Author Archives: Jay Trotman

Pootling under a grey cloud

Oh my. It was raining when we set off this morning, and it didn’t stop…so by the time we got back in I was dripping! The zip on my jacket finally went completely this morning, so I had had to resort to fleece & waterproof which at least meant my upper body remained mostly dry. The same cannot be said for the rest of me!

Cycling time: 1:36:39
Distance: 23.033 mph
Avs: 14.3 mph
ODO: 7485.0 miles

Average speed can be explained by the amount of care we had to take on the roads – mud, water, debris…no flying down hills in conditions like that! Normally I’d want to be out longer too, but not in weather like this. Although I wasn’t cold…I was getting there! Mind you, the bike, due to all the water, is actually slightly cleaner than it was before *grin*.

Event planning

I sat down last night on the cyclosport website and managed to roughly figure out which events I plan on doing next year – as you can see from the “Cycling Events” list.  The TOW is unlikely, but that leaves me 4 events in the run up to the L2P and one possible afterwards.  I’ve signed up to two of them already!  As long as I cycle the day before and after each event that should give me some back to back training, and I reckon that’ll get me there.

It’ll also mean that I can advertise any sponsors I have at those events and publicise AMR – I really need to get going on sorting out what it will take to get some bespoke kit made, so that I can start touting for sponsors properly.  I’d like to get going before my first event in March even if I’m not actually Mayor until May.  Time to make a few calls….

Easy like Sunday morning.

Early morning pre-life ride this morning, which ended up being shorter than I would have liked because various people had to be organised, and routes juggled…but hey, at least I got out, and it was nice to see G and S.  Left at 8:00am, in nippy but bearable weather, and was home just before 10:00am as required.

Cycling time: 1:40:49
Distance: 25.653 mph
Avs: 15.3 mph
ODO: 7461.9 miles

Not the fastest, but there was a degree of nattering going on, and no-one was pushing it, so I’m fairly happy with that.

That’s better

Thursdays is often a day when there’s a group cycling, and today it was M and I, plus C who joined us for the first time – she races velodrome I think.  We did an hour or so together, a little slower than I’d have liked, and then they had to get home so I did a extra chunk on my own, which I enjoyed more as I could go at my own pace – which as it turns out, was faster than it was when we were together.  Although there was little wind, it was a tad chilly, and really foggy and gloomy.   So much so that even Glastonbury I couldn’t see the Tor!  Stats this time:

Cycling time: 2:12:11
Distance: 34.936 mph
Avs: 15.9 mph
ODO: 7436.3 miles

Much better average speed, which is cheery.  I’m feeling pretty good after it too – not too worn out or anything, though I am going to have a long bath to soak my muscles and back.  I think I’m starting to feel the effects of having given up smoking (again!) three weeks ago, which is good motivationally speaking.

Getting back into the saddle

OK, so the back pain continues, and the head has a habit of throbbing…but I was fed up of sticking to the gym, and the weather was OK, if a bit grey and gloomy.  Not much wind though, and not too cold.  So I decided to go riding this morning, and it turned out that M was around, so I had company after all.

Cycling time: 2:14:16
Distance: 31.707 mph
Avs: 14.2 mph
ODO: 7401.2 miles

Average speed was up on the last time, and would have been faster if we hadn’t been nattering the entire way around. Still pretty painful at times, but after an hour or so with the endorphins/adrenalin kicked in, it got a little better.

First ride stats

Cycling time: 1:02:00
Distance: 13.425 mph
Avs: 13.0 mph
ODO: 7369.5 miles

Way not brilliant average speed, but then I suppose that’s to be expected…  It wasn’t as painful as expected – big bumps aren’t a lot of fun, and neither is standing to get up hills…so I’ll avoid that for a while.  I suppose it is less than a week since the accident, so it’s daft of me to be disappointed by the stats.

First ride after…

ODO 7356.

The doctor has prescribed anti-inflammatories, paracetamol/ dihydracodeine, and tells me I was extremely lucky.  I think he’s probably right.

So, that said, I’ll shortly be going on my first ride since the accident – just a short easy flat one with my friend M.  I want to get back on the bike, but I don’t feel I should do it on my own yet.  What with the pain and all…and the slight nerves.  So, I need company, but company at a reasonable distance clearly.  To misquote for comedic purposes “This is my cycle space, this is your cycle space, I don’t go into yours, you don’t go into mine”…  Let’s see how I get on.

New helmet

Four days after totalling the old helmet, its replacement has arrived.  I ordered the same as I had before, since I know it fits, (which is frequently a tricky thing as I have a big head), and I also know it works!  The only concession I made to change was to have it in Titanium, rather than Red.

One shiny new Giro Indicator Cycle Helmet 2008 is now mine.  Total cost, inc p&p was £24.90 from Parker Wear, by far the best I could find on the ‘net.  Wiggle wanted £29.99 (inc p&p), and their free delivery is frequently slower than the 2-3 business days that Parker promised and delivered.

So, I have a new helmet, and no concrete reason not to be on the bike again.  However I think I’ll wait for the chronic neck/shoulder pain to subside before I hit the road…

A cycling incident

I didn’t expect my first entry here to be like this one, but hey, with cycling I reckon it’s a case of when you have the next accident, not if.

So, the ACG went out for a ride this morning as planned which did not go according to plan.  About 3/4 hour into what should have been a 2 1/2 hour ride, cycling across the levels in the morning sunshine, AJ and I locked handlebars…at which point it all went horribly wrong… The next thing I know is I’m coming round on the road a few minutes later to company, can’t really move, and can’t focus at all.  We had been a bit ahead of the other four, who variously picked us up and helped sort everything out.  Hubby found childcare and came and picked us up and took us to Casualty before going home to sort the mob.  Someone else went home for a car and got our bikes home.

We then spent several hours waiting, which was bearable only because we did at least have each other to talk to!  Having been triaged and apparently found to be in greater need I got to go first and I have concussion.  Some considerable time later, AJ had his eyebrow gash glued closed.  Finally done, hubby collected us both and took us home.  We both have some outstanding aches and bruises, although unlike him, I escaped road rash, which is nice.  My helmet is totalled – which probably shows that it was a good thing for my head that I was wearing one since the lump I have even with it is enormous.  And my back/hip is going to be a treat tomorrow.  The bikes seem ok mostly, but since one of ’em was borrowed I can see it costing money to sort it out…but that’s life.

Probably not going to get much training in for a few days methinks…