Update

I haven't said much over the last 2 months so it's about time for an update in the life of Mont.
I'd updated my Facebook page to say what the problem was, but I didn't want to say too much before I knew all the facts.

The short: I was diagnosed with Glandular Fever in early May; I was in a pretty big hole. Far from ideal with such big opportunities this season.

Hard enough to write this without sounding like I'm searching for sympathy or a sob story, but really I'm not, just laying the facts down and keeping anyone interested up to date!

The longer: Well really I'd been feeling & performing pretty sub par for a long time, but never having any health issues before, and doing a few more bigger races than before, I thought it's just fatigue and I'll work my way out of it. I wouldn't be the type to be chasing a doctor with every little niggle and ailment, and most experiences I have with them are a case of 'here's some anti-inflammatories, come back in a few weeks if it's still causing you problems'. Unfortunately the fatigue fighting went on and on, and I was still racing and trying my bestest, but it was only getting worse. It got to the point where a 1h bike ride would leave me feeling like I'd been through 5h race, and with proper muscle soreness the next day. This was along with light headedness, general fuzzy mindedness & blurred vision, headaches, aching muscles, a throat of thorns, real sore glands and struggling to eat anything without pain. I'd say my immune system is pretty solid in general; I haven't had as much as a cold or cough in a long time, but I picked up a pretty bad fever shortly after Tour of Flanders Nations Cup and knew I better get it seen to.

I'm normally extremely motivated, happy to get the training done, chasing goals and striving to improve, but when every time I went out on my bike I felt crap, and then even worse afterwards, it was pretty tough going both physically and mentally; the light at the end of the tunnel was fading  rapidly! When the bike riding's not going well and that's pretty much all your focus is on, then life falls by the wayside and nothing gets done. Not a pleasant place to be! Say no more about that.

Went to the doctor and after a while got the blood test results back, indicating Glandular Fever, so he said best to get home and get to a local doctor to get it confirmed and registered. Got to say finally having an understanding of what was wrong and why I'd been feeling so useless was a pretty big relief at that point!

Got home ASAP and the doctor here gave me the low down on what I was in for. The worst bit is I've no idea how long I'd been dealing with it for. Really, I'd been fighting some major fatigue since January and had some of the tell tale symptoms the whole time, but who knows.

Having it for a while and pushing on through it had put me in a pretty big hole, and it was gonna take a while to recover.

The main issue is that there's no antibiotics to be taken to get it out of the system, just a case of waiting for the immune system to deal with it; however long that takes. Even when seemingly recovered, it lingers in the blood stream, ready to reignite at any moment the stress balance is tipped, so got to be super careful about training again and trying to build up fitness.

It's been class to be home and such a massive thanks to my parents for their care and understanding. Thanks also to the team at An Post- Chain Reaction who've been understanding of the problems and allowed me the time to recover. 

It's taken a solid 6 weeks off the bike to get close to any feeling of normality back. After another check up with the doctor this week I've been told that the virus is no longer showing up positive, but my white blood cells are still elevated, so I'm not fully in the clear yet. The advice is that I'm able to ride again, but nothing long or intense for at least another 2 weeks, and then have to build up very gradually after that to stay on top of it. As the immune system basically needs to be rebuilt, I'll be much more susceptible to little illnesses than normal, so rushing things will only prolong them!

Given that 6 weeks off the bike and another very minimal 2 weeks is longer than most people's off season, I'll be far from able to go straight back into UCI races, so it's going to take a brave bit of training to get back to that level.

That said, after battling with the illness for so long, when I'm finally rid of it, training should be a lot 'easier' and more productive, so it shouldn't take a lifetime to get back to reasonable fitness.

It's going to be pretty tight to get back to Belgium and racing with the team before the end of the season, but I'm confident I'm in good hands with the doctor and there's still a chance. With all the time away from the bike and watching from the sidelines I'm super keen to get back at it! I really am capable of a whole lot more than I'd shown early this season, so I'm determined to prove that and get things on track again!!

There's a nice photo for the sake of a photo.

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely hope your lives are more straight-forward at present :)

Monty

#dontcallitacomeback #believe

Guess Who's Back

Monty's back. This blog is back. Maybe we'll change the name. Life Behind Bars was pretty cool in 2012; kind of like Eminem and rad memes with everything, but hey;

This is just to say that I'm still alive. Most of you will know that from various Facebook and Twittering. I joined the Continental team Team 3M at the start of the year and have been racing (mostly) on the road since.
Now; now it's time to get down and dirty in the Cross season. Super dooper excited. So excited I'll do this more in single sentences than a paragraph.

I'll be riding offroad for Chain Reaction Cycles - Vitus Bikes again in 2015/2016.
My season will be starting with the Ulster CX League in Lurgan Park at the start of October. It's not quite Las Vegas, but it'll do.
I have plans to get to the homeland of Cyclocross in Belgium for a stint in November, along with returning for #Crossmas in late December/January, with a view to racing World Championships in Heusden Zolder in Belgium on 31st Jan!
Hopefully we'll get a British National Trophy round or two in as well. I'd gladly drive a van over for anyone else that's keen; but we'd need sponsorship from a bank for rent-a-van insurance for a 20 year old. If anyone else is keen, or owns a bank; get in touch!

Thanks to The Belgian Project for helping out with sorting some accommodation for Belgian adventures.

With a fairly deadly season's riding/racing/raking lined up, I'll be updating the blog a whole lot more.

For now here's a picture of this year's #1 steed in it's stock guise. Pretty nice eh!

If you see the CRC jersey or Irish champion's kit around, don't be afraid to say hi!

To be continued fairly soon,
Monty out!

Tubs. Velo Cafe Magasin

Tubular tyres.

Mythical creatures to some; each hand crafted by the creator, who knows each and every thread per inch; reserved only for those truly in pursuit of the 'Cross.
Those who have wished friend and family farewell, making the dive deep into the Cyclocross realms, never to return to normality. Those bitten by a life-sucking beast, surviving only through the weekly drip of SVENNESS. Those you'll find in Tesco wondering which hand position Sven would use on the trolley.

Each year, Autumn arrives, the leaves begin to fall and the Cyclocrossers slowly appear from behind the trees. Here they have been hibernating since National Champs; waiting, wondering, watching for the raindrops. The 'off season', precisely periodised. The post Nationals crash; news still trickling in from far and near, memories in blossom; too soon to accept the reality, that the beautiful pain and euphoria of cyclocross racing is over for another year. Then, through turmoil and tribulation, we admit that we can no longer shun reality, and depression devours us. But we are stronger than that. We are made of sterner stuff. If the 'Cross has taught us anything it is that there is hope, there is a redeemer.
Internet browsers are slowly, almost embarrassingly opened. Yes it's only March, but no-one else can see me? Maybe I'll catch a bargain on Ebay now the season's over? Justification. Distorted reality. We are masters.
Ideas are generated, research is gathered; will I go single ring this year? Are disc brakes fashionable yet? Pro bike set-ups scrutinized from valve extension to headset spacer.

April, May, June, July; long summer's nights and grand tours to watch, we find ample distraction, but can't deny the little smile in our brains each time we pass by the 'cross bike in the garage. Before we know it, the road/mtb season hasn't quite gone to plan, injured this, broken that, didn't have enough toast before that race etc. But wait, what's that? Yep, only 3 months til 'cross season!

The nights fall in, summer season wraps up, throws a scarf on and gets its wellies out. Shiny new things ordered and fitted, maybe even new bar tape if we're feeling a good season coming; wearing running shoes dug out of the cupboard under 9 months of more important things; maybe we'll go for a run later? Or tomorrow... maybe the day after.

It was about this time I'd been in to Velo Cafe Magasin in Belfast. Joe Henry was a bit of a hero in finding me a straight pull spoke long enough for a Syncros 29er wheel, no other shop in the country seemed to have one! We got talking Cyclocross; because from 1st September you probably can't escape the topic if you enter into conversation with a 'crosser, and I aired my dreams of riding tubular tyres this year.



The Cyclocross tubular is sheltered from the hopeful attacks of amateurs by the arduous gluing process, the price, the risk of rolling, the risk of puncturing. Indeed the clincher will do. It is black, it is round. But alas, it is not enough for some. Whether in their heads or on the course, some are pushing the boundaries of humanity. Some need that 0.5psi less. Some are pioneering lean-angles seen only previously seen through beer goggles, and rims with walls simply aren't an option.

With no rim walls, and either a thin latex tube inside, or no tube at all, the risk of pinch-flats are eliminated, allowing much lower pressures, and the grip and rolling resistance #GAINZ that follow, with maybe some weight savings too. Indeed, to those who have not tried, it seems a lot of faff, a lot of money and a lot of risk; a big old denominator to balance.

But really, if you're interested in going fast at all, you've taken a risk or two in your time. This one can't wait any longer. Roger is still lapping you and hasn't even started sweating yet. How much more of that can you take?

I made the decision I was gonna go 'tubs', but that meant new wheels, and buying new things takes me about a year of internetting to make sure I'm spending my money as best as I can. I'm actually a bit scared of the thought. There's still an almost completed excel spreadsheet back in my documents from this time last year.

Then came a message from Joe himself; 'Hey Monty, you still looking some carbon wheels for cross?'. Gonna be a goood one. He was up for donating me some handbuilt tubular babies for the season to see how they held up to 'that sort of riding'. Now I don't know exactly what he was implying by 'that sort of riding', but I was sure up for giving them a rattle. Joe is one of the best wheel-builders in the country so I was pretty stoked on getting some great wheels without having to get the spreadsheet fired up again. Cyclocross is pretty brutal on parts; every kind of mud under the clouds, regular powerwashing etc. A visit to a good shop like VCM will keep you right on wiping your rims right and washing your nipples n' stuff.

 

'Ride the shit out of them' he said, and ride the shit out of them I did, and still am. Turned up to my first race like a little kid taking his new toys out for the first time after Christmas. No. Probably more excited actually. Anyway, I won that race, and I was a convert. The practice laps were a little squirmy; adjusting to new feels from the ground, but once the gate dropped and I got hammering, they were incredible. Honestly. Life changing stuff. Grip by the lorry-load. Absolutely transformed the bike from the old Shimano R500s & Maxxis Mudwrestlers! All ye of clinchers; imagine being able to turn in corners rather than slide through them? I know; mental; but believe me; it's possible!

Race win was followed by race win, and race win, and I think they've now won 4 races and been on 6 podiums. I'm not sure I'd ever have got round to buying tub wheels and tyres this season, and would've been plodding round the top 15 wondering where all my Wattz were going, so Joe Henry and Velo Cafe Magasin deserve a massive, massive thank-you! If you too are thinking about making the jump, go for it. Sometimes the roady pro's race clinchers, but there's good reason why you've never seen or heard of the Cyclocross #PROZ on clinchers, ever.

Benefits? You'll probably save a bit of weight over clinchers - obviously depends what you're changing from and to - 30-50mm deep rim will keep a bit more mud on the course rather than your bike, and be pretty strong too. You'll save a few precious watts from less rolling resistance over the equivalent clincher tread. Extra grip from a more flexible casing; better cornering; bet you've never even thought of how heavy that extra mud is when you crash! Extra grip and bump absorption from being able to run lower pressures. Ride up hills. Ride off cambers. Ride off cliffs. Do whatever you want, you look bloody #PRO.

If you're thinking of a new bike, I'd recommend not going for the top model, going a model or 2 down, and heading into VCM to get some tubular wheels built up and some advice on tyres. You never know, you could end up riding a World Cup in the same season!

Monty outttt.

http://www.velocafemagasin.com/
10 Cromac Ave,
Belfast,
County Antrim
BT7 2JD