Month: March 2017

Sunday 26th March 2017

When I started this blog with 20 weeks to go the whole adventure seemed a long way off. Now with just 10 weeks to go it seems to be rushing up.

This weeks training was a bit of a let down after the previous week. The poor excuse this week is wind, not from the Indian curry on Wednesday night’s boys night out but from the north east. Started well with 28 miles Sunday (368 meters), 17 miles on Tuesday (288 meters) with a 15 mile turbo session between these two. Problems started on the rides on Thursday and Friday with very strong winds which were quite frightening, only managed 31 miles (345 meters). Will try harder next week -including a CTC ride on Wednesday to Arundel.

Week 20         6 hours.      6 hours

Week 19          7 hours      7.5 hours

Week 18          7 hours      8.5 hours

Week 17          8 hours       8 hours

Week 16          9 hours.      9 hours

Week 15        10 hours       10.5 hours

Week 14        10 hours       10 hours

Week 13         100 miles    91 miles

Week 12.        110 miles    132 miles – 1975 meters of climbing.

Week 11         120 miles    84 miles – 69 on the road and 15 on the turbo – 1001 meters climbing.

Week 10.        130 miles

Weight still coming down despite the curry on Wednesday and the takeaway Friday. Would still like to be one stone lighter before I get to Lands End.  Earlier this week I put books into a bag with a total weight of one stone. It is very heavy when you actually lift one stone and to think that I could be climbing the hills with that amount of weight less to carry is a great incentive to continue the diet.

Still the tickets for the train trip from Inverness to Inverkeithing are not on sale so will kept checking every morning.

I have been looking into recovery drinks and handle bar bags this week – the excitement never ends. As yet no success with a bag that will fit my butterfly handle bars (photo below). Bags are too wide to fit my bars

as they are designed for flat or drop bars but I will keep looking. Will be trying some recovery drinks this week to make sure they don’t disagree with me.

During this week I shall be working on the training plan for weeks to go 9 – 5.

 

 

 

Sunday 19th March 2017

Training this week has been very good and all on the bike – out doors. Exceeded the target by 22 miles on 5 rides. Started well last Sunday with 28 miles (2.25 hours) in the pouring rain – the new Goretex jacket and waterproof gloves are very good, kept me dry and I did not over heat. On Monday I rode up Winchester Hill from the Rising Sun without a stop to admire the view – first time for many a long year. Wednesday went on ride with the Cycle Touring Club – 59 miles with 1,059 meters of climbing, 4 of the climbs had sections greater than 10% with one peaking at 13%. Friday was a ride up Butser Hill and yesterday a short ride to test the adjustments I had made to the gears, all working very well.

Week 20         6 hours.      6 hours

Week 19          7 hours      7.5 hours

Week 18          7 hours      8.5 hours

Week 17          8 hours       8 hours

Week 16          9 hours.      9 hours

Week 15        10 hours       10.5 hours

Week 14        10 hours       10 hours

Week 13         100 miles    91 miles

Week 12.        110 miles    132 miles – all on the bike – 1,975 meters of climbing.

Week 11         120 miles

Week 10.        130 miles

This weeks target at 120 will be hard as there is no CTC ride this week. I will try a couple of longish rides on Wednesday to make up the miles.

The weight is still coming down and on target. The diet is not to hard and both of us are enjoying the meals and not getting too many cravings. I need to do some more research and practice with what to eat and drink on rides to get the best results.

Some great news on the train ticket front, I was starting to worry that waiting for the cheap tickets may result in there being no bike places left. Yesterday I booked the ticket for the trip to Penzance with the bike reservation for Saturday 3rd June at £15.50. What a great price – 3 different trains – Cosham to Westbury, Westbury to Exeter and Exeter to Penzance. The only worry left for that trip is that there is only about 10 minutes to change trains each time so any delays could be a problem. The tickets for the train from Inverness to Inverkeithing are not yet available so will need to keep check on that.

 

 

Sunday 12th March 2017

Training not so good this week, poor excuses include – weather and 65th birthday. First training target missed but it was my birthday – will try very hard not to miss any more. The weather is not now a very good excuse as I have spent some of the Wiggle vouchers I got for my birthday on a new Goretex jacket and some gloves and waterproof trousers. Will give the new gear a trial run this week – bound to be a wet day.

Weeks to go  Target      Achieved

Week 20         6 hours.      6 hours

Week 19          7 hours      7.5 hours

Week 18          7 hours      8.5 hours

Week 17          8 hours       8 hours

Week 16          9 hours.      9 hours

Week 15        10 hours       10.5 hours

Week 14        10 hours       10 hours

Week 13         100 miles    91 miles (55 road & 36 turbo trainer)

Week 12.        110 miles

Week 11         120 miles

Week 10.        130 miles

Still no discount advance booking train tickets to Penzance but they must be available this week.

Weight loss slowed down this week again – blame birthday night out at the Indian. Still noticing good improvements on the rides I did last week and put a lot down to weight loss.

Next big target is the New Forest sportive on Saturday 8th April – 82 miles. This happens in the week 9 to go so will do some longer rides in weeks 10 & 9.

Sunday 5th March 2017

Another week over which means another week closer to the big day. Last week’s training target was reached including 2 rides on the bike totalling 38 miles. The gym membership finished last Tuesday so from now on all training will be on the bike. Hopefully most of it will be on the road but some will inevitably be on the bike clipped onto the turbo trainer. Targets from now on are in miles with each hour on the turbo trainer counting as 13 miles.

Weeks to go  Target      Achieved

Week 20         6 hours.      6 hours

Week 19          7 hours      7.5 hours

Week 18          7 hours      8.5 hours

Week 17          8 hours       8 hours

Week 16          9 hours.      9 hours

Week 15        10 hours       10.5 hours

Week 14        10 hours       10 hours (5 gym, 2 turbo trainer & 3 on the bike)

Week 13         100 miles

Week 12.        110 miles

Week 11         120 miles

Week 10.        130 miles

We lost a few more pounds this week. I have been amazed at the difference that the 7 pounds lost in the past couple of weeks has made. This week I did some of the climbs that I had not tried for a while and could really feel the difference. Gears that I was using were noticeably higher than in the past and cadence was much higher. Now I am more determined than ever to keep up the diet and achieve the target weight loss because it will make a great difference on the big ride.

Rail tickets for the 3rd June have still not been released so will keep looking every day so as to not miss out.

Big birthday next week when I officially become old – I know most of you already think I am.

Need to start looking into kit that is still required and make a list. Most important items I think are going to be good wet weather gear and anti midge spray.