Tag Archives: cycling

Tour of Pembrokeshire Prologue 2015

Early, oh so early, on Friday morning, as the sun was slowly rising in the east, I was following the slowly waning moon west. Anyone would think it was sportive season which, it being January, it so isn’t. But it was time for this year’s Tour of Pembrokeshire Prologue ride, which meant being in Newport (no not that Newport) by 10:00am. Hence the unpleasant 5:30am alarm call, to get me out on the road in time to head towards the equally unpleasant weather that was forecast. There’s a reason sportives are generally later in the year…but having said that, last year’s Tour of Pembrokeshire was in April and boy, was the weather hideous. And hey, it was only a forecast, right? Besides, it’s not just about the ride, the Prologue has a hefty social element to it, with lunch all together afterwards, and it’s run by those who are now friends of mine so even if cycling around a wet and windy Pembrokeshire didn’t exactly appeal, in for a penny in for a pound, right?

So welcome to Prologue HQ, at Llys Meddyg in Newport. Parking was at somewhat of a premium as riders were already gathering, but I was assisted in squeezing my little red car into a little space in the hotel car park. Since I was staying there that night, I guess I was entitled 😉 I stuck my head inside, made my presence known, and headed back to the car to get ready. So far the weather wasn’t too bad, and it was pretty mild, which made the inevitable faffing a lot easier. I had considered washing the bike beforehand but, all things considered, I figured it would have been a waste of time. Oh and let’s face it, I’m lazy 😉 So out it came, complete with mud, and on went the necessary layers. I think there were forty other riders, or thereabouts, all milling around doing similar; registering, drinking coffee and the like.

As the time to depart drew near, we were sorted into ability-based groups, with me firmly in the softie group. I still had/have a stinking cold and inability to hear, haven’t done much exercise in a couple of weeks, and riding at all was possibly less than advisable, let alone doing it and trying to keep up with others. Besides, it looked like we were going to be a fairly sociable group, to be led by mein host Peter & his son Tom on their tandem, and there was even another girl for company – Nikki – which made a nice change.

And that’s pretty much how it worked out. Fairly sociable, stopping and starting to regroup, and just about slow enough for me. Yes, the downhills were fun, but there isn’t much flat, and why is it I always forget how hilly Pembrokeshire is? It is. Very. Hence the slow. Even doing the softie route, which meant cutting out the last big climbs, our 34 mile route included over 3000 feet of climbing! Man there was a lot of up – a real taster of what the real Tour is like. Sadly there was absolutely nothing in my legs, and going uphill literally hurt. I had lead for legs, but that’s unsurprising really I guess.

The first half of the ride was fairly pleasant, that not withstanding. It was still mild, only occasionally damp, with the odd hint of blue sky, and of course the scenery was as lovely as ever. It is beautiful around there, especially around the coast. For a little while it looked like we might make it around our loop before the weather came in. We did not. Oh no. Definitely not. In came the rain and serious amounts of wind. The sort that knocks you sideways, pushes you backwards, and generally just makes everything harder whilst completely failing to be behind you at any useful point in time, if at all. Hence the lack of photos. It would appear that this is the kind of weather I bring to Pembrokeshire, and as I coated yet more roads with snot, and coughed my way up yet another hill, I did wonder what on earth I thought I was doing, and why on earth I was doing it…

The last half of the ride was definitely a slog. I’ve done much longer rides that didn’t feel as hard work as this one did, and it was a great relief to get back to Newport and stuff the (even muddier) bike back in the car. I was geknackert. It is just possible that, considering my current being ill state, cycling 34 miles of wet windy Welsh hills was not the best idea ever… Still no-one ever said I was the sharpest knife in the drawer 😉

Cycling time: 2:54
Distance: 33.4 miles
Avg: 11.5 mph
ODO: 7449.7 miles

Once I’d checked into what turned out to be a very large & lovely room and I’d had a long hot shower, I felt restored to as close to human as I was going to get, and it was time to rejoin everyone for pheasant casserole & post ride debriefing downstairs. It sounds like those that had braved the full route had had some hairy times in the wind up on the mountains, making the route we took seem like a very wise choice. Not that I feel we needed that vindicating, as I’m just happy we didn’t have to do any more climbing! I know, girly wuss 😉 The après ride more than made up for my dismal performance on the ride, and what’s more, I felt like I’d earned it!

The Tour of Pembrokeshire 2015 takes place on 25th April and over 1100 have already signed up. It’s a great event, that I’ve done several times, and it promises to be just as good and just as challenging as ever. Due to other commitments, this year I’m not doing the Tour proper, but that probably means they’ll have their best weather ever! It’s one of my favourite events, and if you haven’t signed up already, why not do so now and make the most of the inevitable sunshine? 😉 *grin*.

Like to get to know you well

Ok, I declare my 2015 cycling season (finally) open! Thanks to the worst cold I’ve ever had, which is on-going and has led to two ear-aches and two perforated ear drums, I was starting to wonder if I’d ever get back on the bike at all. It was with some trepidation that I set off this morning to meet Alan for a coffee run, even though he’d promised to take it easy for me. open

Which he did, which is just as well. Not just because I’m unsurprisingly off form, but because lack of hearing and weird head makes riding a little interesting… It’s harder to hear cars coming up behind you for starters. My balance is a little off. And with gaps in my ears where there shouldn’t be, it’s like you can feel all the road noise vibrating inside your hollow head somehow. It’s virtually impossible to describe, but it sure is weird. All that whilst feeling one step removed from reality, because since you can’t quite hear it properly and you’re still ill, you can’t quite connect with it either. Surreal.

It’s not always about the coffee….

However it went a lot better than I expected. Alan nurse-maided me all the way to Sweets setting an easy steady pace, while I coated the roads of Somerset with snot. Apart from an impressive coughing fit when we arrived, it went well enough that, following my restorative cup of hot chocolate and Alan consuming the largest slice of chocolate cake known to man, we came back by a longer route than planned. It was a slightly tough call. Do you do the longer ride because you feel up to it, or do you keep it shorter so as to not overdo it and thus lengthen the road to recovery? Longer of course! But judging by the involuntary and rather longer than usual nap I ended up taking this afternoon, I think it wore me out a bit. Still I’m relieved and glad to have finally gotten back out there – thanks for taking it easy for me Alan! Hello beautiful bike, I’ve missed you 🙂

Cycling time: 1:41
Distance: 25.3 miles
Avg: 14.9 mph
ODO: 7416.3miles

So it’s the New Year. A new year. I could bore you by comparing 2014’s stats to those of 2013. I’m not going to. I could bore you with my cycling goals, hopes and dreams for this year. But I’m not going to. Let’s face it, they’re none of your business and you’re probably not that interested anyway. I’ll tell you what I would like though. I’d like to do it better 🙂

There’s more than just existence

Since my legs are a little sore after yesterday’s jaunt on Shank’s pony, riding with Guy & Martyn today was always going to be an interesting exercise. But it would be exercise and that is always what is called for. Yes it is, don’t argue. Besides the sun was shining, the skies were blue, they’d done a fair few miles before picking me up at a most civilised 10:00am, and would therefore hopefully go easy on me. Which they did. Most appreciated chaps 🙂 It was a short loop that, due to the vagaries of the festive season, did not include its planned coffee stop since Banwell Garden Centre was closed. Which was in some ways just as well, as I’d got my layering just about right and didn’t really fancy getting cold and then having to warm up again just to get home. So it all worked. I worked. Probably harder than I would have done left to my own devices, but not too hard. And I got to ride my bike in the sun again. A few more miles in the legs, all ready to fight another day. Good times 🙂 Though my legs proper hurt now!

Cycling time: 1:19
Distance: 19.1 miles
Avg: 14.3 mph
ODO: 7391 miles

I wanna see the sunshine after the rain

If there’s one thing I hate more than wind, it’s ice. I have good reason to. Well, ok, there are probably lots of things I hate more than wind, but we’re talking cycling here, right? 😉 So when I woke up yesterday morning, to a world outside my window where earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone, I really wasn’t sure the 9:00am ACG ride was a good idea. But I was up, and I didn’t want to not ride, and left to my own devices, would I actually go out later? So, I um-ed, and ah-ed, and deliberated, and while I was vacillating, Alan posted on the group’s FB page that he was also going to leave it and ride later instead…and voilà, I had a solution, and my mind was made up for me 🙂

In a brief aside, and mentioned in dispatches, it would appear that two of those brave souls that did go out – Mike and Chris – both went out and went down. Nothing too serious I gather, and I hope, but I do feel better about my decision now! That could have been me, and having been told the night before not to fall off…well, I do what I’m told, right? 😉

So later on that day, in another part of the forest, Alan and I did a coffee loop to Sweets. On went multiple layers, out came the heavy duty overshoes and winter gloves, and yes, it was cold out there, but I wasn’t. I may be getting the hang of this layering lark 😉 It was just gorgeous. A beautiful day to be out and not in. Clear and crisp. Views galore. OK, the roads were a little busier than we’d have liked, but they were at least mostly dry and, more importantly, they were ice-free. Result 🙂

It being somewhat later in the day than usual, Sweets was fairly quiet, though we did briefly overlap with a Somerset Cycling/Tor 2000 contingent. Nice to see you guys 🙂 Quiet was good because that meant my vat of black coffee came faster than usual, and that the door to the outside world stayed closed and kept the heat in. Better still, by the time we left there was a little more wind but thanks to the still shining sun, a little more warmth around too. Pretty perfect riding weather 🙂

It was just a really nice ride. Although ‘just’ sounds like I’m demeaning it in some way, which I’m definitely not. I mean that it wasn’t a training ride, or a long ride, or a lumpy ride. It was one of those days when it was just good to be out there riding the bike 🙂 And it’s much easier to get out at this time of year in company, so we’ve got a couple of rides pencilled in for this week too. Left to my own devices I’m far more likely to bail…sad but true. I just want to keep getting the miles in over the winter and, in the New Year, start getting some hills in too. If you consider how things were this time last year and how they are now? Where 2015 is concerned, I’m already ahead of the game. *fingers crossed*. 🙂

Cycling time: 2:00 ish
Distance: c.30 miles
Avg: 15.5 mph
ODO: 7298.5 miles

It’s a cold wind blowing

Things kept happening today to gradually squeeze my available time…but just for once, there was enough time left in the space in-between to also squeeze in a ride. Which is good because however many valid reasons there have been for not riding, they still feel just a little bit like excuses, and my riding PMA is suffering enough without that lurking suspicion that I’m also sabotaging myself. However many workouts I do, and I do, and last night’s was awesome, it’s not the same as being out there. Both my head and body need that reality check.

fields of gold

See that sky? Those fields of gold? That was actually today. Appearances can be deceptive though, as it was about 20°C cooler than it looks! However I was fairly toasty and warm in my ensemble of many layers, and I wanted to see if it was as gorgeous on top of the Mendips as it was below. Not until I’d properly warmed up though, so I took a circuitous route around to Burrington Combe rather than heading up Shipham Hill. As I made my way through the narrow country lanes, thanks to the low sunshine, I was frequently blinded by the light, and was more than a little concerned that any traffic coming up behind me might be likewise. The shaded Combe was somewhat of a relief on that front, if not others. As I braved the cattle grid, and passed by the Rock of Ages, all around me the grass was still deep and crisp and even, the first frost of the winter still lingering in the shadows. I made my way up, somewhat slower than I thought as it turns out, but then I wasn’t pushing it (as if!), and I did get a bit mentally distracted along the way trying to figure out the rest of my route among other things, which was not conducive to focus and speed. And besides, it felt pretty good, and what’s the rush?

The point was to be riding, and to be enjoying it, and I was, and I did. Once I’d made it, up on top of the world it was as beautiful as I’d hoped it would be. The skies were clear and so was my head. I actually remembered to look around me, to enjoy the views, the flock of starlings being harassed by seagulls. It was really lovely 🙂 I still hadn’t quite figured out where to go next, but there was a rather chilly wind, and as my toes were considering severing communication with the rest of my body, I decided to zoom around the top for a bit and then head down Cheddar Gorge…so that’s just what I did. Fast. Not quite as fast as when I have others to chase, but very nearly. And it was just as much fun :D. My current goal is to beat my best time down there. It’s good to have goals, right? And better still to have achievable goals. Well I think I can do it anyway. Hopefully soon 🙂

Cycling time: 2:06
Distance: 30.5 miles
Avg: 14.4 mph
ODO: 7236.4 miles

Oh, and since one of today’s unexpected tasks was taking the newest addition to the vets, here’s one for Rob. He just loves kittens 😉

No hippy chick

If I do say so myself, I do a nice line in handicapping myself. You’d think standing up was simple right? Not always. Welcome to my postural/orthostatic hypotension. To be fair, I’m used to it, but for some reason it got the better of me last weekend. It’s not helped by my dietary habits, or white wine, but in my defence, I’d had a steak dinner and not that much wine…! But nonetheless, mid trip to the kitchen, I found myself waking up on the floor, and the glass that I’d been carrying was in even worse shape than me, and some of those shapes were in me 😉 Oops… Cue two days of feeling pretty wobbly, and throw in a sore shoulder, some bruises, and a large cut at the base of my right thumb…just where it ought to be on the handlebars! See, didn’t I do well?

So this Saturday’s jaunt was the first ride in a week for me. Even though it was supposed to be an easy coffee run, I was joined by Alan and Chris G and they stuck me on the front, pretty much all the way there and back! As ever, in theory, this should mean that I can go at my own easy pace, but actually usually means I feel like I have to go faster in case those behind me are rolling their eyes, and wondering if it would be quicker walking 😉 Rob joined us in Wedmore, but he’s no tortoise either, so it turned out to be rather faster than some of my coffee runs are! Good training, or something, right? 😉

Xmas in Glastonbury me in my blog

Still, the sun was shining, the skies were clear and blue, the wind was not blowing, and my winter jacket was a bit too warm! One of those days when it would be criminal not to be on the bike 🙂 To top it all off, Glastonbury was being all festive, with the high street closed, stalls everywhere, and a veritable cornucopia of fairy wings and the like. Gotta love Fairyland! We even sat outside for coffee and people watching. At the end of November! All very fabulous 🙂 And Rob got hold of my camera…apparently I’m never in my own blog. No fairy wings for me though…I left ’em at home *grin*

Cycling time: 1:44
Distance: 29.3 miles
Avg: 16.8 mph
ODO: 7205.9 miles

I’m still looking at my options for next year. The Etape sort of beckons but since doing it, totting it all up, looks like it would cost around a grand, I think I’ll have to find an alternative. That’s a hell of a lot of money for one day’s riding! And don’t suggest the Haute Route, I know my limits. Besides, as of yesterday, I could indeed stick to playing with kittens. Meet Cassie, the newest member of the family. Cute or what? 🙂