141. Creeeeeak

Having blithely told everyone that I'm fine post cycle - not at all like when I did the marathon - I have now discovered that finishing off the delicious post-challenge chocolates has led to an unexpected down-turn.

I'm completely shattered - by about 3pm each day this week I've been ready to return to my bed. My shoulder is stiff and sore, and the rest of me is sort of creaking. Like its in desperate need of oil. Or more chocolate.

Normal people might reach for some pain-killers (or just go to bed and get more sleep). I, however, have been to the shops for some more chocolate (and ice cream). Bound to solve everything in short order.

I was going to write a "things I've learnt" post today, but I'm far too tired to be coherent (would anyone notice?). Instead, here is a little picture of proof that I did actually finish a 100-mile sportive on Sunday (no, I still can't quite believe it):

Off to attempt to do something useful this evening before finally dragging myself off to bed...

:o)

Today's stats
Nothing! Nothing at all! Bwah-ha-ha-hah!

140. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below

Before I forget, I guess I should record my memories of the great Challenge 5, start to conclusion.

Ummm...

1) Ye Gods, it's 5am and I'm awake. Why? Why? Why?

2) Cycling to the Olympic Park - slightly worried (due to history of getting lost) - another cyclist starts following me (foolish woman!) as she's also going to the event. And she's chatty. Very, very chatty. So I have to slow down to chat to her (I don't want to be rude. On the other hand, I'm not a morning person and I haven't had any coffee... Being rude is a very attractive option). Having slowed me down with the chatting, she then cycles off once the Olympic Park is in view (I didn't get lost!!). Gah! I'm now slightly later than planned...

3) Nearly forget to hand in baggage to kit lorry (again, no coffee), but assemble in my loading wave. Ready to go. Looking forward to enjoying seeing the central London sights from traffic-free roads. Aaaand - starting!

4) Everyone in my wave ("T" - second last!) is cycling past me. Keep bimbling along - 100 miles (+ 2 miles warn-up) to go, no point in rushing now and blowing up early. And now the people in the last wave are cycling past me... Must. Not. Panic.

5) Central London. I saw tarmac and other cyclists - watching what I'm doing and where I'm going. Apparently I cycled past London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Harrods... Couldn't say, didn't see them. I noticed Richmond Park (ah, the advent of scenic dullness), at which point I realised I hadn't seen any of the sights of London. Hmph. Onward (have cycled past some people by now - if only because they were stopping for water or punctures or whatever. But am still worried about my time).

6) Stop at first feed station. Hampton Court Palace, which I've always wanted to see. Didn't see it. Found the food and water, loaded up, checked my time (40-ish minutes in advance of the cut-off time. Good!), got back on Boris, set off again.

7) Surrey. Apparently there was some lovely scenery (yawn). I saw tarmac and the odd tree. Slogged my way up Newlands Corner (oh, dear, doesn't bode well), stopped at the second feed station (still about 40-ish minutes ahead of the cut-off time - OK, but about to lose a whole heap of time on the hills...), ate and ate, got back on Boris (noticeably a bit more stiffly) and set off again.

8) Still Surrey. Leith Hill. Oh. Dear. Lord. Sat on Boris, in my lowest gear, and slogged my way up to the top. Slowly. Past people walking uphill with their bikes (I'm with my peers!) - occasionally shouted "single file!" at those who need to walk two or more abreast (cycling here people!). Got to the top, started the descent, invoked much use of prayer and brakes, went through the final part on blind faith (it's a bit dark). Kept going. Box Hill. Oof. Boris and I repeated the long, slow climb at sloth uphill and round various corners. All a bit grim. More shouting of "single file!".

9) Leaving Surrey. More tarmac. Fewer trees. Rolling hills - cycle up to cycle down to cycle up (well, at least I'm used to that!). Leatherhead - final feed station. Much as per previous stations - still (even with stupid hills) about 40 mins ahead of cut-off time. Get back on Boris - very stiff now.

10) Back in London. Broadly aware that we have returned to civilisation. Need to get past Wimbledon water station (mile 91) before the final cut-off and then I'll be safe. In Wimbledon! Oooh - I recognise this road: yes! There's a sign to Southfields!! I know where I am (well, ish)!!. And... Past the final cut-off point within the cut-off time. I'm safe! Safe! And there are still 9 miles to go...

11) Central London. Ohh, look, Westminster. Meh, I've seen this before... Last corner should be soon! The Mall! I'm on The Mall! Meh, it's not much to look at... Finish line! Medal! Photo! Finisher's bag! Er... Boris in pieces and back in a box (thanks to nice man from TNT)... And, well, that's that, then...

So there you go, 100 miles in 11 easy steps... Am now recovering with the assistance of some quality chocolate... Very therapeutic, you know!

(^_^)

Tuesday's stats
Walking - 34 mins, 1.44 miles [gentle stroll to get some books...]

139. Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.

Just a quick update, if nothing else to prove that I am still alive...

Challenge 5 has been successfully completed! Must to my surprise, if I'm honest - I was expecting to be timed-out or diverted onto a shorter route...

But no! Even with the world's slowest ascent of Leith Hill, Box Hill and the ascent to Newlands Corner I still managed to complete the fun cycle within the time limit. Thank the Lord that London is so flat!

More to follow - including pictures of the world's heaviest medal...

But there you go - anything is actually possilbe!

:o)

Sunday's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 8 hrs 21 mins 10 secs, 100 miles [long old way...]

138. Brevity is the soul of wit

Aaargh - packing at the last minute. While simultaneously shoving really healthy food in my mouth to work on the carb-loading thing. And re-reading the latest guidance from RideLondon (yes, today, even more advice arrives. Last-minute planning is supposed to be my forte!). And washing the dishes (don't know why, I got a bit carried away with "tidying the house before I go". Going to take a bit more than clean dishes to make that happen!

Blah, blah, blah, panic, stress, blah.

Others are, I know looking forward to Sunday. I am looking forward to Monday - all will then be over quite definitively. Oh, and I'm looking forward to getting to the feed stations en route - they're going to have bags of Walkers Lightly Sea Salt Sunbites! I love them!!

I suspect I remain firmly off-message...

Right, going to triple-check packing.

Eek!

:o)

Today's stats
Nada - lots to do, too little time!

137. To sleep, perchance to dream

There's nothing I like better than dragging myself home from work and then straight back out again to the gym to put in some more hours on the (static) bike. (Note - this may not be the whole truth.) (Note - this may not even be at all truthful.)

Was caught in a train/taper/train/taper dilemma tonight, this did a shorter but still intensive session over imaginary hills. Tomorrow will try for a "light spin" (hour on the flat) as I'm supposed to be carb-loading not carb-burning at present. Exciting stuff, eh?

In other exciting news, I was supposed to pack tonight (so as not to do it at the last minute) but have revised this to writing lists of what to pack. And then packing tomorrow (at the last minute...). No plan survives contact with my sloth!

Finally (lists to write!!), I am supposed to be getting good long sleeps at the moment... Which hasn't really worked so far this week... And may again start tomorrow... Or, you know, Friday...

Feeling jolly well prepared currently!

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 50 mins, 9.5 miles [hill intervals at Level 3]

136. Alas poor Boris, I knew him well

Time to reflect on the past few weeks and months.

First, spend a decent amount of money on a new bike. Then spend a fair amount more on bits and pieces for the new bike. Then, today, take bike apart (somewhat randomly in the end) and shove him (with, ultimately, more brute force than care and attention) into a box and hand him over to a random courier to send him off to where he needs to be on Saturday. Where I get to try and put Humpty back together again... Well, that's one way to randomly fling a lot of good and bad money out the window!

I cannot truly express how stressful today was. I've never taken a bike apart before (frankly, I still find it somewhat anachronistic - I mean, I'm paying for a bike that works, not bike bits). In theory it is relatively simple. In practise... The first thing that you have to do is to remove the pedals. After several hours - and one broken spanner! - I had a bit of a meltdown. Possibly even a mini panic attack. In the end, I had to drive Boris to the bike shop where they (now fully convinced that I am the weirdest person that they've ever met) removed the pedals for me. With a bike spanner (only £10 at all good stockists! No, I didn't buy one), and more brute force than my puny arms would ever be able to apply to the problem.

Then there was the taking off of the wheels (which I managed, although I was kind of hoping not to have to do - no idea how to get the chain back on the sprockets... But since I can barely work them, will it matter if I don't have working gears?). And the removal of the handlebars (not as tricky as the other bits, but I doubt that I'll ever get the cables sorted again). And then, after much desperately trying to convince Boris that he did indeed fit in the box, removal of the front mudguard (which I paid for someone to put on in the first place!).

Then, somewhat desperate, I tried to fit all these bits into the one (really quite large box). And they kind of wouldn't go. I tried to be sensible about it, but after a few hours, I ended up shoving. I rather suspect there are quite a few delicate parts on Boris which will not be non-functional. And so if he arrives as scheduled (and the courier people were rather blase about the whole thing...) and I get him out of the box AND I work out how to put him back together... Odds on, he still won't work. Note to self: don't do this again. The stress alone may kill you!

As I clutch my caffeine-free (and allegedly soothing) cup of chamomile tea (hmph), I do have to wonder (again) what on earth I think that I'm doing...?

(@_O)

Today's stats
Taking Boris apart and putting him in a box - not sure how to measure this, but I was dripping with sweat by the end...

Monday's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 1 hr 0 mins, 11.2 miles [hill intervals at Level 3]

135. Nor any drop to drink

Hmmm. The Good Lord moves in mysterious ways...

First he sent torrential rains and floods for most of Sunday. Well, all right, I can work round that...

Then he sent a slightly... Querulous stomach, which is odd as I've been trying very hard to eat very good foods at regular intervals (am now sick of chicken and salmon). Well, OK, there was some cake yesterday, but the stomach likes cake. Or, at least, I like cake and the stomach is expected to follow suit. Anyway, not a massive problem as can wait out the floods while waiting for stomach to get over itself.

Finally decided to do my hours in the saddle in the gym today - the torrential rain passed over eventually, but then the light was fading at an alarming rate. 3 hours or so on a bike in the gym - very dull, but do-able. And if I do intervals (hills every so often) then it won't be quite so unrepresentative of proper cycling.

Or so one might think. First issue - the bike will only let you set a ride for up to 99 mins. Okay... I can do a 90-min cycle followed by another 90-min cycle: not as easy to keep track of the distance, but only 2 numbers to add together. Second issue - bike decided it had had enough after about an hour (and I wasn't paying strict attention, and so I know I'd definitely done at least an hour's cycling at this point) and re-set itself. Okay... Set off on another 90-min "hilly" ride. This one stops after 40 or so mins (I was paying closer attention at this point). Set off on another "hilly" ride - stops after 20 mins. Quite vexed by this point (it's not as if I really want to be slogging through mile after mile on the stupid static bike) I try again. After 28 mins another re-set occurred and I had had quite enough, and stropped off home so that the bike would know that I was very unhappy with it.

Obviously, I had misunderstood the master plan for today. I should just have stayed at home on the sofa, every so often watching a video explaining how to take Boris apart for transport. Obviously. But it's too late now, and so I'll just have to go to bed and try again tomorrow...

(@_@)

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - ~2 hrs 28 mins, ~26.5 miles [2 hours hill intervals at Levels 1, 2, 3 and 5; 25 mins flat at Level 4]

Saturday's stats
Walking - 24 mins, 1.81 miles

134. The gift of experience

For clarity, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify and define what I consider to be "fun" activities. What I would genuinely prefer to be spending my time doing. Which can pretty much be summed up as lying on a sun lounger beside a pool in the Caribbean with a cocktail in one hand and a book in the other. Now that's my idea of a good time...

Those labouring under the misapprehension that I expect to enjoy the random challenges that I sign up to - let alone the endless training that they all seem to involve - should think again. This isn't for fun, it's for charity, dammit! And, you know, various things like not eating myself into an early grave (*yawn*)...

Much fraught consideration today of whether my training has been sufficient to: (a) complete the 100-mile distance; (b) complete the distance within the 9-hour cut-off; and (c) indicate any real aptitude at cycling (i.e. are the "falling off" episodes a thing of the past?!).

There are 2 distinct schools of thought on this: (1) no to all the above (which I fear to be the case); (2) yes to all the above (which I hope to be the case). Weight is given to school 2 by the fact that I did manage to complete a marathon "run" last year and also then didn't relapse back onto my (dearly beloved) sofa; weight is given to school 1 by the fact that I haven't cycled over 20-ish miles yet in one go and haven't yet experienced cycling in groups (or indeed feeding on the bike)... I am sort of dementedly lurching from one school to the other whilst trying to remember to do minor things (like organise insurance for Boris!) and gracefully carry on with everything else in life (erm, work, mostly).

Of course, if I didn't cycle like a demented bumble bee (all my power is in my left leg, all my control in my right arm - you try going forward in a straight line!) then it might help. A bit. But just when you thought all hope was gone...

Discussion today on training, cycling, food, etc with one of the at-work cycling gurus (Ironman) elicited the information that you don't have to steer a bike with the handlebars - rather you just lean your shoulders and the bike follows. I've been cycling Boris rather like driving a car (and I do remember having to actually learn to turn the wheel to make the car move left or right...). Ironman sent me off to practise this new knowledge. And so I did. Carefully. I can be a bit literal, and so I didn't do anything with my shoulders - but when I wanted to go round a right-hand bend I bent my right elbow (keeping my left elbow/arm straight) and this automatically tipped my should in the correct direction. And it worked. Every. Single. Time! This does now mean that I can carry speed round corners (and thus terrify myself even more than usual) rather than brake carefully to ensure that I make the turn... But basically it just amused me for the whole ride tonight that it worked.

Who knows what I'll have learned how to do (which I'm sure your average 12-year-old boy already knows) by the time next weekend comes around?!

:oD

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 9 mins, 13.3 miles [same route, yet another distance. Ah, the joys of technology!]

133. Mostly on the plain

The weather has turned sultry, I believe is the right word. Whereas last week I was bemoaning all the lovely sunshine (too hot! Too hot!), this week we have nice cooling thunderstorms and torrential rain. I am going to keep my thoughts on the weather to myself from now on... While I am not allowed to not cycle because of rain (this isn't running, you know), I do draw the line at cycling in torrential downpours. Not least because it turns my cycle route to work into a standing-water-covered hazard.

So, with the excuse for not cycling to work and back today out of the way, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank various people. Firstly the couple wandering the (wide) cyclepath/walkway this evening with their 3 dogs (not on leads): my thanks for giving me the opportunity to actually hit a dog while out cycling. I was kind of hoping to avoid it, and certainly I'm proud of my brakes (when I say "hit" I mean "touch on the side with my front wheel after a desperate bit of emergency braking"). Thankfully, you had the good sense to chide the dog for being "silly" rather than remonstrate with me at that time (oh, yes, it was the dog's fault. Uh-huh). And extra special thanks to the lovely man further up the path who informed me as I cycled past that if I use my bell in future I won't be hitting any more dogs. I've thought of a lot of pithy responses since then, much better than my "I shouted 'excuse me' several times!" in actual response... Probably just as well that I was on my bike and anxious to get home (which I nearly was) at the time...

Although, it might indeed be an idea to have a working bell on my bike. After several weeks of assuming that I couldn't work the bell, it is now apparent that it's broken. I've never actually used it (did it ever work), but after multiple off-bike excursions, I have to assume that I have managed to break it in something rather less than anger. I refuse - refuse! - to buy any more damned cycling kit, though.

I may steal Aggie's bell and transfer it across to Boris... She'll never notice...

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 7 mins, 13.29 miles [same route as yesterday, different distance. Go figure...]

132. New boots

So Boris went off to the shop to get himself some new boots at the weekend. (Aaargh! More new stuff! There goes next year's holiday too...). Boris appears to like his new boots. I, however, am not so enamoured. Road tyres are so thin and weedy - I liked the wider knobbly tyres that he had before... And of course, new inner tubes were required as well, which meant new spare inner tubes were required also. I now have 4 spare inner tubes, of varying sizes, and still no real idea what I'm supposed to do with any of them. Hey, ho.

I did enquire as to whether I could get new wheels too (in for a penny, in for many, many pounds). But apparently this is not a good idea: there's some wear thing that happens and unless you're changing wheels all the time then the wheels and, uh, whatever don't wear at the same rate. Or something. The man in the shop quite sincerely informed me that it was much better to just change the tyres, and that that was really something that I should learn to do. He laughed - laughed! - when I informed him that this was something that I was actively trying not to do. Hmph.

The point of all this added expenditure was to gain some speed. Brought about by a conversation with one of my cycling gurus where my intention to do the RideLondon thingy using my existing tyres was described as "brave". Huge warning signs appeared upon hearing this comment - "brave" would indicate a trickier route being taken - and thus the plan to change to proper road tyres was born. Never let it be said that I knowingly passed up an easier route to any given goal...

In other news I have - after much panicking - finally secured myself a bike box (for the shipping of Boris around and about). Yay! Unfortunately now that I have the bike box I have discovered that it doesn't really fit in my car (*sigh*), at least not without much re-designing of the interior of the car. But that's a relatively simple problem compared to still not knowing how to disassemble Boris so that he fits into the box... Problem for another day, I think.

:o}

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 7 mins, 13.32 miles [speed entirely due to new tyres...]

131. Locusts, fire, floods and contact lenses

Another pootle along the seafront, another rather slower than expected result. Delays caused by cobbles, roadworks, people in the way (and deaf to polite "Excuse me, please!" pleas), dogs, a stiff cross-wind and...

My contact lenses. A new addition to the endless list of why I am so slow at this cycling lark. Welcome them warmly!! Early in my ride - still in sight of the house, in fact (ah, the irony) - I got something in my eye and my contact lens did not like this. It then started creating (cue sudden stop as vision distinctly lacking) and ultimately "went missing". After several minutes of rubbing and gurning (and possibly due to the level of invective being heaped upon its head) the contact lens decided to return from hiding. And I resumed my trek...

In other news, I am attempting to reduce my daily caffeine intake. No, really. I am! Obviously, coffee remains a constant of my working day (consciousness being vital) but of an evening now I am embracing the opportunity to try out various caffeine-free beverages. All of which seem to have somewhat miraculous powers (they don't actually claim to be able to bring about world peace, but it can only be a matter of time). In practise this means that I am embracing the "delights" of teas which I have previously generically referred to as "weird sh** tea". How the mighty are fallen... I can't say that I can find much to object to chamomile or even nettle (nettle?!?!) tea, although I do suspect that I am now paying rather a lot of money for lightly coloured and perfumed hot water...

The ultimate purpose of this caffeine-reduction is to make taking caffeine more effective on race day... Indeed, I may need to embrace a few days of even less caffeine in the immediate build-up... Never let it be said that I don't make sacrifices for my, er, art...

(^_^)

Today's stats
Walking - 24 mins, 1.38 miles [literary ramblings] 
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 10 mins, 11.46 miles [once more included walking as a fun "extra"]

130. Closed for renovation

So I was getting bored with the normal route and decided to be adventurous tonight. New route (fingers crossed tightly that I wouldn't get lost) planned, Boris unleashed, flatter and thus hopefully faster time before me!

Or not...

Several things got between me and proof that I can actually average the mandated 12 miles per hour:

1) cobbles. Neither I nor Boris were impressed by the cobbles (and there were an alarming number)... The cycle-route planners strike again!

2) dogs. Or rather dog owners. Or, specifically, dog owners standing on one side of the wide esplanade while their dog is having fun on the other side - and stretching the adjustable lead between the two sides. That's not at all dangerous and indeed just plain inconsiderate to all other users of said esplanade...


3) roadworks. Yes, indeed, the council continues its hate strategy. Not one, not two, but three (3!!) sets of roadworks between me and where I was trying to go tonight... I actually had to walk around one set... Taking to the bike was supposed to defeat the council's works against me, not give them more scope!!

Other than that... It was quite nice (pleasant view), but it's obvious that the nights are drawing in now (aargh!). It's getting harder to get out after work and back again before dusk has started to turn to night. Sunset over the water is nice, but also somewhat alarming when you're still quite a way from home...

Tomorrow I return to the cycle-to-work-and-back madness... Although with that particular set of roadworks gone it should now be slightly quicker as there are a whole 2 miles less to travel! It's the small things in life which bring us true pleasure...

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 7 mins, 11.41 miles [included walking as a fun "extra"]

Saturday's stats
Walking - 26 mins, 1.5 miles [Home from the train station after a very fun day out]

129. Change is as good as a rest

Sticking with the nature theme (not entirely sure how that started - it hopefully won't last long), it would appear that the ants have finally tired of Broom Wars and have retired the field. Either that or they are playing a damned fine game of Hide and Seek. Could go either way, really...

Have decided that I can only worry about so much at once (other people know this instinctively, I need to spend significant time to work this out) and my current focus is distance on the cycling front. Yes, the time issue is a concern (given RideLondon are very firm on cut-off times, and I appear to be way slower than the required minimum), but at the very least I need to be sure that I can cover the distance at all.

To that end, went out to cycle towards work and back home again. Nights are drawing in and so I'm running out of time in the evening to get out and back in daylight. Yes, I have bike lights. Sadly, Boris does not - Aggie (who has still not left the kitchen) is queen of the lights. I should probably do something about that... Anyway, went out for a decent time/distance, and discovered that - much to my shock - the council appear to have finished their roadworks! The fun 2-mile diversion is gone!

I am quite happy about this (shorter route to work!) but also thinking - now I don't know how to get to work (*sigh*) and, also, maybe the old route was better for training? It's a quandary... One which I don't need - the council does indeed hate me. The problem being that without the diversion signs, the longer route is a completely random route through featureless countryside (*yawn*) - if I try to find it by myself I am likely to end up circling aimlessly for hours (technically a good thing from the training point of view, but could get old very quickly).

Still, I can't say that I'll honestly miss the kamikaze sheep. They might have livened up an otherwise dull route, but I have enough issues with kerbs as it is. Not to mention drinking from my water bottle while on the bike and yet still maintaining a relatively straight line... More practise required!

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 34 mins, 15.98 miles [out and home again, confused by the lack of diversion]
Walking - 21 mins, 1.32 miles [regular as clockwork]

128. All creatures great and small

Ants have discovered my front door. Or, rather, ways around it (I'm assuming under it, but anything's possible). Finding a few of the little critters wandering aimlessly about my front hall the other day I decided to be kind and merciful, and to enhance the Zen me who has been sadly lacking of late, and swept them up to release them back into the wild...

Sadly, my new ant friends seem to have interpreted this as some sort of game, and over the past few days have consistently made there way back into the front hall only to be swept up and escorted back out again. If this goes on for much longer I may lose my Zen focus and start stomping... Luckily, there are never very many of them and so I have not felt any need to resort to, well, chemical-based eradication of their entire hive!!!!! *ahem* Sorry, insane despot mode clicked on there for a moment.

Also, when driving home the other day I encountered a seagull in the middle of the road which both I and another car found ourselves carefully driving around. This is unusual (they usually fly away), but this seagull was pacing back and forward in the middle of the road with no intention of shifting. So we drove round his pesky vermin ass. Looking in the mirror as I drove away, I discovered what had so fixated him: he was attempting to drag the squashed corpse of a pigeon from the middle of the road off to, well, somewhere else.

Ah, the beauties of nature in all her glory!

Other than that, I've done some cycling. Probably not enough. Or the wrong sort. Or not hard enough. I'm feeling quite inadequate at the moment. As ever not helped by the RideLondon people. They have finally sent information out about the courier service... To use it I need a bike box (which I don't have) and need to disassemble my bike (which I don't know how to do) and then reassemble it again in London. Oh, and do so in reverse within 2 hours of the end of the RideLondon tosh to ensure that it gets sent back to me again (as ever, at a time convenient to the courier). So, that's a couple of extra days leave (to take it to the courier, and then to be in to receive it back), yet more money (both for the courier service and for a bike box), and yet another new skill to be learned in a hurry (take bike apart and then put back together. So that it works. For ~105 miles minimum).

Inadequate indeed! Why am I doing this...??!

(@_@)

Today's stats
Cycling (in the gym) - 1 hr 0 mins, 12.4 miles [Level 5]

Wednesday's stats
Walking - 24 mins, 1.35 miles [ahoy the library!]

127. Onward! Ish...

Hmm....

This weekend was supposed to be all about endurance training (seem to have managed to not do any of that yet - oops!). But...

There was sport on TV (Tour de France! Formula 1! And some sort of tennis thingy...) which it seems that I absolutely had to watch... And it was hot and sunny (too hot to cycle - I might melt...). And...

RideLondon sent out another missive on how to be prepared for the big day. Which I found about as reassuring as hearing drill noises when entering a dentist's. Basically, I retreated into my cave and tried to pretend that if I hid inside where no one could see me then everything would be OK. Patently this strategy does not have legs, but it rather explains away my lack of activity this weekend.

On the other hand, I got lots of other things done. I took Boris to the shop (for a routine check-up - he's apparently fine. For a given definition of fine...). Bought more cycling stuff that I really don't know what to do with (but is important to have to hand); included in this were some road tyres for young Boris - not fitting them yet, but will do before the big day in the desperate hope that this will magically bring me some speed. RideLondon very firm on cut-off times all the way round the route... Got to get out of the way of the professionals, you know... Hmph.

Also went to the cinema - saw "Man of Steel". Not too bad for a Superman movie, but... I'm really not a fan of Big Blue (he's such a boy scout!). General Zod was great though; and Russell Crowe got a lot of very nice screen time for a dead man!

Oh, and I got my hair cut. So it's not like I did absolutely nothing... But in the grand scheme of things, and with the best will in the world, a new haircut is unlikely to really assist me in cycling 100 miles (102 with the stupid rolling start)...

Darnit!!

:o}

Today's stats
Cycling (in the gym) - 1 hr 0 mins, 12.2 miles [better than nothing...]
Walking - 42 mins, 2.55 miles [Round and about]

Saturday's stats
Walking - 27 mins, 1.54 miles [around]
Walking - 21 mins, 1.3 miles [about]
Walking - 21 mins, 1.32 miles [and back again]

126. Designed to cycle

I do wonder what cycle-route designers are thinking when they plan the route out. I suspect there are meeting that are chock-full of conversations like this:

"So, we've got a really long downhill section here..."
"Ah, yes, picking up a lot of speed. Nice wide road."
"So I'm thinking, at the end, there should probably be a tight right turn..."
"Just the ticket!"
"Onto a narrow uphill path?"
"That's perfect! They'll love that!!"

I mean, that's how such conversations must go given the prevalence of such things on cycle routes (albeit that I've really only experienced one at length). My particular favourite is the tight left turn onto a short narrow path that goes up and then sharply down straight onto barriers before a pedestrian crossing on a busy road. All the fun of the fair!! And don't get me started on semi-vertical descents terminating in a narrow road with lots of parked cars and bollards... Oh, the bollards... Cycling skills increasing exponentially due to the fact that my only other option is certain death.

Not enjoying the super-fast downhill sections on my route to work. I can take the uphill bits (horrid as they are) but I'd rather not go downhill again straight afterwards. Quite terrified by the whole experience. I am trying not to sit on my brakes, but sitting and/or standing up to reduce speed is just not sufficient for me... I like my speed solely when enclosed in a nice big steel box with lots of padding and safety features...

Still, cycling routes (or at least my present one) do enable one to enjoy some interesting road signs. "Beware local estate traffic" is a good one (works in both town and city - although with somewhat different meanings). Another is "Please drive carefully - lambs on road". And they are indeed on the road. This side. No, that side. No, I was right the first time... I have discovered that: (a) sheep do "baa", and quite loudly; (b) Sheep will leap onto and across the road at will, and shouting at them has no effect.

After a day of constant braking in terror, I'm off for a stiff drink and a lie down...

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 2 hrs 0 mins, 20.29 miles [not too bad, could have been better...]

125. Curiouser and curiouser

So... I know that you're all desperate for an update on the puffy face situation. Well, after a bit of a think, I read the "possible side effects" section of my hay-fever pills. And I quote:

"Difficulty in breathing, swelling of the face, neck, tongue or throat (severe allergic reactions)".

Well, now... I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier... It's so obvious that I would be allergic to my anti-allergy medication. Why didn't I think of that earlier?! Well, there's no absolute evidence one way or another: but just to be on the safe side I might stop taking the Loratadine and move to an alternative medication (there are after all many to choose from...).

On the up side, my face is less puffy. On the down side, I have moved straight from puffiness to eczema. And let me tell you, eczema on your eyelids - something to avoid if you are at all capable of doing so.

In other news, post the latest unexpected separation from Boris I decided not to chance a second commute to work on the bike (on the principle that I didn't want to get half way to work only to discover that either I or Boris didn't work). So Wednesday became an evening-only bike ride day (which both Boris and I survived). Today is a day off. Tomorrow... Well, we'll see how that goes.

Shoulder still hurts, but otherwise I appear to be unscathed by the near-pavement experience. Although, my body, as ever has stuck to the principle that if I'm in pain then there are no visible symptoms, and if I'm not then a rather excitingly-coloured bruise should appear. Which is annoying - although some of the colours in the bruises are pretty cool.

So, in summary, I'm looking good. A puffed face; patches of eczema flourishing everywhere; random bruising; a semi-permanent hunched back (my shoulder! my back!); and the ever-present dodgy leg. Really, poster person for a fitter and healthier lifestyle here!

As ever, the obvious remains true: exercise is bad for your health!

(@_@)

Wednesday's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 54 mins, 10.28 miles [everything appears to still work...]
Walking - 46 mins, 2.83 miles [lunchtime stroll]
Walking - 24 mins, 1.4 miles [usual trip to the library - tracker said this was 1.9 miles! Re-set tracker...]

124. I just flew in from the windy city...

the windy city is mighty purdy,
but they aint got what we got
no sirree
(etc)

Today was a bit up and down (rather like the lovely route itself), full of highs and lows...

High: face is less puffy than yesterday.
Low: face is more noticeably puffy today (I look like I'm developing a black eye on one side!) and so had to talk about it more today. Kinda hoping that it's just going to go away tomorrow (otherwise I'll end up having to go to the doctor and it'll turn up to be both fatal and highly contagious. You know how these things go...).

High: got up and cycled to work, sneering in the face of the forecast rain and wind.
Low: forgot to put my contacts in this morning (and took 4-5 miles to notice - definition of not a morning person!) and spent the day wandering around in a gently blurred landscape. Which was OK apart from when returning home in low light and trying to see which way the teeny little cycle-route signs were pointing.

High: left work and cycled home, despite the strong wind and persistent rain. Discovered that wind can be quite useful as an aid to braking.
Low: discovered that that's pretty much wind's only use when on a bike - otherwise is makes you cycle slowly and tires you out. Oh, and threatens to blow you off bridges...

High: I can recommend Sudocrem and BioFreeze.
Low: even Sudocrem can only do so much...

High: didn't fall off en route to work.
Low: got to within 30 seconds of home (dead-end road leading to the estate my house is on) and tried to go up a kerb (to get out of the path of one of my neighbours who was not for stopping, despite the fact we were both trying to use the same part of the road) only to instead come off the bike heavily onto my right shoulder and head (note to self: unless you're approaching it at precisely 90 degrees, avoid kerbs). No, the car didn't stop (or even slow) during my elegant de-biking. Car drivers are evil.

High: very nice neighbour (next driver along road) who stopped to ask if I was OK, and then wouldn't drive on until he'd seen me get back up on my feet and walk along the street. Car drivers are lovely.
Low: shoulder is really rather stiff and sore. I look forward to seeing the bruise tomorrow (maybe it'll draw resources away from the puffiness?).

Whip crack-away, indeed!

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hrs 38 mins, 17.14 miles [better than last week - fewer diversions!]
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 43 mins, 16.52 miles [oddly shorter than the same route the other way... Hmmm...]

123. Up-hill struggle

Had a lovely weekend away - convivial company, sunny weather, and best of all no bike! *ahem*

Sadly, I've now built up a rather large head of steam on the guilt front, not to mention I now automatically flinch any time anyone mentions August... And so I did pop out for a quick spin on Boris on Sunday evening.

But I seem to have over-done the sun yesterday (not entirely sure how - it was nice I sunny away from home, but I didn't spend huge amounts of time out in it - as I have spent all day today with a hot face which was puffed up like I'd had an allergic reaction. One of my more attractive looks (very juicy tomato) that I am hoping will pass by tomorrow (as I found it rather distracting). Not least as I ended today very tired and with a headache (which led to the planned RPM class not happening... *sigh*).

Having improved my understanding of the correct clothing requirements for long-distance cycling(who knew?!), and confirmed that I remain correct in my stance that triathlon is not for me (I relish both my dignity and modesty... For no real reason, but I am rather attached to both). Plus in equal measure have been reassured that I can still get myself trained up for the RideLondon, and also confirmed that I've left it all too late and I'm going to die half-way up Box Hill. It'll be exciting to see which way things will eventually fall, eh?! [If I get that far - 60 or so miles into the ride is when said hill pops up - what a fantastic route choice!]

Otherwise, my leg is giving me gyp, which I'm staunchly trying to ignore (rather hard as we are, quite literally, joined at the hip). But I'm sure, with more something (training? Right food? Rest? Water?) it will all work itself out and all will be well.

At times, I find my own positivity slightly sickening...

;oD

Today's stats
Walking - 23 mins, 1.63 miles [to library and back, another random distance for the same route] 

Yesterday's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 49 mins, 9.86 miles [quick tootle along the cycle paths, which I thought was slightly further than it turned out to be...]

122. To infinity, and beyond!

Much to my surprise - and I'm sure yours - I actually did the training that I was supposed to do today. Yes, that's right, I cycled to work and back. A lovely 15-mile cycle which thanks to the Council (who hate me) is currently in excess of 17 miles long.

Lots to write, but am absolutely shattered and must to bed if I'm to do this all again tomorrow... *sob*

Quick things I've learnt:
1) there's no point in asking whether if a cyclist fell over in a wood would anyone hear it, because if that cyclist is me then the answer is yes. I fell twice today, once colliding with a kerb (Boris now a bit less polished than before) and once just randomly because I couldn't get foot 2 into the toe-clip. The first time was in full view of a bin lorry and the queue of cars behind it (I should have charged). The second was in the middle of nowhere with no one in sight... Apart from another cyclist who passed me at just that moment. Am disaster, will travel.
2) the Council might hate me, but they can set up a very well-sign-posted diversion (follow the little black box) for a cycle path. Slightly better sign-posted than the route itself, weirdly, but there you go.
3) I have no sense of direction. When in a hurry, this leads to faffing about and trying to work out where I went wrong. When not in a hurry, this doesn't really happen.
4) I don't like hills. I really don't like 2-mile-long steep climbs which go on and on, only to be followed by a long downhill section... Only to be followed by another big climb. Really think that there's no need for such hilliness.
5) I owe a debt of thanks (and possibly chocolate. And money. And anything else of value that I own) to the cycling guru that gave me a gears masterclass last week. I can now move between all the gears at my disposal with some sort of control. Which is essential when trying to get to the lowest gear available as fast as possible.

Right now, everything hurts. My upper back is moving for a ballot on strike action. My posterior is unhappy at the sight of Boris. My inner arms - just above my wrists - both sport rather fetching bruises (not sure what I'm banging them against but it's bike-related). And, as a nice gear-related memento, Boris got back at me for fall number 1 by falling over on his own and spearing my calf with his sprockets.

Thus I am now a proper cyclist. I am lightly coated everywhere in Deep Heat, and chock-full of Ibruprofen. Roll on tomorrow!

(@_@)

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 2 hrs 0 mins, 17.83 miles [to work, via lots of random places which weren't that fun]
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 43 mins, 17.32 miles [to home, with remarkably few detours. Remarkable.]

121. Not sporadically

So....

Full-scale panic now re training for the RideLondon tosh. Am behind in the training. And not following any of the revised plans to get me back on track. And time keeps marching on...

So tomorrow it is time. Time to cycle to work and back. Even thought the council's "cycle-path works" have over-run and there is still a 3km diversion in place on my route to work (no, really, scenic tour of the country en route to work in order to... Improve the cycle path). I will be bold. I will be brave. I will cross my fingers and pray that I will eventually get to work (how hard can it be?) at worst. OK, it'll take me 3 times longer than driving there... But so much better for me.

Boris is looking forward to it. In his own way.

Gears still elude me. I did have a masterclass last week - which made sense at the time - but didn't seem to work in practise on tonight's ride. Not sure why (might have broken them already - perfectly possible). Sadly, the way to know which gear you're in appears to be to loo (down and back) at the actual gears (cogs and sprockets and all). I've given it a try, but it's a bit dangerous (if I'm looking down and back, no one really knows where Boris is going) and, well, my leg's in the way and so I can't actually see what I'm looking at.

Still, I'll keep giving it a try in the (probably vain) hope that it will all become clear eventually...

Oh, and note to those sharing the cyclepaths with me: you don't need to be right beside the person you're walking with. You NEED to avoid the bike coming straight towards you at speed. So when you're stepping to one side out of the way of the bike, please do try to do that only once. Step one way, realise you've stepped away from your friend, and then step back the other way - recipe for quite a painful disaster. This should be obvious, but apparently not... I'm not stopping on a dime here, people!!

:o}

Wednesday's stats
Walking - 32 mins, 1.68 miles [walk instead of run due to shoe disaster]

Today's stats
Walking -  23 mins, 1.34 miles [library and back again... No, no idea why the distance is different!]
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 14 mins, 13.48 miles [trying out the route for tomorrow -nearly didn't get lost!]

120. The Adventures of Boris, Day 3

Well, now. That was just over a week of sloth and general lack of training... Just as well I'm not working against the clock here to get to a certain level of fitness for a particular event...

Boris and I went out today for another tour of the cycle paths (and I do mean "tour" - a sense of direction is a valuable thing...) this evening. This was something of a relief for us both, as he's been brooding in the hall for a week, and I've been very close to hiding in the kitchen with Aggie ("Don't go outside - it's scary!"). Although that wouldn't be all bad - there's rum in that thar kitchen!

I'm sure that I'll suffer tomorrow, but I don't currently appear to be any worse at the old cycling lark. No better (bit of a worry), but at least not worse. It would help if I didn't keep having to stop, turn around and try to take the right turn repeatedly, but there you go.

I don't think that I learned anything new tonight - but on a positive note, I can nearly get foot 2 into the toe clip thingy without swerving wildly all over the road (and/or falling off). Nearly. It's still taking me several minutes, but at some point in the next few weeks I may well be able to get on the bike and look like I know what I'm doing.

Gears remain a mystery, though. I know when I want to go up gears and down gears, but quite what my gears are actually doing and why (I still don't care about the how) is still somewhat vague. I though that I had it sussed last time, but it appears not.

Still, it's good to have goals to aspire to...

;o)

Yesterday's stats
Walking - 23 mins, 1.45 miles [library and back...]

Today's stats
Walking -  21 mins, 1.43 miles [library and back again... No, no idea why the distance is different!]
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 8 mins, 13.18 miles [to there! And back again! With detours...]

119. The Adventures of Boris, Day 2

I was almost eager for tonight's cycle, albeit that I did spend time this evening looking out the gel seat to affix to Boris' saddle (yes, one 10-mile ride and it's already time for the gel seat. Does not bode well...).

I had researched the route, you see ("ah, that's where I went wrong") and the whole gear issue (gears on left = 2 (just leave in position 1 until you know what you're doing; gears on right = 10, vary as necessary). And so I felt ready for another test ride. Which wasn't as much fun as yesterday because: needed the gel seat; upper back and shoulders were already sore; I was trying to get somewhere specific quickly rather than randomly touring cyclepaths I'd never seen before (and greenery does not interest me). Still, better than running!

Things I've learnt:

1) Still don't understand gears. Well, no, OK, I get what they're for, but I'm never sure what gear I'm in (why are there no numbers?!) and I'm unconvinced that I'm shifting gears in the direction I intended. I mean, I'm shifting gears, but whether I'm going up or down remains something of a mystery until the gear is shifted...

2) There is no requirement to understand gears in order to be able to fit the bike's chain back on to its sprockets. That I can do. Which is just as well...

3) I can now navigate myself (pretty much) to where I want to go (testing out the "cycle to work" route in increasing stages). This does note, however, mean that I can equally navigate back home reliably. An obvious turn one way becomes a "what was that? Should I have turned there?" in the other direction...

4) You can experience pain in your forearms. Never knew that. Well, obviously, they have nerves and stuff so it must be possible, but still... Quite why the middle of each forearm is sore is a mystery to me - but doubtless if I actually read one of the cycling books I have on loan from the library it will explain all!

5) Cakes leave their tins much more easily (and, crucially, in one piece) if they have cooled to the point of not being warm to the touch. Yes, that's right - the hand-mixer has been replaced and the baking is now resuming!!

Tomorrow, I need to find my cycling gloves too. Not because I particularly need them, but because they are the only cool bit of cycling kit that I own. Clad head-to-foot in cycling gear, only the gloves aren't miserably embarrassing... Sad, but true.

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 13 mins, 13.02 miles [to there! And back again (eventually...)!!]

118. The Adventures of Boris, Day 1

Nice, sunny evening. I dragged myself home, forced myself into my new cycling kit, bribed myself with ice cream, and took Boris out for a bit of a cycle.

Things I've learnt:
1) cycling outside is a very protein-rich experience - no one has previously mentioned the significant amount of flies that are eaten when cycling about the place. Although this is actually less unpleasant than the significant number that just sort of smash into one's face en route.
2) I really do not understand gears. I might possibly have worked out how to move the gears about - but I'm not sure how many there are, whether I'm moving them up or down, and indeed what I'm supposed to do with them, ever. They're not numbered and I don't have an instruction book - I'm fairly sure that this has "disaster" written all over it, but I guess I'll have to go with a gradual trial and error learning process... Or just continue to ignore them altogether.
3) parks are nice to cycle around. Mostly because you can cycle around them and thus don't have to actively try to change direction - me on a bike equals a turning circle of about half a mile.
4) I really do have no sense of direction - I went off to cycle around the cycle routes nearby. Which I did. Without ever actually cycling on the one cycle path I was looking for... In my defence, the cycle paths are almost all along what used to be railway tracks and so have steep embankments on either side and no distinctive features to track by. Except Tescos, apparently, which I liked so much I cycled past it 3 times, regardless of the fact that I shouldn't have been cycling past it at all (completely the wrong direction).
5) I lack confidence and grace on a bike - I can get one foot onto the pedal OK, but the second one won't ever connect with the right side of the pedal (the pedals have "cages" for my feet) and I wobble and veer a lot. But this isn't so much or a problem as long as I stay away from cars. And other cyclists. And pedestrians... 

Apart from that...

Awesome fun. Loved zooming around cycle paths (going... Well, I'm still not sure where, but who cares?!) in the fading sunshine. Much more fun than running along the selfsame cycle paths! And I've just discovered huge parts of the city that I didn't know existed! I am a bold adventurer, tracking through the hidden reaches of the city with my trusty pal Boris!

Of course, tomorrow, I'll not be able to move from the pain in my upper back and shoulder. But that's tomorrow...

;oD

Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 5 mins, 10.68 miles [here, there and everywhere but where I was supposed to]

117. Well, there you go

So when I said "serious training" and "starts here" I obviously meant "no training at all" and "begins now". Wasn't that clear?

Boris and I are having a few relationship difficulties. He is brooding in the hall, unhappy at his confinement. I am lurking in the sitting room, quite intimidated by the whole grown-up bike concept. Not very mature, but when one is naturally inclined to avoidance as a strategy for managing conflict then this is what happens...

However, it is now 8 weeks until the ludicrousness that is the RideLondon-Surrey 100... And I doubt that I'll get through 100 miles cycling without doing some training. On an actual bike. Abject terror is now my close, personal friend.

In preparation for actually taking Boris back out of the house (yes, this does require preparation, maps, and careful timing too) I have been stocking up on cycling kit (advice from all: invest in decent cycling shorts). Although, it does have to be said, I see no reason to actually humiliate myself with cycling shorts at this early stage - it is still cool enough morning and evening to get away with full-length cycling tights. Unusually, I'm going to have to go with the sentiment that the more lycra the happier I am...

Never let it be said that I don't try to look the part - if all else fails, at least look like you know what you're doing. Despite all evidence to the contrary...

(@_@)

Today's stats
Walking - 23 mins, 1.39 miles [thank God for the library or I might never leave the house!]

116. Serious training starts here

Cleared my diary of running yesterday - woo-hoo!

Sadly, my thighs are once again feeling the strain (last time this happened, I had a nice post-marathon 3-week break from training... Bliss!). And I don't have time for this, as the cycling training needs to get a move on this week... So they'll have to get over themselves and ready to cycle pdq.

Need to actually get some long rides in - as that would be the bit of the training plan that has been most lacking to date. But, hey, Boris has arrived and so this shouldn't be a problem now, should it? And if it rains... I even have waterproof trousers for cycling in! The joy! The happiness of being prepared!

*sigh*

Am slightly worried about the lack of cross-training in the cycling training plan - it's all about the cycling - as I'm already walking about with a stiff back and hunched over in an "I'm-sitting-on-a-bike" style more than I'd like.... And so I'm going to have to add that in... Which means I'm going to be doing little in the next few weeks (months!) other than working and training.

To prepare myself for all this wonderful activity, I have spent the day lounging about eating chocolate and laughing at the pictures of me "running" the half-marathon.

Tomorrow, tomorrow I shall return to the plan and begin my devotion to cycling.

If Boris feels like it, that is...

;oD

Today's stats
Walking - 1 hr 19 mins, 3.01 miles [to town and about]
Walking - 36 mins, 1.82 miles [home again more directly]

115. Boris in the building

Today we welcome a new member of the family: Boris!

Boris is a bike, by the way, in case you were wondering. The new bike. The bike fit for cycling 100 miles in under 9 hours... He is, in many, many ways, a whole lot of bike.

Went to the bike shop to pick Boris up. Walked there. Obviously, I intended to walk back. Asked the bloke in the bike shop to strap the other things that I had bought to the bike to make it easier to walk it all home. He was kind enough to do so, but couldn't quite stop himself from looking at me like I was mental (OK, well, he might actually have laughed in my face, but in a nice way....). This is the third time that I have been to that shop and made an idiot of myself in front of the same sales assistant: either I can never go there again, or I can never shop anywhere else. Can't make up my mind...

Other than the safe arrival of Boris (he's dominating the hall at the moment - I can't let him into the kitchen, Aggie might teach him bad habits) the weekend hasn't started with a bang. G&T is taking an unscheduled break en route to coming here, and so I am spending my additional free time making the house messier rather than tidier as scheduled. Fingers crossed that the mighty train service gets its act together tomorrow...

Momentarily overcome at the arrival of Boris I did try to read some of the cycling handbooks/training guides that I have been collecting. First book was bombed out on page 7 (of 208). And I quote:

"In order to select the correct gears for your bike, an understanding of gearing is necessary."

OK, thinks I, concentration turned on, I'll give this a go (again).

"Bikes come with two or three front chainrings and eight, nine or ten cogs on the rear hub."

And I'm lost... I think the basic problem here is that we have different definitions of "understanding"...

Next!

:o)

Today's stats
Walking - 52 mins, 3.38 [off to the bike shop and back, gym and back] 

114. Sunday revelations

Woke up on Sunday morning and thought "oooh, did a lot of exercise yesterday!". And promptly took the day off (apart from a bit of walking). Followed by a Monday and a Tuesday off (just for fun, really).

In my defence, Sunday was the first time in my life that I have actually felt every muscle in my leg working as they, well, worked. I'm not sure whether this means that I am closing in on normality (although I doubt it) or if this was a sign (as I decided to take it) that I might need a bit of time off so as to not risk damaging said muscles. It was vaguely interesting for a bit (ooh, I'm using my glutes now. And my quads now. And there go the calf muscles!) but the novelty soon wore off. It is actually very distracting to be aware of all your muscles as the individually go to work. Normally, I just bimble along, thinking random thoughts: on Sunday, I bimbled along being bombarded with "glutes! Quads! Glutes!" running through my mind. It's a bit like being aware of the process of breathing, rather than just doing it. I hope that it's not a new feature of my happy life...

Anyway, all of this relaxation did not really affect the 5x50 final total - final day of the 5x50 was Sunday 19th May. My final total this year was 331km, up from 252km last year. Woo-hoo! Still failed on the basic premise (do 5km per day), but the random training plans weren't really conducive to that (they're really bid on having rest days)... Gives me something to aim for next year! *sigh*


In baking news, I still have no hand-mixer and so have been trying out recipes which do not involve creaming sugar and butter at any point. So far I've tried rock cakes and lemon and sultana muffins (OK, they should have been lemon and blueberry, but for some reason I didn't have any blueberries to hand...). These appeared to work out well enough (although the muffins were really heavy -quite dense, your average muffin, it appears). I do have to be careful with the baking, as it remains an issue that I am eating quite a lot of what I bake (for quality control purposes and so forth, of course). Although in the vast majority of cases that fact simply inspires me to bake more and not less...


;oD

Sunday's stats
Walking - 33 mins, 2.15 [off to the bike shop and back] 
Walking - 21 mins, 1.27 miles [Supermarket sweep...] 

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 1 hour, 13.3 miles [Level 5]

113. Feel the burn

There's a fantastic line in the RideLondon training plan, as follows: "exercising fasted is a means of encouraging the use of more stored fat as fuel". Basically, this means that you should try to do some of the cycling in the morning without having eaten beforehand. And you burn off fat. Woo-hoo! Sign me up!

Except for the fact that I can't fit in an hour-long cycle before going to work in the morning... Although the proposed "cycle to work" plan would sort that... Next week, maybe...

Anyway, today was the first morning that I managed to do an hour-long cycle without food first. It was OK. Although I did become ravenous shortly after finishing the cycle (which was inconvenient because I had to head off to Bodybalance. And once home from Bodybalance I could have eaten my body-weight in chocolate (which is why I avoid having such an amount of chocolate in the house nowadays). Note to self - obtain healthy snacks which can be consumed quickly to restore equilibrium post morning cycle. And then hide them so that they are only eaten in that circumstance.

There are other words of wisdom, but I understand them far less... ""at moderate Zone 1 effort" and "Stay in Zone 1 for more than 75% of ride time.". No idea what they're on about. There is a description, but it doesn't really help. I'm back in the "how am I supposed to know that?" world - unless you have a trainer riding alongside you, and a heart rate monitor that you're watching all the time, how are you supposed to know that you're spending 75% of the time at 60-80% of your max heart rate?!

When I'm running or cycling, I'm mostly just about the "keeping going". I don't have the time or energy for complicated mathematics. I'm pretty much ignoring the Zone thing (as well as 50% of the training plan, currently.... Hmm...) and hoping that this won't work against me in the long, uh, cycle.

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 1 hour, 12.5 miles [Level 5]
Bodybalance - 1 hour
Walking - 43 mins, 2.43 [off to have my hair cut - an up-hill trudge in the lovely seasonal rain...] 
Walking - 37 mins, 2.11 miles [home after coffee with ZG]

112. All the excitement of the gym

Am starting to experience daily (upper) back pain, which I am going to have to put down to the cycling tosh (rather than weird sleeping positions. Or just generally exercise being bad for you).

So I headed off to the gym tonight to work my upper-back and arm muscles in a different way on the cross-trainer (and not just to avoid having to go for a run. Honest! Well, mostly honest...). Which was largely uneventful, as gym visits go.

Although, the gym remains busy. There is a new repeat-user of the cross-trainer on the block - a young man who is clearly hard of hearing because he has to wear HUGE headphones over his ears in order to listen to his tunes while training. He looks like he's wearing ear-muffs... Or like he has a not-so secret Mickey Mouse obsession... And so Mickey Mouse (M to his friends) has joined our little troupe of gym-goers. Welcome!

Also in attendance were Gym Club Barbie (looking more Gym Club than Barbie today with a sombre all-grey outfit going on, and more actual exercise than flitting and fluttering), and Mirror Bloke. Mirror Bloke was behaving rather oddly (Gym Club Barbie and I shared some disconcerted and worried looks over this). He was using the treadmill (I'll admit, quite ferociously) and every so often... Exclaiming. He was in a part of the gym that was particularly prone to echo and this added to the effect, but... He was either exhorting himself to additional speed or distance, or singing along for a couple of works to his tunes: but to those of us not in tune with him, he was basically just shouting incomprehensible gibberish every couple of minutes. Quite distracting, and possibly a little alarming.

Luckily, getting off the treadmill seemed to cure him of the urge to exclaim to the room at large (perhaps he had been vocally fending of the power of the Sith?). I left him and Gym Club Barbie wordlessly arguing over who got to do their floor exercises right in front of the mirror (Gym Club Barbie was winning by virtue of having flung herself to the ground first).

The good news is that my upper back is not hurting like it was before. The bad news is that it is hurting in a different way now. Pah! I now intend to ignore it until it stops malingering. That's bound to work...

:o)

Today's stats
Cross-trainer - 37 mins, 5 miles [Level 5]

111. Moles in holes

It often takes me a lot of effort and energy to do relatively simple things - like leave the house. Not that leaving the house is difficult in and of itself, but it depends why I'm trying to leave the house.

For example, shopping which actually involves talking to a sales assistant. Meeting new people is one of the top ten most stressful things for me to do, and speaking to shop assistants counts. They're people too, you know... One of the reasons that I find this so stressful is the ever-present risk of appearing to be some kind of mentally-challenged loon. And I'm often told that I'm worrying too much, and that this is not a valid fear.

I offer as evidence an excerpt from my conversation with the sales assistant in the bike shop on Sunday. Bloke in shop (BiS) has just agreed that we need to get the right size of bike for me: he suggests I try out a 55cm frame before buying a 52cm frame (I thought that there would be measuring, but no, all a bit more interactive than that). He gets a suitable bike down from the display.

BiS: "So, you should just try this out and see if it fits."

Me (looking at bike): ""

BiS: "It looks a bit big, maybe, but you should try it to make sure."

Me (looking at bike): "Um..."

BiS: "So, just, uh, try it out, and..."

Me (looking at bike): "Well, you see, um, the thing is, well, um, I don't quite know how to get on it."

BiS: ""

Me (looking at bike): "Um..."

BiS (rallying, it has to be said, with aplomb): "Uh, well, you can just tilt it over like this and then, yes, get on it that way."

As you can see, my fears were completely groundless. Completely. This weekend, I might just play it safe and stay home, do some housework, avoid ever going into that shop again. That sort of thing.

Incidentally it was too big. The bike. 52cm frame it is!

(O~O)

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 1 hour, 13.1 miles [Level 5]


Sunday's stats
Walking - 32 mins, 2.1 miles [to the bike shop and back - shattering]

110. Over-crowding

The requirement to go cycling for an hour (I do better with miles than times, but the Challenge 5 training plan is all in times) means that I have to get myself to the gym earlier than usual (otherwise it'll be shut before I'm finished my hour). This means that there are more people in there along with me (aaargh! Company! Hide!!), and that it's still daylight when I start my training.

The other night I was surrounded by: Mirror Bloke (who once again prostrated himself at my feet to bend and flex most enthusiastically - I'm not sure why he needs to study himself closely while in the mirror while he does so, but there you go); Serious Bloke (who was weights and running focused - mixing things up by leaving out the rowing); and a new gym-goer who really has to be named Gym Club Barbie. She was little and very thin (and had to have Serious Bloke help her adjust the weight machines to her delicate little frame), dressed all in pink (pink shoes, pink socks, pink trousers, pink top), and no matter what she did she never quite managed to break a sweat. What other name could you really give her? Not only that, but she shared Mirror Bloke's obsession with the mirrored wall. After spending a little bit of time delicately using the machines in the gym, she cam over to the mirrored wall, kneeled down, and then lay herself back flat on the floor with her knees bent double and her calves running parallel to her thighs. All very impressively flexible - but at the end of the day she just looked like a human pretzel.

Although it does occur to me that I should be careful with the names that I invent for the other gym goers. After all, if I was inventing a name for myself, it would probably be "Long John Silver" at the moment, due to the on-going trouser-shortening issue when I'm cycling. I should probably bear that in mind in future. Or start wearing different clothes when I cycle in the gym...

Other exciting things that I've noticed in the gym - after only 18 months - is that the windows between the 2 mirrored walls are not blacked out or mirrored (as I've always assumed). They are in fact perfectly normal windows which look out onto a wall. When it's dark, they look mirrored (i.e. they are black and all I can see is me on the bike), which I find a lot less distracting. Yes, it's true, I can be distracted from exercise by a wall. Not entirely sure that the "habit-forming" element of the 5x50 challenge is working...

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 1 hour, 12.1 miles [Level 5]
Walking - 25 mins, 1.47 miles [to the library and back... Forgot to do anything else!]

109. Creatively stymied

Well. Just when you think that it's safe to step back in the kitchen... Your hand mixer stops working. Huh.

I tried turning it off and on again (well, off and not-on again, anyway) but it's not a computer and so that didn't work. Which has rather put a crimp in the cake-making shenanigans (I'm not creaming butter and sugar by hand - been there, done that, it wasn't fun). It might have been time for a break, though: I was at the point of making cake just for me (I had eggs to use up. As you do.). After lots of fairly easy cake-making fun, this cake (just for me, stirred together by hand) refused to exit the cake tins once cooked. Which is a bit of a cake fail, really... It was quite tasty (and perfectly edible straight from the cake tin, as it happens), but perhaps it's time for a short break from the baking.

All of which leaves me without a creative outlet. Bit dangerous that. I'll start dramatically re-designing things around the house any minute now. Possibly in preparation for the house-cleaning which is going to happen any day now...

Other than that, I am now in week 1 of the Challenge 5 training plan.. Kind of. Tonight's hour-long session should have been Wednesday's training fun. Tuesday's training fun is unlikely to happen (1-hour cycle in the morning? Hmmm... Getting up extra early - my favourite thing!). Today's scheduled training fun (1 morning and 1 evening training session) might happen tomorrow. Depending on whether it rains and the strictures of the half-marathon training plan which I am also supposed to be following...

I need more days in the week, I think. More hours in the day wouldn't help - that would just give me more time to fit in some sleep!

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 1 hour, 12.2 miles [Level 5]

108. Rolling back the plague

At last, at last the plague seems to be letting go. I very nearly feel like myself today. I got home from work and didn't immediately go for a lie down... Well, I gave it some serious thought, but managed to resist...

Went to see Iron Man 3 on Saturday evening, which was jolly good fun. Although I have no strong desire to see a fourth film - more Avengers films, yes, but I think that Iron Man has had his journey. The next film would have to be a descent into darkness again (which happens a lot in the comics), which would be a bit of a stretch.

But more exciting than that was the Star Trek trailer. Not that it made any sense... But still, it's here! At last!! And then I came home and the first film was on the TV and I sat and watched it (which is a bit silly, as I own it on DVD and so could watch it any time). And that's my next cinema trip sorted (if not actually scheduled).

Otherwise it's been a bit quiet. I've sort of abandoned the trying to do the 5x50 challenge daily (due to general fatigue). But on the plus side I'm already at 226km and will probably go past my total for last time (252km) this week. And then there will still be another week to go! I'm very nearly approaching excited about this. Although I still seem to have managed to not do 30 mins exercise daily for 19 days in a row (and thus have not formed a habit of all this exercise stuff), which is probably something to work on next time!

:o)

Saturday's stats
Walking - 21 mins, 1.28 miles [Here, there and everywhere...]
Walking - 23 mins, 1 miles
Walking - 52 mins, 2.69 miles
Walking - 19 mins, 1.15 miles

107. An on-going education

It's been a rather educational week all told. Things I've learned include:

1) I know a surprising number of people who know an awful lot about bikes... And who are willing to spend about as much on a bike as I am on a small car...

2) Apparently, it is considered quite mad to sign up for things (like, I don't know, marathons, bike races, etc) that you are not already capable of doing (including already having all the necessary kit). Who knew?!

3) I'm not a morning person (this isn't the thing I learned this week). Therefore, it's probably not a good idea to try to do anything complicated in the morning. Like try to make buttercream topping for cakes. Because this seems to lead to covering myself, the kitchen counters and the kitchen floor in a generous coating of icing sugar...

4) Having a kitchen coated in icing sugar can be quite motivational. For example, kitchen covered in icing sugar? Ah, well, nothing I can do about that now, must get to work. And, kitchen covered in icing sugar? Ah, well, nothing I can do about that now, I've got to get to the gym!

5) Trying out new chocolates as an excuse to eat chocolate is a plan with potential. But fraught with risk... Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations, for example. The Cookie Nut Crunch is quite edible and not at all offensive. The Jelly Popping Candy Shells? Uhhh... It's a bar of Dairy Milk chocolate, with jelly pieces in it (which is strange) and every so often some fizzy popping candy too (which is disturbing). Strange and disturbing is probably not what they were looking for, but I assure you that's what they've marvellously created...

Another exciting week of educational experiences stretches before me... Can't wait!

;oD

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 49 mins, 10 miles [Level 5]

Thursday's stats
Walking - 21 mins, 1.28 miles [Quick trip to the supermarket and back... I seem to do that rather a lot...!]

106. Yawn

I'm very tired. All the time. Normally, I skip home from work (well, theoretically) primed for a run in the sun, get indoors and promptly want to do nothing more than sit of the sofa and do nothing. Of late, this has changed to me arriving home and wanting to go to bed straight away. Now, I know that middle age has apparently snuck up on me, but this is ridiculous! If this doesn't stop soon I shall have to darken the door of the medical profession once more and see if there's anything actually wrong with me (other than the obvious, of course).

Anyway, it was a close-run thing this evening - another 5 minutes and there would have been no exercise at all. Still, re-scheduled tonight's run for tomorrow night (as you do) and headed for the gym. Where Serious Bloke was in residence, doing his thing, and watching some football thing on TV. He left after 10 minutes, but ever-so kindly left the football playing on the TV. Too, too kind. If anyone's interested, it would appear that the team playing in yellow and black won, from what I couldn't help but notice out of the corner of my eye. I'm not sure what they won, but there was hugging and some smiling, and so obviously they were quite happy about it.

With 20 minutes to go before the gym closed, The Terminator turned up. With a woman!! And not Terminator 3, before you start cross-pollinating your films. Now, it does have to be said that 15 minutes of cross-trainer action is not what we've come to expect of The Terminator (even if he selected a punishing level of difficulty). I'm not sure what nefarious plan he had in play... The naive amongst you may suspect that he had been watching the aforementioned football thingy and then sloped to the gym once it was done. But, really. The Terminator? Watching football? I think not...

Oh, and his female companion did some cycling. With her seat set far too low (a classic schoolgirl error). Although that would at least reduce the possibility of it collapsing under her...

:o)


Today's stats
Cross-trainer - 45 mins, 6 miles [Level 5]

105. On the run from food

You know that there's something wrong with your day when you find yourself watching "Man v Food". Not that the presenter isn't nice enough - and Lord knows he's enthusiastic about... Well, everything - but, I mean... A show about eating ridiculously large amounts of food in one go? In a country where they already serve you more food in one sitting than two normal people could eat? And where when they serve you a pastrami on rye sandwich the pastrami is thicker than the bread (both slices)? [That doesn't sound bad, but it's really hard to eat - one can become at the very least bored when chewing one's way through that much meat.]

It's all a bit much. And it's made even worse by the fact that all that food - all that rich, thick, heavy food - probably actually tastes rather like... Well... Cardboard. Sweet cardboard at that. Watch enough of the programme, and you can feel the fat sinking into you.... It's the TV equivalent of 3 fried breakfasts. With buttered toast.

In desperation, I fled the house and made for the gym (it was raining on and off - outside bad!). Serious Bloke was in residence (he rows, he runs, he does sit-ups!) for a bit, and then it was just me and the bike. Working off some of that visually-incurred weight.

Then, just as the end was in sight and the final mile was about to begin.... The seat on the bike suddenly dropped a position. Bit of a shock that, and sent my shin whacking into the pedal (lovely, just what my legs needed, black-and-blue shins). I bravely continued onwards, all the while slightly worried about the dangerous nature of this cycling lark (and I've not even gone outside yet).

On reflection, it's probably time to give the cakes a rest. Once bikes start collapsing under you, it's difficult to ignore the signs from God that are whacking you in the shin...

(O_o)

Today's stats
Walking - 23 mins, 1.41 miles [to the library and beyond! Or, rather, home again.]
Cycling (in gym) - 49 mins, 10 miles [Level 5]

104. Hydraulics and Shimano

Feeling rather oppressed by all the cake in the house (must get rid of it... By means other than by eating it!) and escaped for a hectic day in the sun.

Incidentally, it's spring, and so it's not very warm, but it is quite sunny at the moment. This leads to clothing dilemmas - ski jacket is good to keep you warm, but after walking for 10 minutes or so it's suddenly too warm... Stripping in the sunshine - a spring tradition! Anyway, things being what they are I managed to catch some sun yesterday on my face - and only on my face. Given the rest of me remains a rather startling shade of white, I now rather resemble a rather angry lower case letter i. Just the look that I was going for!

Anyway, had some urgent wedding business in the morning (all wedding business is, naturally, urgent). After that, I decided to wander off and do some bike shopping. Well, bike looking at least. Get some expert advice on my requirements....

After an hour or so and 2 shops I'd had enough of that for one day. Perceived wisdom is that a cyclocross bike would best suit my needs (although a road bike would work too). Drop handlebars are the best bet for a 100m ride. Shimano gears are the best (both people helping me did look rather blank when I confessed that I didn't understand gears - apparently I should try to resolve that before August...). Hydraulic brakes are really good but don't come with drop handlebars (I don't know why), and after that disk brakes give you extra stopping power (there was a long lecture on brakes during which I smiled and nodded a lot)...

Basically, the most important lesson from yesterday was that I am going to have to revise my bike-buying budget upwards (thank God money does actually grow on trees!). Because my budget will define the level of kit that will come as standard on my bike (none of which includes mudguards! In this climate! Madness...). And, most importantly, its weight.

Although, at the end of the day, it remains entirely possible that I will just buy a bike that I like the look of - put a red bike in front of me and I'll be sold!!

:o)

Yesterday's stats
Walking - 24 mins, 1.43 miles [off to do important wedding things]
Walking - 46 mins, 2.76 miles [long slog to bike shops for much confusion]
Walking - 17 mins, 1.03 miles [quick supermarket trip]

103. Musings

I have spent much of the week (whilst not at work, or asleep, or just wanting to be asleep) prancing around the kitchen being creative. Which has all been very educational, if pretty much previously unheard of.

The test cakes baked on Sunday ended up looking like this:

Rather nice, I think that you'll agree. Although apparently people prefer buttercream filling in chocolate cake rather than cream... And:

Lesson 1 - when recipe calls for half of the coffee mixture to be added to the icing to make coffee buttercream, probably best not to add the whole thing. Because that's COFFEE buttercream...

Moving on. The final cakes - for Thursday's Colossal Cake Sale - looked rather like this:

 

 

Lesson 2 - Victoria sponge can look as perfect as you like - but if the cream is starting to turn, no one will eat it (well, they shouldn't, anyway).
Lesson 3 - probably best not to randomly decide to make a cherry and almond cake without cherries and with insufficient almonds. Although, it tastes OK with sultanas, it's a bit dry and crumbly...
Lesson 4 - a simple chocolate cake (with buttercream filling this time) cannot compete with a chocolate cake smothered in chocolate fudge buttercream. People eat cake with their eyes first, damn them!!

Anyway, I'm all creatived out, now. And I need to stop making cake, as this ultimately leads to me eating cake. And after a whole week of that, I rather suspect I've just doomed myself to months of hard-core exercise to recover... *sigh*

:o)

Today's stats
No time, no time! I have been communing with my muse!

102. Fire in the hole

Today, I was Prometheus. Today, I brought fire to the lowly humans and bettered their lives for years to come.

Or, at least, that's what it feels like. And I admit, up front, that that might be a little dramatically over-the-top. But we all have our little failings.

Anyway, I said to the lowly humans, "Behold! I have made you cakes! Quail before their awesomeness! Not only do they look good, but scientific taste tests (sample size = 1) have empirically proved that they taste damn fine too! Behold, and be amazed!"

Yep, I did some baking today - a test run for "The Great Cake Sale" which I seem to have organised for this week at work on behalf of charity. Thought it best if I gave baking a bit of an early test since it's something that I've not done for years and I don't want to you know, kill anyone.

I had, as you can probably tell, a lot of fun. And it all worked, which is something of a miracle. I have now decided that I am a gifted baker (as long as the recipe is in front of me and simple - can't goo too wrong with fairy cakes and chocolate sponge...). In fact, if it were not for one small problem, this would now be my hobby and I would happily spend time daily baking cakes. Having fun int he kitchen - a first!

The small problem? Someone has to eat the baking thus produced. And on past form, this would mean that I would be twice as happy and twice as wide in very, very short order. For I have a dark confession, dear reader: I not only like cake, I like stale cake. Yes, it's true, cake would appear to be my kryptonite.

So the search of a hobby goes on. But expect a lot more cake sale reports in the future...

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling (in gym) - 39 mins, 8 miles [Level 5]
Walking - 22 mins, 1.35 miles [quick supermarket trip]
Walking - 21 mins, 1.34 miles [and another quick trip to the supermarket...]

101. Bah! And, indeed, humbug!

Not terribly happy at the moment. For no discernible reason - it is, after all, sunny outside. Also been very tired - took a lot of effort to get myself to the gym on Friday night, and I all-but collapsed into my bed afterwards... Not sure what's going on there...

Was going to do a long run today, but don't really want to (quite fatigued watching the London Marathon). So have decided to try to do 10 miles in the gym on the bike instead. We'll see how that goes...

Am supposed to be actually trying to bake today - not sure what, but "cake" will feature in there somewhere... If I can actually work up some energy (enthusiasm is sadly a goal too far).

Apart from that... Nothing. I am trying to relax a bit (maybe I've been over-doing it? Hard as that is to imagine....). Am reading my way through a new book (Devon Monk's "Hard Iron") as I won the 3rd book in the series in a competition (unusual luck!). I'd rather have won the lottery though (which remains a sadly long-term goal with a lot of up-front investment...).

Gah!

:o}

Yesterday's stats
Walking - 25 mins, 1.55 miles [to the library and beyond! Or, basically, home again.]

Friday's stats
Cross-trainer - 30 mins, 4 miles [meant to do 5, was grateful to be able to do 4] 

100. Seriously spring

Now that spring seems to have officially sprung (days are at least longer, and it's warmer and sunnier... If significantly windier!), people appear to be taking the gym more seriously. Walked in tonight to find that the gym was full of men, taking their training very seriously (bike to treadmill to cross-trainer to weights. Grrr!!). I wandered to the bike, trying to keep my usual low profile (nothing to see here, move along).

One of the strange sights that I was treated to tonight was one of the Serious Blokes sitting on the bike in front of the TV. Watching the Kardashians. And pedalling furiously. Really, quite disturbing on many levels.

He did top this, though, by finishing his cycle, walking across the gym, and prostrating himself at my feet. Now, I have no objection to per se to finding myself in the position of having people grovelling at my feet (technically, I think that he may have been doing push-ups in front of the mirror, but let's not quibble). However, it is somewhat disconcerting to look down as one is cycling to see a man lying full-length along the floor at your feet. Not that he stayed there - no, it was push-ups, then watching himself lifting weights, then various other activities where it was apparently vital for him to watch his progress in the mirror. Most distracting.

Of course, in my own small way I gave him something equally interesting to look at with my new look -  the one and three quarters trousers. Yes, indeedy, while cycling one of my trouser legs (and it's always only one) starts making a break for knee-length, leaving me with one leg covered to the ankle and the other only covered to mid-calf by the end of my mileage. And this is why I make no effort to look good in the gym - when even my own clothes will betray me there really is no point.

*sigh*

:o)

Today's stats
Cycling - 34 mins, 7 miles [Level 5]

Monday's stats
Walking - 39 mins, 2.5 miles [to McDonalds!] 
Walking - 18 mins, 1.16 miles [back from McDonalds, free ice cream sundae in hand!]

99. Alternatives

I was supposed to be off running a half-marathon today.... But that was, quite literally, rained off (if you were me, anyway).

So I dragged myself to the gym and cycled for Britain. Which was quite boring - must try and drag Aggie out of the house at some point and get some outside miles under my belt. Incidentally, I've nearly completed in 2 weeks as many kilometres as would be expected in 3 weeks under the 5x50 challenge... Trying to convince myself that this does not mean that I can now take a week off... Must keep going...

Active training for Challenge 5 is scheduled to start in a couple of weeks - when it becomes all about the cycling, and, you never know, the odd run might be a nice change of pace... - and there are a number of things that need sorted before then.

I particular, I need to buy lots of kit, apparently. New bike, new helmet, new shoes (not that I currently have cycling shoes), undoubtedly new things I've never before thought of buying... Cycling would appear to be quite a bit pricier than running - hard as that is to imagine - when it comes to be properly kitted out.

And once I have the kit, I need to do some training sportives. And I also need to work out how to get my bike there in the first place...

Going to be a logistical challenge, Challenge 5, over and above the, you know, challenge. I'm not quite at the point of fondly remembering how "easy" it was to train for the marathon, but that day may yet come... Possibly... Well, it could happen!

;oD

Today's stats
Cycling - 35 mins, 7 miles [Level 5]

98. Advertising standards

I've had more time to catch things on TV of late, and am a frequent listener to the radio. All of which gives me plenty of time to review the latest advertising highlights. And here are a selection of those that have managed to stick in my mind...

1) "Some things can get in the way of your time together. Like erectile dysfunction." Now that's what you call a focused advert. The people on screen are faffing about with a table decoration at this point, but the voice-over guy doesn't mince his words...

2) "Say No To Gnomes" - latest Ikea advert... Awesome. I would frankly spend more time in the garden - any garden - if I got to fight off attacking gnomes while I did so.

3) "What's the fastest way from A to B? As the crow flies, they say. Well, a crow actually only flies at around 35 miles per hour..." No! No! No! It's distance not speed - distance! This advert comes on the radio all the time and I am now at the point of screaming at the radio when it does so. "As the crow flies from A to B" is the fastest distance from A to B because it's the straightest, and has nothing to do with how fast a crow can fly. Aaargh! Thank yo very much, Virgin Trains.

4) The Renault Megane Dynamique. Radio advert. Can't quite bring themselves to pronounce "dynamique" properly Frenchly (that would be "dee-na-meek") but seem to think that pronouncing it properly Britishly (that would be "die-na-mick") would also be bad. Their solution? Half and half. "Die-na-meek". Aaaaaaargh! No, no, no!! *gasp* One or the other, not both, people! Not. Both!

And that's our round up for the day of the highlights of the advertising industry. No idea what random thing I'll rant about tomorrow - the excitement is quite gripping, eh?!

:o)

Yesterday's stats
Pilates - 35 mins, DVD1


Today's stats
Walking - 22 mins, 1.3 miles
Walking - 22 mins, 1.34 miles
Walking - 22 mins, 1.36 miles

97. Bits and bobs

Not entirely sure what to write today... Apart from snoozing and reading, I don't appear to have done much... Which will be a problem, as the weekend is a manic list of things to do, and next week is chock-full of other things to do, and next weekend is also already full... I'm tired just looking at my calendar, never mind trying to actually do all the things in it!

Completed my 5x50 distance daily distance by walking (am already at 81km, when the minimum target for the end of week 2 is 75km! Yay!). All very good - although I am slightly worried that my miles are going up and up at a time when I should be relaxing a bit in preparation for Sunday's half-marathon. Although, since I've done no actual running for a couple of weeks I guess I'm not that worried...

The RideLondon people are sending out weekly e-mails about preparing for the big day. Which I am sure they consider to be helpful. But since none of them say anything actually helpful (like, this is how to get your bike to the start line) I just find them slightly worrying. Particularly the ones focusing on bike maintenance...

I got a book on cycling out of the library - everything start with research - which had a very useful-sounding title. Something about being the perfect companion for the long-distance cyclist. Hmmm. Perhaps it is - if said long-distance cyclist is a frustrated (or even actual) engineer and mostly wants to be able to build a bike on which they can cycle long distances. A key sign that this was not the book for me? An entire chapter on gears which did not explain what they're for and how to use them (e.g. when going up hill choose a higher/lower gear) but did detail at length gearing ratios (both in inches and, erm, not) including a comparison between old-style ratios and the new style.

Book has now been returned to library. Others have been borrowed; but I've not had the nerve to open one yet...

:o)

Today's stats
Walking - 39 mins, 2.5 miles
Walking - 40 mins, 2.5 miles