New start

Over the past few weeks I've started to get myself back into my training routine. My training will remain steady and relaxed over the coming 4 weeks, and will take a more specific and regulated route in the new year. At the moment I have been steadily clocking up the kilometres on short steady 2-3 hour rides. I have now reached the 1200km mark but I hope to be up around 3000km by Christmas.
I spent the weekend in Sheffield getting to know some of my new team mates at Rapha Condor Sharp. I drove up to North London on Friday evening to stay with my new team mate Oliver Rossi - Team Sinner. I know Oliver quite well, after spending 2 years racing and training with him as part of the British Cycling Talent Team.
We left early Saturday morning to arrive at our very nice hotel in Sheffield for 2 o'clock. We were about 90 minutes early, after allowing plenty of time for bad traffic, but we got to meet the Oxford United football team and have a nosey around the hotel before the others arrived. It was good to meet some more of my new team mates for next year - Mike Cuming, Jimmy Mach, Richard Handley, Tim Kennaugh and Luke Mellor. We spent the afternoon in some brief meetings, setting targets and going through our early season race calendar.
I was sharing a room with Mike and I think we both agreed the thing we were both most looking forward to was the meal at Nonnas. It didn't dissapoint! A large very nice steak was the highlight of the meal.
After sleeping off a very full stomach we were up and checked out of the hotel for 7.30am to head over to Claremont hospital for our day of testing. A nice healthy breakfast to kick start the day and we were away having meetings and tests. My day consisted of - EPG/blood tests, physio, medical, nutrition and finally performance testing. Everything went well and I learnt a lot over the course of the day.
I arrived home late last night, after making the decision to drive home straight from Oliver's. After numerous closed roads and diversions I managed to be in bed by 12.30. Today will consist of cleaning and boxing team bikes and packing to leave for Majorca tomorrow morning! A week in the sun and hills awaits.

Thanks again to Claremont hospital for a great weekend.

Felix

Our hotel

Oliver - Team Chef