I went out in two stages today.  I did the Nyland loop by myself, and then picked G up from M’s for an extra loop.  The weather was back to being cold – long sleeve layers and winter gloves – but the sun was out and lovely.

Cycling time: 1:28:26
Distance: 22.030 miles
Avs: 15.0 mph
ODO: 8812.9 miles

It was rather shorter than I’d have liked, though the only other option would have been leaving G in town and heading off out again, and three loops seemed a bit much!  There’s only so much you can do close to home.  Not to mention that I was finding it hard work today, so the sensible thing was probably just to accept that and come home and drink coffee instead 🙂

…but not until after we’d been out this morning – ‘rah!

M and I went out for a couple of hours, pootling around the levels.  I was pleasantly surprised by how good my legs were feeling and enjoyed being back out on the road again.

Cycling time: 2:05:38
Distance: 31.606 miles
Avs: 15.1 mph
ODO: 8790.9 miles

Even though we were nattering away like good ‘uns – it having been a while since we last went out (like we’re not like this all the time 😉 ) – our average speed was pretty good.  OK, not a hilly route…but windy enough at times!

Another Tuesday, another basic training loop.

Cycling time: 2:10:01
Distance: 34.061 miles
Avs: 15.7 mph
ODO: 8658.8 miles

For various reasons, including the event on Sunday, I’m supposed to be spinning my legs this week, but I can’t say as I did that very well. If anything, having stuff on my mind, and Torq in my bottle, I felt like I was pushing all the way ’round – but in a good way 🙂 It felt like a nice constructive ride – and the head space was nice.

OK, so not precisely easy, but it was very lovely.  The sun decided to come out again, and there’s a little warmth in it now too.  Fingerless gloves, short sleeve layers (under the winter jacket) and for the first time since I got them – no overshoes.  Definitely an improvement.  There was wind, but I headed out into it, and let it blow me home, which was lovely.    I did the seaside loop and it was a great day for being at the seaside – sun, water, sand (well, ok, mud…).  All good for putting a smile on your face 🙂

Cycling time: 2:01:56
Distance: 32.287 miles
Avs: 15.9 mph
ODO: 8624.8 miles

There was a running event due to start as I cycled through Kewstoke, narrowly missing the road being closed, and I didn’t envy them that.  Two wheels good, two legs…not for me *grin*.

My first event is coming up very shortly, in fact in less than two weeks, so I reckoned I needed to do one last long run today, and then start to tone it down a bit in the build up to it.  I know it’s not one of the longer events, and does in fact bill itself as a “mini-sportive”, but I still want to do it the best I can.  So, I spent some time on bikely this morning creating myself a 60 mile loop. I set off a bit before 10:00am this morning. It was mild enough to get away with summer gloves, but I was still glad of all my layers as the wind wasn’t so nice. I do like having my fingers back though – it makes everything that bit easier – changing gear, getting food out, changing track on Marvin…

Cycling time: 3:55:26
Distance: 59.142 miles
Avs: 15.1 mph
ODO: 8559.9miles

As you can see – as it turns out, it wasn’t quite 60 miles after all. Not that it really matters, and I certainly wasn’t going to loop round Axbridge just to make up the difference. Actually, having said that, if I’d realised before I got home, I might have done *grin*. I’m pretty pleased with how it went though. I was a good girl and made sure to eat and drink throughout, just as if I was doing it for real. My average speed went up for the second half, having been only 14.9mph after 2 hours, probably because I started to have the wind behind me from time to time, which was nice, and definitely the right way ’round to have done it. It wasn’t a deeply exciting ride – very little wildlife, oddly dull weather – but uneventful is underrated I reckon!

I think it’s time to go and soak the muscles in a nice hot bath – my left knee was less than happy today, so it’s probably a good idea 🙂

I spend so much time with my mp3 player that I think I ought to give it a name.  Bearing in mind that I may have been displaying paranoid android tendancies of late, I think I’ll christen him Marvin.

So.  Having been dropped before I even started the ride this morning (which has to be a first!), Marvin and I headed out together instead.  Me, my music, my shiny new 700*23mm tyres and a relatively mild and wind-free, if dull, day.  I did one of my usual circuits, with the odd variation thrown in to relieve the tedium, and had a pretty good time.

In fact if, as I have been know to, I was measuring my ride on the bird scale…then today’s was a two kingfisher ride.  Not to mention the numerous herons, buzzards, starling and so on.  I even saw three deer, oh, and one “oh deer”.  There were quite a lot of lycra clad two-wheeled beasties out and about too – like me, making the most of the lack of snow.

Cycling time: 2:17:26
Distance: 35.169 miles
Avs: 15.4 mph
ODO: 8500.7 miles

As you can see I made pretty good time.  I can’t say as I noticed the tyres were that much faster, but then clearly fast isn’t something that really applies to me anyway *grin*  I’m clearly faster when I’m not talking so much though!  It was a very uneventful but pleasant ride, and that’s a good thing 🙂