So my plan this weekend was 3 days riding to see how i cope ready for wales, it didn't quite happen like that.
Saturday started well, i toddled off to Trek for my bikes 6 week check up (i really am getting attached to her!) all is good with my trusty steed, yay. The plan was to then go out for a long 50 mile ride with the bloke, only the weather had other ideas. Andy set up the turbo and i did a fast 10 mile blast instead.
Let me tell you about the turbo, I have mentioned before I hate (that's HATE) the turbo, its a means to an end but, whilst cycling is fun, you have the scenery, the pushing yourself to improve, the thinking about gears, traffic etc the turbo is not. The turbo is boring, even set up in front of the TV its boring, unless you have a DVD to follow its flat, no ups and downs, no free wheeling and, its harder work- I hate sweating, I like working out and I like the aches and the nice knackered feeling but i hate sweating. I have the turbo for when the weather is pants, I would much rather be out on the road.
Anyhoo, I had a nice 10 mile blast on the turbo and then settled in for a night of xbox singing and a Vodka or 2, not having too many as we had a 40ish mile group ride planned for Sunday morning.
well we did.......
when my alarm went of at 6.30am on Sunday there was NO way I was making it out, flashbacks of loud, tuneful singing went through my head (well we thought we were tuneful) as well as a vision of a few more than 2 vodkas, I had to text the group saying I was "ill" (I did confess later) and went back to sleep with the plan of going out with Andy later that day.
I actually never got dressed....... I am such a lush!
Seriously its been a long time since I was so hungover I couldn't function, I lay on the sofa most of the day berating myself for the loss of a day and stressing that, in 3 weeks time I'm riding 195 miles, in 3 days and I feel woefully unprepared.
I confessed my sins on facebook to the rest of the HASSRA crew, who all said the right, soothing words, we will be fine, a rest day is good and this is a team challenge lol. thanks guys!
I am so looking forward to meeting them all.
Went to bed still feeling a bit wibbly but, having watched the most awesome film-start trek in to darkness- and dutifully set my alarm for 6.30am
And this is where the weekend was saved, I was up and out by 7.20am, with a route planned in my head- after porridge and coffee of course.
firstly i wanted to attempt my old training run, when i began cycling i set myself a target of cycling to Meriden and back-20 miles- it was hard going, a slog and the 1st time I managed the whole 20 miles it took almost 3 hours. That was about 12 months and a mountain bike ago, I changed my routes and then started to go out with the group so havent attempted the Meriden ride since. I wanted to see what the difference was- a lot, it really helped to show how far I have come, it took me just over an hour to do, hampered only by the fact my cycle computer died (yet again) and i had to stop a few times to fix it.
I then went on to do my usual training route, Steppy lane, Witherley, Sheepy Parva, Sheepy Magna but then carried on the A5 home.
The A5 was a bit hairy, despite there being more room than on country lanes the cars pass by closer, its mad! it's as if i'm not allowed to be on the road and, some car users take offence at me being there, i don't want to start a debate, there are as many bad cyclists out there as bad car drivers but, the outcome can be worse for me as a cyclist. I have noticed since I began riding I am much more aware of cyclists when i'm driving.
My road confidence is building as well, I crossed right over the A5 at a busy junction to get home, and it wasn't a stress, (the junction for Twycross/Weddington for local bods) I rode back through town and, I'm definitely learning to ride confidently, as opposed to panicking, and ending up standing on the pavement a gibbering wreck-when i started this i was firmly a pavement rider (I know I know i'm sorry!).
45 miles in 3 hours 15 ish (lost 5 miles on my computer) bearing in mind 20 miles used to take 3 hours. Would definitely say I'm improving.
Bring on the challenge.
One last word, i'm hoping people enjoy reading this blog but, it has been pointed out my grammar is a bit lacking (I was also accused of using text speak for which i apologise if I have that is a bug bear of mine but other than the odd lol i wasn't aware I had) the grammar issue is down to 2 things, I wanted this blog to be conversational/more "me" as opposed to an essay and, I'm so used to predictive text on my phone or auto correct on word that I forget to spell check, I will try to correct this! lol (sorry!) please please feel free to share this blog though, i love that people read it and i love when people comment.
Monday 26 August 2013
Saturday 24 August 2013
its downhill to stonehenge!
I am currently training for my 1st ever 3 day challenge, 195 miles from llantsillio to Stonehenge on September 13-15th. Bearing in mind that my 1st and only other challenge was Nightrider, there's nothing like setting yourself a mammoth challenge!
http://expeditionwise.com/images/stories/pdfs/Stonehenge%20Cycle%20Challenge%20Itinerary.pdf
The challenge is raising funds for Stonehenge's redevelopment, basically they are returning it to nature, moving a road and the visitors centre, when we finish the ride we actually get to go in to the circle! there will be some awesome pictures! (I've never been to Stonehenge!)
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/our-plans/
it's worth a look at what they are doing!
This all started the week after Nightrider, when i got an email from an old manager who now works for HASSRA- the civil service sports and social club (yep, I'm a civil servant! don't tell everybody) had i seen this challenge on the Internet...... I hadn't and had missed the closing date to register your interest, darn it! (the plan was people registered their interest then 1 person from each of the 12 regions would be pulled from a hat to take part). I emailed the lady running it, with a desperate "am i too late?" email. lovely reply back nope, give me your details, can you ride a 12mph average speed, can you commit to training, can you commit to raising £180. OK you are in the mix.
Yay
Only i never really expected to get chosen, things like that just don't happen to me. So when i got the call on the Monday morning to say congratulations you're in, my initial response was WOW thanks, followed quickly by, oh s**t what have i done!!!!
bear in mind at this stage i was still riding the beast, the most i had ridden was the 62 miles on night rider and it had almost broken me. i also have never done anything quite so out of my comfort zone, i am doing this with 11 people i don't know (well actually 35 people in total but 11 other HASSRA riders) away from home for 4 days, in hotels and strange environments. (oh god here comes the slight panic again)
the girl running the event emailed us all in a group email, so we started chatting, i suggested setting up a facebook group- the stonehenge cycle crew was born. and thank god it was! i feel like i know this bunch of mad men and women like old friends now, there are 4 women (including me) a mix of abilities, personalities and experience. we have been having nightly chats online, not always bike related, often beer related. they have decided i am Mrs bump and a 10 metre exclusion zone is to be maintained around me at all times! but now i feel like I'm going to be cycling with mates so that stress has gone, it is their fault i now have cleats.
its now 3 weeks till the challenge (this time in 3 weeks we will be on day 2, the easiest day), since June i have change my bike to my beautiful Trek (I'm still in love with her) been persuaded to try cleats, learnt how not to fall off with cleats, begun to conquer my fear of steep things (speed humps were terrifying) and my mileage is now more or less where it should be (in fact the thought of night rider is now an "easy" ride!) i just need to get my fuel sorted and attempt more than 2 days in the saddle.
So how do i approach the last 3 weeks of training... (apparently hiding in my bedroom pretending it isn't happening isn't an option, bugger it) well i had planned on 3 days riding this weekend seeing as its bank holiday and i am childless (thanks to my sister, mum and gran) but its hoofing it down today so it may be a turbo session today (i hate the turbo with a passion, its a great tool to train when the weather is manky but dear god its boring! the reason i love cycling is the scenery, the sights, the things you miss in a car. i find being on the turbo brain draining lol) and then rides tomorrow and Monday. i am not planning on attempting the full 195 miles, i think the combination of adrenaline, the group banter/support and the general atmosphere will be enough to ensure i complete it.
food is an issue. i am not a skinny girl, and my eating habits would make a pro rider turn tail and run, i know however that i need to think about food in my run up to the challenge. part of what made Nightrider so difficult at the end is that i simply ran out of juice, i hadn't fuelled properly before (i had a pot of oats so simple made with luke warm water) and i didn't fuel as i was going along. so 10 miles before the end i simply hit the wall. I hate gels-slimy and energy bars-too dense, its like eating clay, i make a mean flapjack but its time consuming. apparenly jelly babies are good, i just felt sick after eating them (perhaps im not supposed to eat the whole bag?) I also don't drink enough, i take it with me but, as I've not yet mastered the "drink and ride" technique i often come home with drink left. My plan is to actually do some research (this is usually left to Andy to do) i know that porridge is a good starting point for me, but i need to look in to what i should be eating the week before..... hmmm does anybody know Chris Froomes number? I'm sure he could give me some tips.... (what do you mean that's called stalking????)
All in all i feel ready for the challenge, i am looking forward to it and, i plan to blog each evening so i can bore/entertain you with my antics- unless its completely uneventful in which case i probably wont bother! i just hope i am as prepared as i think and, that it doesn't break me!
just in case you feel flush here is my link! although I've raised the target amount i would like to raise more, not least because there are prizes for most sponsorship at stake!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/zoeyates1
Oh and down hill to stonehenge? well its down on the map! and, i'm keeping to the mantra its going to be a flat ride, after all everybody know wales is flat!!!!
http://expeditionwise.com/images/stories/pdfs/Stonehenge%20Cycle%20Challenge%20Itinerary.pdf
The challenge is raising funds for Stonehenge's redevelopment, basically they are returning it to nature, moving a road and the visitors centre, when we finish the ride we actually get to go in to the circle! there will be some awesome pictures! (I've never been to Stonehenge!)
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/our-plans/
it's worth a look at what they are doing!
This all started the week after Nightrider, when i got an email from an old manager who now works for HASSRA- the civil service sports and social club (yep, I'm a civil servant! don't tell everybody) had i seen this challenge on the Internet...... I hadn't and had missed the closing date to register your interest, darn it! (the plan was people registered their interest then 1 person from each of the 12 regions would be pulled from a hat to take part). I emailed the lady running it, with a desperate "am i too late?" email. lovely reply back nope, give me your details, can you ride a 12mph average speed, can you commit to training, can you commit to raising £180. OK you are in the mix.
Yay
Only i never really expected to get chosen, things like that just don't happen to me. So when i got the call on the Monday morning to say congratulations you're in, my initial response was WOW thanks, followed quickly by, oh s**t what have i done!!!!
bear in mind at this stage i was still riding the beast, the most i had ridden was the 62 miles on night rider and it had almost broken me. i also have never done anything quite so out of my comfort zone, i am doing this with 11 people i don't know (well actually 35 people in total but 11 other HASSRA riders) away from home for 4 days, in hotels and strange environments. (oh god here comes the slight panic again)
the girl running the event emailed us all in a group email, so we started chatting, i suggested setting up a facebook group- the stonehenge cycle crew was born. and thank god it was! i feel like i know this bunch of mad men and women like old friends now, there are 4 women (including me) a mix of abilities, personalities and experience. we have been having nightly chats online, not always bike related, often beer related. they have decided i am Mrs bump and a 10 metre exclusion zone is to be maintained around me at all times! but now i feel like I'm going to be cycling with mates so that stress has gone, it is their fault i now have cleats.
its now 3 weeks till the challenge (this time in 3 weeks we will be on day 2, the easiest day), since June i have change my bike to my beautiful Trek (I'm still in love with her) been persuaded to try cleats, learnt how not to fall off with cleats, begun to conquer my fear of steep things (speed humps were terrifying) and my mileage is now more or less where it should be (in fact the thought of night rider is now an "easy" ride!) i just need to get my fuel sorted and attempt more than 2 days in the saddle.
So how do i approach the last 3 weeks of training... (apparently hiding in my bedroom pretending it isn't happening isn't an option, bugger it) well i had planned on 3 days riding this weekend seeing as its bank holiday and i am childless (thanks to my sister, mum and gran) but its hoofing it down today so it may be a turbo session today (i hate the turbo with a passion, its a great tool to train when the weather is manky but dear god its boring! the reason i love cycling is the scenery, the sights, the things you miss in a car. i find being on the turbo brain draining lol) and then rides tomorrow and Monday. i am not planning on attempting the full 195 miles, i think the combination of adrenaline, the group banter/support and the general atmosphere will be enough to ensure i complete it.
food is an issue. i am not a skinny girl, and my eating habits would make a pro rider turn tail and run, i know however that i need to think about food in my run up to the challenge. part of what made Nightrider so difficult at the end is that i simply ran out of juice, i hadn't fuelled properly before (i had a pot of oats so simple made with luke warm water) and i didn't fuel as i was going along. so 10 miles before the end i simply hit the wall. I hate gels-slimy and energy bars-too dense, its like eating clay, i make a mean flapjack but its time consuming. apparenly jelly babies are good, i just felt sick after eating them (perhaps im not supposed to eat the whole bag?) I also don't drink enough, i take it with me but, as I've not yet mastered the "drink and ride" technique i often come home with drink left. My plan is to actually do some research (this is usually left to Andy to do) i know that porridge is a good starting point for me, but i need to look in to what i should be eating the week before..... hmmm does anybody know Chris Froomes number? I'm sure he could give me some tips.... (what do you mean that's called stalking????)
All in all i feel ready for the challenge, i am looking forward to it and, i plan to blog each evening so i can bore/entertain you with my antics- unless its completely uneventful in which case i probably wont bother! i just hope i am as prepared as i think and, that it doesn't break me!
just in case you feel flush here is my link! although I've raised the target amount i would like to raise more, not least because there are prizes for most sponsorship at stake!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/zoeyates1
Oh and down hill to stonehenge? well its down on the map! and, i'm keeping to the mantra its going to be a flat ride, after all everybody know wales is flat!!!!
Friday 23 August 2013
My support crew rocks
So as any pro cyclist will tell you a good support crew is a must, chris froome has the SKY team, I have Andy and my girls, plus an army of friends who are amazed that one of my whims actually bore fruit!
I remember ringing my dad when I signed up for nightrider "dad I'm going to ride 100km around London" dads response "why would you do a daft thing like that?" I often have these whims, they don't last long....
My friends are important to me, I'm needy and I like it when people tell me well done! Joking apart my mates have been fab since I started this journey, supportive texts, Facebook messages and the "you were out at 6am cycling? You nutter" have all spurred me on.
I wouldn't have been able to raise the money I have so far without friends and colleagues... £510 to dani for her Kenya trip, £175 raised for practical action, £600 raised split between my friends CRY campaign (will fill you in more about that another time) and my Stonehenge ride, all raised thanks to friends, people I work with and my family.
Then there are my girls, Jasmine who is 12 and Caitlin 8, plus lovely step daughter Abi who is also 8. They put up with bikes in the house, mum vanishing on rides, mum broken because she fell off again. When I rode night rider Jasmine actually posted on Facebook that she was proud of me! For a preteen to say that on a social network, is immense (well to me it is!)
Facebook is fab, I use it to endlessly promote charity rides, events and generally bore the people who made the mistake of adding me with my cycling related posts. I must be driving people mad with it all. However when I was in London, preparing to ride around at night, in a city I don't know, the messages and comments spurred me on... I felt as if people were watching and willing me to finish.
The group I cycle with rock, we go out on a Sunday morning and ride for about 40 miles, it's fun, sociable and has helped me learn to ride properly. I yearn to ride with the "fast group" but fear my role is firmly at the back. But that's ok, this group don't judge, they ever leave anybody behind and it's made up of all shapes, sizes and personalities. Oh and it's bought me a new social life, before this lot welcomed us in to the fold I would never have dreamed I would be standing in a field, at 11pm drinking vodka warmed on a BBQ.....
You get the feel of them now?
Finally there is Andy, my mechanic, tech geek, coach/slave master. He has encouraged me from day 1, he researches kit, talks on the forums, cleans my bike and generally keeps me focused. Without andy the trek would be dirty, scratched and nowhere near as shiny as it is, I would still be using flat pedals and there is NO WAY I would have conquered steepy without him cycling behind yelling at me! I have no idea about the technical side of my bike, she's pretty and gold and I love riding her, Andy is teaching me though, I know my front gear set is a compact and that when I'm cycling if I feel myself bouncing I'm in the wrong gear, and he's going to teach me to change an inner tube (good luck with that one!) He also takes me where I need to be, he drove to London, then sat around waiting for me for 7 hours (with my friends julia and dani) and still ran down and back up the hill with me, he's driving me 200 miles to Wales for Stonehenge and then driving home, then back to fetch me and he doesn't mind. He rides too and, next year we are planning a few charity events together. He rocks! And (soppy alert) I rather love him! I have so much support in my cycling and, I genuinely believe I would not be doing what I do if it wasn't for the support of family, friends, work mates and anybody else I bore with my new hobby. So, if you know me and you've been victim to my enthusiasm, thanks for your support, I couldn't do it without you!
Then there are my girls, Jasmine who is 12 and Caitlin 8, plus lovely step daughter Abi who is also 8. They put up with bikes in the house, mum vanishing on rides, mum broken because she fell off again. When I rode night rider Jasmine actually posted on Facebook that she was proud of me! For a preteen to say that on a social network, is immense (well to me it is!)
Facebook is fab, I use it to endlessly promote charity rides, events and generally bore the people who made the mistake of adding me with my cycling related posts. I must be driving people mad with it all. However when I was in London, preparing to ride around at night, in a city I don't know, the messages and comments spurred me on... I felt as if people were watching and willing me to finish.
The group I cycle with rock, we go out on a Sunday morning and ride for about 40 miles, it's fun, sociable and has helped me learn to ride properly. I yearn to ride with the "fast group" but fear my role is firmly at the back. But that's ok, this group don't judge, they ever leave anybody behind and it's made up of all shapes, sizes and personalities. Oh and it's bought me a new social life, before this lot welcomed us in to the fold I would never have dreamed I would be standing in a field, at 11pm drinking vodka warmed on a BBQ.....
You get the feel of them now?
Finally there is Andy, my mechanic, tech geek, coach/slave master. He has encouraged me from day 1, he researches kit, talks on the forums, cleans my bike and generally keeps me focused. Without andy the trek would be dirty, scratched and nowhere near as shiny as it is, I would still be using flat pedals and there is NO WAY I would have conquered steepy without him cycling behind yelling at me! I have no idea about the technical side of my bike, she's pretty and gold and I love riding her, Andy is teaching me though, I know my front gear set is a compact and that when I'm cycling if I feel myself bouncing I'm in the wrong gear, and he's going to teach me to change an inner tube (good luck with that one!) He also takes me where I need to be, he drove to London, then sat around waiting for me for 7 hours (with my friends julia and dani) and still ran down and back up the hill with me, he's driving me 200 miles to Wales for Stonehenge and then driving home, then back to fetch me and he doesn't mind. He rides too and, next year we are planning a few charity events together. He rocks! And (soppy alert) I rather love him! I have so much support in my cycling and, I genuinely believe I would not be doing what I do if it wasn't for the support of family, friends, work mates and anybody else I bore with my new hobby. So, if you know me and you've been victim to my enthusiasm, thanks for your support, I couldn't do it without you!
Thursday 22 August 2013
How to cycle a mountain, or I don't need stabilisers after all
Well it seems like a mountain to me! Locally there is a lane called....
Steepy lane
As the name suggests its rather, erm, steep. My 1st encounter with steepy was during a group ride, going down it, whilst screaming shiiiiiiiiiit and hanging on to my breaks for dear life, slowing to a near stop for the 45 degree corners(exaggerate, me?) and finishing half an hour after the rest of the group feeling like I left my stomach at the top.
Finally after a few weeks I felt I could ride down it without dying yay me. Then on a group ride, egged on by more experienced riders, group lead decided we would ride up it, after 30 miles he thinks that's a good idea?....
Half way up I remember gasping to one of the other girls "I can't do this, I think I'm going to die" but I managed it, crawling up at 4mph, gasping for breath and sweating like a pig at a BBQ. Actually, I had a proper sense of achievement, I did it yay.
I then decided that, as Wales is a little lumpy, maybe doing steepy regularily was a good idea........
Roll on to last Monday, out with Andy at the end of a 15 mile ride, let's ride up it, yay. Off he went (he rides stronger than I do so I told him to just go) I got half way up and gave up, I clipped a d had a drink. Then I was ready to go again. Remember I said I was half way up the hill? Well, it would seem attempting to start riding, whilst on a steep incline is not conducive to actual movement, well movement other than downwards, I found myself sprawled in the middle of the road, still clipped in, bike on top of me with the chain slipped. Ahhhh bugger. I managed to get the chain back on, and get going again, without crying but with a dented ego! Result but, as I told Andy I was never, ever, EVER going up steepy again.
Until last night. We had completed a nice 23ish miles, 2 choices, either short, sharp steepy or a longer, slower drag. With a little "persuasion" from andy ( me: I'm scared him: man up, or words to that effect) we started up, Andy rode behind me, encouraging, telling me I could do it, that it wasn't as bad as I thought and, that I wasn't in fact dying at all and slowly, painfully I did it. My throat felt like it was swelling, I couldn't breathe and, I think there were tears. There was also a very powerful urge to tell him to bugger off and leave me alone which I swallowed. And I did it, all the way without ending up sprawled across the road.
Yay I don't need stabilisers after all!
Without Andys persuasion/heckling I would have given up and hobbled up on my cleats. I still hate it, but I'm going to keep attacking it, I will be able to ride that mountain, sorry sorry slight climb without crying like a 4 year old.
I will be Queen of the hill with my own spotty jersey.
Steepy lane
As the name suggests its rather, erm, steep. My 1st encounter with steepy was during a group ride, going down it, whilst screaming shiiiiiiiiiit and hanging on to my breaks for dear life, slowing to a near stop for the 45 degree corners(exaggerate, me?) and finishing half an hour after the rest of the group feeling like I left my stomach at the top.
Finally after a few weeks I felt I could ride down it without dying yay me. Then on a group ride, egged on by more experienced riders, group lead decided we would ride up it, after 30 miles he thinks that's a good idea?....
Half way up I remember gasping to one of the other girls "I can't do this, I think I'm going to die" but I managed it, crawling up at 4mph, gasping for breath and sweating like a pig at a BBQ. Actually, I had a proper sense of achievement, I did it yay.
I then decided that, as Wales is a little lumpy, maybe doing steepy regularily was a good idea........
Roll on to last Monday, out with Andy at the end of a 15 mile ride, let's ride up it, yay. Off he went (he rides stronger than I do so I told him to just go) I got half way up and gave up, I clipped a d had a drink. Then I was ready to go again. Remember I said I was half way up the hill? Well, it would seem attempting to start riding, whilst on a steep incline is not conducive to actual movement, well movement other than downwards, I found myself sprawled in the middle of the road, still clipped in, bike on top of me with the chain slipped. Ahhhh bugger. I managed to get the chain back on, and get going again, without crying but with a dented ego! Result but, as I told Andy I was never, ever, EVER going up steepy again.
Until last night. We had completed a nice 23ish miles, 2 choices, either short, sharp steepy or a longer, slower drag. With a little "persuasion" from andy ( me: I'm scared him: man up, or words to that effect) we started up, Andy rode behind me, encouraging, telling me I could do it, that it wasn't as bad as I thought and, that I wasn't in fact dying at all and slowly, painfully I did it. My throat felt like it was swelling, I couldn't breathe and, I think there were tears. There was also a very powerful urge to tell him to bugger off and leave me alone which I swallowed. And I did it, all the way without ending up sprawled across the road.
Yay I don't need stabilisers after all!
Without Andys persuasion/heckling I would have given up and hobbled up on my cleats. I still hate it, but I'm going to keep attacking it, I will be able to ride that mountain, sorry sorry slight climb without crying like a 4 year old.
I will be Queen of the hill with my own spotty jersey.
what a difference a bike makes
having stared lovingly at the beautiful, light road bikes the rest of the group ride I decided to invest in a road bike. unfortunately I don't have pennies spare to buy a £1k plus bike so decided to go for a hybrid, bought with works salary sacrifice.
off we went to Trek Coventry and ordered a pretty purple hybrid, last one in Europe and a deal at £900, I was super sonically excited and a deposit was paid. whoop whoop
in the mean time I was picked to represent HASSRA (our sports and social club) in a 195 mile ride from wales to Stonehenge raising funds for Stonehenge's redevelopment.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/stonehenge-cycle-challenge/
madness I hear you cry! yep, indeed and, with 3 weeks to go that madness is really setting in now, but having got to know the 12 other riders who are all just as mad, I am looking forward to it.
anyway about 2 weeks after ordering I received a heart breaking phone call (told you I exaggerate) my bike hadn't come, there weren't any left, sob, wail,cry!!!!
But wait!!!!
Trek offered me a womens specific design lexa SLX worth £1150 for the same price, yes please! (name and praise Trek who have been fab with buying, fitting and advising all the way through)
its black and gold and its tiny and I blimmin love it, I am not one for gadgets and loving inanimate objects but I truly love my trek. the 1st time I rode her was amazing, she floats rather than roles, I wasn't at the back of the group when we went out ... I commented that we were having more stops, until people pointed out normally I was at the back and it was me they were stopping for. whoops!
I was then persuaded that cleats were the way forward, I wasn't sure but thought if i'm going to be a real cyclist (a bit like Pinocchio was a real boy) then I needed the real kit... after all I had already invested in padded lycra shorts and unforgiving cycle jerseys! my 1st time on the cleats resulted in a comedy, slow fall sideways. I clipped my right foot in, pushed off and then attempted to clip the other foot straight in, without pedalling. a slow, comedy fall sideways ensued (which my neighbour attempted to pretend she hadn't noticed) what was Andys 1st question, not are you all right? have you hurt yourself? nope..... have you damaged the bike? cheers! luckily bike was fine, I had a dented hand, leg and an elbow that wouldn't move the way its supposed to (and still complains if I'm not careful)
but next day I was back on them and, have (almost) mastered it.
so now I have the lycra (no pictures!) I have the pretty, blingy bike, gloves, helmet, cleats and a rather useful bike bag.
now I need to master cycling!
off we went to Trek Coventry and ordered a pretty purple hybrid, last one in Europe and a deal at £900, I was super sonically excited and a deposit was paid. whoop whoop
in the mean time I was picked to represent HASSRA (our sports and social club) in a 195 mile ride from wales to Stonehenge raising funds for Stonehenge's redevelopment.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/stonehenge-cycle-challenge/
madness I hear you cry! yep, indeed and, with 3 weeks to go that madness is really setting in now, but having got to know the 12 other riders who are all just as mad, I am looking forward to it.
anyway about 2 weeks after ordering I received a heart breaking phone call (told you I exaggerate) my bike hadn't come, there weren't any left, sob, wail,cry!!!!
But wait!!!!
Trek offered me a womens specific design lexa SLX worth £1150 for the same price, yes please! (name and praise Trek who have been fab with buying, fitting and advising all the way through)
its black and gold and its tiny and I blimmin love it, I am not one for gadgets and loving inanimate objects but I truly love my trek. the 1st time I rode her was amazing, she floats rather than roles, I wasn't at the back of the group when we went out ... I commented that we were having more stops, until people pointed out normally I was at the back and it was me they were stopping for. whoops!
I was then persuaded that cleats were the way forward, I wasn't sure but thought if i'm going to be a real cyclist (a bit like Pinocchio was a real boy) then I needed the real kit... after all I had already invested in padded lycra shorts and unforgiving cycle jerseys! my 1st time on the cleats resulted in a comedy, slow fall sideways. I clipped my right foot in, pushed off and then attempted to clip the other foot straight in, without pedalling. a slow, comedy fall sideways ensued (which my neighbour attempted to pretend she hadn't noticed) what was Andys 1st question, not are you all right? have you hurt yourself? nope..... have you damaged the bike? cheers! luckily bike was fine, I had a dented hand, leg and an elbow that wouldn't move the way its supposed to (and still complains if I'm not careful)
but next day I was back on them and, have (almost) mastered it.
so now I have the lycra (no pictures!) I have the pretty, blingy bike, gloves, helmet, cleats and a rather useful bike bag.
now I need to master cycling!
Let me tell you a story.....
So I've decided to blog my cycle journey, which means you are about to witness the most mammoth of initial blogs! I need to tell you where I've come from, why I started and, where I'm going.
Are you ready? What do you mean no! Well I'm starting anyway...
My cycle journey (obsession some may say) began last march, I'm no skinny Minnie but have always walked to work, I dance and I've dabbled in the gym and running, but never cycled. My walk to work became so painful I actually cried one morning having hobbled the mile to work with searing pain stabbing my left foot ( possible exaggeration alert.... Get used to them) I went to the dr and was told it was probably ligament damage and to rest..... I am a mum of 2 girls plus step daughter, I don't do rest! So, i did what any self respecting lady in pain does, I googled! And diagnosed planters fascilitis, with quite a bit of research it seemed the obvious culprit. Now my problem... How to get to work.
One of my colleagues suggested borrowing a bike, worth a try i thought so I "borrowed" my sisters old mountain bike, it needed cleaning, tyres pumping and a good dose of Andy love ( you will hear a lot about my partner Andy, it's thanks to him I'm still cycling) but I soon was cycling to and from work each day.
And it grew from there, I started cycling a few miles around town, then along the canal, then I bought my own mountain bike and set myself a goal of riding to and from Meriden (20 miles) . Then, in a moment of utter utter madness I offered to complete night rider 2013 to raise money for my friends daughters trip to Kenya. Night rider is a 100km night ride (oddly enough) around London. So, here I am a novice rider, on a heavy mountain bike agreeing to a proper, charity ride. Omg.....
Fast forward to June this year, I had trained, getting up at 6am on cold January mornings to train, schlepping up hills and finally joining a local group (not club they cycle for fun) who all eyed my heavy bike with pitying eyes the first time I went out. June 6th 2013 I undertook night rider. It took me 7 hours including stops, it was the hardest thing I have ever done (whoever said London is flat lied, crystal palace seemed like it was on Mount Everest at 1am) but it was so worth it, London at night is beautiful, canary warf as the sun rose was amazing and the fox who crossed my path at 5am made me smile. When I finally made it the bottom of Alexandria palace hill I was knackered, broken and ready to give up, I was all for walking it. Until my beautiful friend julia, her daughter dani and my fab bloke andy came running down the hill to me, they ran back up it willing me along, sheer bloodymindedness kept me on that bike to the end. I was so proud when they gave me my medal. nightrider.org.uk
And that's where my story ends...
Well that's where my mountain bike, or the beasts story ends. As I then got a pretty, dainty, gold and black trek road bike and signed up to my next mad adventure, 195 miles from llandssilio to Stonehenge raising money for English heritage. I will let you have 5 minutes to recover and save my trek story, my cleat adventures and the battle of steepy mountain ( ok ok hill) for my next blog. I am hoping to blog up to my Wales adventure in September and then beyond as we are already looking at next years challenge, no idea if people will read this but I'm writing it anyway!
Are you ready? What do you mean no! Well I'm starting anyway...
My cycle journey (obsession some may say) began last march, I'm no skinny Minnie but have always walked to work, I dance and I've dabbled in the gym and running, but never cycled. My walk to work became so painful I actually cried one morning having hobbled the mile to work with searing pain stabbing my left foot ( possible exaggeration alert.... Get used to them) I went to the dr and was told it was probably ligament damage and to rest..... I am a mum of 2 girls plus step daughter, I don't do rest! So, i did what any self respecting lady in pain does, I googled! And diagnosed planters fascilitis, with quite a bit of research it seemed the obvious culprit. Now my problem... How to get to work.
One of my colleagues suggested borrowing a bike, worth a try i thought so I "borrowed" my sisters old mountain bike, it needed cleaning, tyres pumping and a good dose of Andy love ( you will hear a lot about my partner Andy, it's thanks to him I'm still cycling) but I soon was cycling to and from work each day.
And it grew from there, I started cycling a few miles around town, then along the canal, then I bought my own mountain bike and set myself a goal of riding to and from Meriden (20 miles) . Then, in a moment of utter utter madness I offered to complete night rider 2013 to raise money for my friends daughters trip to Kenya. Night rider is a 100km night ride (oddly enough) around London. So, here I am a novice rider, on a heavy mountain bike agreeing to a proper, charity ride. Omg.....
Fast forward to June this year, I had trained, getting up at 6am on cold January mornings to train, schlepping up hills and finally joining a local group (not club they cycle for fun) who all eyed my heavy bike with pitying eyes the first time I went out. June 6th 2013 I undertook night rider. It took me 7 hours including stops, it was the hardest thing I have ever done (whoever said London is flat lied, crystal palace seemed like it was on Mount Everest at 1am) but it was so worth it, London at night is beautiful, canary warf as the sun rose was amazing and the fox who crossed my path at 5am made me smile. When I finally made it the bottom of Alexandria palace hill I was knackered, broken and ready to give up, I was all for walking it. Until my beautiful friend julia, her daughter dani and my fab bloke andy came running down the hill to me, they ran back up it willing me along, sheer bloodymindedness kept me on that bike to the end. I was so proud when they gave me my medal. nightrider.org.uk
And that's where my story ends...
Well that's where my mountain bike, or the beasts story ends. As I then got a pretty, dainty, gold and black trek road bike and signed up to my next mad adventure, 195 miles from llandssilio to Stonehenge raising money for English heritage. I will let you have 5 minutes to recover and save my trek story, my cleat adventures and the battle of steepy mountain ( ok ok hill) for my next blog. I am hoping to blog up to my Wales adventure in September and then beyond as we are already looking at next years challenge, no idea if people will read this but I'm writing it anyway!
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