHT.....

well- I need to remind all why this blog.....

this blog is for providing information about my challenge to cycle the Alps in France for Macmillan Cancer Support, which does invaluable work for Cancer patients.
the Tour De France which started this week is a great inspiration (just hopefully, no drug scandals appear on this Tour)
I can't wait for the mountain stages - which I will follow up closely to see what I have taken on myself (hopefully I will not regret this)
so for anyone reading this, and has not done yet - please log into www.justgiving.com/jonathanrind and donate for this important cause
and again - thanks for all those who donated already.

חשבתי להזכיר לכולם ולעצמי - למה אני כותב את הבלוג הזה: גיוס כסף עבור הארגון מקמילן -לעזור לחולי סרטן ומשפחותיהם לעבור את התקופה הקשה הזו. הטור דה פרנס שהתחיל השבוע מהווה השראה - אני אעקוב אחרי שלבי ההרים לנסות להבין מה צפוי לי (נקוה שלא יהיו שערוריות סמים השנה) אוףףף
אז תודה רבה למי שכבר תרם, ותודה מראש למי שמוכן לתרום - מוזמנים להיכנס לאתר ולעזור בסכום קטן שיצטבר ויעזור

www.justgiving.com/jonathanrind

Perhaps some moutain biking this weekend

Toying around with the idea of maybe going for some mountain biking this weekend for a change.
done so much training on the road bike as spinning bike lately - need a change.

השתעשעות עם הרעיון של לצאת לרכיבת שטח בסוף שבוע הקרוב. כל כך הרבה רכיבות כביש וספינינג - בא לשנות קצת

a weekend of some more training

Hi dear followers (I hope more than 1 .... me) more or less a sunny weekend here in London. Saturday - we (Gonnen and me) went for a ride, almost 70Km in the hills/plains/flat (choose your option) of Hertfordshire. Sunday - a climbing training: climbing up and down (4 times, almost two hours) in Muswell Hill (very steep) and Alexandra Palace (not very steep, but longer) in London. Afterwards - a weight training (body pump) in the gym. as a dessert - did some Tug of War (well, not exactly a training) in the kids' school summer fair. (the Dads lost to the children - oops)

שלום לכל העוקבים אחרי הבלוג הזה (תקוותי שיותר מאחד...אני)
סוף שבוע פחות או יותר שמשי - אימון של 70 ק"מ כמעט בשבת,רכיבת עליות ביום ראשון (למעלה ולמטה 4 פעמים במשך כמעט שעתיים, ולאחר מכן אימון משקולות בודי פאמפ, ולקינוח משיכת חבל ביריד בבית הספר של הילדים (טוב, לא בדיוק אימון...ובנוסף - האבות הפסידו לילדים - איזו פדיחה)!- להלן תמונה משקפת את המציאות המרה הזאת

Some more promotion to the Event and fund raising: a Poster which can be hanged or shown to people - to help convince to support.

More training

.

עוד קצת אימונים:

טוב, אז קמים ב 5:30 (או קצת אחרי שנותנים לשעון קצת snooze ( ויוצאים לרכיבה. במהלך הסופשבוע, כשהיינו בחופש בין Bath Bristol וCheddar (יש מקום כזה- לא רק גבינה) יצאתי בבוקר מוקדם (ביום הראשון והשני...בשלישי התעצלתי) לרכיבה של בין 40 ל 50 ק"מ. כשהגעתי חזרה התחלנו את היום המשפחתי – ניצול זמן מושלם.

חוץ מזה, אימונים ב GYM – רכיבות ארוכות 60 עד 75 דקות, שיעורי SPINNING ו BODY PUMP שזה אימון משקולות של שעה – אימון שעובד על כל קבוצות השרירים בגוף....עם מדריך(ה) ועם מוסיקה – אימון נהדר!!!

המשך יבוא.

Some more training

OK, so getting up at 5:30, well actually letting the clock snooze a little, and getting out on the road

During the bank holiday weekend we spent between Bath, Bristol and Cheddar - I managed to get out on the road on the first and second day (on the third day I lazed out) and managed to do 40-50K (around 25-30+ miles) . by the time I got back - we started the family days together.

Apart from that - some gym training - some rides on stationary bike for 60 to 75 minutes, some spinning classes, and some Body Pump - an excellent weight training regime that operates all major muscle groups in the body - it is SUPERB. More to come soon

Some of the training

As preparation to the Tour De France Challenge - I am taking some training on myself. in addition to the Gym (spinning, Weights, Rowing and more) - I am getting out and about on the bike.
the latest being last Sunday (May 17) where me (and many more) took a challenge of cycling in the hills of Surry - we climbed 10 hill tops -amongst them Leith Hill and Box Hill, which were the 'easy ones' as well as Yorks Hill and Titsey hill which were an unbelievable killers.

some pictures attached. it does not show the gradient of the climb, nor my suffering (I tried to smile) - but this was one grueling 118 mile (185 Km) ride [my HRM showed I used a whopping 6052 calories during this ride]

קצת גם בעברית

שלום חברים,
ברצוני לשתף אתכם באתגר שאני לוקח על עצמי בספטמבר הקרוב (2009):
רכיבה באלפים הצרפתים עבור ארגון שנקרא מקמילן - תמיכה בסרטן.
שלושה ימי רכיבה שכוללים 6 פסגות מפורסמות של הטור דה פרנס – רכיבה קשה לכל הדעות.
מדובר בארוע שהינו התרמה וגיוס כסף עבור הארגון שעוסק בעזרה לחולי סרטן – עזרה שכוללת יעוץ רפואי, תמיכה נפשית, עזרה כלכלית ועוד לחולי סרטן ולמשפחותיהם. [כפי שחלקיכם יודעים נושא זה קרוב ללבי עקב אירועים שקרו לאחרונה במשפחתי]
סגנון זה של גיוס כספים נהוג מאד באנגליה - אדם לוקח על עצמו אתגר (ספורטיבי במקרה שלי) ומגייס כסף עבור ארגון שהוא מאמין בו.
אני מבקש מכם שתעזרו לי לעזור לארגון חשוב זה על ידי תרומה (גדולה כקטנה) על ידי כניסה לאתר www.justgiving.com/jonathanrind

good news - my new bike is here, and it's COOL

a picture of my new bike - I like it
if you intersted in the details: Titanium Frame and campagnolo Centaur components. its coming from a builder named Pretorius - specializing in Ti frames and building bikes.

please support me on the Macmillan -Alps Challenge

I am challenging the Alps between 17 and 21 of September. Cycling some of the most grueling and tough up hills of the Tour De-France (Col Du Galibier and Alpe d'Huez....amongst others)

My family has come across Macmillan Cancer Support over the past couple of years and witnessed their importance in supporting families affected by cancer. They provide information, Specialists, care centers, financial help and more – everything to help cancer patients and their families in the day to day struggle throughout this difficult period.

You can read more and donate at:

www.justgiving.com/jonathanrind

Please sponsor me and Macmillan Cancer Support

Many thanks,

Jonathan

I received the information about the actual hills we will be climbing on this challenge.

here is a quick summary:
First day - starting at around 500m above sea level going up to over 1400m over 30Km
then from 900m to over 1600m in 20 km

Day two: even worse :-)
starting from around sea level climbing up to over 2000m over 40Km, going down to 500m and climbing again to around 1600m over 40Km.

Day 3: (probably the worst): starting at 1400m going up to 2600m over less than 20km, then going down to sea level and climbing to over 1800m in 15 km (this is a real killer)

more information about the new bike and the training will come soon.

Cycling for Macmillan

well, my first time blogging, I guess you have to start and join the trend at some point.

I am planning on cycling for Macmillan Cancer Support in September 2009 in the Alps.
this will include 3 days of cycling the most gruelling and tough up-hills of the Tour de France cycling race.
Reaching heights of over 2500m (starting from 400...in one day) - this is certainly going to be a challenge.

So I am getting my new bike this week [all those who are not interested in bicycle terms etc, can skip this part] - a Titanium frame (Pretorious - its a new small manufacturer of high-end bikes) with Campag Centaur components (my first time to use Campag on the bike).

so once my bike arrives, I can start training more bike specific training (so far I have been on the mountain bike, commuting bike and in the gym - spinning etc and upper body strength training).
it is recommended that I do some up-hills training, so as there are not many hills in the UK - I was suggested to find the steepest longest hill in my area, and to climb it up and down until I reach a 25km run. (that would be around 25-30 times climbing the same hill per session).

well - this is just the first one, so more to come in this space at some point.