I want to ride my bicycle!

The training weekend was brilliant!
Jayne and I set off on Friday evening to find the B&B and arrived quite late. I've never stayed in a B& B before so didn't really know what to expect. WELL... this place was something else, I think Dawn French should go and stay there to gain new material for a brilliant Fawlty Towers kind of sitcom. If ever you want a nice break and an hilarious trip try 'Brymbo' B&B in the Cotsworlds. It was faultless BUT only if you stuck to the rules!

Anyway, saturday morning came and Jayne and I nervously set off, we didn't have a clue what to expect...men in lycra, skinny young women...well it was fine, it soon became clear that everyone was in the same boat. 31 complete strangers from all walks of life, all ages and backgrounds in a field with a bike and an enthusiastic cycle trainer (Ed was billiant, although the sideburns are a little scary!).

We set off sharp at 09:30 with the first toilet stop in 9 miles... all fine, the hardest thing was not being able to get a steady pace going as we were all riding too close and having to keep breaking. But we soon all spread out and onwards and upwards to lunch stop at 26 miles. The scenery was brilliant, a good amount of chat along the way. After lunch the pace quickened up and we finished early after adding an extra 10 mile loop making it 50 miles for the day.....Feeling good.

A few of us met for dinner at a pub and had a few sherry's...some had more than others and by this time it was clear who was going to struggle tomorrow!

Up again nice and early with a slightly changed group the following day, but it was quite clear that we were going to have a laugh. There was more hills on the Sunday, but Trish managed to put a little electric motor on my bike by simpley raising my saddle by 6 inches...amazing! I can't believe my saddle was that far too low...no wonder my knees have been hurting, I flew the rest of the way (well not quite flew but it did make a difference). We ended the day on 45 miles.

All in all a brilliant weekend and I am so looking forward to getting out on my bike again and also going to Egypt!!!

Hills, Hills and Spin!

Yesterday Jayne and I set of at 8am to do her EASY 40 mile run....Easy....my bottom! But, we made it and didn't have to get off and walk at all!
We went from Dover, up Whitfield Hill, through Whitfield to Sandwich, then round Fowlmead off road track then to Deal, stopped for a bacon sandwich and cup of tea, then back along the coast road to Dover Castle, UP Burgoene Heights, through Whitfield, DOWN Coldred Hill through Lydden (there's a reason why the race circuit is called Lydden Hill!) back in to River and UP Jayne's Road to her house.
The weather was beautiful, there was a Spitfire stunting over the white cliffs as we rode along the coast road, so something to take my mind off the fact it is a 4 mile steady climb!

Then this morning I did my first spin class - what a buzz! I have never sweated so much, but I was rubbish, I couldn't rise out of my saddle, even though my bum really ached from the ride yesterday. I spoke to the instructor after and she said they you're not meant to rise of the saddle until the third session, that made me feel a little better!

Egypt is getting very close now, I've re-read my packing list and thinking about that and I've also booked my jabs for next week.

40 Miles in 3 Hours!

Wow, how chuffed am I??

I was absolutely determined to get out on the bike this morning, so set the alarm for 7am, had a bowl of rice crispies and a cup of tea, pumped my tires up and off I went.

It was lovely, no wind, no cars, a few people to nod to! I went to Faversham, Seasalter, Whitstable then up the crab and winkle way to Canterbury, cycled around the university until my speedo hit 20 miles and then turned back.

All sounds good, steamed back down the crab and winkle way, then hit a wall!!! (not literally, I'm done with all the accidents thanks). So then my head kept telling me evil things...like....catch the train, let one of my tyres down and call Dave to come and get me...even, stop at Tesco and do the shopping so Dave has to come and get me! But I ploughed on, the trouble was, the wind had got up and I was now cycling straight in to it.

Still I made it to the cafe at Seasalter and stopped for a nice cup of tea! I got chatting to a couple of other cyclists who inspired me to carry on, they had done 55 miles, albeit they had road bikes! I only had 8 miles to home so what was I wimpering on about.

Anyway, I did it!

So now I'm going to sit in the garden and read my book, I may even have a Pimms, not too many though, I want to go out again tomorrow morning, I want to do 15 miles tomorrow.

Scratching Around!

Getting the money all in is hotting up, although the official deadline was last week, obviously I'm a bit short so the deadline has been extended. Any offerings would be greatly received.

Getting The Money In

Well, the money has to be in this week! Arrrh! I think I'm getting there and then I can really concentrate on the training!

Jayne and I have booked our training weekend in the Cotswolds at the end of September. Plus, my foot is better (not sure I wrote about that, but I slipped on a water balloon in the kitchen and completely buggered my ankle up, x-rays showed an inversion injury but no break, 2 weeks rest was prescribed, that was last Thursday but after a day of canvassing for work yesterday proved that I am better!).

This weekend is bank holiday and we're off camping, taking the bikes and will do a couple of 20 mile rides this weekend.

Update

Well I have been useless at keeping this up to date. I can't believe May was the last post!

Since then...... I've been holidaying in Turkey, during which I experienced a number of 20km MOUNTAIN bike rides...wow, that was an experience! I won't pretend I enjoyed it, in fact I hated every single ride, but Dave kicked me out of bed at 07:30, hangover or not to go and do the rides (this was meant to be my holiday!). The reason I didn't enjoy it was it was pure off roading, mountains and tracks, rocks and jumps and most scarily of all, angry dogs!

So back to the UK roads and I'm happy again. One thing Turkey did teach me was that I needed to do some spin classes. Even the oldies were beating me up the hills, purely because they do spin classes and never even been out on a bike. So a week after getting back from holiday I sign myself up for the 06:30 spin class, mid week before work. All geed up to go and then the night before I end up in A&E having sliced my little finger on a wine glass (alcohol and getting fit really don't mix). (A&E was another experience which I won't go in to, but core blimey it was horrible). My finger is all healed now, but still no spin classes! Next week, I promise!

So how's the training going otherwise - OK, on track with the schedule they provid to ensure you can do the trip, although it doesn't say anything about the blood pressure tablets I now have to take since a trip to the doctor last week. Something to do with stress - apparently!

Now I am getting slightly stressed at the lack of sponsorship I have, all of which has to be in by end of August, so please give a little if you haven't already done so, there is a link at the bottom of the page, alternatively post be a cheque made payable to 'The Big Heart Bike Ride'.

Got to dash, my lager glass needs refiling.....only kidding!

12 Leisurely Miles with Family

Yesterday we decided to cycle to the treasure hunt which was being held at the school. I wasn't looking forward to towing Lewis again so was quite releived when James was adamant that he wanted to try and cycle on his own!

We set out at 12:00 and got there at 12:30...5.5 miles and James had done brilliantly. It is uphill mostly to the school so we flew back after the treasure hunt, stopping for a drink at a pub on the way.

I am conscious that I haven't done too much this weekend so I'm going to try and go out for an hour after work tonight....we'll see, it's quite windy out there today!