Cancer... I also have cancer. After a lung operation, still undergoing immunotherapy, I am still riding my bike. But it was really hard to get up again, but I did it! In the winter my FTP dropped to 140 watts (from 300 watts the year before) because of the chemotherapy, where I was more dead than alive. Now I am back up to ~260 watts and can keep up with my way younger teammates. I am now 52 years old...
@@maniac0303 glad to hear youre back on the bike and your fitness is coming back. Well done for get up again must hve been hard! It sounds like things are going in a positive direction for you with it?
i am a cyclist since 20+ years. what made me most emotional was that your docs spared you of chemo. i had 4 yrs ago nominal and high dose chemo with stem cell transplantation. i am so happy that i cycled for so long due to that i could regain fitness again on a good level (compared to non endurance patients). whatever comes along in your life good endurance helps! keep on cycling!
@@MFR03 thanks for this comment. I was very fortunate to be spared of chemo. I was very lucky that I found it early to the point where it was able to be a option which was also fuelled with leading a healthy lifestyle to back it up. I’m happy to hear you’ve made a good recovery and regained good fitness. People truly take it for granted. Not just for the physical benefits but even for the reassurance it gives you mentality. Keep on cycling too 🫡
Great video Michael. Enjoyed watching it very much. Congratulations on your progress so far. I enjoy watching your videos as they inspire me, just as you enjoy watching Jeff (me too, btw). After a few years of trying different approaches, I have just started a hip mobility program, and already I can tell that this is going to lead me back to racing again, it’s such a comprehensive program. As your video was informative and entertaining, you should do updates on training/club rides, etc. it doesn’t just have to be about racing. The watt life has interesting content too. 👍🏻
@@justinbrown6558 thanks Justin. Would be great to see you racing again. And yes I’ve got a few video ideas to use over the coming months. So hopefully I can make them fun. Funnily enough I was watching The Watt Life yesterday and his steepest streets video. He lives roudn the corner from me as he does a chaingang in my neck of the woods
Im on the same journey, fell in love with cycling, then found out I have cancer. I carried on cycling right up until my operation and I'm now 4 weeks post op and I'm back on the bike. I'm still waiting to see if my operation was successful but cycling has really helped with my mental health as well as physical. Really enjoyed watching your post.
Nice vid Michael. Keep doing what you love. People underestimate the mental impact that has as well. Good to hear you 're feeling a lot better after the big C and that your health was a great help to that too. I've had heart attacks and makes me wonder, if they'd have happened earlier or been more severe it I wasn't exercising too. Keep up pthe great work making motivating vids!
This was fantastic, everything you said hit and hurt, I genuinely felt how sincere you are was refreshing and I’ll be supporting you and your journey from here on. I had similar cycling journey and by chance bought the same bike after starting in 2020.
@@michaelgraycycling fluoro one after 6 weeks on a complete banger. Fat slow but looked fast. Cat 1 next year now after doing exactly what you did. Can’t beat it keep up the good work sir
Awesome inspiring video mate. Great production and story telling too. Look forward to seeing the vid of how you got your win as it seems inevitable now 💪🏻🏆
I can´t imagine biking in Australia, all the driving on the wrong side and the potential risk of falling off the earth. :O Big cheers mate, sports in general can safe a lot of lives. Cycling, swimming, calisthenics you name it whatever, can keep you healthy and sane wich otherwise makes you resilent. Your history also showed me that there is no shortcut to success.
100%. People really underestimate the power of exercise. A lot of people look at it as form to “look good”. But as I’ve got older, I’ve realised, the true health benefits, the strength it can lean back on when it goes into dark adversity and the mental power of trusting the fact you’ve been leading a health lifestyle, really is the magic key. And exactly what you said. Cycling, swimming, anything you like. Find what you love and it will always feel fun and help keep you young
Thanks for sharing this. Think I’m down the road from you in LE. Glad you’ve made a recovery and doing epic rides in memory of your friend. Keep up the racing and TTs 🚴
@@michaelgraycycling L Earley indeed! Ride solo, steady plods around the area, usually around Hurst and Twyford. Got a couple of gravel bikes, one as a daily driver and the other for weekends. Not as fast as you but they get me out and enjoy the headspace cycling gives you while having a fun time
Ah awesome. I literally ride around hurst and twyford everyday as they’re my favourite training loops. I don’t have a gravel bike unfortunately, but down at Reading CC they have plenty of gravel rides and steady paced rides if you ever fancy meeting up with some like minded local folk. They’re (we’re) a great bunch 😀
The ick is standard, my wife and kids are full ick mode since day one. I don’t blame them. Cos I look super hot in Lycra for a 45 year old middle weight hairy animal. In my defence my FTP is higher than my wife’s so last laugh to me 😂😂
@@TheRedster thanks Red. I’ve been following your journey since I started cycling. I doubt you’ll remember but I remember trying to pick your brains about what tyre pressure to run for my first Guilford crit 😂 I hope your recovery from your crash is going well, looked really nasty.
Not race, but do gravel, Mtb and road rides. I was the Asst Nat Coach to the Welsh Cycling Union, and BSCA Nat Coach, early 2000’s. Also was the PTI/ Self Defence instructor the City of London Police, 1985-1994. Got a 2nd Dan in Tae Kwondo, 1st Dan in Taiho Jutsu. Was also able to do a 1,000 km ride across the USA/Canada 1994. This year I’ve done a 40 mile gravel event, 62 mile road event and a 72 mile road event, at 67! So, fit and active, doing yoga, Pilates, martial arts stretching, circuits, weights. Done Alpe d’Huez, Col du Glandon, Col du Croix de Fer and a 101 solo charity ride in the last few years. Gotta keep doing g it as no one else is gonna do it for me. Living in North Wales, there’s so much amazing terrain up here! KEEP PEDALLING!
@@michaelgraycycling I can feel the pull of the Turbo getting stronger and stronger now the weather is turning, and i'm building a new bike! looking forward to meeting though, ill look out for you on the roster.
@@michaelgraycycling Na a new road bike for next year - kinda going all out on a really sexy build. I cracked my stem on my current bike last weekend so its been moved onto turbo duties for now and I will probably come out on my gravel bike.
I think I can predict your next race result…nice vid, you are an inspiration to many I’m sure, who cares if you win or what evs, just ride, I survived covid as my lungs were so strong, I think as many people as possible need to exercise for preparation for health issues, keep it up, nice bike though
Mate, amazing story. I still have hopes of winning Paris Roubaix at 40 years old with an FTP just under 300 but hey ho, your video has given me hope I might be able to win something one day 😂. Good how you didn't/don't take yourself too seriously and you even mugged yourself off for buying the SystemSix. Still save you a few watts in the crit. Could be the difference TBF. I now live in Spain and I'm not sure they have crits over here but there's plenty of road races, albeit on open roads (which kinda defeats the object of it) so something to aim for. Watched till the end, good on ya. Keep it up and all the best.
Haha Paris Roubaix here you come. Love the systemsix. In fact I’ve had it 2-3 years now and not once have I felt the urge to buy a new bike, as I genuinely think she’s beautiful. 🥰 Nice what part of Spain? It’s currently raining here in the uk so I have a lot of indoor training coming up now 😢 Would love to race abroad. Few friends are about to race the Mallorca Masters
@@michaelgraycycling Yeah, if I was gonna get an aero bike, I'd choose that, nicest looking and I think independently of the marketing, it is one of, if not the, fastest bikes, just a shame you need to remortgage your house for it 😂. I live in Girona, the new home of cycling 😂. But there's something for everyone round here, a lot of gravel but the smooth and quiet roads with courteous drivers, the mountains, the coast and all the hills in between make it perfect. Also, it's sunny and warm most of the time. Plenty of events out here for all disciplines and obviously a fair few pros, so you see them out all the time. I don't even bother to compare Strava these days when they zoom past me mid interval uphill 😅.
@@framedman yea they’re very expensive new. I bought mine used which made the price slightly more acceptable! I don’t think I could ever spend the money for a brand spanking new bike. Ah nice. Reading CC are planning a cycling holiday there next year so you may possibly see some blue jerseys around in about May! I think one of my friends also did a big gravel event there in the summer. I can’t remember the name of it though
@@michaelgraycycling @michaelgraycycling it was more than likely The Traka, although it could also have been Sea Otter but the former is larger. Yeah, do come, pal, I'm sure you'd love it. If your club rides are roughly 30kmh in zone 2, would love to show you around 😊.
@@framedman The Traka that’s the one he did! Feel free to add me on Instagram so if I do ever come out with the club to say. Same name as the channel 🙂
This is a brilliant video Michael. I watched your videos a lot to get me started in racing at Abingdon and elsewhere after starting in a similar way with zwift etc. I've not been as successful as you but steadily making progress as a cat 4 and even started making my own race videos to inspire others. Keep your content coming and good luck with getting the upgrade. Maybe try cross in the winter? 😃
@@crossrich glad to hear it. I raced yesterday at Abingdon funnily enough. Ok just editing last weeks race video and I’ll do that one next. So hopefully it keeps you motived going into more indoor training! That’s brilliant I’ll have a watch. Cross i hate getting cold and muddy 😂 and also I don’t have the funds to buy another bike. By the time I look at another bike I’ve already done some sort of upgrade or repair to wipe me out again 😆 Did you race at Abingdon yesterday?
@@michaelgraycycling nope I've hung up the crit bike for the year. Next year I'm hoping to do a more targeted program of races I have been competitive at and hopefully make it up to cat 3 or get a podium 🙄. I'm also going to target more BMCR road races. Looking forward to your Abingdon video ! Cheers
I had lymphoma in 1997.Was a cat 1 then following year had a year off.Went back to cat 1 in 1998.Cycling saved me because i was fit at the time.Wish u every success with your cycle racing career. Your video is very inspirational
That’s amazing Peter. You in the uk? Cat 1 is an incredible level to get to, let alone get back to after that, so fair play 🔥 thanks for your kind words
@@petercaro384 ah cool did you race any names that went on to make it big?? I hope so too, just editing my next video which is a race at Hillingdon so hopefully it brings back some memories!
@@michaelgraycycling I raced with Matt Stephens when I was a junior as I was in the hemel cc with him & then Roger Hammond & David Millar.I know Paul Crook as we're both same age.Matt was so talented but had bad luck getting a pro contract abroad.Glad I raced when I did because there were more races on the road.Weve lost loads of road circuits over the years for various reasons.
@@michaelgraycycling I used to ride every single day back when I was between 10 and 14. I trainer Tennis every single day and I used my bike to go to the courts. But I got hit by a car pretty badly and had to quit my tennis carrer. After that... life happened :) And back in 2021 I bought an MTB (a cheap one) just to get some physical movement. I was 110 KG :) On my first ride I thought I was going to die on my first try on the local climb - some 500m 7% :D But I went out the next day and the next one... and After a month I was getting that climb without an issue :) This is how I went back to cycling. In 2024 I bought my first road bike - Orbea Orca - something all carbon with Shimano 105. So far I've ridden over 1000 kms on it, I went on a 75 km race - finished 25th of over 200 participants. And I'm feeling superb, currently standing at 93KG, my endurance is good - I can ride for over 100-120 kms without issues (if I get the right energy and fluids while riding). Yes! Cycling changed my life to better. Going out event for a quick ride (like an hour) is refreshing, it brings back my creative thinking and make me happier, calmer and better person. Keep inspiring people! Your story is deep, insightful and strong!
Weird, I lost my best friend to prostate cancer at the same time as I found I had a carcinoid lump in my lung. Had it removed 18 mths ago, still riding and training hard!!!
@@neilgmarsh4751 glad you got it checked out and removed. I had ignored my lump for like 6 months before getting it checked and it was partly due to what Steve was going through that made me do so. Glad to hear your still riding and training hard 🔥 do you race?
@@michaelgraycycling I do. Tried a bit of crit racing and big fan of Norcal vids too. I’m debating on if I should keep zwift racing through winter or be a bit more measured and knuckle down for some trainer road 😂. The amount of racing you have done in that short period is really impressive. Especially with young family.
@@jamesrhodes5305 I didn’t mention TrainerRoad in the video. But after I had worked my way through a couple of zwift plans TrainerRoad was my following step. Highly reccomend it. I think they’ve done updates to it as well recently. My business makes it quite good for training. I work early mornings and evenings. So I get the day time to train whilst kids are at school and wife is at work. So it doesn’t really get in the way. Unless I have a Saturday race which clashes with the odd kids club. I’m very lucky in that respect with time. Where did you race your crits?
Thanks mate, your videos and edits also have a part to play in keeping me sane when training indoors. And your orginal couch to crit really helped me stay motivated early doors. I think I’m on day 4 today of your daily vlog ✌️my first thought has been with the daily vlog and these daily tasks - I hope you don’t burn out juggling it with the videos!
@@RolandRides I haven’t so much focused on that aspect. I’ve always been quite focused on training and increasing performance for racing. So weight has naturally dropped off as the intensity has increased over the time. I’m doing between 90mins to 3 hours a day x6 times a week training for races. So I guess it depends how much your riding and your lifestyle :)
@@fatbloaterdave yes for sure. I have to admit riding to Paris last year opened me up to another part of cycling I hadn’t done yet. Bit of a shame I haven’t got another decent trip like that again this year.
@@calvinhorner2734 hey, didn’t include this in the video as I was planning on doing another one, but last time I tested I did a 40min all out test. And coach has set me at 280 and I was 69-70kg at the time. So I’ve just hit 4w/kg for the first time. Which has been one of my other goals. Do you ride much also?
I am 17 and have been riding mountain bikes on and off but nothing consistent for about 5 years I did my first xc mountain bike race this year in April and from then on have been hooked on training averaging around 10 hours a week I just did my first ftp test a all out 20 minute test I did 326 watts so that puts my ftp at 310 my weight is 66 kg
