The Easter holidays are upon us, and hubby has very nicely arranged to take several half days leave over them so that I can keep my training up.  The first of these was today so, even though I’ve been out for the last two days, I pretty much had to go out today too.  So, he came home, and I headed out.

Cycling time: 2:38:28
Distance: 40.732 miles
Avs: 15.4 mph
ODO: 9235.0 miles

I had planned a route, but got a bit confused around Brent Knoll way, which added a couple of unintended miles on.  My mostly flat route went Webbington – East Brent – Burnham – Highbridge – East Huntspill – Burtle – Westhay – Bleadney – Wedmore – Cheddar…and finally home.  I’d got the wind totally wrong and for the most part was just slogging into it, which wasn’t a lot of fun.

This being the third day on a trot is probably good training for the L2P.  There certainly wasn’t much in the tank – it would have been better if I’d had much to eat today, or had taken any food with me.  I made sure to get some Torq Recovery down me when I got in, but am still feeling pretty wiped out.  Imagine that being c.80 miles every day?!  All that said, the stats were ok – and on some days that would have felt like a great ride.  Today it felt like hard work, and I’m feeling it now.

What has three days in a row taught me?  Well for starters I’m going to need new gloves.  Not just because my left hand has a tendency to go numb, but because I just generally end up with sore wrists after all the impacts…gotta love our road surfaces.  I’m also fairly sure that Vaseline and Sudocrem will become good friends of mine.  And I need to make sure to eat and drink properly.  Fuel those legs.  I think I’ll stick to the gym tomorrow! *grin*

What better way to spend a (mostly) sunny Sunday morning than cycling?  Dad and I had a lovely couple of hours blowing the cobwebs away.  It’s really nice to go out on different roads – variety being the spice of life ‘n all that.  We scooted around the countryside around Portishead and Clevedon, where there’s plenty of levels, not too many hills, and lots of nice scenery.  That, with sunshine and no wind, makes for a pretty good ride in my book!

Cycling time: 2:10:38
Distance: 31.732 miles
Avs: 14.6 mph
ODO: 9194.2 miles

Considering the night before, I think we did pretty darn well.  Dad and I are fairly well matched on the flat now, though I’m pleased to say I’m still ahead of him up the hills.  Well – I have to feel that I’m better than someone…*grin*.  What with his new bike, and the miles he’s been getting in of late, (cruise not withstanding!), that state of affairs won’t last long either! 🙂

Went out yesterday even though riding with a horrible cold is not necessarily advisable.  G  was in much the same state, so I think we egged each other on!  It would have been a shame to waste the lovely weather, and I figured I’d just do a shortish run, just to keep my legs in.  We met S in Cheddar and headed out towards Draycott on the back roads.  We met a fellow cyclist and stopped to chat for a bit, and got split up for a while, so actually only ended up meeting S again just before coming into Wedmore.  G and S fancied doing hills – no fear! – so I decided to be sensible (as if I ever thought hills were a good idea *grin*) and pootled off on my own.

I spent a happy hour on the levels in the sunshine and wasn’t too knackered when I got home, which was what I’d hoped for.  Unlike G who texted me from “up there” somewhere to say that she wished she’d done it my way as the hills had proved the final straw.

Cycling time: 1:41:50
Distance: 24.501 miles
Avs: 14.4 mph
ODO: 9131.0 miles

As you can see from the stats, I was a bit slower than usual – I find that happens when you can’t breathe properly!  I’m glad I got out though.  My legs were feeling good – the spirit was willing…but the rest of me was weak 🙂   I did an extra hour cycling in the gym later to top up, which was hard work – but is apparently good training for the L2P.

I’ve got another stinkin’ cold, about which I am less than pleased.  I woke up this morning to sunny skies, no obvious wind, and the fact that I hadn’t been on the bike since last Tuesday.  I really wanted to just go back to bed, but that’s never really an option, and it always pains me to miss out on good cycling weather as it tends to be in short supply so…

Cycling time: 2:14:35
Distance: 33.017 miles
Avs: 15.2 mph
ODO: 9106.5miles

I did exactly the same route as I did with AJ last week, and the stats are nearly identical.  Which is weird as last week’s ride felt terrible, and today’s felt fine, even though I was taking it pretty easy because of the lurghi.  I expected to find it proper hard work, but oddly enough I didn’t.  Though there may have been more snot involved than usual *grin*.  My legs felt great – which is no doubt proof of the fact that they like rest days…but as usual, I shall be ignoring that fact.  I guess the next thing to do is the same route, after some rest, without a cold…and see what happens then.  However repetition gets boring, so that may have to wait a while.  At least I got back out on the bike 🙂

Ok, so I’m late writing this, but that’s life.  Or rather I was busy have a life so didn’t get around to it as soon as I should have.  Anyway…

AJ and I made it out as planned on Tuesday morning.  A couple of hours around the sunny levels, which for some reason I found pretty heavy going.  Could have been the wind.  Could have been the over-consumption the night before maybe…or the very late night…or the fact that it was the last of several of those in a row.  Mind you, that doesn’t usually make my back ache.  Still, it was good to be out, and certainly blew away the cobwebs, which was essential.

Cycling time: 2:14:26
Distance: 33.902 miles
Avs: 15.1 mph
ODO: 9072.5miles

Although I seemed to be finding it hard, the average shows that it was actually no worse than usual.  AJ was clearly spinnning his legs though, which was slightly disheartening! *grin*.  We actually cycled past the site of our infamous collision, though I didn’t mention it as drawing attention to such things could be considered to be tempting fate…  Statistically speaking, we have now had more successful rides than disastrous ones, and that is definitely a good thing 🙂

Another sunny Sunday meant another sunny seaside loop, only done clockwise this time – variety being the spice of life ‘n all that.  AJ and I spent a happy couple of hours out and about, and actually managed to stay on our bikes this time ’round!  We waved at the hospital in Weston as we went through Uphill, but managed to avoid visiting it in person, which has to be an improvement *grin*.

Cycling time: 2:59:24
Distance: 30.153 miles
Avs: 15.2 mph
ODO: 9038.6 miles

It being the same loop as last Sunday, there were even a couple of hills – including Bleadon Hill which, just like all the others of late, wasn’t quite as bad as I remembered it.  Maybe the sunshine makes hills easier?  Mind you, I may be finding them easier, but AJ is another one of those that disappears up hills as if they aren’t there, and then has to wait for me somewhere down the line.  I do wonder how people do that! 🙂

I did go out Thursday, in case you thought I’d been skiving, but the dodgy wires on my cycling computer found the incessant drizzle too much to cope with, and it only started working again on the way back home when it had dried out enough!  (I’ve fitted the new one now – a wireless Lidl bargain).  It was an unremarkable ride anyway – a quick trip over to Burnham and back with G.

So, on to today.  I’d been trying to find someone to cycle to Exeter with, as G had offered me a lift back from there…but no takers.  I decided I’d do a ride ’round here instead, take less time out of the family Sunday, and do a longer ride this week some time instead.

I awoke to bright sunshine which is always very motivational.  The little weather add-on that hubby has added to Firefox showed me that it was warm too, and the forecast was good.   I sat down on bikely and planned myself a seaside loop with several hills which came in at around 32 miles, which I figured would be about 2 1/2 hours.  And, in a mad leap of faith…out came the shorts!  Hello Legs!  Yes – for the first time this season, it was time for shorts.  Shorts, summer gloves…it gets better all the time 🙂

Cycling time: 2:01:25
Distance: 31.309 miles
Avs: 15.5 mph
ODO: 8909.4 miles

I had a blinding ride.  First off, up the long haul to Shipham.  Through Rowberrow, and down to Churchill.  Round the back to Puxton, wiggling around the country side to go up the very steep hill at Kewstoke.  On to the seaside at Weston, where the smell of late full breakfasts mingled with that of chips and warm candy floss under clear blue skies, and people were all promenading.

Through Uphill and up and over the main road, and up and up to Bleadon Village.  Which was hideous last time I did it, and was oddly not this time.  Maybe I’m getting better at this?  The views up there are also stunning – well worth the climb.  Down into Bleadon again, and back up to go along to Loxton, and come home over the final hills past the Webbington.  More stunning views, if a little hazy, across the levels.  As I came into Cross, with the sun on my back and the wind in my hair (poetic license!), Faith No More started singing “Easy…” on the mp3.  Definitely a moment 🙂

Considering the hills, I am proper impressed with my average speed.  My expected 2 1/2 hours turned into 2!  I did feel like I was flying along – blame the Torq, the hours in the gym, or heck, just the sunshine 🙂  Yep – another great ride.