Today I tried a bike ride. I did 21 miles over well known terrain at an easy pace. After 5 miles my back began to hurt, after 10 my neck was really sore so I turned home. I need to take it easy for the next few weeks.
That said, today did my cobnfidence no end of good. I didn't want to get on the bike never mind ride it on the open road. For the first few miles every car I saw made me really nervous and jumpy, but, that passed and I began to enjoy the ride (despite the pain) again.
I'll try a longer but more relaxed ride tomorrow, I expect more pain in the back and neck, but I need to ride!
Rich
Monday 24 October 2011
Sunday 23 October 2011
Lost Confidence & Motivation
Well, it's now been a week and a half since I was hit by a car while out cycling. I'm still feeling the effects of that and I've been off sick until today - my sick note runs out today.
The bike went back to the retailer for them to check it over and they've recommended that I write the bike off completely. They say that they can't certify is as being safe to ride as it was involved in a collision with a car and there might be internal damage that isn't showing on the outside. I'm really cheesed off at that but at least I still have a good quality second bike to ride. The only big issue with the bike is that the Addict is no longer widely available and the bike shop have quoted me £2799 for a new Scott Foil 20, the closest in colour and performace to the Addict R3 (including my upgrades). Now I need to see if the other parties insurance will pay for that PLUS my Fulcrum R1's......they have admitted full liability but I foresee a struggle!
As for riding the Spesh - Well, been feeling a bit to sore upto now, bad back neck and stomach muscles along with a swollen ankle. But I need to try - problem is, I've lost confidence! It would appear that this crash has taken more from my mind than it has from my body in terms of after effects. I've no motivation to get back in the saddle and my mind just makes me cry off every time I think about it.
I think I need to get up tomorrow, and go and do a nice slow, easy and gentle 30 miles to see if I can ride the bike yet. I'm putting the pounds back on every day and I'm starting to get really down.
I'll report back tomorrow.
Rich
The bike went back to the retailer for them to check it over and they've recommended that I write the bike off completely. They say that they can't certify is as being safe to ride as it was involved in a collision with a car and there might be internal damage that isn't showing on the outside. I'm really cheesed off at that but at least I still have a good quality second bike to ride. The only big issue with the bike is that the Addict is no longer widely available and the bike shop have quoted me £2799 for a new Scott Foil 20, the closest in colour and performace to the Addict R3 (including my upgrades). Now I need to see if the other parties insurance will pay for that PLUS my Fulcrum R1's......they have admitted full liability but I foresee a struggle!
As for riding the Spesh - Well, been feeling a bit to sore upto now, bad back neck and stomach muscles along with a swollen ankle. But I need to try - problem is, I've lost confidence! It would appear that this crash has taken more from my mind than it has from my body in terms of after effects. I've no motivation to get back in the saddle and my mind just makes me cry off every time I think about it.
I think I need to get up tomorrow, and go and do a nice slow, easy and gentle 30 miles to see if I can ride the bike yet. I'm putting the pounds back on every day and I'm starting to get really down.
I'll report back tomorrow.
Rich
Monday 17 October 2011
Off Sick
Well, following on from my crash of last week where I was rather rudely knocked off my bike by a blind driver up in Scotland I decided to visit the doctor. I've not been sleeping properly because of neck and back pain.
She has now signed me off sick for at least 7 days - so no work, although I was only in for one night out of the 7 anyway coz I'm still on leave! But it also means no bike riding for a while. I can feel the pounds piling on as I type. I need to do something to keep the weight off but I think I'll struggle!
So, all I've been doing is uploading my photos to various websites here are a couple of then for you to look at, they're not cycling related, but from my other expensive passion - Landscape/wildlife photography.
Enjoy them:
She has now signed me off sick for at least 7 days - so no work, although I was only in for one night out of the 7 anyway coz I'm still on leave! But it also means no bike riding for a while. I can feel the pounds piling on as I type. I need to do something to keep the weight off but I think I'll struggle!
So, all I've been doing is uploading my photos to various websites here are a couple of then for you to look at, they're not cycling related, but from my other expensive passion - Landscape/wildlife photography.
Enjoy them:
Thanks for reading, call back soon.
Rich
Thursday 13 October 2011
Bad Driving
Well, I'm on holiday and supposed to be enjoying myself. I was until yesterday. I've done a couple of rides while I've been here and enjoyed the first despite it raining on me. I went from our digs upto Loch Arkaig and then part way to Spean Bridge, short but hilly with stunning views over the Scottish mountains.
Yesterday I decided to head out on the bike to Glen Nevis, I've done some hiking and climbing in that area and wanted to head out there to look at the area again. The ride to the Glen was fine, even the little bit in Fort William and the ride up the Glen was stunning.
I turned and rode back to Fort Bill and diecided to head up the A82 to the Nevis Centre for a coffee and then up to Spean Bridge and back to the digs at Gairloch. Well, that was the intention. I got as far as the traffic island at the junction of the A82 and the Glen Nevis road and then, as I was going round the island I was hit by a car. I can't say more as police action is being taken against the driver. I can say that I ended up on the road, watching my front wheel flying off down the road. Back is hurt, hip is sore as is my ankle and left shoulder. My bike is worse off, the front forks are damaged to the point of being un-rideable and the front wheel is kaput.
Had to order a new pair of wheels from Ribble at £563.00 and the replacement forks are £200.00. The bike needs a good inspection to see if it's damaged and I'm pissed off as the whole holiday has been ruined. I contacted the insurance of the driver and they said they'd call me back, surprise surprise, no call from them. I can see that they are going to be a pain to get my money back!
Now I have a few more days holiday, sitting in a bit of pain and not being able to do what I came here to do......what a shit.
Here is a link to Endomondo for the trip.
Time to see how things pan out with the insurance claim and the injuries. I see a forced spell off the bike.
Rich
Yesterday I decided to head out on the bike to Glen Nevis, I've done some hiking and climbing in that area and wanted to head out there to look at the area again. The ride to the Glen was fine, even the little bit in Fort William and the ride up the Glen was stunning.
I turned and rode back to Fort Bill and diecided to head up the A82 to the Nevis Centre for a coffee and then up to Spean Bridge and back to the digs at Gairloch. Well, that was the intention. I got as far as the traffic island at the junction of the A82 and the Glen Nevis road and then, as I was going round the island I was hit by a car. I can't say more as police action is being taken against the driver. I can say that I ended up on the road, watching my front wheel flying off down the road. Back is hurt, hip is sore as is my ankle and left shoulder. My bike is worse off, the front forks are damaged to the point of being un-rideable and the front wheel is kaput.
Had to order a new pair of wheels from Ribble at £563.00 and the replacement forks are £200.00. The bike needs a good inspection to see if it's damaged and I'm pissed off as the whole holiday has been ruined. I contacted the insurance of the driver and they said they'd call me back, surprise surprise, no call from them. I can see that they are going to be a pain to get my money back!
Now I have a few more days holiday, sitting in a bit of pain and not being able to do what I came here to do......what a shit.
Here is a link to Endomondo for the trip.
Time to see how things pan out with the insurance claim and the injuries. I see a forced spell off the bike.
Rich
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Charity Rides & Are We Our Own Worst Enemies?
Sunday saw the big one for me for the last part of this year. The Tour Ride, Stoke On Trent.
The ride was in aid of Prostate Cancer and I was determined to do a reasonable ride, to work hard despite the weather so I could justify the donations that people have made. Just because I've done the event doesn't mean you can't donate - Please, please, please visit my Virgin Giving page and donate as much as you can.
The forecast was OK, not as good as it had been in the days leading to the event but still, not too bad - how wrong they were! I stood patently on the start line, there were 1300 riders to start in groups of 40 four minutes apart, so I was standing there for quite a while. Once I got moving though I began to enjoy the event from the start - well, at least after I'd found a suitable bush in which to stop and relieve myself - that wait on the start line had been a tad to long!!!!!!!
The route is well planned and follows the route of the Stoke stage of the Tour Of Britain, the only deviation being that we start and finish in Trentham rather than finish in Hanley. It's a very rolling route with very little flat, either up or down with the only real flat being the section from Uttoxeter to Rocester, by the time I'd reached the flat bit I'd already climbed over 800m in less that 30 miles. Then we hit the big stuff.
There are 3 categorised climbs, Ramshorn, Gun Hill and Commonside. The first is Ramshorn, a Cat 2 climb that goes up in steps with a max gradient of 14%. It's long but not really hard, that said, I lost some time here as I rode with someone that was slower then me and I was chatting - well, for about half way anyway.
After Ramshorn came the Morridge and the fast descent to Tittesworth Reservoir. It's a great descent after reaching the high point of the day up on the Morridge above Leek.
At Tittesworth I met Tracey, my long suffering wife, who was driving round to the feed stations providing me with bottles of High5 and ZipVit Gels.
Then to Gun Hill - average gradient of 10% with a max of 25% had most of the people around me struggling - but, as with last year I rode up strongly and with a smile of my fat face. How I can do that I have no idea - but I rode away from many much fitter looking people! The photo here is of me near the top of Gun Hill - check out the grin! Or, is it in fact a grimace?
The ride was in aid of Prostate Cancer and I was determined to do a reasonable ride, to work hard despite the weather so I could justify the donations that people have made. Just because I've done the event doesn't mean you can't donate - Please, please, please visit my Virgin Giving page and donate as much as you can.
The forecast was OK, not as good as it had been in the days leading to the event but still, not too bad - how wrong they were! I stood patently on the start line, there were 1300 riders to start in groups of 40 four minutes apart, so I was standing there for quite a while. Once I got moving though I began to enjoy the event from the start - well, at least after I'd found a suitable bush in which to stop and relieve myself - that wait on the start line had been a tad to long!!!!!!!
The route is well planned and follows the route of the Stoke stage of the Tour Of Britain, the only deviation being that we start and finish in Trentham rather than finish in Hanley. It's a very rolling route with very little flat, either up or down with the only real flat being the section from Uttoxeter to Rocester, by the time I'd reached the flat bit I'd already climbed over 800m in less that 30 miles. Then we hit the big stuff.
 |
| The first feed stop at Milwich - still looking clean! |
There are 3 categorised climbs, Ramshorn, Gun Hill and Commonside. The first is Ramshorn, a Cat 2 climb that goes up in steps with a max gradient of 14%. It's long but not really hard, that said, I lost some time here as I rode with someone that was slower then me and I was chatting - well, for about half way anyway.
After Ramshorn came the Morridge and the fast descent to Tittesworth Reservoir. It's a great descent after reaching the high point of the day up on the Morridge above Leek.
 |
| Descending from the Morridge |
At Tittesworth I met Tracey, my long suffering wife, who was driving round to the feed stations providing me with bottles of High5 and ZipVit Gels.
Then to Gun Hill - average gradient of 10% with a max of 25% had most of the people around me struggling - but, as with last year I rode up strongly and with a smile of my fat face. How I can do that I have no idea - but I rode away from many much fitter looking people! The photo here is of me near the top of Gun Hill - check out the grin! Or, is it in fact a grimace?
 |
| On Gun Hill |
From Gun Hill the route dropped to Leek and then over the feared and rolling hills to Whetley Rocks. As it was I didn't find it half as bad as I expected that section to be.
Our Own Worst Enemies?
It was here, on this section that I saw some appalling riding from people doing the event and no wonder us cyclists get abuse. As we left Leek there was a set of traffic lights, they were clearly on red and were for a junction, not a crossing. They were on a descent and one guy over took me, flew down the hill, undertook a car that was slowing for the red light and just blasted on through at high speed with no regard for the safety of anyone on the road. What a bloody fool and what kind of impression is that going to give? He was too far away for me to get his number, if I had been able to then I'd be looking to get some kind of prosecution on going for careless cycling or at the very least a ban from Tour Ride events. I'm very sorry to say that it wasn't the only bit of bad riding I saw. We truly are our own worst enemy and how can we really blame motorists for not giving us room, or just being obstructive when we behave like that?
Well, after that I decided to really stick to riding on my own and doing my won thing for the rest of the event. I rode strongly to Commonside and then suffered on the climb. It's bloody steep, my old Garmin registered 29% there each time I rode it. I managed to ride the whole thing - slowly - where others were forced off their bikes and into walking. Even the Pro's suffered in the Tour of Britain on this hill.
Tracey was waiting a the top with the camera and she saw me, spoke to me and took a few photo's - now for the comical part. I rode over the top of the hill and into very heavy rain so I carried on without stopping. It's only 15 miles or so from here to the finish and I had a full bottle of High5. What I hadn't heared was Trace shouting that she'd see me at the top with a bottle. She turned and ran after me and when she got to the top she saw another Lichfield CCC Rider at the top stopped taking a drink. I'd overtaken this chap on the brow of the hill. Trace convinced herself that the rider she'd seen was this other chap and so she went back down and waited, all the time I'm slogging it out with the last remaining hills and the rain to the finish.
 |
| On Commonside - excuse the blur, it was very dark! |
 |
| Near Barlaston |
The finish was brilliant - unlike last year when there was hardly anyone there, this time there were hundreds of spectators, all cheering and banging the boards and it felt like a real race finish - even my tired legs were inspired to go quick to the end. I grabbed my medal and looked for Trace - oooooops. I waited 15 minutes, soaked through and getting rapidly colder and then I rang her, "Where are you?", "I'm on the top of Commonside!" came the reply. "Oh Bugger" said I, "I'm at the finish"!!!!!!!
She raced back but had to follow the route as she didn't know any other way - I was like a block of ice when she reached me and I shivered all the way home. As it was I finished 175th with an offical ride time of 05:18.33 for the 87 miles. My actual ride time not including the few stops I made was 05:09.08. I'm very pleased with that given my overweight stature at the moment and my lack of real training.
It was a really great day - a huge thank you to the organisers.
An even bigger thank you must go to the people that sponsored me - George, Tilly, Jane, Trace, Vinny, Mark and Nicola. At the moment I've raised about £85.00 and I'm trying to raise even more.
Looking forward to next year already.
Here is the Endomondo workout for the day.
Rich
Thursday 15 September 2011
Riding, Training, Idleness and Pro Riders!!!!!
Well, the big day is drawing near, the Tour Ride - Stoke On Trent, and I'm no-where near fit! This month (and to a lesser extent last month) have been dire as far as the training and general riding have gone. The weather has been a factor but so has idleness.
I did the ride in my last Blog entry and then seemed to loose focus, the weather hasn't been overly brilliant, but it's not been that bad either (apart from the windy few days where the Tour of Britain stage was cancelled). I've just not had the motivation to get my backside off the chair and onto the saddle.
Today I went out for a ride with the neighbour, we did a decent ride for 30 miles then Jas had to peel off to get home. I carried on and did 64 miles with a reasonable speed and time, there was no wind today so it was my legs that did the work and not a tail wind which makes me happy. I'm just not fit for the Tour Ride next weekend and I'm not looking forward to it.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
The Tour of Britain came near to my home on Tuesday so I decided to head out and watch the sprint at Stone. Those blokes are so bloody fast - makes me feel quite inadequate. I thought I'd try to follow them part way then cut cross country and watch them again - not a chance, they flew the extra 2 or three miles and I grovelled up a big hill at Little Stoke. I missed them by a minute or so which was a shame.
Here is my Endomondo workout for Tuesday.
I feel like I've actually put weight on rather than lost it and I'm getting a little annoyed with myself. Time to sort my head out and get on the bike - even if the weather is shite!
Have fun and stay safe out there on these scary roads of ours.
Rich
I did the ride in my last Blog entry and then seemed to loose focus, the weather hasn't been overly brilliant, but it's not been that bad either (apart from the windy few days where the Tour of Britain stage was cancelled). I've just not had the motivation to get my backside off the chair and onto the saddle.
Today I went out for a ride with the neighbour, we did a decent ride for 30 miles then Jas had to peel off to get home. I carried on and did 64 miles with a reasonable speed and time, there was no wind today so it was my legs that did the work and not a tail wind which makes me happy. I'm just not fit for the Tour Ride next weekend and I'm not looking forward to it.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
The Tour of Britain came near to my home on Tuesday so I decided to head out and watch the sprint at Stone. Those blokes are so bloody fast - makes me feel quite inadequate. I thought I'd try to follow them part way then cut cross country and watch them again - not a chance, they flew the extra 2 or three miles and I grovelled up a big hill at Little Stoke. I missed them by a minute or so which was a shame.
Here is my Endomondo workout for Tuesday.
I feel like I've actually put weight on rather than lost it and I'm getting a little annoyed with myself. Time to sort my head out and get on the bike - even if the weather is shite!
Have fun and stay safe out there on these scary roads of ours.
Rich
Friday 2 September 2011
Riding, Saving & Pebble Dash
Well, today has been a good day on the bike. No, it's been a great day and I've really enjoyed myself.
In just over 3 weeks I'm doing the Tour Ride which follows the Stoke On Trent, Tour Of Britain stage route. It's quite lumpy but not as hard as last year for some reason.
So, as a training ride I chose to head up and join the route at Uttoxeter and then ride as far as the Mossgate turning. This takes in the big hills of the Peak District section of the ride.
The weather today was great when I started out, sunny and warm and a light SW wind. My ride today took me up the hill near home known to us as Kingston Hill, it goes from the Blythe to Kingston and rises at an average gradient of 7% hitting a max of 9% near the top, short and sharp and it got me in the mood for some hills.
I took in the two categorized climbs of the Tour Stage, Ramshorn and Gunn Hill - I'm not sure but I think they may also of made Commonside (just outside Cheadle) one of the King Of The Mountains climbs - it's the toughest of the lot, short (only half a mile) but very, very steep and last year had the Pro's struggling with the gearing they were using.
This year the route misses the ride up through Onecote (pronounced as On Cot) and Longnor. Instead it heads left after last years Pro's feed station up a wonderful road called the Morridge. A spectacular high level road with amazing views to the left and the right over the Staffordshire Moorlands and the Derbyshire Dales. From the Morridge the route drops to Blackshaw Moor down a very steep and bumpy road. I can see some crashes on this, there are some long very fast sections into very tight corners and towards the bottom there is a 30mph speed limit leading into a tight left and a hairpin right. It's gonna catch out those that haven't pre ridden the route.
Then to Gunn Hill, painful but dooable - even for this overweight middle aged MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra!). That ticked off the list and then to the bit I really don't look forward too - Leek to Wetley Rocks! Evil bit of road, rolling but the ups are hard and the downs aren't long enough to get relief for my aching thighs......I really must loose weight!
Now for the saving bit, I was riding towards the climb at Commonside when I rode past a small sparrow sitting in the road, I rode on but thought that it must have been a late fledgling as it didn't move and I thought to myself that I couldn't let it just be squashed by a car! So, I turned round and rode back up the road. To my horror a car came down so I gesticulated wildly but the car driver just carried on in his own little world, but JUST missed the bird. When I got to it it just sat there and I could see that it was actually an adult that was injured - I guess a cat's had it. It was bleeding from a cut above it's eye, perhaps even from the eye, I think the best option would have been to kill it, but I can't do that. The best I could do was pick it up gently and place it in the long grass at the side of the road, a little stroke on the head and it hopped off. Let's hope it survives, poor little blighter!
Oh, Commonside nearly killed me! Brutal.
As for the Pebble Dash! The bloody councils in the UK insist on doing something that they call Road Dressing. It comprises of dumping gravel on to sticky tar and then leaving it - they are supposed to roller it and then sweep the excess but they never do. It's a cheap and really shit way to cover the roads, they don't fill the holes and they make the road surface loose and dangerous - the first warm weather we have and the gravel gets ripped up from the warm tar and the road is worse than before. Well, the local council in it's wisdom has pebble dashed my fave descent towards my home. Now it's lethal, loose gravel on all corners and in the middle of the road. Made my last few miles a misery - the bastards!
We should start a campaign to stop this crappy cheap way of road repair.
Got home feeling tired but happy that I'd worked hard - only an extra 26 miles to do on the day, should be do-able if I pace myself a bit.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
In just over 3 weeks I'm doing the Tour Ride which follows the Stoke On Trent, Tour Of Britain stage route. It's quite lumpy but not as hard as last year for some reason.
So, as a training ride I chose to head up and join the route at Uttoxeter and then ride as far as the Mossgate turning. This takes in the big hills of the Peak District section of the ride.
The weather today was great when I started out, sunny and warm and a light SW wind. My ride today took me up the hill near home known to us as Kingston Hill, it goes from the Blythe to Kingston and rises at an average gradient of 7% hitting a max of 9% near the top, short and sharp and it got me in the mood for some hills.
I took in the two categorized climbs of the Tour Stage, Ramshorn and Gunn Hill - I'm not sure but I think they may also of made Commonside (just outside Cheadle) one of the King Of The Mountains climbs - it's the toughest of the lot, short (only half a mile) but very, very steep and last year had the Pro's struggling with the gearing they were using.
This year the route misses the ride up through Onecote (pronounced as On Cot) and Longnor. Instead it heads left after last years Pro's feed station up a wonderful road called the Morridge. A spectacular high level road with amazing views to the left and the right over the Staffordshire Moorlands and the Derbyshire Dales. From the Morridge the route drops to Blackshaw Moor down a very steep and bumpy road. I can see some crashes on this, there are some long very fast sections into very tight corners and towards the bottom there is a 30mph speed limit leading into a tight left and a hairpin right. It's gonna catch out those that haven't pre ridden the route.
Then to Gunn Hill, painful but dooable - even for this overweight middle aged MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra!). That ticked off the list and then to the bit I really don't look forward too - Leek to Wetley Rocks! Evil bit of road, rolling but the ups are hard and the downs aren't long enough to get relief for my aching thighs......I really must loose weight!
Now for the saving bit, I was riding towards the climb at Commonside when I rode past a small sparrow sitting in the road, I rode on but thought that it must have been a late fledgling as it didn't move and I thought to myself that I couldn't let it just be squashed by a car! So, I turned round and rode back up the road. To my horror a car came down so I gesticulated wildly but the car driver just carried on in his own little world, but JUST missed the bird. When I got to it it just sat there and I could see that it was actually an adult that was injured - I guess a cat's had it. It was bleeding from a cut above it's eye, perhaps even from the eye, I think the best option would have been to kill it, but I can't do that. The best I could do was pick it up gently and place it in the long grass at the side of the road, a little stroke on the head and it hopped off. Let's hope it survives, poor little blighter!
Oh, Commonside nearly killed me! Brutal.
As for the Pebble Dash! The bloody councils in the UK insist on doing something that they call Road Dressing. It comprises of dumping gravel on to sticky tar and then leaving it - they are supposed to roller it and then sweep the excess but they never do. It's a cheap and really shit way to cover the roads, they don't fill the holes and they make the road surface loose and dangerous - the first warm weather we have and the gravel gets ripped up from the warm tar and the road is worse than before. Well, the local council in it's wisdom has pebble dashed my fave descent towards my home. Now it's lethal, loose gravel on all corners and in the middle of the road. Made my last few miles a misery - the bastards!
We should start a campaign to stop this crappy cheap way of road repair.
Got home feeling tired but happy that I'd worked hard - only an extra 26 miles to do on the day, should be do-able if I pace myself a bit.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Thursday 25 August 2011
MP3's, Riding & Killjoy's
Following on from my last blog - Riding & Ranting - I decided to head down to the inlaw's to ride in the same area as the Blenheim Bike ride. It's an area I know fairly well and I used to use some of the hills in the area to train back when I was racing.
As you may be aware, from the last blog post, that I can't stand Killjoy's or people that try to implement rules based on their own petty prejudice rather than solid fact. The banning of MP3's, they claim, is for safety and when I pointed out the fact that deaf people still ride and perfectly safely they just came up with some stupid counter that had no basis in fact and so I did decide not to ride that event this time or ever in the future.
I decided to head up into the same area though - the area around Stow On The Wold. I headed from Middle Littleton through Honeybourne and then up the wonderful Fish Hill. I love that climb, it's long - over 3 miles, and steep in places at 10% plus. It was one of the hills I always used to train on in my racing days and it became something of a tradition to ride up it. I was taking it easy as it's towards the start of the ride and I was planning to do 60 lumpy miles - that was until some chap decided to overtake me. I don't race anymore, I'm too fat and slug like - but for some strange reason I'm still competative. I checked out his gearing and saw that he was running conventional racing ratio gears and he looked like he was making really hard work out of it - and we hadn't hit the steep stuff yet! So, I sat on his wheel and let him work, I was spinning nicely on my compact chainset and just keeping my heart rate down, then he slowed so I was forced to go past him keeping my tempo even. Then, I just rode away from him.........and at the top, I upped my gear and rode way even faster! Poor bloke.
Well, the ride was stunning. Cloudy and cool to start with but soon brightening up, lightish SW winds and I knew that the last few miles would have a tail wind. I rode up and over the hills round Stow and then hit the fast descent from Ford on the Tewksbury road. From there I headed over to Bredon and round the back of Bredon Hill, the last 25 miles were a nice tail wind, well, more of a breeze really but nice none the less.
Evesham is a wonderful little town and nice to ride through on a Sunday and so I did, getting motorpaced by some guy on a big sports motorcycle who happened to be sticking to the speed limit! Good fun that, the last short climb of the day at Bennetts Hill was done quickly and the last couple of miles to the inlaws was taken easy.
A great day, with good music, great weather and stunning scenery. I tried to make a short video using my mobile phone, it's not brilliant, but check it out. I intend to get a better helmet/bike mounted camera for next year and I'll start adding videos of rides and routes.
Here is the Endomondo workout for that day. I did a ride the following day but was shattered and just did a short easy one - and, I've just been out and done a nice hard 26 miles before nights, both workouts are listed on the Endomondo page August 22nd and 25th.
Oh, and here is the video!
As you may be aware, from the last blog post, that I can't stand Killjoy's or people that try to implement rules based on their own petty prejudice rather than solid fact. The banning of MP3's, they claim, is for safety and when I pointed out the fact that deaf people still ride and perfectly safely they just came up with some stupid counter that had no basis in fact and so I did decide not to ride that event this time or ever in the future.
I decided to head up into the same area though - the area around Stow On The Wold. I headed from Middle Littleton through Honeybourne and then up the wonderful Fish Hill. I love that climb, it's long - over 3 miles, and steep in places at 10% plus. It was one of the hills I always used to train on in my racing days and it became something of a tradition to ride up it. I was taking it easy as it's towards the start of the ride and I was planning to do 60 lumpy miles - that was until some chap decided to overtake me. I don't race anymore, I'm too fat and slug like - but for some strange reason I'm still competative. I checked out his gearing and saw that he was running conventional racing ratio gears and he looked like he was making really hard work out of it - and we hadn't hit the steep stuff yet! So, I sat on his wheel and let him work, I was spinning nicely on my compact chainset and just keeping my heart rate down, then he slowed so I was forced to go past him keeping my tempo even. Then, I just rode away from him.........and at the top, I upped my gear and rode way even faster! Poor bloke.
Well, the ride was stunning. Cloudy and cool to start with but soon brightening up, lightish SW winds and I knew that the last few miles would have a tail wind. I rode up and over the hills round Stow and then hit the fast descent from Ford on the Tewksbury road. From there I headed over to Bredon and round the back of Bredon Hill, the last 25 miles were a nice tail wind, well, more of a breeze really but nice none the less.
Evesham is a wonderful little town and nice to ride through on a Sunday and so I did, getting motorpaced by some guy on a big sports motorcycle who happened to be sticking to the speed limit! Good fun that, the last short climb of the day at Bennetts Hill was done quickly and the last couple of miles to the inlaws was taken easy.
A great day, with good music, great weather and stunning scenery. I tried to make a short video using my mobile phone, it's not brilliant, but check it out. I intend to get a better helmet/bike mounted camera for next year and I'll start adding videos of rides and routes.
Here is the Endomondo workout for that day. I did a ride the following day but was shattered and just did a short easy one - and, I've just been out and done a nice hard 26 miles before nights, both workouts are listed on the Endomondo page August 22nd and 25th.
Oh, and here is the video!
Thursday 18 August 2011
Riding & Ranting
Just a short ride today, 33.8 miles after nights to the cafe at Fradley Junction for breakfast. Not a bad day but cool, it could have been nicer considering it's August!
I made a point of keeping my heart rate low today, nothing taxing as I have, in theory, 5 days to get out on the bike - whether that happens is another matter altogether.
On the return route from the cafe I bonked big style, my blood sugar must have dropped very low and I was forced to use my emergency Energy Gel to bring it back up. I used to hate Gels until I found the High5 Isotonic Gel, they work a treat and aren't to sticky. Well, that worked and I was able to ride home feeling fine.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
As for the rant - I really have this bee in my bonnet about the so called cycle safety brigade that feel that they know everything there is about road safety and cycling.
On Sunday I'm supposed to be doing the Blenheim Cycle Challenge - but on reading the rules they can shove it where the sun don't shine. Why, MP3 players of course - they say you are not allowed to use them for, "Rider Safety". Utter bollocks. They claim that riders will need to keep their ears on at the start - and get this for safety - as they are starting 150 - 200 riders at a time! How bloody safe is that? 50 is too many to start in one go without closed roads. There is no way that amount of riders leaving at one time is going to be safe, remember, those of you that know me are aware that my job is all about road safety and that ain't safe. I can see the faces of frustrated motorists, the blaring car horns, the riders taking risks to get out of junctions - I can see a nightmare and a possible fatal crash. They are totally misguided.
I pointed out to them that by their theory they are banning deaf and hearing impaired people from riding their event. They said, and I quote, "Anyone with a hearing impairment would make themselves known to us before and at the start the event and special measures taken to ensure their safety." What a load of rubbish they're talking. Hearing impaired people ride in large bunch races without being able to hear and are perfectly safe - we have another safety feature built it - called, wait for, EYES! All we need to do it to look around to see whats going on. I ride with my MP3 player all the time and I have my head on a swivel, I'm always looking for danger and don't take silly risks.
Well, they can stick their Sportive where the sun don't shine - rules like that make me seethe as they have no foundation in truth. I won't be doing it and will ride the route in a few weeks on my own enjoying my music riding safely and taking no unnecessary risks!
Rant over - thanks for reading!
I made a point of keeping my heart rate low today, nothing taxing as I have, in theory, 5 days to get out on the bike - whether that happens is another matter altogether.
On the return route from the cafe I bonked big style, my blood sugar must have dropped very low and I was forced to use my emergency Energy Gel to bring it back up. I used to hate Gels until I found the High5 Isotonic Gel, they work a treat and aren't to sticky. Well, that worked and I was able to ride home feeling fine.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
As for the rant - I really have this bee in my bonnet about the so called cycle safety brigade that feel that they know everything there is about road safety and cycling.
On Sunday I'm supposed to be doing the Blenheim Cycle Challenge - but on reading the rules they can shove it where the sun don't shine. Why, MP3 players of course - they say you are not allowed to use them for, "Rider Safety". Utter bollocks. They claim that riders will need to keep their ears on at the start - and get this for safety - as they are starting 150 - 200 riders at a time! How bloody safe is that? 50 is too many to start in one go without closed roads. There is no way that amount of riders leaving at one time is going to be safe, remember, those of you that know me are aware that my job is all about road safety and that ain't safe. I can see the faces of frustrated motorists, the blaring car horns, the riders taking risks to get out of junctions - I can see a nightmare and a possible fatal crash. They are totally misguided.
I pointed out to them that by their theory they are banning deaf and hearing impaired people from riding their event. They said, and I quote, "Anyone with a hearing impairment would make themselves known to us before and at the start the event and special measures taken to ensure their safety." What a load of rubbish they're talking. Hearing impaired people ride in large bunch races without being able to hear and are perfectly safe - we have another safety feature built it - called, wait for, EYES! All we need to do it to look around to see whats going on. I ride with my MP3 player all the time and I have my head on a swivel, I'm always looking for danger and don't take silly risks.
Well, they can stick their Sportive where the sun don't shine - rules like that make me seethe as they have no foundation in truth. I won't be doing it and will ride the route in a few weeks on my own enjoying my music riding safely and taking no unnecessary risks!
Rant over - thanks for reading!
Sunday 14 August 2011
Time For A Blog Update!
Folks, it's been a little quiet here of late, my fault!
I've been back at work and as a result I've been knackered! A month off and then back to long shifts is hard on the body and soul of this ageing & overweight bike rider, so I've not done a great deal on the bike!
To be fair, I think I overtrained slightly in July and my body is rebelling. I should have done the Wiggle Tour Of The Peak today with Mark but I've really felt dreadful over the last week or so, lethargic, no energy and I just feel like I need to sleep all the time. Classic over training and working long hours without enough proper food and water. I also have an allergy similar to Hay Fever that gets worse in damp weather - so this week I've been coughing my guts up. All in all it's added up to me crying off. Not sure how I feel about that at the moment, when I talk to Mark I'll probably wish I'd done it.
So, to bike riding. There's not much to report if the truth be told, because I've felt so bad I've had 7 days completely off the bike. I went out Friday, got 1.5 miles down the road and rode into rain - so I promptly turned home - 3 miles total........
Yesterday I tried my legs out and found that I felt better on the bike than off so I did a 50+ mile ride. I went to the Beehive Farm where the Honeypot cafe is. A nice little cyclists cafe situated on a farm that over the last few years has become a popular camping and caravan site. It was a good ride and I felt fairly strong.
Here is the Endomondo workout for yesterday.
As I've already said, today should have been Tour Of The Peak day - so despite still feeling tired and a little jaded I decided to do my own, shorter, Tour Of The Staffordshire Moorlands. I headed up through Uttoxeter and up the 3rd Cat climb up to Ramshorn. I was OK, I got into a rhythm and paced myself - not to say that I found it easy by any stretch of the imagination. Actually, I suffered a bit, quite a bit. I realised on this climb that I'd not have been able to do the Wiggle ride even if I'd started it.
It looked like rain so when I got to the turn for Iptsones/Onceote I made the decision to turn left to Ipstones (towards home) rather than right to Onecote which is part of the Tour Of Britain Stoke stage and takes in some good climbs. It'd been my plan to follow the Tour route up through Longnor and then up the climb at Gunn Hill. Rain stopped play!
A good ride home followed with some very steep stuff around Cheadle followed by a good, but very wet, descent down from Spot Acre all the way to Milwich (only a short climb in the middle).
I'd dried out by the time I reached home - and only having done 950m of climbing in 50 miles I knew the Wiggle ride wouldn't have been for me.
Here is the Endomondo ride for today.
I think I've put weight on too - so, no goodies for me tonight. Next Sunday it's supposed to be the Blenheim Palace Breast Cancer ride. I'll see how I feel and what the weather is doing, it's only 60 miles and it'll be good training for the Tour Ride which is my main goal for the latter part of this year and is on 25th September 2011 starting and finishing at Trentham Gardens near Stoke.
Thats all for today, time for a shower and a cup of tea.
Safe riding folks.
I've been back at work and as a result I've been knackered! A month off and then back to long shifts is hard on the body and soul of this ageing & overweight bike rider, so I've not done a great deal on the bike!
To be fair, I think I overtrained slightly in July and my body is rebelling. I should have done the Wiggle Tour Of The Peak today with Mark but I've really felt dreadful over the last week or so, lethargic, no energy and I just feel like I need to sleep all the time. Classic over training and working long hours without enough proper food and water. I also have an allergy similar to Hay Fever that gets worse in damp weather - so this week I've been coughing my guts up. All in all it's added up to me crying off. Not sure how I feel about that at the moment, when I talk to Mark I'll probably wish I'd done it.
So, to bike riding. There's not much to report if the truth be told, because I've felt so bad I've had 7 days completely off the bike. I went out Friday, got 1.5 miles down the road and rode into rain - so I promptly turned home - 3 miles total........
Yesterday I tried my legs out and found that I felt better on the bike than off so I did a 50+ mile ride. I went to the Beehive Farm where the Honeypot cafe is. A nice little cyclists cafe situated on a farm that over the last few years has become a popular camping and caravan site. It was a good ride and I felt fairly strong.
Here is the Endomondo workout for yesterday.
As I've already said, today should have been Tour Of The Peak day - so despite still feeling tired and a little jaded I decided to do my own, shorter, Tour Of The Staffordshire Moorlands. I headed up through Uttoxeter and up the 3rd Cat climb up to Ramshorn. I was OK, I got into a rhythm and paced myself - not to say that I found it easy by any stretch of the imagination. Actually, I suffered a bit, quite a bit. I realised on this climb that I'd not have been able to do the Wiggle ride even if I'd started it.
It looked like rain so when I got to the turn for Iptsones/Onceote I made the decision to turn left to Ipstones (towards home) rather than right to Onecote which is part of the Tour Of Britain Stoke stage and takes in some good climbs. It'd been my plan to follow the Tour route up through Longnor and then up the climb at Gunn Hill. Rain stopped play!
A good ride home followed with some very steep stuff around Cheadle followed by a good, but very wet, descent down from Spot Acre all the way to Milwich (only a short climb in the middle).
I'd dried out by the time I reached home - and only having done 950m of climbing in 50 miles I knew the Wiggle ride wouldn't have been for me.
Here is the Endomondo ride for today.
I think I've put weight on too - so, no goodies for me tonight. Next Sunday it's supposed to be the Blenheim Palace Breast Cancer ride. I'll see how I feel and what the weather is doing, it's only 60 miles and it'll be good training for the Tour Ride which is my main goal for the latter part of this year and is on 25th September 2011 starting and finishing at Trentham Gardens near Stoke.
Thats all for today, time for a shower and a cup of tea.
Safe riding folks.
Wednesday 3 August 2011
Stress, Cycling & Mistake's
There's been a bit of stress, a lot of cycling and one expensive mistake so far this week.
Following on from the BG-Fit session on Friday I tried out the new position on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday's ride was a steady affair out to the cafe at Fradley Junction. Tracey was trying out her bike this day to see if she could ride with a sprained ankle. She did a short ride and I met her at the cafe.
Here is the Endomondo workout for that Saturday.
Sunday, Mark and I had arranged to go out and do a 75 mile ride - well, we went out on Satruday night for a beer and had one or two to many! Sunday arrived and we both felt the worse for wear - so we decided to reduce the distance by about 25 miles. I'd a route in mind, up around Uttoxeter and then to Tutbury...some nice hills on that route. It was a hard, hot day and Mark seems to have his hill climbing legs fitted and he pushed the pace up most hills, harder than my weary body was willing to push - it's been a hard month on the bike for me this July.
I seemed to get my legs back as the ride went on - High5 works wonders. We didn't bother to stop at a cafe and just rode non-stop. A good day.
Here is the Endomondo workout for Sunday.
I went to see my parents on Tuesday - I've not seen them for a few weeks as I've been on holiday. Both have been recently diagnosed with Dementia, mum just has short term memory loss, but dad is getting worse by the day it seems. It's really heart breaking to see this dignified, clever and loving man degenerate in the way that he is. I find it hard to see him without crying and I get a knot in my gut on the way over every time I visit. Their house used to be immaculate, now it's just about livable, dark and untidy. Tracey and I are doing our best to get over once or twice a week to shop for them and tidy the place but it's not always possible with our shifts.
Cycling is a huge stress reliever, I came home yesterday a wreck, I just kept exploding with rage at the smallest of things, like the computer not opening a program fast enough, real rage too. Stupid things. I had to get out and calm down before I Trace came home or I had a heart attack so later in the afternoon I hit the road for a short ride in the warm weather. It helped, it always does.
And that leads nicely into the mistake - The BG-Fit indicated that I'd be better with a shorter stem so I ordered a nice Ritchey WCS stem in matt black from Ribble Cycles. It arrived yesterday and I eagerly fitted it - then realised it was a 110mm.......that led to me checking my order on the web (the computer not opening a program fast enough) and more rage as I realised it was my fault and now was too late as the sodding thing was fitted. Oh well, the bike ride sorted that out.
Here is yesterdays Endomondo workout.
Today I went out again, still feeling stressed and unhappy so I decided to hammer myself. I went a hilly route, I need to do hilly routes and mark and I are supposed to be doing the Wiggle Tour of the Peak a week on Sunday and this is the last time I can get some hilly rides in.
Nice ride today and very warm. Wonderful means of de-stressing oneself.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow - looks like rain is forecast so I'll see.
Following on from the BG-Fit session on Friday I tried out the new position on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday's ride was a steady affair out to the cafe at Fradley Junction. Tracey was trying out her bike this day to see if she could ride with a sprained ankle. She did a short ride and I met her at the cafe.
Here is the Endomondo workout for that Saturday.
Sunday, Mark and I had arranged to go out and do a 75 mile ride - well, we went out on Satruday night for a beer and had one or two to many! Sunday arrived and we both felt the worse for wear - so we decided to reduce the distance by about 25 miles. I'd a route in mind, up around Uttoxeter and then to Tutbury...some nice hills on that route. It was a hard, hot day and Mark seems to have his hill climbing legs fitted and he pushed the pace up most hills, harder than my weary body was willing to push - it's been a hard month on the bike for me this July.
I seemed to get my legs back as the ride went on - High5 works wonders. We didn't bother to stop at a cafe and just rode non-stop. A good day.
Here is the Endomondo workout for Sunday.
I went to see my parents on Tuesday - I've not seen them for a few weeks as I've been on holiday. Both have been recently diagnosed with Dementia, mum just has short term memory loss, but dad is getting worse by the day it seems. It's really heart breaking to see this dignified, clever and loving man degenerate in the way that he is. I find it hard to see him without crying and I get a knot in my gut on the way over every time I visit. Their house used to be immaculate, now it's just about livable, dark and untidy. Tracey and I are doing our best to get over once or twice a week to shop for them and tidy the place but it's not always possible with our shifts.
Cycling is a huge stress reliever, I came home yesterday a wreck, I just kept exploding with rage at the smallest of things, like the computer not opening a program fast enough, real rage too. Stupid things. I had to get out and calm down before I Trace came home or I had a heart attack so later in the afternoon I hit the road for a short ride in the warm weather. It helped, it always does.
And that leads nicely into the mistake - The BG-Fit indicated that I'd be better with a shorter stem so I ordered a nice Ritchey WCS stem in matt black from Ribble Cycles. It arrived yesterday and I eagerly fitted it - then realised it was a 110mm.......that led to me checking my order on the web (the computer not opening a program fast enough) and more rage as I realised it was my fault and now was too late as the sodding thing was fitted. Oh well, the bike ride sorted that out.
Here is yesterdays Endomondo workout.
Today I went out again, still feeling stressed and unhappy so I decided to hammer myself. I went a hilly route, I need to do hilly routes and mark and I are supposed to be doing the Wiggle Tour of the Peak a week on Sunday and this is the last time I can get some hilly rides in.
Nice ride today and very warm. Wonderful means of de-stressing oneself.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow - looks like rain is forecast so I'll see.
Friday 29 July 2011
BG-Fit (Body Geometry)
I've had a new bike for a few weeks and I'm getting back into the cycling lark very heavily. As a result I decided to lash out and spend some money on a BG-Fit - the one designed by Specalized.
Near to my home is the Specialized Concept store at Stafford. Run by Gary Ford of MTB fame it boasts one of the only fully trained female Bike Fit experts in the UK, the other being down in Cornwall somewhere. I've heard good things about the lady at the Stafford Concept store, she does sports injury therapy and she rides and races bikes. She knows what she's talking about.
The whole Bike Fit process takes about 2 hours and before you even get on the bike your flexibility, body make-up, leg length and foot angle (of dangle) are amongst some of the things checked and measured. Properly measured too, not guessed at.
So, I arrived at the store all ready for my pre-booked Bike Fit, in full cycling regalia with my shoes and Scott Addict R3. The first thing checked was the above - I now know that my right femur is longer than my left and that I have a slight hip rotation to compensate - but no huge difference so no need for it to be corrected. I also have a slight weakness in the muscles in my upper back but stronger chest muscles.......I always knew I was a weird shape!
Then, once all that was done it was onto the bike in a turbo trainer. Measurements were taken of seat height, the drop from the saddle to the stem, bar width stem length and shoe cleat position. Then I got peddling and various measurements were taken. I'd got a very good seating position on the bike.
I'm of the old school where cleat position is concerned - I was always told to position the cleat so that the pedal spindle is under the ball of the foot. There is new thinking now, the spindle should intersect the point between the big toe and little toe joints. This in effect moves the cleat back by about 5 or 6mm on my shoe. This was done and then the leg angle was again measured and it was decided that I needed to move the seat forward by the same amount to compensate - that was also done by Niki. She checked the angle of my reach (the angle created by my arms extending from my body) and this was over 100degrees, it should be about 95 according to the new thinking. So, I've been advised to reduce my stem length from 110mm to 100mm. Niki says this should stop any pain between my shoulder blades on long rides and also should put my hands right on the hoods which will in turn stop me from getting numb hands!
2 hours and 15 mins later I was done. Not a huge change in the position but I think I might make a big difference. All I need to do now is to get a new stem at 100mm length and then I'll be able to stress test the position over some long distance rides.
Once I've done that I'll report back here - but from the initial fit I think it's been £120.00 well spent.
Near to my home is the Specialized Concept store at Stafford. Run by Gary Ford of MTB fame it boasts one of the only fully trained female Bike Fit experts in the UK, the other being down in Cornwall somewhere. I've heard good things about the lady at the Stafford Concept store, she does sports injury therapy and she rides and races bikes. She knows what she's talking about.
The whole Bike Fit process takes about 2 hours and before you even get on the bike your flexibility, body make-up, leg length and foot angle (of dangle) are amongst some of the things checked and measured. Properly measured too, not guessed at.
So, I arrived at the store all ready for my pre-booked Bike Fit, in full cycling regalia with my shoes and Scott Addict R3. The first thing checked was the above - I now know that my right femur is longer than my left and that I have a slight hip rotation to compensate - but no huge difference so no need for it to be corrected. I also have a slight weakness in the muscles in my upper back but stronger chest muscles.......I always knew I was a weird shape!
Then, once all that was done it was onto the bike in a turbo trainer. Measurements were taken of seat height, the drop from the saddle to the stem, bar width stem length and shoe cleat position. Then I got peddling and various measurements were taken. I'd got a very good seating position on the bike.
I'm of the old school where cleat position is concerned - I was always told to position the cleat so that the pedal spindle is under the ball of the foot. There is new thinking now, the spindle should intersect the point between the big toe and little toe joints. This in effect moves the cleat back by about 5 or 6mm on my shoe. This was done and then the leg angle was again measured and it was decided that I needed to move the seat forward by the same amount to compensate - that was also done by Niki. She checked the angle of my reach (the angle created by my arms extending from my body) and this was over 100degrees, it should be about 95 according to the new thinking. So, I've been advised to reduce my stem length from 110mm to 100mm. Niki says this should stop any pain between my shoulder blades on long rides and also should put my hands right on the hoods which will in turn stop me from getting numb hands!
2 hours and 15 mins later I was done. Not a huge change in the position but I think I might make a big difference. All I need to do now is to get a new stem at 100mm length and then I'll be able to stress test the position over some long distance rides.
Once I've done that I'll report back here - but from the initial fit I think it's been £120.00 well spent.
Thursday 28 July 2011
Weak Knees But Still Trying
Well, today I went out on the bike again! Good job this is a cyclists blog........
I spent a good portion of the day sorting out a new mobile phone and plan as my current provider - Vodaphone - is rubbish around here. Now, like many cyclists nowadays, I rely on the mobile to call for assistance should there be a major issue on while out on the bike. There just isn't any service round here! So, I'm going back to 3 and I have a nice swanky Samsung Galaxy II s on order.
Once I'd sorted that I decided that the weather was too good to miss out on. I'm also trying to have a good month in terms of miles and hours in the saddle. The ride I did yesterday was quite lumpy so I decided to do a shorter but still lumpy one. I headed from home on some nice flat roads that give a good warm up and then I headed from Milford (the home of Mammoth Cycles) through Brocton and up over Chase Road, steep but too bad. A nice long climb took in some lovely countryside and I got to see some deer in the woods above Brocton.
I rode past the cafe at Springslade Lodge, this is a great cafe run by Kay and her staff. It caters for cyclists with Bike Parking and you can either sit indoors or in the large garden area. The food is excellent and ranges from bacon butties to full cooked lunches, there is a campsite there too if you'd like to camp and ride your mountain bikes.
From Springslade the ride heads past the Commonwealth War Graves and the turning to the German War Cemetery. A couple of sobering sights that remind one of the frailty of life and the sacrifice made during those terrible wars by both sides.
The descent to Rugeley is a blast and some good speeds can be reached - just watch out for the cars pulling out near the bottom visitor centre.
Well, by this time I was getting a bit warm and tired so I decided to head home - why I chose to go into my village the back way I'll never know! It's lumpy and today, it was into a headwind. I struggled up the hills and was relieved to hit the descent past what was the Wicket Pub and back to the village. All in all a good ride, no stops and no eating huge pasties - so hopefully some of the flab I picked up in Austria will start to fade away. I can only hope - now, where is that beer ;-)
Here is the Endomondo workout for today
I spent a good portion of the day sorting out a new mobile phone and plan as my current provider - Vodaphone - is rubbish around here. Now, like many cyclists nowadays, I rely on the mobile to call for assistance should there be a major issue on while out on the bike. There just isn't any service round here! So, I'm going back to 3 and I have a nice swanky Samsung Galaxy II s on order.
Once I'd sorted that I decided that the weather was too good to miss out on. I'm also trying to have a good month in terms of miles and hours in the saddle. The ride I did yesterday was quite lumpy so I decided to do a shorter but still lumpy one. I headed from home on some nice flat roads that give a good warm up and then I headed from Milford (the home of Mammoth Cycles) through Brocton and up over Chase Road, steep but too bad. A nice long climb took in some lovely countryside and I got to see some deer in the woods above Brocton.
I rode past the cafe at Springslade Lodge, this is a great cafe run by Kay and her staff. It caters for cyclists with Bike Parking and you can either sit indoors or in the large garden area. The food is excellent and ranges from bacon butties to full cooked lunches, there is a campsite there too if you'd like to camp and ride your mountain bikes.
From Springslade the ride heads past the Commonwealth War Graves and the turning to the German War Cemetery. A couple of sobering sights that remind one of the frailty of life and the sacrifice made during those terrible wars by both sides.
The descent to Rugeley is a blast and some good speeds can be reached - just watch out for the cars pulling out near the bottom visitor centre.
Well, by this time I was getting a bit warm and tired so I decided to head home - why I chose to go into my village the back way I'll never know! It's lumpy and today, it was into a headwind. I struggled up the hills and was relieved to hit the descent past what was the Wicket Pub and back to the village. All in all a good ride, no stops and no eating huge pasties - so hopefully some of the flab I picked up in Austria will start to fade away. I can only hope - now, where is that beer ;-)
Here is the Endomondo workout for today
Wednesday 27 July 2011
Tired and Tubby - I Ride Again UK Style!
On Monday after I'd updated the blog I decided to head out for a bike ride. Strangely the weather in the UK was good, warm with light winds.
I hit the road and soon found out that I was tired, really tired. I got to about 10 miles and decided to head home, I even yawned! I couldn't get the heart rate up and speed was a thing of the past. I managed 23 miles.
Here is the Endomondo workout.
Tuesday I tried again - fully kitted out in my new Lichfield City Club kit I rode for 1/2 mile, felt dreadful and went home!
Today was a different matter, I seemed to have enough sleep, I ate well last night (and drank too much) and when I woke I felt fine.
I threw on the new Lichfield CCC kit and hit the road. I was able to get the heart rate up and the speed was there again so I decided to do a hilly ride up into the hills around Alton Towers. It's pretty lumpy up there and it's easy to find gradients of 20% or more. I settled with a max gradient of 21% near Hollington and that was enough for me, it had me frothing at the mouth and gasping for air like a stranded fish!
The descent to Lower Tean is great, not too long but pretty fast and I recorded 43.9mph on it. Then it was up Leigh Bank, a blinkin steep hill (only 15%) followed by an undulating ride home.
I enjoyed today, it felt good to be riding in club kit again after a 12 year break and the weather was fine, dry and warm. Hopefully I'll get a few more in over the next week or so.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Monday 25 July 2011
Sore Thighs & Home!
Well, as you may have guessed from the title I'm home from holiday. It was a great trip with some good weather and some not so good - but I managed to do what I set out to do this year.
The last day was nice, and the only walk on the holiday. I headed up to the Olperer Hütte, a mountain hut which sits around 2350m in the Zillertal Alps. Now, I'm a cyclist - I maybe overweight but I still have fairly strong legs, for going up.........The walk up was a dream, stunning views and some showers but warm. At the hut the mist was down so no views there and I didn't stop as I'd left Tracey down near the car and it had taken me 1 hour 20 mins to get to the hut (not bad for a 600m climb).
Now the dreaded descent! Like I said, I'm a cyclist and can go up all day, same action as pedaling and same muscles used - but not down! It's been May since I went out on walking in the hills and my legs are just not set for walking down - using my muscles in the opposite way to which they're trained. I thought it would hurt but it wasn't to bad and I didn't get jelly thighs like I normally do. The views really opened up.
I said my legs didn't hurt didn't I? Well, that was until that night....then ouch, my thighs felt like someone was sticking knives in them. And I've got to drive home with these things?
Ah, the drive home - what a nightmare. It turns out that Saturday was the start of the Bavarian main summer holidays - and I was driving up through Germany via Bavaria! Major traffic jams and heavy rain caused the projected 7 hour drive to the hotel to be 10.5 hours of non-stop torture. Sunday's leg wasn't all that bad and the ferry crossing was great. The Tour De France final stage on the ferry in the Stena Plus lounge, what more could you ask for!
I arrived home at 23:30 with sore legs and feeling washed out. Got up today at 09:45 still feeling washed out....now for beans on toast - I've missed my beans on toast.
Here is the Endomondo workout for Friday's walk.....I didn't start the Endo app on my phone so the first bit is missing.
The last day was nice, and the only walk on the holiday. I headed up to the Olperer Hütte, a mountain hut which sits around 2350m in the Zillertal Alps. Now, I'm a cyclist - I maybe overweight but I still have fairly strong legs, for going up.........The walk up was a dream, stunning views and some showers but warm. At the hut the mist was down so no views there and I didn't stop as I'd left Tracey down near the car and it had taken me 1 hour 20 mins to get to the hut (not bad for a 600m climb).
Now the dreaded descent! Like I said, I'm a cyclist and can go up all day, same action as pedaling and same muscles used - but not down! It's been May since I went out on walking in the hills and my legs are just not set for walking down - using my muscles in the opposite way to which they're trained. I thought it would hurt but it wasn't to bad and I didn't get jelly thighs like I normally do. The views really opened up.
I said my legs didn't hurt didn't I? Well, that was until that night....then ouch, my thighs felt like someone was sticking knives in them. And I've got to drive home with these things?
Ah, the drive home - what a nightmare. It turns out that Saturday was the start of the Bavarian main summer holidays - and I was driving up through Germany via Bavaria! Major traffic jams and heavy rain caused the projected 7 hour drive to the hotel to be 10.5 hours of non-stop torture. Sunday's leg wasn't all that bad and the ferry crossing was great. The Tour De France final stage on the ferry in the Stena Plus lounge, what more could you ask for!
I arrived home at 23:30 with sore legs and feeling washed out. Got up today at 09:45 still feeling washed out....now for beans on toast - I've missed my beans on toast.
Here is the Endomondo workout for Friday's walk.....I didn't start the Endo app on my phone so the first bit is missing.
Thursday 21 July 2011
Barenbad - Last Holiday Ride
Today dawned overcast and a bit dreary but the forecast was for no rain so I headed out on the bike. I decided to head up to Barenbad again, I could compare my fitness and climbing from last week that way.
As I began the climb I felt quite strong so put a bit of effort in on the very steep bit, no problems so I thought I'd be in for an OK climb. The roads were damp today so I knew that the descent wouldn't be as quick as last week.
I rode pretty strongly all the was to Gasthof Au, the start of the last 2 miles to the top of the climb (10.7 miles long with height gain of 800m). I pushed myself on the last two steep drags to the top and despite the air temp only being 10c on the garmin sweat was pouring from my face.
Armwarmers and Gillet were the order of the day for the descent and I set a lap at the top. I'd beaten last weeks climb time for exactly the same ride by 8 mins. Just shows how being a bit more rested and cooler effects climbing at my age!
I began the descent and took it easier than last week, most of the corners were damp, not soaked, but still enough to send me flying if I overcooked them. No near death experiences on this drop today. Not much traffic and what there was seemed to be switched on to the fact that I could go faster than they could and they gave way, same was to be said for the lumbering German tourists and the stark white Brits (who arrived yesterday).
Once I got back to Mayrhofen I called Trace and arranged to meet at a cafe in Hipach - I'll be adding a review of some cafe's to Patisserie Cyclisme when I get home. It's a great resourse for cycling cafe's.
Despite eating Kase Shinken Toast and having a cappuchino I think I've lost some weight at last - the Gillet I wore today was baggy - last time I wore it it was skin tight rouund the paunch!
Planning on going for a walk up high tomorrow to the new Olperer Hutte.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Rich
As I began the climb I felt quite strong so put a bit of effort in on the very steep bit, no problems so I thought I'd be in for an OK climb. The roads were damp today so I knew that the descent wouldn't be as quick as last week.
I rode pretty strongly all the was to Gasthof Au, the start of the last 2 miles to the top of the climb (10.7 miles long with height gain of 800m). I pushed myself on the last two steep drags to the top and despite the air temp only being 10c on the garmin sweat was pouring from my face.
Armwarmers and Gillet were the order of the day for the descent and I set a lap at the top. I'd beaten last weeks climb time for exactly the same ride by 8 mins. Just shows how being a bit more rested and cooler effects climbing at my age!
I began the descent and took it easier than last week, most of the corners were damp, not soaked, but still enough to send me flying if I overcooked them. No near death experiences on this drop today. Not much traffic and what there was seemed to be switched on to the fact that I could go faster than they could and they gave way, same was to be said for the lumbering German tourists and the stark white Brits (who arrived yesterday).
Once I got back to Mayrhofen I called Trace and arranged to meet at a cafe in Hipach - I'll be adding a review of some cafe's to Patisserie Cyclisme when I get home. It's a great resourse for cycling cafe's.
Despite eating Kase Shinken Toast and having a cappuchino I think I've lost some weight at last - the Gillet I wore today was baggy - last time I wore it it was skin tight rouund the paunch!
Planning on going for a walk up high tomorrow to the new Olperer Hutte.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Rich
Tuesday 19 July 2011
Into The Valley Of Near Death (Experiences)
It was due to be a nice day today so what did I do last night - I drank too much. I woke this morning feeling crappy with a dodgy stomach. I still decided to head out but later than planned.
I went to the Stillup Tal today, one of the harder rides in the Zillertal. A good, long and steep climb to a hut called the Grune Wand Hutte, the last mile or so is at 15%. Once again today had a head wind on the climb but the roads at the bottom were also wet, so there wasn't going to be a great fast descent either!
On the climb you reach a hut called Gasthof Wasserfall where car traffic stops, from there it's a closed road open only to the Mini Buses that take tourists to the Grune Wand Hutte. They drive like bloody madmen on that road. I was climbing and crossing a wooden bridge with no-where to go and one of these idiots decided to drive the other way onto the bridge without stopping - he had a few choice words as we sqeezed past each other! Then I reached the hard bit........oh I was slow and very, very tired (I mustn't forget still tubby).
At the top, I didn't bother stopping, just chucked on my Gillet (it was cold so high up) and started the descent, no risks today as the idiot bus drivers could be round the next corner and the amount of fat tourists struggling to walk up what I'd just ridden up kept forcing me to slow down and holler, "Entsuldigung" in my best German. Then I'd watch the delayed reaction as the sound of my voice fought it's way past the layers of cake induced blubber and finally reached their brains - then they'd move but by that time I was almost stopped! This seemed to happen quite alot!
I took the bottom twisty, damp section easy - there was a big drop off to my left which I didn't want to risk going over and eventually I reached Mayrhofen. Just to add some distance and bring up my average speed a bit I rode down the Zillertal to Aschau, then back to Mo's and a Chicken burger and a few bottles of mineral water.
As I type this I'm sat on the balcony of the Appartment Rose in wonderful warm weather, with the tour on the TV (turned so I can see it) with a coffee and some baked crisps (healthier than fried but still full of fat). Still, I'm on holiday and supposed to be enjoying myself.
I shall avoid the wine tonight though!
Here is the Endomondo workout for the ride
I went to the Stillup Tal today, one of the harder rides in the Zillertal. A good, long and steep climb to a hut called the Grune Wand Hutte, the last mile or so is at 15%. Once again today had a head wind on the climb but the roads at the bottom were also wet, so there wasn't going to be a great fast descent either!
On the climb you reach a hut called Gasthof Wasserfall where car traffic stops, from there it's a closed road open only to the Mini Buses that take tourists to the Grune Wand Hutte. They drive like bloody madmen on that road. I was climbing and crossing a wooden bridge with no-where to go and one of these idiots decided to drive the other way onto the bridge without stopping - he had a few choice words as we sqeezed past each other! Then I reached the hard bit........oh I was slow and very, very tired (I mustn't forget still tubby).
At the top, I didn't bother stopping, just chucked on my Gillet (it was cold so high up) and started the descent, no risks today as the idiot bus drivers could be round the next corner and the amount of fat tourists struggling to walk up what I'd just ridden up kept forcing me to slow down and holler, "Entsuldigung" in my best German. Then I'd watch the delayed reaction as the sound of my voice fought it's way past the layers of cake induced blubber and finally reached their brains - then they'd move but by that time I was almost stopped! This seemed to happen quite alot!
I took the bottom twisty, damp section easy - there was a big drop off to my left which I didn't want to risk going over and eventually I reached Mayrhofen. Just to add some distance and bring up my average speed a bit I rode down the Zillertal to Aschau, then back to Mo's and a Chicken burger and a few bottles of mineral water.
As I type this I'm sat on the balcony of the Appartment Rose in wonderful warm weather, with the tour on the TV (turned so I can see it) with a coffee and some baked crisps (healthier than fried but still full of fat). Still, I'm on holiday and supposed to be enjoying myself.
I shall avoid the wine tonight though!
Here is the Endomondo workout for the ride
Sunday 17 July 2011
Achensee - A Lake
Ok, how many got the play on words in the title - 10 calories if you didn't. For those that didn't then it's Achensee (achen-zay) and then a lake (Ah Can Zay A Lake)......OK, it's crap. I know but I'm not sorry!
Well, today dawned dry, bright and very very warm. Because Tracey can't walk - her ankle was huge and black - I decided to ride to Achensee. It's a good ride, down the Zillertal and then one climb of about 500m at an average grade of about 5% (thats a guess). The climb isn't hard, even for a fatty like me, but the promise of the descent is appealing.
I hit the Zillertal and immediately noticed that I was cruising at 24 or 25 mph on the falt for no effort....Gott Verdamned Wind.....(the German coming out in me). It was a strong tail wind coming straight up the Zillertal behind me and throwing me along the road.....I've got to ride back into this!
I reached Strass and then left the Zillertal and started the climb. It was a very warm day, 30c on the Garmin and the wind was crossing me as I zig-zagged up the climb. It wasn't hard today but then again I was just spinning easy rather than really trying. The traffic on this road is quite heavy, Achensee is a huge lake and a huge pull for non-cycling tourists and today was no exception. I was careful because of the traffic, but thankfully no near death experiences today.
The top was reached and rather than descending to the lake and eating (I do loads of that, eating.....) I decided to head straight back to meet Trace and watch the TransAlp come in to Mayrhofen. A couple of club mates were riding it. The descent was everything it promised on the climb and I reached 48mph max speed, I could ahve got faster but for the wind.
Then onto the Zillertal at Strass and a nightmare of a road ride back. 20 plus miles in 33c heat and what I estimate was a 20mph head wind. I died, grovelled, prayed to the wind gods and got no answer. I suffered every bloody mile back and the average speed of the ride dropped rapidly, my virtual partner on my Garmin overtook me laughing while giving me the two fingers and he rode off without letting me get his wheel, the bastard! Two gels later and I got a bit quicker but then ran out of fluid and died again for the last two miles from Hippach to Mayrhofen.
The TransAlp had taken over the centre of Mayrhofen and the place was full of very skinny, fit looking cyclists and I felt rather tubby.....so I consoled myself with some Goulash Soup and three bottles of mineral water......then when I got back here, to the appartment I had two beers.......all calories burnt now added back plus some and my belly is no smaller. The Over Weight Cyclist is still overweight, but chilled out.
This week has been the best of this year for hours in the saddle and miles covered in a single week. I'm happy with that as there's some good climbing in there too.
See you next week.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Well, today dawned dry, bright and very very warm. Because Tracey can't walk - her ankle was huge and black - I decided to ride to Achensee. It's a good ride, down the Zillertal and then one climb of about 500m at an average grade of about 5% (thats a guess). The climb isn't hard, even for a fatty like me, but the promise of the descent is appealing.
I hit the Zillertal and immediately noticed that I was cruising at 24 or 25 mph on the falt for no effort....Gott Verdamned Wind.....(the German coming out in me). It was a strong tail wind coming straight up the Zillertal behind me and throwing me along the road.....I've got to ride back into this!
I reached Strass and then left the Zillertal and started the climb. It was a very warm day, 30c on the Garmin and the wind was crossing me as I zig-zagged up the climb. It wasn't hard today but then again I was just spinning easy rather than really trying. The traffic on this road is quite heavy, Achensee is a huge lake and a huge pull for non-cycling tourists and today was no exception. I was careful because of the traffic, but thankfully no near death experiences today.
The top was reached and rather than descending to the lake and eating (I do loads of that, eating.....) I decided to head straight back to meet Trace and watch the TransAlp come in to Mayrhofen. A couple of club mates were riding it. The descent was everything it promised on the climb and I reached 48mph max speed, I could ahve got faster but for the wind.
Then onto the Zillertal at Strass and a nightmare of a road ride back. 20 plus miles in 33c heat and what I estimate was a 20mph head wind. I died, grovelled, prayed to the wind gods and got no answer. I suffered every bloody mile back and the average speed of the ride dropped rapidly, my virtual partner on my Garmin overtook me laughing while giving me the two fingers and he rode off without letting me get his wheel, the bastard! Two gels later and I got a bit quicker but then ran out of fluid and died again for the last two miles from Hippach to Mayrhofen.
The TransAlp had taken over the centre of Mayrhofen and the place was full of very skinny, fit looking cyclists and I felt rather tubby.....so I consoled myself with some Goulash Soup and three bottles of mineral water......then when I got back here, to the appartment I had two beers.......all calories burnt now added back plus some and my belly is no smaller. The Over Weight Cyclist is still overweight, but chilled out.
This week has been the best of this year for hours in the saddle and miles covered in a single week. I'm happy with that as there's some good climbing in there too.
See you next week.
Here is the Endomondo workout for today.
Saturday 16 July 2011
Gerlos or Bust
We had two rather inclement days and I over indulged myself with food and wine - well, I am on holiday!
Today the weather was great so I decided to punish myself for the last days indiscretions and go up the Gerlos Pass from Mayrhofen. The climbs isn't that bad - 15 miles or so with a height gain of 1000m but the central few miles are flat....the hard work is done at the beginning and the end.
It's not much to write about going up - but down is a different matter altogether. You can really fly down this pass back to Zell am Ziller and so I did. I must mention the climb though, the start from Zell goes up at about 8 or 9% for some 7 or 8 miles and there are a number of hairpins to negotiate, Same for the top section. Today I headed higher than before to a small village called Koenigsleiten. A dead end road but more height gain.
The views from the top of the pass are stunning and I'll add a few photos when I get home - check them out later.
Well, as for the descent - it was wonderful. A tail wind (head wind climbing) pushed me to 48mph and I was almost yeeehaaaa'ing all the way down. I rode like a fat black clad deamon, I actually worked harder on the descent than the climb with heigher heart rates!
The bottom section was a dream, I over took cars, coaches and motorbikes through the hairpins and none caught me up before Zell.
The weather was great and I got back to Mayrhofen feeling strong and headed to Mo's for a couple of beers and a Chicken Burger - no weight loss today!!!!!!!!! Buffoon that I am!.
Had a phone call to tell me that Tracey had tripped and sprained her ankle while descending from her walk. Poor lass, we still have a week here and she now can't walk! Hope it sorts itself out over the next few days.
Here is the Endomondo workout.
Rich
Today the weather was great so I decided to punish myself for the last days indiscretions and go up the Gerlos Pass from Mayrhofen. The climbs isn't that bad - 15 miles or so with a height gain of 1000m but the central few miles are flat....the hard work is done at the beginning and the end.
It's not much to write about going up - but down is a different matter altogether. You can really fly down this pass back to Zell am Ziller and so I did. I must mention the climb though, the start from Zell goes up at about 8 or 9% for some 7 or 8 miles and there are a number of hairpins to negotiate, Same for the top section. Today I headed higher than before to a small village called Koenigsleiten. A dead end road but more height gain.
The views from the top of the pass are stunning and I'll add a few photos when I get home - check them out later.
Well, as for the descent - it was wonderful. A tail wind (head wind climbing) pushed me to 48mph and I was almost yeeehaaaa'ing all the way down. I rode like a fat black clad deamon, I actually worked harder on the descent than the climb with heigher heart rates!
The bottom section was a dream, I over took cars, coaches and motorbikes through the hairpins and none caught me up before Zell.
The weather was great and I got back to Mayrhofen feeling strong and headed to Mo's for a couple of beers and a Chicken Burger - no weight loss today!!!!!!!!! Buffoon that I am!.
Had a phone call to tell me that Tracey had tripped and sprained her ankle while descending from her walk. Poor lass, we still have a week here and she now can't walk! Hope it sorts itself out over the next few days.
Here is the Endomondo workout.
Rich
Thursday 14 July 2011
Barenbad
Today I hit the road, feeling tired from yesterday's ride to Hochfugen. I decided to head to Barenbad, a really nice little alpine hut in a valley called the Zillergrund, possibly one of the most beautiful in the Zillertal.
The road climbs striaght from the digs in Mayrhofen. I've ridden it a few times now and know what to expect. The first big gradient is 500m from the digs - 15% for about 200m then in levels out. The road climbs at gradients between 1% and 15% for about 10 miles all the way to Barenbad. As you climb there are several cafes and guest houses to stop at and the views of the surrounding mountains are amazing. The road is fairly straight, just a few twists and turns and you just know it's going to be a blast on the way down.
This year I wasn't going to beat my best time for the climb, I was riding up the climb into a headwind, quite strong too. I could see that the weather was closing in, the grey cloud was starting to cloak the visible summits around me. The air was cooler today too - just 27 on the climb and with the wind it was really making it a pleasure to ride.
Saying that, the end of the climb is steep, a couple of hairpins followed by straight sections straight into the wind. I was on the drops low over the bike climbing a 15% gradient into a 15mph wind......it was a killer. I reached the top and was another sweating, heaving wreck. It was chilly here so I put on my helmet, zipped up my jersey and headed down......what a scream. 45mph max on the descent, overtaking cars and zipping through the curves as fast as I dared. I got up the climb in 1 hour 13 minss - down in 20mins......
The total was only 22 miles so I headed down to Zell am Ziller to bring the mileage up and then back to Mayrhofen - where I went, yep you guessed - to Mo's cafe. I sat outside for an hour people watching and tying to cool down.
Another great day and now I need a day off - but the weather forecast for tomorrow is bad anyway - so no hassles there.
Here is the Endomondo workout
The road climbs striaght from the digs in Mayrhofen. I've ridden it a few times now and know what to expect. The first big gradient is 500m from the digs - 15% for about 200m then in levels out. The road climbs at gradients between 1% and 15% for about 10 miles all the way to Barenbad. As you climb there are several cafes and guest houses to stop at and the views of the surrounding mountains are amazing. The road is fairly straight, just a few twists and turns and you just know it's going to be a blast on the way down.
This year I wasn't going to beat my best time for the climb, I was riding up the climb into a headwind, quite strong too. I could see that the weather was closing in, the grey cloud was starting to cloak the visible summits around me. The air was cooler today too - just 27 on the climb and with the wind it was really making it a pleasure to ride.
Saying that, the end of the climb is steep, a couple of hairpins followed by straight sections straight into the wind. I was on the drops low over the bike climbing a 15% gradient into a 15mph wind......it was a killer. I reached the top and was another sweating, heaving wreck. It was chilly here so I put on my helmet, zipped up my jersey and headed down......what a scream. 45mph max on the descent, overtaking cars and zipping through the curves as fast as I dared. I got up the climb in 1 hour 13 minss - down in 20mins......
The total was only 22 miles so I headed down to Zell am Ziller to bring the mileage up and then back to Mayrhofen - where I went, yep you guessed - to Mo's cafe. I sat outside for an hour people watching and tying to cool down.
Another great day and now I need a day off - but the weather forecast for tomorrow is bad anyway - so no hassles there.
Here is the Endomondo workout
Melting In Mayrhofen
Melting In Mayrhofen - or M.I.M. as it's now known. If you hadn't guessed I'm no on holiday in Mayrhofen, a wonderful small town in the Zillertal Alps, Austria.
Now, as you should have guessed I'm a Brit - and us Brits simply aren't used to warm weather, never mind HOT. We got here from the UK and the temp there was around 18 degrees, here in Mayrhofen it was 28 when we arrived - and that was 6pm!
I've managed a few rides, I did a nice little warm up ride down the Zillertal, not a bad ride at all. Well, it was supposed to be just a leg stretch but I hooked up with some other guy and we were hitting 27mph on the flat roads. And it was hot, 32C. I got back to Mayrhofen and wilted at Mo's Cafe in the town.
Here is the Endomondo workouut
On Tuesday I decided to head to a place I've not visited before - Hochfugen. During the winter it's a ski centre and is up in the mountians. A climb.......
I hit the road at about 10am as the weather forecast was for hot weather again - I didn't realise just how hot it was about to get. The road to Fugen follows part of the route I did on Monday down the Zillertal then it heads into Fugen town and begins to climb.
Now, like I said I've never been here and didn't know what to expect. What I found was an inital slope at 9%, I thought that this would be as steep as it got but I was wrong. This overweight English cyclist began to chug up the mountian and I watched as the Gradient on the Garmin began to rise, up to 16%. Then it dropped to 12% and stayed there! And I mean it stayed there for 3 miles..........big fat old me was dying, I saw my speed drop to 3 or 4 mph at some points. Oh and did I forget to mention the heat? It was 34.5c on the Garmin. I had to stop twice in the shade near to a water source to soak my Bandana, that gave some Dutch tourists a laugh anyway. I thought I was going to die!
I was using High5 and was clagging my mouth with the sweet sticky stuff, I got a gel down my throat too and felt a bit better. The last 3 or 4 miles of the ride vary in gradient from about 2% to 11% but was much easier. A slight breeze was pushing me on and the altitude meant that it was cooler. I reached Hochfugen, out of fluid and a heaving sweating wreck. I bought 2ltr of mineral water and made my way back down the hill......it was a blast but I don't have my descending confidence yet and by the time I got back to Fugen my wheels were nearly melting and my hands were aching from all the breaking.
I arrived back in Mayrhofen and went straight to MO's cafe (there's a bit of a theme emerging here) for mineral water and some food. My Garmin registered 36c on the valley floor and I think I got a touch of heat exhaustion.
It was a great ride 48miles - here is the Endomondo workout.
Now, as you should have guessed I'm a Brit - and us Brits simply aren't used to warm weather, never mind HOT. We got here from the UK and the temp there was around 18 degrees, here in Mayrhofen it was 28 when we arrived - and that was 6pm!
I've managed a few rides, I did a nice little warm up ride down the Zillertal, not a bad ride at all. Well, it was supposed to be just a leg stretch but I hooked up with some other guy and we were hitting 27mph on the flat roads. And it was hot, 32C. I got back to Mayrhofen and wilted at Mo's Cafe in the town.
Here is the Endomondo workouut
On Tuesday I decided to head to a place I've not visited before - Hochfugen. During the winter it's a ski centre and is up in the mountians. A climb.......
I hit the road at about 10am as the weather forecast was for hot weather again - I didn't realise just how hot it was about to get. The road to Fugen follows part of the route I did on Monday down the Zillertal then it heads into Fugen town and begins to climb.
Now, like I said I've never been here and didn't know what to expect. What I found was an inital slope at 9%, I thought that this would be as steep as it got but I was wrong. This overweight English cyclist began to chug up the mountian and I watched as the Gradient on the Garmin began to rise, up to 16%. Then it dropped to 12% and stayed there! And I mean it stayed there for 3 miles..........big fat old me was dying, I saw my speed drop to 3 or 4 mph at some points. Oh and did I forget to mention the heat? It was 34.5c on the Garmin. I had to stop twice in the shade near to a water source to soak my Bandana, that gave some Dutch tourists a laugh anyway. I thought I was going to die!
I was using High5 and was clagging my mouth with the sweet sticky stuff, I got a gel down my throat too and felt a bit better. The last 3 or 4 miles of the ride vary in gradient from about 2% to 11% but was much easier. A slight breeze was pushing me on and the altitude meant that it was cooler. I reached Hochfugen, out of fluid and a heaving sweating wreck. I bought 2ltr of mineral water and made my way back down the hill......it was a blast but I don't have my descending confidence yet and by the time I got back to Fugen my wheels were nearly melting and my hands were aching from all the breaking.
I arrived back in Mayrhofen and went straight to MO's cafe (there's a bit of a theme emerging here) for mineral water and some food. My Garmin registered 36c on the valley floor and I think I got a touch of heat exhaustion.
It was a great ride 48miles - here is the Endomondo workout.
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Rest Week
This week I've decided to take a rest from cycling - well not completely, but no long rides and no big efforts. The last few months have been full of hard work on the bike, mainly getting ready for the Aberdovey Bike Ride I did on the 17th June 2011 - before this blog began.
That was a corking ride - 300 cyclists riding from Wolverhampton to Aberdovey in Wales for charity. It was a mass start event with a full police escort out of Wolverhampton, a big thank you goes out to West Midlands Police for that.
There was a choice of 2 rides, 100miles and 125miles. The longer route took in the climb at Dina Mawddwy towards the end. I started the day at the back of the group - some colleagues from work were doing this ride and I started near to them. However, I quickly made some ground through the throng and got towards the front as we went through a village called Shifnal. I then hooked up with a group of 10 riders that seemed to be about the same standard as me and we made some good progress - hitting some really good speeds along the road from Telford to Shrewsbury.
The group remained together all the way to the turn for Dinas. I would have liked to do it - but, I didn't consider myself fit enough despite feeling really strong on the ride, and, Tracey (my long suffering wife) was acting as support and she was working nights so we had to get home as soon as possible. So, four of us carried on along the short (short - I ask you, who decided to call it that?) route.
The last 9 miles were hard, I'd say the hardest of the day, with several climbs at a grade of 7% or more and on the one we dropped one young lad. I'd already waited for him a few times and bridged him back to the group but this time, and with the finish so near, I decided to press on. I was riding with the hubby of Vanessa from work, Tony is his name and for a 47 year old chap he was amazing. On the descents and the flat he was perfectly able to match our speed and only on a couple of the climbs did I need to bridge him back. We'd ridden together all the way so we decided to finish together, Tony and I crossed the line in 5th and 6th spots out of the folks that did the 100 mile route and with a time of 5:17 hours.
It was a brilliant day, really well organised and the atmosphere was great. My colleagues from work all finished, no mean feat when you consider that they were all non-cyclists and had only trained for this for about 4 or 5 months. Well done lads.
Here is the Endomondo route.
As for this week, I've done one ride so far in wonderful weather but I couldn't stop to enjoy it as I had a fearful appointment at the dentist. I finished the day washing the car and dribbling all over the place!
Here is the Endomondo route for that.
I'm going to try to get out later in the week but I need to service my machine more as next week is AUSTRIA fortnight.......yay. I bet is pisses down all the bloody time!
I'll do my best to keep you updated on both the weather and my weight loss achievements....which are negative this week!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading this far.
Rich
That was a corking ride - 300 cyclists riding from Wolverhampton to Aberdovey in Wales for charity. It was a mass start event with a full police escort out of Wolverhampton, a big thank you goes out to West Midlands Police for that.
There was a choice of 2 rides, 100miles and 125miles. The longer route took in the climb at Dina Mawddwy towards the end. I started the day at the back of the group - some colleagues from work were doing this ride and I started near to them. However, I quickly made some ground through the throng and got towards the front as we went through a village called Shifnal. I then hooked up with a group of 10 riders that seemed to be about the same standard as me and we made some good progress - hitting some really good speeds along the road from Telford to Shrewsbury.
The group remained together all the way to the turn for Dinas. I would have liked to do it - but, I didn't consider myself fit enough despite feeling really strong on the ride, and, Tracey (my long suffering wife) was acting as support and she was working nights so we had to get home as soon as possible. So, four of us carried on along the short (short - I ask you, who decided to call it that?) route.
The last 9 miles were hard, I'd say the hardest of the day, with several climbs at a grade of 7% or more and on the one we dropped one young lad. I'd already waited for him a few times and bridged him back to the group but this time, and with the finish so near, I decided to press on. I was riding with the hubby of Vanessa from work, Tony is his name and for a 47 year old chap he was amazing. On the descents and the flat he was perfectly able to match our speed and only on a couple of the climbs did I need to bridge him back. We'd ridden together all the way so we decided to finish together, Tony and I crossed the line in 5th and 6th spots out of the folks that did the 100 mile route and with a time of 5:17 hours.
It was a brilliant day, really well organised and the atmosphere was great. My colleagues from work all finished, no mean feat when you consider that they were all non-cyclists and had only trained for this for about 4 or 5 months. Well done lads.
Here is the Endomondo route.
As for this week, I've done one ride so far in wonderful weather but I couldn't stop to enjoy it as I had a fearful appointment at the dentist. I finished the day washing the car and dribbling all over the place!
Here is the Endomondo route for that.
I'm going to try to get out later in the week but I need to service my machine more as next week is AUSTRIA fortnight.......yay. I bet is pisses down all the bloody time!
I'll do my best to keep you updated on both the weather and my weight loss achievements....which are negative this week!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading this far.
Rich
Sunday 3 July 2011
Warm Weather
I've done a few rides this week - but nothing to write home about, or even here!
However, today I decided to head out on the bike and do a longer ride out west. The sun was shining and so was my bike (a Scott Addict R3) and I headed out with 1.25ltr of High5 energy drink, a couple of gels and a sachet of High5 4:1 to replace one of the drinks when I'd drunk it - I was bound to need more as the weather man had promised highs of 22 to 25 degrees!
Nice and warm with little wind, I set out. I headed over the hills of Cannock Chase and down to Penkridge. It's about time they got a bulldozer out and flattened those blinkin hills - far too steep for an over-weight cyclist like me! What was I thinking when I turned the corner and decided not to go the FLAT way!
Soon I was bombing down towards Penkridge - being a bit portly has it's advantages on the down bits I can tell you. Then out to Brewood, pronounced Brood - strange I know, but there's no accounting for folk. The roads round there are nice and flat, quiet and with generally good surface so I headed all the way from Brewood to Gnosill and then up through Eccleshall to Barlaston and the big climb up to Rough Close. I was chugging away on that climb despite having a slight tailwind. It's not too bad but gets steeper towards the top and is about 2.5 miles long.
Now for the fun part, the blast down from Rough Close - it's mainly downhill from there to home and the bit from Garshall Green to Milwich is a scream. Fast and narrow with dappled sunlight making it impossible to see potholes made it exciting to say the least and my heart rate was up.....I love that descent.
I got home after doing 62.1 miles at an average of 17.5mph and with an average Heart Rate of 130bpm.....then I checked the Garmin for how many calories I'd burnt. I was horrified to see only 1576.......aaaaagh, I'm never going to loose weight this way - anyway, I looked in my training books and found a formula that works, well it does for me as it shows I'd burnt more calories than the Garmin told me! Then I uploaded to Endomondo and that said even more.....I'm feeling thinner by the second. I must avoid the scales though as they'll make me fat again straight away!
Now to listen to some good music - I think Stone Sour is in order.
Oh, here is the workout on Endomondo
Rich
However, today I decided to head out on the bike and do a longer ride out west. The sun was shining and so was my bike (a Scott Addict R3) and I headed out with 1.25ltr of High5 energy drink, a couple of gels and a sachet of High5 4:1 to replace one of the drinks when I'd drunk it - I was bound to need more as the weather man had promised highs of 22 to 25 degrees!
Nice and warm with little wind, I set out. I headed over the hills of Cannock Chase and down to Penkridge. It's about time they got a bulldozer out and flattened those blinkin hills - far too steep for an over-weight cyclist like me! What was I thinking when I turned the corner and decided not to go the FLAT way!
Soon I was bombing down towards Penkridge - being a bit portly has it's advantages on the down bits I can tell you. Then out to Brewood, pronounced Brood - strange I know, but there's no accounting for folk. The roads round there are nice and flat, quiet and with generally good surface so I headed all the way from Brewood to Gnosill and then up through Eccleshall to Barlaston and the big climb up to Rough Close. I was chugging away on that climb despite having a slight tailwind. It's not too bad but gets steeper towards the top and is about 2.5 miles long.
Now for the fun part, the blast down from Rough Close - it's mainly downhill from there to home and the bit from Garshall Green to Milwich is a scream. Fast and narrow with dappled sunlight making it impossible to see potholes made it exciting to say the least and my heart rate was up.....I love that descent.
I got home after doing 62.1 miles at an average of 17.5mph and with an average Heart Rate of 130bpm.....then I checked the Garmin for how many calories I'd burnt. I was horrified to see only 1576.......aaaaagh, I'm never going to loose weight this way - anyway, I looked in my training books and found a formula that works, well it does for me as it shows I'd burnt more calories than the Garmin told me! Then I uploaded to Endomondo and that said even more.....I'm feeling thinner by the second. I must avoid the scales though as they'll make me fat again straight away!
Now to listen to some good music - I think Stone Sour is in order.
Oh, here is the workout on Endomondo
Rich
Monday 27 June 2011
Regrets
Today The Over Weight Cyclist decided to go out on his bike again - after yesterday's 75 miler.
Why the hell am I talking in the third person????? It must be sun stroke.
OK, so I decided to go out on my bike again - after yesterdays 75 miler, and I immediately regretted it! My legs felt like my wife had secretly filled them with lead overnight (I'll be looking for the intravenous drip later) and my fuel tank was running on empty.
I just about managed to ride to the cafe at Fradley - the lure of the Breakfast Focaccia is strong. I arrived a sweating, disheveled wreck only to find that Mark - from the Athletes Foot Blog - had decided not to be an athlete and he'd driven there. Looking cool and composed as I sat there leaking salt. The Focaccia was stuffed into my mouth in record time, water by the litre was gulped down and a nice piece of Apple and Rhubarb Crumble was devoured. All very welcome but not aiding the weight loss one bit.
I chose to ride all the way home - despite the offer of riding to Whittington to meet my wife at her car - and, once again regretted it. Not quite so hot, but still muggy and windy - I forgot to mention the blasted (or should that read Blasting) wind - headwind on the way out which changed to a head wind for the return!
Did 33.87 miles at an average of 16.4mph.
Endomondo Workout
Rich
Why the hell am I talking in the third person????? It must be sun stroke.
OK, so I decided to go out on my bike again - after yesterdays 75 miler, and I immediately regretted it! My legs felt like my wife had secretly filled them with lead overnight (I'll be looking for the intravenous drip later) and my fuel tank was running on empty.
I just about managed to ride to the cafe at Fradley - the lure of the Breakfast Focaccia is strong. I arrived a sweating, disheveled wreck only to find that Mark - from the Athletes Foot Blog - had decided not to be an athlete and he'd driven there. Looking cool and composed as I sat there leaking salt. The Focaccia was stuffed into my mouth in record time, water by the litre was gulped down and a nice piece of Apple and Rhubarb Crumble was devoured. All very welcome but not aiding the weight loss one bit.
I chose to ride all the way home - despite the offer of riding to Whittington to meet my wife at her car - and, once again regretted it. Not quite so hot, but still muggy and windy - I forgot to mention the blasted (or should that read Blasting) wind - headwind on the way out which changed to a head wind for the return!
Did 33.87 miles at an average of 16.4mph.
Endomondo Workout
Rich
Sunday 26 June 2011
Help The Heroes Bike Ride
Well where to start?
Where - on the bike of course. Today was a bit of a tough day for an unfit, over weight cyclist like me (that might be a bit of an exaggeration to be honest). Me and my mate Mark took part in the Brereton Wheelers Help The Heroes bike ride today. It began with us bravely kitting up at the Athletes Foot's house and zipping the 1.5 miles down (note that - DOWN) the hill to the start of the event. We signed on and got cracking - I'd forgotten my tool bag so I'd called the wife to bring it to me - she did, but I feel a little guilty as I met her at about 09:00 and she'd been at work until 03:00....but she's a good lass.
The route was brilliant. 75 miles of good lanes with a decent mix of hills and flat stuff, none of this rather silly up, down malarkey that you find with most Sportives - it gives folks like me a chance. The last 25 miles was in to a head wind with some nasty climbs, just about 1000m recorded on the day with some 14% stuff thrown in at the end for good measure.
The weather turned out to be good for a change, perhaps too good, as the Garmin recorded a high temperature of 31.1deg!!!!!! Well, I like it hot but this change from 16 deg to 31.1 was a bit harsh on this old body and I was flagging towards the end - luckily Mark seemed happy with the pace so I didn't have to hug his wheel up the hills! We finished the ride with a reasonable time of 4 hours 16mins - 75 miles and 1000m of climbing done. The event HQ was full of cake, tea, coffee and juice - very welcome and I was dead pleased to be back - then I remembered the ride back to Mark's place - 1.5 miles of hill.........I reluctantly made my way back to the bike and slowly rode back up the hill in sweltering temperatures. 78.36 miles done in total with 1050m of ascent.
Endomondo Workout
Hard but enjoyable - and the best bit was to come - the cold beer back at home, straight from the fridge. This was joined by an odd craving for salted peanuts, oh well, all the calories burnt put straight back on!
Will I ever get thin again???????
Follow this and find out.
Rich
Where - on the bike of course. Today was a bit of a tough day for an unfit, over weight cyclist like me (that might be a bit of an exaggeration to be honest). Me and my mate Mark took part in the Brereton Wheelers Help The Heroes bike ride today. It began with us bravely kitting up at the Athletes Foot's house and zipping the 1.5 miles down (note that - DOWN) the hill to the start of the event. We signed on and got cracking - I'd forgotten my tool bag so I'd called the wife to bring it to me - she did, but I feel a little guilty as I met her at about 09:00 and she'd been at work until 03:00....but she's a good lass.
The route was brilliant. 75 miles of good lanes with a decent mix of hills and flat stuff, none of this rather silly up, down malarkey that you find with most Sportives - it gives folks like me a chance. The last 25 miles was in to a head wind with some nasty climbs, just about 1000m recorded on the day with some 14% stuff thrown in at the end for good measure.
The weather turned out to be good for a change, perhaps too good, as the Garmin recorded a high temperature of 31.1deg!!!!!! Well, I like it hot but this change from 16 deg to 31.1 was a bit harsh on this old body and I was flagging towards the end - luckily Mark seemed happy with the pace so I didn't have to hug his wheel up the hills! We finished the ride with a reasonable time of 4 hours 16mins - 75 miles and 1000m of climbing done. The event HQ was full of cake, tea, coffee and juice - very welcome and I was dead pleased to be back - then I remembered the ride back to Mark's place - 1.5 miles of hill.........I reluctantly made my way back to the bike and slowly rode back up the hill in sweltering temperatures. 78.36 miles done in total with 1050m of ascent.
Endomondo Workout
Hard but enjoyable - and the best bit was to come - the cold beer back at home, straight from the fridge. This was joined by an odd craving for salted peanuts, oh well, all the calories burnt put straight back on!
Will I ever get thin again???????
Follow this and find out.
Rich
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