Cracking weather!! and a new Tee !!

Saturday 25^th April

 

The past month the weather has been really good, lots of bright sunshine and usually by lunchtime quite warm, the mornings very chilly! However, this morning its all change, grey skies and its raining.

No running again since the last post, keeping up my twice a week spinning sessions and been getting in some miles on the bike, over 350 miles so far this month and 119 miles this week. My furthest ride was 53 miles round my Stoke Sub Hambdon, Martock, Muchelney, Drayton, Athelney, North Curry, Slough Green and back over Horton and Broadway. Its been really good using the Qoroz titanium bike, very comfortable.

I even managed to get a ride in when carrying out one of my School Crossing Patrol Checks over in Misterton, giving me another 26 miles.

Last Saturday saw me and my eldest son at the ‘Bespoke’ handbuilt cycle exhibition at Bristol temple Meads, and interesting exhibition and some good chats with the makers, who were there to talk rather than sell.

Finally managed to get panniers sorted out on my Ribble so I can now carry the ‘stuff’ needed for the local Bikeability, the Pannier bags from St Johns cycles are really good value at £10 those along with the ‘P clips’ and the seat clamp with rack attachments has got it sorted, its also easy to transfer to my Qoroz if I need to. I gave it a try on Thursday and Friday at a local Bikeability course, worked very well.

From now till the end of the school year is very busy with Bikeability, many four day weeks ahead L  not leaving much time for getting out on my bike, hence can I cycle there??

Its only a week away till the Isle of Wight Randonee the 100 k ride [ but nearer 120 k!]around the island, so need to book my ferry tickets this week.

We also managed a day out in the camper, down at Exmouth brilliant sunny day as we drove across the stunning Woodbury Common, stopping off for coffee with views over the River Exe. It seems ages ago since I was standing on the sea front at Exmouth in the wind and rain, preparing to run the 22 miles along the coast to Seaton.

Should get a few miles in tomorrow, hopefully 50+

 

Finally! my neighbour who did the Grizzly , Rachael has delivered a 'BLRCC 20 mile conquerers' T shirt

this reference is to the fact we have both run over 20 miles!! she did the Grizzly 20+ miles run and I did the Ex to Ax 20+ mile run the BLRCC relates to where we live  XXunning and Cycling Club!! a very kind gesture and very unexpected, by the way we are the only two members of the club!!! so the Tees are unique!!

A nice surprise on Saturday evening - we now need to plan to run together at another event!!

 A FULL set now I have the Tee to go with my medal, Thankyou Rachael:-)

 

2 weeks on from Ex to Ax

Wednesday 15^th April

What a difference a couple of weeks makes!

I wrote this a few days after the event, intending to publish on my blog!!

“It’s amazing how the mind and body adjust after a big event a few days after. The pain and difficulty of the event starts to fade, I have done a couple of spinning classes this week, it loosened my legs and at the same time made them ache, I think I tried a little harder, pushing the resistance as I felt it was my legs that let me down last weekend, not my fitness. This week knowing the Ex to Ax was behind me. I haven’t done any running and have done no cycling other than 2 days of Bikeability.

My mind has come round to thinking maybe I would like to do it again, it was a long hard event, but! I did enjoy the challenge and would like to improve on my time – so I may think about entering again despite my last post that I wouldn’t!!!

I know what I missed and that was long hours on my feet either running or walking.Fitness, spinning is good for that but I need more distance and more hills in my legs, I also need to sort my food and drink, I thought I had sorted it but! Changed on the day (idiot!!), and carry less, rely on resupply. The Grizzly run was good at the beginning of March, just right for the Ex to Ax at the end of the month, but I need longer miles on my feet over the winter, I did about four longer runs over the four weeks before but! That wasn’t enough as it was interspersed with six – seven mile runs, which need to be extended and perhaps two longer runs at the weekend, or one in the week and one at the weekend.”

Its now 2 weeks on, I have only run 6 miles but cycled over 200 miles because it was the Easter holidays. Getting back into cycling was hard at first, but now feel I have my cycling legs back, preparing for the round the Isle of Wight Randonee which is 75 miles [even though it says its 100k!] on May 3rd.

Some stats from my watch on the Ex to Ax

 

The furthest ride I have done over the last two weeks has been 50 miles,so building up nicely. My Hamstring tendonitis still niggles, particularly when driving.

The weather has been fantastic, and Bikeability this week positively hot, spinning last night was a challenge as it was so hot.

I am entered for the 5 tors event on Sunday on Bodmin Moor, which is a great event, but after no running for two weeks will probably DNS, plus I am going to the Bike exhibition on Saturday in Bristol so cant get down to Bodmin till Sunday morning, a little late.

One final bit of news is that my son Tim and his wife are expecting identical twins! In October so that’s exciting news.

I started this blog at the start of 2014 the intention being to record my training for the Ex to Ax that year, sasly we didn’t run in the end, but 2015 we did.

Campervan news is sparce at the moment as have been busy with other things, I hope now spring has arrived that we will get out more, same with fellwalking, I hope I can get a week away soon in  North Wales and perhaps a few days in the lakes in the summer.