Category Archives: Training

More training talk

As usual, M and I were out this morning.  The weather, after being wet for the last couple of days, had dried up a bit, and resorted to strong gusty wind instead.  Ah well, you can’t have everything.  Actually as it turns out it wasn’t as bad as I’d been expecting, and it also wasn’t quite as cold as a result.  Result indeed!

We pottered around in our usual way, putting the world to rights, around Wedmore, Mark, Brent Knoll, etc.  We didn’t plan a route, just kinda made it up as we went along, which seemed to work out ok.

Cycling time: 2:07:33
Distance: 31.776 miles
Avs: 15.0 mph
ODO: 8844.7 miles

As you can see, the average was ok, much better than I was expecting after a weekend of conspicuous consumption…there’s clearly no justice *grin*.

Talking of this weekend – I attended a pre-L2P event at the Walkabout Pub in London.  There was a presentation about the charity AMR, and more importantly one from Discover Adventure who actually run the trip.  So I know a lot more about the logistics of things now, which is important when you like to be as organised as I do.  I also picked up some fundraising ideas which may come in handy as I still have a long way to go on that front.  I may be over half way there…but only just!  I’m actually more worried about raising the money than doing the miles – daft, no?  If you haven’t sponsored me yet – please sponsor me!

Short but sweet

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 🙂

Here comes the rain again…

…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!

More miles…

For the first time in a little while I went cycling in company – just G and I. She had some errands to run in Burnham so we did a loop round there via the levels and Burtle, and then came straight back via Bleadon.

Cycling time: 2:12:08
Distance: 33.611 miles
Avs: 15.3 mph
ODO: 8692.5 miles

As you can see, if you compare my speed of late with today’s speed, it was down a bit – but then we were nattering….and it was quite hard to cycle at that speed AND keep up with G AND natter! I think I managed to keep up ok, and those few hills that we did were ok. The good thing about doing the same hills all the time is that at least you can gauge whether or not you’re improving or not, and I think I have been a little…gradually anyway.

The designs for my cycling kit are being worked on now. It’s tricky getting all the logos in the right format, which is proving problematic. I also need a photo of the Mayor’s Chain which is away being worked on at the moment and is late, and the only digital Town Logo we have is not great quality at all. Both these elements are pretty essential on the Cycling Mayor’s Kit! Ah well… hopefully it will all come together in time.

Spin those legs

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.

Easy like Sunday mornin’

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*.

Here comes the sun…

The mob are home, leaving me tied to the house.  So, hubby came home at lunch time, and I was out of the house before you could blink.  Well, quite fast anyway.  I decided to try out my new Torq energy as well, to make it all a tad more interesting.   I did one of my usual training loops and had a blast ! Not only was the weather much milder – I ended up with zips pulled down and sleeves rolled up – but there was also no wind to speak of, which is always good.  And the SUN came out!  Yes – the SUN!   I can’t remember the last time I went on a sunny ride, and it really makes a huge difference.   I don’t know if it was that, or the Torq, or what, but my legs were having a really good day as you can see…

Cycling time: 2:02:02
Distance: 32.603 miles
Avs: 16.1 mph
ODO: 8592.5 miles

Now that’s an average speed I’m quite chuffed about.   OK, so it’s a fairly flat route, but I’ve been known to do it a great deal slower!  Even the wildlife was pleased about the sun, there were white egrets, lumbering buzzards, and out near Burtle, 5 young deer ran across the road in front of me, with number 6 actually getting really close to me before finding a decent hole in the hedge through which to squeeze through and run off to join his mates, white tail bobbing in the setting sunlight.   It quite made my day.  Now THAT was a good ride.  I’m all perky and happy now 🙂

PS: There’s about one week left in which to get logos onto my kit.  I gather I might be able to squeeze a couple in after that if I’m lucky…but if you haven’t decided yet, now would be a good time.

Just short…dagnamit!

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 🙂

The bird scale

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 🙂

Bang!

It would appear that I should probably have replaced my back tyre somewhat earlier, as it exploded underneath me on the Shapwick road on the way back from today’s ride…!  Ah well, hindsight is a lovely thing.  Hubby came out and rescued me, allowing my 3 cycling partners to carry on as I took to riding Shank’s Pony again.  Twenty minutes walk later I met him at Sweets Peat Museum, we slung the bike in the back of the car, and finally finished the journey home.  Not quite as planned, but hey, a nice quiet walk in the sunshine ain’t a terrible thing.

Cycling time: 1:48:33
Distance: 28.472 miles
Avs: 15.8 mph
ODO: 8465.6 miles

It’s a shame as, with the group we’d had, we’d clearly been cycling quite a bit faster than I have of late, which has got to be a good thing.  At least I nearly got a full ride in before it blew…and it was still lovely to be back out there.  Although still distinctly chilly.

I use Continental Grand Prix 4 Season Fold tyres and Paul at my LBS has got a replacement pair (albeit 23mm not 25mm) put to one side for me.   I have a ride on Sunday so have to replace ’em by then and have to go with what I can get, which is a pain as normally I’d shop around the ‘net to get the cheapest ones – I could save myself c.£14 that way – but it’s just not an option this time, and by the time you’ve paid for express delivery (if you can find somewhere that does it) it tends to wipe out the saving made anyway,  Cycling seems to be costing me a lot of money that I don’t have at the moment 🙁