April 14th 2009 Wot, no training!

I have been so anxious about work that I haven't had the inclination to train. I have been very tired and not able to focus on training on the bike or in the gym (not helped by constant lunchtime meetings in my diary about integration). If I don't do some training soon I will be caught by the Etap sweep van very early.

Not this weekend just gone, but the previous weekend (Saturday April 5th), I cycled to a holiday home on the coast at a place called Bognor Regis, a 58 mile ride with 750 metres of climb over the North and South Downs. At 37 miles I was exhausted and had to stop for tea and cake before struggling the last 20 miles against the wind. I should have been able to do that in my sleep even on the little amount of training I have done recently. Very disappointing. I didn't have the inclination to even attempt to cycle home from there on the Sunday after staying overnight.

This Easter weekend I was tired and stressed all weekend. Good Friday I did a two hour bike ride in the garage on the Tacx then we had some friends and their kids over. Saturday we went to Bognor (by car this time), cycled about a bit along the sea front then had a nice dinner with a school friend, his wife and sons and his parents. Sunday was church, swimming then gardening whilst my son played football in the street with other kids. Monday was my sons 9th birthday so we went with friends and family to a local National Trust property called Polesden Lacey (those of you cycling in the Surrey Hills have probably like me seen signs for it but have never thought to go there) and did the Easter Egg hunt, had a picnic and played on the lawn and in the trees (the weather forecast was rain but it turned out a glorious day). Then they all came back to our house and created havoc.

Next weekend we will also be busy with dinner at friends on Friday night, and St Georges Day Parade and church service with the Cubs on Sunday followed by my son’s birthday party for his school pals at a local bowling alley (twenty hyper screaming 9 year old boys!). Maybe I will get a ride in on Saturday but I am aware that I have a pile of rubbish now in the garden in Bognor that needs to be taken down to the local dump and that might take priority.

I did manage an hour on the gym bike at 184 watts today lunchtime but the heart rate was up in the 150s. This was the only gym session in a good while.