I may have won £10.00 on the lottery over the weekend and Sainsburys were selling Valentine roses off cheap on Sunday just in time for The Wife's return from a week away with her mother, but yesterday and today haven't been quite so lucky.
This morning I waited 20 minutes for a train on the cold station platform. When it did turn up it was crowded. After getting on and standing in the crush whilst the train was stationary for 10 minutes we were told the train was faulty and was being withdrawn from service. We all had to get off back on to the cold platform. Ten minutes later another train arrived, sardines was not the word for the crush all the way to Waterloo. I got to work half hour late.
On top of that. I was in the gym last night. I did 5000 metres on the rower (21 mins, 2:05 avg @21 spm) and then proceeded to sit on the cycle planning to do an hour. 59 minutes into the cycle some bufoon tried to adjust the machine next to mine and kicked the wire for my machine tearing it out of the plug. Everything went blank and all the data was lost. I must admit I gave him a glare and may have made a rude comment or three. I then had to report the damage to the reception desk (as the bufoon was not interested in reporting the damage he had done) and I could not get the inclination to finish off the last minute, so I went home .
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Saturday, 16 February 2008
Longest ride so far in 2008 – 95.5 miles 1500 metres of Climb
It was a cold sunny day Saturday – cold being the word.
I arrived at M’s at just after 10:00 AM after getting my chores accomplished. Neither of us felt great, and M was a bit anxious having got in very little riding lately.
The planned ride was Bury Hill (on the A29 Bognor Road just before Arundel) which we anticipated to be a 80-90 mile ride.
We rode out through Esher and Fetcham, Effingham, Leith Hill and on to Mole Street that runs parallel to the A29. It was a slow start and we were suffering as we arrived at the top of Bury Hill.
The plan was to stop for lunch at a roadside café about 8 miles back up the A29 the other side of Pulborough from Bury Hill, but tiredness got the better of us. With the computer already showing 52 miles we stopped at Hikers Café at the top of Bury hill. There is no inside to Hikers Café as it is a kiosk (and don’t ask for tomato or lettuce in your cheese sandwich as you will be told in no uncertain terms “we don’t do those vegetables thingies”) so we had to drink our coffee outside in the cold.
We were not looking forward to riding back against the cold headwind so agreed to take the A29 all the way back as it is the flattest and fastest route. It was hard work. After Ockley we turned off the A29 and headed up into the Surrey Hills through Coldharbour. At Dorking we agreed to miss out Ranmore (will we pay for this lapse in the season to come?). We went up Mont Box at a steady 8.5 mph and stopped at the top for another coffee.
At this point we knew we had 12 miles to go giving us a total of 95 miles back to my house. It was getting dark so we set off. Four miles from home M had a puncture!!! It was getting dark, we were on a main road (A217 at Banstead junction) and our hands were freezing. We could not find anything in the tyre that might have caused the puncture so we put in a new inner tube and kept our fingers crossed that there was nothing in the tyre that would cause another immediate puncture. In the dark with only one rear light between (and no front lights) us we set off for home. Fortunately there were no other incidents.
I think after about 75 miles, once we got to the top of Coldharbour we began to feel better and by the time we got home we were moving well (it may just have been that we could smell home).
A good 95.5 miles and 1500 metres of climb.
No ride tomorrow (Sunday) as I have a "List" to try to complete, including a trip to Sainsburys, before I have to be at Gatwick at lunchtime to pick up my wife and son.
I arrived at M’s at just after 10:00 AM after getting my chores accomplished. Neither of us felt great, and M was a bit anxious having got in very little riding lately.
The planned ride was Bury Hill (on the A29 Bognor Road just before Arundel) which we anticipated to be a 80-90 mile ride.
We rode out through Esher and Fetcham, Effingham, Leith Hill and on to Mole Street that runs parallel to the A29. It was a slow start and we were suffering as we arrived at the top of Bury Hill.
The plan was to stop for lunch at a roadside café about 8 miles back up the A29 the other side of Pulborough from Bury Hill, but tiredness got the better of us. With the computer already showing 52 miles we stopped at Hikers Café at the top of Bury hill. There is no inside to Hikers Café as it is a kiosk (and don’t ask for tomato or lettuce in your cheese sandwich as you will be told in no uncertain terms “we don’t do those vegetables thingies”) so we had to drink our coffee outside in the cold.
We were not looking forward to riding back against the cold headwind so agreed to take the A29 all the way back as it is the flattest and fastest route. It was hard work. After Ockley we turned off the A29 and headed up into the Surrey Hills through Coldharbour. At Dorking we agreed to miss out Ranmore (will we pay for this lapse in the season to come?). We went up Mont Box at a steady 8.5 mph and stopped at the top for another coffee.
At this point we knew we had 12 miles to go giving us a total of 95 miles back to my house. It was getting dark so we set off. Four miles from home M had a puncture!!! It was getting dark, we were on a main road (A217 at Banstead junction) and our hands were freezing. We could not find anything in the tyre that might have caused the puncture so we put in a new inner tube and kept our fingers crossed that there was nothing in the tyre that would cause another immediate puncture. In the dark with only one rear light between (and no front lights) us we set off for home. Fortunately there were no other incidents.
I think after about 75 miles, once we got to the top of Coldharbour we began to feel better and by the time we got home we were moving well (it may just have been that we could smell home).
A good 95.5 miles and 1500 metres of climb.
No ride tomorrow (Sunday) as I have a "List" to try to complete, including a trip to Sainsburys, before I have to be at Gatwick at lunchtime to pick up my wife and son.
Friday Night and I am "Nobby No Mates"
Friday night everyone goes out and like everyone else I had plans. Unfortunately at the last minute those plans were thwarted so I was “Home Alone”. The best offer I got was to babysit three children with Big G who was doing a friend a favour and having the children for 24 hours. I settled for washing my hair; catching up on the ironing and watching TV – Dorothy Domestic me, make someone a good wife.
Saturday I was supposed to be riding with M, however he told me during Friday that he had childcare problems (I suggested that Graham wouldn’t notice one more but M was of the opinion that his partner would not stand for that). As Big G was still babysitting all day Saturday and Turbo P was in the Lake District on matrimonial duty it was looking like I was going to be riding alone.
Riding alone is not something I like as in the event of an accident there is no one to look out for you. In addition it is boring riding alone.
My brother rang me and suggested that I be in St Albans at 7:30 AM (St Albans is an hours drive from home) for a ride from St Albans to Leicester to visit his mother in law. I was not averse to this despite the early start as I wanted to ride and my daughter is at university in Leicester and it might give me a chance to meet up with her.
In preparation for the early start I dismantled my bike and loaded it into the car.
No sooner had I finished the loading than I got a text from M to say the childcare situation had been resolved and he was riding – that gave me a problem – who do I let down.
My wife and son are away this week. However, my wife had left me with a list o tasks to accomplish before she returned. Some of those tasks could only be accomplished on Saturday and riding to Leicester would prevent me from ticking those tasks off.
I rang my brother to give him the bad news, he was out and I spoke to his wife and gave her the message. I felt bad as I did not want him to have an accident riding alone, especially as he was starting so early and it was going to be a cold night leaving ice on the roads, and I told his wife that. Unfortunately for him his wife thought about this and banned him from riding alone Saturday so he did not get out.
I did also leave the message that he could join us in Surrey.
I rang M and agreed on a run to Bury Hill (on the A29 Bognor Road just before Arundel) starting at 10:00 AM. The 10:00 start would give me time to do the Saturday items on the list left by my wife.
I then had to unpack my bike from the car and get it built ready for the morning.
Saturday I was supposed to be riding with M, however he told me during Friday that he had childcare problems (I suggested that Graham wouldn’t notice one more but M was of the opinion that his partner would not stand for that). As Big G was still babysitting all day Saturday and Turbo P was in the Lake District on matrimonial duty it was looking like I was going to be riding alone.
Riding alone is not something I like as in the event of an accident there is no one to look out for you. In addition it is boring riding alone.
My brother rang me and suggested that I be in St Albans at 7:30 AM (St Albans is an hours drive from home) for a ride from St Albans to Leicester to visit his mother in law. I was not averse to this despite the early start as I wanted to ride and my daughter is at university in Leicester and it might give me a chance to meet up with her.
In preparation for the early start I dismantled my bike and loaded it into the car.
No sooner had I finished the loading than I got a text from M to say the childcare situation had been resolved and he was riding – that gave me a problem – who do I let down.
My wife and son are away this week. However, my wife had left me with a list o tasks to accomplish before she returned. Some of those tasks could only be accomplished on Saturday and riding to Leicester would prevent me from ticking those tasks off.
I rang my brother to give him the bad news, he was out and I spoke to his wife and gave her the message. I felt bad as I did not want him to have an accident riding alone, especially as he was starting so early and it was going to be a cold night leaving ice on the roads, and I told his wife that. Unfortunately for him his wife thought about this and banned him from riding alone Saturday so he did not get out.
I did also leave the message that he could join us in Surrey.
I rang M and agreed on a run to Bury Hill (on the A29 Bognor Road just before Arundel) starting at 10:00 AM. The 10:00 start would give me time to do the Saturday items on the list left by my wife.
I then had to unpack my bike from the car and get it built ready for the morning.
Monday, 11 February 2008
Weather to Ride - It certainly was Glorious!
The weekend weather was glorious, you almost felt summer was early with 13 degrees C (aprox 55 degrees F) and very sunny and dry, just a little crisp first thing as the frost lifted. Big G and I took full advantage getting 52 miles Saturday and 46 Sunday with over 1000 metres of climbing each day.
Saturday at 9:00 as usual (last three Saturday mornings) I was at the local bike shop (Corridori Banstead) to pick up my bike. Last week it had an Shimano 105 front mech that would only cover two of the three chainwheels. This week with no fuss or extra expense Corridori has swapped it for an Ultegra front mech. It worked beautifully and on Sunday my tired legs certainly appreciated the extra gearing.
At 10:40 AM Big G (on his Look 595) and I (on my Roubaix) set off from his place in East Ewell. A good 52 miles in the sunshine taking in the usual hills but as we went off Leith Hill, instead of going towards either Shere or Coldharbour, we went down Mole Street following the route of the SWRC 100Km course towards Ellens Green. At a nice relaxed pace we chatted until we met the junction of the A281 and A29. From there we rode back up the A29, up Leith, through Coldharbour, Dorking, through Dorking, over Ranmore and up Mont Box.
For a change I opted for the National Trust vegetable pastie with my coffee (choice of hot or cold (the pastie not the coffee!), I opted for hot with brown sauce). I can recommend the veggie pasties and will certainly be enjoying more of them (perhaps not a good idea when my Doctor told me this week that my Cholesterol level is 7.1 - yikes). The ride from the top of Mont Box home is always the best bit of the ride as it is more downhill than up and you can get quite a pace going (except up blasted Banstead Hill).
Saturday PM I spent up a ladder swearing and cutting my hands and arms to shreds trimming the Leylandi at the end of our garden.
Also Saturday PM, Big G went to collect his new top of the range Bianchi before having a late afternoon nap (oh the joys of the single man). It is a lovely looking machine. Bianchi has perfected the Italian styling, good looks and romance. Whilst it is not quite up to the absolute efficiency of a race trimmed Look 595, you buy the Bianch for the looks and at less than half the price the performance is still good. Big G thought it was heavy when he picked it up, but then a Helium balloon is heavy compared to his Look 595.
Gig G doesn't want to ruin the Look 595 riding through the winter so opted for the Bianchi for a winter bike. He has had it fitted with a comp and a better saddle and tyres. Corridori did him a deal and gave him a generous discount (seeing as we seem to be regulars in the store). Corridori fitted it so that the geometry is as near that on his 595 as possible.
Sunday morning I telephoned Big G at 8:30 to get him out of bed. He started the day complaining of the stiffness in his muscles from Saturdays ride. At 9:30 we started out from his house (Big G on the new Bianchi) and I promised him a slow easy ride (he believed me, 46 miles and 1100 metres of climb later he was able go home for his Mums roast and an afternoon nap!). I was a bit stiff myself, but you know the form - show no weakness to get the psycological upper hand.
We went over the hills one by one, and where as on Saturday Big G was up front, on Sunday he was tailing behind (I maintained just enough to stay in front so he didn't see the pain on my face). At the beginning I agreed we would think about Leith when we got there and Ranmore was definitely out, however, he gamely knocked each hill off with his new Comp as I reintroduced each hill to the route.
At the top of Mont Box my Wife and son together with her friend and her dog Zippy met us. They had parked at the bottom at Rikers and had walked up the hill. Fortunately they were near the front of the very slow moving tea queue when we arrived saving us from having to wait long for our refreshment.
After the ride home my wife, son and I went ten pin bowling. I won the first game and I let her win the second (OK, I admit it, I was bowling like a dozy and was beaten fair and square). A pleasant afternoon followed by a nice roast chicken dinner.
What of the others? M was on parenting duty all weekend. S went out with Team MK and managed to finish the 47 mile ride. My brother was parenting Saturday but got in 70 miles with the club Sunday. Recently he has been using his old Raleigh 531 but Sunday he saw the sunshine and got out the Roubaix, and he says that he appreciated the difference it makes.
Two weeks to go to the SWRC 100, time to get in those last hard miles this coming weekend before tapering for the race weekend.
PS: I write this for my own fufilment but if you think it drones on please let me know.
Saturday at 9:00 as usual (last three Saturday mornings) I was at the local bike shop (Corridori Banstead) to pick up my bike. Last week it had an Shimano 105 front mech that would only cover two of the three chainwheels. This week with no fuss or extra expense Corridori has swapped it for an Ultegra front mech. It worked beautifully and on Sunday my tired legs certainly appreciated the extra gearing.
At 10:40 AM Big G (on his Look 595) and I (on my Roubaix) set off from his place in East Ewell. A good 52 miles in the sunshine taking in the usual hills but as we went off Leith Hill, instead of going towards either Shere or Coldharbour, we went down Mole Street following the route of the SWRC 100Km course towards Ellens Green. At a nice relaxed pace we chatted until we met the junction of the A281 and A29. From there we rode back up the A29, up Leith, through Coldharbour, Dorking, through Dorking, over Ranmore and up Mont Box.
For a change I opted for the National Trust vegetable pastie with my coffee (choice of hot or cold (the pastie not the coffee!), I opted for hot with brown sauce). I can recommend the veggie pasties and will certainly be enjoying more of them (perhaps not a good idea when my Doctor told me this week that my Cholesterol level is 7.1 - yikes). The ride from the top of Mont Box home is always the best bit of the ride as it is more downhill than up and you can get quite a pace going (except up blasted Banstead Hill).
Saturday PM I spent up a ladder swearing and cutting my hands and arms to shreds trimming the Leylandi at the end of our garden.
Also Saturday PM, Big G went to collect his new top of the range Bianchi before having a late afternoon nap (oh the joys of the single man). It is a lovely looking machine. Bianchi has perfected the Italian styling, good looks and romance. Whilst it is not quite up to the absolute efficiency of a race trimmed Look 595, you buy the Bianch for the looks and at less than half the price the performance is still good. Big G thought it was heavy when he picked it up, but then a Helium balloon is heavy compared to his Look 595.
Gig G doesn't want to ruin the Look 595 riding through the winter so opted for the Bianchi for a winter bike. He has had it fitted with a comp and a better saddle and tyres. Corridori did him a deal and gave him a generous discount (seeing as we seem to be regulars in the store). Corridori fitted it so that the geometry is as near that on his 595 as possible.
Sunday morning I telephoned Big G at 8:30 to get him out of bed. He started the day complaining of the stiffness in his muscles from Saturdays ride. At 9:30 we started out from his house (Big G on the new Bianchi) and I promised him a slow easy ride (he believed me, 46 miles and 1100 metres of climb later he was able go home for his Mums roast and an afternoon nap!). I was a bit stiff myself, but you know the form - show no weakness to get the psycological upper hand.
We went over the hills one by one, and where as on Saturday Big G was up front, on Sunday he was tailing behind (I maintained just enough to stay in front so he didn't see the pain on my face). At the beginning I agreed we would think about Leith when we got there and Ranmore was definitely out, however, he gamely knocked each hill off with his new Comp as I reintroduced each hill to the route.
At the top of Mont Box my Wife and son together with her friend and her dog Zippy met us. They had parked at the bottom at Rikers and had walked up the hill. Fortunately they were near the front of the very slow moving tea queue when we arrived saving us from having to wait long for our refreshment.
After the ride home my wife, son and I went ten pin bowling. I won the first game and I let her win the second (OK, I admit it, I was bowling like a dozy and was beaten fair and square). A pleasant afternoon followed by a nice roast chicken dinner.
What of the others? M was on parenting duty all weekend. S went out with Team MK and managed to finish the 47 mile ride. My brother was parenting Saturday but got in 70 miles with the club Sunday. Recently he has been using his old Raleigh 531 but Sunday he saw the sunshine and got out the Roubaix, and he says that he appreciated the difference it makes.
Two weeks to go to the SWRC 100, time to get in those last hard miles this coming weekend before tapering for the race weekend.
PS: I write this for my own fufilment but if you think it drones on please let me know.
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Evidence of an undisplaced fracture
Because of the continued discomfort in my hip over the festive season I wanted to get my hip looked at further so at the start of the New Year I went to my GP and got him to refer me to a consultant under my private healthcare scheme. I saw him earlier in January and he had new xrays done of my hip. They did not show anything at the time and he then referred me for an MRI scan.
I had the MRI scan last week and went back today for the results.
The scan shows evidence of an undisplaced fracture of the right hip. Once you know where it is and go back to the xray then you can see evidence of the bone growing over the fracture. No wonder it hurt so much for so long.
His opinion was that it should continue to heal but best I avoid sports such as running. Cycling, rowing and swimming are OK. He also said it was probably best not to fall off the bike again.
He sees no reason that it should give me problems in the future.
As for the school ski trip in March, he thinks that by then it should have healed further and be fine.
Discharged (but come back if problems occur).
I had the MRI scan last week and went back today for the results.
The scan shows evidence of an undisplaced fracture of the right hip. Once you know where it is and go back to the xray then you can see evidence of the bone growing over the fracture. No wonder it hurt so much for so long.
His opinion was that it should continue to heal but best I avoid sports such as running. Cycling, rowing and swimming are OK. He also said it was probably best not to fall off the bike again.
He sees no reason that it should give me problems in the future.
As for the school ski trip in March, he thinks that by then it should have healed further and be fine.
Discharged (but come back if problems occur).
Monday, 4 February 2008
Oh Dear - Did I overdo it?
After doing 39 miles Saturday with Big G in the Surrey Hills, Sunday I was on my own. Big G was rowing, M was skiing and Turbo P was on his way hime from his Ski holiday, see his comments below. I wasn't feeling very sprightly, but The Wife gave me the line "haven't you got some cycling you could be getting on with" and threw me out of the house at 9:30 AM.
As I didn't have my Specialized Roubaix (back at the shop having the front mech changed) I was on my old Peugeot (Steel Reynolds 501 with shifter levers on the downbar).
I struggled against the wind down the A217 and headed via Tadworth to Mont Box. It was cold and windy so I didn't stop. It was my intention to do a Col Ranmore and return home but some lunacy got the better of me and I headed along the ridge, down the 18% and up through Abinger to the top of Leith Hill. From there I did the usual circuit round Coldharbour down into Dorking.
By Dorking I was struggling and seriously considered leaving out Ranmore but lunacy got the better of me again and I struggled up to the top of the ridge.
Back down the other side up Mont Box, straight past the National Trust tea shop without stopping and home.
Fifty miles and four hours after leaving home and without refueling at the top of Mont Box (I only had 3/4 bottle of SIS and no gels) I struggled in the front door, whacked out! Where has my fitness gone????
The afternoon was a struggle not helped by a family trip to IKEA, followed by a flat pack assembly session (miracle of miracles, all the bits were present and the bookcase and swivel chair went together exactly as described in the plans!).
Early to bed last night and sore and headachey this morning. No training today I think.
News from S, he was out with Team MK on Saturday for the first time and came off on ice hurting his wrist and tearing up a tyre. To compound this, after gettting the bike moving again he suffered a valve failure. He is probably sore this morning as well.
Response from S in Milton Keynes to my posting:
"Absolutely right - I went to the gym yesterday [Sunday] to see how bad my injuries were, and came through that OK. On Saturday it was my ego that suffered the most! Out for the first time with a new bunch of folks and I succeeded in doing only about 12 miles before I had to bail out. Just makes me all the more determined to be back again next Saturday and complete a ride with them; unless I've been barred for taking a couple of them out when I went down..."
Also a response from Tubo P of the Guilford Peloton
"Yes, I feel that I can contribute to this tale of woe as I just got back from skiing in Zermatt. The nightmarish sun and perfect snow was just terrible and the grind of having to come back to the chalet for freshly baked cake at 4.30pm EVERY DAY was truly hellish. Shortbread fresh from the oven was also pure torture. What I found was even MORE of a hardship was the constant champagne and canapes served at 7.30pm sharp followed by a five course meal. The Wife and I really put ourselves through it.
Sometimes, I feel that people just don't understand the squalid conditions that we experience on ski holidays ;0 )
So back to the cycling grindstone from this weekend onwards! Yipee! BTW, I did a VO2 max test thing a couple of weeks ago and results were v interesting. I shall be working on this and will hopefully be spearheading the peloton as we get closer to the Etape!!!"
As I didn't have my Specialized Roubaix (back at the shop having the front mech changed) I was on my old Peugeot (Steel Reynolds 501 with shifter levers on the downbar).
I struggled against the wind down the A217 and headed via Tadworth to Mont Box. It was cold and windy so I didn't stop. It was my intention to do a Col Ranmore and return home but some lunacy got the better of me and I headed along the ridge, down the 18% and up through Abinger to the top of Leith Hill. From there I did the usual circuit round Coldharbour down into Dorking.
By Dorking I was struggling and seriously considered leaving out Ranmore but lunacy got the better of me again and I struggled up to the top of the ridge.
Back down the other side up Mont Box, straight past the National Trust tea shop without stopping and home.
Fifty miles and four hours after leaving home and without refueling at the top of Mont Box (I only had 3/4 bottle of SIS and no gels) I struggled in the front door, whacked out! Where has my fitness gone????
The afternoon was a struggle not helped by a family trip to IKEA, followed by a flat pack assembly session (miracle of miracles, all the bits were present and the bookcase and swivel chair went together exactly as described in the plans!).
Early to bed last night and sore and headachey this morning. No training today I think.
News from S, he was out with Team MK on Saturday for the first time and came off on ice hurting his wrist and tearing up a tyre. To compound this, after gettting the bike moving again he suffered a valve failure. He is probably sore this morning as well.
Response from S in Milton Keynes to my posting:
"Absolutely right - I went to the gym yesterday [Sunday] to see how bad my injuries were, and came through that OK. On Saturday it was my ego that suffered the most! Out for the first time with a new bunch of folks and I succeeded in doing only about 12 miles before I had to bail out. Just makes me all the more determined to be back again next Saturday and complete a ride with them; unless I've been barred for taking a couple of them out when I went down..."
Also a response from Tubo P of the Guilford Peloton
"Yes, I feel that I can contribute to this tale of woe as I just got back from skiing in Zermatt. The nightmarish sun and perfect snow was just terrible and the grind of having to come back to the chalet for freshly baked cake at 4.30pm EVERY DAY was truly hellish. Shortbread fresh from the oven was also pure torture. What I found was even MORE of a hardship was the constant champagne and canapes served at 7.30pm sharp followed by a five course meal. The Wife and I really put ourselves through it.
Sometimes, I feel that people just don't understand the squalid conditions that we experience on ski holidays ;0 )
So back to the cycling grindstone from this weekend onwards! Yipee! BTW, I did a VO2 max test thing a couple of weeks ago and results were v interesting. I shall be working on this and will hopefully be spearheading the peloton as we get closer to the Etape!!!"
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