When the Wind Blows!

The strong wind has really made training hard work this week. At times its felt like you were riding into a wall which has made it feel like you were riding twice as far.

In spite of this I've managed to get three rides in over the last week.

Last Friday Richard and I got out for a short ride in a very strong wind and to add insult to injury its started to rain when we were about 6 miles from home. Not the most pleasurable ride that I've ever had! Stats for the ride were: Distance covered 20.33 miles, average speed 14.4 mph, Maximum speed 23.4 mph, calories burned 521.2.

On Wednesday I went out for a ride on my own as Richard was at college. I went out through Sutton on the Forest and Huby and across to Tollerton and then back through Shipton and Skelton. It was similar weather to last Friday except it was even colder, I was absolutely freezing when I got home. Stats for the ride were: Distance covered 25.78 miles, Average speed 14.5 mph, maximum speed 28mph, Calories burned 669.5

We had a much better ride today and did over thirty miles for the first time. The weather was warmer and the wind had dropped a bit. We went out through Stillington and up Bransdby Hill and then across through Yearsley and Crayke and back through Huby, Tollerton etc. It was quite hilly in parts today which made it a good work out. The legs didn't feel too bad so I think the fitness is gradually coming. Richard is doing really well to say he has never ridden long distances before. I make him ride behind me though just in case he starts getting too fast! Stats for today were: Distance covered:38.73 miles, average speed: 14.1 mph, maximum speed 35.2 mph, calories burned1026.7.

Just over two months to go to the ride now so we need to continue to get the miles in.

Frankie Says Relax

My son Richard is into the 80s at the moment so this morning I emerged from the shower to the sound of Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood blaring out of his bedroom. It took me right back to my carefree days as an undergraduate at Nene College in Northampton in the mid 80s. Happy times!

I've been doing a lot of gardening this week so today my legs felt like lead and my knees felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to them! However as I hadn't been out on the bike all week I thought I ought to make an effort and I went for a short ride. It was cold and windy out there, definately not the most fun I've ever had in lycra! Todays stats were: Distance covered: 12.35 miles, Average speed: 15.1 mph, Maximum speed: 25mph, calories burned: 335.8. Hopefully I'll be able to put in a longer ride tomorrow, maybe even with some hills.

So its polling day today which is one of my favourite days as at least the politicians aren't allowed to go on TV and pontificate for once. I shall be going to cast my vote later when Mrs W. gets home. The whole process is a bit depressing really. As usual I shall be voting for the candidate that I think is the lesser of evils. It would be really nice to be able to vote for someone I felt enthusiastic about for a change! Never mind Mrs W and I are going out for dinner this evening after we have voted so at least that is something to look forward to.

We are moving house in a few weeks time and I've just rung up and asked the removal company to bring round some packing boxes. the fun starts here!

A Weekend in the Country

Just back from a really nice weekend up in Teesdale. Winter seems to have returned since it was freezing up there but we got out for some nice walks nonetheless.

Yesterday we went on a really good walk from Bowlees to two waterfalls, Low Force and High Force. Very spectacular!

Face to Face With an Old Nemesis

I know how James Bond must have felt when he walked into a room and there was his old nemesis Blofeld stroking a white Persian cat and saying "So we meet again, Mr Bond."

My particular nemesis is Brandsby Hill (top picture). Its not particularly long or overly steep but at this early stage of the season its always the measure for me of how fit I really am. If I can get up it I'm doing it OK, if I can't then I know that I'm not as fit as I thought I was. So it was with some trepidation that I set off with Richard on Friday afternoon for my first appointment of the year with Brandsby Hill. Brandsby is about 13 miles from home so the legs are usually just starting to get a bit tired by that stage and on Friday we seemed to be riding into a headwind all of the way out there. I arrived at the bottom of the hill feeling dreadful but somehow managed to battle my way up. What a good feeling! However Richard made me feel my age by charging up the hill as though it wasn't there! But I'd won my first battle of the year with Brandsby so it should hold no terrors for me for the rest of the year.

Overall we had a good ride. We rode out through Sutton on the Forest and Stillington to Brandsby and back again. The bottom two photos were taken in Stillington which is a pretty little village. It rained really hard on the way back so we arrived home absolutely soaked. Stats for the ride were: Distance covered: 28.46 miles, Average speed: 13.8 mph, Maximum speed: 33.2 mph Calories burned: 709.2

New Technology

I went shopping for some bike bits with Richard on Wednesday morning. Richard got some new shorts, gloves and most importantly some new sun glasses! I got some gloves and a new bike computer.

So we just had to test our purchases out on Wednesday afternoon and we headed off for a ride in beautiful warm sunshine. We went north to Sutton on the Forest and then looped through Huby, Tollerton, Shipton, Skelton and back to York. Thanks to the new bike computer I can give you detailed stats for the ride. Distance covered: 22.93 miles, average speed: 14.5 mph, maximum speed: 25.7 mph, calories burned: 599.7.

The calories burned bit is misleading because although I might have burned off 599 claories during the ride I'm sure I must have consumed at least that amount in energy bars etc that I ate during and after the ride. I'd forgotten quite how much I hate the energy drink that I use whilst I'm riding, what a lovely chalky taste it has. Riding today brought back lots of memories of the 2008 London to Paris ride, the same old aching bum and sore hands, happy days!

My Cycling Heroes - No.1 Tom Simpson

Thanks to my friend Jonny from the 2008 London to Paris Bike Ride who sent me a link to this facebook group for fans of Tom Simpson.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53571754945


Tom Simpson was the first English rider to make it really big on the international professional scene and was the first Englishjmen to wear the leader's yellow jersey on the Tour de France. He was a rider of real passion and was one of the first pro cyclists to take nutrition seriously, he was a great believer in carrot juice and virtually lived on the stuff when he was racing. Tragically he died of heat exhaustion while climbing Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France. According to legend his dieing words were "Put me back on my bike"

A true hero!

No More Excuses

Well my coursework is nearly finished for the year and spring has finally arrived so I've run out of excuses for not getting out on the bike. So this week has seen the start of some serious training for me and Richard.

On Sunday we had a ride out to Shipton by Beninborough and back. Its a nice route which is mainly on country lanes and is quite flat which at this stage of the training is quite a blessing. We covered 12.2 miles so it was a nice gentle start to our training.

On Monday we had a longer ride. We headed out through Haxby and Strensall to Sheriff Hutton and then back home through Stillington and Sutton on the Forest. It was a good ride and we covered 25.8 miles. A hillier route than Sunday although nothing too steep. The legs felt good and it was nice cycling in warmer weather and being able to wear my shorts and my new Belgian Champion's cycling jersey (see picture).

Its really lovely out in the countryside around here at the moment. There are lots of lambs in the fields and the oil seed rape fields are starting to turn yellow. It's great to feel the sun on your back after such a long hard winter.