First big one of the year.

I did the Forest of Arden 60 miler today with Eva from work and Nic (Lambshanks) from the PHUK.dis Team. Simon (SBD) and Peter (Big Ears) also drove up and they did the 100 mile route. We all started together. Well, sort of, we were at the start together. A guy called Dave who is doing London to Paris also joined us. Me and Eva decided to start off a couple of minutes before them, took a wrong turn 10 mins into the ride (apparently a hedge cutter had trimmed off the arrow sending about 50 cyclists in the wrong direction) which meant the guys never caught us up and we missed the first water stop. Probably a good thing in the end bcoz I later learned that Nic got sent in the wrong direction at the first water stop adding 10 miles to his journey LOL. Mine and Eva's wrong turn knocked 4 miles off our route, but we still managed 60 (later heard the 60 is in fact 64).

Bumped into SBD and Big Ears at the 2nd water stop then unfortunately didn't see them after that. On our way to the 3rd stop saw those same little fat b*st*rd kids that I swear took the sign down last time when we got lost... and guess what... yep they were messing with a sign. Eva shouted "Leave that alone!" and they shouted back "We're putting it back"... yea, woteva! putting in back the wrong way no doubt!

When we got to the 3rd water stop Nic was havin a cuppa! so we rode the rest of the way with him. I think even Eva was slightly faster. She's pretty quick I can tell you and she did take off towards the end but I decided to let her go, although I did keep her in sight, but I was knackered, and Nic was kind of in the middle of us. And of course, they had to put one last hill in a mile before the end.

Was chatting with Nic and Oly (who works for Action Medical Research) at the end and then Nic said he thought he had seen "time trial" earlier (this total knobhead of a guy we know, "all the gear no idea" type) and did a double take. It wasn't him but lo and behold, while we are talking, the guy rides in on this bike and he was the spitting image! It was one of those classic "don't look now" moments when everyone turns round and bursts out laughing making it really obvious. Poor bloke...

Introduced Nic to Eva's husband, Dominic. Dominic is doing the dragon ride. Have a feeling that they might end up going together.

Have to say, Simon and Oly.... looking good Mmmm. heehee (",). That's the best thing about cycling... all the fit asses LOL.

So, stats for today are: 60 miles, average speed 14.5mph, 2962 calories burnt, total ascent 2289 feet.

I did wait round with Nic to see if SBD and Pete came in but Nic had to go at 4pm. I had a splitting headache by then because I'd been waiting round for 3 hours so I called my dad and he came at got me at 4.30. Found out the lads got in at 5pm but I think I would have been ill if I had waited for them. Saw Dave from work tho, he did the 100 and came in at 4.30 (he had started an hour earlier than us so the guys gained half hour on him. Dave did a 14.5mph average so I think he was pretty pleased with that).

So... next stop the 100 at Suffolk on 11th May. Watch this space.

Another 40

43 miles to be exact. Had a bit of a blast out to the other side of Leamington today. I was tempted to stretch it to almost 60 (which was the original plan) but then opted for the train back from Warwick Parkway as I don't want tired legs to go out with on Sunday. 42 was ok with my conscience today. Another reason for getting the train was that I managed to mistime my journey which meant I would have been in rush hour traffic on the way back and I couldn't be arsed with that either.

I could have cheated and vastly improved my average miles per hour by leaving my GPS computer on (",) heehee. But I didn't.

Big congrats to my mate Rob Lines (www.roblines.blogspot.com) who has just completed the South African Ironman in a little over 11 hours. He must be crazy!

Has summer finally arrived???

Rode to work yesterday in my thermals bcoz it was cold .. and then 10am... glorious sunshine. Then my boss announced that as we had all worked hard over the past few weeks, she was taking us for lunch and then we could go home. So... ended up riding home in my blouse coz it was too hot to ride back in my other gear. And... it was gorgeous! ... sun shining, rapeseed flowers blooming (am I the only person who likes the smell?).

So 34 miles for yesterday. Gorgeous sunshine today but not got chance to go out. Got tomorrow off work so will get some miles in (in the morning if I get my ass out of bed in time) then a proper training ride on Friday to get me ready for Sunday's Forest of Arden Ride (of course, you can bet your life on rain for the rest of the week).

Can't wait to see the team! (well, some of them at least)

the weekend's gone and...

I'd like to say I've trained hard, but the weather has been shite and I've sat round Clive's tonight with two other cyclists stuffing our faces on Deb's cooking... and we've come to the conclusion that four finely tuned atheletes such as ourselves don't need to train EVERY day. LOL. None of us have been out since Friday.

O well, better ride to work tomorrow.

Deb's cooking was worth slacking off!

A few more...

Managed to get a few more training rides in this week.

Wednesday I rode to work, but had to catch the train home because I needed to get home quick. Anyway, knew I was cutting it fine to catch the train and as I carried my bike up the stairs to the platform the train pulled in. Legged it up to the platform, jumped on the train.... only the wrong bloody train! Ended up in Stratford upon Avon. Doh! The best I could do was to get a train to a station 5 miles from my home so had to cycle from there and got home 1/2 hour later than I would if I had just ridden home. I was kicking myself.

Rode to work on Thursday but had to work late (11.30pm) so Security at work had to look after the bike overnight. My bosses are crap at telling me anything! If I had known it was gonna be that late I would have just ridden my old bike in. The security blokes were probably riding round the block all night on my bike :(

Dropped in to see Clive and Debbie on my cycle home last night. "Bradley" was there, some bloke they know that can do a 10 mile time trial in about 18 mins or something! (".) Said I would probably pop back on Sunday when I go out for the ride with Eva, as I only had time to stop for 1 cuppa.

One of the barristers at work sponsored me 50 quid! nice one! Turns out he's a cyclist and he loves that photo of Vicky Pendleton on her bike. Told him the truth... that I'm actually her body double LOL!

First proper training ride

20 miles. Crap time. Did it in about 1hr 25. Am I unfit or what? The people running the London Marathon today are quicker! LOL. Was windy on the way out but had a bit of a tail wind for the last 3rd of the loop. Back to London for a couple of days now, but I've busted my little suitcase so got to go shopping first!

New bits and bobs

Well, managed to get down to the bike shop today and get a new saddle. Bliss! also the bottle cages have come so I will now not die of thirst. The new saddle is white and looks the bizz on the bike.

The good news is my boss rang and she said I don't have to be back in London until Monday but can still use the hotel room tomorrow night. So I phoned Jaimina and we are going back on the train at about 4pm tomorrow, which means I will get a chance to get a good training ride in and try out the saddle. Might pop into Clive's and see if he's in. He hasn't seen the bike yet.

Did a couple of miles over to my brother's and back to show him the bike and so far so good with the saddle, but I won't really know until I've done a few good miles. Really need to put some miles in now.

O yea, forgot to say, nearly got doored on the way home! Some fecker opened his car door fully. Split second panic but managed to avoid it, with a lot of swearing to boot!

I'm back

Right, well I've been in London for a week and I'm back for a day and a half so I'll have to get a good ride in tomorrow. Of course, also need to get a new saddle and my carbon bottle cages have come and are over at my mom's.

I didn't realise just how many people commuted in London by bike! It's great to see. Hope my new job doesn't get in the way of my training tho! I will have to take the bike to London won't I? My mate Pete said he will take me to Richmond Park to train if I bring the bike. It will be an experience cycling around London. I know I will probably be spending a couple of weeks there in June so I'll have to ask the hotel if they will store it for me. Or it's been suggested I store it at the Strand in the CEO's office ha ha. Don't think he'd be too impressed!

Snow!

Snow... in April!!!

Well, it must be the excitement of a new bike, coz I've never been out in the snow before. Took at quick whizz over to Clive's to show him the bike, thought I'd surprise him but he wasn't in. Oh well, I know I could have phoned beforehand but it was as good an excuse as any to get out. Bloody cold tho, had to put me thermals on. The snow had melted off the roads by the time I got going but it was a very pretty view with it still being on everything else.

Met Dot (work colleague) and her fella Mike on the way back. I was riding through Knowle just wondering if I was going to see them and lo and behold there they were. Mike was admiring the bike. He used to cycle a lot himself. Dunno why he still doesn't do it?

The wind on the way back was something... I struggled to get 12mph in one place I usually get 16. On the way out I seemed to do more than my average. Was thinking it was the bike but now I'm not so sure it wasn't just coz I had the wind up me ass. Anyway, did about 20 miles altogether.

O yea, and I saved Baloo! Poor little Teddy on the side of the road. Must have been chucked out of the car by some kid. He is now sitting on my heater drying out :)

I've got it!

Here it is... my new bike. (naff photo sorry, I took it using my phone)

It's so light but it's weird to ride. The guy in the shop said carbon would feel dead compared to the magnesium frame I've been riding, in that I would probably feel like I wasn't going very fast but in fact I will be going faster. He's not wrong.

Everyone at work was well impressed! I took a ride home with Dave Chalmers from work yesterday. The wierdest thing... i caught him up on hills! Whoever said this bike could climb wasn't wrong because I am crap at hills. Having said that, I felt a bit sick when I got home. I did about 25 miles altogether (well, I had to deviate from my normal route to show it off to the guys in the shop and my mum!) but me and Dave did some pace and I haven't really properly ridden since November. Think I overdid it. Also, had no water coz I forgot to ask them to put bottle cages on! Doh!

I could certainly tell the difference tho when I had to pick it up on tired legs to take it up the stairs to my flat! My bag on it weighs more!

I suppose the proof will be in the pudding tho... the next time I ride it to work I will be able to see how fast it really is and what it's like over a route that I'm used to. Bad news is, I've got to work in London next week so unless I get out on it tomorrow, it will be going nowhere on it until next Saturday.

I managed to get the guys in the shop to do me a deal on a Garmin 305 bike computer. Looks quite good. It's GPS and downloads all trip info on to a map. Cool! I've put in on my bike now so may have to go out tomorrow for a ride to see how fast this thing goes! The weather forecast ain't good tho!

Need a new saddle! My arse is bruised (".) It will have to be a white one to match the bar tape. I was going to go today but I left it too late and the weather turned really bad. I only need an extra inch on that seat! May have to put my old one on from my other bike until I get a new one.

which pedals?

Seriously, when the guy in the shop handed me some pedals the other day, they were heavier than the frame on the bike! Bit pointless spending a lot of money on a light bike frame only to then load it with heavy stuff.

Thing is, I wanna wear both shoes on both bikes so pedals need to be compatible with cleats on both shoes. Ray told me the pedals would fit both even tho they were road pedals and i've got mtb cleats (??) (my other are mtb pedals) but turns out they are not Shimano pedals, just another make that fits both road and mtb cleats. No wonder they are heavy! So I had a look round on the Shimano web site and decided just to stick with the normal mountain bike double sided ones, but having the XTR which are lighter weight. They don't look quite as sleak, but who can tell when your foot's fixed to it eh? and the other advantage is I don't look a tit at cafe stops trying to walk round on road shoes and wrecking my cleats.

So... pick up the bike after work tomorrow and do my first 17 miles home, then do a round trip to work and back on Friday. Richard (workmate) has also just bought a new bike. We are comparing them on Friday. Well, he's just showing off ... yep, his was more expensive... but mine's still nicer! :) Then a ride on Saturday morning with Eva. i'm gonna be knackered!

Need to get a new lock and some insurance for the bike. Better do that tomorrow before I pick it up. Then the new shoes... then the new computer...

Expensive hobby init?!

It's here!

The shop (John Atkins in Leamington) phoned me today, my shiny new bike is here! But i can't have it until Thursday because they have to set it up. Ray asked me which side I liked my front brake. "Er....." that one got me stumped, had to think for a minute!

Red Kite (my more local bike shop) rang me. The shoes I wanted were discontinued. I told Jon at Red Kite that I would try the other shop. "The 'Other' shop?????? how rude!" Well, I told him... if he valued my custom he would have scoured the four corners of the earth for them (".)

So back to the drawing board on the shoes but I'm having spd pedals put on the new bike so i can use my current pair of shoes for now, so no rush. the new pedals are one sided (".) hope i'm okay with them. i'm used to double sided ones. O well, try them and see. Ray swears they'll look smarter.

Found out I have to work in London next week. A week's cycling down the pan then, unless i can work out how to get my bike there! Lets hope the weather holds out for the weekend.

o yea, forgot to say, managed to cycle a grand total of 6 miles yesterday :)