YVONNE McGREGOR

© Associated Press

WEEK 4
Date: August 18

Another week ticked off the calendar as time creeps inexorably towards the final countdown and to the start of the Olympic Games in Sydney.

When you are training day-in, day-out, year-in, year-out, there is a tendency to lose sight of the grand picture. But in Olympic year, nothing could be further from the truth!

Even when I had injury problems early in the season I still had to believe that everything would come right, and that if I put in the work then I would reap the rewards. And yes, I am beginning to bear the fruits of much hard labour.

I have sore legs this week, the result of some particularly heavy training devised by that particularly devious coach of mine, Peter Keen ...

Though it hurts, the aching feeling is very satisfying, confirmation that I have worked beyond that infamous pain barrier. It's that stinging sensation in your legs when your body is wanting to say 'Please, no more' but your mind is pushing on to further limits because it has a blinkered vision of that Olympic track.

The immage of the Sydney track was at the forefront of my mind this week while I trained at the velodrome in Manchester. My legs already tired and sore, I faced a session of standing-start kilometres with minimal recovery rest periods.

To those who know me, this is not my favourite training session by any stretch of the imagination, but it is an area I have to work hard at, it being my main weakness in the pursuit event; I don't have that explosive muscle power from a standing start that some of my rivals have.

I approached the task with relish and enthusiasm, and when my legs started to burn I told myself to just think of it as the last lap of the Olympic Pursuit - 'keep pushing - keep it smooth' - and it really does make the fatigue factor that much easier to bear!

That was the morning session. I returned for more punishment later the same day on pins yet more tender, yet more tired.

The afternoon session involved a two-hour road ride around the Goyt Valley, on the edge of the Peak district.

The circuit was devised by Pete specifically to develop muscle power. It incorporates long climbs of 10-15 minutes duration - and the whole thing must be ridden in the saddle to gain the full benefits. Just as well that the scenery is so spectacular... although you don't get to see much of it when sweat is pouring into your eyes or when attempting to chew the handlebars to distract you from the pain.

Still, I guess I should be thankful for small mercies - a swimmer's lot is worse still, they tell me!

I leave for Australia on September 7 and will spend the first few days on the Gold Coast at the British Olympic Holding Camp.

Most of the cycling team are travelling out a week earlier, but it suits me to continue training in my home environment without any unnecessary distractions, especially as things are going so well. So long as I arrive with plenty of time to overcome the jetlag, which I've never had problems with, it seems sensible not to disrupt my routine too much.

There's much to be said for keeping in contact with family and friends - the real world as it were. My focus is so much on eating cycling, breathing cycling and sleeping cycling that its great to be able to have "normal" conversations with "normal" people.

At the moment everyone seems to be telling me about their summer holiday jaunts: cream teas, pub lunches, relaxing beaches, leisurely bike rides even - and I'm not in the slightest bit jealous!

Perhaps some day soon that life will all belong to me....

Read Yvonne's diary for WEEK 1 ...

Read Yvonne's diary for WEEK 2 ...

Read Yvonne's diary for WEEK 3 ...

Read Yvonne's diary for WEEK 5 ...