An evening ride

Out this evening to meet a friend of a friend for a ride. We met at fairfield hospital so I plotted a route from there and we headed out. The start involved a push across a steep field, followed by some nice climbing. After a bit of descending we both ended up carrying.It was a lot steeper than it looked. Some downhill, some mud and we were back at the start. I then headed off home.

Silly me forgot to start my watch after we started so missed some of the ride!

It was great to ride with someone and it looks like becomming a regular ride.

A new way to post

Trying this to see how it works, could be a handy way to post when away from home.
 
Anyway back to yesterday I was working in Horwich in the afternoon so I went over on rigger, got out at about 4pm so came home via the nab.  My legs appeared not to be working - well I was actually blaming the bike - as I couldn't get up hills.  Still nice as a commute home.

Posted via email from Amy's posterous

back to running

I have really neglected my running, I think having nothing to aim for is the problem. So this morning I made myself get out. Only 40minutes and not quite 10 min/mile but its a start and I will get back where I was. Going to look at some races and maybe even joining a running club once I have work sorted.

Marathon Day

Sunday probably arrived a little soon for Ali and we were up at 5am and out of the house at 6am. The trip to the start went fine. Once again we drove to Epping and this time we got the tube to Charing Cross Station where we got the train to Blackheath. This worked well as every station after Charing Cross was packed and people couldn't get on the train. By this point the sun was up and we headed towards the start. Ali covered her feet in vaseline to try and keep the blisters away.It wasn't long before she had to go into the start area and I had to leave her. By this time I thought my hand was going to fall off she was holding it so tight!

I headed off to mile 7, didn't see her, then mile 17, nope missed her again. But I was in place when she came past from her splits.

Then it was a rush across london to meet her near the finish. That was a nightmare as I couldn't get to the tube station due to a closed road and she actually beat me to the meeting point. Travelling back was fine except any stairs where she struggled to walk!

We got to Cambridge and Ali went to the football, while I sat outside in the car. Then back to her mums for a nice indian takeaway!

Offical time was 4:38:31 I can't believe she went so fast after being ill for three weeks and doing no training!

Marathon Weekend - Saturday

So marathon weekend had arrived, we had travelled down to Cambridge on the friday night and been very lucky with the traffic. After a panicking Ali earlier in the week I wrote her an itinerary so she knew what she was doing at what time. So on saturday morning we were all up at 6am ready to leave at 7am for the drive to Epping tube station. It all went to plan and we arrived at the expo just after 9am. It was relatively quiet when we arrived and Ali didn't even have to queue to get her number. Some shopping for race clothing and dropping her top off to get her name on the front took hardly anytime so we went round the expo. We both had our running gait analysed! I am in the wrong shoes! I tried the new garmin on my wrist, lovely, and got a new strap for mine - now I need to work out how to change it. As we left the expo had got a lot busier. We then headed to pizza express for a nice lunch before back to cambridge to relax - and in Ali's case panic!

Meeting Ellie

Today I rode over to Rivi to meet Esme from shecycles to have a look at her mountain bike as she has put shorter cranks on it. A lot of people say that shorter cranks should go with shorter legs and seeing as I am vertically challenged it interested me. She also brough Ellie her trike to meet me. I was so excited! After a few (maybe 50) laps of the car park I headed out on a longer ride, taking her off-road up to top barn, then along to the castle. I finished the afternoon by riding her down the steps in the carpark. She was fantastic fun. Hard work going uphill but happy to go anywhere even though she isn't really an off-road trike!

Will it kill me?

Depending on what happens next week I'm thinking of riding back from cambridge, wonder if it will kill me its 185 miles.

Cross bikes are the best

Yesterday I had to go into Manchester for an induction for some work I will be doing. I decided to take the cross bike and although I thought I was going slow actually averaged 14.9 mph on the way there. On the way back I headed out to Salford to ride home off-road. The first part of the route has changed since my last ride on it. Gone are the muddy tracks to be replaced with gravelly things that are hard work to ride. Once I crossed the M60 though it was dusty singletrack so I was happy! One bike that seems as happy on road and off-road is ideal!

Quote

Obsessed is the label given by lazy people to the dedicated

Spring into the Dales Audax

After the last audax ColinJ suggestedthis at the next event, at £3.50 it seemed a bargain so I signed up. I saw Colin as I signed up but somehow missed him on the actual start. I was riding with Colly for a while but I was in Amy world and manage to lose him somewhere, then with someone else who I mislaid - no idea what I was going. After spinning along at easy pace on my own I spotted longers a quick bit of speed and I caught he, goodspeed and another cyclechat lad. Managed not to lose them and had a great ride in the sun.Last night realising I was tired Ali offered to drive me to the start so got a picture of me starting and yes its my first ride on ruby this year, perfect weather for the summer bike. Just need to put the summer tyres on her now!

After the event I rode back via Cragg Vale to get to my century for the month. This creature was part way up the hill, I just had to get a picture! Into Rochdale and I realised I would be short so I headed out Edenfield, Ramsbottom, Affetside and then home. Knock on the door and Ali asks how far I've been, 160km she tells me that isn't quite 100miles and sends me on a loop near me. Thanks so much Ali I would have been annoyed!

103.23 miles @ 13.5 mph

3024m ascent

Frozen Yogurt

I found that Ben&Jerry's have produced my favorite flavour ice-cream as a frozen yogurt. I assume as it is yogurt I can eat as much of it as I want? Even more importantly it still tastes great!

I also dragged myself out running yesterday, it was windy and I didn't feel like it. So I went exploring. Near vertical slopes had me scrambling but I had fun and 3 miles later I decided that running wasn't too bad. I need to get back into the routine and build back up to longer runs again.

A nice evening to be out

This morning I went to cooksons cycles so they could magically sort the pedals out on my bikes. As always they magically sorted it and now I have a rideable cross bike again, yay! Since I was thinking about riding, but also not bothering moving I sent an email to Junkyard and after cooking tea (yes me!) I headed over to rivington. We met up and went over to the nab getting there just as it got dark, I missed my joystick there - tomorrows job ring Exposure!!! Back to rivi and we split I headed home via the AICR and belmont. Although it looked like it was going to rain the whole time the rain stayed away and I was actually overdressed!

29.3 miles @ 9.4 mph
975m ascent

An easter away

On Wednesday Ali came up with an idea to suprise her mum and go to cambridge for Easter. Since she had been told to rest by the Dr this made sense as all biking and running plans were out the window. So on thursday we headed down, arriving there noone was in, so we unpacked and hid the car and then ourselves. A loud scream was heard when we jumped out on here mum!

Obviously I brought a bike, I had plans for more biking than I did, but three rides; 20miles, 32miles and 40miles, all at over 16mph - it is very flat there its amazing how the hills get you even though compared to here they are nothing, I think I get used to the flat and my legs go what is this???

Then on the way home we stopped at Kettering and watched Cambridge win, a great end to the weekend!

Mud is back

I had got used to dry trails but today the mud was back. I met up with my friend Ros to do a Great Hill loop. It looked like it was going to rain a lot of the way round and it was very windy but it was a great ride. I rode the descent off great hill this time and actually enjoyed it! On the way back I pinch flatted on the belmont descent and took ages to fix it, no idea what I was going. Probably rushing! Good job it wasn't a race!

Loving riding rig at the moment and new chain showed me how bad the old one was.

31.79 miles @ 8.7 mph
1110m ascent

Hail and sun

I had a meeting in Blackburn today to see about some work, since it was informal and about biking I rode there. I wasn't long out of the house and it started hailing, I was beginning to think I should have brought a waterproof with me not just a showerproof. Once I started descending into Darwen though it brightened up. I got to the pub we were meeting at half an hour early so it was nice of the woman working there to give me a magazine to read. There is only so many times you can read the menu!

Meeting went well and I headed back a different way, a little hillier as well. Now the sun was shining and it was the perfect evening for biking, shame I knew I had to get home!

30.99 miles @ 14.1 mph

691m ascent

Running again

30 days since I last ran, how did I manage that. My good intentions for running once a week seem to have disappeared, it was so easy once I had missed one week to just no get back into it. So I planned it carefully last night, I would get up at 6am eat breakfast and then leave to go running when Ali left for work. It fell down a bit when Ali didn't go to work but I got out even if it was a bit later than planned. After the first mile I stopped to do some press-ups and dips on what looks like a horse jump. Back up to the golf course, another set of press-ups and dips (working on all round fitness) tried to run fast up the steps and nearly killed myself! Then back home. Felt ok considering, now lets hope the legs are ok!

To make myself feel even better I got home and did some core work!

3.61 miles @ 9:25 min/mile
69m ascent

Lee quarry

Today I decided to ride lee quarry so last night I plotted a route over there and back. I got out this morning, turned on my garmin and the route wasn't there. I decided just to do something local but within 5 minutes I had changed my mind and was heading through Jumbles (naughty) to Ramsbottom and then over to Rawtenstall, here I rode along the road till I found it. First impressions are good. Although I ended up pushing up the hill! Maybe it is time to try an easier gear? I just rode the red once - ran out of time for anything else after a puncture - and it seemed loads of fun, I rode all the downhill so I was happy.

Back to Ramsbottom along the road and then over the firing range, to the strawbury duck and home for a late lunch.

Nice day for a ride and I missed the rain that came later!

43.01 miles @ 10 mph
1250m ascent

A busy day

First thing today I had my Gym Instructor assessment, I was worried enough about it but realised yesterday Ali wasn't going to be well enough to use as my person. A quick text and my friend Julie agreed to come as I promised a good bike ride with good weather. I headed out early to collect her from Glossop only forgot to stay on the M60 by coming off at simmister island and nearly ended up in Halifax. Still I got there eventually and to the gym in time for a quick run through. First shock was a change to the person assessing me and someone else following us round. But I was first up and it went quickly! The important thing is I passed!!!

After that it was home for bacon butties before heading out on the bikes about 12noon. I promised her the weather and after raining all morning it cleared up, only problem was the wind, but you can't have everything. We headed over to Rivington, did Jon's 200yards, up the school climb and then down the ICR where two walkers took the whole track so I had to stop! After that it was over to the nab, a few practice bits and we had it sorted - I didn't get lost either! So once more round and this time we had an audience! At least I had stopped screaming!

After that it was back to Chapel tea rooms for cake and hot chocolates before climbing up onto Winter Hill, had to go round the diversion, then down the Belmont descent. A mixture of roads and tracks oh and some steps I squealed down took us back to mine. Saw a cute little baby sheep up on winter hill, makes the climb worth while!

Then it was drive Julie back and pick up pizza for tea!

35.26 miles @ 8.2 mph
1304m ascent

Another three hours

After not getting out yesterday as I took Ali out for a drive to see some baby sheep - the 10m we walked to lower barn at Rivi for ice-creams nearly killed her so this chest infection still has her feeling rubbish! So today I set my alarm early and was out of the door at 7:30am. I knew I had to be back at 11am and wanted 3 hours actual ride time, so it meant only 30minutes of stops.

I headed off to Tottington via various paths and roads and dropped onto the sustrans path, round the edge of ramsbottom and nearly up to Helmshore. Then it was a climb up to Peel Tower before heading over the firing range, lots of shouting and two groups on the path but no flags flying. Then over past the Strawbury Duck and various paths home, I was going to be a little short on time so one last climb onto the Belmont road before flying home along the road.

Felt good all the way round and really pleased with the average speed, am I getting faster or riding easier routes?

29.28 miles @ 9.8 mph
917m ascent

I need to learn how to ride

Today I headed out a little later than planned but said to Ali I would be doing three hours again, she is happy with this as she doesn't want to be home all day on her own while she is ill. I had a vague plan in my head that I would head over to Healey Nab and look at the new trail (I'd heard some of it was rideable) on the way there I did a new trail near me that will be a challenge to get up on the singlespeed but something to aim for. Then once at Rivington I headed down the ICR, stopping 3 times - not good I've been clearing it consistantly recently! Then over to the Nab, headed off onto the new stuff but once again couldn't ride and kept stopping. Could see parts I couldn't work out how to link up and then I ended up out of the Nab and on the outskirts of Chorley. Back in and I followed a track out, which became a bog. Before eventually finding my way back to somewhere I knew. A quick call to Ali - who just laughed - and it was as quick as I could home via Asda.

Great day out there, I was in 3/4 lengths and just a light base layer and jersey. Oh and reminder to self do not leave it so long before pumping up air pressure in the forks!

31.61 miles @ 8.9mph

1119m ascent

March Roundup

A good and bad month. Some good adventures this month and the peaks epic was an unforgettable ride! After planning it and getting up so early it was amazing how well it went. But the bad was also there. I didn't do a century ride - although plenty of metric century's - and I didn't run the last two weeks of the month. So next month its back to riding a century and getting my trainers back on. I think I need to find a running partner to run once a week with, only thing is they have to be my speed and ability - everyone I know who runs is a whole lot better!

The figures:

17.65 miles running
314.10 miles moutain biking (254.61 singlespeed)
65.48 miles cyclo-cross
246.55 mile road

16309m of ascent


Progress on targets:

1. Run at least once a week Failed :o(
2. Run 300miles in the year 26% complete
3. Cycle an imperial century a month Failed :o(
4. Cycle 8000miles in the year 24% complete