Work, eat, ride, gym .. repeat.

Last week was a good 'speed' week, well it's all relative of course. I am not very fast.

The ride with Adrian & Andrew was quite a bit faster than my normal and I held up well because I have a few miles in the bank over recent months. The ride with Dick and Molly was reasonably steady too, except the bit where they turned right to go to Badgers for a pre-lunch coffee and I turned left for the climb back to Bo Peep car park along The Batch (below) to fetch the car. I had a bit of a sweat on when i got there and was panting like a bloodhound.

Monday was chores evening and Tuesday we went to the spin class - the first in a few weeks. I had a few left-over aches in the legs, but not sure why. I am not very scientific with my approach, I just ride my bike.

Wednesday I decided to cycle to the gym and then do the Body Pump class, followed by a Spin class. Molly would bring the car for the ride home - I'm not too worried about missing the return leg because it's mostly down hill. I had half an eye on last week's time of 34 minutes before I started, but after a few turns of the cranks I detected the slight soreness. Perhaps not today then .... I was surprised when I got there in 33 minutes. Not sure how, but pretty sure my timings are accurate enough for the purpose. Ah well, another unexpected bonus ! Pump felt hard and I was knackered after Spin.

We had three 'rest' days scheduled in - food preparation ready for friends coming to dinner, visit relatives, shopping (yuk), essential chores, private BBQ for the two of us and a game of (long overdue) golf - and then we are back on it for another week of rides, gym and work.

Cycle to the gym took the same 33 minutes, but I suffered from an overly relaxed start and despite some gurning in the latter stages, I couldn't make the time up. This is always the problem with training alone, you end up 'fit in your own world' but in no one else's. You have no partner who can push when you are at your lowest, and vice versa. Luckily I am a Gemini, so there are two of us and we both think we are fit. Body Pump class afterwards was good and I pushed quite hard with lots of extra weight - almost back to the level I was when doing this regularly, one little plus at least.

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We are still thrashing round the little road circuit from the house but it's not quite as easy now Molly is back to work. However, our speed and fitness is improving, and I often get the chance to do a second lap as my hair doesn't need so much attention after each ride.

Weight loss has stalled and I need to kick start it somehow. Stuck at 215lbs (plus or minus a bit) but I'm working on it. Perhaps it is time to wire up my jaw.

A couple of days go by and more failure .. I want a sub 30 minute local-loop before Colorado and felt good last night. Despite slowing for two horses and one pony and trap, I was doing well but got to the cut-off point for a single lap and knew I would miss the target by a whisker, so decided to go for the two-lap record. Round again and back to the cut-off point, looking good, but slowed down by cars being diverted from an accident which caused me to miss the lights. Waited 45 seconds for a light change, then pulled a face and burst some blood vessels all the way home; and rolled into the drive on 60min37sec. Bugger, bugger, bugger. Average speed 19mph - not bad for an old bloke on a mountain bike though. To put it into perspective it's the same average speed as the Tour's peleton on the final mountain stage last week and they rode for 5 hours 3 minutes, uphill and in the big ring !

Preparation for Colorado

Since Sharm, the closest we have been to water is in the shower.

We have been busy though. As usual, straight after a holiday it's always 'catch up time' and I spent mine on the road for a week. Knowing it was coming, I made plans to take Molly with me. The week away was eventful though. I spent the first day in Middlesbrough, where the security guard at the Sports Centre apprehended three local 'scrotes' who were trying to steal the bikes off the back of the car. Luckily the rack locks to the tow ball and the bikes lock to the rack. Apparently it was the feet sticking out from under the car that alerted him ...

Due to the somewhat excessive travel (1500 miles in a week, plus appointments) I only managed one ride - the North Face Trail in Grizedale.

This is another of our pretty good short trails. Just 10 miles in total, no BIG climbs, plenty of boardwalk and generally not very busy. The only disadvantage is that it located in a difficult place to 'go past and drop in'. I was going past for the first time in years and couldn't resist. Managed a PB at 64 minutes too !

The weekend saw us in Holland, Lincolnshire, one of England's flattest areas, with my brothers. We enjoyed a family ride at Rutland Water followed by a picnic. I wouldn't chose to ride there too often at the weekend because it is really busy. But, as a family venue, it is perfect. It's accessible, with good parking, bike shop (http://www.rutlandcycling.com/), cafes and it's brilliant for the kids who have improved no end since we last rode with them. How much better would we all be if our parents had dragged us out from such a young age?

Molly and Elly (above) having a breather on the dam wall at the eastern end of Rutland Water.

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Lucy - cruising (right). With mandatory tongue sticking out at Uncle Freddie !

The weekdays have been full of work, gym and local loops and we appear to be getting better. I have my 9.3 mile local loop down to 31 minutes on the ARC and determined to break 30 before Colorado. I also managed to cycle to the Body Pump class last week and managed 9.6 miles, mostly uphill, in 34 minutes. Will try that again this week ....

Off to the West Country next for a retirement dinner. Not a normal one - a mate retiring from the Royal Marines and starting another career. Apart from excessive socializing, Molly and I rode the Princetown loop across Dartmoor again, but clockwise - the slightly easier way round.

I managed a quick mid-week visit to see some mates over near Guildford and ride a nice circuit from Brook, Hindhead, Gibbet Hill and around the Devil's Punchbowl. The fitness level stacked up favourably with Adrian and Andrew, so I was relieved / pleased about that as they are quite a bit younger :-)

You are reminded that you are getting old as your daughter's 30th birthday approaches. Oh no .. another party and another present ! One of my brothers made the pilgrimage south to celebrate Toni's happy day and we took the chance to introduce him to a few hills. Dick hasn't been riding that long or that much, but has really got into it during the Sundays at Rutland with our neices. I told him not to bother with a bike, I thought I would lend him the 575.

We had a slightly shorter than normal route and avoided the bigger, steeper pulls and he did really well. Barely two miles in, we had the hardest climb (above) up to The Comp from Blackstone Bottom. Not too long or steep, but Molly struggled up this last winter when it was frozen. We could have avoided it, but I couldn't have Dick thinking it was too easy down here ! We rode the loop and finished off with a blast down through Friston forest on an unofficial trail known as Stumpy (I think). Not too technical but loads of fun. Molly, complete with new integrated shin / knee guards, rode it like she was born to shred and admitted afterwards that it was really enjoyable - yee ha, bring on the Rockies.

I think Dick wants a Yeti :-)

The reward was a lunch in Badgers Tea House in Alfriston (http://www.badgersteahouse.com/ and 01323 871336). Expensive but worth every penny. (You can get 2 or 3 bikes into the garden so you can keep an eye on them but bigger groups will need lock and chain)

We fly to Denver in three weeks ... let's just keep riding.