Thursday 26 March 2009

Wii Shall Overcome


Together we can do anything. Keira and I are getting seriously good at Mario Kart on the Wii. Team efforts, solo races, you name it we're winnin' it. Look out world.

Monday 23 March 2009

Tree Hugging is Good For You!


It's true folks:

• Asthma rates for children fall 25% for every extra 350 trees per sq km.

• Money for a new Heathrow runway could provide 22m street trees.

• 1,000 new parks could help avoid 74,000 tonnes of carbon a year.

• For every 5% of tree cover added, water run-off is reduced 2%.

• A treeless street is 5.5C (10F) warmer than a tree-lined one in hot summers.

• Property in treeless streets is worth 18% less than buildings in roads that have trees.

So what are you waiting for, get planting and if you've already planted, get hugging :)

Sunday 22 March 2009

Demons

I left home at 7am this morning to take part in the Southern Counties Sporting 25 full of optimism after an enjoyable ride in the 10 miler the day before. Took the time trial bike and decided to try out my Corima 4 spoke front wheel for the first time. The course is a double loop on the A24 and A29 with a little tail to finish. Rode about 6 miles for a warm up then got ready for the off.

Scooted along the first stretch of lane in pretty good order then turned onto the A24 and into a stiff headwind. It took an age to battle down the road. As I rode, my mind drifted very uncomfortably. I kept trying to clear my head but all manner of dark thoughts came creeping in. I turned onto the A29 and figured with the wind at my back I’d start to go better. No such luck. Come on, you can do it, just focus. Nope. I don’t wanna (that’s not actually what I thought, I’ll keep that to myself). Dominic and his boys gave me a shout along the road (I didn’t realise it was them until later) and I struggled, really struggled on for a few more miles. AT about the 9 mile mark I had completely unravelled mentally and I just pulled over. I felt awful letting myself down like this but I knew I just couldn’t carry on. I tootled back to the HQ, got some counselling over a cup of tea and then buggered off quick sharp before my team mates got back. I wasn’t in the mood for talking, making excuses, anything.

What a shocking contrast this race was compared to the day before. Hugely disappointing, and worrying.

Goodbye Keith


The Addiscombe Cycling Club lost one of its oldest members when Keith Wawman died earlier this week. There were loads of team ACC out racing this weekend all of us keen to pay our respects in some way.

My long road back to some kind of form continued at the Southern Counties Sporting 10 miler down at Oakwoodhill. It was a sunny day and so I warmed up by riding round the course to have a look-see. Beautiful countryside, draggy course. Took me 40 minutes to spin round, I reckoned I could manage 33 minutes against the clock.

The course is an upside down figure of eight starting with a nice 3 mile loop followed by a drag up the A29 then more country lanes. I’d fashioned a black armband from some ribbon tied round my arm several times then tied off and tucked under itself. At the start of the race it looked reasonably tidy. After 2 miles, the ends had worked themselves loose and were flapping about, doubtless causing huge amounts of drag. I kept faffing with the armband and as I did so I imagined Keith laughing about it. So, I left it tied on and whipping around in the wind.

The small loop ends with a sharp downhill which I wasn’t keen on, then up the other side (that’s better) and on to the A29 and a headwind. I passed the 5 miles to go mark at 16 minutes. Hmm. Better revise my target a bit, I can manage 32 minutes surely.

Once off the main drag I pushed on along the lanes, enjoying myself more than my limited fitness should have let me. Twisting and turning I could’ve sworn I was getting a wee push at times. I finished in 31.14. I used a Garmin for the first time this season. My heart rate averaged 165bpm and I topped out at 180. So, still nowhere near fit enough but I worked hard today. An enjoyable ride and a nice way to say see ya to Keith.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Peer Group Pressure

I'm not happy, not happy at all. After yesterday's fashion tomfoolery I had a moment of weakness this morning. Train again, still nursing myself towards the racing weekend. Paul Smith suit on (Ted Baker yesterday if you're interested) and there I am in front of the shoe cupboard. I reach for the trainers. Scruffy though they may be, these trainers were chosen for me by a specialist who filmed me running and walking before making their recommendation. These trainers are a good fit, supportive. And scruffy.

I bottled it and at the last second, veered towards a pair of black and grey Fly shoes. Fashionable, more suitable, visually at least. I slipped them on and off I went. 2.5 miles later I'm sitting at my desk regretting my weakness, feeling very sore again. Fashion is fine, but when you're not quite 100% fitted comfort wins every time. I'm sticking to my guns in future.

Tuesday 17 March 2009

Fashion Faux Pas?



Well now. I'm not averse to fashionista foul ups. How can I be, I cycle to work in lycra for goodness sake! But...

I'm on the train today in a desperate attempt to nurse my overstretched legs back to health in time for the weekends racing. I'm attempting a hilly 10 on Saturday and a 25 on Sunday. Mother's Day lunch looms large afterwards....sorry I digress.

So - today I get to wear a suit, whoopee! This is a rare treat for me. When I travel by train into work I walk about 5 miles to/from stations. To make this walk more pleasurable, I opt for, let's call it appropriate footwear. Appropriate for walking that is, not for suiting. Yup, you guessed it, I wear trainers with my suit.

Someone at work tells me that doing this will ensure a seat all to myself on the train. They asked me where the accompanying can of Special Brew is? Weird. Are suits and trainers such bad bedfellows that only the hardcore drunk and homeless can afford to be seen wearing them? I have to say that although I'm OK stalking the corridors of power with my cycling gear on, I do feel a bit odd sneaking about in my sneakers.

So what do you think? Is it OK to mix sporting goods and formal wear....ever? Should this combo simply be banned, or should I be proud of my new connections to the wider community and to hell with it all?

Snoop

Thursday 12 March 2009

East Surrey Hardriders - Blew My Mind


Mixed feelings for me about this race. I don't like this course, even less so in the very windy conditions. I did a 1.35.13 last year and being an unfit so and so I was aiming for anywhere between 1.35 and 1.40. Arrived in time for a half decent warm up on the turbo and no port in my system from the night before. Rob RE and I rolled off to the start and had a quick natter with Dominic before getting ready for the off. At the start I was feeling much better than the Redhill 18 and (almost) looking forward to it.

the start of the course is flat n easy (guess where the pic was taken). Few grotty bits heading back towards Reigate and then over the heath. The wind really hit me here, hey ho, me no like. Got onto the A25 and mentally, pretty much fell apart. The wind really rattled my cage and it was all I could do to relax enough to keep going. Flats or ups, great. Downs, no thanks. I was crawling down any decline, braking. For goodness sake!!!


My confidence was all over the place, I well and truly had the wind up me. I thought of bailing more than once but no. I really enjoyed the A24 climb and I was actually reeling people in on the hills but the minute the road fell, so did my speed. I did this event with no gadgets I'm glad to say as the downhill speeds would have you all in stitches. I wibbled and wobbled my way round, thoroughly enjoyed the short squirt along the A264 and huffed and puffed up the rusper hill. I was hoping the lanes might provide me some shelter and allow me to push harder for the last few miles.

Nope, I was having none of it. I wussed my way home, hard on the ups, even harder on the flats and ridiculously cautious on the downs. So - a horrible (tortuous even) ride, bizarrely finishing just inside my target range (1.39.24). Trouble is, if I could shake these demons I know I'd have been a lot, lot faster today. 29.9 miles of hell.

Somebody get me a Doctor.

Hot or Cold? I know which I prefer...

Carbon monoxide detector went off on Feb 9th. Whoah - CO is powerful stuff, it nearly got me. Wooop woop woop downstairs I went and my head went kablooie! I called the gas board and I couldn't get my sentences out, blurred, dazed and confused. Gas man came, disconnected us. Very quick - good in an emergency. Following day service engineer came and ye olde boiler got condemned. Shame but hey - I'd rather be cold and alive than warm and dead.

More later...