It’s been a bit of a non-standard week.  After walking, up Snowdon on Saturday, it took three days before my legs were even close to working properly again.  Yes, I said walking.  It’s not always about the bike, remember?  😉  However apparently walking up mountains does not use the same muscles as riding up them, though it takes me nearly as long!  As a result I spent three days hobbling around like I’d been thrown off Snowdon, Hephaestus stylee, and that was just on the flat.  Watching me going up and down our stairs using the bannister was apparently very amusing, but I choose to believe that’s just because the mob have, unsurprisingly, a juvenile sense of humour 😉

And then, just when I was thinking I could possibly try and get back to my usual exercise routine, we sadly and unexpectedly had to have one of our cats put to sleep, and, well, life went a little pear-shaped.  Very sad times 🙁

Eventually, once the dust had settled, two workouts later, and with the incentive of company to ride with and good weather to do so in, I finally made it out on the bike again today, with Alan, one of the newer members of the ACG.  Even though he’d originally had hills in mind, he was more than amenable to doing a Glastonbury coffee run instead.  Easily led astray, as it were 😉  So that’s what we did.  In unseasonable warmth, with arms and (in his case) legs out!  It felt more like late Spring than early winter, and it was very lovely.  A bit windy, to be fair, but given warmth and sunshine, it seems churlish to complain.  It turns out I’d missed my bike, and I feel a whole heap better for having been out on it 😀

Cycling time: 1:59
Distance: 32.1 miles
Avg: 16.1 mph
ODO: 7031.1 miles

I think it’s fair to say that food and I don’t really get on.  Which is probably why I don’t have much of an appetite these days.  Well, since what I do eat rarely remains where it ought to for long, I can’t usually be bothered with the consequences!  I’ve also been on a bit of a health kick/diet lately, which means I’ve been eating even less than usual.  Which seems like a good idea until you then go out and ride the bike for a couple of hours, having omitted breakfast as well, and wipe yourself out for the rest of the day.  Oops…

It was only a couple of hours out with George, running her errands, and chatting…but it got harder and harder to keep up and keep talking and by the time I got in, I was totally spaced, had as much energy and co-ordination as a newborn kitten, and I didn’t get it together again until mid-afternoon.  But hey, at least I got to go to the beach, right? 🙂  Still, it would appear that if I want to survive this Sunday’s Exmoor Beast, I had better spend the next couple of days eating healthy carby stuff in reasonable quantities!

Cycling time: 2:23
Distance: 34.6 miles
Avg: 14.5 mph
ODO: 6900.1 miles

In the meantime, my plans for 2015 advance slowly, and I am mad excited, because next March I’m going on a Wheels in Wheels training camp for a week in Andalusia.  How cool is that?!  Hope springs eternal…*fingers crossed*.

Today, over the space of nearly 3 hours, I climbed nearly 3500 feet, and descended the same.
On my own, on my bike.
Yesterday, in about 20 minutes, I climbed the same, and descended the same.
In a plane and then on my own under a parachute.

Both good.  Different clearly, but good…  Well ok, one was awesome, but the other went pretty well too 😉

It’s been a year, which is a lot of water under the bridge.  What better way to thumb my nose (in a respectful, please don’t do to me again, just in case the fates are listening, sense) to it all?  To be fair, the timing was actually coincidental, but then maybe there’s no such thing as coincidence?  It’s been an educational weekend in a lot of ways 🙂

Cycling time: 2:51
Distance: 39.6 miles
Avg: 13.9 mph
ODO: 6385.8 miles

Once more unto the breach dear friends…once more onto the bike and onto the roads.  Having done hills on Tuesday, yesterday Chris took pity on me and we stuck to the flat.  Which doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard work, it was, it’s just that that effort goes into going fast rather than going up!  It was still lovely out, I just wasn’t feeling the love quite as much as I’d have liked; a bit tireder than the day before, because of the day before, and also suffering a little on the pain front.  You can only ride away from it for so long…  Still, since all this pushing myself seems to be paying off, I think I’ll keep doing it.  Getting results feels good 🙂

Cycling time: 1:36
Distance: 27.4 miles
Avg: 17.1 mph
ODO: 5698.1 miles

About twelve hours later, I was back on my bike.  Possibly not ideal, since I’ve heard that rest is a good thing, but as this wasn’t really a training ride, more of a sociable coffee run, that’s ok, right?  Actually, it’s not like it’s easy to ride and have a decent conversation, it’s just a different kind of effort, so maybe it is still kinda training 😉  With the pain properly on its way back now, riding when I can, while I still can, has become even more important than ever, so this morning George and I gassed all the way to Glastonbury for coffee, and back again, and I really enjoyed it.  Which was the point, the whole point, and nothing but the point.  My friends rock – I’m a lucky girl 😀

And look, the barista at Heaphy’s even made a flower in George’s latte.  Does that count as gilding the lily? 😉

Cycling time: 1:47
Distance: 29.1 miles
Avg: 16.3 mph
ODO: 5727.2 miles

Yesterday evening I rounded off a very nice weekend away in the best way; by riding the bike.  The low evening sun stitched my shadow back on, though it still resolutely refused to give me a tow up the hills.  And there were hills.  I wasn’t complaining though, other than as a token, best to do what is expected of you, gesture.  I am nothing if not predictable…  Having said that, it’s distinctly possible that the lady doth protest too much, (I know, who you callin’ a lady?!), and you’ve all seen through me.  Hills are hills, I get up them, and then I get to go down them.  It’s a trade-off I can live with 😀

Cycling time: 2:01
Distance: 29.9 miles
Avg: 14.8 mph
ODO: 5544 miles

Today my new wheels were supposed to turn up…and they didn’t, and I had to call them, and now they’re due tomorrow.  Not that I’m excited or anything.  Much.  I’m the one bouncing around like it’s Christmas Eve – I am such a big kid! *grin*.  Of course now I’m fretting that they won’t turn up again and I’ll have to chase them again.  It would appear I’m not just good at complaining about hills, I’ve also got worrying down to a fine art 😉  I really should learn to let things go – life’s too short, right?  In the meantime the postman did bring me two new Topeak AlienLux rear lights to replace the two that mysteriously disappeared one after the other, and a few more tubes of Nuun, so at least I had something to unwrap.  Roll on tomorrow… 😀

Yesterday’s evening ride took me up the Gorge, which went ok and actually felt better than of late.  Maybe even good, after the steep bit.  In fact if some eejot hadn’t removed the relevant segments, I reckon Strava would show that I did pretty well…*grrr*.  Having gone up, I got to go down Burrington Combe which I love, but I need to practice because I always screw up the wiggly bit halfway down, and duly did so again.  Definitely a case of “could do better” methinks.  There was also some fast and some flat and even the odd sprint too, and you know what?  It was fun.  More miles, more smiles… 🙂  I’ve really been enjoying riding my bike lately.  Whether it be on my own, following a Planet X, on the flat or even going up hill.  Isn’t that cool?  Because, like, isn’t that the point? 😀

Cycling time: 1:27
Distance: 23.3 miles
Avg: 15.9 mph
ODO: 5514.1 miles

In other news, I am now the proud owner of my very own 47 piece socket bit set.  How cool is that?  Yes, yes, I’m weird (no news there then), but I like having my own tools.  I really do.  I am the girl who did actually once ask for, and get, a power screwdriver for my birthday – and I still love that 🙂  I am hoping to get better at sorting my own bike out…though don’t hold your breath…I’ll still be begging for “help” on a regular basis 🙂  I’m currently trying to get my bike sorted for Ride London, which I’d like to try and do well.  My current shopping list includes new wheels, new tyres, two new cassettes, one new chain, and two new pedals.  I think that covers it so far…but I’m running out of time to get it all done…*help!* 😉