Bike build phase 2

Today hasn't all been domestic bliss, cats (on knees) and tea. Oh no there has been some serious bike building going on.

I have already written about this once but not here, kind of as a therapy to make me feel more sound about things. It doesn't need to be in my blog as it wasn't a thoroughly pleasing experience and eventually I dropped the bike into the shop to do some more rigorous installation than I was prepared to tackle myself. As soon as I did, I felt better and picked up the bike on Wednesday, leaving me 2 whole days to recover before tackling stage 2.

Here's the highlights though: whilst most people save for their retirement, I have just bougt mine.  I don't just mean that in some whimsical kind of, "this is a comfy bike that, as mid life crises go, will last me forever" kind of bike I also mean that as in, "at least if I still haven't paid my mortgage I can still ride off into the sunset with a tent" kind of way.  I hope that gives you an idea how precious it therefore is.

I also think that, whilst you get to 'know' a bike by building it, you don't get to love it yet. This is difficult because during a build you can still go through some traumatic times together - especially if you're trying something new.  You have to exercise patience and faith and hope you don't break anything.

Love comes after miles and miles of shared and hopefully comfortable experiences.  All I have for now is a reassuring knowledge that I totally nailed internal cable routing for the first time. I am still waiting for bits for my brakes but my gears are now spinning and hopefully I have mastered the comfortable part.

I have balanced in a doorway and rolled forwards out of control (damn those brakes) and now I will, very sensibly, put it away for another day before I mess something up.

His name might be Dignity (yes as in the Deacon Blue song) and for some reason, yes this bike is a bloke.

This adventure is the beginning of something beautiful (and I didn't even swallow any small parts).

Last week needs a mention

Last week was the week I suddenly decided I should do something different with my life.  I needed to get out of the habit of working too late again and start training for Alpe d'Huez before I ran out of time.  Unfortunately someone invited me for an interview on Wednesday so I had to prepare for it, look like I was still doing my job and actually do it.  It meant I didn't get in my second swim of the week and I still didn't get to do a mid week long ride.

On the other hand, I did manage a 13km lunchtime run including new explorations into Rotherham and I added in a second short run just to stay on my toes the day after along with two morning yoga sessions.  One of those made me miss a planned meeting but I was only going to save face anyway.

So I had to make up for it at the weekend, except I was going to my nephew's 18th Birthday party and had to drive to Guildford.  We weren't organised on Friday and it took most of the evening to wait out bad traffic, do some shopping and oh have dinner whilst post-apocalyptic M1 accident traffic cleared. We drove down on Saturday and I frustratedly sat on the M25 for over 2 hours.  I took my wetsuit just in case but didn't manage to swim.

We arrived at my mum in laws at 12:30 and I dropped all protocol and floated the idea of a ride early.  Having explained that I needed to get a 65 mile ride in for training, I was asked to be home by 7pm for dinner.  Excellent, a target.  Not one I thought I would make but I decided to try my best.

After coffee, TSK turned for home, still suffering the after-effects of our illness.  I continued, feeling sprightly.  I did this ride before but the wrong way around so I expected to hit the hills early.  In fact, I hit them just before half way so no real gain.  Still, it was 28 degrees and I still felt good, although slightly worried about my hands as I'd come away without gloves and every time I moved my grip on the bars, the tape tore at my skin in a way that was going to lead to blisters.  Still, I knew there was a friendly bike shop at Liphook where I could buy some - especially since I didn't have my lock and I knew they love people to just walk in off the street with their bikes.  These guys saved my bacon last time I was here by selling me food when I really needed it and went out riding without a lock.

Sure as anything they were open and not only had gloves but good Giro ones in my size.  I enthusiastically bought a red pair to match my STC and GB kit and carried on with my last 35 miles, leaving a queue of people out the door.

I pretty much raced the last 35 miles, calculating that if I kept pace I'd rock in around 6:30 and expecting to slow down but I didn't.  If anything I sped up and, although I managed to stave off eating a gel or a bar, rolled a little bonked into my inlaws at 6:40 pm with enough time to have a shower, even after I had laid on my back inhaling water for 10 minutes, fighting off the urge to accept the proffered beer until I had rehydrated on something healthier.

I even slept well through a hot night in a tent until awoken by neighbouring partiers at 3am whereby we retreated into the dining room with all the doors open and I continued to sleep fitfully with a big ginger cat on my lap.

Sunday dawned just as sunny so we swiftly inhaled a small breakfast then set off for our run.  After only 18 minutes I was instructed to turn back for start of the birthday party.  Nooo! I was just getting going!  Oh well, I made up for it by running fast (I finally found my legs somewhere in the deep grass) all the way back to the house.  More lying around, stretching, waiting for TSK to shower then a cold shower to me whilst attempting to pour my pink body attractively into civilian clothes for the short ride over to my sister in law's.

Our boy looked suitably pleased with his NorthFace flexible windproof that we brought him for scouting purposes - even if it wasn't suitable for the current climate - and I'm sure it will serve him well as a winter coat when he goes to uni in Brighton (as he is bright and I am sure he will get the grades he wants).

It was finally time to calm down and we spent the day in the sunshine and shade, eating and talking and building lego.  After 6pm I headed home to mummy and daddy's and ate a menial dinner since we were so stuffed from earlier antics.

A good rest day of driving home after a meeting in Guildford on Monday put me in excellent form for a second attempt at my long run on Monday evening so 16kms were dispensed with.  Not easily for it was still hot and 10 miles is a long way without a drink - although there was paddling.  It hurt at the time but the next day I was recovered enough for more yoga and my distance swim last night.

It took me 55 minutes but after the week I have had I can hardly complain that it was slow.  I enjoyed it all - clear water, warm enough to not worry and no need for showering straight away.  I hardly needed to use the changing rooms but for a cloudy overcast sky and a slight breeze.

I feel back on track.  I feel like I can make this now.  I feel like priorities have aligned and then the solstice came and I sat awake until 3am, buzzing with the joys of summertime - literally, my heart has not dropped below 61 all night.  I took the opportunity to line up ducks and checked that my bike bag would be allowed on my Air Canada flight and invested in the light weight tent I have been promising myself for oh so long.  I simply hope the excitement about getting it does not last as long as the 2 weeks it may take to arrive.  I can't cope with this much lack of sleep.

Restless ness

It's been weeks since I did a rambling, what was this week post. January was a roller coaster of work and play. A fantastic month. I didn't have the time to sit down and write. I might have been recovering but was too fuzzy to do the things I had completed any justice until much later.

So January slid by in a jumble of sporting events and producing my first clean fuels energy installation at work.

Tomorrow it goes live and when everything is completely finished with papers in place and rubber stamps, I will be immensely proud of it with due credit to those who paved the way before me.

Sportfully, after Tigger Torr, my legs were done for. If I couldn't walk Monday, you should have seen me Tuesday. I was a walking joke. The  ministry of funny walks had nothing on me. With another race this weekend I became genuinely concerned about the state of my muscles and refused to leave the office or use stairs for 3 days.

You might think that this made me stiff but I felt like every time I moved I was doing more damage, so I didn't move except to go to bed, to / from the car and office where I used the lift.

On Tuesday I attended yoga class but made my excuses most of the way through. On Wednesday morning I did at least manage a swim, persuading myself that immersion in cold water and gentle movement were just what my legs needed. In reality, swimming 1km in spite of dragging my useless legs through the water behind me like a  deadweight was exactly the confidence boost i needed. To add to the restorative process, I added 5 minutes in the sauna... why don't I do this more often?

Today I finally walked down the stairs with my feet pointing forward and found a spring in my step. I had a tentative skip through the office to test things out then drove up to Middlesbrough where I have enjoyed another pleasant outing in the hills overlooking the city.

It was mercifully dry because I brought trainers. I  found the footpath behind the hotel and walked for an hour in the simple light of my head torch - sometimes even without that.

I found some great bivi spots but as a raging wind storm arrived I was moderately glad I had a hotel and warm meal to return to.

The exercise forecast for tomorrow doesn’t look good except for a day working outdoors in a howling wind. From there it's home and prep for Sundays race. That's going to be a completely different event. It's 15 miles. I am not ready for 15 miles of racing so I am out to enjoy myself. It will be the hair of the dog to last weekend's binge session. I am looking forward to surviving this one better.

Feeling Flat

Monday - Walk 2km

Officially knackered from the weekend so Monday started out as a 100% rest day.  The office was hard work but I had an excuse to leave at 3:30 for a drive to Dalby Forest where I had booked a pod on a campsite as my accommodation before the next day's site visit.

Traffic on the M1 was snarled up for a minor crash just ahead of me.  I didn't see the crash but got caught up in the police road closure and sat at my off-engined car for 30 minutes.

The campsite was perfect - deserted - and run by a lovely farm woman and many dogs and children and a husband off somewhere doing things.  She checked me in and left me to it. Frost bristled from every structure - hoarey and white.

I went to Thornton le Dale for dinner, supplies and cash.  I over-did it on the dinner and gave myself a chronic indigestion which kept me awake feeling sick approaching midnight.  I'd purposefully kept the pod slightly cool to combat cabin fever but found myself shivering in my sleeping bag in between going to the loo across the campsite.  I gave up at 11:30 and set off down the lane for a walk to let things settle.  I burped and farted at the stars - the last I was to see of them as the weather changed the next day.  Flavours of my dinner returned to me and when I was convinced I wasn't going to be sick anymore, I turned around and headed back to my sleeping bag where I turned up the heater and wore my down coat to compliment my sleeping bag.  I threw my dry robe over my legs just to be sure.  God knows how I'll cope on a winter camp in a tent!

Tuesday - Mountain Bike Ride 18 miles, 2h:19m 533m el.

Day starts with porridge and coffee made on a picnic table encrusted in dry frost.  The birdsong is deafening and although every move has to be carefully choreographed to be efficient so I can stay warm, it all works out.  A sit mat inadvertently brought in my rucsac saves my backside and enables this moment of calm before the day ahead.  I am in bliss.

Get in from the site meeting at about 3:30pm.  Instantly get changed into bike gear whilst eating a chocolate bar then drag my mountain bike out of the car and charge off into the fallen darkness of a foggy Dalby Forest.  I have no idea where the trails are so I make several false turns onto footpaths and retrace my steps before I finally reach what I assume to be the carpark proper.  I finally find the red route after much hunting and follow the arrows into the darkness off the GPS map and between the trees.

I fought a losing battle of light.  The cateye stayed bright but never ever pointed in the right direction so the riding was either slow or haphazardly exciting!  I rode burms, pedalled over drop offs which seemed like blunt cliffs but turned into easy run-outs on the bright side of the lip.  I was TOTALLY engaged for around an hour and 20minutes until I decided it was time for dinner.  I chose a trail which took me back to the road but on the screen of the Garmin it was hard to see that it didn't actually meet the road.

As I set off down the over-grown path, I should have turned back but it was too intriguing to back out of until I heard crashing in the undergrowth and was suddenly reminded of wild boar.  After a conversation earlier in the day about Canada and Africa I had been thinking how lucky we are to live in a country where I needn't fear creatures who actually intend to do humans harm... and in the darkness I remembered wild boar.  I wrote the crashing noises off to deer and as quickly found myself at a tee junction.  Both routes seemed to take me back the way I came so I randomly picked one and ended up on the trail I'd been on 15 minutes earlier so I retraced, this time turning off for the road the "long" way, soon to pass where I'd just been at the tee junction - probably only 2metres from the road, yet invisible through the impenetrable trees and fog.

When I finally reached the road, I had to dig out my head torch.  The tiny spot light from Alpkit that was clipped to it was the only rear light I had in my possession so I put the head torch on over my helmet and started the flashy goodness.  As I stood in the darkness - all except for the cateye and the rouge bouncing off the wet leaves behind me, I listened to the drops of water falling meticulously in the forest.  Not a drop of rain, just air of 99% humidity settling dew drops onto everything in sight.  It was like winter defrosting all around me.

Once on the road I saw the first people I'd seen all evening - 3 mountain bikers. They turned left as I turned left and I didn't even have chance to say hello.  I little while later, a formation of 4 roadies with lights so good I thought they were a car at first.

We said hello!  Hey, human interaction!

Thanks to my flashy light, I didn't have to stop and pull over when two more cars came by.

I returned to camp just as chronic hunger was starting to set in.  I paid my landlady her money and enquired tentatively about the status of hot water.  After 2 days on the site I hadn't dared to run the tap for long enough to find out if the hot water was on - instead resorting to cold hand washes before stuffing my mits back into my gloves.  Cue an excruciating 2 minutes of pressing the button on the shower whilst hopping on cold tiles.  The water was indeed hot enough to enjoy the shower.  

Once I made it out of the wash rooms, the rain had started.  I sat on the deck of my pod and cooked in the darkness.  It was so warm I ditched my down coat and sat on my foam roller wearing fleece.  I leaned back against the door of the pod and listened to the rain beyond my little, lit porch.  You don't get that kind of solitude in a hotel.

Wednesday - Decamp

Only the exercise associated with breaking camp.  I drive through the drizzly North York Moors to Middlesborough then a wander around the factory.

Thursday - Rest day

After returning home from Middlesborough at 8pm Wednesday night, exhausted, I did nothing on Thursday.

Friday - Rest day

Dressed for riding to work but then couldn't be bothered with the faff of loading the bike and moving the car and finding my tool bag.  So I drove to work, dressed like I was going for a run and went to the pub instead.

Saturday - Separate ride - see report

Sunday - 7  mile walk

Well, it wasn't a snowy, blue sky day, wilderness walk but a Christmas shopping expedition which also nailed my Birthday present from TSK and - if I can't manage a run - at least saw me spending 4 hours of the day on my feet which counts for more than nothing... and now I am ready to take on next week.

Back to work with good intentions and a "week of the bike" kind of week

Saturday, 57 miles ride, 5hrs 40min, 1900m climbing

The weather was good and I was in the mood for a long ride - especially after last night's temptation towards the darkness and the fact that I had a lovely new coat in a delivery on Friday night.

I packed an extra warm layer, spare leggings and the coat and wore thick gloves, hat, buff and a softshell jacket with venting.  The leggings were long but not fleecy, given a gentler weather forecast.  I have to admit, I didn't think I'd wear the coat but it was a good audax load to train with.

I had a broad plan to ride to Buxton, head over some favourite roads around Kettleshulme and then back via Chapel en le Frith and the Snake.  I headed out to the peak via Hathersage, turning off to Great Hucklow because I wanted to ride smaller roads and stopped in Tideswell for lunch where I was served awesome pea and ham soup and washed it down with ginger pudding.

I wiggled then over to Buxton around the ugly Fairfield quarry but on obtaining Buxton, I ran out of courage and faith that I could still be in a reasonable state for tomorrow if I did anything other than wobble home.  However, it was my intention to wobble home, not go directly so there was still plenty of fun to look forwards to.

I briefly touched on the A6 then took a back road away around Harpur Hill.  Still heading South so I turned for King Sterndale and attained an ominous sign that said there was no access to the A6 - which I actually wanted to cross, not access.  After some map deliberation I decided to push my luck and see how far I could get on a road that petered out into (at best) an un-claimed trail or at worst, a private road.

I rode through the lovely hamlet, past the church and the village green until the road deteriorated into the track I was expecting then headed off down a steep hillside.  I peered over the edge - there was an alternate footpath but that went steeply through a field and crossed the railway at an undefined point.  I hedged my bets with the trail and walked my bike down the steep slope as the tyres were incapable of grip on the wet rocks and leaves.

To my joy, the track continued over a stone bridge above the railway and descended further downhill to the A6.  Mission accomplished.

Unfortunately I couldn't access the path on the other side.  It was a proper footpath so I climbed back out on my bike on the A6 and descended again down into Millersdale before turning for Litton to avoid a second pass of Tideswell. 

Foolow was next followed by Eyam where I forgot to turn left but I was in the mood for a walk so I went down a narrowing lane then got off and pushed my bike along a footpath through the trees for some way.  

Having enjoyed the occasional walk on the TNR, I enjoyed my woodland ramble quite a lot.  I made a joke of it as 4 wool-coat clad loveys walked the otherway, saying, "Don't ask, I just fancied a walk with my bike, OKay?".  Thing is, that was exactly what I fancied.

Down the steep Sir William Hill, (can't believe it's a race the other way) and over to Grindleford where I knew where I was going - straight home, finally.  I hauled up Froggat so slow and hungrily that I nearly made a deal with myself to stop at the Costa in Broomhill but eventually decided on the direct ride home, sucking it up until I got back to the house and stopping only to buy my dinner on the way home.  Better to save the money for more adventures hey?

I had sore shoulders at Sainsburys so I guess I need to do some more 60 mile rides before I progress into longer distances but it felt good to be ready to do that much at least.  In order to get my purchases in my bag I had to put on my new coat which was fine as I needed another layer for the cold down hill to my house.  I congratulated myself on chosing a size that will fit perfectly over the contents of rear pockets full of stuff in a fleecy jersey.  So the coat got a wear and I am officially pleased with it.

Friday, 17 miles ride to work and home via town

See previous post

Thursday - rest day

Recovering from the long drive home on Wednesday evening.  I got to the end of the day and realised I had forgotten my turbo trainer for turbo.  The thought of borrowing one was all the excuse I needed not to go.

Wednesday - 4.4 mile run, 54:41

Despite a rubbish night's sleep, I was awake at 6:30am.  Blessed the service engineer for suggesting a 10am start and got myself out for a run along the Grand Union Canal fuelled by nothing more than a biscuit.  SO pleased I reccied the local area on google maps / bikehike the night before and indulged in simple run down the canal one way and back on the other side.  

It was beautiful in the clear morning air and I watched the sun rise on a very frosty (but dry) landscape.

A day on site put me at 14000 steps for the day.

I drove from Aylesbury to Worksop for a massage which left me a bit nasal and wobbly but was well worth it given what's coming up... Well, whether it was worth it or not, I enjoyed the chat!  I left Jackie's very motivated.

Tuesday. gym

A surprise hotel in the South of England got me into the gym because I forgot my head torch for running. I at least put in 3x10 squats of 10kg and some bridge once I got to the hotel gym.  I was tempted by a dip in the pool but it was only 16m long and I was hungry so that had to wait.

Monday.  Ride to work and back - 15 miles

A grounding and stabilising week at home

Sunday: Bradley Woods Cyclo-cross 5.6 miles, 43 minutes 30s

Much as I'm looking forwards to cyclo-cross today, I'm also yearning for the day when I can go for a long ride on a Sunday - or generally doing whatever I feel like.

To be fair, I started off feeling positive.  Then I got stomach cramp and had the worst start ever with 5 people passing me in the first 5 minutes.  Once Lynn came past I relaxed and even considered quitting the pain was so bad.  Thankfully, that got rid of the stomach cramp and I went on to regain five places, one of which was a place on the podium as second FV40.

It was a good day.

Saturday: Kind of a rest day.

Washing bikes from last weekend's muddy cyclocross AND swapping the curtains from downstairs to upstairs so there's no more mould trap below the windowsill.  The upstairs curtains have now been sawn off and will soon be replaced by new ones when I get around to making them up.

Friday: Ride to work and back - 11.3 miles, 66 minutes

So sick of driving now and it had stopped raining and being shit and turned into quite a pleasant morning.  

I left my house and turned up the hill and felt the satisfying out-turn of the weight training earlier in the week - every pedal stroke carrying me further up the hill than usual.  The ride in was lovely.  

I didn't feel like riding home in the daylight around 4pm.  I hadn't even recalled that it was Black Friday and Meadowhall would be hell so I'm glad I worked through, into darkness, completed the task I'd set myself to do on Friday and eventually left around 8:30pm.  Thankfully the traffic had died down and I mostly had a pleasant ride over the hill (avoiding all the boy racers) and climbed seamlessly up to home.

In retrospect I should've left at 4 anyway and taken the long ride home but it's already been a really long week.

I got to bed - obviously late - and climbed grumpily into bed.  TSK had discovered mould that had grown up the curtains, along the wall and down the back of the drawers where all our clothes live.  I couldn't sleep with wheezing and got up and went to sleep on the sofa, where I stayed from midnight till around 6am.

Thursday: 15 mile turbo 51 minutes. 3.5 mile run 32 minutes

Had a meeting at work that started at 9am to tell me about how to avoid stress.  I was stressed because someone made me miss my yoga class.

They only gave us 45 minutes for lunch, despite me asking for longer so I went for a run anyway and walked in 15 minutes late and sweaty but no longer stressed.

Managed to stretch the working day to 6:24pm and still arrived at STC Turbo in time to wait for the Beavers to finish their evening Beavering. Some satisfying spinning drills followed my more intense strength work - 9 minute intervals now and I did it properly instead of messing about.

Wednesday: 1 mile swim , evening weights

Back to the gym in the car as the rain eased off but I still felt a bit soft.  45 minutes to swim a mile broken down into 400m sets - with a couple of 150m sets towards the end.  It felt much better nursing my way through it like that.  Every set was more controlled.  I was still tired at the end but looking forwards to gluing it all together into a successful set one day.

The only day of the week I finished on time so I went in the loft to do weights whilst waiting for TSK to return from whatever he'd been up to.  Upped the reps and some of the weights.  Mainly felt smug.

Tuesday: Yoga

Starting easy, right?  With a trip to the gym on the way to work and an intense breathing session to build lung strength.  With all the racing I do on weak legs, I think my brain might ooze out of my ears if my lungs get any stronger.

It's a problem with yoga, although I love it I never really know what I'm going to get from the classes but occasionally I go to one where I learn something new and very useful.

Monday: Rest day

Cyclo-cross was tough on Sunday and Monday was pissy wet.  I've hardly been at my new job a week and I needed some time in the office to process all I had seen, talk to some people, plan.  It turned into a week.

Summary 

Swim: 1mile

Bike: 32 miles 

Run: 3.5 mile

Ugh. A week of looking forwards to the time I can work outside all day and still train.

Sunday - Cyclocross 6 miles, 45 minutes

It took a bit of self motivation to get out since I was feeling like I had a cold but once I arrived and set Andrew off, I felt better. I got a bunch of chores done that I have been meaning to tackle for some time - saddle position, new cleats in my shoes. 

I got a flying start but this time it stuck beyond the first corner and to my amazement i held 3rd place for some time before Hannah came past.

I was passed by 2 girls on the hill climb as I wheezed my way up but they both remounted too early and I ran back past hitting the slalom descent first, fast and sideways.

Andrew told me I was fourth and I did my best to reel in 3rd place but inevitably Sinead, 20years my junior slipped by just as my bike started to clig with a pile of leaves i accidentally rode through.

I did a half lap on Red whilst Andrew cleaned out my best bike then changed back onto my trusty steed until my chain dropped off, thankfully within sight of the pits and just before the finish line, which I crossed on Red in 5th place and way ahead of my usual result (even taking into account that many of the fast racers were overseas).

Finally a cross race close to what I know I can achieve. Question is: was it a  week of working on my feet? Last weekend's weights session? Or 5 minutes turbo session on Friday night? Who knows?

Saturday - Walk 2 mile

A week like this deserves a rest day sometimes. I reytturned some overpriced cloth hes that really didn't match me as much as the tag implied and  we did a supermarket shop.  All good intentions to do some weights when I got home evaporated so instead we walked.

Friday - Swim 1350m, 1.19 mile turbo.

I didn't set my alarm but woke up naturally at 6am.  Thank you thank you! Oh! Rest day.  Surprisingly, I felt like getting up, so I did.  Had some breakfast in my room and set out for the pool which, I had learned on Monday, opens at 6:30 am.

The post code for the place was not in the database on the satnav so I chose the nearest one but then as I approached, started following the signs for the leisure centre.  On arriving at the
leisure centre, it didn't look like the picture so I checked if there was a pool, only to get the answer, "No it's on the other side of town".  The chap gave me the street name and I found it instantly.  It was on the road that I used to approach town.    

On arriving at reception at 7:10 I found that on Fridays the pool opens at 7:30.  Oh well, another late start at the "office".  I got changed and waited further until we were allowed to pay our money.

The promised 33m pool was split via a boom into 25m + shallow end so I was further disappointed but otherwise, it was water, not too shallow and there was a glimpse out of the window of the sandstone railway bridge arches as I ploughed up and down.

The swimming was not as fruitful as expected.  I managed a constructive 15 minutes during which time I discovered that my watch was struggling to count laps (only 13 lengths logged - should have been around 30). The rest of my time was frittered away doing kicks - although kicks are productive and a constructive way to spend another 15 minutes.  There were a few laps of breast stroke thrown in, though I left the pool without any idea how far I had swum today.

At the other end of a working day that involved liquid nitrogen (I could watch it boil for hours), more walking around and a 3.5 hour drive back to Sheffield over the Snake Pass in the snow (and being strong and not going for a run in the icy rain), I went to a party and sat on a turbo trainer for 5 minutes, racing (the substantially smaller) Eddie, in aid of Norton Wheelers affiliations.  Eddie was riding an adult's bike without a saddle but sitting on a towel tied on with electrical tape.  All the other grownups had raced for 10 minutes whilst I refused blankly to play.  Since Eddie was only doing 5 minutes I agreed to keep him company and be almost beaten my somebody 1/3 my size.  The sacrifices I make to encourage the youngsters.

Thursday - rest day

I say rest day... an average office day with no exercise for me looks like around 4000 steps.  

On Thursday I did 6304 steps - mostly between 8am and 3pm.

It wasn't a particularly physical day - wandering around checking pipes - and it involved some substantial food intake - but at 3pm the light rain we'd been managing all day turned into a downpour and the four of us rushed to huddle in the electrical building to avoid being drenched.  The diesel generator was propping the door open and, having been inhaling its fumes most of the day I was now overcome by them.  

When the rain eased off, I stepped back out into the "fresh" air and immediately felt a bit rubbish.  My brain could not concentrate and I gave up and returned to my hotel room to "do some paperwork".  Whereby I had a bath, drank some coffee which had no effect so I went to sleep for 45 minutes only to be woken by the boys wanting to make a plan for dinner.  

I dragged them out to a 16th Century Forge pub and we ate beautiful food.

Wednesday - 7 mile night roadie run

I had planned to ride to the conference but as I was heading back to Carlisle I took the car and found that parking at Old Trafford was insanely easy.  Suitably informed on the process of lifting in the nuclear industry, I headed North again back to Carlisle.  

I'd organised to have dinner with my colleague in the bar at around 7:30 when I arrived but to my relief he wasn't answering his phone.  To my relief because I felt like running.  I text'd him then set about figuring out what to do.  I realised I didn't *feel* like running but I wanted to so I wore my road shoes and set out to JOG as much as I liked - just jog.  Just as far as I wanted to go.

Well, jogging turned to running and I got funky with the route finding and set myself on a much longer trail.  Considering this was a jog and a few walk stops to check the map I got back to the hotel after a 70 minute 7 mile run, pretty pleased with myself.

As I walked back, the colleague rang and colleague II arrived and we all ate mediocre hotel food together.

Tuesday - 15 mile MTB mainly road. Some trail

Tried to get up at 5 without success. At 630 managed it then finally got out by 7 and rode for as long as I dared.  I am concerned that this new aspect to my work will put paid to future training consistency but also aware that spending 7 hours of the day on my feet will be superior to sitting at my desk all day in terms of benefits.  

A little embarrassingly, as I rode past the site, the team saw me coming back to the hotel to get changed.  A good day of walking around site followed. Knackered in manchester preparing for a conference tomorrow and starting to doubt why I am doing this to myself..

Monday - restish 

But with shit loads of office work and a long drive.

This week limped into...

Sunday - 42 mile ride 976m el.

I didn't feel like cyclo-cross this morning and then I discovered that the parking was not at the event and it sealed my desire for a longer ride.  I've enjoyed what I took from the Alps so much I don't want to lose the strength endurance built up so I changed the tyres on my spare wheels for roadies and took the lightweight bike out. Possibly frivolous for this time of year but it stayed dry and I had a lot of fun.  

I wasn't packing any low gears so I had to struggle on the hills which was doing good for my self-confidence as I took everything in my stride.  So different from my last roadie ride.  After lunch in Hope we set off up Mam Nick, aced it then dropped down Winnats and headed home over Surprise view. 

Everything had been within my limits.  Thanks to the weather there was more dripping with sweat than swearing about being cold.  Might as well make the most of it while I can.

Saturday - Strength training - Prep phase

When I have day like this I have to remind myself I said I would train consistently. Not just burn myself out too early on. Consistency takes restraint as well as dedication

I didn't feel like doing anything this morning.  The outside didn't feel welcoming and even the inside felt chilly in the loft.  The thought of taking my car anywhere was not appealing but, having sat on the sofa till 11 reading my book, I had to do something and set my mind on starting my strength training for this season.  Starting at the bottom - never comfortable and a little tedious.  High reps, low weights to get used to it.  Still wore me out good and proper.  Had to eat before going out with TSK for lunch.

Weight training wasn't explosive or amazing but it was really satisfying starting something that will contribute to success in July.  Keeping it up will be the key.

Spent the afternoon getting ready for Sunday racing.  It's nice being able to do my strength training then not worry about Sunday 'cross.  It feels like I'm paying the Alp proper respect.

Friday - Rest day

Filled with working, I used the car to get to and from work to give me a break from the training and the stupid.  I very much deserved it.  However, the work wasn't easy so not much of a rest day.

Thursday - Lunchtime Run 6.7 miles, evening turbo 20 miles.

Given I had to take the car to achieve turbo in the evening, I packed my running kit and luxuriated in the traffic knowing I would otherwise be effortlessly carriaged to my training sessions that day.  Set out at lunchtime to run the canal and the bastards had closed it so I ran even further than usual, nearly plonked my ass in a rancid puddle of muck and had a generically horrible run through North Rotherham's dodgier industrial estates and MeadowHell.  Sprinted back to the office to get back in time for lunch servings, only to be suprised by a 28 minute 5k and my fastest mile in training.

Rushed over to turbo arriving just on time without any traffic hold ups!  Another strength training session with varied resistance.  Proper tired me out.  20 miles passed quickly with a lot of banter though I'm not entirely sure I believe my pooter that I did 20 miles in an hour.

Wednesday - 1600m swim, MTB to work & back

Bloody cold this morning - finally!  Still I felt like swimming so I did swimming.  Took a long time to get changed 3 times out of / into all my cycling gear.  Ploughed straight through crawl swimming and managed to churn out a mile for the first time this year.  Very satisfying until I realised it took me 42 minutes.  Oh well, I've been here much later in the year and still salvaged it.

Wobbled into work down the canal and got completely filthy again after my shower.  Then spent the evening riding home awkwardly, slowly nursing a slow puncture and a sore hand where I pinched my hand in the pump.  Went out of my way to find street-side pump stations since my own wasn't working out for me.  Got in at 8:30pm having left the office at 6 ish.

Tuesday - Yoga

Chris yoga is harder than Helena yoga.  Always more upper body with the men!  So nice to mix them up and get a bit of both.

I meant to go to track in the evening but I worked hard and was tired.  I left to get to track early but it was too early so I went home to cook delicious food instead.  Considering I was missing 3 of the ingredients, it didn't go too badly.  At least I got an early night and had fresh bread in the morning.

Monday - bike to work & swim 1300m

After Sunday's hangover, I didn't really feel brilliant all week but I set out on Monday to make myself catch up. The first half of the week was a success with a new project to look forward to at work  but it waned from there as fatigue and the reality of the tough week ahead set in.

A steady wobbly ride to work via the pool where I hauled my way through 6 kick laps and a total of 40 lengths.  At least the kicking seems to be making a difference.

This week was

Saturday - 30 mile mountain bike 1000m climb

Took EmVee out with good intentions to do a really long ride.  Didn't leave till 10:30 and with it being winter and having taken a weird turn off route, just resorted to linking together a bunch of lanes I've never ridden on before.  It was blissful as everything worked out and I was really satisfied to achieve 30 miles without really thinking about it.

Went out later and got so drunk that I needed  Sunday as a rest day.  Oh well, never mind.  I guess it's the time of year to do it.

Friday

Decided to make Friday a rest day and turn Saturday into something worthwhile instead of sitting around on the sofa complaining at being tired from Friday's training.

Thursday - yoga bike 11 miles

I went to see Helena for a wringing out.  I was tired but doing sun salutations between a full rising sun was perfect and the leg strength sessions to go with it. Yes!

I took the car in to work along with the bike and turbo trainer and churned out a nice 11 miles over 45 minutes in the scout hut.

Wednesday  - bike 7.5 mile run 11 miles

I got up at my leisure feeling tired but after breakfast managed to persuade myself to ride so long as I took the mountain bike. 

A bloody enjoyable trip to work and managed to take my running gear for the journey home. Forgot my head torch but didn't let that stop me and carried my bike light in my hand. Did most of the canal, only  using the light for the dark bridges. When I left work I was doubting I would run the whole thing , especially the point of the run home - the 100m hill climb at the end.

When I got there I floated up it like it wasn't even a hill.  It seems something great has happened to my running endurance... now if I can just get some sleep!

Tuesday - swim 1km yoga 

Morning swimming pool session with 6 lanes of kicking. I called it quits when I got bored and went to work. A snack of peanut butter ryvita meant that I was ready for yoga before lunch and stretched most of Sundays race and Thursdays squash out before doing some strength exercises that set it all back again. The only downside is not making it to track running. 

Monday - rest day 

A great day for a job application. 

What was yesterday

An amazing 70 mile ride with 1704m climbing has rendered me knackered. At the end of a running week, I fear this ride has rendered me unable to survive today. However, it's the Trunce tonight.

After that, really, I'm going to start tapering... or maybe one more hilly run... but in a tapered fashion... really.

Turn-around

Out of the fug of fatigue and depression from finding out I didn't complete the Day in the Lakes Half.

I had a call from a lady interested in a long term let on the Orchard which would see us through living at The Grange or enable us to rent a house in Sheffield at last.

I was tired when I got to the end of the day but I slept and woke up to a beautiful morning today.

Angsty

How cruel life can be.

One minute I'm roaring through training like the race is tomorrow and clocking most mileage and faster speeds and the next minute gallons of the white fluffy stuff arrives.

Now I'm a powder hound at heart so there's no surprises that as soon as there was more than an inch of the white-stuff in the back yard, I was on my skis to get to work. Sad thing is, I'd already run the day before and raced my bike the day before that. Sounding tuff? I wrecked my feet in my new boots and got blown to death trudging home through a blizzard so, there we are, exhausted. Three days to meet a deadline and they are the snowiest, fluffiest and today, sunniest days yet and I'm knackered, with sore feet and no ski wax and work to do.

I sneak a ski at lunchtime.

I might not sleep well tonight, my pent up excercise exhaustion is wearing thin. At least now, my work here is complete. I might take the cross bike to find some ski wax and sneak in a swim at Ponds forge tomorrow.

This week was

Fairly lovely - riding to work, a swim, lots of hard work. No running as yet. A trip to the gym before driving to manchester.

The start of training is affected by work but not important at the moment. Having fun and maintaining momentum is important. Later it is going to get interesting.

Tommorrow it is a club run, race then, hopefully, fell running on Tuesday.

Quelle semaine

It's been a manic week.

Wednesday in the gym,
Thursday Norton Wheelers chaingang
Friday back in the gym
Saturday NW club run
Sunday racing.

Two weeks of exhaustion left before a rest week then the big event of the year.

I want Andrew to come home and look after me now.

Today was

Getting things right today.

Walking in on someone bitching about me (again).

Riding it out with strength training there and back.

Last few days

A new house
A new route to work
Running the new route to work
Watching bats from the conservatory
Chasing the cat back indoors
Being unsure which wind turbine project I am booking my time to.

What was today

There's nothing more satisfying than teaching something to someone who doesn't think they can learn it.

Beck's front crawl has really come along.

TSK is off doing a 600km ride and I miss him. 600ks don't pass quickly enough for me to comprehend him finishing it.

Becks and i went out and churned through 40km going to Bolsover castle and finished it off with a ride up some bridlepaths.

The cat was out most of the night and by the time I got up this morning there work workmen and diggers in the garden next door so the cat stayed out until we got home from the pool at 11. He has even forgotten that he gets meat at 7pm.

What was yesterday?

Getting asked to take on team leadership at work at the end of a really boring and dull day.

What was today?

Quiet, recovering from yesterday.

Looking forwards to delivering a matress to the next place I'm going to live.

Wishing I was going fell running instead.

New Feature: What was today?

A really good cyclo-cross race around the Newsome school fields and woods in Huddersfield. Summer showers on the distant hills on a sunny evening. Drifting smoke from a nearby fire and a race that all came together for once. No punctures just a plan, executed and delivered.

And first-place woman on account of there being no others.