I’ve been riding 10s and 25s all year and I’m pretty happy with my progress so far, I’m not setting the world on fire but I’m reaching my own targets, that’s one of the things I really love about time trialling. The only thing that was getting to me recently was my speed for a 10 wasn’t all that much more than for a 25. I wanted to rectify this and I figured it was partly in my mind – i am pretty confident at that speed so i just go that speed. Along with some specific interval sessions I thought a bit of a focus on concentration and pushing my limits a bit might help me out. So I took advice from various sources and decided my next experiment would be caffeine. I’m a pretty keen tea drinker and I have a ritual for coffee, one which I’m very fond of, but if this was to work I’d have to cut it out for at least 2 weeks.

Two weeks off caffeine, easy now! Not so easy as it turns out but my latest venture to get a faster 10 time led me down the path of Roiboss tea and decaf coffees (not tasty!). It wasn’t the physical effects that got me but the social exclusion and habit, it drove me up the wall at our traditional coffee time, the smell, the camaraderie, i was mocked in my office for my ‘herbal’ teas!

So, the question is, was it worth it? The main reason I gave up caffeine for 2 weeks was so that when I did allow myself (quite large amounts of) lush coffee and maybe a caffeine supplement (natural of course) that I would be really focussed and I’d give it my all, and hopefully then some more.

I took a lot of pleasure in the coffee on Sunday morning and I felt really nervous. I did a really good warm up and I was feeling good, if a little bit shaky.

It was a hard ride but I was happy, my cadence was nice, my heart rate was almost spot on, I was really concentrating, I almost smiled! I have to admit I nearly burst at about 9 miles but I kept it going. Skiffed a few seconds off my pb, I wasn’t ecstatic with my actual time (i’m going to throw the wind card in at this point!!) but I was so happy with the ride, I really was on a bit of a high! (note: this was soon to be flattened as I attempted an apr just 2 hours later!!!)

Lesson of the week: Giving up caffeine is worth it but do be careful as when you take it again you feel pretty shaky!

I’ve gone back on the caffeine ban for another week and the last 10 of the year is tomorrow. I’m really excited, I can’t tell if it’s excitement to drink coffee or excitement to ride the time trial, a bit of both really!

Thanks for reading, I’m off for another Roiboss tea, yum!

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