Whoooaah We're Half Way There...

...whoooaah living on bananas and tastless chewy bars.  Good work today as Matt, Jason and I covered half distance for the first time.  Ian joined us for the first bit but (intentionally and planned) balied out and did about 30km.

The sun was out, spring in the air and it felt all too easy.  I was determined that the map my ride was going to say 50km at the end, to the extent that when I'd got to the end of Chaulden Lane (about 1km from home) and it looked like I might be 1 or 2 km short; I turned around and cycled the final stretch twice just to make sure!

All good, although I'm not sure that I would want to have immediately jumped back on the bike for another 50km; ah well, still over 100 days and plenty of training rides to go...

Snow, Bikes and All Day Breakfasts

There was a change of scene this week as it was the staff weekend away for the kid's camp that I volunteer for in the summer.  As has become a tradition we were staying in the Peak District, but undeterred this year we took the bikes with us, all loaded up in the back of Barry's van.

On Friday I had a fun 23km ride from Hathersage to and then round Ladybower reservior with Sze and Barry.  The plan was to do something much more ambitious on Saturday but we woke up to settled snow, with even more falling.  After much deliberating, and a change of tyres for Barry onto a proper nobbly mountain bike set we took the van back to Ladybower and cycled from there.  This time we were joined by Ian and Alex for what was a really fabulous short ride in beautiful countryside.  It was mainly tracks not road which was a bit of a challenge for me as the only one on hybrid rather than mountain bike tyres but a real laugh.  Lots of skidding and nearly losing it moments, messing about pulling the bikes up onto log piles to take photos and the beautiful scenery of Derwent Water.  Also its hard not to spend most of the time humming the theme music from dambusters.  Only 17km but plenty challenging enough for me and then off to the Grindleford cafe for a lot of coffee and an unfeasably large all day breakfast; perfect mid afternoon recovery food...

First ride for the magnificent 5

It was great to have a big group out training on Sunday for the first time, so Matt, Barry, Jason, Ian and I all embarked on the longest training ride yet.  We covered 43km including the big climb up Ivinghoe Beacon and adding on an extra loop via Aldbury and Tring Station.

Also two huge group thank yous - firstly to everyone who has sponsored me in the first week that I've gone public on my giving page - you've already helped raise over 700 pounds for RNID which is amazing.

Secondly a huge thank you to everyone who chipped in to the bike fund for my 40th Birthday present.  The fund has already paid for the bike, cycle helmet and all the dodgy lycra, and generous presents from people mean I've also got a Camelpak, lights, energy bars, a bell(!), I spent most of the rest of the cash in Leisurewheels the bike shop in the Old Town on Saturday afternoon.  I must have been the ideal customer, walking through the door with over 100 pounds and very little clue.  I left kitted out in terms of a minitoolkit, spare inner tubes etc and an extra night light - so truly I'm now 'all the gear and no idea'.

Next weekend means a change of scene with two rides in the Peak District.  I think the clue is in the name in terms of whether there will be any hills...

A dodgy training week

It's been a bit of a dodgy training week.  I was working at home on Thursday so started the day very early in order to make up the time to fit in a ride at lunchtime.  The plan had been to just to the simple 14km route to Berkhamsted and back but by the time I got to the golf course I was feeling so good I continued through Ashridge and decided to do the 26km route.  Unfortunately New Road was closed as they were hedge trimming, so I had to detour via Aldbury got a bit lost and ended up in Tring.  All in all it became a 35km ride, I'd not eaten since a 6am breakfast, so hit a bit of a wall a trudged back along the old A41 through Berko back to Hemel.  Lesson learnt = don't do such a long ride on an empty stomache.  Also I then had to work until about 7pm to make up the time!!

I had a good fun night out with work colleagues on Friday night, and I overinduldged somewhat the outcome being that I wimped out on the Saturday morning training ride.  Matt and Jason covered the 38km circuit that Matt and I did the week before in just over 2 hours (it had taken me nearer 2.5) which was good going.  I fitted in a 14km 'guilt ride' on Sunday afternoon, but need to make sure that next weekend I keep my inner party animal under control so I'm fit for a 40-50km run.

Incidentally, the reason for no ride on Sunday morning was going to my Godson Samuel's baptism (which was great).  It was in North London and on the drive home I couldn't help but notice how long Highgate Hill goes on for, not a problem in the car, but will be a bit more of a challenge at 3am on 12th June...