Good news - I am now officially under 15 stone! 14 stone 13 appeared on the scales this morning. Whoohoo! I'm going to celebrate with a couple of beers :D
Bad news - I had to miss Friday, Saturday and Sunday cycling because of a darned cold. Monday I cycled to work, yesterday I went out first thing, as I did today. Chest still a bit tight, but it's just about doable. Trouble is, I am off on my hols next week, with minimal cycling on the horizon.
So, here's my plan. Cycle twice today, twice tomorrow, to work/back Friday. Go on hols, come back and cycle like a madman on that week and weekend. Then on the final week a few gentle rides on the Monday and Tuesday, perhaps Weds, then Thursday off, then Friday is THE BIG DAY!
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Gauging Progress
I was out taking stock this morning as to how far I have come in the last few months. This was on my 3 peaks (Devizes) then Rowde, Bromham, Seend and back home route.
If I think back to my first real cycle, where I dropped the car off at the garage in Chippenham and cycled the 2 miles to work. It was a tiring experience, but one that I got a lot of satisfaction from. I was, however, very tired after the ride. I then go back to when I cycled to Devizes, where my body decided it wanted to get rid of breakfast and an old chap asked me if I was OK. The following weekend Capt, Purser and I did our first Sunday ride, and I remember my legs feeling tired before I had even left the village, and we all felt incredibly pleased with ourselves after we had done 20 miles.
Fast forward to today. I got on my bike and cycled to Devizes over the 3 peaks (Potterne). I was in the centre of Devizes before I even realised it, I had been away with the fairies, thinking about this, that and the other. Not even out of breath, and no sign of fatigue. I then went round Rowde, back way to Sells Green and up Spout, again no problem at all, not even out of breath. I have started using 11th gear on these hills rather than granny gear that I started off using. I got home, had a shower, and felt like I had just got up. No aches, no pains, no tiredness, nothing.
The same was true on Monday when I cycled to work. I cycled there, cycled back, not tired, just feeling great.
I have lost nearly 1.5 stone and gone down 3 inches on my waistline. I am still on (just - see a recent post) on course to be under 15 stone for the charity ride. My last few cycles have averaged 17 mph.
I am wondering now just how much more fit I can get. Am I in the 'middle' of my fitness curve? I just don't know, seeing as I have never been fit in my life. Time will tell, I suppose.
If I think back to my first real cycle, where I dropped the car off at the garage in Chippenham and cycled the 2 miles to work. It was a tiring experience, but one that I got a lot of satisfaction from. I was, however, very tired after the ride. I then go back to when I cycled to Devizes, where my body decided it wanted to get rid of breakfast and an old chap asked me if I was OK. The following weekend Capt, Purser and I did our first Sunday ride, and I remember my legs feeling tired before I had even left the village, and we all felt incredibly pleased with ourselves after we had done 20 miles.
Fast forward to today. I got on my bike and cycled to Devizes over the 3 peaks (Potterne). I was in the centre of Devizes before I even realised it, I had been away with the fairies, thinking about this, that and the other. Not even out of breath, and no sign of fatigue. I then went round Rowde, back way to Sells Green and up Spout, again no problem at all, not even out of breath. I have started using 11th gear on these hills rather than granny gear that I started off using. I got home, had a shower, and felt like I had just got up. No aches, no pains, no tiredness, nothing.
The same was true on Monday when I cycled to work. I cycled there, cycled back, not tired, just feeling great.
I have lost nearly 1.5 stone and gone down 3 inches on my waistline. I am still on (just - see a recent post) on course to be under 15 stone for the charity ride. My last few cycles have averaged 17 mph.
I am wondering now just how much more fit I can get. Am I in the 'middle' of my fitness curve? I just don't know, seeing as I have never been fit in my life. Time will tell, I suppose.
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
I Seem to have Plateaued!
Well, quite a successful few days since my last post. I did an 18 miler on Weds (with a stop off at the Brewery for a pint or two and a Beer Fest wash up meeting). On Thursday I did a 14 miler in the morning, then Friday I cycled to and from work. I took a new route which adds a further 10 miles on, and cycled up Bowden Hill on the way home.
Saturday I did another 14 miler, and then that was it for the weekend seeing as it was my daughters birthday celebrations (house full of kids, sleepovers, cinema, swimming....). Capt and Purser did some hill climbs on Sunday morning, and stared at young fillies through shop windows in Lacock (imagine looking round and seeing them peering at you whilst dribbling cream soda down their chins. She is probably in counselling as I type).
Yesterday I cycled to work again, and then today a short 8 miler so that I could get back early for my daughter to open her pressies.
Thing is, I feel absolutely great. Even after my cycles to and from work I don't ache, and my legs don't feel at all tired. I certainly don't have any fear of 75 miles a day (although I know it will hurt). Interestingly my knees are starting to ache a bit, but nothing major.
What has happened though is that my weight has plateaued. I have now been round about 15 stone 4 for a couple of weeks. Not really sure what is happening here. I still have that target of getting under 15 stone for the big ride.
Need to work harder.
Saturday I did another 14 miler, and then that was it for the weekend seeing as it was my daughters birthday celebrations (house full of kids, sleepovers, cinema, swimming....). Capt and Purser did some hill climbs on Sunday morning, and stared at young fillies through shop windows in Lacock (imagine looking round and seeing them peering at you whilst dribbling cream soda down their chins. She is probably in counselling as I type).
Yesterday I cycled to work again, and then today a short 8 miler so that I could get back early for my daughter to open her pressies.
Thing is, I feel absolutely great. Even after my cycles to and from work I don't ache, and my legs don't feel at all tired. I certainly don't have any fear of 75 miles a day (although I know it will hurt). Interestingly my knees are starting to ache a bit, but nothing major.
What has happened though is that my weight has plateaued. I have now been round about 15 stone 4 for a couple of weeks. Not really sure what is happening here. I still have that target of getting under 15 stone for the big ride.
Need to work harder.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
I Need More Hills!
Apologies, regular readers, for the delay in writing this blog, but I have been busy you see, busy cycling, busy raising money, and busy planning our trip!
To get up to date since my last post, on Bank Holiday Monday (the 3rd May), Capt and I went for a 45 miler without Purser, who had a horrible cold. Bless him.
Capt fancied a trip to a hill he never managed to get up as a kid, near the Dumpost Inn (if that's how you spell it). So we met up at 7:45 at the bottom of Caen Hill, went out via Bromham, Sandy Lane and then to the hill. It was steeper than a 1 in 4, but we both made it up in record time (Capt even overtook me at one point, but I soon caught him up again :D). Then we went on the cycle track between Chippenham and Calne which is a super ride, very flat and well maintained. I took Capt on a trip up memory lane in Calne, as we cycled round a few old haunts of his from when he was a child (he seemed to spend a lot of time in back alleys)!
We then went round Stockley, up Sandy Lane again, and down Bowden Hill. Wow, what a ride! About a mile, brilliant downhill, and straight away we were saying that we needed to go up it, but perhaps next week. To celebrate, we had a Cream Soda from the Post Office in Lacock, then went back home via Gastard, Whitley, Semington and the canal. When we got back to Seend we decided to do Bollands Hill (well if we can do that after 40 miles then we are in good shape), so we did! Straight up, no messing. Hurrah!
After that I decided to go out every day, so Tuesday I did a 14 miler in the morning, Weds I did a trip to Seend to the pub (where we discussed strategy and drew up a list for the trip), Thursday I did another 14 miler in the morning, and Friday I cycled to work. And back. Brill.
Saturday I spent with the kids, so the next ride was Sunday, where we decided t do every hill we could think of, including Bowden! Purser drew up a super route which took us from Bulkington through Trowbridge, up the hill at Farleigh Hungerford, down to Iford where we took a look at the river. Then we set off and round the corner came the steepest hill I have ever come across! Capt was wheel spinning, Purser couldn't get it in the right gear, and I pushed on to the top in granny gear, standing up! An incredible hill!
We then went down to Freshford and got lost looking for the road to Limpley Stoke. When we finally got there we had a banana break and then set off up towards Bradford on Avon. Now then, that is a looooong hill, I would say, from bottom to top, at least 1.5 miles. It was a long, hard slog! Then over to Neston via Atworth, and over to Lacock, where we had another Cream Soda (well, Capt and I did) and a finger of fudge.
Then we set off up Bowden. What a hill. It is steep and long. It gets steeper about 3/4 of the way up. It was a real trial, but again we made it, puffing a touch at the top. Our reward was downhill all the way to Bromham, then we finished off with Spout Lane (so called, we reckon, because there is a spring there which means that the road is always wet). We bid our farewells and then back home. Brill.
So, almost up to date, except to say that I didn't cycle yesterday but I did give my bike a service. Tightened the brakes, cleaned and oiled the chain, all lovely and shiny. This morning I did 14 miles.
In total I am now 15 stone 5, and have cycled 730 miles since the start of March.
What I need now is more hills. More bigguns. I'm getting to quite like them, which I tought would never, ever happen!
To get up to date since my last post, on Bank Holiday Monday (the 3rd May), Capt and I went for a 45 miler without Purser, who had a horrible cold. Bless him.
Capt fancied a trip to a hill he never managed to get up as a kid, near the Dumpost Inn (if that's how you spell it). So we met up at 7:45 at the bottom of Caen Hill, went out via Bromham, Sandy Lane and then to the hill. It was steeper than a 1 in 4, but we both made it up in record time (Capt even overtook me at one point, but I soon caught him up again :D). Then we went on the cycle track between Chippenham and Calne which is a super ride, very flat and well maintained. I took Capt on a trip up memory lane in Calne, as we cycled round a few old haunts of his from when he was a child (he seemed to spend a lot of time in back alleys)!
We then went round Stockley, up Sandy Lane again, and down Bowden Hill. Wow, what a ride! About a mile, brilliant downhill, and straight away we were saying that we needed to go up it, but perhaps next week. To celebrate, we had a Cream Soda from the Post Office in Lacock, then went back home via Gastard, Whitley, Semington and the canal. When we got back to Seend we decided to do Bollands Hill (well if we can do that after 40 miles then we are in good shape), so we did! Straight up, no messing. Hurrah!
After that I decided to go out every day, so Tuesday I did a 14 miler in the morning, Weds I did a trip to Seend to the pub (where we discussed strategy and drew up a list for the trip), Thursday I did another 14 miler in the morning, and Friday I cycled to work. And back. Brill.
Saturday I spent with the kids, so the next ride was Sunday, where we decided t do every hill we could think of, including Bowden! Purser drew up a super route which took us from Bulkington through Trowbridge, up the hill at Farleigh Hungerford, down to Iford where we took a look at the river. Then we set off and round the corner came the steepest hill I have ever come across! Capt was wheel spinning, Purser couldn't get it in the right gear, and I pushed on to the top in granny gear, standing up! An incredible hill!
We then went down to Freshford and got lost looking for the road to Limpley Stoke. When we finally got there we had a banana break and then set off up towards Bradford on Avon. Now then, that is a looooong hill, I would say, from bottom to top, at least 1.5 miles. It was a long, hard slog! Then over to Neston via Atworth, and over to Lacock, where we had another Cream Soda (well, Capt and I did) and a finger of fudge.
Then we set off up Bowden. What a hill. It is steep and long. It gets steeper about 3/4 of the way up. It was a real trial, but again we made it, puffing a touch at the top. Our reward was downhill all the way to Bromham, then we finished off with Spout Lane (so called, we reckon, because there is a spring there which means that the road is always wet). We bid our farewells and then back home. Brill.
So, almost up to date, except to say that I didn't cycle yesterday but I did give my bike a service. Tightened the brakes, cleaned and oiled the chain, all lovely and shiny. This morning I did 14 miles.
In total I am now 15 stone 5, and have cycled 730 miles since the start of March.
What I need now is more hills. More bigguns. I'm getting to quite like them, which I tought would never, ever happen!
Thursday, 29 April 2010
About 1 Stone Gone, 500 Miles Under My Belt
Well, last night I cycled up to the Seend Beer Festival setup to put barrels on the scaffolding (41 beers this year). On the way there I clocked up 500 miles on my milo :D Whoohoo! That's since the start of March.
Then this morning I weighed in at 15 stone 7 lbs. Fantastic! Well on my way to getting below 15 stone by the time we go on the charity ride. Perhaps I'll even get to 14 and a half stone. That would be brilliant, and the weight that Capt is aiming for. I do have some trouble though trying to balance weight loss food/energy or cycling food. Still, it seems to be working.
Not much cycling today. Thought I would give myself a day off - my legs are rather tired, and tomorrow I shall be cycling to work again. I have put together a nice back road route totalling about 18 miles each way. Looking forward to it.
My wife says I have curves now where I have never had them. Lost some bad curves, added some good ones :D
Then this morning I weighed in at 15 stone 7 lbs. Fantastic! Well on my way to getting below 15 stone by the time we go on the charity ride. Perhaps I'll even get to 14 and a half stone. That would be brilliant, and the weight that Capt is aiming for. I do have some trouble though trying to balance weight loss food/energy or cycling food. Still, it seems to be working.
Not much cycling today. Thought I would give myself a day off - my legs are rather tired, and tomorrow I shall be cycling to work again. I have put together a nice back road route totalling about 18 miles each way. Looking forward to it.
My wife says I have curves now where I have never had them. Lost some bad curves, added some good ones :D
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
It's for Charity, Mate!
So, the dates and places are set.
Friday 18th June leave Start Point on the south east tip of Devon. By Sunday the 20th we will have reached Mortehoe, the north west tip of Devon. Approx 150 miles, taking in Dartmoor on the way.
We may be able to reach Mortehoe by Saturday eve. That would be an extra achievement!
Friday 18th June leave Start Point on the south east tip of Devon. By Sunday the 20th we will have reached Mortehoe, the north west tip of Devon. Approx 150 miles, taking in Dartmoor on the way.
We may be able to reach Mortehoe by Saturday eve. That would be an extra achievement!
The Bonk?
Went out for a 50 miler on Sunday with Capt and Purser. We were having good fun up until Purser's route took us up the hill at Cliffe Pypard - crikey it's a steep one! We were about 20 miles in at this point and the hill went on and on. Trouble was I couldn't get my bike into gears 1-7, so three quarters of the way up I had to stop. Capt was behind me as well and having gear jumping probs so he dismounted too.
I managed to get the chain into the lowest front cog and into 1st gear. At this point, going the other way, were loads of 'professional' looking cyclists, looking at poor old Capt and I with a touch of disdain. So, I tried and set off in 1st gear, but with the torque the front wheel lifted off and I almost wheelied into a cyclist going the other way! I tried again and ended up trying to ride up the bank by the side of the road! So, with a touch of disappointment, Capt and I walked the last 20 yards.
Trouble was, unknown to us, I had punctured my tyre when wheelieing up the bank. A mile or so further on Purser spotted it so we stopped for 10 mins while I changed the inner tube.
The new inner tube was a touch dodgy to say the least! It was like riding a circus bike, I was bouncing up and down caused by a bulge in the inner tube/tyre. I managed to get to Avebury but then we noticed that the tyre was deflating again! Oh woe. I was getting quite tired by now, perhaps psychological, perhaps physical with the amount of tyre friction on the road. So we pumped again, another couple of miles, and it had gone down again :(. Luckily Capt had another tube, so we put that on, and life was much better. Trouble was I was shattered, and still with about 20 miles still to go!
I struggled on, but I had no energy at all. Just running on empty. We managed to get to Devizes where I got a choccie bar and an energy drink and felt much better, but still I was out of gas. Got home about half an hour later and fell asleep for about half an hour after a long soak. Was it the famous 'Bonk'? Not sure, but I was definitely out of energy.
Thing is, later in the day I felt fine. A bit tired, but fine. I decided that I need to build my stamina, so Monday eve I went out for a 10 miler round the three peaks, and then this morning another 13 miler, three peaks plus Bromham and Spout Lane. That's it, cycle every day from now on unless I have a *really* good reason not to.
Not sure if I mentioned the date of the charity ride - I'll post that in a mo...
I managed to get the chain into the lowest front cog and into 1st gear. At this point, going the other way, were loads of 'professional' looking cyclists, looking at poor old Capt and I with a touch of disdain. So, I tried and set off in 1st gear, but with the torque the front wheel lifted off and I almost wheelied into a cyclist going the other way! I tried again and ended up trying to ride up the bank by the side of the road! So, with a touch of disappointment, Capt and I walked the last 20 yards.
Trouble was, unknown to us, I had punctured my tyre when wheelieing up the bank. A mile or so further on Purser spotted it so we stopped for 10 mins while I changed the inner tube.
The new inner tube was a touch dodgy to say the least! It was like riding a circus bike, I was bouncing up and down caused by a bulge in the inner tube/tyre. I managed to get to Avebury but then we noticed that the tyre was deflating again! Oh woe. I was getting quite tired by now, perhaps psychological, perhaps physical with the amount of tyre friction on the road. So we pumped again, another couple of miles, and it had gone down again :(. Luckily Capt had another tube, so we put that on, and life was much better. Trouble was I was shattered, and still with about 20 miles still to go!
I struggled on, but I had no energy at all. Just running on empty. We managed to get to Devizes where I got a choccie bar and an energy drink and felt much better, but still I was out of gas. Got home about half an hour later and fell asleep for about half an hour after a long soak. Was it the famous 'Bonk'? Not sure, but I was definitely out of energy.
Thing is, later in the day I felt fine. A bit tired, but fine. I decided that I need to build my stamina, so Monday eve I went out for a 10 miler round the three peaks, and then this morning another 13 miler, three peaks plus Bromham and Spout Lane. That's it, cycle every day from now on unless I have a *really* good reason not to.
Not sure if I mentioned the date of the charity ride - I'll post that in a mo...
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