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.]
Thursday, 27 June 2013
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
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!]
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!]
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
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...]
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...]
Saturday, 8 June 2013
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...)!!]
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...)!!]
Thursday, 6 June 2013
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]
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]
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
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!]
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...
(@_@)
Today's stats
Walking - 23 mins, 1.39 miles [thank God for the library or I might never leave the house!]
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