Monthly Archives: February 2009

More miles…

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

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

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

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

Spin those legs

Another Tuesday, another basic training loop.

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

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

Easy like Sunday mornin’

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

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

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

Here comes the sun…

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

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

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

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

Powered by Riverford Organic Vegetables

Hurrah – I have another new sponsor!  We’ve been a part of the Riverford Organic Veg Box Scheme for probably something like 7 years now, apart from a brief hiatus when we weren’t in the country.  It’s been consistently great.  There’s the challenge of figuring out what to cook with what the seasons give you, the vegetables you get that it wouldn’t occur to you to buy otherwise, and it’s all fresh, local, and great value.  Gil and Liz who are our distributors are both friendly and helpful, and they’ve even had a stall at the Somerset Showcase a couple of times.  Now they’ve kindly agreed to sponsor me, which is brilliant!  What better way to spread the message?  Cycling is “green” after all *grin*.  As soon as I have their logo I’ll add it to the list, and to the sponsorship page.  Step by step I may be getting there… 🙂

Torq Talk

All my lovely Torq stuff arrived yesterday.   I love it when the post is interesting!   I now have bars, gels, energy and recovery drink powders, some socks and three lovely new bottles.  Everything you need really – I feel all kitted out 🙂  It’s great timing too, as my first event is the weekend after next, so not only can I fuel myself through that, but it’ll be a great tester for the powders to see how I get on with them.  Thank you Torq! 🙂

Just short…dagnamit!

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

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

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

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

The bird scale

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

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

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

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

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

Bang!

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

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

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

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

On the road again – finally!

There may have been wind, rain, and yes, snow, last night…but ‘rah – it didn’t settle.  When I looked out of the window this morning, the sun was shining, the road were wet, but clear, and ok, it was windy…but that wasn’t going to stop me!

M and I headed out first thing.  Nothing special, just a couple of hours zig-zagging around the water-logged levels, but oh, it was good to be back out on the bike again.  Mind you, it reminded me that my cold hasn’t gone quite as far as I thought it had – making breathing a tad tricky.  Having said that, I was kinda worried that after so long (well 10 days felt like a long time) not being on the bike that it would be very hard work and it wasn’t, so that was a relief.

Cycling time: 1:51:43
Distance: 26.793 miles
Avs: 14.4 mph
ODO: 84137.1 miles

The aforementioned wind was bitter and quite strong, and not behind us half often enough…as was ever the case.  However our average, considering this and our tendency to chat, was pretty good really.  It was lovely to be out, in the chilly sunshine.  Hopefully I’ll be out on Thursday and Sunday…but that’s up to the weather.  *fingers crossed*!

My new saddle bag which arrived a few days ago finally got a test ride, and seems to have survived. It’s bigger than the Specialized Wedge I had for Christmas (the zip broke after about 3 rides) so I’ll be able to fit more stuff in it come the summer.  I’ve also ordered a rear light to go with it, to clip on the back, for those days when it’s nice to be a bit more visible.