On Saturday I ventured out with my mate Big G for a gentle Box Hill. It was a nice morning but when I left home at 9:00 am there was still ice on the cars, but the sun was out.
I had problems getting on the bike, I was very nervous clipping in to the pedals and I was daunted by the thought of the hills. I went by Big G's house and we went out through Epsom to Box Hill. I think we caught every set of lights at red and now I remember why of late we have been going to Box Hill via Cobham or Tadworth recently rather than Epsom. I panicked at a couple of sets of lights and nearly fell off.
Everytime I panicked I tensed and this pulled on my Hip injury but all in all we took it gently and got to Box Hill without incident. As the injury prevents me from standing up to climb the hill I started gently and as we got to the second switchback Big G had opened up a 20 metre gap on me. I felt that I should put a bit more effort in and increased my cadence to catch him. I seemed to go right past, but as Big G can sometimes be a bit canny I thought nothing of it. As we came to the last corner I could hear him coming up on me so I sped up - and left him. He was having a bad day because he usually beats me. More gym training and less cakes for him I think.
The tea and cakes were as good as I remember from before Christmas and we had a good chinwag. We also met another Dynamo and his mate. He had also done the Etap for the first time last year and we chatted for a while.
We went back slowly chatting whilst we rode through Tadworth and on via Epsom race course to Banstead.
We stopped at the bike shop, Corridori (Drift Bridge), their new shop, as I had to drop my bike off to be fitted with a triple. We spent a very pleasant hour and a half chatting to Brian and Guy who own/work there and they were explaining all the equiptment in stock and telling us about the new clothing coming in March.
Corridori stock Bianchi's and Specialized and Big G is very tempted to buy a Bianchi as a winter bike so that his fully loaded Look 595 does not get wrecked by the February/March foul weather. Lets see if that Investment Bank bonus stretches that far this year.
Overall the leg is getting better, albeit slowly, so I should be OK for the SWRC ride on Feb 24th but there is still a question about skiing in march.
Hope to get out again this weekend, weather permitting, and Big G and I might be joined by my mate S who has just taken up cycling and has set his sight on completing the dragon this year. There are very few hills in Milton Keynes where he lives so he is coming to try the Surrey Hills experience.
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Happy New Year
I have, as have most people, been rather busy over the Christmas period - and unfortunately not cycling.
I trust Santa was good to you all and brought you flashy new cycling gear - if not, I am sure Wiggle will have something on sale you could buy to console yourself with. Myself, I got a new dhb rainjacket and my brother got a new imagic fluid trainer.
I am still suffering from the crash which was in November. This was not helped by someone running up the back of my car in mid December which not only put the car out of action (still not back from the repairers yet) but also twinged my back for which I have had physio.
Currently I am still limping from the bike crash and my physio thinks that I may have torn the ligament and muscle away from where they are attached to the pelvis/hip. He reckons it could be up to 9 month to heal. I have decided that I would rather be safe than sorry so I am off to the quacks to get referred to a specialist. Need to get this fixed before we are due to go skiing with the school in March.
The injury means that I cannot get on or off the bike or when on the bike I cannot stand on the pedals to go uphill. Once I get on the bike then I can pedal comfortably. Over the last fortnight I have had 6 sessions of up to an hour on the gym bike (but it does not seem to be shifting the tummy I have developed or the 8 kilos I have put on since the etap in July)
To give myself some goals and on the assumption that I will be able to cycle this year I have entered some races. The first is the SWRC 100k on Feb 24th, the next is the Hampshire Hilly Hundred (100 miles which I completed in 5 hours 50 mins in 2007) in May, followed by the big one - the Dragon Ride in June.
The Dragon Ride is 180 Kilometres in Wales (bound to be raining) with 3000 metres of climb. A number of others (including the Guilford Pelaton) have also entered and we have all booked into the luxurious Premier Inn at the Junction 35 Services on the M4 the night before.
Happy cycling
I trust Santa was good to you all and brought you flashy new cycling gear - if not, I am sure Wiggle will have something on sale you could buy to console yourself with. Myself, I got a new dhb rainjacket and my brother got a new imagic fluid trainer.
I am still suffering from the crash which was in November. This was not helped by someone running up the back of my car in mid December which not only put the car out of action (still not back from the repairers yet) but also twinged my back for which I have had physio.
Currently I am still limping from the bike crash and my physio thinks that I may have torn the ligament and muscle away from where they are attached to the pelvis/hip. He reckons it could be up to 9 month to heal. I have decided that I would rather be safe than sorry so I am off to the quacks to get referred to a specialist. Need to get this fixed before we are due to go skiing with the school in March.
The injury means that I cannot get on or off the bike or when on the bike I cannot stand on the pedals to go uphill. Once I get on the bike then I can pedal comfortably. Over the last fortnight I have had 6 sessions of up to an hour on the gym bike (but it does not seem to be shifting the tummy I have developed or the 8 kilos I have put on since the etap in July)
To give myself some goals and on the assumption that I will be able to cycle this year I have entered some races. The first is the SWRC 100k on Feb 24th, the next is the Hampshire Hilly Hundred (100 miles which I completed in 5 hours 50 mins in 2007) in May, followed by the big one - the Dragon Ride in June.
The Dragon Ride is 180 Kilometres in Wales (bound to be raining) with 3000 metres of climb. A number of others (including the Guilford Pelaton) have also entered and we have all booked into the luxurious Premier Inn at the Junction 35 Services on the M4 the night before.
Happy cycling
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Wednesday December 12th 2007 The Road to Recovery
Saturday I went to the physio. Chris has magic in his hands. After a session of massage and untrasound he gave me a series of exercises to do, assured me that there was only soft tissue damage and told me to start training again.
Sunday I was a bit sore but whilst the wife and son were at church followed by Sainsburys, and it was pouring with rain outside, I managed an hour and a half on my ancient (circa 1990) and rusty turbo trainer in the kitchen. I kept the heart rate down at 130 and the cadence in the low 80s.
No ill effects, and despite being sore, I am crutch free this week (must remember to return those crutches to Kingston Hospital ASAP).
Unfortunately, with it being in the run up to Christmas I am busy at lunch times meeting and catching up with friends I neglected during the year. This means no gym this week. Those pounds are going to pile on!
Sunday I was a bit sore but whilst the wife and son were at church followed by Sainsburys, and it was pouring with rain outside, I managed an hour and a half on my ancient (circa 1990) and rusty turbo trainer in the kitchen. I kept the heart rate down at 130 and the cadence in the low 80s.
No ill effects, and despite being sore, I am crutch free this week (must remember to return those crutches to Kingston Hospital ASAP).
Unfortunately, with it being in the run up to Christmas I am busy at lunch times meeting and catching up with friends I neglected during the year. This means no gym this week. Those pounds are going to pile on!
Wednesday, 5 December 2007
Wednesday December 5th 2007 Still on Crutches
I am still limping around. I am down to just one crutch but still in lots of pain. Today I thought that a lunchtime visit to the gym, a light session on the bike and a trip to the steam room might help - NO. The 20 minutes cycling went well, a very light setting and low heart rate. Bit bruised round the top of the hip but no discomfort. The steam room was hot and relaxed my neck and shoulders which were stiff. This afternoon and evening - stiff and sore!!!!
I have booked a session at the physio for 8:30 AM Saturday. Lets see if Chris' magic hands can help.
I was never going to be able to get out last weekend, even before I had the accident. The fact that there was so much rain cheered me up a bit, at least I wasn't getting wet and putting myself at risk of sliding off and hurting myself.
The Wife and I had a busy weekend planned, mostly taken up organising the raffle for the school Christmas Fare. The Wife had been busy organising and worrying about the event for the past two weekes trying to chivi up the other parents and sending out letters asking local busineses to donate prizes. As it happened the prizes came good and we spent Friday night wrapping the prizes and typing up prize lists.
Saturday The Wife was at the school all day organising the display of the prizes and selling tickets with her organised buch of parents. I was roped in as well. It went well and the raffle raised a record amount, which is in some ways like shooting yourself in the foot. Now we have been threatened with organising the raffle for the school ball in January. Sunday was spent sorting out the unclaimed prizes and arranging to get them to the winners.
I have booked a session at the physio for 8:30 AM Saturday. Lets see if Chris' magic hands can help.
I was never going to be able to get out last weekend, even before I had the accident. The fact that there was so much rain cheered me up a bit, at least I wasn't getting wet and putting myself at risk of sliding off and hurting myself.
The Wife and I had a busy weekend planned, mostly taken up organising the raffle for the school Christmas Fare. The Wife had been busy organising and worrying about the event for the past two weekes trying to chivi up the other parents and sending out letters asking local busineses to donate prizes. As it happened the prizes came good and we spent Friday night wrapping the prizes and typing up prize lists.
Saturday The Wife was at the school all day organising the display of the prizes and selling tickets with her organised buch of parents. I was roped in as well. It went well and the raffle raised a record amount, which is in some ways like shooting yourself in the foot. Now we have been threatened with organising the raffle for the school ball in January. Sunday was spent sorting out the unclaimed prizes and arranging to get them to the winners.
Friday, 30 November 2007
Crash - Ooops
Sunday was a disaster. My mate and I headed for Polesden Lacey where I encountered trouble. I will let him describe it to you in the words he used to circulate the news t the Guilford Pellaton.
"Hope everyone got out at the w/e. I only made it out on Sunday but that was enough drama for me. I was out with our spiritual leader (el Duncano) and we were in the vicinity of Polesden Lacey (nr Ranmore). As we crested the hill I uttered the immortal words "be careful on the descent it might be a bit greasy". Anyway, on a fast right hand bend on a 20% section Duncan's bike slipped from under him and he gave the ground an almighty thump, followed by a forward roll and triple salchow (5.7, 5.8, 5.7, 5.9).
No damage to the bike but our man was not in good shape. A tarmac tattoo on his upper thigh and a very sore and stiff hip and leg. He eventually soldiered on to the top of Mount Box (note, no trains on Sunday from Box Hill station) to await collection from his very own Florence Nightingale. An afternoon in casualty and a few x rays later he was sore but not broken and on the bus home.
Not sure if he's made it back into work yet on his crutches but hopefully we'll hear soon and he can give you all the full version of career injury no. 357."
Needless to say there were a few responses to this, concerned but humerous, but here is what I posted to the respondents on Tuesday.
"Those points seem a quite generous considering the lack of rehearsal. Maybe the judges were swayed by my good looks and the amount of dramatics in the rolling around in the mud in agony straight after the accident.
I am at home. I was recovering well yesterday but today I seemed to have relapsed today. I tried to not take the drugs this morning but by lunchtime I could stand it no longer and took the drugs and went to bed for 90 mins. Just been lying on the settee since getting off my bed and catching up on the last Grand Prix that I never got time to watch. Again Hamilton was beaten by Raikenen.
I have to be in the city tomorrow lunchtime for a meeting then I think I will come home again.
The tarmac tattoos on my hip and forearm are healing well, have stopped pussing and dried up. The shoulder is sore but no physical sign of bruising, but the left leg is so stiff and sore.
The bike is still dismantled in the back of the car as I am not fit enough to get it out. My watch took a lot of the friction off the forearm and will never be the same. At least it was a Sekonda unlike those Rolex and Omega that you Investment Bankers wear.
The Wife is not happy either. Lost any brownie points I might have had banked (probably was in overdraft anyway)."
"Hope everyone got out at the w/e. I only made it out on Sunday but that was enough drama for me. I was out with our spiritual leader (el Duncano) and we were in the vicinity of Polesden Lacey (nr Ranmore). As we crested the hill I uttered the immortal words "be careful on the descent it might be a bit greasy". Anyway, on a fast right hand bend on a 20% section Duncan's bike slipped from under him and he gave the ground an almighty thump, followed by a forward roll and triple salchow (5.7, 5.8, 5.7, 5.9).
No damage to the bike but our man was not in good shape. A tarmac tattoo on his upper thigh and a very sore and stiff hip and leg. He eventually soldiered on to the top of Mount Box (note, no trains on Sunday from Box Hill station) to await collection from his very own Florence Nightingale. An afternoon in casualty and a few x rays later he was sore but not broken and on the bus home.
Not sure if he's made it back into work yet on his crutches but hopefully we'll hear soon and he can give you all the full version of career injury no. 357."
Needless to say there were a few responses to this, concerned but humerous, but here is what I posted to the respondents on Tuesday.
"Those points seem a quite generous considering the lack of rehearsal. Maybe the judges were swayed by my good looks and the amount of dramatics in the rolling around in the mud in agony straight after the accident.
I am at home. I was recovering well yesterday but today I seemed to have relapsed today. I tried to not take the drugs this morning but by lunchtime I could stand it no longer and took the drugs and went to bed for 90 mins. Just been lying on the settee since getting off my bed and catching up on the last Grand Prix that I never got time to watch. Again Hamilton was beaten by Raikenen.
I have to be in the city tomorrow lunchtime for a meeting then I think I will come home again.
The tarmac tattoos on my hip and forearm are healing well, have stopped pussing and dried up. The shoulder is sore but no physical sign of bruising, but the left leg is so stiff and sore.
The bike is still dismantled in the back of the car as I am not fit enough to get it out. My watch took a lot of the friction off the forearm and will never be the same. At least it was a Sekonda unlike those Rolex and Omega that you Investment Bankers wear.
The Wife is not happy either. Lost any brownie points I might have had banked (probably was in overdraft anyway)."
Saturday Nov 23rd 2007 Around the Park with the Dynamos
I decided that today I would train around Richmond Park with the Dynamos. My mate was going to join me at the meeting point. He didn't show up by the time for the off so I went without him. I later got a text saying that for once his alarm, his 3 year old had slept in and he hadn't woken until to late.
Last time I did this I struggled after two laps so this time I was looking to go in one of the slowest groups. The first two groups went off (faster riders) but then everyone started to be reluctant to go forward. Group three eventually formed but no one wanted to go for group four waiting for groups five and six. I moved forward reluctantly and eventually we formed a group of ten and set off.
I was still there at the end of the second lap. We lost a few and gained one from ahead (and I think maybe one or two from behind). As lap three went on I struggled on the hills and as we started lap four I was dropped. Well, at least only one lap on my own and I wasn't caught by the next group. When I got to the cafe I was welcomed by my group and enjoyed a warm coffee.
Quality 41 miles by the time I got home.
Last time I did this I struggled after two laps so this time I was looking to go in one of the slowest groups. The first two groups went off (faster riders) but then everyone started to be reluctant to go forward. Group three eventually formed but no one wanted to go for group four waiting for groups five and six. I moved forward reluctantly and eventually we formed a group of ten and set off.
I was still there at the end of the second lap. We lost a few and gained one from ahead (and I think maybe one or two from behind). As lap three went on I struggled on the hills and as we started lap four I was dropped. Well, at least only one lap on my own and I wasn't caught by the next group. When I got to the cafe I was welcomed by my group and enjoyed a warm coffee.
Quality 41 miles by the time I got home.
Monday, 19 November 2007
November 17th Weekend
Did you all buy Cycling Weekly this week and read the article about theEtap 2008 course? Some bloke rode it and I don't think it is as easy as some people are making out.
I don't know how you all got on over the weekend but I managed 41 miles on Saturday and 36 on Sunday even though The Wife had last week told me not to make any plans. It was not easy though, (the cycling that is rather than getting permission from the wife, but believe me getting permission wasn't that easy either, and despite getting out most weekends at present and visiting the gym occasionally (very occasionally, but I did manage two sessions in the gym last week) my fitness is at an all time low.
Saturday I was out with the London Dynamos in Richmond Park. I managed 3.5 lapsbefore being dropped, and only lasted that long because we had to slowdown after 2 laps because we had caught the group in front. If we hadn't had to slow down I would have been dropped at the end of that second lap. I managed to get home at 11:20, only 20 mins after curfew.
Sunday I was only given the all clear at 8:00 AM by The Wife so I shot out the door before she could change her mind. I stretched the 11:00 AM curfew deadline to 12:00 PM and managed a slice of coffee and walnut cake, a Box Hill and Ranmore both sides (800 metres of elevation according to my Polar CS600).
I have faced up to the fact that for practical reasons he Etap is not on for me next year, so I won't be joining the Guilford Pelaton at the gitte, but I am dammed if I let them do the training without my input. Besides, if I don't do the training all this cake I have got used to eating is going to cause me to balloon, or if I give up the cake the National Trust Tea Shop on Box Hill will go bust, and we wouldn't want that would we?
I don't know how you all got on over the weekend but I managed 41 miles on Saturday and 36 on Sunday even though The Wife had last week told me not to make any plans. It was not easy though, (the cycling that is rather than getting permission from the wife, but believe me getting permission wasn't that easy either, and despite getting out most weekends at present and visiting the gym occasionally (very occasionally, but I did manage two sessions in the gym last week) my fitness is at an all time low.
Saturday I was out with the London Dynamos in Richmond Park. I managed 3.5 lapsbefore being dropped, and only lasted that long because we had to slowdown after 2 laps because we had caught the group in front. If we hadn't had to slow down I would have been dropped at the end of that second lap. I managed to get home at 11:20, only 20 mins after curfew.
Sunday I was only given the all clear at 8:00 AM by The Wife so I shot out the door before she could change her mind. I stretched the 11:00 AM curfew deadline to 12:00 PM and managed a slice of coffee and walnut cake, a Box Hill and Ranmore both sides (800 metres of elevation according to my Polar CS600).
I have faced up to the fact that for practical reasons he Etap is not on for me next year, so I won't be joining the Guilford Pelaton at the gitte, but I am dammed if I let them do the training without my input. Besides, if I don't do the training all this cake I have got used to eating is going to cause me to balloon, or if I give up the cake the National Trust Tea Shop on Box Hill will go bust, and we wouldn't want that would we?
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