Weekly Report

Monday was my rest day but I planned to do a cycle on Tuesday. However, my youngest daughter decided to vomit down the stairs after breakfast so she didn't go to school and I didn't get out.

My daughter was still ill on Wednesday so I went to the gym in the evening and did some speedwork on the treadmill and half an our on a spinner.

Thursday and Friday were good days. I did a 31 mile ride on Thursday and a 6 mile run on Friday.

Saturday was supposed to be a short ride but my late night and stinking hang-over made me think twice.

Sunday was the Hell of the Ashdown and I'll write a full report on that separately.

Weekly Totals
Run: 9.1 miles
Cycle: 128 miles

Monthly Stats - January 2009

I managed to get much closer to my targets this month. I really enjoyed my running and got in a few good long cycles. I lost a bit of weight and I felt my hill climbing has improved.

January Goals:
Do over 75 miles running - PASS (I did 81.1 miles)
Do over 400 miles cycling - FAIL (I did 320 miles)
Complete 85% of my planned training sessions - PASS (I did 88%)
Break the 10 miles in 30 minute target - FAIL (Tried but fell just short. It was a hilly route around Richmond Park)

Excuses - None really. I'm happy with 81 miles of running and 320 miles cycling.

February Goals:
Do over 70 miles running. I must do less running and more cycling.
Do over 400 miles cycling.
Complete 85% of my planned training sessions
Break the 10 miles in 30 minute target
Complete the Hell of the Ashdown in under 4:30 (riding time)
Complete the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon in under 1:55
Complete the South Devon Coastal Half in under 2.5 hours (its very hilly)

Danger

I did a 31 mile ride today and twice, if I wasn't really paying attention, I would have been knocked off. Both times I was crossing a roundabout and the a car coming from my left didn't even look and drove straight onto the roundabout at me.

The second time was in Richmond Park and the women had her window open and it wasn't until I was next to her and told her that she should probably look that she realised I was there. She slammed on her breaks, said sorry and she clasped her head in her hands. I guess she was really sorry.

The first time was in Wimbledon Village and a stupid cow in a new mini did the same but she just turned her nose up at me which annoyed me so much that my language was very harsh. She didn't even flinch so I guess its not the first time. We all make mistakes but at least have the decency to admit to them. Stupid @#£&.

Rain stops play

Now, I am prepared to cycle in the rain in an event or at the weekends long ride but during the week, I'm a fair weather cyclist. So this week hasn't been great for riding.

Monday and Tuesday were again taken as knee resting days. Wednesday was a 7 mile run and Thursday an 8.8 mile run.

By Friday I knew I needed to get back on the bike so I got all set up for an hour on the turbo. However, as I started I noticed a continuous vibration from the flywheel. I looked back and once every revolution the flywheel would move in and out. On closer inspection it seemed that the tyre was not round (if that makes sense) i.e. the rim was true but the tyre wasn't. I deflated it and checked to see if the inner tube was caught or twisted but I couldn't see anything. When I inflated it, it was the same; slightly wider but not was high in one place. I gave up.

I woke on Saturday to a lovely Sunny day but it was cold. I knew I'd be fine if I got all my gear on and went for a cycle but to be honest, I couldn't be bothered. I really didn't feel like getting out all the gear so I went running instead. I'm really glad I did as it was a great run in the sun down the bank of the Thames to London Bridge and back. 14 miles in total.

I didn't have much time on Sunday so I ran to the gym and did a spin class for an hour. I'm not a huge fan of them but they are useful and get my legs turning. I hate the music they play (dancy nonsense) and the women who takes the class does too many funny whooping noises but its hard work and is probably worth it.

Not a bad week. Not enough cycling but plenty of excercise. I have the Ashdown next weekend so I'll be back on track with my weekly riding targets.

Bike Cave

My wife's patience has finally snapped. She has had enough of my bike sitting in the kitchen and given she doesn't share my love of beautiful carbon fibre, I guess I understand. It doesn't help that I jump up in the middle of dinner to polish it.


As we live in a small terrace house in London who's garden (yard) is already reduced in size by a shed containing garden furniture, a shed for the bike was not an option. Something smaller and cheaper was needed. I had been looking for a while and I have finally got something that works. It is called a Bike Cave. Its basically a tent.




It was only about £50 and took 10 minutes to erect. It seems completely waterproof and fits down the side of out house. It is sad not to have my pride and joy safely protected in and warm and dry of the kitchen but I knew this day would come.

100 miles in a weekend and all is good

An excellent week if I say so myself. After the tough ride on Sunday I decided to take a 2 day break. I found that it was great way of avoiding injury when I was training hard for a marathon. I have the occasional twinge in my knee and I don't want this getting worse.

Wednesday saw me back in the saddle. I did 30 miles including a couple of laps of Richmond Park. It was fine weather when I left the house but in the park it was really misty with visibility down to 100 meters in parts. I got really cold by the end as I didn't have enough on but I worked hard and was home in good time.

Thursday was a running day. I did a 10K after dropping my daughter off at school. I slowish mile to Battersea Park and then 5 fast miles at around 8 minute miles. I felt fast today and in good form. 6.41 miles in 50:41 which is 7:54 minute/mile average.

Friday was running again. Although my daughter is now at school all day, I still wanted to go to the Dad's play group I've been going to for nearly 4 years. I have lots of friends there and I don't want to lose touch. So I decided to run down there, have a coffee and run back. Its about 4 miles from my house to Wimbledon Park and a nice enough run. I did 8.4 miles in total. Only downside was my left knee that was sore today.

Saturday was our family trip to stay with friends in Cambridgeshire. The girls were driving up there so I decided to cycle. It was just over 50 miles and nothing too hilly so I felt just before 12 knowing I had until around 4 when it gets dark. I set off but the route I had chosen was via lots of small, unsigned back roads and I spent a lot of time stopping to check the map. This made it slow progress so at around 3, I was very worried it was going to be dark before I arrived. It made it worse when I realised that there was a small stretch of dual carriageway I had to go on very near the end. I did not fancy doing that in the dark. I bit my lip and pedalled hard and with a tail wind, go some great speed in the last 10 miles. The dual carriageway was hairy but I made it at around 3:35 in the dusk.

Sunday was the same as Saturday in reverse. It was easier as I had a better idea where I was going but the tail wind I had on Saturday was now a head wind. It was really hard going at times with wide open fields giving no shelter. I made it down into London only getting lost once and I was home well before dark. So that was 105 miles in the bank over the two days.

Etape Recon DVD

I finally got round to watching the whole of the Etape 2009 Recon DVD from Cyclefilm. Ed cane round and we settled down to be scared witless by a big mountain.

The DVD started off with the presenter giving us a tour of a Nougat factory in Montellimar where the race starts. Whilst this was funny, we wanted to see the route.

The part of the DVD we were most looking forward too was the hills before Mont Ventoux. We know Ventoux is very very big and will take 2 hours to climb but it was the hills before that we had no idea about. So seeing the rider explain each climb was useful. It seems that none of them are that steep but they are quite long and will take it out of you. Pacing yourself carefully up these is vital if you don't want to blow-up on Ventoux.

Seeing Ventoux was quite incredible. It just seems like such a long slog but visualising passing the Simpson memorial and then up to the mast sent goosebumps down my back. Its going to be a great day in July.