Back on the bike

Ali was getting worried about me when I hadn't jumped on a bike on either Friday or Saturday. Not sure why I hadn't I wasn't really nervous it just felt odd to just go out and ride. So when Ali headed out on an epically hilly ride on Sunday I decided to head over to Lee Quarry and cheer at the Singletrack Weekender. I rode my cross bike for the extra cushioning of the tyres and the lower gears. I was suprised how easy it felt! Riding back I met up with a tired Ali and was able to be a bit of a wind block for her.

Monday was a ride for cake with my friend and her toddlers. Tuesday I rode to the shop and then in the evening rode Ali's mountain bike over to Rivington so she could ride it home after going running (she is currently doing a climbing challenge so packing the miles in).

Today I met Ali at her work and accompanied her on her ride which meant lots of hills. I certainly will have slowed her down a bit but I brought the nice weather and she seemed pleased to have the company. I was loving being back out in the hills. Although being on my cross bike did mean I was tempted by the off-road bits we passed.

I'm impressed with how much fitness I have retained, obviously the turbo sessions have worked even though it has probably only averaged out as two a week. I might even be tempted to get a turbo to help with fitness over the winter.

Discharged

Back at the hospital today and I was really hopeful after my last Physio appointment. After X-rays I saw the Doctor and he told me that I was going to be discharged, obviously the first thing I asked about was cycling and was told to take it easy and not fall off. He also checked how much riding I had to do for work before writing mt fit note.

So back to work and back on my bike now.

Kind of riding for ice-cream

A friend seeing a picture I had posted of ice-cream on friday suggested that we go for icecream today. She mentioned she was going to do a three hour ride in the morning first and so I suggested she could ride with Ali. So at 11am the set off for their ride and I went for a run. Then back onto the turbo. I was finished well before they were back but I almost felt like I had been part of it. Then we drove over to Freddies for ice-cream.

Next time will be with a ride to Southport for chips on the way when I am back on my bike.

Mountain Mayhem

I was meant to be racing solo at Mountain Mayhem this year, it had took me ages to make the decision and I had plans to train specifically for it as well. Then I broke my collar bone, at first I thought I would be back for it but in the end I accepted that it wasn't going to happen and let the organsiers know.

We decided to go down and camp anyway. The weather forcast was very wet but we thought it would be fun to see everyone. Arriving on Friday evening I was wishing I was racing, a nice muddy race would be perfect for the singlespeed. But by Sunday when we got home I was happy enough, although I would have prefered to have ridden the course did turn into a mud bath! We had a lovely weekend with friends and it was nice to listen to the rain overnight on the Saturday as oppose to ride in it.

Now I'm thinking about next year....

Walking up Winter Hill

Since being off-work I keep thinking I should go for a walk in the hills. But at first even walking to Ali's work hurt and then it was the typical trio just not doing things. Today the weather was meant to be miserable but although it was looking like rain it wasn't raining. Ali was running over at Rivi after work so I decided to walk over and meet her. As always I left late, then decided to go all the way to the top of winter hill. But I had a great time and although it took 3 hours it didn't feel like that long.

An update

So how is the collarbone doing? Well not much really. I can feel and see a nobbly bit so I knew there was a callus. At the hospital on friday, Dr told me it seemed a good callus and you can now make it out on xray. Unfortunately he also said no cycling yet, gave me a funny look. I explained that I needed to at least ride a bike for work. But no another four weeks before I see the hospital or ride anything other than a turbo.

Update

Well Collarbone is much the same, main issue I have is trying not to use it as it isn't as sore anymore. But then I do something and it hurts. I had Physio on Thursday and she basically said I was to be careful as due to the angle they are worried it could move and pop out of the skin, which didn't sound great. So I just carry on with my basic exercises.

Other than that this week I have made a real effort with the turbo getting on every morning. I've found if I go on first thing I do it, otherwise I think about it don't get on and beat myself up. Hopefully it will keep some fitness going. At the moment I am messing around with intervals, might need to sit down and plan some sort of plan.

I've also admitted I won't be doing Mayhem and emailed them, before I was hoping it would magically heal and I could ride (I realise how silly that sounds).

Next hospital appointment is a week on Friday, hopefully the xray shows some healing, I can already feel a callus so I am hopeful.

Turbo Training

On Friday the Doctor at the hospital said I would be fine to turbo train so Jenn helped me set it up. The turbo specific tyre seemed hardwork to get on so I hope it was worth the effort. The turbo belongs to Ali's dad and he has kindly leant it to me. We have borrowed it once before when Ali was injured but my one attempt at using it I found myself freewheeling. But after over a week of no exercise I am climbing the walls.


First thing was to get bike clothes on and then I tried using Garmin Training Centre to send a training programme to my Garmin. It worked telling me what to do. It was very basic, warm-up for 10mins, work harder for 5mins, recover for 5mins (repeat another two times) cool down. I had my sling on and was sat up which isn't the comfiest and I did get nice and hot but it was good to spin the legs.

I don't think there can be anything too hard just yet as I don't want to be moving my collarbone but I can at least do a bit of cycling on it and I could hear the tv over it (think the turbo specific tyre helps with that)

An Update

Back at the hospital today to basically be told there's no change, but that is good as the bones haven't moved. They still think it will heal well and I've been told I can try a turbo, as long as my arm is still in its sling. But its basically wait and do nothing. I'm very bored without cycling and work.

The why did it happen post

One of the first things people ask me is how it happened and I really am not sure. But that hasn't stopped me thinking about if I had done things differently that day, or if I was the cause of the crash. Orginally I ignored these thoughts as they don't help. But I decided writing them down will probably help me move on. What I remember of the actual crash is very little, the descent in question I have rode numerous times before, yes it is a little rough and I brake all the way down but I've never felt out of control. I must have been pushed off=line by a rock or something because I was heading towards a wooden post and then when I corrected I crashed, it was all so fast. Which probably explains why I broke my collarbone as if it was a slower speed crash I would have hopefully not broken it.

That evening I had been meant to be mountain biking in Calderdale, but not having had a great night or morning I cancelled, I decided I had been pushing myself a bit too much and that an early night would be a good idea, especially as I had to pack for the weekend. Neither my mountain bike or cross bike were ready to ride (my mountain bike needed the rear tyre changing after the weekend in Kielder and I had a front wheel puncture on the cross bike which I nursed home on the wednesday evening). Ali kindly fixed the puncture on my cross bike to help me get to work, I was having one of those days. Riding in I just wanted to go home and to bed and a tiny part of me worried that I wanted to crash. But I'm sure that wasn't the case. I wasn't even going fast down the descent and my thoughts had been more of stopping and going home. I did think maybe I wouldn't have crashed if I had been on the mountain bike but then I wasn't on uber technical terrain, I have rode this route to work lots.

It is just one of those things and I realise that just sometimes the doubts creep in a little bit. Now its just a case of doing everything right and hope that my bones heal quickly.

Today's commute was eventful...

I had to be rescued and taken to A&E, broken collar bone. I was on my off-road commute, not sure what happened, lost it a bit and was heasing towards a post, thought I saved it and over the bars.

The Runcorn Bridge

After the bad news of last night I knew I had to be careful today, that didn't change the fact that I had to do a recce ride today. Fortunately the ride itself was quite short and flat. I met Jen on the train and we headed over to Merseyside, this time the ride started in Speke. Once we got on the trans-pennine trail Jen started demanding geocaches (I think someone is hooked!

The first couple were fine, although I let Jen do the scrrambling through the bushes this time. But then we got stuck, the clue being a slab and no slab nearby. Never mind we moved on to the next by the bridge. No luck again but time I think it was us as it was a difficult one, one I'd like to retun to. One last one had me scratched to pieces and then we got the train home. (before I broke myself we had talked about riding).

Next week I have two days in schools in merseyside so train times are planned, work is giving me an easy week mileage wise the week after so hopefully the back will improve. I've even taken the advice on ibuprofen and I'm taking it. So heal back heal!

Broken

Well it seems I really am broken this time. I had the weird bum/leg/back pain again so tried massage/exercises/stretching with no luck. So after another night of waking up in the night I emailed mills physio with a help fix me plea. Today I headed over to hebden bridge after work, ok riding up the road to her house on my fixie my not have been sensible but it was too much of a challenge (i made it just!)

Anyway she poked, prodded and did lots of clever and painful things but the muscles in spasm just wouldn't relax. So i'm now taped up and have to try and rest as much as possible including no long rides where 5miles counts as long! I'm still hobbling when walking but no way can this get worse so I'm being sensible, already asked for an easy rota for next week at work to cut down the miles. Anti-inflamitories taken, tomorrow will be heat/ice etc.

Guess that means the end of exploring on my commute like this morning, just followed my garmin and found a nice path. Although I wasn't quite on the right bike for it!

A thumb update

Friday I had my hospital appointment. Xrays showed I had chipped a bit off the bone but the Dr was sure the ligaments were fine. So advice is to use it even if it hurts. So that means riding again. After 3days of nothing it felt great to ride into the office for files.

Saturday I was working and to risk access I rode a loop of the lake at Trafford Water Park. It was mainly well surfaced paths but I was stilll struggling to grip the bars and brake. Think mountain biking will have to wait a little longer!

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Sustrans trails are dangerous!

Last night riding with Chris heading along route 6 towards Radcliffe I managed to catch my bars (well I was on Chris's bike so his bars) on a fence post and go flying. I smashed my head into the floor and head was sore, I was very glad to be wearing a helmet! After a bit I got back on the bike, mine this time, and headed on out to Jumbles and then Winter Hill. We went up the Belmont Descent which I just walked. Chris likes loops so we went down the way I usually climb. My thumb was hurting and using the front brake was a little hard. Home and I iced the thumb.

Waking up this morning it was really swollen, more ice and off to work. Holding the bars was a little hard and front braking not a really option. Quite a few people told me to get it checked out so I went to the hospital after work. Xrays showed nothing, its been strapped and i've been told to rest, not ride and go back in 10days. Not good when the Welsh Ride Thing is this weekend!

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On the track again

A post on the Mills Cycling Club forum about a track session went up the other week and I was quick to sign me and Ali up. It was a late one running 8pm-10pm and I was working in Warrington so I had lots of excuses for being slow.

We were asked to go on the track if we were 'experts'. Ali and I didn't think we were in that category but apparently being accredited meant that we were. So we went on and a huge long line formed as we warmed up. After this I made the decision to drop to the 'intermediate' group as my twitter friends were in it and I like to talk at people! The first session was the same for both groups, standing up on the bends. I've tried this before during intervals at a cyclechat session and did not enjoy it. This time after the first couple I started to feel more comfortable.

We did a couple of other skills and then time for a chaingain in pairs, I like this as I seem less scared with someone next to me. I grabbed fellow Velocake rider Tim and we worked together, I thought we communicated well and did a good job of dropping back into the line. We also tried to speed the group up a little.

Meanwhile Ali was still flying round with the huge group of 'experts'.

Reminded me I do like the track, when is the next cyclechat session?

Track time

I got an email on friday asking if me and Ali fancied joining the cyclechat boys at the track on sunday. Obviously even I knew me riding was a silly idea but Ali was keen. So we headed down at lunchtime. It was great to see some of the forum regulars as I don't go on cyclechat that much these days. There weren't many of them so the coach had them riding lots. It looked tiring but fun. Hopefully i'll be fit enough for the next one.

Oh and at long last we collected our track accreditation cards.

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Photos and improvements

First things first the official photos are up here. Not sure which ones I'll buy yet.

I decided to have a look at my times from the night stage this year and last year. Since the stage was the same, only when we did it and weather conditions from the week were different. Last year we did this stage on the first day so legs were fresher. This year it was Day 4.

Last year I finished the stage in 32:53 this year 28:52. This is a huge improvement! Comparing the winning female times (25:18 this year and 24:39 last year) there isn't that much difference. I am definetly a lot faster. Looking at it this way suprised me, I felt I rode the night stage badly. Other stages can't be directly compared but overall I think I am a lot faster.

In fact if it wasn't for the stage on the day my knee was sore I would have finished 3rd singlespeeder, I was third in two of the special stages - not bad as the only female!

If I do this event again I will have to do some training for really short stages, I did some short xc races this year and cross races throughout the winter, but they are all at least an hour long. Nothing like racing for less than 30minutes. I also think short stages like that are one place where gears really work!

Overall I am pleased with transwales, I think the fact it didn't hurt as much as last year made it harder to appreciate it! I am definetly more suited to longer distances than trying to go fast over a very short distance. Would I go back? Definetly the riding is amazing. But I think its time to find a new challenge!

Musing on transwales

The week disappeared so quickly. It got to the end and I was sad. The next two days were spent so down. I couldn't see any positives from the week and I felt like I was pretty rubbish. Today it is time to move on from that. The tent is drying, clothes are in the washing machine. It won't be long till the next adventure!

I don't think I appreciated what going to transwales singlespeed on a fully rigid meant. This was just my bike. I have to say I got so many positive comments during the week, as well as regularly being called mad!

The linking stages went really well. I think I was stronger than last year and I am definetly better downhill. A lot less people were going past me and I actually passed some. I was still feeling strong at the end of the week and still finishing in the top half every day. The special stages though were hard. At the first I was about a minute off the podium and I never got any closer. Last year I felt like I was making time up on the climbs, this year everyone was passing me. I gave it my all and it was never good enough. Now looking back I think that I would have been faster in the special stages with gears. But also how can I expect to be fast over such short distances? I knew the format didn't suit me. I didn't realise how strong the field would be this year. All the girls riding were fit and fast! None of us missed a stage.

In a few days I am sure I will be buzzing with the achievement, at the moment I am just down, I think I had got used to riding everyday and now I don't know what to do! The tempatation is to go out riding loads but I know if I am being sensible I should take it easy till kielder100, I have the miles in my legs now I don't want to overdo it!

Transwales 2009

Day 1

86km 1650m climb

Day 1 was billed as 80km but my Garmin recorded 86km, other reports say 90km, but it was a good day in the saddle. My hands finished buzzing so I'm not sure a whole week of fully rigid is going to be a good plan. But I'm happy with how I am riding downhill! Most of the day was spent riding with Phil another singlespeeder. On the hills we would catch people up - or walk at the speed they were riding. Then when the road went down they spun away on us. We had 7 hours to complete the stage and I was comfortably within that. But I couldn't chance going a lot slower.

I saw Ali loads today as she chased me round which was exciting! back at camp and I couldn't find my cradle for charding my Garmin, plan at the moment is to use Ali's - which ruins her riding plans. Fingers crossed it turns up!

Day 2

85km 2523m climb

Yesterday Ali headed out on one of the rides I had plotted with one of the other support crews. They had a bit of a trio adventure, with stampeding cows, overgrown trails and vertical slopes to drag the bike up! Oh and in the end a friendly farmer to explain a better route than the one I had plotted!

We set off again at 9am to do 85km with a 11km linking stage in the middle. They told us some of the the climbing had been cut out of it. The day started with a 16km road section, where after we all turned round due to heading out of the town the wrong way, I ended up in the lead group for about 5 minutes. At which point the road went downhill and everyone pedalled off on me. The day was good with most of the climbing rideable and some great descents. It was fun riding down a descent fully rigid when others walked. It felt hard today and there was a lot of climbing before we reached the start of the special stage.

Soon I was on the start line with a promise of only 1km of climbing. After 10m the thought of riding fast uphill stopped and it was down to survival! There was definitely a lot more climbing than they had said! I was dreading Climach after a really bad ride last year. This time apart from twice when people stopped in front of me I rode all the descent and it was just one climb I had to push up (the guy with gears in front walked it as well). I was pleased with how I rode it but no idea how the time will compare (we have the Italian ladies marathon champion here!)

I got back to the Marie Celeste - car wide open, stuff all over the place, no Ali. Turns out she was chatting!!!

That evening while I had a hot shower, Ali cleaned my chain link by link, it might even be cleaner than when it was new!

During the day Ali spent her time looking for a new tent pole after one of ours snapped during the night. She found the most helpful shop in the world (Llani Leisure). They couldn't find the right pole, despite ringing practically the whole of wales and taking out all the poles in the shop. She then helped ali come up with an ingenious soloution.

Day 3

75km 2300m climb

After the pub last night I couldn't get to sleep. My knees were sore and I slept really badly. On waking I unlocked the car and struggled to get to it, the car locked itself just as I got there. I nearly collasped in pain and lay on the floor for a while before unlocking the car and getting onto the drivers seat. This is where Ali found me and was ver concerned about how I looked. I really thought my race was over!! Some painkillers and strapping and I was alble to walk. The plan was to try and get to the first water stop being careful and walking most of the climbs. I got there feeling not too bad. I was sure I was further back in the field than the previous two days. I had loved the trail we had been on - we even crossed the river of doom from last year, only this year it was gently lapping around my shins not up to my chest.

Then was the special stage. I had planned to take it easy but that went out of the window and I went as hard as I could, it was slow though compared to other times. But I was just happy that I had completed it!

On my way to the lunch stop I passed Ali talking pictures so stopped at the cafe and she bought me chocolate cake while I enjoyed my sandwiches. Then it was on my way. Lots of plodding and lots of pushing up hills. After one of the hills I met Ali who had rode over to meet me. We headed back to the last drinks stop before she drove to make camp and I walked/rode the last section.

I made cut-off by 30minutes which was pleasing seeing as I had had such a bad start to the day. We were in a tiny campsight on a slope, but I got my first good nights sleep.

I'm down to 5th now overall. I'm just not fast enough over short distances.

Day 4

65km 2100m climb

Today was amazing riding. It felt like constant amazing views and fantastic descents. It was either singletrack or rocky downs. We also did the seven river splashes from last year. Less scary when the water level isn't as high. I was feeling good all day and I arrived at the lunch stop buzzing!

Night stage was hard. My 30 second guy (Phil) caught me very quickly, I just had nothing in the legs on the uphill. I even had to walk a couple of bits and near the top my bike made an almighty noise. Which I had no idea what was, but sounded like the rear brake. Stopping and rotating the wheel backwards seemed to sort it. Then it was downhill, I was riding poorly to be honest, but some shouting at myself to look where I was going seemed to help.

Day 5

74km 2700m climb

We woke up to rain and wind. Lying in the tent it sounded so loud! Getting up it wasn't as bad as it had sounded. But I was still in full waterproofs. We climbed up fireroads, some walking was required but it was mainly riding. Then we hit some muddy singletrack. Lots of screaming from me as I slid my way down but I was impressed to nearly ride it all which is a big improvement. It was a long way to the first water stop and I ate half my lunch there. This turned out to be a good plan as after loads of the Brechfa red and black trails - which had me wondering if rigid was a good idea - we arrived at the start of the special stage. Ollie and I arrived at about the same time but I went and rode it straight away (after a bit of chatting) whereas he had lunch. Which meant he had to queue for a while before riding the stage. My legs felt fine but lacked power on the steeper stuff. so today I decided instead of blowing up after 500m like last night I would just ride. One or two bits were a struggle to get over but there was only one push and some downhill was done without braking.

The other thing today is I realised what Jenn meant about a hand position for downhills when I don't need to brake. That was where I was on the fireroad downhills today!

I left with the army guys but lost them on an uphill section when I walked. I was back just within the cutoff but I think it will be extended as the special stage was closed for a while.

Today was the end of the special stages, with only two more linking stages to go.

Day 6

65km 2400m climb

Woke up to rain again in the morning. But by the time we were riding it had stopped. We started on the road where people came past me with ease but once the climbing started I felt strong. We seemed more strung out today so it was easier to stay on the bike, yesterday I was stuck behind traffic that was just a bit too slow. We did a lovely bit of trail that could have been very boggy. Before lunch there were two climbs I walked. But after lunch the two big climbs were a nice gradient to climb. One of them was a climb from last year that I found really hard geared! We did one of my singing descents from last year and I cleaned it. Last year there was carnage and medics waiting at the bottom. The stage turned out 5km shorter than advertised so I was back with over an hour to spare.

Got back to the Marie Celeste again but this time eventually found someone who explained Ali had gone riding. Later on I find out she had got herself lost on the forest fireroads and had ended up following the signs for tomorrow and having another trio adventure without me!

Day 7

60km 2000m climb

The last day and I couldn't believe it! We set out and my legs felt strong. We did some of the trails Ali had rode yesterday and she was waiting at the first water stop. After that my legs felt good on the hills and we went across some moorland which really strung the field out. After a nice descent it was some cycle path which was slow going as it was so busy - I had forgotten it was saturday - before lunch, where Ali was waiting with cake. Here they had some girls to put squirt tattoos on, I was confused they weren't lubing my chain, turns out hire-a-blondes don't do that! After lunch apart from one climb and descent where Ali was waiting again which felt a bit like cut-gate-lite it was all road and before I knew it I was back, disappointed to finish and wanting more. How could it be the end?

We went into town for food and then stayed for the prize giving. I got a special prize for riding the whole event on a rigid-singlespeed. Just as we were leaving the squirt guys gave me a spot prize of a bottle filled with Jelly Babies, I was excited everyday I saw them handing them out!

So its the end...................what next is the question?