Blogs

I'm not sure if it's the lack of summer we've had for the past two years, or whether it has been particularly bad this time round, but this winter has really got to me like no other.

Training has been continuously interupted by illness (a lingering chest infect from a trip to Belgium in November being the worst), and a general feeling of tiredness and lethargy. What little base fitness I had at the start of the winter has all but disappeared.

I have finally found a fool proof way to beat turbo training blues in the winter.

I proved it whilst pedalling along in my front room before seven o'clock this morning.

So what is this breakthrough I have made to make the dull hours fly by in the saddle?

This.For £100 and a summer of investment of time, I now have a dvd library burnt from footage taken from the handlebar cam.

I know it is an advert but it does have:
A) A nice girls in it
B) She is riding a bicycle
C) A nice bike fixer being ridden well
D) A great soundtrack

Sustrans today announced that they were putting £400,000 towards creating " …a new 'green corridor' set back from the busy A530." to connect Crew and Nantwich

Now I don't want to come over like a grumpy old curmudgeon but that sounds like a fancy way of saying 'footpath' to me… Although I suppose for that sort of money it is going to be a fairly fancy whatever it is.

1. That thing with my keys where I put them in my pocket after locking the shed and then have to take them straight out again to unlock the gate, that I knew I would have to unlock. I do it EVERY DAY. Why can't I stop?
2. Ride home in the snow (with gloves on), get home and take gloves off, immediately go back outside again to build snowman. but can't be bothered to get gloves, which are just inside the door. LAZY. and my hands got really cold.
3. Tried to dry my feet while standing in the bath. A new low.

I think I need more sleep

Not really dieted before but last spring my workload changed somewhat and I dida lot less riding. The weight crept up and I stepped on the scales over New Year. I was about a stone above where I should be so undertook to lose 12lbs in 12 weeks. Aim is to eat less / better and also to leave work on time 2 nights a week (I don't get paid for the extra hours).

So four weeks in I have lost 7lbs and upped my exercise a bit as well. Hope I can keep it up but I did weaken today and have a snickers.......

Ground Control To Major Jake.
Your top-tube's dead,
there's something wrong.
Can you hear me, Major Jake?
Can you hear me, Major Jake?
Can you hear me, Major Jake?
Can you....

As a result of the altercation a few weeks ago, the Major Jake cyclo-cross bike has a hefty dent in the top-tube, of the kind that isn't too beneficial for aluminium. It's time to say goodbye.

The sun is shining but the scouring easterly means the whippet demands to be taken home after a couple of laps around a cocker spaniel… she didn't even bother to turn the afterburners on.

So I take the Orbea Onix out for a final quick blat across the top of Bath. Good short ride even if I did have to do it with the odd combination of one road shoe and one trainer – cos I left the other shoe in the office. It wasn't a problem, but when only one side is pulling up you really notice how much extra benefit you get from a clipless pedal.

It's been a frustrating second half of the week but I will be heading out into the cold shortly to pedal some of the stress out.

I have managed to snare my second bad cold of the winter this week and have taken the monumental decision to not sit around moping this time.

I have spent enough time working this week and the thought of getting some miles in over the two day break has been a factor in helping me get through office life.

Last couple of long rides I got a punctures. After the last one I noticed a few small nicks in the tyre so bought a replacement. Its the rear so a bit of a faff to change so thought I would manage onemore ride.

Aimed to do 2+ hours this evening after work so made effort to get away on time. Just turning into the dark stretch with 10k and a few hills to go I felt something on rear wheel and tyre went down.